Although we have always had a Bialetti mokka pot on the stove for espressos, I've not been much of a coffee snob, happily consuming a well known Italian mass produced coffee for years. Now I have some pretty fantastic independent coffee shops locally, some of which small batch roast their own beans, my silver vac-packed coffee has lost some of its shine. The richer, deeper flavour and wildly different character of bean varieties have made coffee drinking all the more exciting. Something I want to bring to my coffee cup at home.

The York Coffee Emporium roasts small batches of beans daily for mail order. Their site has a pretty good online shop that you can select coffee based on use, taste and strength from a wide range of varieties, all roasted to order as well as some equipment.



Anyway, they sent me a few samples to try, which I also passed on to my Dad, an espresso drinker for 50 odd years!

South American Blend, 200g £4
Despite having a low-ish strength guide (3/5), this had quite a good full flavour, aroma and colour. An enjoyable, everyday coffee. Perfect for those who multi-cup. YCE's most popular blend for a reason.

Emporium Excelso Blend, 200g £5
This I liked. A lot. Had a great flavour and oomph without being too acidic. Again, good for the everyday but with a touch more character than the South American Blend.

Elk Hill Indian Estate Coffee, 200g £4
This one twisted my melons. I kind of liked it as it was really interesting but I felt there was quite a lot going on flavour wise with it. Not something I would choose for everyday but a good one for coffee enthusiasts or for those looking for something a little unusual.

Papua New Guinea Mt Michael, 200g £3.50
This I admit I have yet to try. Despite being in need of coffee on an hourly basis with a young baby on hand, I am trucking through the packs above and don't want to waste the freshness of the coffee by opening another pack as it goes stale in a week or so. Every time you waste something, even if it's free, a fairy dies. Word. Anyway, this is very enticing, suggestively labelled as "something different" from Mount Michael, a 2,863 mountain peak in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Will update once I've tried it.

Although I'll be sticking to my trusty mokka pot, I wouldn't mind trying out an Aeropress at home and a few other purchases, maybe a grinder, to start me on my coffee snob journey. If like me you are getting into your coffee then also worth checking out are the YCE's guides (in plain non-geek English) for making the perfect Espresso, Cafetiere or Aeropress coffee at home too.

www.yorkcoffeeemporium.co.uk

I was sent samples to review.