New Grinder Arrives!

How Sad Is This?!! ...


The new grinder has finally arrived. We have waited with baited breath and a degree of excitement. The Engineer was on stand-by, to make sure the installation procedure was followed!



Master Roaster sets the grind.....




"Have you ground my Coffee yet?" Blimey! That was quick! (and quiet...)

posted by ..."atkinsons"... at 3:52 pm | 0 comments

Cupping New Coffees at Wakefield's

Ian and Maitland are back from London, having been to visit D.R. Wakefield (one of our green bean suppliers). They met with Santiago, Alok and Simon who laid on a selection of 7 coffees for them to taste in their Cupping Room. Two new arrivals included a 100% Bourbon Rwandan and a beautiful fruity coffee from Santiago's homeland of Ecuador, so look out for these new arrivals in the new year.

posted by ..."atkinsons"... at 1:51 pm | 0 comments

Indian Monsooned Malabar - available once again.

With our humble apologies for the Monsoons having been slightly later this year, we are now very pleased to announce that the Indian Monsooned Malabar has arrived, is being roasted as I publish this post and will be available from 4pm today!

posted by ..."atkinsons"... at 3:35 pm | 0 comments

The Coffee "Scoop"

We've got Longevity..! to celebrate 170 years of independent trading we've designed a special blend of coffee "The LONGEVITY Blend". Inspired by those South American communities where a stressfree lifestyle & a healthy diet (including regular doses of our favourite life-enhancing elixir, coffee!) have led to extended life-spans.

Some of the latest research shows that coffee is far from being the 'Devil's Brew' being rich in antioxidants to protect the body's natural immune system and also having positive effects on health benefits.

So, on this auspicious occasion, what more could we wish our loyal customers than continued long-life with health & happiness! All you need is "Longevity"! Just look what it's done for us...

The recent reports of a full 8 hours sleep actually knocking months off your life-extectancy reminded me of a slogan used by an American roaster to advertise their Java "...because hey! sleep's over-rated!!"

posted by ..."atkinsons"... at 3:13 pm | 0 comments

BE A STAR - BUCK THE TREND!

Starbucks set for city...

COFFEE giant Starbucks is said to be looking to open a store in Lancaster. A company representative said: "Should a suitable location become available we would be very keen to be part of the local community." The Seattle-based company has more than 6,000 outlets across the world.

THE ROASTER'S RIPOSTE!

BE A STAR - BUCK THE TREND! I feel I should register our dismay at the news of the impending and seemingly inevitable arrival of Starbucks on our Lancastrian high streets. I guess it was only to be a matter of time, as they cast their insatiable gaze in our direction, marching on with their inexorable expansion, like some Java-fuelled, Mocha-clad storm-troopers looking to establish a coffee-break to last a thousand years! Just what is the motive to keep duplicating and spreading like a virus, with all the strength and guile that comes with such colossal financial muscle? It can't be to strip every last vestige of individual identity and character from each new host and turn it into yet another identically homogenised clone town, surely? Let’s hope it’s not intended to price all the independents off the high street, in the certain knowledge that the herd mentality will prevail for most customers, especially the younger more impressionable demographic, to flock to a comfort zone of international branding that will neatly hoover up each last iota of disposable income, leaving the independent cafe sector struggling to survive on the remaining crumbs?

This surely can’t be the case because they say they are “keen to be part of the local community … should a certain location become available” (now, I wonder where that could be?!) Perhaps they are unaware that the local café community of Lancaster, Morecambe and surrounding rural hinterland has been served with very high quality speciality teas and coffees for the past 170 years? Perhaps local people might like to support and patronise some of our excellent establishments up and down the region who promote locally sourced food and drink, generating more growth and spreading the wealth around the local economy. We’ve all seen the effects recently of being tied into a nervous and unforgiving global economy. I’m not suggesting we do what the citizens of Beijing have just done by kicking Starbucks out of the Forbidden City as a stand against the dominance of American cultural imperialism but let’s celebrate and encourage our individual status and proud heritage of enjoying locally artisan roasted coffees that are the envy of many a town. We may have been going for 170 years but we’ve only just begun … We may only have the one outlet as opposed to 14,000 (and rising!) but isn’t that all the more reason to look after our own?

Ian Steel, Master Roaster, J. Atkinson & Co., Speciality Teas & Coffees, China St Est 1837

posted by ..."atkinsons"... at 3:00 pm | 4 comments

We're on the Radio!

Every day in week commencing 15th January 2006 you will hear us mentioned on The Bay Radio (96.9,102.3 and 103.2 FM) as part of their "Winning Week-end" feature. Each day we're delivering a different Airpot of Coffee, fresh to the door of The Bay Radio for "Cookie" and colleagues to sample and comment on. Tune in and see what the presenters of The Bay Radio make of the selection we have produced for them. If you want to know more about any of the Coffees featured, or indeed any of our 60+ Coffees, ring us on Lancaster 65470. Alternatively, why not Blog the site and add your own comments on our Coffees...

posted by ..."atkinsons"... at 9:22 am | 0 comments