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| Coleman Coffee Roasters |
You've probably noticed I have very few recommendations for coffee on my blog. There are, of course, any number of places in London where you can drink a decent coffee, and plenty of guides pointing the way. There are a few I'll happily call in at but then there are the independents whose focus is on their own roasting. If they'll brew me a cup and sell me the beans directly, that's perfect. So here's one for you.
Jack Coleman grew up in a flat above the original Monmouth Coffee in Covent Garden with the aroma of coffee permeating every corner of his home. With that introduction it could have gone either way - coffee hater or coffee lover. Fortunately for us it was the latter. Fascinated by coffee, he was working in the Monmouth shop as a barista from his early to late teens before helping set up the original Fernandez & Wells. Then an Otto SwadloV3 roaster was going begging and the idea of bringing it back to life was irresistible. The machine was in pieces but with a bit of TLC and a lot of application, Summer 2008 saw Jack Coleman roast his first batch of raw coffee on the 58 year old Viennese beauty. With modifications for ducting, insulation, pressure gauges, fans and thermometers, it's now producing some of the best coffee roasts in London.
From his small south-east London roastery Jack Coleman specialises in Arabica coffees, buying his raw beans based on quality and traceability. Roasting is in small batches of around 3.5kg, which is as much as the Otto Swadlo V3 can cope with. On Saturdays he crosses the few metres from his base, brings the Marzocco up to temperature and serves shots of excellent expresso. You can also pick up a bag of his freshly roasted beans. The fact he shares this retailing space with The Little Bread Pedlar bakery who make, for my money, the best croissants in London, makes this the perfect place for a Saturday breakfast. Handily, there's a fantastic choice of independent food traders clustered around the Spa Terminus location.
If you can't get to Spa on Saturdays, you can get a taste of Coleman Coffee in London at some of the best places like Leila's Shop, Italo Deli and Brunswick House.
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| Piccolo from Coleman Coffee |
Coleman Coffee Roasters
