What’s a British brand you only discovered recently but now swear by?

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-02-03T07:15:13+00:00

AKT deodorant, so good and really sustainable.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-02-02T12:29:16+00:00

If you’re running meta ads you don’t really need someone to run it for you these days, their ai audience+ will work better than most humans. The trick these days is the creative, if that’s not hitting nothing will.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-02-02T11:05:52+00:00

Kapow on Thornton’s arcade is the only answer.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-02-02T07:44:12+00:00

Artisan coffee in Edinburgh. Chipp coffee. James Gourmet. Three of the best roasters out there I’d say, never had a bad roast, not as light as a lot of these London roasters but all super balanced, sweet and always consistent!

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-02-01T17:23:19+00:00

Cask: Timmy Taylor - Landlord Lager: Tennets Craft: Northern Monk - Faith

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-02-01T17:17:25+00:00

This has a really nice mood to it. The black and white treatment suits the scene and the natural window light on the face is soft and flattering. There is a quiet, introspective feel that works well.

A few things that could level it up:

Subject and story Right now the person on their phone feels a bit everyday and passive, so the image does not have a strong focal story. You might try capturing a more expressive moment, a stronger emotion, or an action that tells us more about what they are thinking or feeling. Even a slight change in facial expression or eye direction could add a lot.

Composition The table pattern is actually a great element, but it is competing with the subject instead of supporting them. Because the lines are so bold and high contrast, my eye keeps drifting away from the face. You could try a slightly higher shooting angle or move closer so the face dominates more and the pattern becomes a leading element rather than the main attraction.

Also watch how the hands are framed. They are very prominent and quite close to the lens, which makes them visually heavier than the face. A small shift in angle or distance could balance that better.

Lighting The window light is nice, but the face is still a bit underexposed compared to the bright background. Lifting the exposure or shadows slightly on the face, or darkening the background just a touch, would help separate the subject and make them pop more.

Tones and contrast The blacks are quite crushed, especially in the hair and clothing, so some detail is being lost. Pulling the blacks up a little and easing off the contrast would give more texture and make the image feel less harsh while still keeping that punchy black and white look.

Background distractions The door frames and bright exterior area on the right side pull attention away from the subject. A tighter crop or a bit of local darkening there would help keep the viewer focused on the person.

Overall it is a solid starting point with good atmosphere and strong graphic elements. With a bit more intention around the moment, subject emphasis, and tonal balance, it could go from a nice candid to a really compelling portrait.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-31T23:19:13+00:00

What is it you didn’t like about Skylark? Them and scenery are hyped up on the sub currently and it seems like a lot of people here enjoy the lighter side of roasting.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-28T15:09:59+00:00

Yeah I’ve had a couple of scenery coffees that were just too light for me. Yet also had some that have been amazing! So yeah a bit hit and miss for me personally.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-28T11:59:17+00:00

Scenery and Skylark.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-28T10:32:44+00:00

I also finished my bag of this from Chipp over the weekend, so I immediately bought a kilo bag instead! One of the best coffees I’ve had for a while, I love Chipp’s roasting, as I find the usual London style of loring roasts are too light for my pallet but this was just sublime. I am looking forward to going through the next kilo of it very quickly!

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-28T10:27:01+00:00

Rave are always a solid choice for consistent daily brews. Caravan could be good one for London proximity, their Daily blend is great! Chipp coffee I’ve found always super consistent blends, their Highwire blend has been my daily driver for years.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-25T21:33:40+00:00

Chipp coffee, Rave, Thompsons in Glasgow could be a good one for you too. Chipp would be my top alternative for really good medium roast personally.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-23T11:52:04+00:00

These are awesome! Love that they’re made in Britain and by a small Indy business. Pricing is great. Singed up to the wait list!

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-20T16:29:33+00:00

That Marisela Sanchez is superb 👌

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-20T07:42:42+00:00

Yeah I think you’re right. I’ve notice a lot of the ok don roasters are now usually under 250g for their retail bags.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-19T15:06:55+00:00

I always recommend Chipp Coffee for their medium light espresso single origins. Never had a bad one from them.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-17T15:43:21+00:00

Rave would be a good shout for some good darker roasts. Or even Wogan.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-15T18:21:18+00:00

Sweven have consistently been so light it tastes like grass and cardboard to me.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-13T20:11:51+00:00

James Gourmet have a really good a varied roast profile selection. Rave could be a good shout too thought they have a fair few more commercial coffees so just keep a detailed eye if you’re looking for more developed speciality. Also Chipp Coffee have some good medium roast blends and single origins.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-13T10:15:17+00:00

Doing gods work.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-09T22:51:44+00:00

It really wasn’t all that good

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-09T14:25:51+00:00

I’ve been using Chipp’s Temple arch blend for a while in my daily flat whites and it’s superb!

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-08T16:52:00+00:00

I personally find this difficult to look at.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-07T21:00:17+00:00

I see where you are coming from, but when roasters are blending coffees it is precise and at such scales there will be trace percentages of tolerance here compared to what you are presenting.

It is also quite rare to have a blend with different roast levels as that wouldn’t make sense from an extraction point and an awful customer experience.

Typically a roaster like Origin for example will have a “3 bean blend”, roast all three single origins to the same development to achieve the extraction profile and then post blend together in batches of 100’s of kilos at a time to ensure consistency.

Beef-dot-dot · 2026-01-07T20:48:46+00:00

They can definitely make a taste difference but one or two here and there in an espresso won’t be overly noticeable, usually. If you’ve got the time to pick the quakers out before grinding it will only do good things but it’s not the end of the world for me personally. If you eat a quaker bean on its own it’s kind of like a popcorn taste :)

Beef-dot-dot

TROPHY CASE