Sweven: Bristol’s freshest coffee roaster makes a splash

October 3, 2024

Sweven: Bristol’s freshest coffee roaster makes a splash

October 3, 2024

Jimmy and Aga Dimitrov make their Coffeevine debut with a super floral and citrusy washed Ethiopian coffee from Chelbesa

Earlier this year, I visited Bristol for the first time in a while and I have to say, this English city really has a vibe. I love that its hilly and that from the top you have such a great view over the entire place. Its iconic Clifton suspension bridge is a sight to behold and there are still various Banksy artworks to be seen. My friends who live there always praise its food and drinks culture, and Bristol is also home to a vibrant specialty coffee scene. Last time, I was there, I only had time to visit Bank, the award-winning restaurant by my friend Dan O’Regan. This time, I had time to really do a coffee tour.

One of the places I stopped at was Sweven. Founded by Jimmy and Aga Dimitrov who have spent much of the past ten years working in the English specialty coffee industry, Sweven is a manifestation of their passion for coffee and commitment to building strong relationships with producers, colleagues and customers. Sweven is an old English word that means vision or dream and it stands for Jimmy and Aga’s desire to build a coffee brand that has a lasting impact.

The coffee shop in Bristol’s Southville neighbourhood is a local hangout that also attracts the occasional tourists. I had to cycle there for quite a long time coming from the other side of town and I was positively suprised by the vibrancy of the place. Sweven’s flagship café has a long bar with its full seasonal offerings available to order. Its colourful retail boxes are displayed next to the bar and a U-shaped seating arrangement allows customers to gain a full view of the happenings inside at all times.

Unfortunately, Jimmy and Aga were both at the London Coffee Festival where I had just come from and we didn’t get to see each other in person. However, my visit to its café served as confirmation as to why I wanted to get Sweven into one of our Coffeevine boxes this year. Many people I spoke with in London praised Sweven for its consistency and high quality, something I greatly appreciate in a roaster.

When it comes to ambition, Jimmy and Aga are both leaders in their field. Jimmy became a Q grader in 2018 and has competed in both the UK Barista Championships and the Coffee Masters in London, New York and Los Angeles. Aga, on the other hand, has competed in the UK Latte Art and Brewers Cup Championships.

For its Coffeevine debut this month, Sweven will roast for us a really delicious washed Ethiopian coffee from Chelbesa. This washing station in Gedeb is one of Ethiopia’s finest and we’ve featured coffees from this origin many times over the past ten years. Produced by many smallholder farmers from the surrounding area, this coffee consists of mixed heirloom varieties and has a crisp and clean cup profile with lots of florals and citrus.