Machina is an independent speciality coffee roaster in Edinburgh. It started in 2013 as a coffee equipment business and later moved into roasting. Today it roasts at its HQ just behind Arthur's Seat, runs a café in Marchmont and still sells espresso machines and grinders for home and trade.
From music to coffee
Co-founder Steve Glencross spent around 20 years in music, as a DJ and a record-label audio engineer, before he decided to try something new. As he told us: "Coffee fitted the bill perfectly; less travel, but still bringing people together and still focusing on a creative passion that I could share with everyone."
He spent the best part of two years visiting coffee scenes around the world, from New Zealand and the US to Tokyo and London, and that shaped Machina's clean, modern style.
Coffee that stayed with him
Two cups stand out for Steve: espresso at Bear Pond in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, and a run of Panamanian pour-overs at Intelligentsia in Venice, Los Angeles. "I drank a bunch of Panama coffees as pour over that were earth-shatteringly good," he told us. "This was a huge influence on how Machina became what it is today."
Why equipment know-how matters
Machina's background in coffee equipment gives them an edge. Knowing how espresso machines and grinders work helps them understand how to get the best out of every coffee they roast, for cafés and for people brewing at home.
Steve's favourite origin is Colombia, for its variety: different altitudes and two harvests a year give a huge range of coffees. He's also a big fan of Kenyan coffee, ideally cold. At home he uses a Chemex: "It's a faff, but it makes killer coffee."
Advice for new roasters
"Spend lots of time learning and try not to be too blinkered by coffee opinions," Steve told us. "Don't try and release coffee too early… Taste LOTS of coffee from people that you respect and learn from it. Most importantly, stay humble and open-minded."
Visit or buy their coffee
You can visit Machina Marchmont on Marchmont Road in Edinburgh's south side, book onto one of their coffee training courses, or buy their coffee and equipment from the Machina website.
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