bean miles

Bean miles is a micro-roastery on the outskirts of Carlisle in Cumbria, beside the River Eden. Chris started the business after enrolling on the How to Start a Roastery course at the London School of Coffee, with bean miles taking shape around Christmas 2013 and roasting from 2014.

The purpose-built roastery runs a Coffee-Tech Engineering FZ-94, chosen for the control it gives over individual roast profiles. All coffees are 100% Arabica, sourced through established speciality importers and roasted to order in small batches.

Current origins include Guatemala, Kenya, Costa Rica, Honduras and Colombia, sold as single origins through the online shop alongside a coffee subscription. A 3.5kW solar photovoltaic array offsets some of the roastery's grid electricity, and Chris occasionally delivers coffee by bicycle.

Regular cupping sessions with friends and local customers shape the line-up.