Meet the Roaster: Carrow Coffee Roasters
In the second installment of this series we venture just down the road to visit Andrew and Paola at Carrow Coffee Roasters in Sligo. Carrow Coffee have supported and supplied us with coffee for a number of years with our original common ground coming (as often is the case) through surfing and the local landscape. Andrew’s knowledge as a roaster and q-grader has been welcome in our own coffee journey and we’ve gleaned invaluable knowledge from his coffee and cupping events he has hosted with us over the years.
Carrow Coffee Roaster’s story began in Colombia where the pair were living for years and had first-hand exposure and developed lasting relationships with coffee farmers right as specialty coffee was at the cusp of exploding. As a journalist, Andrew’s naturally inquisitive nature led him to develop a passion and fascination for the practices and the pair decided that specialty coffee would be the vehicle they would use to relocate back to Europe and settle in Sligo.
Their focus has since been on small-scale specialty farms, many of whom they know directly and have developed lasting relationships with over the years. Because of this and coupled with a focus on sustainability and quality, Carrow Coffee Roasters are able to guarantee higher prices to farmers and generally more ethically conscious trade. They roast light to medium coffee allowing the intrinsic flavours of the coffee to shine through and thus doing justice to the farmers coffee they work with.
Closer to home, their roastery sits unobtrusively nestled in the surrounds of the Carrowgarry farm in Sligo. On a recent visit, we saw firsthand their commitment to nature and sustainability with the harmonious relationship between the roastery and farm obvious from the outset. Reusable buckets are distributed to local stockists, 100% compostable packaging is now commonplace in all retail packaging and coffee grinds and chaff from the roastery are used as compost on the Carrowgarry farm which is committed to growing chemical and pesticide free fruit and vegetables (we are also proud stockists of their delicious apple juice).
This all comes alongside the roastery recently becoming certified organic under EU regulations. For Andrew and Paola, these measures are ways to re-connect with nature and their local surroundings and concrete ways in which to respond to the current environmental challenges we all face.
We are delighted to support and in return be supported by another small local business with a similar ethos and passion at it’s heart. You can view the latest coffee from Carrow Coffee Roasters on our website here or similarly ask us for our latest recommendation if visiting the cafe. More from Carrow Coffee Roasters on their website here.
Cheers guys!
Carrow Coffee Roasters