Our Story

I’ve been obsessed with coffee for a long time.

Over the years I’ve tried pretty much every brewing method going — espresso, pour-over, AeroPress, cafetière and everything in between. Eventually, drinking coffee wasn’t enough. I wanted to understand it, experiment with it and, eventually, roast it myself.

I started roasting coffee at home just for me. Then the equipment got bigger, the bags of green coffee started piling up and, at some point, someone pointed out that perhaps my “hobby” had got a little out of hand.

Unfortunately, they were right. And for Fools Gold to become a reality, it had to get a lot more out of hand — including investing in a proper production roaster and purpose-built roasting space.

I started the business on April Fools’ Day, with absolutely no expectation that it would make me any money. I just wanted to roast great coffee, find the best beans I could and share them with people who enjoy coffee as much as I do.

That’s still what Fools Gold is about.

I roast in small batches, take the time to get the best out of every coffee and keep searching for beans that are genuinely worth putting in your cup. There’s no complicated formula and no pretence — just good coffee, roasted with care.

Thanks for being here, and for supporting my little hobby that got out of hand.

Mike Lawson

Founder & Roaster