Green beens in London

[unclebobo]

Hi everyone

As I live in London it seems a shame to have to buy only mailorder beans, but I haven't found a supply in town yet. I was just wondering if anyone out there knows where to get green beans in London...

Many thanks
Cam

[kingseven]

I think the tea and coffe plant in notting hill sell em. You are better off buying from hasbean though - if it is quality you are after...

[Gouezeri]

Give Ducky an even bigger head why don't you! Last I heard he was putting gold leaf on his 15kg Amb'

[Paul L]

The shelf life of green beans is long and it will take an awfully long time to get through a few 2kg bags of different beans for low/medium home use. To me distance is therefore not important in the way it would be for pre-roasted and the likely lower volumes.

Another shameless plug for Steve's beans in other words from a satisfied customer (No I'm not on the payroll or discount and he supports Sunderland - snigger)

[Gouezeri]

Bobo,
Paul has hit the nail on the head. The only problem with buying greens in bulk is the cost in postage.
Otherwise, why not try contacting some of the companies listed in my other thread, such as Higgins, or Monmouth for example, though to be honest, I doubt you'll find half as much choice.
D

[HughF]

A year or two ago, Monmouth put their green bean prices up ABOVE their roasted bean prices. Considering the 15% weight loss in roasting that's pretty pushy and implies they don't want to sell green. I emailed them at the time as I had been buying from them but never had a reply explaining or denying this surprising policy. They might have have had a change of heart since but I'd double-check before you bother to visit in person.

Cheers,

Hugh

[Gouezeri]

I didn't find any mention of this on their website either Hugh (when looking for my recent thread on different suppliers, green & roasted) and to be honest, it looked as though there was less stock and less information there than before.... Wasn't it possible before to download a stock list with prices...? (though I may have overlooked it).
[OT] there's also some stuff on S.O. tasting "acidic and thin" in espresso, which reminds me of past comments heard in store[/OT]

[RobC]

Not wishing to clamber on the soap box (but will anyway, what the hell) but Hugh has hit a point that really gets my goat......

For the home roasting contingent in the uk a quick scan of all sources tends to produce an amazing disparity - in many cases retailers are pitching greens at a much higher price per weight then you can get bulk roasted coffee in ground or bean format? Why - if you are buying a raw product it should surely be priced at less then the tampered with equivelent. There are a few exceptions to this rule - mainly the stafford stallion of course - who does not just supply green coffee - which now presents a real problem. You see as most TMC members know mr leighton does not supply just coffee, it is the finest rare estate money can buy. And mr leighton knows his coffee - I would dare say he may well rank as the most experienced coffee taster the uk has (anyone else who got invited to the cup of excellence is welcome to argue their point) An example is hard but steve has eight different Colombians to choose from - estate and weight different, if anyone can suggest anywhere else to get that choice I will eat an I-roast (cable and all). And you can not compare a kilo of roasted Colombian origin against 250g of Colombian COE Jose Eivar Munos - it's a bit like saying a Porsche Boxster S and a Nissan Micra are both cars.

My point? I don't really have one. I agree with Hugh, straight for straight origin coffee should be less expensive green then roasted. But you really have to be careful because their is a great deal of specialist coffee about that deserves the few extra squid to pay.

And just for the record - in effect Steve is directly in competition with me - not that my Micra would get near his Boxter S (anology only - no idea what ride he has) - but even a northern idiot like me can see he knows his coffee - my only complaint is I still have not met the legend (any time you have a mansion open day let me know steve!)

[HughF]

I didn't find any mention of this on their website either Hugh (when looking for my recent thread on different suppliers, green & roasted) and to be honest, it looked as though there was less stock and less information there than before.... Wasn't it possible before to download a stock list with prices...? (though I may have overlooked it).
(snip)

Yes, there used to be a price list on the Monmouth Web site. Maybe they can't be bothered to keep it up to date or they want you to email them to get it now.

Cheers,

Hugh

[Steve]

Sorry its took me a little while to reply here, but I couldn't get my head through the forum door. You guys have got ot stop being so nice to me.

Rob C Said

And mr leighton knows his coffee - I would dare say he may well rank as the most experienced coffee taster the uk has (anyone else who got invited to the cup of excellence is welcome to argue their point)

Thats really cool Rob but honestly I'm at the bottom of the ladder and theres loads of people stronger than me at cupping. Where I differ a little is my passion and I think that makes me stand out and my beans. I love finding new coffee to share.

Rob C said

in effect Steve is directly in competition with me - not that my Micra would get near his Boxter S

Again Rob thats really kind but I think were different markets, and I'm able to sell these wonderful coffee's because the home user will pay a premium for special coffee's with a story behind them. You on the other hand are much more trade based (at least I think so sorry If I have got this wrong) and they simply wouldn't get what you were trying to do. So instead of stocking loads of Columbian you stock the best that your market will pay for and what you are happy with in taste.

This lovings really kind of you guys but there are others who I respect out there in the market place and I think are doing a good job (rob C for one of them), we know who they are. There also some who I dont (and I think we know who they are). But if you keep telling me were good I'll get such a big head and never bother finding that next killer bean

Thank you but can we move on

Steve

[jameso]

You keep finding us them killer benas Steve!

[Gouezeri]

You guys have got ot stop being so nice to me.

Surely you can't mean me???

Two things stand out for me... enthusiasm and a willingness to learn/discover new things. The problem is those people who think they have tried everything and know what it all tastes like... probably the same who would say that there is no point in drinking SO
I can't personally say whether there are people who are better cuppers than you or not... if there are, then I would like to know what use these skills are being put to... ie. "show me the beans" Don't care how good a cupper someone is, if they're not sharing their enthusiasm and the product with others... My recent thread on alternative sources really didn't bring out any surprises at all. I would have thought there was more money to be made from the private sector than trade.

Personally, I think you're doing yourself a disservice when you say people are interested by the "story" behind the bean... I'd say most people here are more interested in the cupping notes than anything else. So as long as you keep finding new and interesting "cups" as well as maintaining the old faves (provided they are up to par) then people are going to pay for that quality. Don't get me started on premiums again as I really don't think that I'm paying any more than it's worth.
Last but not least, seeing as we've all handed over the details to our bank accounts, do you think you could spend some of that money and get a decent shirt... preferably one with buttons and a collar, it can still be red and white stripes if it has to be
What were you saying about people being nice?
D

[jameso]

He's got a few months to sort the shirt out Dom - for the time being the hat, coat and scarf makes the choice of shirt irrelevant.

Mind you, if he's followed the policy of "sell your shirt and buy one", that must have been quite a shirt he used to have before the 15kg Ambex landed

[Gouezeri]

I have a suspicion that the hat coat and scarf all have red and white stripes as well!

[jameso]

Found just the job. Could do with a bit of an iron, but otherwise quite promising.



Only thing is, they only come in XXL and XXXL. I suppose it's fortunate that the vendor says to order a size larger than normal. Oops - are we off topic?