Jo
FOOD + DRINK
MIDDLE STREET COFFEE
THE DARK ART OF COFFEE ROASTING – MYTHS, FACTS AND KENT’ S MASTERS
Halloween brings talk of potions and cauldrons, but the‘ dark art’ of coffee roasting isn’ t spooky – it’ s skill. Pale, grassy beans are transformed by heat and timing into something aromatic and complex. A few myths to bin: darker doesn’ t always mean stronger; freshness matters but beans need a short rest for the flavours to develop; and great espresso isn’ t automatically great in milk – you have to design for it in the roast.
Ashford’ s Viking Coffee are experts at this. Their Norse-named range includes blends built to keep character in lattes and cappuccinos. They work with suppliers who maintain long-term relationships at origin – full traceability, rigorous quality checks and coffees that earn their place in the lineup.
In Staplehurst, Kin Coffee began in a garden potting shed and now runs a welcoming coffee shop. Sustainability runs deep – they pioneered glass packaging with a one-way valve and were hailed as game-changing for it. Kin specialise in naturally processed coffees, often from Latin America, chosen for vibrancy and a lighter environmental touch. Pop in for espresso or batch brew, and on Fridays, tacos and cocktails.
HOPE & LANE
Bean Smitten roast on the Kent / East Sussex border, a short hop from Tunbridge Wells. Founded by Darren Tickner in 2014, the team keep specialty coffee friendly and unfussy, supplying reliably highquality beans to cafés and households across Kent, Sussex and Surrey. They celebrate the seasons with a rotating lineup of single origin roasts.
HatHats, with cafés in Reculver, Canterbury, Faversham, Herne Bay, Whitstable Quay, Folkestone and Discovery Park, are people-first and community-minded. Alongside their Barista Academy and coffee shops, they’ ve recently launched HatHats To Go machines – serving their freshly roasted coffee 24 / 7 with alternative milks, premium hot chocolate, loose-leaf teas and snacks. It’ s innovation with heart, extending their‘ good cup of coffee’ ethos well beyond the counter.
Kent’ s roasters prove roasting is less witchcraft, more craft – and very much worth exploring. Find these producers and more at producedinkent. co. uk and plan your next brew trail using the Southeastern train finder.
Jo
JO GURR MARKETING MANAGER producedinkent. co. uk producedinkent
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