Favourite coffee beans?

[AColdDuncanGoodhew]

I've started getting into coffee a lot more over the last year, I love Douwe Egberts when I want a quick cup and I've drank this for years, but bought an Aeropress and a manual bean grinder about six months ago or so.

I'm looking for coffee beans now as but it's so overwhelming as there's so much choice, I've been sticking to ones like Costa beans from the supermarket which are okay.

In terms of taste I don't like anything with an intense acidity or bitterness, so I guess I'd prefer light to medium roasts.

Any suggestions please? I've been thinking of trying a subscription also to try out a load of different beans until I find one I really like.

Having tried loads my go to favourites are the Lidl Italian week ones and their XXL ones and also the bog standard beans at Lidl and Aldi, I go for the ones marked four or five for strength. It's quite personal though!

Café Direct Machu Pichu beans (fairtrade, often on offer). I’ve tried loads and keep coming back to these.

We get Union beans, but will use Illy at a push.

Lavazza.

the aldi, lidl and tesco own brand italian beans are really good. Rich smmoth, no burned over roasted fag ashy hints.

if you can get to a Costco the SanFrancisco Rainforest Organics are the best.....usually about £9 for a kilo, but very often on offer for £7 ish.

YY Aldi. I like their no 5 espresso blend but you might like the no 3 in a green pack. Ridiculously good value at £1.89 for 227g.

Another vote for Cafe Direct Machu Picchu.

I also like Lavazza and Kimbo.

I haven't yet found a supermarket bean that is not intensely bitter. I get Pact's house blend delivered fortnightly and really like it.

Atkinson's Prototype.

thecoffeehopper.com/products/coffees/coffee-blend-archives/prototype-espresso/

I buy all mine from coffeebeanshop.co.uk/. They seem ever so nice and the beans are lovely, also they sell them in 250g bags which is good!

I drink only proper coffee but am too lazy to grind beans. I drink Taylors Italian which is strong (grade 4) but not bitter. They do beans, as well as ground coffee. You can always add more hot water or milk to dilute but you cannot strengthen weak coffee.

I always find Starbucks over roasted. It is bitter.

I recently fell in love with coffee from changeplease.org but the one we bought in Borough Market was no longer available on their website. Still I like the idea and the ethos so will give it another go.

HasBean. Lovely,

Thank you everyone! There's an Aldi down the road so I'll try there tomorrow. Will have a look at the others too.

Good point about being able to dilute coffee but not strengthen weak coffee! I'll need to remember that as I'm a bit cautious with the beans incase I overdo it, I've had a lot of weak nasty coffee that way!

Waitrose own Colombian beans- nice and rounded taste, not bitter.

We’ve just started buying from this company, lovely coffee and a good ethos behind it!
woodenhillcoffee.co.uk/shop/

I've got an Amazon subscription for these:
www.spillerandtait.co.uk/products/signature-blend-whole-beans
I started drinking my coffee black last year and became super fussy. Would definitely recommend these.

Thanks all, lots to check out!

Friend, you know, I have the same situation. I just recently decided to try coffee. Well, I mean real coffee. I didn't know that after Barista Prima K-Cups I wouldn't be able to drink my favorite green tea. Now in the morning I drink only this coffee and nothing else. I really didn't think that the taste could be so pleasant.