News / coffee
Innovative micro-roastery hidden in plain sight
It still doesn’t have a sign above its door, but what takes place in a building hidden in plain sight in the Old City is being appreciated far and wide.
Just two doors down from Full Court Press cafe on Broad Street is their micro-roastery, which has now made more than 50 different coffees from beans grown across the globe.
Full Court Press’ own coffees are always available as both filter and espresso options in their cafe, as well as for sale to make your own coffee at home.
is needed now More than ever
Full Court Press co-owners Jonny Simpson (left) and Mat North (right) outside their roastery on Broad Street – photo: Martin Booth
The micro-roastery was the idea of Full Court Press co-owner Jonny Simpson, with founder and co-owner Mat North admitting that without money coming in from the roastery, the business “probably would have folded at the beginning of this year”.
Between them, Jonny and Mat continue to cycle hundreds of miles across Bristol every month delivering Full Court Press-roasted beans to customers, with the design of each bag inspired by a stained glass window in the cafe.
Listen to Mat, Jonny and roastery operations manager Chris Earles in the latest episode of the Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:
“We’ve always wanted variety in our coffee shop,” Jonny said, with half of the coffees in the cafe now roasted in-house and half by other roasters around the UK and Europe.
“It’s really exciting to have stuff roasted by us so close.”
Unlike larger roasteries, Full Court Press’s roaster (a Stronghold S7 Pro made in South Korea) is electric and has an air purifying filter underneath it which churns out clean cold air, allowing the business to operate from the heart of the Old City.
Chris Earles was a barista at Full Court Press before returning to run their new roastery – photo: Martin Booth
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read more: Bristol cafe’s brilliant response to one-star review
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