A day in Nottingham of coffee exploration, following the Nottingham Coffee Trail.
Awoke to a lovely sunny day, a light frost at dawn.
Train to Nottingham, clear blue sky, as train pulled into Nottingham Station, turned cloudy.
Alighting from the train and walking beside the station, quite cool, a cold wind blowing.
Day was variable, cool in the shade, hot in the sun.
First port of call, 200 Degrees Nottingham Station. Too early to eat, I did not want a coffee. Called in to ask where their other coffee shop was, as had not found on previous visits, also to check the roast date on their beans.
For a coffee roastery, I would expect not to find old coffee beans. There can be no excuse for this.
When I queried why, they said deliveries Tuesday, today being Tuesday, check back later.
The coffee shop was more or less where I expected it to be, could I find it, no.
I walked through Flying Horse Walk, a modern arcade, no luck.
I walked around the block, no luck, checked alleys, no luck.
Then found it, hidden by scaffolding.
Inside dark and gloomy. Full of people on laptops. No ambience. I much prefer 200 Degrees Nottingham Station to 200 Degrees Flying Horse Walk.
I checked the beans. As 200 Degrees Nottingham Station, too old.
I ordered falafel wrap. As 200 Degrees Nottingham Station, excellent. I learnt at both coffee shops, they make their own food on site. Baffled though why vegan sausages.
I was going to return to 200 Degrees Nottingham Station for a cappuccino, though that had not been my original plan, but as it would have meant back tracking, I stayed and ordered a cappuccino, their guest blend.
I forgot they blend with chocolate. Very annoying as disguises the coffee. As with the house blend, ok, not great.
It was then to The Speciality Coffee Shop. I ordered a cappuccino. Alchemy Elixir, not as good as previous visit.
Feeling hungry I ordered tagliatelle. Very poor compared with Bedda, Sicilian guys with a stall on Winchester street food market. Pasta has to be fresh.
Since my last visit a change around in the coffee. Only two bags of the Gardelli left.
Three bags of coffee, Alchemy, Gardelli, The Barn.
Then to Wired. No time for a coffee. I checked what coffee they had, and said I would pop back. As with The Speciality Coffee Shop, different to my last visit.
Next stop Outpost Coffee. I did not wish for yet another cappuccino, I start to feel sick after two, and had not enjoyed either.
Did I wish for a V60, did I have time? Yes and no, but decided on a V60.
Very, very unusual. If did not know was coffee, maybe tea, but not even tea, maybe a strange fruit not familiar with.
Two boxes of coffee, note boxes not bags.
I asked of the coffee scene in Lincoln. I said excellent, visit Coffee Aroma, Madame waffle and Makushi aka Base Camp on Steep Hill. Easy to find, from Lincoln Central Station, head to the High Street, to The Stonebow, then onward and upwards, The Strait, then Steep Hill.
This is how to find excellent coffee shops, follow your own instincts, go where your feet take you, ask. Once one specialist coffee shop found they will advise on others, it may not be in the same town (though that helps), may not even be in the same country. On my last visit to Nottingham a couple of weeks ago, I was discussing with Michelangelo co-owner The Speciality Coffee Shop coffee shops in Athens.
Then back to Wired picked up Clifton Coffee Roasters coffee from China.
No time, but popped in 200 Degrees Nottingham Station to pick up a cake.
I would maybe have asked of their coffee deliveries, but so far not been impressed by their coffee and not time. Plus I had so far spent a small fortune on coffee and had an excellent selection.
