Unorthodox Roasters

129 High St Kinross KY13 8AQ »Map«

Open Wed-Sun Pour over, espresso Coffee: Unorthodox Roasters Also: Beans, light meals, brew kit

Coolness: Big open windows on to historic Kinross town

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Unorthodox Roasters in the town of Kinross - about a 50 minute drive North of Edinburgh - is a roastery and cafe.

Owners Neil Buchan and Chris Bode have their 6kg Giesen roaster proudly sitting up front alongside the customers’ chairs and tables.

They offer V60 pour over and, more recently, have added espresso based drinks to their menu. Their overarching ethos is to ensure customers are getting what they want.

They're aiming to demystify specialty coffee for their customers by fully explaining the taste profiles of their range and encouraging customers to try new things, as well as catering to those who tend toward a traditional taste profile.

It's worth visiting their website to get the gist of their unorthodox ethos, and you can order beans - and now specialty teas - to be delivered by mail if Kinross is not in your neighbourhood. Their range changes but this gives you an indicator:

• Wee Stoater - Chocolate, Hazelnut, Caramel - Brazil/Nicaragua
• Fire Bird - Chestnut, Apricot, Chocolate - Rwanda/Brazil
• Politik - Make. Coffee. Great. Again. - Rwanda
• Clockword Ninja - Brazil nut, Apple, Cocao - Colombia
• Jackpot - Blood orange zest - D.R. Congo

The food menu is evolving and includes avocado on sourdough, smoked salmon bagels, banana loaf, brownies and other cakes. And the cafe is quite roomy with lots of light, a rustic-meets-make-do-hipster decor and plenty of room to sit down and chill out.

Neil and Chris were inspired by a major trip they took through Central and South America - much of which was spent building their appreciation and knowledge of specialty coffee. Prior to this epiphany, neither had a background in coffee but have since been engrossed and have now realised their dream to both roast coffee, and open their coffee shop.

And to finish - this is one of the few places in Kinross and surrounds that's open on a Sunday - for all the walkers, runners and cyclists out there!

More: facebook.com/unorthodoxroasters/

Steampunk Warehouse North Berwick

49A Kirk Ports EH39 4HL North Berwick »Map«

Open every day Espresso, filter Coffee: Steampunk Also: Meals, cakes, beans, brewing equipment Your own cup gets you 50p off take away coffee

Coolness: Pre-loved charming warehouse with a roaster in the corner

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Steampunk (5♥) at North Berwick is in a big, two-storey steel-framed warehouse that used to be a joinery, so has an old, light industrial feel.

The coffee is up there with the best UK has to offer - made using the beans they roast on their Probat in the corner of the ground floor.

Steampunk offer a choice of espresso and filter coffees, made with great care and attention. Their bean range is wide and far reaching, from Peru to Kenya, Nicaragua to Colombia and you're in for a treat both in the shop and taking beans home.

Under owner Cath's leadership have gone from strength to strength. Steampunk started out selling their coffee from their trusty VW Camper coffee van on the food market circuit. They've stayed true to their down-to-earth roots and you can still grab an excellent coffee from Steampunk's orange VW at Edinburgh's Stockbridge market (separate listing) but are also well-ensconced in their spacious Warehouse.

Food on offer is excellent, uses local suppliers and includes soups, grilled sandwiches and creative salads. They have a good selection of cakes including vegan and gluten free and the service is super friendly.

It's a big place with lots of seating. Downstairs is mostly high stools and benches, upstairs is a mx of pre-loved dining room furniture with plenty of character and charm. They've also got a large area with outdoor tables and chairs.

You can pick up many of your home brew accessories including filters, aerorpresses, chemexes, travel cups, pour over devices and jugs alongside their wide range of beans.

Steampunk is much-loved by their community and are well and truly a favourite of cyclists who stop in as their reward for a big ride.

We are huge fans of Steampunk!

More: facebook.com/steampunkcoffee

Bean to Door - Coffee subscription service

Bean to Door is a new Edinburgh-based coffee subscription service designed for coffee lovers who are relatively new to specialty coffee and/or those who prefer a fairly traditional flavour profile.

There's been a lot of media coverage lately about coffee drinking in the UK. On a positive note, the publicity about the environmental disaster of non-recyclable cups and pods will hopefully drive sustainable change.

On the negative side, much of the hype has been about old styles vs new, big chains vs independents, reaching saturation of coffee shops generally, and quite a bit of complaining about hipsters and "why we can't just get a plain cup of coffee anymore".

There's so much division in the world about so many things: 'us and them' all the time (and lots of it about more important issues sniping about coffee trends).

Wouldn't it be better if we all just enjoyed the fact that we share an enjoyment of coffee? Instead of dwelling on how some people like a fruity, natural, Ethiopian pourovers while others look forward to their un-named Americano with hot milk to wake them up in the morning, wouldn't we be better off talking about whether the coffee farmers are paid fairly for their work, or how those farmers are sustaining their families and environment?

Let's focus on what's most important and on the joy coffee brings us all!

Cat O'Shea - Coffee Roaster,
Q Grader and
Head of Coffee at Beantodoor

On that note and getting back to Bean to Door, I caught up with Cat O'Shea to get the run down.

I'm always interested in sharing Scottish coffee developments, but hearing Cat was involved piqued my interest.  Prior to moving to Bristol to work with Clifton Coffee, Cat roasted for Edinburgh's Artisan Roast. She's a Certified Q Grader, has rated highly as a competitor in both roasting and barista championships over recent years as well as coaching and judging. Needless to say, Cat's a bobby dazzler when it comes to specialty coffee.

Cat is currently applying her considerable skills and knowledge to setting up the coffee side of Bean to Door - targeting coffee lovers who are relatively new to specialty coffee.

They've done a lot of market research and know there's a huge number of people who love coffee, appreciate flavour but want familiarity and affordable prices. Bean to Door are starting at £3.95 for 250g of their House Blend and aiming to lure supermarket coffee buyers toward tastier, fresher options.

Cat's sourced the beans, worked with a roaster in Edinburgh to hone the roasting profiles and written an Intro to coffee booklet to help coffee lovers perfect their home brew. They come in letterbox-friendly packaging, a choice of whole bean or pre-ground, have tasting notes, and the Intro to coffee arrives free with everyone's first order.

Cat's using small UK-based trusted green coffee importers who have long term relationships with the farms they represent. In time, Bean to Door want to work directly with their key farmers, putting in place projects that give back and support those communities.

While the range will rotate seasonally, Bean to Door is kicking off with six coffees and the options to choose whole bean or ground, suitable for aeropress, cafetiere, drip, espresso or stovetop. In tune with a mainstream coffee loving audience, they've got some darker roasts as well as medium and light roasts in the range:

• House blend - Brazil, Guatemala and Honduras - Medium/Dark
• Guatemala - Dark
• Honduras - Medium
• Brazil - Medium
• Ethiopia - Light
• Decaf - Medium/Dark Swiss Water Process

I've been on a bit of a journey of discovery here - and Cat has been a helpful teacher!

In the world of roasting coffee, labelling something 'dark', 'medium' or 'light' is too vague. Roasters use, among other things, the Agtron Scale to score the colour of beans. A light roast that some of us may enjoy from high-end specialty roasters may score in the high 80s, whereas supermarket and chain store coffees are closer to 35 (darkly roasted indeed!). (Check out this graphic and you'll get the idea)

Bean to Door are creating their 'medium' roast at about 70 and their Decaf is around 55 on this scale - which balances familiar favours with discernible depth and complexity (and is a darn sight tastier than the coffee that chain coffee shops serve).

Overall, Bean to Door is looking to make good quality, fresh coffee more accessible to the majority of UK coffee drinkers in a sustainable and supportive way. Can't argue with that!

Right now they're running a 50% discount off your first order - use the code INSTA50 and their website is >> here <<

You can also expect their offering to get more sophisticated as add to their range and choices of subscriptions.

Steampunk Coffee Stockbridge Market

1 Saunders St EH3 6TQ »Map«

Open: Sundays Espresso Coffee: Steampunk Coffee Also: Cakes, beans, chocolate Dog-friendly

Coolness: Mavis the lovely orange campervan

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Steampunk (5♥) roast their coffee in North Berwick and are regulars at the weekly Sunday Stockbridge market. You can expect to see them between 10-5pm-ish each Sunday, swarmed by happy coffee drinkers.

They make and serve their coffee from Mavis, their 1976 orange VW campervan that has been especially kitted out by the owners. They also sell teas and specialist drinking chocolate alongside lovely cakes and brownies.

If you're more of a coffee geek than us (and there are plenty of them) you'll marvel at their lever coffee machine cosily housed in their campervan. In keeping with their Steampunk ethos, every part of the making of every coffee is controlled by hand by the barista.

Needless to say the coffee is lovely - round, flavoursome, sweet.

You can also order coffee beans from Steampunk's stylish website and get them shipped to you within the optimum few days of roasting and just how you like it - whole bean, cafetiere, filter and espresso. If you're in the mood, North Berwick is very nice and you can drop in on Steampunk's roastery and cafe.

More: steampunkcoffee.co.uk

Papercup Coffee Great Western Road

603 Great Western Rd G12 8HX Glasgow »Map«

Open every day Espresso, Cold brew, V60, aeropress Coffee: Papercup Also: Meals, beans

Coolness: Murals inspired by coffee - from crop to cup

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Papercup Coffee (5♥) in Great Western Road is a small, unique, down-to-earth, perfectly formed coffee shop in Glasgow's West End.

Papercup Coffee is also one of Scotland's finer roasters so you'll enjoy their beans, all ethically and sustainably sourced, changing with 'what's great' at different times. Their current espresso blend is 60-40% Brazil Oura Verde and Kenya Asali which we found to be pretty punchy and on the darker side.

Their range has variety to suit palettes and brew methods. For example, Peruvian V60, Ethopian aeropress, Brazilian cold brew and Colombian decaf were all on offer on one of our visits. You can pick up Papercup beans at their shops (they have another on High Street) or buy them via their website for mail delivery on a one-off or subscription basis. And they run training courses including Home Brew, Barista Basics and Barista Advanced - bookable, and generally sold out, via their website.

So we've established the high calibre of coffee and expertise you have at your disposal when you visit this coffee shop!

This passion, ethical sourcing and creativity is also applied to the food. Despite what looks to be a titchy-wee food preparation area, you'll be blessed with a delightful, thoughtful and ever-changing food menu. To give you some mouth-watering examples... Smoothie bowls topped with seasonal fruit, nuts, seeds, goji and agave syrup. Avocado toast, feta, shraricha, lime, coriander and spring onion (add a poached egg). Baked eggs. Scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and avocado. Vegan courgette and poppyseed cake. French toast with bacon and maple syrup. Carrot, lime and pistacio loaf.... and there's plenty more.

Seating is fairly tight with a long cushioned bench on one side, faced by chairs and tables. The décor is uniquely their own, which is refreshing when so many coffee shops look like they're all buying from the same online catalogue. The school style tables and chairs sit beneath an informative and artistic mural about the coffee production process, while other walls have Venetian lime wash overtones.

Papercup Coffee Western Road is a winner. The only disappointment is that you may need to wait for a seat!

More: Papercup Coffee Facebook

Mr Eion Coffee Roaster

9 Dean Park St EH4 1JN »Map«

Open Wed-Sun (Beans only - no coffee served) Coffee: Own roasted beans from a wide variety of origins Also: Manual coffee brewing equipment & accessories

Coolness: See and understand the roasting process from green bean to take-home-and-brew bean

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Located in Stockbridge, 'Mr Eion Coffee Roaster' is Eion Henderson's warm and friendly coffee roaster.

Eion (pronounced Ian or Iain) serves walk-in retail customers with whole or ground beans and coffee making equipment Wednesday to Sundays (he doesn't serve coffee to drink). He also supplies bespoke blend wholesale beans to coffee shops, pubs & restaurants.

The shop is essentially one room, with plenty of light from the large window facing the street. The shop-front section is dedicated to non-powered coffee making equipment and accessories including aeropresses, pour-over and chemex devices as well as filters, cups and coffee pots.

The counter, and everything behind it, is dedicated to the coffee that Eion roasts on site.

It's not unusual to see Eion roasting during shop hours on his bright blue Diedrich roaster. You'll also see loads of hessian bags of beans from different ethical and sustainable suppliers sitting on palettes behind the counter, both green and roasted, that Eion replenishes from weekly deliveries.

Retail customers generally have 8-10 choices that are a mix of single origin beans and his own blends including the Moustache Twirler and Stockbridge Blend. He offers small batch and seasonal beans as well as regular favourites from India to Costa Rica, Brazil to Sumatra and Ethiopia to Colombia. We always go for his high end small batch beans, jumping at the opportunity to try seasonal rarities and which earn our 5♥ rating.

He and his team are very happy (and keen) to talk to you about the beans currently on offer, and your brew method, to help you in the decision-making process. You can also have your chosen beans ground to match you home brew method if you don't own a grinder. If in doubt, ask for advice, and it'll be given with a smile.

More: facebook.com/mreionltd

PostRoast - latest bean provider in the burgh

Adam Bennett, founder of
PostRoast

We caught up with Adam Bennett, founder of Edinburgh's recently established roasting subscription service PostRoast, to find out what they offer coffee lovers.

We've been keeping our eye on the ever-increasing number of beans Edinburghers can now get their hands on easily. As we outlined in our previous article, we've got local roasters Artisan Roast and Mr Eion plus a wide range of other roasters' beans on offer from the majority of our best indy coffee shops. And then there are new coffee subscription services popping up frequently that deliver beans, whole or ground, to your home on a regular basis. With PostRoast being Edinburgh-based, we wanted to find out more.

So what's the PostRoast story? 
In a nutshell, at this time, their points of differentiation are inexpensive price, only delivering the exact quantity you require every 7 days and super simple product descriptions that purposely avoid jargon or detailed coffee origin and processing information or tasting notes.

To give you an indication of pricing, at the time of writing this story, "7 cups of the freshest, top quality coffee (which cannot be found in any supermarket), delivered right to your doorstep every single week is £3.49." 14 cups a week is £5.09 and 21 cups is £6.59 and so on. Adam calculates "14g per 250 ml and have ensured our simple brewing methods are optimised for this."

We had a few specific questions for Adam and this is what he had to say about his newly launched business:

• PostRoast is one of kind. We post the exact amount of coffee you need for your week on the day that its roasted, that is exceptional coffee without the artisan jargon which is why many are scared of the coffee world. We want to let the UK public easily drink, exceptional coffee, inexpensively. No where else can you buy coffee as fresh for such a good price, and we all know freshness is absolutely key to a good brew.

• PostRoast is an innovative distribution system, we work closely with our partner roaster to select and blend our own two blends “strong & punchy” and “smooth and velvety”. We provide an artisan product without the artisan label (or price), we found that is what many people want, a description that is exactly what it says on the tin. Also, all our coffee is bought at higher than fair-trade prices. 

• Benefits: The freshest possible exceptional coffee; an amazing price; absolute ease and control; coffee packed for your needs so no waste stale coffee at the end of the week; accessible coffee without the jargon. 

• Differentiations from other subscription services: Your coffee will always be posted within 24 hours of roasting; We work out the exact amount of coffee you need for the week and post this amount every 7 days; The best pricing available. 

We also asked Adam a little about himself:

• Even before coming to University I wanted to set up my own business. I used to work as a barista, back in the day before coffee subscriptions, and as I was pulling shots customers were talking about Graze.com and I had a lightbulb moment that coffee would be perfect for the mail delivery model. From there I began developing the business in any spare time I had, after raising funds and winning the University of Edinburgh enterprise award I am finally there!

• I love Edinburgh's coffee scene, living around the Newington area I have had many a coffee in Kili (who use square mile fantastically), Brew lab, Artisan Roast... and now Filament are on the scene. The offering is huge and I know many students are even turning to local establishments as opposed to large chains. 

Go to PostRoast to find out more.

Artisan Roast Bruntsfield

138 Bruntsfield Pl EH10 4ER »Map«

Open every day Espresso, Chemex, Kalita Wave, V60, Aeropress Coffee: Artisan Roast Also: Light meals, beans, some coffee kit

Coolness: A chilled out space in busy Bruntsfield with a choice of their beans to take home

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Artisan Roast (5♥) is amongst those at the very top of the list of great coffee in Edinburgh and have this Bruntsfield shop as well as shops in Broughton Street and Stockbridge. They are also one of the few shops in Edinburgh to offer almost all brew methods.

The decor is relaxed and low key with simple wooden furnishings and hessian coffee bags to soften the white and dark grey paintwork. The large front room is light and open and there's a cosier feel in the back room that includes softer seating. Food on offer includes soups, toast and cakes.

They are a long-established roaster and have around 10 or so types of their own Artisan Roast beans from which to select. They supply other coffee shops in Edinburgh with their Janzsoon blend and offer online bean purchase and a bean subscription service.

Get yourself along for some seriously A-grade coffee, using your preferred brew method.

More: www.artisanroast.co.uk

Artisan Roast Broughton Street

57 Broughton St EH1 3RJ »Map«

Open every day Espresso, Chemex, Kalita Wave, V60, Aeropress Coffee: Artisan Roast Also: Cakes, croissants, beans, some coffee kit Dog-friendly

Coolness: Around ten types of their own coffee beans to take home

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Artisan Roast (5♥) is among Edinburgh's best and have shops in Stockbridge and Bruntsfield as well as Broughton Street (they also have a significant presence in Glasgow).

They were one of the first coffee shops in Edinburgh to do great coffee and pretty much the only roaster until very recently. They supply quite a few shops across Edinburgh with their Janzsoon blend but offer a lot of other choices at their shops.

The vibe in their Broughton street shop is chilled out and down-to-earth. There are high tables and stools in the front section of the shop and softer seating out the back, similar to their Brunstfield shop. They offer cakes and croissants to go with your coffee and a big trade in take-aways for busy locals.

Their coffees are amazing and their baristas tip top. A visit to Edinburgh's coffee scene is not complete unless you've dived in and had a coffee or two at one of Artisan Roast's shops.

Passion, aroma, flavour, milk texture, temperature and cup size - all fantastic.

More: www.artisanroast.co.uk

Artisan Roast Stockbridge

100A Raeburn Pl EH4 1HH »Map«

Open: Every day Brew: Espresso, V-60, Chemex, Aeropress Coffee: Artisan Roast Also: Beans, coffee-making kit, cakes, flowers

Coolness: The Stockbridge village feel

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Artisan Roast Stockbridge (5♥) is one of three Artisan Roast coffee shops in Edinburgh - the others are in Broughton Street and Bruntsfield.

The Stockbridge shop is glass-fronted shop and warmly light industrial - mixing wooden floors and counters with grey walls and a black and chrome theme. Customers have a choice of high stools and tables at the front or a softer lounge feel toward the back.

The coffee itself is exceptionally made and they offer espresso-based, v60, aeropress and chemex coffees using their own bean selection for the brew method accordingly. Shoppers can buy beans to take home from their range and also buy from a small selection of coffee making kit.

Artisan Roast is one of Edinburgh's longest standing roasters and operates in Glasgow and supplies many a coffee shop with top notch wholesale beans. They're a passionate bunch and are active in the local coffee community with tastings, education events and have 'sharing of the coffee love' core to their being.

More: artisanroast.co.uk