Coffee Beans

HampshireHog

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Over the last few months it has become impossible to buy coffee beans in our local supermarkets.

Looking to go online and maybe use a subscription service, does anyone have any recommendations?
 

RichA

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I've tried a few subscriptions and always ended up disappointed with the variable consistency and quality.
For the last few months I've bought a kg each of Lavazza Red and Lavazza Barista Intenso then mixed them together in the grinder hopper. Annoyingly, it tastes better than any of the smaller companies I tried to support and is about half the price. And it doesn't clog up the grinder like some of the others did.
 

Fade and Die

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In work we are always trying different beans but we mainly buy them from coffee shops or up-itself-fancy-pants Borough market.
Favourite at the moment is Buffalo Soldier from Marley coffee Co. Excellent stuff.
 

pendodave

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I buy tea on line (kent and Sussex tea company), but although I'm happy with their tea, I like to buy my coffee beans locally in shops, or when I'm on a cycle trip and come across an interesting shop/roaster.
So I can recommend my online source as reliable, but I can't vouch for the quality of their coffee.
I realise that this is not particularly helpful, but at least it's a start!
 

Lord Tyrion

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I spent an afternoon with the person behind Caribe Coffee a few years ago, business owners event. Lovely guy, passionate about coffee and the farmers who grow it.

I'm not a big coffee drinker but he is genuine about what he does and is worth a trial. Google Caribe Coffee.
 

Marshy77

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I've tried a few subscriptions and always ended up disappointed with the variable consistency and quality.
For the last few months I've bought a kg each of Lavazza Red and Lavazza Barista Intenso then mixed them together in the grinder hopper. Annoyingly, it tastes better than any of the smaller companies I tried to support and is about half the price. And it doesn't clog up the grinder like some of the others did.

Just bought a Breville Barista and the grinder is the only part of the machine that annoys me. Try to buy local or online etc and the clogging up is one thing I didn't expect. It's like certain beans are too damp.

Think I'm going to try lavazza. Noticed they used it a lot on holiday and the coffee was lovely
 

RichA

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Just bought a Breville Barista and the grinder is the only part of the machine that annoys me. Try to buy local or online etc and the clogging up is one thing I didn't expect. It's like certain beans are too damp.

Think I'm going to try lavazza. Noticed they used it a lot on holiday and the coffee was lovely
My own thought is that a lot of the smaller roasteries over roast their beans to give the illusion of a stronger taste; it's almost like a contest. It isn't stronger coffee though; just a burnt taste like Starbucks.
And when beans are over roasted they go oily. And when coffee beans are oily and your grinder is set for a fine espresso grind the oils totally clog up the burrs.
I was dismantling and cleaning my old burr grinder every couple of weeks until I figured it out, but by then it was pretty much useless.
No such issues with Lavazza beans. I like the idea of finding a smaller indie brand to love but 20 years of coffee addiction and grinding beans for espresso has just let me full circle back to Lavazza. Boring but delicious.
 

GB72

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My own thought is that a lot of the smaller roasteries over roast their beans to give the illusion of a stronger taste; it's almost like a contest. It isn't stronger coffee though; just a burnt taste like Starbucks.
And when beans are over roasted they go oily. And when coffee beans are oily and your grinder is set for a fine espresso grind the oils totally clog up the burrs.
I was dismantling and cleaning my old burr grinder every couple of weeks until I figured it out, but by then it was pretty much useless.
No such issues with Lavazza beans. I like the idea of finding a smaller indie brand to love but 20 years of coffee addiction and grinding beans for espresso has just let me full circle back to Lavazza. Boring but delicious.

I found the same, I have tried all sorts of beans from small roasters and keep going back to Lavazza, they just work.
 

pendodave

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I found the same, I have tried all sorts of beans from small roasters and keep going back to Lavazza, they just work.
Haha
I love trying different beans etc, but the place where ive reliably been served the best coffee is Italy. And it's all the big brand stuff. I don't recall little artisan roasters everywhere, but maybe I just didn't know where to look.
 

cunnini

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Had fantastic coffee in The Netherlands all week a few weeks ago - not bitter at all!

Supermarkets around here (Cambs) still selling bean coffee (including Lidl) - maybe just need a bigger supermarket?
 
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