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Lysator posted:I've never tried roasting myself. Is it worth the additional investment? Do not-roasted beans stay fresh longer? They stay fresh longer in that they don't spend any time making GBS threads on a shelf somewhere after they are roasted. Freshness is also helped by the fact that you usually can't roast huge amounts at a time at home.
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# ? Mar 17, 2015 20:08 |
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# ? Apr 29, 2024 14:22 |
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Lysator posted:I've never tried roasting myself. Is it worth the additional investment? Do not-roasted beans stay fresh longer? Yes, unroasted (green) coffee stays fresh longer. See OP (I think), for the 15/15/15 rule. Green coffee is good for 15 months, roasted for 15 days, and ground for 15 min.
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# ? Mar 17, 2015 20:44 |
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I would argue that some green beans will have some level of quality fall-off after a period of time that is hard to judge. Mostly because it can be tricky to know just how long ago it was actually processed. I've experience with multiple beans that had a small but noticeable falloff in nuance across just 2/3 months. 15 months is still a good rule of thumb, but if you're failing to recapture something you had in earlier roasts and you are confident in your roasting/brewing you might be looking at a case of green beans aging out in less than 15.
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# ? Mar 17, 2015 21:10 |
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ChickenArise posted:Yes, unroasted (green) coffee stays fresh longer. See OP (I think), for the 15/15/15 rule. Green coffee is good for 15 months, roasted for 15 days, and ground for 15 min. Thank you very much! Shame on me for not consulting the OP, as you mentioned there's already plenty of information on the topic
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# ? Mar 17, 2015 21:23 |
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Lysator posted:Thank you very much! Shame on me for not consulting the OP, as you mentioned there's already plenty of information on the topic A popcorn roaster PSA - you can get a nice piece of marble tile for less than at Home Depot/Lowes/et al, that works really well as a heat sink for cooling off your roasts.
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# ? Mar 17, 2015 21:29 |
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porktree posted:A popcorn roaster PSA - you can get a nice piece of marble tile for less than at Home Depot/Lowes/et al, that works really well as a heat sink for cooling off your roasts. Or do what I did and get one that someone used as a cutting board at a garage sale for like $1.
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# ? Mar 17, 2015 21:52 |
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Am I screwing up by tossing my roasted beans in a colander and then throwing them into the freezer for 5-10 minutes to cool them?
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# ? Mar 17, 2015 22:05 |
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withak posted:any time making GBS threads on a shelf Sean Connery, is that you?
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# ? Mar 18, 2015 00:11 |
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Jon Von Anchovi posted:Sean Connery, is that you? Pretty sure Connery drinks tea.
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# ? Mar 18, 2015 03:34 |
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Any suggestions for cleaning a transparent plastic V60? It's acquired a brown sheen despite regular washes and it would be nice to get the original colour back.
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# ? Mar 19, 2015 15:46 |
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Easychair Bootson posted:Am I screwing up by tossing my roasted beans in a colander and then throwing them into the freezer for 5-10 minutes to cool them? How do they taste? I don't shock cool something when cooking so I wouldn't with coffee either. Then again I'm sure there's something somewhere that tastes amazing when done that way. I'd just shake them in a colander for a minute or two. But that's me. A metal one could be put on a fan or just put a fan on it; The huky uses bread pans sitting on an overpowered fan for cooling for example. MasterControl fucked around with this message at 16:48 on Mar 19, 2015 |
# ? Mar 19, 2015 16:41 |
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kim jong-illin posted:Any suggestions for cleaning a transparent plastic V60? It's acquired a brown sheen despite regular washes and it would be nice to get the original colour back.
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# ? Mar 19, 2015 17:45 |
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porktree posted:A popcorn roaster PSA - you can get a nice piece of marble tile for less than at Home Depot/Lowes/et al, that works really well as a heat sink for cooling off your roasts.
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# ? Mar 19, 2015 22:24 |
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So Goons, what's the best bang for your buck espresso machine on the market? I'm looking to keep it under $300 (Under $200 would be even better) but I'm really interested in something robust that isn't going to break after 6 months. My brother has a Mr Coffee cheapo and it's broken a few times, luckily their customer service has sent him replacements but it's something I'd like to avoid.
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# ? Mar 20, 2015 17:37 |
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Knucklebear posted:So Goons, what's the best bang for your buck espresso machine on the market? I have a Gaggia Classic, which I'm a very big fan of, and which, at the time I purchased it (about 9 months ago, I think?) was the basically the cheapest machine available that could produce "real" espresso. Not sure if anything cheaper and equally good has come out since then, but I doubt it. You can get refurbished ones for ~$300, I believe. Now, like I said, while I'm very pleased with mine, there are two things that I should note: (1) I added a PID to mine, and I was having a very difficult time producing consistent shots without it. (2) You absolutely, 100%, no-exceptions, need a very good grinder to make good espresso, which is going to set you back a minimum of ~$300 as well, if you don't already have one.
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# ? Mar 20, 2015 18:12 |
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looks like dik-dik covered the most important parts but I've had good luck with my saeco aroma (which is cheapish, especially used) but it would greatly benefit from a PID
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# ? Mar 20, 2015 18:21 |
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dik-dik posted:I have a Gaggia Classic, which I'm a very big fan of, and which, at the time I purchased it (about 9 months ago, I think?) was the basically the cheapest machine available that could produce "real" espresso. Not sure if anything cheaper and equally good has come out since then, but I doubt it. You can get refurbished ones for ~$300, I believe. Thanks for the quick responses! I currently have a Baratza Encore Grinder, the box said that it's good for espresso but is it really good enough for espresso?
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# ? Mar 20, 2015 19:00 |
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Knucklebear posted:Thanks for the quick responses! I currently have a Baratza Encore Grinder, the box said that it's good for espresso but is it really good enough for espresso? It'll be ok, it won't be great, but it will work. I'll also back up the recommendation of the Gaggia Classic. I had one before I upgraded to a Rancilio Silvia and it worked well for me for about five years. Still worked fine when I upgraded, I just wanted something nicer and stumbled across someone selling a barely used Silvia for an awesome price.
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# ? Mar 20, 2015 20:28 |
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Knucklebear posted:So Goons, what's the best bang for your buck espresso machine on the market? I would also recommned the Gaccia Classic. I use it for several years now and I am more than happy with it. It's definetly worth the money
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# ? Mar 20, 2015 20:45 |
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Knucklebear posted:So Goons, what's the best bang for your buck espresso machine on the market? Whole latte love has stuff in the refurb section might want to check tnere. I use the baby gaggia for our espresso and want to say I bought it for 159?
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# ? Mar 21, 2015 04:19 |
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I just want to say "gently caress you" to Rancilio for making this loving screw the one that I needed to remove to take the back off my Rocky so I could take the doser off and replace the springs.
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# ? Mar 21, 2015 19:09 |
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MasterControl posted:Whole latte love has stuff in the refurb section might want to check tnere. I use the baby gaggia for our espresso and want to say I bought it for 159? PID'd Gaggia Classic + Vario Reburb = amazing espresso
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# ? Mar 22, 2015 06:08 |
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I have a dumb question, I've been using pour over at home but I bought a French press recently. Can I use the French press to make any amount of coffee or is it like pour over where you want to stick with a certain serving size?
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# ? Mar 22, 2015 16:47 |
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wangvicous posted:I have a dumb question, I've been using pour over at home but I bought a French press recently. Can I use the French press to make any amount of coffee or is it like pour over where you want to stick with a certain serving size? Some sperglord will likely correct me but.... I alternate between a pour over and press, and with each i make a thermos full which I drink through out the day.
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# ? Mar 22, 2015 17:39 |
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wangvicous posted:I have a dumb question, I've been using pour over at home but I bought a French press recently. Can I use the French press to make any amount of coffee or is it like pour over where you want to stick with a certain serving size? I think that there are optimal serving sizes for each size press. For the most part, the plunger is only going to go down so far. Ideally, the wet grounds will fully/almost fully take up this space. If the plunger on your press goes all the way to the bottom of the pot, then I'd say you're golden and you can make whatever size pot you want. The other consideration is heat loss. If you're brewing two tasse cups of coffee, everything else being equal, coffee will be hotter/closer to optimal brewing temperature in a two-cup press than it will be in a twelve-cup press. This can be mitigated somewhat by getting a well-insulated press pot, but you will still lose heat to the extra air in the pot. A lot of this is just coffee-brewing theory. What matters most is whether or not you're happy with your brew. Try a few different brew sizes and go with what you like best.
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# ? Mar 22, 2015 17:57 |
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toe knee hand posted:Are there any drip coffee makers worth buying that are in the $100 range? I've looked at the SCAA list, and the ones that I can even find here (Canada) are more expensive than I'd like. Also wanting to know this. $100 or lower. Are conical burrs really that much better than burr wheels or discs? ~$100 for a coffee grinder is just out of this world to me when I've got a total of ~$50 for my entire setup now, including manual grinder. An electric model would be great, but drat the conical models are twice the price of the disc/wheel models.
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# ? Mar 23, 2015 02:58 |
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AnimalChin posted:Also wanting to know this. $100 or lower. That's because they're unequivocally and objectively better.
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# ? Mar 23, 2015 04:58 |
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Having a crappy blade grinder is still better than having no grinder at all. I'd stick with the manual grinder until you can afford the $100 though.
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# ? Mar 23, 2015 05:20 |
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Think about it this way - if you're spending more than $10 per pound on beans without a good grinder then you are wasting your money far more than getting a decent grinder in the first place and getting superior coffee with the same or even cheaper beans (dunkin donuts actually isn't that terrible, just "boring" compared to more expensive beans).
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# ? Mar 23, 2015 05:59 |
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I have a Keurig and I was fine with until I moved here to Seattle. Now that I have tasted what coffee is supposed to taste like, my Keurig isn't cutting it anymore. I'm now interested on sliding down the coffee snob slippery slope. I'd like to start with a good grinder and a french press, but I'm sure down the road I'd like to get an espresso machine. Should I consider getting a $100-$150 conical burr grinder or just save up for the Vario? I'd hate to have to buy something then find out in a year or two I end up needing something better. Then again, it may be awhile before I have the funds for one.
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# ? Mar 24, 2015 00:42 |
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Haggins posted:I have a Keurig and I was fine with until I moved here to Seattle. Now that I have tasted what coffee is supposed to taste like, my Keurig isn't cutting it anymore. You can do espresso pretty well with either a Virtuoso or the Breville Smart Grinder. It's not Vario level quality bit both of them are no slouch. I use a Smart Grinder with my Rancilio Silvia and get very tasty results
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# ? Mar 24, 2015 01:28 |
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Since you think it'll be a couple years before you get your espresso setup, if I were in your shoes, I would buy an entry level grinder now (even the humble Capresso Infinity will work great for French Press) and hold off on getting espresso stuff until you have the funds to go big. I doubt you'd be able to taste the difference between a $100 grinder and a $500 grinder in a French press, and if it were me, I would feel silly having that extra $400 just sitting on my counter not doing much. Worst case, you end up with two grinders—one for espresso, and one for french press, pour over, etc.
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# ? Mar 24, 2015 02:02 |
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dik-dik posted:Since you think it'll be a couple years before you get your espresso setup, if I were in your shoes, I would buy an entry level grinder now (even the humble Capresso Infinity will work great for French Press) and hold off on getting espresso stuff until you have the funds to go big. I doubt you'd be able to taste the difference between a $100 grinder and a $500 grinder in a French press, and if it were me, I would feel silly having that extra $400 just sitting on my counter not doing much. worst case e: also some cabbage
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# ? Mar 24, 2015 02:18 |
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dhrusis posted:worst case Whoa, we have almost all the same gear, including all the same mods on our Gaggias (assuming I correctly recognized that bottomless portafilter from Espresso Parts). Oh my god do we even have the same tamper? What's up setup buddy? Also what's that black mat that your Vario, tamper, and knock box are sitting on?
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# ? Mar 24, 2015 02:36 |
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That sounds good to me. Spending $500 on a grinder makes my stomach turn but I can handle sub 200. That also means I can start experimenting with all the delicious coffee available in this city sooner. I'm kind of thinking about getting an electric kettle with temperature settings since I'm a big tea drinker as well. I always keep a gallon or two of sweet tea in the fridge and I get on a hot loose leaf kick every now and then.
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# ? Mar 24, 2015 02:47 |
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dik-dik posted:Whoa, we have almost all the same gear, including all the same mods on our Gaggias (assuming I correctly recognized that bottomless portafilter from Espresso Parts). Oh my god do we even have the same tamper? What's up setup buddy? whuddddup coffee bro. Yes its a bottomless from espresso parts and a rattleware tamper. Thats a Glock gun mat, basically a giant mousepad. http://www.amazon.com/Glock-AD00062-Bench-Mat/dp/B000U3YWEM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427164291&sr=8-1&keywords=glock+gun+mat p.s. I think I got the PID because of you, so ... thats your influence there on my counter :-) My espresso shots thank you for it.
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# ? Mar 24, 2015 03:34 |
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Haggins posted:That sounds good to me. Spending $500 on a grinder makes my stomach turn but I can handle sub 200. That also means I can start experimenting with all the delicious coffee available in this city sooner. I am in the same boat (in regards to the tea) and ended up buying this Cuisinart electric kettle. http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CPK...keywords=kettle Its quick, has multiple temperature settings, is easy enough to pour, and looks good enough on the counter. Its not a gooseneck, but it works just fine for my Chemex.
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# ? Mar 24, 2015 12:50 |
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Haggins posted:That sounds good to me. Spending $500 on a grinder makes my stomach turn but I can handle sub 200. That also means I can start experimenting with all the delicious coffee available in this city sooner. If you do much tea, it's worth it for that alone. Combined with the variety of pour over coffee methods, good investment.
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# ? Mar 25, 2015 03:27 |
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I am interested in getting a grinder, but I pretty much only drink French Press. I see people recommend the Baraza Encore, or the Capresso Infinity as "starting" grinders that are still good - I don't really want to get a crappy grinder because I used to use the grinder the grocery store had but when I switched to buying straight from the roaster and having them grind it for me, the difference in the way it tasted when you made coffee was amazing. Their grind was a little bit finer, but more even and the cup had a much richer body and smoother taste, so I assume the grind is affecting that. But even buying from them, by the end of the bag, the coffee is a little bit stale, and I'm kind of interested in roasting my own beans which means I would need a grinder anyway. So which is better? Occasionally I will make coffee for other people, so I do want it to be able to make decent "drip coffee" but that's not a huge concern. Does having more "steps" of grinding mean it is more precise or is that just dick measuring? The baraza says it has 40 and the infinity only has 16, but I'm really only planning on using two or three. I am also wondering if a refurbished model has a greater likelihood of breaking down or breaking down again, how important is stuff like that, and how much of it is "snobbery"?
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# ? Mar 25, 2015 16:44 |
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# ? Apr 29, 2024 14:22 |
What's your budget?
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# ? Mar 25, 2015 17:43 |