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Has anyone played with a Miele built in all in one type thing? I've been trying to set one up to get the espresso function up to at least Nespresso standards for my parents (who just bought a condo that came with the machine), and having a hell of a time. Grind is set to finest, water amount set to smallest, coffee amount set to highest, and the machine just blasts out 2oz of completely blonde (blonde as in espresso blonde, the coffee is jet black in the glass) coffee in 7-8 seconds. The crema looks like the the head on Guinness, and there is barely any flavour at all. Not even any excess bitterness or sourness to complain about, just mediocre coffee water. It's so underwhelming for a $4000 machine from a company that makes otherwise decent products that I'm sure something must be broken and I should spend some time poking around trying to figure out what. But if someone has experience with one and confirms there isn't anything wrong with the thing, it's just a terrible design, I won't bother. Kreez fucked around with this message at 20:16 on Aug 1, 2014 |
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Aug 1, 2014 20:12
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Any thoughts on water? My gut tells me tasty water = tasty coffee, so I use spring water (I have a water cooler in my kitchen with the 5-gallon bottles that I get delivered to the house). But perhaps having too high of a mineral content is a bad thing? I have a whole house water filter, so the tap water isn't too bad, but it's still got a tiny bit of chlorine to it, yech. I wonder what coffee made from distilled water would taste like? Or really hard water?
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Aug 1, 2014 20:23
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Squashy Nipples posted:Any thoughts on water? I use my fridge dispenser for my water because of the filter. I wouldn't use spring water because the extra minerals are going to build up in whatever you're brewing with, even if it's just the kettle.
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Aug 1, 2014 21:03
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Mu Zeta posted:I might have to look into the temperature on my Gaggia. I'm not sure if my espresso shots are sour because the beans are single origin or if it's not getting hot enough. It certainly steams milk quickly though. I just hate that drat frothing wand so I've been practicing with just the naked stub. Valicious posted:My Gaggia seems to have problems with temperature. The light will go on, but it takes like 20 minutes to heat up. The light will stay off for a whopping like 3 minutes before going on again for another 20. Yeah my Gaggia was making unbearably sour shots until I PIDed it. There are probably cheaper ways to fix that but I was lazy and just went with the Auber kit. If you want to go the more DIY approach, this guy PIDed his classic for about $50-80. dik-dik fucked around with this message at 21:12 on Aug 1, 2014 |
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Aug 1, 2014 21:08
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I once had it explained to me that the mineral content of your water affects extraction, the more minerals the more it will pull out of your coffee, so harder water will over-extract more quickly. I don't know if this is true however, take it with a grain of salt.
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Aug 1, 2014 22:38
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ChiaPetOutletStore posted:I once had it explained to me that the mineral content of your water affects extraction, the more minerals the more it will pull out of your coffee, so harder water will over-extract more quickly. I don't know if this is true however, take it with a grain of salt. Hmmm I hadn't heard that, but it could be that the minerals pull out more oils. Even if that's true, I wouldn't go putting it in any coffee appliance, especially an espresso machine.
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Aug 1, 2014 22:56
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dik-dik posted:Yeah my Gaggia was making unbearably sour shots until I PIDed it. There are probably cheaper ways to fix that but I was lazy and just went with the Auber kit. If you want to go the more DIY approach, this guy PIDed his classic for about $50-80. This makes my head hurt, and I can't understand it. Is there any other solution? I don't really have $160 just lying around to drop on an auber kit.
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Aug 1, 2014 23:11
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rockcity posted:Hmmm I hadn't heard that, but it could be that the minerals pull out more oils. Even if that's true, I wouldn't go putting it in any coffee appliance, especially an espresso machine. Yeah, that's fair. Although, I'd think that back flushing some cafiza through your machine every couple weeks would help clear some of that mess out, wouldn't it?
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Aug 1, 2014 23:42
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ChiaPetOutletStore posted:Yeah, that's fair. Although, I'd think that back flushing some cafiza through your machine every couple weeks would help clear some of that mess out, wouldn't it? I'm sure it would, but why would you buy a specific type of water that is inherently not good for the machine? If you're going to buy water to use, I would use distilled water.
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Aug 2, 2014 00:18
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rockcity posted:I'm sure it would, but why would you buy a specific type of water that is inherently not good for the machine? If you're going to buy water to use, I would use distilled water.
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Aug 2, 2014 00:33
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Valicious posted:This makes my head hurt, and I can't understand it. Is there any other solution? I don't really have $160 just lying around to drop on an auber kit. Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm sure there are probably other solutions out there but unfortunately I don't know much about them. You can try going on the Gaggia Users Group forums and seeing if they have any solutions for low temp. Overall it seems like a pretty friendly and helpful bunch of folks.
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Aug 2, 2014 00:54
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I think the worst part about my espresso experience so far is that the best shot I had was on a foreign ship I was doing an inspection on. It was a bunch of Greek officers and I didn't have time to see their setup, but I guarantee it was more than likely pre ground illy coffee (never seen a ship that had a grinder on board...and if it were to, they wouldn't have fresh beans). The shot was bold, has an excellent mouthfeel, and was everything I thought a perfect shot would have.
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Aug 2, 2014 01:00
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nwin posted:I think the worst part about my espresso experience so far is that the best shot I had was on a foreign ship I was doing an inspection on. It was a bunch of Greek officers and I didn't have time to see their setup, but I guarantee it was more than likely pre ground illy coffee (never seen a ship that had a grinder on board...and if it were to, they wouldn't have fresh beans). The shot was bold, has an excellent mouthfeel, and was everything I thought a perfect shot would have. drat. Where do you live? No good coffee shops around you?
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Aug 2, 2014 01:09
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dik-dik posted:drat. Where do you live? No good coffee shops around you? The one I went to that is highly recommended had the worst shot ever...might have just been barista experience...I'm trying the only other one around tomorrow. I live in the suburbs of boston, for lack of a Better word.
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Aug 2, 2014 01:15
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nwin posted:The one I went to that is highly recommended had the worst shot ever...might have just been barista experience...I'm trying the only other one around tomorrow. I live in the suburbs of boston, for lack of a Next time you're in South Station go to The Well, which is a nonprofit coffee stand. You'll walk right past it because the signage is so bad but it's in the main hall on the Starbucks and not Dunkin side. They did a pretty good cold brew at least.
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Aug 2, 2014 11:56
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Theres a behmor on ebay for 199+ shipping for those interested. I will say that sweet Maria's gives you 8 pounds of exceptional coffee for free with a new purchase for 299 but they're out of stock I think. Edit: Are there any engineering goons out there? I've inspected and taken apart the huky 1000x and was considering building a roaster. MasterControl fucked around with this message at 15:31 on Aug 2, 2014 |
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Aug 2, 2014 15:28
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I'm starting to figure out my Gaggia Classic. I'm still using the $130 Baratza Encore as a grinder and it's a little tricky, but what I'm doing is just varying my tamping and it's working ok. I find fresher roasted coffee (like a day old) shouldn't be tamped very much. I'm starting to love this machine. 25 second extraction time -> 1.5oz double ristretto -> flows like honey. Yuummmmm. The milk frothing wand is a huge piece of poo poo though. gently caress that thing.
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Aug 2, 2014 18:21
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I think the Silvia wand mod only costs maybe 20-30 bucks? Might be worth a shot as I hear it helps it considerably.
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Aug 2, 2014 18:33
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I don't want to void the warranty  Gaggia used to make a latte art wand that works great but nobody sells it anymore.
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Aug 2, 2014 18:42
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I don't see why swapping the steam wand would void the warranty. You're just unscrewing the old wand and screwing in the new one. As far as I know, it's supposed to be a user replaceable part. Anyway, worst case, you can easily undo it and put back the original steam wand, so even if it did technically void the warranty, you could put it back and no one would know.
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Aug 2, 2014 20:18
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Mu Zeta posted:I find fresher roasted coffee (like a day old) shouldn't be tamped very much. For what it's worth, as espresso you'll probably have the best luck with coffee that is 7-12 days past roast. Freshly roasted coffee does strange things when hit with that much pressure.
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Aug 2, 2014 20:57
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Tried the other place by my house and they made a pretty good espresso-on par or better than anything I've made for sure. Then I asked if they sold their espresso blend and was told that no, they don't yet...maybe this fall. Instead they sell some drip blend and some flavored crap.
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Aug 2, 2014 22:14
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I traditionally drink my coffee black from my cheapo $30 Wal-Mart Cuisinart drip-o-matic and I'm fairly certain it's terrible, but I guess that's the way I enjoy my coffee. I use Dunkin Donuts ground regular and paper filters along with Brita-filtered water in my brew.  What would be the first step in upgrading to something better? I'm trying to keep the budget around $50-75.
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Aug 2, 2014 23:28
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Shif posted:I traditionally drink my coffee black from my cheapo $30 Wal-Mart Cuisinart drip-o-matic and I'm fairly certain it's terrible, but I guess that's the way I enjoy my coffee. I use Dunkin Donuts ground regular and paper filters along with Brita-filtered water in my brew. A grinder. A Capresso Infinity from Bed Bath and Beyond with a 20% off coupon should get it to your budget.
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Aug 2, 2014 23:35
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nwin posted:Tried the other place by my house and they made a pretty good espresso-on par or better than anything I've made for sure. Then I asked if they sold their espresso blend and was told that no, they don't yet...maybe this fall. Instead they sell some drip blend and some flavored crap. Oh no. Flavored coffee. Seeing that makes me sad. I'll bet they have an aol email address and use godaddys website builder.  This has relevance to me because We were in whole foods today and there was a guy at this pop up stand wf is doing now. Called the hatchery. He was selling fresh roasted (had his behmor there!) caramel popcorn flavored coffee. He's there 1/3 of the month. I applied a month ago and haven't even been contacted. Bitter? Naaaaaaw.
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Aug 2, 2014 23:54
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rockcity posted:A grinder. A Capresso Infinity from Bed Bath and Beyond with a 20% off coupon should get it to your budget. Will a grinder make that great of a difference? I've never brewed whole bean coffee.
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Aug 3, 2014 00:08
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Shif posted:Will a grinder make that great of a difference? I've never brewed whole bean coffee. Yes, yes it will. Home grinding good beans is what made me a coffee fan after a lifetime of indifference. Fresh ground arabica black actually tastes good, no need for flavourings, chocolate, or tonnes of sugar. edit: speeling
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Aug 3, 2014 00:46
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I also have one of those fancy little metal-mesh filters. I'll sometimes find that there is some sludge in the bottom of my last cup when I use it, but maybe that's normal. Should I be using that instead of the paper filters? Does it perhaps alter the final flavor?
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Aug 3, 2014 02:03
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Shif posted:Will a grinder make that great of a difference? I've never brewed whole bean coffee. The grinder will make a huge difference, if you're grinding freshly roasted beans (ideally, roasted within the last couple days, but anything up to 2 weeks should be good). There are a couple good ways to get delicious, freshly roasted coffee: 1. Check out your local coffee shops and see if any of them roast their own beans, and will sell them to you. Many of the better coffee shops do. Check Yelp for your area or post here with where you live if you want some recommendations. 2. Order coffee online from places that ship the day after roasting, or so, such as MasterControl's Royal Mile Coffee. I'm a big fan of their Tanzanian Peaberry. Shif posted:I also have one of those fancy little metal-mesh filters. I'll sometimes find that there is some sludge in the bottom of my last cup when I use it, but maybe that's normal. Personally, I prefer paper filters because they result in a cleaner cup (i.e., no sludge), but plenty of folks, especially those who like brewing with a French Press, don't mind a little sludge. It's ultimately a matter of personal preference, but if you're going to go with paper, make sure you give it a good rinse with hot water, or you might get some paper taste in your cup. Also, the OP has some pretty good info for people just getting into coffee. dik-dik fucked around with this message at 02:15 on Aug 3, 2014 |
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Aug 3, 2014 02:12
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dik-dik posted:The grinder will make a huge difference, if you're grinding freshly roasted beans (ideally, roasted within the last couple days, but anything up to 2 weeks should be good)... I would most likely be purchasing whole beans from my local grocery store. Seeing as I'm away from home and unable to view my coffee, do the standard store beans have "roasted on" dates printed on the bag? I've never checked since I was unaware the roast date mattered. In addition, how much better would a freshly ground brew compare to that of a K-Cup by the same brand? Teach me oh wise coffee pedagogues!
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Aug 3, 2014 02:45
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Before you buy any of this stuff I would find a good coffee shop and try it first. I didn't give a poo poo about coffee until I had a simple pour over at a Blue Bottle a few years ago. Groceries will probably have old coffee. If they have a stamp it will have a "use by" but not a "roasted on." Entirely different things. e: just read the OP
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Aug 3, 2014 03:05
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OP doesn't really answer that question clearly, actually. It talks about grinding but mostly in the context of getting a consistent grind for your device of choice. The main question is "Is buying whole beans from a grocery store significantly better than buying ground coffee from the grocery store for a drip coffee machine?" Tiny Timbs fucked around with this message at 03:30 on Aug 3, 2014 |
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Aug 3, 2014 03:22
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Mu Zeta really is spot on, and honestly this advice should be added to the OP: before you start spending money on coffee equipment and beans and whatnot, go to the best coffee shop you can find, order a pour over, and see what you think. Don't add anything to it, just drink it straight. If you, like many people, are blown away by the difference between this and the coffee you were drinking before, then you might find it worth investing in a quality coffee setup and brewing with freshly roasted beans. If you don't think it's that great, then go back to whatever you were drinking before. As to the question of "better" vs "best" coffee. A couple things: 1. Yeah, grocery store whole bean will probably be better than grocery store preground. How much better? Hard to say, and ultimately a matter of personal choice. 2. Freshly roasted coffee will be way, way, way better than old coffee. As an analogy: Have you ever had freshly baked bread? Have you ever had the same bread, days later, when it's stale, dry, and hard as a rock? That's the level of difference we're talking about between freshly roasted coffee and old coffee.
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Aug 3, 2014 03:38
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I appreciate all the responses, and do feel a ashamed for not having read the OP in a while. Re-reading it I could see most of my questions were already answered.  I do however feel the need to ask if the service provided by our very own goons (http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3594506) is worth the ~$14 per 12oz bag. Now of course I'm just a stupid newbie who is under the impression that $6 for a 12oz bag of coffee is pricey, but I'm very tempted to try it out; everyone seems to rant and rave about their roasts.
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Aug 3, 2014 04:38
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I can say that even grocery store coffee is way better getting it whole bean and grinding it right before brewing. I'm super lazy and only go to a real coffee shop occasionally (probably a sin considering I live in Seattle), so I mostly get grocery store coffee  . That Capresso grinder is way better too. Was using one of those crappy blade grinders for a few months and I couldn't imagine using one of those ever again. Only been drinking coffee for six months and already starting to be a snob!
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Aug 3, 2014 05:32
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Shif posted:I appreciate all the responses, and do feel a ashamed for not having read the OP in a while. Re-reading it I could see most of my questions were already answered. I haven't ordered from Royal Mile. but $14 for a 12oz bag isn't a bad price at all, especially when you consider the quality of the beans that you're getting, and depending on how much coffee you drink in a day that should last a week or so. I'd definitely agree with finding a decent shop near you, so that you can try a pour over and see what you like. I tend to have one or two people a week come in to my shop that are in the same position that you are, and I tend to have a lot of fun helping them find a coffee I think they might enjoy. Depending on where you're located there should be at least a few shops you can try, hopefully you'll get some good answers.
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Aug 3, 2014 06:13
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My apologies if I missed it somewhere earlier in the thread, but the anecdote about the Greek espresso shot has me wanting to ask the experts on this. Can anyone explain the appeal of diner/truckstop coffee? I know that objectively speaking it's stale, mass-produced crap, but I (and others) have found that there's a particular appeal to it. I actually know one guy who maintains that he likes it better that coffee from anywhere else, even having been to a number of places that roast/grind their own. I'm pretty confident that you've heard this kind statement uttered before. Note I'm not trying to claim that defenders of lovely coffee are correct and that we should throw out our espresso machines in some kind of anti-elitist iconoclasm, so please don't  at me, but now and again I too find myself craving this certain coffee flavour.Now obviously a big part of this familiarity: it's a type of brew to which people are accustomed, and that it tends to be pretty consistent from one place to another. But there has to be something else going on there, and I don't know enough about the chemistry of brew processes to explain it. Anyone?
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Aug 3, 2014 15:40
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I think its a familiarity thing, they've associated the taste of diner coffee as the true flavour of coffee, and so that's what they're looking for when they get a cup, so a higher quality shop may not have what they're looking for. I think its the same reason people love Tim Horton's so much, even though it isn't all that good.
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Aug 3, 2014 15:46
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Yeah, I think it ultimately comes down to matters of personal taste and familiarty. Which is why I think it's a good idea for people to try "good coffee" at a cafe first before investing in it. Maybe you like cheap diner coffee. Good for you! It's a lot cheaper than "true" coffee, for one. In my opinion, the only wrong way to drink coffee is if you're not enjoying it.
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Aug 3, 2014 17:33
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CommonShore posted:My apologies if I missed it somewhere earlier in the thread, but the anecdote about the Greek espresso shot has me wanting to ask the experts on this. It goes good with eggs and French toast. You don't really want to waste some fancy natural processed kenyan and its subtle flavors when you're having waffles doused in syrup.
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Aug 3, 2014 18:37
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