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Alright. I think I've found what will work for me. http://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/Rancilio-Silvia-and-Grinder-Package-p/scg14032-06.htm Seems to be a good package deal with some goodies. Worth $1,078 for a superb shot of morning espresso? Also, at checkout, there is a coupon code field. Naturally this kicks in my google coupon code search instinct, which I have found none. Anyone have one that works? I'm a cheapskate.
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Dec 28, 2011 03:54
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that Vai sound posted:Made a really nice tasting cup of press pot coffee. Ended up with what seemed a fair amount of sediment, though, but I'm not sure how much is normal. Anyone tried pouring through another additional filter to catch the rest? I usually toss the last sip due to sediment, but when I don't want any sediment at all I just put a coffee filter under the press.
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Dec 28, 2011 04:31
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pnumoman posted:I usually toss the last sip due to sediment, but when I don't want any sediment at all I just put a coffee filter under the press. Sounds about right. I usually only have to deal with it if someone poked a hole in the filter because I typically do drip coffee. I'm thinking about picking up an aeropress because it looks like it'll make sediment free coffee, but I'm somewhat concerned about the need of a hot water source. Specifically, I can see me being way to lazy to do it. Just to highlight how lazy I am, I often use a keurig because I just stick a pod in and push a button. Not much other reason though. Are there any good solutions for this (e.g. electric tea kettles perhaps)? On another note, when I do brew coffee besides that, it's "ground" in a blade "grinder". I'm thinking about replacing it soon, but counter space could end up being an issue.
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Dec 28, 2011 08:47
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hotsauce posted:Alright. I think I've found what will work for me. This is a solid non pressurized portafilter, single boiler machine and grinder combo. Know that there is a learning curve with a non pressurized portafilter, if you're ok with that, fire away! kirtar posted:(e.g. electric tea kettles perhaps) you answered your own question. I just have this Aroma brand one I got from Target for 22bux. Stainless steel, fast, works well.
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Dec 28, 2011 09:00
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GrAviTy84 posted:you answered your own question. I just have this Aroma brand one I got from Target for 22bux. Stainless steel, fast, works well. 
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Dec 28, 2011 09:04
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Just wanted to pop in and re-iterate what someone posted back on the first page of the thread, that a cheap grinder and fresh beans is still going to blow pre-ground store bought coffee out of the water. I got a cheap burr grinder for Christmas and a bag of beans from our local roaster (Two-day if you're in the Bristol/UK area) and its like I'm drinking different coffee from when I used to have it pre-ground for me. I enjoy espresso, but am mostly a gimme a jug of black high acidity coffee kinda guy, though now I have the grinder I shall have to dig out the old french press and see if I can figure out how coarse to get it.
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Dec 28, 2011 11:18
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Lord Dekks posted:Just wanted to pop in and re-iterate what someone posted back on the first page of the thread, that a cheap grinder and fresh beans is still going to blow pre-ground store bought coffee out of the water.
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Dec 28, 2011 14:54
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kirtar posted:I just wasn't sure if tea kettles would heat to a proper temperature. Looks like I need to put in an Amazon order If you're willing to spend the money, I've been using this Cuisinart electric kettle for over a month now and it works great. The "French Press" setting heats the water to 200 degrees, which is perfect. As a bonus it also has settings for various kinds of tea.
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Dec 28, 2011 17:42
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Got my CCD  But - as expected - something went wrong. The drip started well enough but ended up very restricted, at 4 minutes it still had some coffee in it. 'Grinds are too fine' would be anyone's first guess, but take a look and tell me those are too fine:  Zoom in!  Run the Enhancement Algorithms!  If anything, (to my untrained eye) that looks too coarse.
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Dec 28, 2011 17:52
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Can some one help me make espresso with a mypressi twist? I received it for Christmas from my wife. I guess I finally convinced her that my italian espresso maker was not actually making espresso. I've never made espresso before. We have a cheap black & decker burr grinder, and even at the finest setting it was producing some very chunky stuff. I thought this was probably one of my main issues, so I had the local snobby coffee shop grind me some of their espresso (http://www.3cups.net/espresso-rustico-pound) so I could eliminate at least one variable. This is producing something much closer to what the machine is supposed to be doing (I think), but it still doesn't seem as thick/rich as it should. It comes out very fast and in a very messy fashion. I tried it without the spout attached (so the bottom of the basket was exposed) and it splattered all over the place. How hard am I supposed to "tamp"? The pressi manual says 30lbs of pressure, but I don't have a scale to measure this with. I am not some big muscle covered guy, so am I supposed to be pushing as hard as I can, not very hard at all, or what? In some youtube videos it looks like people are really giving it their all, while in others it seems as if they are just giving it a ceremonial tap. By chance, the store next to the fancy coffee shop sells Hario Slim hand grinders, and they were on sale for $30 so I had to get one (the wife would frown on my for spending $$$ on a grinder since "we already have one" and it took a bit of convincing just to get the espresso maker!). After I finish off this preground bag I can try grinding myself, but for now I think it is best for me to keep using this stuff that is evenly ground.
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Dec 28, 2011 18:04
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Associate Christ
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seravid posted:Got my CCD I think you're starting to get too caught up in the physical aspects of the brew process. How did the coffee taste? Coffee looks a bit coarse to me, but then again you also have a lot of sludge in there (which would have shown up in the cup had you had brewed press pot), probably from your wobbly hario. Both of these are moot when talking about your slowed drain time because the thing actually slowing your drain down is the filter. 25-40 sec of drain time is perfectly acceptable. Don't freak out. These things are only worth pursuing if you don't like how the coffee tasted. So, how did the coffee taste? GrAviTy84 fucked around with this message at 19:45 on Dec 28, 2011 |
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Dec 28, 2011 19:41
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seravid posted:Got my CCD This is why grinders can get really expensive, as it is difficult to get all of your coffee ground properly. You will always have sludge without a ridiculously expensive grinder, so just ignore it like gravity said. I go only by time for extraction because you start pulling bitterness past 4 minutes or so. Whatever sludge is left in the filter I just toss.
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Dec 28, 2011 20:09
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seravid posted:Got my CCD Too fine. Your grinder is messing up and letting some huge grinds through, but most are much smaller than that. If you have a hario, move your grind about 1-2 clicks corser and see what happens. Remember that what works best will vary on the bean. Some of mine need a much finer grind than others. Also, are you remembering to stir twice?
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Dec 28, 2011 21:08
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seravid posted:Got my CCD Based on the pictures, it seems to be leaning on the coarser side, if it's fine, there'll be a formation of a smooth cap of fine grounds at the top. How did your coffee taste? Weak or strong? I think you're overthinking it though, I usually stop after 1 min drawdown or when I see the top of the coffee bed as the flow is usually trickling by then.
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Dec 29, 2011 02:44
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Is this a ridiculous idea for a home setup? http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=18586864&cat=&lpid=&search=espresso Edit: It probably is as it looks like it needs to be connected to a water source. Oh well. hotsauce fucked around with this message at 03:17 on Dec 29, 2011 |
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Dec 29, 2011 03:10
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Please just order the Silvia and Vario from SCG. Budget for a few extra accessories like a knock box, towels, $5 eBay digital scale, and preferably a bottomless portafilter if you want to save yourself some frustration.
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Dec 29, 2011 03:37
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Bob_McBob posted:Please just order the Silvia and Vario from SCG. Budget for a few extra accessories like a knock box, towels, $5 eBay digital scale, and preferably a bottomless portafilter if you want to save yourself some frustration. Thanks. I know my posts and quandaries are becoming annoying*. I just want to get the best possible setup for my money since I plan on using it for many, many years. * Once I receive whatever I decide on, I can guarantee I will have more questions but will try to keep them non-annoying.
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Dec 29, 2011 03:55
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I don't have any problem with you asking questions, but waffling back and forth between choices without having a good idea of what you actually want is annoying. I am happy to answer any questions you have. The Vario will suit you fine no matter what machine you buy, so your grinder is sorted out. Buy a Vario. The Silvia is one of the best machines in its class. If you are willing to move to the $1000+ range, a heat exchanger machine is a lot nicer to make milk drinks with because you can steam and brew at the same time. I can recommend machines at any price level if you give me some parameters. http://coffeegeek.com/guides/howtobuyanespressomachine/semiautomachines Pay attention to the "three subclasses" section.
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Dec 29, 2011 04:25
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Bob_McBob posted:I don't have any problem with you asking questions, but waffling back and forth between choices without having a good idea of what you actually want is annoying. I am happy to answer any questions you have. As a former PID'd Silvia owner, I'm wondering if there was any reason you didn't suggest a Crossland CC1 (other than it not having the same track record as the Silvia)? http://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/Crossland-Coffee-CC1-p/scg15550.htm Or, a Quick Mill Silvano: http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/espresso/silvano The Silvia is a great machine, but it's a little dated technology wise.. Also, pic of my rig in my new digs. Still haven't run a 20 amp circuit or plumbed it in. 
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Dec 29, 2011 15:36
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I'm wondering if there is any reason why you didn't suggest the Le'Lit PL041, La Nuova Era Cuadra, Bezzera BZ02, or Nuova Simonelli Oscar? I don't know if you have been following hotsauce's progress in this thread. He has gone from machine to machine, even placing orders and cancelling them. The Silvia and Vario combo is the first reasonable setup he's come close to choosing. Coming up with a bunch of machines is not going to improve the situation. I did not personally recommend the Silvia. I do not think it is the best value by any means, but it at least has a proven track record and large user base. I've at least been able to steer him away from the Rocky. I have been trying to get an idea of what he is looking for from an espresso machine, but he doesn't seem to have a very good idea himself. Personally I would be inclined to go cheaper (Le'Lit) or move up to the $1000+ category. I have not read enough about the CC1's performance to specifically recommend it, and I think there are better options than the Silvano in its price range. It was a lot more interesting when it cost $800.
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Dec 29, 2011 16:22
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Just ordered the Rancilio and Vario combo from Seattlecoffeegear. I'll shut up for a while, at least until it arrives... Ok, edit with a question. What's the general consensus on the best roaster that ships? I'm looking for less-oily beans that have that smooth chocolaty taste that great espresso consists of. Any online shops you guys recommend? I've seen several suggestions, but none have been mentioned as the top roaster. Thanks. hotsauce fucked around with this message at 03:48 on Dec 30, 2011 |
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Dec 29, 2011 19:51
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hotsauce posted:Ok, edit with a question. What's the general consensus on the best roaster that ships? I'm looking for less-oily beans that have that smooth chocolaty taste that great espresso consists of. Can't go wrong with intelligentsia or stumptown.
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Dec 30, 2011 07:02
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hotsauce posted:Just ordered the Rancilio and Vario combo from Seattlecoffeegear. http://templecoffee.myshopify.com/products/dharma-blend They also do varying SO espresso which is interesting, but Dharma just does it for me.
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Dec 30, 2011 07:17
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I got a Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741 for xmas and am now wondering about filters. The OP says to avoid gold plated filters, but if I don't mind cleaning it, what is the issue with it? I have some Costco #4 filters that I currently use with my old coffee maker, if I stay paper are those acceptable or would I need to switch to something different?
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Dec 30, 2011 14:03
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Fired up my new vac pot for the first time this morning. It started off well, but I definitely left too much of the wick on the alcohol burner up so the flame was running a bit hot and during the steeping portion the water was kicking too much and some of the coffee was starting to fire back into the bottom vessel and the turbulence ended up breaking the pressure early. The coffee still came out alright, maybe a touch bitter because the water was too hot, but still good overall. Going to try it again tomorrow with a shorter wick. Definitely gives me a reason to invest in the butane burner at some point just to be able to lower the temp during the steeping.
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Dec 30, 2011 15:46
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Butane is definitely the way to go with a vac pot. Can't really help you with an alcohol burner since I've never used one. Are you letting the water go to the top chamber before adding the coffee? That is my normal method since it lets you get the water to the right temp first. Some vac pots come with different instructions.
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Dec 30, 2011 15:57
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Bob_McBob posted:Butane is definitely the way to go with a vac pot. Can't really help you with an alcohol burner since I've never used one. Are you letting the water go to the top chamber before adding the coffee? That is my normal method since it lets you get the water to the right temp first. Some vac pots come with different instructions. I didn't, but I've seen people do it that way. I've seen arguments for and against both ways of doing it. The general consensus with putting them in ahead of time is that you need to make sure your water is hot when you put it in the bottom chamber, otherwise it can start to go up early and that's when you have temp problems. I'm pretty sure my problem was just too much wick. I searched through the instructions some more (which wasn't easy as 90% of it is japanese) and it looks like they say you only want about 3mm of wick and I had way more than that, so I'm sure that was the problem. Also, I'm not 100% sure how to set up the filter. I have the one small one that has the chain on it, but I also have the bigger flat filter as well. Do you just set the bigger filter on top of the chained one? I did that but it just floats up with the water and I can't imagine it's doing much. It almost seems like you'd want to poke a hole in it and feed the chain through it, but if that were the case, I'd think they'd put the hole in it for you.
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Dec 30, 2011 16:22
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hotsauce posted:Any online shops you guys recommend? I've seen several suggestions, but none have been mentioned as the top roaster. Counter Culture Coffee
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Dec 30, 2011 16:59
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Astronaut Jones posted:Counter Culture Coffee Pretty much. Counter Culture offers great coffee at very reasonable prices. Klatch is another one of my favorites. Intelligentsia has good coffee but their prices are totally ridiculous, almost all their coffee is over $20 a lb, not including shipping.
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Dec 30, 2011 17:44
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Verve is really good and now has free shipping. EDIT; have a pound of their Guatemala El Pintado coming. It's supposed to be amazing. And, for the price, it better be!
dema fucked around with this message at 19:05 on Dec 30, 2011 |
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Dec 30, 2011 18:55
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Are there any coffee blends/ single origins available online that would be recommended to start being able to distinguish flavors beyond "kinda heavy" and "not bitter until the after taste hits"?
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Dec 30, 2011 19:48
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dema posted:Verve is really good and now has free shipping. EDIT; have a pound of their Guatemala El Pintado coming. It's supposed to be amazing. And, for the price, it better be! Giving this a try as well. Thanks.
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Dec 30, 2011 20:47
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wildlele posted:I got a Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741 for xmas and am now wondering about filters. The OP says to avoid gold plated filters, but if I don't mind cleaning it, what is the issue with it? I have some Costco #4 filters that I currently use with my old coffee maker, if I stay paper are those acceptable or would I need to switch to something different? Gold tone filters will result in a sludgy cup, also the cholesterol thing, if you care about it.
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Dec 30, 2011 21:31
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wildlele posted:I got a Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741 for xmas and am now wondering about filters. The OP says to avoid gold plated filters, but if I don't mind cleaning it, what is the issue with it? I have some Costco #4 filters that I currently use with my old coffee maker, if I stay paper are those acceptable or would I need to switch to something different? I'm starting to get sick of my hario mini mill. It has been giving me uneven grounds. I was planning to mod it with a better spring, but there is so much drat play in it like the guy a page or so was complaining about. The vertical movement isn't really the issue, it is the lateral movement. Yeah, I know it is a $40 grinder, but it is a $40 hand grinder, I expected some QC.
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Dec 31, 2011 02:23
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Isn't the whole point of the mod to fix that exact problem? Why the hell haven't you done it?
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Dec 31, 2011 03:12
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Corla Plankun posted:Isn't the whole point of the mod to fix that exact problem? Why the hell haven't you done it? The issue is the side to side play. It exists in the outer burr, the inner burr, and the shaft. What I need to do is shim the poo poo out of it with tape. The problem is then you can't disassemble it and clean it so easy.
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Dec 31, 2011 05:19
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I really feel like you should try this one and report back. The page boasts a big improvement and I personally would rather upgrade something than buy a new thing because I am ultra cheap and handy.
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Dec 31, 2011 18:10
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Corla Plankun posted:I really feel like you should try this one and report back. The page boasts a big improvement and I personally would rather upgrade something than buy a new thing because I am ultra cheap and handy. I'd say he's much better off with the tape mod. I tried that one and it was nothing but frustration. Doesn't fix the outer and inner burrs slack either. nm posted:No, the spring mod fixes the up and down play. The mini mill doesn't really have this issue (it already has a spring, unlike the skerton, which works, ok, but not grea). After you secure the shaft and the inner burr, check if you have an eccentric rotation. Thanks to everyone who replied to my last post, by the way. I decided to stop spamming my problems here while I wait for my Brazilian coffee to arrive. I think it'll settle this thing one way or the other, because for now I'm kind of here: Fuzzy Pipe Wrench posted:Are there any coffee blends/ single origins available online that would be recommended to start being able to distinguish flavors beyond "kinda heavy" and "not bitter until the after taste hits"?
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Dec 31, 2011 18:28
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Any recommendations for Clever Coffee Dripper brewing times? I've got a bag left of regular drip grind and it seems to be overly bitter thanks to the coarseness of the grind affecting the brew time.
Party Plane Jones fucked around with this message at 19:56 on Dec 31, 2011 |
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Dec 31, 2011 19:50
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Sweet Maria's says four minutes.
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Dec 31, 2011 20:23
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