# Stand by coffee?



## Wuyang (Mar 21, 2014)

Just wondering when your caught short and have none of your favourite beans left which if any shop beans do you buy to tie you over in your time of need?


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Solution - roast your own - then you don't ever run out


----------



## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

I would buy Union from the supermarket if I'm caught short


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

By shop beans - if you mean long dated supermarket ones, I'd rather not bother.


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

From a decent, local cafe. They'll be more likely to have good quality, just about rested beans


----------



## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

Some of the smaller Italian roasters are very good in my opinion. There is a long thread in another forum about this and more specific about Kimbo. I keep a bag or two of Goppion Cafe beans for the rare occasion I am without fresh beans. There should be many Italian brands like Kimbo or Goppion - amazon offers some of these.


----------



## Wuyang (Mar 21, 2014)

Yep......dare I say it " shop bought stale beans " ........ M n S ,..... Taylors etc.... That you can nip to


----------



## Wuyang (Mar 21, 2014)

Glenn said:


> I would buy Union from the supermarket if I'm caught short


,,,

not heard of these.......which supermarket?


----------



## Yes Row (Jan 23, 2013)

Wuyang said:


> ,,,
> 
> not heard of these.......which supermarket?


I think Waitrose


----------



## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

Booths have a pretty decent range of stuff like Union and Grumpy Mule as well as their own which they apparently roast themselves, but if I'm in need of beans ready to go in a hurry I just nip over to my closest roasters Roberts & Co.


----------



## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I had no idea Union could be bought in Waitrose. So far I have failed to plan ahead and run out a few times! Had a kind offer from DavecUK of some of his own roast stash, another time I found a guy nearby who will deliver his beans for free in and around Windsor, and last time I just grabbed a bag of the only espresso beans Dept of Coffee & Social Affairs do, as I'm working just down the road from Leather Lane at the minute.


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

If you're working round there you're spoiled for choice with cafes selling good beans.


----------



## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Cheers Jeebsy. Any in particular spring to mind? Or just any of the many Italian cafés and coffee places round about? I know Holborn/Clerkenwell is pretty much 'the Italian quarter' where any all day breakfast comes with a decent coffee rather than instant. To be honest I wasn't madly keen on the DoCaSA beans, nothing wrong with them but bergamot is a funny thing to taste in coffee to me.


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

To be honest, if it's 'Italian style' you're after then despite being in an area with probably the highest concentration of good cafes around you might struggle.

Ozone at Old St might be your best bet, they're the darkest round there I can think of, either that or

Monmouth - along as Covent Garden

Dose - use Nude beans, very tasty, more of a medium roast

Workshop - fairly light roast

Prufrock - use Square Mile amongst others, light roast

Look Mum No Hands - Square Mile

Timberyard - Has Bean

Alchemy (more towards St Pauls - use their own beans, bit darker)

Caravan - light roast


----------



## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> To be honest, if it's 'Italian style' you're after then despite being in an area with probably the highest concentration of good cafes around you might struggle.


Very true, I'm almost bordering on the Western edge of Hipsterville!

I wasn't explicitly looking for "italian style", it was more of a general observation that Holborn/Clerkenwell is home to a good many old-school Italian-run cafes (as opposed to 3rd wave coffee emporia). However, I am leaning towards a DSOL guest slot next month so you're probably right, it might be a tad light for my tastes round here. Still, I'm open to education, and will probably sample a few coffees from some of the places walkable from the office in a lunchtime (Leather Lane, Covent Garden). I bought some beans from DoCaSA in Leather Lane but they were extremely strongly flavoured of bergamot, which was interesting from a tasting note point of view, but I was glad when I finished them this morning and purged my Mini with Rave Sig. Thanks for the tip.


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Bergamot can be a bit devisive - if you're buying from a cafe have a chat with the barista about what's on offer. They should have something more suitable, even if it is lighter then you might usually go for.

I'm the opposite and don't like darker roasts really so despite living and working not far from there for ages it was only the third wave places that got my business.

Someone posted about a well regarded Italian cafe near Liverpool st recently - fazenda you might want to check out


----------



## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

I never ever ever EVER run out. Coffee fanatic 101


----------



## Pompeyexile (Dec 2, 2013)

Just a thought I work a five minute walk from the centre of York and thought if I were absolutely desperate I would probabpy have to go to .....Whittards! A few grammes of Guatemalan Elephant; no don't laugh. But! now thinking about it, could I go to a good cafe and ask if they would sell me some beans and if so any suggestions. Or would a ten minute walk in the opposite direction to Waitrose be a better option?


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

A quick forum search says Harlequins/The Attic and Spring Espresso. I would be surprised if you can't get decent beans from one of them.


----------



## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Jeebs you are the Beansmeller Pursuivant!

I'm picturing you like the Eye of Sauron gazing down from some great tower in Mordor Glasgow, casting a beady eye over all good coffee emporia in the whole of Middle Earth England (and Scotland, but that wasn't in Lord of the Rings).


----------



## Pompeyexile (Dec 2, 2013)

Thanks Jeebsy I'll give them a try when the need arises.


----------



## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

A bit of stand by coffee:

View attachment 8851


----------



## EarwaxUK (Jan 19, 2014)

I've seen Union coffee in Waitrose but never bought any. It's not fresh roasted but its probably as good as you'll get from the high street.

I'm in the same boat as Scotford, I've never run out...


----------

