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Lowe & Leigh

Specialty coffee from Carlisle, Cumbria

Freshly roasted espresso beans for home machines

Lowe & Leigh selects medium and medium-dark coffees for espresso machines, manual levers and moka pots. Start with a chocolate-led blend, or choose a single origin when you want a more distinct cup.

Give a fresh roast time to rest before pulling espresso. Around 7–14 days after roasting is a useful starting point; taste and adjust from there.

Preview roast style

Medium roast: a balanced starting point for straight shots and milk drinks.

Medium-dark roast: fuller body and a deeper profile that holds up well in milk.

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Freshly ground espresso falling into a portafilter beside a home espresso machine on a kitchen worktop

Choose your daily shot

Espresso blends built for milk and straight shots

Medium and medium-dark roasts give espresso a rounded base. Pick a profile that suits your cup.

Dark espresso crema in a small white cup beside roasted coffee beans

Chocolate-led blend

Medium-dark

Cocoa, toasted nuts and a steady body. A dependable choice for cappuccinos and flat whites.

Best in: milk drinks

Choose 250g to explore, or 1kg for a regular two-shot-a-day routine.

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Double espresso with rich crema served on a wooden counter near a compact grinder

Balanced everyday blend

Medium

Caramel sweetness with a clean finish. Start here for espresso on its own or with a splash of milk.

Best in: straight shots and milk

A 250g bag suits occasional espresso; 1kg keeps a daily routine stocked.

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Fresh espresso stream pouring into a ceramic cup beside a hand-tamped portafilter

Rich, rounded espresso

Medium-dark

A heavier texture and low-key fruit notes make this profile easy to pair with steamed milk.

Best in: flat whites and lattes

Choose 250g for a first try or 1kg when this becomes your house coffee.

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Go beyond the house blend

Single origins that work in espresso

A Brazil or Colombia lot can bring sweetness and weight. Brighter African coffees reward a little more care at the grinder.

A steady house profile

Blends combine coffees to keep the cup balanced across espresso machines and milk recipes.

Choose a blend when you want familiar sweetness and a repeatable daily shot.

A clear starting recipe

Begin with the recipe below, then change one variable at a time. Small adjustments are easier to taste.

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Let the origin speak

Brazilian and Colombian coffees often bring a rounded sweetness. Processing affects the cup: natural lots can feel fruitier, while washed coffees often taste cleaner.

For brighter African lots, try a slightly longer yield or a finer grind if the shot tastes sharp and underdeveloped.

Adjust with care

Keep the dose steady while you tune grind and yield. Give each change a taste before moving on.

Explore single-origin coffee

A practical starting point

Grind, dose and yield advice for better shots

Start with a repeatable recipe. Change the grind first, then assess the taste.

Double espresso starting recipe

18g in. 36g out.

Target time
25–30 sec
Ratio
1:2

Use a scale and a timer if you have them. Keep dose and yield fixed while you dial in.

Read the shot, then adjust

Runs too fast?

Grind finer. The water should meet more resistance, bringing the shot closer to your target time.

Runs too slowly?

Grind coarser. A steadier flow should reduce harsh, over-extracted flavours.

Tastes sour?

Try a slightly finer grind or a little more yield. Make one change, then taste again.

Using a manual lever?

Preheat the group and keep your tamp level. Apply pressure smoothly; a sudden change can make the shot uneven.

Making moka pot coffee?

Use a medium-fine grind, fill the base valve with hot water and keep the heat low. Remove the pot as the flow turns pale.

Make each puck more consistent

Tampers, dosing tools and cleaning products

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Basket-fit tampers

Measure your basket's inside diameter before choosing a tamper size.

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Dosing funnels

Keep loose grounds in the basket while you dose and distribute.

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Distribution tools

Level the coffee bed before tamping to help reduce uneven extraction.

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Cleaning essentials

Brushes and machine-cleaning products help clear coffee oils from your kit.

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Fresh coffee. A repeatable recipe.

Dial in your next shot

Choose a blend for a familiar daily cup, or try a single origin when you're ready to tune your recipe. We send coffee from Carlisle across the UK.

Need help with extraction? Call +44 7911 841917 or email [email protected].

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