# Colonna - Coffee Roasters



## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

http://sprudge.com/englands-most-decorated-coffee-champion-is-now-roasting-81936.html

Very interested to see where this goes!!


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## robashton (May 9, 2015)

Oh my - this could be good.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

I have been giving him tips on roasting, sure he will do well!

But seriously, see that roaster he quotes, Infra Red... Whats that all about then?

http://www.stronghold.kr/main/index.php


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

If it's in the region of £5k it will be a good price. Ability to profile roasts is impressive.


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## Dallah (Jan 31, 2015)

Quite obviously, as you will all have figured out I know bog all (cue to @CamV6) but the Stronghold looks like a great way that a new small roaster could differentiate and get some traction. Will it actually be better? I don't know, but I know enough about marketing to know that it isn't the product that sells (usually) but the "story" that sells the product.

As for the Colonna as roaster, I bet many of us will try his product out, without reviews first, simply because we buy into the story that Maxwell sells. That's not a bad thing, his story does hinge on quality but it is a story none the less.


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## indend007 (Mar 31, 2014)

> I have been giving him tips on roasting, sure he will do well!
> 
> But seriously, see that roaster he quotes, Infra Red... Whats that all about then?
> 
> ...


Stronghold is official smart sample roaster for World Coffee Roaster Championship.


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

Interesting. I presumed before reading the article that this was the Logical progression from the work on water. I.e. Roasting specifically to suit his shops. But he wants to ship globally. At least the interviewer picked up on this, but if he's going to roast to a level that suits most waters then that somewhat undermines the work he's done on water does it not?

Also curious to see what he means by shipping smaller amounts. Not everyone wants 250g? Any less and you risk most of it being gone by the time you are dialled in, no? Obviously the smaller amount the more expensive it will be too, always cheaper to buy in bigger quantities.

And finally, the thing about packing it and shipping it about/shelf life. If seems he is very keen on exporting the stuff a long way? Wouldn't have thought this would be much of a concern on a domestic level?


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## evoman (May 13, 2014)

I should be excited by this (given that they are local), but I assume that they will focus on light roasts since this is what they seem to feature in their cafe. I am not a huge fan of light roasts, so despite their great reputation, I am not a big fan (that said, I have only had straight coffee drinks there - americano and espresso, since I wanted to get a taste of the coffee they were doing, but maybe I would love something milky)


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

risky said:


> Any less and you risk most of it being gone by the time you are dialled in, no? Obviously the smaller amount the more expensive it will be too, always cheaper to buy in bigger quantities.


Not everyone is espresso or cost driven when it comes to buying coffee


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## robashton (May 9, 2015)

garydyke1 said:


> Not everyone is espresso or cost driven when it comes to buying coffee


id be happy to buy a couple of filters and a cupping worth of a lot of coffees


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## Sk8-bizarre (Jan 22, 2015)

Well it's interesting to say the least.

Does a good barista make a good coffee roaster? Or even vice versa roaster to barista.......

Having a roasted bean and then getting the best from it as opposed to having a green and roasting it to get the best from it is a different skill set surely. Though the communication between a good barista/cafe owner and roaster must surely be a good one, a tight relationship.

I'm sure he knows the sort of things he's looking for though and how to work round it. I take it this is where cupping really comes into play? I've never done it.

I'm not knocking or praising as some will know from reading it's Colonna & Smalls who got me into this so I got love for them.

It's going to be worth a taste and the very least and being close I have the advantage of popping in and trying a spro or sitting at the brew bar and learning while again getting to try without the diving in and buying a bag of straight off. Once it starts hitting the board I'll be in there ordering as well they haven't made that shabby a coffee at all to date.


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## BenL (Nov 6, 2014)

I'm very excited by this, the Bath shop consistently makes some of (if not) the most enjoyable brewed drinks I've tasted.

I spoke to Maxwell about it a few weeks ago whilst there, I got the impression it might not be to replace the multi-roaster program, but to augment it, and with emphasis on retailing.


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## d_lash (Aug 30, 2014)

Did he say less than 250g?

He can dial a bean in quicker than I can, then.


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## risky (May 11, 2015)

d_lash said:


> did he say less than 250g?
> 
> He can dial a bean in quicker than i can, then.





> the people i train often want to buy interesting coffees and 250 grams is too much-you wind up with six open bags in their cupboard-so we are looking to ship in smaller amounts.


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## robashton (May 9, 2015)

It usually takes me 3 spros to dial in unless it's mega unusual but I suspect the focus here is on cupping and filter


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

I often buy 125g of stuff from the local roasters

I can cup , then v60 or chemex ( EK is fairly easy to dial in once you have a recipe and beans of similairish roast )

Espresso 2 goes normally , again if you in the band of properly developed beans, then the spot is one or two notches. The time of the shot along with the resulting taste , tells you to tighten or coarsen one notch either way


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## SPW (Oct 22, 2016)

Hi,

has anyone here tried the new Colonna capsules?

The claim is that it's 'speciality coffee' in an easy to use format.

is it something like an espresso in intensity and flavour?

is it something approaching a coffee that a triple uk barista champion would serve in his shop using almost twenty grands worth of espresso making equipment? I've drunk a few espressos and cappuccinos in Maxwells shop in bath - they are truly great.

can I buy a 150 machine and his capsules and have something similar-ish. Recognisably 'in the same ballpark' as an espresso in his shop?

I no longer have the time to spend 30-60 minutes a day 'dailing in' and logging 'my coffee journey - the elusive search for 'the god shot'....

steve


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

An hour to dial in .... your doing it wrong mate .


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

SPW said:


> is it something approaching a coffee that a triple uk barista champion would serve in his shop using almost twenty grands worth of espresso making equipment?


No.


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## SPW (Oct 22, 2016)

Mrboots2u said:


> An hour to dial in .... your doing it wrong mate .


Of course!

But there's getting a 'good espresso' - that's a few shots.

And then there's changing every variable you can to get 'the best possible' espresso for you.

Thar can take a lifetime....


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