Meet the Roaster: Adam, Danny and Colin from Parallel Coffee
Updated: Oct 13
Parallel Coffee is a Scottish coffee roaster and one of the independent roasters featured in our monthly Scotland coffee selection. Read our guide to the best coffee roasters in Scotland here.
Who or what first pulled you into the world of coffee?
Like many others, working in hospitality and for small businesses was our initial introduction to coffee, providing exposure to the different standards within the industry. As we went further down the rabbit hole, each of us became heavily drawn towards quality-focused products and services. Danny and I both followed similar routes, starting as baristas, moving into training and then eventually branching off in different directions. I moved into consultation, training and content creation, while Danny studied and taught himself all about coffee roasting. Colin has worked as a chef all over the world, he's developed some serious fine dining skills and a fantastic palate. He was naturally drawn to coffee being friends with Danny and working within hospitality
How did you get involved with Parallel?
Parallel was founded by three friends on the premise of doing things for ourselves, using the skills we had acquired throughout our hospitality careers. Starting the business with our last couple of hundred quid each to buy a bag of green coffee, while trying to take a serious approach to quality and offer unique and interesting coffees to the world, was challenging and required a lot of personal sacrifice. But we quickly established a solid wholesale customer base and put our various skills and connections to use, exploring as many revenue streams as possible. We took on mobile event work, training, consultation and content/brand deals to keep money coming in and afford increasingly high-quality coffees, allowing us to reinvest in our equipment and roastery space.
What’s the meaning behind the name (if any!)?
The name Parallel, originally "55th Parallel Coffee", is a tip of the hat to sourcing and provenance. 'Parallel' refers to the global band or belt between 23.5° north and south of the equator where coffee grows. '55' represents the 55th parallel north, the line of latitude running right through Scotland, where we are based.
What music are you playing in the roastery at the moment?
It’s a bit of a mess, really. We never settle on a specific vibe. Sometimes it’s casual lo-fi ambience, sometimes a bit of h
house, and during busy days we’ll stick on some heavy metal and rock!
What advice would you give someone thinking of entering the world of coffee roasting?
Talk to as many people as possible and consume content like your life depends on it. Start small with a sample roaster, or try to get some experience working in a roastery. It’ll catapult your knowledge. Also, cup every coffee you come across and cup it alongside other coffees. Develop your palate as much as possible.
What challenges do you face in the coffee industry, if any?
Typically, the rising cost of everything, of course, especially the volatility of the C market in recent years. It’s tough when you’re just getting started. In addition, there are a lot more ultra-quality-focused small roasters just about everywhere now, so things are competitive. But we believe there’s still room for everyone.
What’s your favourite piece of coffee-related kit or equipment?
I mean, it’s really hard to select just one thing. We love our gadgets, particularly our colour, moisture and density measuring tools, as these really help us formulate a roast plan ahead of time. That’s essential when purchasing expensive green coffee that you can’t afford to waste. Danny, being the wizard he is, has a knack for one-banging a lot of coffees first time around and getting them pretty much ready to sell. We, of course, still refine these with every batch through lots of cupping. If I had to put something down, though, I’d say our beloved Weber EG-1 grinder. We invested in this serious bit of kit as part of a no-compromises approach to cupping and brewing some of the best filter coffee we’ve ever had!
How do you unwind after a long day roasting coffee?
We’re all a little different. Danny likes to hit the bouldering gym after work and sometimes I join him, but normally I’m home for some Netflix and dinner. Colin has a long drive back to Edinburgh every day and spends his time with his dogs and watching the football!
What’s a coffee that you’re particularly proud of?
There have been so many releases we’re really proud of. Each new one seems to replace the last as the best coffee we’ve ever had! Some memorable ones include our first release from El Diviso back in 2024 and a washed anaerobic Pink Bourbon from Wilder Lasso. Really funky, with lots of stone fruit and green apple notes. More recently, a favourite coffee, and one that we feel "put us on the map", was another Colombian coffee from Finca Milan: a watermelon and pineapple co-fermented Caturra. Straight-up Jolly Ranchers in the cup. A real head-turner.
What’s your current “desert island” coffee — the one you’d drink forever if you had to?
A bottomless batch brew of a classic natural Ethiopian from Daye Bensa. Something you could drink all day and never get sick of, but also something that reminds us all of what "big flavour" was back when we first got into coffee!
What’s a coffee-related dream you still hope to chase?
I think we all agree that our current dream is something we’re already doing. We want to continue growing Parallel into something we can do for the rest of our lives. We want it to be a place that can cater to all types of businesses and consumers. A one-stop shop for all things coffee: roasting, technical help, training, content and cafes!
Discover more from Parallel Coffee → curious to try the coffee behind the stories? Head over to Parallel Coffee's website to explore their coffees and find out more about the people, ideas and approach behind this independent roastery.
Discover more independent coffee roasters → take a look at our Scotland coffee guide to meet more Scottish roasters, or discover them for yourself through our Scotland coffee subscription, featuring a different independent roaster each month.
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