# Supermarket Beans



## les24preludes (Dec 30, 2017)

What are your recommendations for coffee beans available in the usual UK supermarkets like Waitrose, Sainsbury, Tesco etc?

OK - maybe not freshly roasted but what's good?


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## DDoe (May 25, 2019)

I found myself short of beans and followed the recommendation I'd picked up here to go for Union beans, which can be found at Waitrose, as they have a roasted date on the pack.

I bought a pack of Revelation early last week and am happy with the results.

There is a caveat to this, I'm very new to espresso making and machines, and my coffee of choice is cappuccino not espresso.


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## salty (Mar 7, 2017)

If I've run out of beans and need something to tide me over I'll go for Union at Waitrose. The staff must hate me as I search for the most recent roast dates. Union Bobolink is great as filter and espresso and Revelation is great for espresso if you prefer a darker roast.

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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

les24preludes said:


> What are your recommendations for coffee beans available in the usual UK supermarkets like Waitrose, Sainsbury, Tesco etc?
> 
> OK - maybe not freshly roasted but what's good?


 It's like going onto a gourmet food/wine forum and asking which birds eye boil in the bag fish is good, or which own brand wine box is good.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

les24preludes said:


> What are your recommendations for coffee beans available in the usual UK supermarkets like Waitrose, Sainsbury, Tesco etc?
> 
> OK - maybe not freshly roasted but what's good?


 How long is a piece of string, are beans 6 months past roast gonna last long? Nope.

If you have run out the Union recommendation is a good one. If you are trying to save pennies then it can be false economy when you realise the product might not be useable.


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## Nick1881 (Dec 18, 2018)

If I'm really desperate then Lavazza ORO will make something that is drinkable, Waitrose is a bit further for me but I did get some Union before from there, I find Revelation a bit dark though now.

I was in Costco yesterday and had a look at what they offer, sadly nothing with a roast date, one bag was the darkest most oily looking beans I've ever seen.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

If I run out of roasted coffee I drink more tea.


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

DavecUK said:


> If I run out of roasted coffee I drink more tea.


 How do you actually run out!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Jony said:


> How do you actually run out!


 True, it's rare for me to run out, back in 2013 though.....


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## Tonino (Mar 26, 2018)

Hi, you can try Italian coffee beans like lavazza illy, Gimoka, you can buy from supermarkets or from amazon, sometimes you can just walk to your local costa or Nero and grab a bag of their own beans , I actually like costa a lot. Other option is tk max they have some beans, I like to buy from them Bird and Wild' espresso blend, or just try whatever you like.


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

DavecUK said:


> True, it's rare for me to run out, back in 2013 though.....


 There must've been a bigger power outage in your area!

...birth rates some nine months later would prove my point...


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## Jackabb (Nov 6, 2018)

All "Roastworks" at waitrose has a roast date and if recently roasted can produce a good result!

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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I've entered the twilight zone.....


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

DavecUK said:


> I've entered the twilight zone.....


I'm sure if you try hard enough, you too can achieve a roast to the same quaity as supermarket beans!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

ashcroc said:


> DavecUK said:
> 
> 
> > I've entered the twilight zone.....
> ...


 I'm not sure I could with greens like mine.


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

DavecUK said:


> I'm not sure I could with greens like mine.


Admittedly you may need to source some 'special' beans for the experiments!


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## xpresso (Jan 16, 2018)

In the UK when I've run out of beans, having tried offerings in ASDA, Sainsbury's, M&S plus the kids offerings from COSTA, we find ALDI's Italian or Columbian are a reasonable fill in when they are in stock, I get the impression they have a good turnover so the suggested lengthy interval from roaster to shelf may not be as exaggerated as people make out.

Its taken quite a while to settle on a roast that we enjoy and its from Coffee Compass, its an extremely dark roast aptly named Extra Dark Wild Ethiopean Highland roast, My Dear Lady doesn't care for it as strong as myself so we have a weighed out happy medium.

Jon.


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