The Muswell Hill coffee roasters keeping it simple
Restaurateur Paul Tocher, coffee buyer and roaster Thomas De Garnham, and Russell Stinson hatched the idea for Fireheart Coffee during the first lockdown - Credit: Fireheart Coffee
A trio of coffee lovers have started a Muswell Hill roastery to post luxury beans, grains and pods around the country.
Founded last April during the first lockdown, Fireheart Coffee Roasters is based at the back of Korto restaurant in Muswell Hill, which was opened in late 2018 by co-owners Paul Tocher and Russell Stinson. They hatched the idea for an accessible, no-nonsense subscription service after meeting coffee buyer and roaster Thomas De Garnham at the London Coffee Festival.
Fireheart Coffee is based at the back of Korto restaurant in Alexandra Park Road, Muswell Hill - Credit: Fireheart Coffee
Chef and restaurateur Tocher, who lives in Muswell Hill, explained that while coffee lovers have become more adventurous in seeking new flavours, the craft roast movement can feel like an exclusive club.
“The speciality coffee industry can come across as arrogant and elitist," he said. "At Fireheart we don’t talk about ourselves like the other roasters do, we want to talk to our customers, excite and encourage them to make great coffee at home while enhancing their daily rituals of brewing coffee.”
Paul Tocher Russell Stinson and Thomas De Garnham - Credit: Fireheart Coffee
Fireheart sources quality beans on a seasonal basis from all over the world, then roasts and blends them to ensure the freshest coffee is posted out - or served in the Alexandra Palace Road restaurant. They want to show how coffee can go from average to amazing while understanding that it’s a crop and a living ingredient.
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The ‘Roasted & Posted’ subscription service can be tailored to customers' tastes with weekly or monthly deliveries that fit through a letterbox. Brew guides aim to "demystify" how to make a good cup. (For cafetieres don't stir the pot after adding the water, wait four minutes before stirring, then a further two before plunging.) Ex City financier Stinson adds: “We are on a mission to bring some excitement to people's coffee ritual by showing them expert tips to make that perfect brew at home.”
Fireheart prides itself on a rigorously traceable supply chain which pays farmers at least 50 percent over the Fairtrade value. All pouches are recyclable and the service starts at £7.95-£10.95 for a 250g bag or £24.95 for 50 pods.
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Their "gold standard", Sebastian Gomez Colombian is an explosion of flavour with notes of rum and passionfruit. By contrast the "stalwart" Palace Blend is dark chocolate morello cherry and candied orange. There's also the floral Adola, fruity La Senda and mellow decaf Popayan.
