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What sources do yall use for green beans other than Happy Mug?
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Aug 14, 2023 16:12
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| # ? May 10, 2024 07:24 |
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Got some shiny new espresso machine parts: I've got to descale my machine first, though. It's been sitting unused for a few years and while the exterior of the boiler doesn't look horrible, I'm sure the interior is probably not looking too great. The grouphead had enough corrosion I had to cut off the old shower screen after trying to drill out the retaining screw failed, and the plastic reservoir even has some scale in it. I'm not looking forward to trying to remove the boiler. It's a non-E61 HX and I'm not even sure where to start. Pictures for reference:     All I can really identify is the drain plug, the heating element on the bottom, and the pressure relief valve on top. Meaty Ore fucked around with this message at 00:03 on Aug 15, 2023 |
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Aug 14, 2023 23:37
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HenryJLittlefinger posted:What sources do yall use for green beans other than Happy Mug? I’ve deviated several times but I always come back to Sweet Maria’s. I’ve graduated now to ordering in 5 lbs bags.
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Aug 15, 2023 04:14
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ThirstyBuck posted:I’ve deviated several times but I always come back to Sweet Maria’s. I’ve graduated now to ordering in 5 lbs bags. Ok yeah they were next on my list unless I heard otherwise.
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Aug 15, 2023 05:04
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Can the Baratza Encore grind fine enough for espresso? Looking for something that will "get the job done well enough".
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Aug 15, 2023 18:43
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obi_ant posted:Can the Baratza Encore grind fine enough for espresso? Looking for something that will "get the job done well enough". Baratza Encore ESP worked well for me. The Encore, to my understanding, does not get into the espresso range super well. Even the ESP has stepped adjustments that might between the setting you want, but I have enjoyed my ESP so far. The 2-3 finest espresso settings have been all I need.
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Aug 15, 2023 18:47
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obi_ant posted:Can the Baratza Encore grind fine enough for espresso? Looking for something that will "get the job done well enough". If you don't already have something, also look at the Eureka Mignon Chrono, swap out the burrs for their espresso burrs and it's a huge performer at a very reasonable cost.
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Aug 15, 2023 22:42
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My understanding is that the encore *can* grind fine enough, especially if you use the little calibration thing they have inside it at the finest setting, but its steps are pretty large for espresso so you might have only 1 or 2 clicks that work remotely well, and its distribution isn't necessarily the most consistent. Maybe good enough, maybe not depending on your standard of good enough also *points at thread title*
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Aug 15, 2023 23:14
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The encore is 100% usable for espresso, but you will never be able to dial in a bag. Steps are too big and grind is too inconsistent. The ESP version might be better, but from what I’ve read it has similar issues.
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Aug 15, 2023 23:21
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I have an encore with the double step mod and a robot. It works well enough. I’m probably not getting amazing shots but it’s good enough that my daily milk drink is good. You’re better off with an ESP for sure.
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Aug 16, 2023 00:59
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I thought my Encore with the M2 burr upgrade and recalibrated was fine. Until I got a stepless Eureka. The Encore now shines doing Moka pot and pour over but it will never see espresso duty again.
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Aug 16, 2023 01:07
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ThirstyBuck posted:I thought my Encore with the M2 burr upgrade and recalibrated was fine. Until I got a stepless Eureka. The Encore now shines doing Moka pot and pour over but it will never see espresso duty again. Similar path; espresso on my Encore at 4 would clog and 5 would pour through. Enter Niche. Encore excellent at pour over, Moka Pot, and cold brew tho!!
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Aug 16, 2023 04:21
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Where is my Lagom P64, Option-O! 
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Aug 16, 2023 07:06
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ThirstyBuck posted:I’ve deviated several times but I always come back to Sweet Maria’s. I’ve graduated now to ordering in 5 lbs bags. it's been ages since i roasted my own beans but sweet maria's is where i always ordered from when that was one of my hobbies. the owners are legit, they travel to individual coffee farms to buy directly from the farmers, and in some cases set up long term relationships with the farm or farm community that they buy from (check out the "Farm Notes" on any of their individual bean pages).
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Aug 16, 2023 16:56
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Nice, thanks for the recommendations. I just picked up three new batches from Sweet Maria's. I wish they had aged process, I had some Sulawesi beans from Happy Mug that I really liked.
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Aug 16, 2023 17:27
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HenryJLittlefinger posted:Nice, thanks for the recommendations. I just picked up three new batches from Sweet Maria's. I wish they had aged process, I had some Sulawesi beans from Happy Mug that I really liked. their selection and availability is highly seasonal -- they may have more/different indonesian beans closer to peak harvest season, whenever that happens to be.
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Aug 16, 2023 18:24
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I'm looking for a manual grinder for pourover, aeropress, maybe moka pot (but probably not often). Budget is flexible but decidedly entry level. I do think I would be happy to have the extra capacity when I need it, so I am focusing on options that have an advertised capacity of 30g (I think this rules out the cheaper 1zpressos but their product lineup confuses me) The following seem like the go-to options: Timemore C2 Max $70 Timemore C3 Max $90 Timemore C3 Pro Max $100 Kingrinder K6 $100 Based on conversation a few days ago, seems like the Kingrinder is the best deal of the bunch, but am I missing anything?
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Aug 16, 2023 18:26
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I have the Kingrinder K6 that I use for my Moka pot. I have been pleased with the results. We also have 1zpresso J that my wife uses for pour over. There are some minor details that are a little nicer on the 1zpresso like the threads on the cup being a bit smoother. As for grind quality there isn’t a huge difference other than the 1zpresso couldn’t get the quite fine enough for my moka pot. I do not have experience with the Timemore.
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Aug 16, 2023 18:36
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Discussion Quorum posted:I'm looking for a manual grinder for pourover, aeropress, maybe moka pot (but probably not often). Budget is flexible but decidedly entry level. I do think I would be happy to have the extra capacity when I need it, so I am focusing on options that have an advertised capacity of 30g (I think this rules out the cheaper 1zpressos but their product lineup confuses me) I've been loving my Timemore C2 for Aeropress and pourover grinding. The only thing I'd change is add an inch to the handle length for a little more torque on my fresher home roasted light roast beans, but that's more because I have some shoulder issues and it's an unusual motion regardless. It's solid, the bearings are very smooth, and the knurled finish is easy to grip even with damp hands. No problems with static.
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Aug 16, 2023 18:46
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Speaking of Indonesia, I sought out some of the higher-quality civet coffee from there while I was in town and it was mediocre at best. It was like drinking light cocoa powder, which I guess is fine if you’re into starbucks medium roasts or whatever, but it was boring. No oil, no acid, no character. just sucking beans out of a weasel rear end
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Aug 16, 2023 19:08
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PRADA SLUT posted:Speaking of Indonesia, I sought out some of the higher-quality civet coffee from there while I was in town and it was mediocre at best. It was like drinking light cocoa powder, which I guess is fine if you’re into starbucks medium roasts or whatever, but it was boring. No oil, no acid, no character. you gotta be careful with civet coffee, afaik even the stuff that is “well rated and regulated” and vetted and whatnot still has a ton of transparency and corruption problems wrt the source, and the welfare of the animals producing it ever since it gained notoriety and became a moderate tourism and export draw much if not most or functionally all of it comes from plantations with captive or caged animals which are often force-fed or exclusively fed coffee. Coffee is a GI irritant even for the civets and not something they exclusively subsist on or eat in massive quantities if given the choice. IIRC the last time our man James touched on it he advised not even trying to engage w/ the product or industry at all because of how difficult it was to properly vet
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Aug 16, 2023 19:27
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Somebody brought some to work once, it was some pre ground bullshit off Amazon they got as a gift. It tasted like Folgers. Gimmick poo poo made from needless suffering to sell to people who don’t know any better.
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Aug 16, 2023 20:09
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PRADA SLUT posted:just sucking beans out of a weasel rear end Man you just about had a thread title there, until i own every Bionicle posted:Gimmick poo poo made from needless suffering to sell to people who don’t know any better.
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Aug 16, 2023 20:13
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I vetted a producer fairly hard, and then went to their place that was way the gently caress out in the jungle, a colossal pain in the rear end to get to. Barely had anything because they collect weasel poo poo in the wild. I would agree with you though that it’s nigh impossible to verify sourcing if you just buy a random sack, and there are a lot of sus “suppliers” around, especially if you’re around any of the local cafes or any place that’s overrun with Australians. You cruise around Kuta or Ubud and see these coffee stands with a civet sleeping on the counter and you know it’s crap. Though, production ethics aside, it was just fine. I wouldn’t seek it out again. I wouldn’t take it over something from Kenya.
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Aug 16, 2023 20:25
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Ads for this have been popping up: https://hikaru.hiroia.com A “smart brewer” where you can control the flow rate and temperature of the water as it goes into a V60 brewer. And of course it has an app. It’s not actually available yet; they’re launching a kickstarter. Supposedly Hario is an investor. I gotta say the main selling point is that it has a kinda retro charm and there are fancy lamps that pulse based on what’s happening to your brew.
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Aug 19, 2023 02:46
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Vegetable posted:Ads for this have been popping up: https://hikaru.hiroia.com Cool but if it's just dumping water down into the center I don't get how the coffee is going to be anywhere near good? 
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Aug 19, 2023 09:26
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VelociBacon posted:Cool but if it's just dumping water down into the center I don't get how the coffee is going to be anywhere near good? Yeah the design is neat but it looks like it just pisses water right down the middle. James Hoffman reviewed a fancy automated pourover brewer a little while back that had a mechanism which distributed water over the coffee like you would when doing it manually. Though still seemed massively overcomplicated and expensive compared to a v60 cone.
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Aug 19, 2023 19:37
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it dont matter posted:Yeah the design is neat but it looks like it just pisses water right down the middle. if you're at a point where your next variable to take off the table is 'the pattern in which the water sprinkles into the grounds' then I think you're going to be prepared for a lot of mechanical complexity and expense.
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Aug 19, 2023 23:39
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FAUXTON posted:if you're at a point where your next variable to take off the table is 'the pattern in which the water sprinkles into the grounds' then I think you're going to be prepared for a lot of mechanical complexity and expense. Yes but also just pouring the water into the center of the bed of coffee is going to really messit up in a way that makes the entire machine pointless.
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Aug 20, 2023 01:46
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VelociBacon posted:Cool but if it's just dumping water down into the center I don't get how the coffee is going to be anywhere near good? They make tools to help you pour evenly, I wonder why they didn't just use one of those. This looks like bunk coffee science. 
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Aug 20, 2023 02:44
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you can use a V60 with a Breville Precision Brewer, officially. you can also use one with a Moccamaster, unofficially. in either case it seems more trouble than it's worth, just use the included brew basket (or in the case of the Breville, get whichever brew basket you like best)
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Aug 20, 2023 02:55
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VelociBacon posted:Yes but also just pouring the water into the center of the bed of coffee is going to really messit up in a way that makes the entire machine pointless. oh for sure that's a gigantic waste of money, I ain't gonna claim spend means smart lmao
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Aug 20, 2023 03:17
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A while back I posted how I'd noticed the lever on my E61 machine had started squeaking, then how I'd lubricated it with silicone grease. After backflushing the machine just now using Caffiza, I've realised that that seems to be stripping off the grease since it immediately started squeaking again during the process. Is this what you'd expect to happen? I'm backflushing once a month, am I just meant to be re-lubricating once a month too or am I meant to somehow be handling this differently?
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Aug 20, 2023 08:20
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Sir Sidney Poitier posted:A while back I posted how I'd noticed the lever on my E61 machine had started squeaking, then how I'd lubricated it with silicone grease. After backflushing the machine just now using Caffiza, I've realised that that seems to be stripping off the grease since it immediately started squeaking again during the process. The oils in the coffee generally lubricate it after using cafiza, just give it a couple of shots and it’s back to normal
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Aug 20, 2023 08:34
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Sweeper posted:The oils in the coffee generally lubricate it after using cafiza, just give it a couple of shots and it’s back to normal I don't think that happened last time, it was squeaking more than a week or two before I used the silicone grease. It's still relatively new, maybe 3 months, don't know if that makes a difference.
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Aug 20, 2023 08:41
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I'm looking for a do-it-all grinder that isn't outrageously expensive. I was watching a Lance Hendrick video where he mentioned a grinder he got off of Ali Express for $350 (link). I think it might be this one or something very close to it (only difference is this says it's 800rpm instead of 1400). My question is: how dumb is it to buy the Ali Express mystery grinder? Lance praised the burr set in that video and said it can do espresso and pour-over, but he didn't really go into enough detail to let me know what I'd be getting, exactly. On paper, that thing seems like potentially a really good value, but it's also made by some random Chinese company with non-standard burrs. Is buying that a stupid idea? It's a stupid idea, isn't it? edit: to be clear, I have very little experience with coffee equipment in general and am only now toying with the idea of going deeper in after using some typical cheap Amazon gear for several years. I have very little idea of what I'm doing here. Dr. Video Games 0031 fucked around with this message at 11:23 on Aug 20, 2023 |
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Aug 20, 2023 11:01
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Dr. Video Games 0031 posted:I'm looking for a do-it-all grinder that isn't outrageously expensive. I was watching a Lance Hendrick video where he mentioned a grinder he got off of Ali Express for $350 (link). I think it might be this one or something very close to it (only difference is this says it's 800rpm instead of 1400). My question is: how dumb is it to buy the Ali Express mystery grinder? Lance praised the burr set in that video and said it can do espresso and pour-over, but he didn't really go into enough detail to let me know what I'd be getting, exactly. On paper, that thing seems like potentially a really good value, but it's also made by some random Chinese company with non-standard burrs. Is buying that a stupid idea? It's a stupid idea, isn't it? With a grinder it's really very challenging to go all-in-one. There's two main reasons for this:
Both these issues can be resolved by wasting a lot of coffee (grinding and throwing out coffee once you change to a known setting), which kinda sucks. Once again I will recommend the Eureka Mignon Chrono, with espresso burrs for espresso, and with the stock Filtro burrs for filter coffee. I feel like I'm starting to be that guy in the thread that just replies to these posts with the same equipment over and over. I personally have that exact 2-grinder setup and couldn't be happier. If you want to do espresso and filtered coffee I really don't know how you'd beat the value and performance. e: Don't buy something for that much money on Ali Express, that's just a bad idea.
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Aug 20, 2023 11:26
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Dr. Video Games 0031 posted:a grinder he got off of Ali Express for $350 I mean how much metal grindings do you like mixed in with your coffee?
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Aug 20, 2023 15:01
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at that price save for a used niche zero imo.
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Aug 20, 2023 15:56
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Dr. Video Games 0031 posted:I'm looking for a do-it-all grinder that isn't outrageously expensive. I was watching a Lance Hendrick video where he mentioned a grinder he got off of Ali Express for $350 (link). I think it might be this one or something very close to it (only difference is this says it's 800rpm instead of 1400). My question is: how dumb is it to buy the Ali Express mystery grinder? Lance praised the burr set in that video and said it can do espresso and pour-over, but he didn't really go into enough detail to let me know what I'd be getting, exactly. On paper, that thing seems like potentially a really good value, but it's also made by some random Chinese company with non-standard burrs. Is buying that a stupid idea? It's a stupid idea, isn't it? the df64, a fairly shameless knockoff of the lagom p64, is the old aliexpress hotness around that price point, and the grinder you linked looks like a clone. I'm not watching lance's video to find out what features they've tweaked but the reason these things initially got popular was the availability of SSP flat burrs in 64mm, and the df64 provided a much cheaper way to get those burrs into an espresso-capable grinder. If you don't want to mess around with burrs I think the value proposition is not really as strong. That said, I don't think it's dumb to buy one, especially if you do a bit of research to know what you're getting before diving in. It's not exactly as good as grinders that cost an order of magnitude more, and there are quirks and pitfalls to be aware of, but it could be very good value for you. OTOH a single do-it-all grinder is a bit of a pain in the rear end, unless you go through a bag or more before switching between espresso and filter, for the reasons VB mentioned. If you want to make a pourover for one person and an espresso for another every morning, you want two different grinders, although you might be happy enough with the df64 clone as one of them. H110Hawk posted:I mean how much metal grindings do you like mixed in with your coffee? aliexpress stuff is often made perfectly well, even if it's designed for a very different market than the west (or a blatant knockoff of something designed for a western market) so I don't think you should be concerned about this
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Aug 21, 2023 04:46
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