The objective of flavour descriptions in the specialty coffee industry is to highlight the unique flavour characteristics of coffees based on their provenance, variety and how they were processed after harvest. But describing flavour using only words posed some limitations for us. Our initial observations Flavour descriptions that listed specific taste notes related more to the sensory references of the author than the drinker If the drinking experience didn’t match the flavour descriptions, it could be alienating and demotivating for the drinker Language could be interpreted differently drin ..read more

It’s easy to assume you understand taste, but do you really? Do you recognise the specific flavours and textures being perceived by your palate? And can you identify how these interact with each other to create the harmonious sensorial experience associated with great coffee? By understanding how to recognise flavour and texture, will you develop the tools you need to make your coffee taste better and achieve your desired cup. In training your palate to identify wanted and unwanted qualities, you will be able to impact flavour quickly, accurately and with consistency. In this se ..read more

It’s easy to assume you understand taste, but do you really? Do you recognise the specific flavours and textures being perceived by your palate? And can you identify how these interact with each other to create the harmonious sensorial experience associated with great coffee? By understanding how to recognise flavour and texture, will you develop the tools you need to make your coffee taste better and achieve your desired cup. In training your palate to identify wanted and unwanted qualities, you will be able to impact flavour quickly, accurately and with consistency. In this first o ..read more

Assembly Recipes — Karimikui AA with the French Press, by Ed Assembly Recipes is a series in which we brew up some of our favourite coffees, using our go-to brew methods. In episode one, our Brand Manager, Ben, brewed a Colombian coffee with the Orea brewer. For this episode, Ed, our Head of Wholesale, chooses the French Press to brew up Karimikui - a Kenyan washed coffee produced by the Rungeto Farmers Coop Society. Coffee  Coffee: Karimikui Origin: Kenya Producers: Rungeto Farmers Coop Society smallholders Process: Washe ..read more

Introducing Assembly Recipes Assembly Recipes is a new series in which we'll brew up some of our latest coffees, using our favourite brew methods.  For this kick-off episode, Assembly Brand Manager, Ben chooses the pour over method to brew up La Colmena Alto Del Naranjo - a natural coffee from Colombian producer Alex Arango.  Coffee  Coffee: La Colmena Alto Del Naranjo Origin: Colombia Producer: Alex Arango at Finca La Colmena Process: Natural Variety: Gesha Days off roast: 7 Method and recipe Method: Pour over Brew ratio: 15g coffee : 250ml water Bl ..read more

Efficiencies made to the recycling stream mean aluminium is now undeniably the optimal material for high-quality coffee pods. The question has always been obvious – are we confident that coffee pods can deliver the same high-quality flavour experience that our wholebean coffees do, and can this be achieved with the least wastage possible? Finding the answer hasn’t been as straightforward. First-and-foremost, we’ve taken time to dial in on the optimum coffee for our pods. Rather than repurposing one of our wholebean coffees, we want a coffee with the qualities to most consis ..read more

Is Ecuador reassuming it's position as a coffee-growing heavyweight? Never before has the specialty industry been awash with such a large amount of high quality South American coffees. The catalogues of roasters from Arkansas to Amsterdam are packed full of exceptional coffees from producers across the continent. Rich, full-bodied lots from Brazil; deeply fruity Peruvians; floral Panamanians; wildly complex extended fermentation Colombians... But rarely do you see an Ecuadorian coffee. Fuelled by the discovery and subsequent exportation of oil from the 1960s onwards, the second ..read more

Making barista-quality coffee at home is achievable, here's how you'll do it. The next time you're waiting for your flat white in your local coffee shop, pay attention to the process (though, don't make it obvious). You'll see that, one - they are highly skilled, and two - they're using some serious equipment. Now, you're wondering what it takes to replicate the final product without getting dressed. Either you drag your sorry sack of bones down the road in your bathrobe and sliders to get the expert to do it again, or you invest in some kit and clear a space on your counte ..read more

Behind the creative process for one of the world's most highly-prized coffees For the release of our latest Limited Edition coffee - Mauricio Shattah Sidra - we created ten unique artworks in collaboration with London-based designer, Ariadna Vilalta Capdevila.  We set ourselves the challenge of creating an identity and packaging system which takes inspiration solely from the coffee itself, rather than being informed by the broader Assembly brand. In turn, this gave us space in which to consider more broadly how quality is communicated in the specialty coffee indutsry.  Hist ..read more

Working with a local charity to prepare young people for careers in hospitality, in Camberwell, south London. The walk east from Camberwell Green towards Peckham takes you past a plethora of eating and drinking spots that have made Camberwell the go-to food destination south of the river. Theo's pizzeria, Falafel and Shawarma, Kurdish eatery Nandine, Chinese institution Silk Road, Turkish Bistro FM Mangal, independent gastropub The Camberwell Arms... The list goes on.  Directly opposite The Camberwell Arms sits a coffee shop. The vast front window of which i ..read more