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I've been trying out a Weber Workshops Blind Shaker for espresso puck prep. It seems to be quite good. I pulled 5 shots today using it and found that I didn't experience much in the way of channelling with any of them (some channelling is expected at the ultra fine grinds I use with my IMS precision baskets but it almost never affects flavour). I think it might be slightly more reliable than my previous prep method using the Londinium Espresso WDT tool? I also noticed that the shots I pulled seemed noticeably sweeter, although I'm hesitant to attribute this to the shaker without further A B testing. If you're unfamiliar with the Blind Shaker, here's a video of someone using it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl_cRKG-cYU
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Feb 1, 2021 20:45
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Gunder posted:Are you able to get your Barista Pro hot enough to properly extract light roasts? I could never get that thing hot enough to produce anything other than sour shots from lighter roasts. I haven't played with the lighter roasted beans yet but it is my understanding that it won't get hot enough for them. Which is a bummer as I enjoy lighter roast. There is a....strong chance if I can grab a Niche grinder, or some other $500'ish range nice grinder I'll trade up my machine for a "nicer" one The issue is that the price jumps are pretty steep. You go from 500 to 600 to 800ish to gently caress you money pretty quick. The fact that I want to steam as well, and I'm spoiled by the BBP quick steam feature, the idea of sitting around for my steam to get up to temp doesn't excite me. Dual boiler or something similar to the BBP seems ideal So I'm either just grabbing a better grinder for consistency sake or I'm also "stepping up" my machine from the 800 range to what appears to be $1500+ Tiny Chalupa fucked around with this message at 21:37 on Feb 1, 2021 |
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Feb 1, 2021 21:23
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Gunder posted:I've been trying out a Weber Workshops Blind Shaker for espresso puck prep. It seems to be quite good. I pulled 5 shots today using it and found that I didn't experience much in the way of channelling with any of them (some channelling is expected at the ultra fine grinds I use with my IMS precision baskets but it almost never affects flavour). I think it might be slightly more reliable than my previous prep method using the Londinium Espresso WDT tool? I also noticed that the shots I pulled seemed noticeably sweeter, although I'm hesitant to attribute this to the shaker without further A B testing. Yooo, that Blind Shaker looks dope. I wonder if the funnel will work for the La Pavoni portafilter size, since it's smaller? https://weberworkshops.com/products/blind-tumbler Ah ha!
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Feb 1, 2021 21:43
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Dynamite Dog posted:Is there a better answer than the De'Longhi ESAM3300? The insides and maintenance look like a disaster waiting to happen, but is it worth it to spend more on the Gaggia or even the Jura A1? The Gaggia stuff at least looks serviceable. aldantefax posted:Also when it comes to superautomatics I feel like you're screwed if something DOES go wrong with it so the "talk to a coffee tech locally and see what they recommend" would be a good move because they likely have seen a lot of them + they'll be the ones you're going to if you need a full teardown or a burr replacement or pump swap. Considering that the 500 dollar machines are apparently somewhat terrible, your outlay's potentially 700 plus? Miele's is supposed to be pretty okay and that's two grand on Seattle Coffee Gear. hypnophant posted:With superautos your choices are cheap, reliable, makes good coffee - strike out makes good coffee and then pick one I'd never own a super-auto myself, but they're the right answer for a large segment of the espresso-at-home population, and the good brands are just as consistent and reliable as your Gaggia Classic, or Silvia, or E61-whatever.
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Feb 1, 2021 22:21
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This is all super good insight and it is good to get a weigh in on this from a repair aspect! I have considered a superauto but considering I already have a full manual lever machine I don’t see the point to double dip.
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Feb 1, 2021 22:46
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Nuurd posted:They do actually. At least the stainless platform one is backlit. I think it’s a change that came in with rechargeable battery. Ressurrecting a prior deep cut to say that they have this back in fulfillment for Amazon Prime, so I ended up getting one. New scale here we come! I also bought some of that Weber Workshops stuff. Whoops
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Feb 1, 2021 23:01
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bizwank posted:Pretty much wrong on every point, especially considering that "good" is relative.The majority of Americans have a super-auto or pod machine at home (or a lovely $25 drip pot), and are perfectly happy with the coffee they produce. Unless your issue is a lack of counter-space, a dialed in super-auto will generally produce a better shot then a pod machine, especially considering you've got fresh-ground coffee and can control for roast date. Also good luck getting a pod machine repaired, vs any of the brands I mentioned above. I defer to you on reliability but I feel like every time this topic comes up you talk down every machine except that one specific Delonghi model. And there's no denying they're more complicated, messier machines than the entry-level single boilers and heat exchangers. Most users are never going to open the casing of their Silvia unless it's to install a PID, but pulling a bunch of molded plastic parts out of the guts of a super-auto is an at minimum weekly chore. Lots of people are willing to make that trade-off but I don't feel like a bad guy for pointing out that there is a trade-off there. As for what constitutes "good" coffee - look, my dad makes coffee every morning by putting a filter basket into a mr coffee drip that's never been thoroughly cleaned, and dumping in folgers until it completely fills the basket. Then he dumps in creamer until the bitterness is mostly gone and he's happy with that. I'm aware that most people are satisfied drinking starbucks or folgers or tim hortons, and if someone comes in here saying they want to drink coffee in a certain way and they don't care what it tastes like, I'm not at all compelled to change their minds. But "makes better coffee than pods" is setting the bar so low it's on the floor. If someone asks for a recommendation that will help them make "good" coffee I don't see anything wrong with pointing out that a $40 moka pot makes a better espresso-like beverage to dump steamed milk or cream and sugar into, and requires about as much effort and much less maintenance than the super-auto, or that the super-auto will only ever produce an espresso-like beverage because the dose and pressure are too low to produce real espresso. If people are happy with that, fine! But if someone comes in asking for the impossible I don't think it's unreasonable to point out it's impossible.
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Feb 1, 2021 23:17
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Thanks bizwank, good info. hypnophant posted:But "makes better coffee than pods" is setting the bar so low it's on the floor. I set the bar here by buying a pod machine years ago. He’s answering the question I presented.
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Feb 1, 2021 23:40
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aldantefax posted:You can certainly streamline those steps if you want but there are some missing for espresso, at least for me: There's a reason I don't want to go into espresso  The thing is I actually kinda like grinding beans by hand. I've got a good stationary grinder and a portable one that's less good but lets me walk to the window and watch the city while I grind meditatively. It's just the all the little steps that I sometimes find annoying, like constantly packing and unpacking things in my small work space. I considered modding my ROK to simplify my steps a little (add hopper on top, different bin with fixed scale at bottom) but I don't think I'd be able to pull it off. And I also wanna treat myself to some coffee gadgets. Luxury grinders (the sette, or a kinu m47) are a bit much for that but I could see getting myself one for a future Christmas or something. E: the more I think about this the more I'm convinced that im just making up reasons to treat myself with new toys Lord Stimperor fucked around with this message at 01:08 on Feb 2, 2021 |
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Feb 2, 2021 00:50
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Is the Kinu actually in stock now? I wanted to get one but whenever I tried to check they were always in preorder coming soon or sold out state.
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Feb 2, 2021 02:46
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I've been using a Chemex to make pour over coffee these past few months, and I've been loving it, but I've been wanting to mess around with flavoring my coffee during the process more. I usually drink it black, but I've been messing around with spices during the brewing process the past few days. I've really only tried out cinnamon and cayenne pepper so far. Any suggestions?
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Feb 2, 2021 05:14
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Cardamom
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Feb 2, 2021 06:04
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hypnophant posted:I defer to you on reliability but I feel like every time this topic comes up you talk down every machine except that one specific Delonghi model. And there's no denying they're more complicated, messier machines than the entry-level single boilers and heat exchangers. Most users are never going to open the casing of their Silvia unless it's to install a PID, but pulling a bunch of molded plastic parts out of the guts of a super-auto is an at minimum weekly chore. Lots of people are willing to make that trade-off but I don't feel like a bad guy for pointing out that there is a trade-off there. Opening a door and removing the brew unit (a single item, not a "bunch of parts") from a super auto and rinsing it off once a week is actually less work than removing a portafilter, knocking the puck out, wiping it and reinserting it in the machine. Not to mention you then have to pull it off again and do a bunch of other stuff with it before you can brew another shot. Ease of use is the biggest selling point for super-autos for a reason, and for all the hot takes you have on super-autos it doesn't sound like you've ever actually spent much (if any) time with one. hypnophant posted:As for what constitutes "good" coffee - look, my dad makes coffee every morning by putting a filter basket into a mr coffee drip that's never been thoroughly cleaned, and dumping in folgers until it completely fills the basket. Then he dumps in creamer until the bitterness is mostly gone and he's happy with that. I'm aware that most people are satisfied drinking starbucks or folgers or tim hortons, and if someone comes in here saying they want to drink coffee in a certain way and they don't care what it tastes like, I'm not at all compelled to change their minds. But "makes better coffee than pods" is setting the bar so low it's on the floor. If someone asks for a recommendation that will help them make "good" coffee I don't see anything wrong with pointing out that a $40 moka pot makes a better espresso-like beverage to dump steamed milk or cream and sugar into, and requires about as much effort and much less maintenance than the super-auto, or that the super-auto will only ever produce an espresso-like beverage because the dose and pressure are too low to produce real espresso. If people are happy with that, fine! But if someone comes in asking for the impossible I don't think it's unreasonable to point out it's impossible.
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Feb 2, 2021 06:06
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Ok, i’ve been unfair and i apologize. My personal experience has been with one of the starbucks-branded saeco machines which try as i might, i couldn’t dial in to produce something pleasant. In addition to the brew unit, it had a grounds catch which would grow mold if not emptied daily, and a too-small water tank which was fiddly to remove, and i found the experience as bad as the coffee. It was a very cheap machine though and i’ll stop maligning super-autos on the basis of that limited experience.
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Feb 2, 2021 13:32
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So a friend of mine recently started working at an interesting coffee startup and got me some product to try. The company is Cometeer, and they make a cryogenically frozen coffee extract that comes in a pod that is Keurig compatible but can be used without a Keurig as well. I know that sounds loving terrible, but it’s not. It is in fact pretty amazing. They come in a sexy box, natch. The whole thing is frozen and must stay frozen, but supposedly they are still good for about 3 days if they thaw.  He made me a variety pack from this box, and we already drank two of them:  The pods themselves are aluminum instead of plastic. It’s easier to recycle, won’t crack, and since the contents are frozen liquid instead of coffee grounds, I think the aluminum conducts heat into it and helps it melt quicker if you are using it in a Keurig. Also apparently it will last in your freezer for a year.  Boil 6-8 oz water, pour into the least pretentious coffee cup you have, add extract, stir, drink. It takes a bit of warming to get it to melt and slide out of the pod.   The coffee is...really loving good! It’s as good as anything I’ve ever made myself with a good grinder/water/technique, and as good as anything I’ve ever gotten from a pour over in any cafe I’ve been to. All the acidity, sweetness, complexity, body, etc is there. You can also melt the extract and make lattes, cocktails, etc and use it like espresso. Interesting stuff. I’m sure that when it’s in stores it will be a lot more expensive and less fun than grinding and brewing with my setup, but for camping, a swanky office, or rich normies it’s a great fit.
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Feb 2, 2021 14:38
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That’s the dumbest poo poo since the Juicero.
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Feb 2, 2021 15:57
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No 54mm version of the Blind Shaker for Breville users? It looks really neat.
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Feb 2, 2021 16:22
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Not that I have one, but was recently looking at the newer (relatively) cheap combi ovens (Anova precision, but I’m sure there will be more) and thinking they address some of the reasons you might need a dedicated roaster to get ok results roasting beans at home rather than just using an oven (programmable for gradual temp increase, precise temp control, etc). Googled around but nobody seems to have documented trying. Are there considerations I’m missing?
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Feb 2, 2021 19:55
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Dealing with the smoke is the big one. Is the Anova capable of dealing with all the smoke and chaff that the fan is capable of kicking up?
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Feb 2, 2021 22:11
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aldantefax posted:Is the Kinu actually in stock now? I wanted to get one but whenever I tried to check they were always in preorder coming soon or sold out state. It just says 'preorder' for me I'm afraid.
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Feb 2, 2021 23:22
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The Kinu Simplicity is in stock here https://prima-coffee.com/equipment/kinu/m47-simplicity-kinu-sp
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Feb 2, 2021 23:45
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Lord Stimperor posted:There's a reason I don't want to go into espresso I don't think it's as bad as OP is making it sound. Generally when I make espresso it's about a 2-3 minute process. I tend to use 2-3 types of beans from my local shop, and am comfortable enough to eyeball things.  Blue Labrador posted:I've been using a Chemex to make pour over coffee these past few months, and I've been loving it, but I've been wanting to mess around with flavoring my coffee during the process more. I usually drink it black, but I've been messing around with spices during the brewing process the past few days. I've really only tried out cinnamon and cayenne pepper so far. Any suggestions? Cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, and clove all sound like they'd make some pretty interesting tasting coffee. Indian coffee generally mixes chicory and coffee so you get a very earthy taste.
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Feb 2, 2021 23:46
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Blue Labrador posted:I've been using a Chemex to make pour over coffee these past few months, and I've been loving it, but I've been wanting to mess around with flavoring my coffee during the process more. I usually drink it black, but I've been messing around with spices during the brewing process the past few days. I've really only tried out cinnamon and cayenne pepper so far. Any suggestions? This isn’t quite what you asked, but have you tried out light roasts? They tend to have fairly different flavours from just the coffee itself. If you haven’t tried one so far, a good washed Ethiopian light roast might be an interesting experience.
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Feb 3, 2021 00:01
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AnimeIsTrash posted:I don't think it's as bad as OP is making it sound. Generally when I make espresso it's about a 2-3 minute process. I tend to use 2-3 types of beans from my local shop, and am comfortable enough to eyeball things. Seconding this. The longest part of the process is waiting for the machine to heat up for me. Takes like 2-3 minutes of active time on my Silvia or less time than it takes to make a cup of pourover coffee. Milk drinks take longer, but you're temp surfing and it's a fine tradeoff for the results. Even when you do a mediocre job with the milk it tastes better than Starbucks. I do only weigh the beans anymore, and once you get in the groove of things, it's really quite easy. Takes time to get to that place for eyeballing things, but I still think I'm making better shots than when I started.
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Feb 3, 2021 01:01
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If you wanna make milk drinks, a single boiler machine is annoying because you have to wait for the boiler to reach steam temp and then let it cool for the next shot. Heat Exchanger machines are better about this, dual boilers completely avoid it. I make two lattes every morning, I doubt it takes me more than 5 minutes from start to finish.
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Feb 3, 2021 02:45
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Jhet posted:Dealing with the smoke is the big one. Is the Anova capable of dealing with all the smoke and chaff that the fan is capable of kicking up? Yeah that’s a good point for sure, bummer.
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Feb 3, 2021 02:57
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I'm just starting out with espresso drinks and I've been testing out pulls using the cheapest stuff I can find and is Cafe Bustelo supposed to taste good to people? I'm not great at this, but that was drat near the rankest thing I've ever tasted. Beans I grind myself come out okay. Out of curiosity I checked Amazon and the can of Cafe Bustelo I got for $2 gets 5 stars and everyone loves it so I have no idea what to think.
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Feb 3, 2021 18:12
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Cafe Bustelo isn't great for espresso machiens but is fantastic for a Moka pot. I'd get whole beans (Supreme, Especial, whatever it is they have) and call it a day.
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Feb 3, 2021 18:17
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Krispy Wafer posted:I'm just starting out with espresso drinks and I've been testing out pulls using the cheapest stuff I can find and is Cafe Bustelo supposed to taste good to people? I'm not great at this, but that was drat near the rankest thing I've ever tasted. Beans I grind myself come out okay. It's great when you add lots of milk and lots of sugar and starts strong and bitter. And that's what's it's supposed to be, and it's not pretending. If you're looking for some smooth espresso pull, get some better beans for it. A good cafe cubano is a treat.
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Feb 3, 2021 18:25
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For lack of my own knowledge, how often do you need to dial in an espresso shot, and how many shots does it take?
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Feb 3, 2021 18:36
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Jhet posted:It's great when you add lots of milk and lots of sugar and starts strong and bitter. And that's what's it's supposed to be, and it's not pretending. If you're looking for some smooth espresso pull, get some better beans for it. A good cafe cubano is a treat. Okay, so when I try it straight from the espresso machine I'm getting exactly what I deserve then. Good to know. I'll see how it tastes with lots of milk and sugar. I've done cappuccinos to death and managed a pretty decent Americano, but not much else.
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Feb 3, 2021 18:37
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Democratic Pirate posted:For lack of my own knowledge, how often do you need to dial in an espresso shot, and how many shots does it take? There is no real answer to this because it's dependent on your tastes. For me I can generally take about 5 shots to get a good idea of what grind setting to use, and then fine tune from there.
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Feb 3, 2021 18:56
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Democratic Pirate posted:For lack of my own knowledge, how often do you need to dial in an espresso shot, and how many shots does it take? Also depends on external variables. E.g. if I had a coffee dialed in last week but it's now lost more gas it'll need a tweak. Or if it's hotter or cooler and so the grind has slightly changed from that. I generally re-dial in every time I change beans, and usually can get to ballpark in 3-5 shots, but you're not "done" at that point, you're tweaking as you go.
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Feb 3, 2021 19:10
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Bustelo was the coffee that was always in my house growing up, and my parents still drink it. If you prefer to add cream and sugar to drip coffee Bustelo makes a much better drink than other cheap stuff because it has so much more flavor, but yeah it’s not good black whereas Chock Full O Nuts or whatever comes out tolerable because it’s a lot more mild.
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Feb 3, 2021 19:16
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i own every Bionicle posted:Bustelo was the coffee that was always in my house growing up, and my parents still drink it. If you prefer to add cream and sugar to drip coffee Bustelo makes a much better drink than other cheap stuff because it has so much more flavor, but yeah it’s not good black whereas Chock Full O Nuts or whatever comes out tolerable because it’s a lot more mild. I found a recipe for making Cuban Cubano in an espresso machine (no moka pot) so I will try the Bustelo in it's preferred state.
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Feb 3, 2021 19:36
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What should I be tasting in espresso? I ordered a shot at my local roaster and it was kind of sour. A cursory search on Google tells me it was probably not extracted properly, but I think that's the only shot I've ever had. Most of their stuff is pretty solid so I'm willing to buy another shot or two and see if it was just a fluke, but I kind of want a sense of what I should be looking for.
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Feb 3, 2021 19:42
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JohnCompany posted:Also depends on external variables. E.g. if I had a coffee dialed in last week but it's now lost more gas it'll need a tweak. Or if it's hotter or cooler and so the grind has slightly changed from that. I generally re-dial in every time I change beans, and usually can get to ballpark in 3-5 shots, but you're not "done" at that point, you're tweaking as you go. That makes sense, thanks. I’ve always wondered if people are throwing out shots as they dial them in, or if it’s a gradual thing where the coffee improves over 2 days or so. 5 shots of 18g is around 25% of a 12oz bag, which just seems like an incredible amount of lost coffee.
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Feb 3, 2021 19:46
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Democratic Pirate posted:That makes sense, thanks. I’ve always wondered if people are throwing out shots as they dial them in, or if it’s a gradual thing where the coffee improves over 2 days or so. 5 shots of 18g is around 25% of a 12oz bag, which just seems like an incredible amount of lost coffee. I generally limit myself to about 2 drinks a day so it takes a couple of days to tune. The Postman posted:What should I be tasting in espresso? I ordered a shot at my local roaster and it was kind of sour. A cursory search on Google tells me it was probably not extracted properly, but I think that's the only shot I've ever had. Most of their stuff is pretty solid so I'm willing to buy another shot or two and see if it was just a fluke, but I kind of want a sense of what I should be looking for. It could be the coffee they use as well. High altitudes, coffee processing practices used, roasting processes, and single origin coffee could also contribute to sourness. The local coffee shop around here deals with African grown beans so everything tends to be sour testing. Again there is no real right or wrong when it comes to taste of coffee (outside of completely burnt coffee).
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Feb 3, 2021 19:54
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Democratic Pirate posted:That makes sense, thanks. I’ve always wondered if people are throwing out shots as they dial them in, or if it’s a gradual thing where the coffee improves over 2 days or so. 5 shots of 18g is around 25% of a 12oz bag, which just seems like an incredible amount of lost coffee. It is and it's why a lot of people say home espresso isn't worth it. I usually make milk drinks so a less than great shot is still drinkable, and I try to stick to one type of bean for a while so I don't have to dial in from scratch too often. When I use a new bean I might junk two shots while I'm getting into the ballpark but then I'll have something drinkable and gradually tweak it for each shot I pull after that. I think if I was drinking straight espresso more I'd be wasting a lot more coffee.
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Feb 3, 2021 19:57
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The Postman posted:What should I be tasting in espresso? I ordered a shot at my local roaster and it was kind of sour. A cursory search on Google tells me it was probably not extracted properly, but I think that's the only shot I've ever had. Most of their stuff is pretty solid so I'm willing to buy another shot or two and see if it was just a fluke, but I kind of want a sense of what I should be looking for. Talk to them. A good cafe usually offers at least one single origin and one blend for espressos. The blend usually tastes more balanced but it can depend.
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Feb 3, 2021 20:40
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