Brew Lab (Union Brew Lab to be correct) is located in South College Street, right in the heart of the Edinburgh University area, in the "Southside" of the city. Needless to say a majority of customers are associated with the University but it's reputation also attracts coffee enthusiasts from further afield; and in "normal" times you would be hard pushed to get a seat most days. The coffee offer focuses on single origin coffee from Union Coffee Roasters in London and "carefully considered guest roasters".
I had some business to attend to in the Southside last week and so Brew Lab was my first port of call. My luck was in - with lockdown still partially in place, I was lucky enough to get a seat on two consecutive days.
At the moment with lockdown procedures in place entry is via the right hand (retail shop) unit, where you wait to be seated at a vacant, cleaned and suitably spaced out table. A disposable paper food and drink menu on each table includes details on how to register your personal details for the Track & Trace requirements. Once you have had your fill of the excellent coffee(s) you leave via the coffee bar area in the left hand unit. The whole process was fairly straight forward and well managed on each of my visits.
There were two filters on offer - on Batch Brew, a washed COLUMBIA Veronica & Mercedes, from Union, or on Pour over - a natural ETHIOPIA/Guji from guest roaster Edinburgh's Williams & Johnson.
Time was against me on this visit so I plumped for the Columbian on Batch Brew and a chocolate brownie. A bottle of fresh water was delivered to my table as I registered online for Track & Trace and my coffee and brownie arrived shortly afterwards. The coffee arrived in a cute little metal beaker which had seen some service - a few dents and scrapes added to the cuteness.
The coffee was lovely, it was like drinking a really dark toffee apple. I think the formal notes are cola and brown sugar with white grape and lime but to me it was a big juicy dark toffee apple - very moreish.
A great first visit to Brew Lab but I had more time the following day to plump for the pour-over from Williams & Johnson. I followed the same procedure on entry and was shown to a bar stool seat facing the coffee bar. I ordered the Ethiopian Guji and avocado toast. This took a little longer than the previous day but this time I was able to watch the barista carry out the pour-over. While I waited I was able to take in the interior of the space.
The walls were a mixture of plain unfinished wooden panels with sections of exposed brick.
Prices are a shade higher than others in the city centre - £2.80 for an espresso, £3.00 for the batch brew filter and £4.20 for the pour over - but Brew Lab offers excellent coffees, expertly brewed; and in a great space.
Brew Lab know their market and know their coffee. If you're a fan of speciality coffees I doubt that you would be disappointed. It will always be at the top of my list if I'm in Edinburgh's Southside. 💚
