Coffee Tasting Notes: Square Mile Coffee and Workshop Coffee Co.
Posted by the Cake Shop
Over the last month, we’ve trialled two new espresso blends from local independent roasteries, with reactions from our regulars ranging from pleasant curiosity to utter indifference. For all you coffee buffs out there, here are our tasting notes and impressions.
Our guest blends were provided by the lovely folks from Square Mile Coffee in Hoxton and Workshop Coffee Co. in Clerkenwell. Both roasteries are dedicated to producing really fresh, ethically sourced coffee: they roast in small batches using seasonal beans, so their blends change throughout the year. (They also both offer very tempting monthly coffee subscriptions, where they’ll send you their latest seasonal roasts.) On both afternoons we were chuffed to see the roasters themselves turn up for a drink and a chat - we’re keen to repay the favour.
We started by showcasing Square Mile’s Red Brick Espresso blend. Much lighter than our usual Monmouth blend, Red Brick had a slender mouthfeel and a pronounced fruity acidity which gave it a pleasant citrussy taste. Our second session featured Workshop Coffee’s The Cult of Done Espresso. It promised a praline sweetness, and didn’t disappoint! These rich, nutty depths were lifted by light floral notes, with a smooth mouthfeel.
How we’d drink it:
Red Brick lends itself to a longer drink to smooth out its acidity. We’d recommend an Americano with a slice of our orange marmalade and almond cake to complement those citrus notes.
The Cult of Done Espresso makes a great macchiato, and its sweet notes also work well in a milky latte. We think our rose and pistachio cake makes a perfect pairing – it underscores the floral accents without being overly sweet.
Our next coffee tasting afternoon will be on Monday 15 September, when we’ll be trialling Allpress Espresso’s Redchurch blend.
