Cheese coffee in London
1 speciality roast from 1 London roaster feature cheese notes.
Cheese as a flavour note in speciality coffee presents as a savoury, lactic quality that can range from the mild, creamy softness of fresh curd to something closer to the sharper, funkier edge of aged or washed-rind varieties. In the cup it tends to register as an unusual richness rather than an outright dairy flavour, sitting somewhere between fermented and buttery. It is most commonly caused by elevated lactic acid development during fermentation, either through intentional processing choices or environmental conditions that encourage particular microbial activity on the coffee cherry.
A savoury cheese note in coffee emerges through anaerobic processing, a method that traps fermentation flavours within the bean. This unusual characteristic appears primarily in coffees from China, where innovative processing techniques unlock unexpected savoury dimensions. KillBean's single London offering with this profile demonstrates how controlled fermentation can coax creamy, umami-rich notes that challenge conventional expectations of specialty coffee.
Top rated cheese coffee roasts in London
Speciality roasts carrying cheese notes, ordered by community rating.
Roasters producing cheese coffee
London roasters with the most approved coffees carrying cheese notes.
Flavours that pair with cheese
Notes that most commonly appear alongside cheese in the same roasts.
Where cheese coffee comes from
Origin countries that most often produce cheese-forward coffees among London roasts.
How cheese coffee is processed
Processing methods associated with cheese notes in London roasts.
How cheese notes develop
This note is typically associated with coffees that have undergone extended or anaerobic fermentation, where producers deliberately slow or alter the fermentation environment to build complex, unconventional flavour compounds. Ethiopian natural-processed coffees occasionally show a mild cheesy quality alongside their more familiar fruit notes, while experimental lots from Colombia, Bolivia, and parts of Central America often develop more pronounced lactic characteristics. Wet or honey-processed coffees in humid climates can also produce this note when fermentation conditions are less tightly controlled.
What to look for
On a bag or menu, look for tasting notes that mention lactic, fermented, creamy, or cultured dairy alongside processing descriptions such as natural, anaerobic, or extended fermentation. The note tends to come through most clearly in brew methods that preserve body and acidity, such as French press or filter prepared with slightly cooler water, both of which allow the savoury character to develop without being masked by bitterness. Cupping, the standard industry tasting format, is also a useful way to detect this note, as it presents coffee in an undiluted and unfiltered state.
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