Pelicano Coffee Co. is an independent speciality coffee roaster and café business in Brighton. It was founded in 2014 by Zephir Thomas and Sol Lee, who first met while working on a pear farm outside Melbourne, and it has become one of the best-known names in Brighton's busy coffee scene, with several cafés across the city.
Meet the roaster
When we spoke to Pelicano, the roastery was run by Dominic Pulleyn, who fell in love with coffee in York and has worked in the industry for over a decade. "The roasting process has always captivated me," he told us. "What we roasters are all doing is trying our best to highlight the farmers' labour of love."
The first coffee that made a real impression on him was a washed Kenyan, roasted by Square Mile and served at Spring Espresso in York. Before that, as a York native, he was a big Yorkshire Tea drinker.
How they buy coffee
What sets Pelicano apart is that they buy from the same co-operatives and farms year after year. That gives farmers the security of knowing they can sell each harvest at a fair price, and it recognises their work and the quality of their coffee.
Dominic's favourite coffee
Dominic is torn between Colombia and Kenya, but Colombia just wins, for the huge range of flavours from its different growing regions. At home, he's been leaning towards flat-bottomed brewers and steep-and-release brewers like the Clever Dripper. His favourite part of the job is tasting: "I don't have a favourite mug, but I do have a favourite cupping spoon."
His advice for new roasters
Develop your palate, which only comes with practice. Taste coffee with as many different coffee professionals as you can, note what they say, and then make your own choices based on your own taste. And when you visit other coffee shops, buy their coffee to taste alongside your own.
Visit Pelicano
Find out more on the Pelicano Coffee website.
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