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I’ve been buying some expensive rear end beans from Black & White and drat it hits every time. The aromas alone are incredible
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Feb 7, 2024 23:40
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Black & White is great, I picked up a 2 lb bag of their cinnamon anaerobic, as well as their holiday anaerobic and we blew through it within a month or so. I should order more. I've been tempted to pick up one of those steel balls to throw into the freezer and suspend above chilled cup for coldbrew espresso shots. The Meticulous espresso machine has a nice magnetized accessory for it, whenever that ships.
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Feb 8, 2024 00:39
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Bandire posted:I've never really given cold brew a shot. What's a good starter rig? When I used to make cold brew years ago, I went with a coffee sock for sustainability reasons. It was mostly for my then-GF, she was happy with the results. Edit: Plus the requisite mason jar, etc.
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Feb 8, 2024 10:49
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We always used the hilariously named "nut milk bag" and a giant mason jar with spigot. The problem with the nut milk bag was once you were done brewing the grounds would compress into an immobile brick so you had to kind of finesse the bag back out through the mouth of the jar when you were done.
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Feb 8, 2024 18:04
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I have one of those because I used to make almond milk with my Vitamix. Waste of time and I think cold brew sounds like a better use.
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Feb 8, 2024 21:55
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I get 120 ml out of a puck designed for 30. it's fine. the second 60 is mixed with milk anyway and used for dunking cream cheese topped toast .
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Feb 8, 2024 22:10
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Got a wooden organizer thing so I decided to see how small and tidy I could get my equipment if I needed to. Here's an effortpost that flowed naturally from that: Flair Pro 2: $325 retail, $250 ebay JX-Pro: $170 retail, $120 ebay Kettle: $60 retail (I also have a Stagg but this one heats up faster and gooseneck doesn't matter for this) Scale: $15 WDT $10 (I did DIY but w/e) Nanofoamer Pro: $160 Additional milk jug: $10 Optional, but only barely: Instant thermometer: $50-110 (already owned) Spray bottle: $5 Paper filters: $10 for 100 or $16 for a 1.5" circle punch to make them a bit cheaper from other filters  Really truly optional: Nicer tamper: $40 etsy (better fit than standard tamper) Shot mirror: $5 or less (dollar store) Single dose storage jars: $20 (sold as spice or honey jars. 1.5 oz holds 15g coffee) Wooden organizer: $65 etsy (I guess sold out right when I bought it?  )Glassware: $go nuts Actual way I store/display things - I carry the wooden storage to my kitchen counter to do the actual workflow   E: and here's how I'd display it if I was trying to impress, I suppose 
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Feb 9, 2024 07:50
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Bandire posted:I've never really given cold brew a shot. What's a good starter rig? My experience starts and ends with the seive kits from Amazon and various experimentation with temps. Usually now I put ice cubes in the bottom, ice cubes in the seive both above and below the coffee, pour over that the coldest tap water i have, fridge for 24hrs. https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Brew-Coffee-Maker-Pitcher/dp/B0CF9G51NR quote:When you say "decent espresso machine", do you mean a Decent Espresso Machine or just a decent espresso machine. the latter; it's some Breville thing that's like $350 or something new that the CEO of a company I used to work for happened to be trying to garbage when I was standing right there because it was not high capacity enough for an office to use, and they got some $4000 thing instead. I've had it for more than 10 years now, it's solid, if I ever get another espresso machine it's either because this breaks or money falls from the sky and I decide to spend $2k.
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Feb 9, 2024 20:09
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ChickenWing posted:Depending on your filter and how good your grinder is you might end up with your cups getting a bit muddy as superfines sneak through - the metal filter that came with* something that I bought usually yields a good bit of muck at the bottom of a pourover Trip report after a few days of using it: as advertised, the flavor is very sharp rather than full bodied. Not a bad thing - it's just a quality. I imagine some beans will lend themselves better to it than others. It worked really well with a flavorful, aromatic light roast and less so with a more lingering medium roast. I don't mind the superfines. If anything, it's just a kick at the bottom of my cup to cap off the sipping experience. I think speed of brew decreases geometrically with grind. A very fine grind was about 20% quicker than a paper filter, but the medium-fine grind was easily twice as fast as paper. Also, hey old space buddy 
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Feb 11, 2024 14:50
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MetaJew posted:I'm not sure what trouble Gunder was having, but I didn't like the flow rate in the updated tabbed filter, and the Cafec filters I linked behaved like the Japanese v60 tablets filters I was familiar with. Holy you weren't kidding, these filters are like 3x slower than the Hario filters. Huh. The coffee is good but I feel like I should be grinding coarser to even things out.
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Feb 11, 2024 21:14
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VelociBacon posted:Holy you weren't kidding, these filters are like 3x slower than the Hario filters. Huh. The coffee is good but I feel like I should be grinding coarser to even things out. That was the issue I had with the Cafec light roast papers. They used to be my favourite papers for a V60, as they were fast flowing and high quality. Then they changed something about them and turned them into some of the slowest draining filters I've ever used. Completely unusable. I went back to the standard Hario filters after that. I haven't used a V60 for a pourover for some time now though. These days I use the far more consistent Orea V3 dripper with Kalita 185 filters.
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Feb 11, 2024 22:14
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Trip report after a few days with the V60: Loving it. I got the single-cup version with some filters and a new gooseneck kettle (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZFTQMKR?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details). I tend to just drink one to two cups during the weekday, so going through the motions doesn't bother me too much. I'm planning on using the Moccamaster for when I'm just lazy or have company over, but I do think the coffee I'm brewing from the V60 tastes better than the Moccamaster (I even descaled it yesterday a bit early, and I always preheat the basket, filters, and caraffe) for what it's worth. Very happy with my purchases. I've been using James Hoffman's one-cup V60 technique.
bredfrown fucked around with this message at 15:18 on Feb 12, 2024 |
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Feb 12, 2024 15:14
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Red Crown posted:Trip report after a few days of using it: as advertised, the flavor is very sharp rather than full bodied. Not a bad thing - it's just a quality. I imagine some beans will lend themselves better to it than others. It worked really well with a flavorful, aromatic light roast and less so with a more lingering medium roast. I don't mind the superfines. If anything, it's just a kick at the bottom of my cup to cap off the sipping experience. ooh interesting, I'll have to experiment - I've only really ever used it with my chemex-style brewer because it doesn't have an air escape, so paper filters choke it also 
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Feb 12, 2024 17:33
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My timemore 78 came in today 
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Feb 15, 2024 01:47
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Great! Post your experiences. I feel like I still have a lot to learn, but it's a definite upgrade from my Wilfa Uniform. Having used it for a bit I feel like the retention could be better. I often get one sizable shard stuck somewhere that only comes loose by changing the grind size or stopping and starting grinding repeatedly. There's also a bit more play on the dial than I would like; it's not always perfectly aligned with the numbers. Finally, it's annoying that the motor needs to spin up before running at a constant speed. It makes me more vary about cold-starting.
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Feb 15, 2024 02:53
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I definitely forgot to put the catch cup once. I don't recommend that I don't feel like there's play in the dial, but it's also stepless so if it's not aligned with numbers, its because I put it there unless you meant something else. The line for indicating setting is terrible and hard to read, but I already knew that No idea about retention, but one neat thing that I've heard is that since the knocker tends to retain mostly fines, you can choose whether you want them depending on if you're doing something like espresso or pourover. I haven't bothered measuring how much, but a decent amount did come out when I ran it while adjusting from 4 to 2. Spin up time is kinda whatever to me since I was hand grinding before, and for espresso it's like 100 some rotations for 17g. The power button is on the wrong side of the grinder for where I want to put it, but if I move it to the other side, then I may as well have gotten the df83v or something. I probably will try to not move it though. They probably should have just made the lid fully sliding instead of magnetic where you slide it from half on to closed after putting beans in.
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Feb 15, 2024 02:59
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gwrtheyrn posted:I don't feel like there's play in the dial, but it's also stepless so if it's not aligned with numbers, its because I put it there unless you meant something else. The line for indicating setting is terrible and hard to read, but I already knew that Ah, so you have the 87S, not the 87. Mine is stepped, but it takes some movement before you reach a click, and between one click and another you can kind of jiggle the dial out of alignment with the numbers. The knocker works fine, the retention issue is before or partially in the burrs. If you want the most uniform distribution you want the grinder to run at a constant speed, but since the motor takes a few seconds to get to it you're kind of forced to do a hot start.
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Feb 15, 2024 09:13
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thotsky posted:If you want the most uniform distribution you want the grinder to run at a constant speed, but since the motor takes a few seconds to get to it you're kind of forced to do a hot start. I mean that's true for any electric grinder. I was mostly commenting that even with that, it's significantly faster than hand grinding
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Feb 15, 2024 09:36
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So, long story short, the mechanical gauge on my La Pavoni's boiler failed and I ordered the new parts and adapter, but no matter how I wrap it with Teflon tape or set it, it keeps leaking out the threads on the adapter that hold the gauge in place. Does anyone have any good recommendations for a thread locker/gasket maker that's good for the sort of temps expected on a steam boiler, that is good theoretically up to 3 bar of pressure (In worst case. Generally it will be closer to 1 bar max pressure in the boiler), and that would be safe for use in this situation whilst being able to seal the threads(even permanently as the adapter can still be removed even if the gauge is set, so that's not a big deal)? I'm getting frustrated that I can't get a good seal and just want to be able to drink espresso again.
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Feb 18, 2024 19:23
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Google says there should be an o ring. Do you have one? Are you following a guide or winging it?
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Feb 18, 2024 20:16
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I use red loctite on everything that I can't trust a gasket to keep sealed. Make sure you give it a little time to set before getting it wet/hot.
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Feb 18, 2024 20:46
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BrianBoitano posted:Google says there should be an o ring. Do you have one? Are you following a guide or winging it? Yeah, I have the o-ring for the connection to the actual machine. It seals the adapter onto the machine, but not the gauge into the adapter. My problem is the connection to the adapter itself. The parts are third party from Coffee Sensor. I've already talked to the tech who rebuilds these and he said there could be an issue with the threads if it's still leaking after being wrapped so many times. So that's why I'm sorta trying to just find the brute force fix and was hoping for a good sealant.
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Feb 18, 2024 20:54
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bizwank posted:I use red loctite on everything that I can't trust a gasket to keep sealed. Make sure you give it a little time to set before getting it wet/hot. Ok, cool. I'll look into that. Do you find it's not a problem despite it not being labled food safe or whatever? As long as it seals it, I'm happy at this point, honestly.
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Feb 18, 2024 20:55
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What about the yellow heat resistant teflon tape for gas lines? I've used that on boiler connections and valve replacements on my 2012 era Rocket and it's been fine for years. Just replaced these 2 and the temp sensor last week, each have a wrap on the threads. The steam wand line has had it on its connectors for 5+ years.  Keyser_Soze fucked around with this message at 21:15 on Feb 18, 2024 |
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Feb 18, 2024 21:03
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Keyser_Soze posted:What about the yellow heat resistant teflon tape for gas lines? I've used that on boiler connections and valve replacements on my 2012 era Rocket and it's been fine for years. I've not tried this yet, but was wondering how it would do instead of the white tape. I'm willing to give it a try, though. If you are having good luck with it, it might be worth a shot!
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Feb 18, 2024 21:08
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bizwank posted:I use red loctite on everything that I can't trust a gasket to keep sealed. Make sure you give it a little time to set before getting it wet/hot. Keep in mind that to loosen red loctite you need to heat up the connection with a torch...
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Feb 19, 2024 07:35
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Sorry I meant blue loctite; the bottle is red.
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Feb 19, 2024 21:33
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Hello coffee goons. I'm a complete espresso newbie looking to get into the hobby as I WFH most of the time now. Currently I just have a Moccamaster drip machine and a canonical burr grinder, but I have money to burn on a dedicated machine + grinder for espresso. Researching what feels like countless machines and features has led me to the $1500-$2100 range for a mix of manual options with some automation, like pre-infusion. I've narrowed it down to a few machines and I wanted to get the goon sniff-test to make sure I'm not falling for some marketing / youtuber BS. Machines I'm considering: Ascaso Steel Duo PID V2 ECM Mechanika VI slim Heritage Line <---Leaning here as it is very purty  Lelit Mara X Profitec Pro 400 From searching the forums it seems the Mara X takes like 40 minutes to actually get up to proper heat temps, despite the mfg and reviews saying more like 20-25. Is this common among HX machines? I also came across two competitive looking machines, but seem to be website House Brands: Bezzera BZ13 DE (Whole Latte Love) Diletto Bello + (Seattle Coffee Company) Would I need to worry about spare parts or repairs with these house brands, or are these Clive/Whole Latte Love/Seattle Coffee Gear sites pretty reliable? I realize the grinder is technically more important, but I want to get this decision out of the way before going down this rabbit hole.
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Feb 20, 2024 01:02
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Research how far away the nearest independent repair shop is for any of those machines before you buy (especially the Ascaso); you'll need a shop that leans more towards commercial repair for most of those. Don't assume the retailer will take them in for servicing after the warranty is up and/or that they're as passionate about properly repairing machines as they are selling them. FYI Bezzera is not a house brand, they've been in business since 1901 and are also sold by Pasquini Coffee Co. on the west coast. You'd be wise to avoid the Diletto Bello though.
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Feb 20, 2024 01:21
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Anything with an e61 group head, like the lelit mara x, is going to have a long preheat time. You can use a smart switch to mitigate that a bit by just turning it on before you wake up. Not as convenient if you want to pull a shot mid day unless you want to keep it on all the time. Make sure your coffee area can support the machine. The ascaso is great but requires 20A I believe.
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Feb 20, 2024 03:18
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Is the Mara X unusually slow to heat up? Modern E61s are pretty quick to get up to temp. My Bianca goes from cold to ready to rock in about 12 minutes, and shorter than that during the summer months.
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Feb 20, 2024 04:04
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Gunder posted:Is the Mara X unusually slow to heat up? Modern E61s are pretty quick to get up to temp. My Bianca goes from cold to ready to rock in about 12 minutes, and shorter than that during the summer months. The Mara X takes about 25 minutes to cold start iirc but the grouphead continues to absorb heat after that and if left unattended, will stabilize after an hour or so at Way Too loving Hot
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Feb 20, 2024 04:48
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What features are you actually looking for? For example, a couple different things can be marketed as preinfusion--line pressure preinfusion from plumbed in machines, steam pressure preinfusion, and 'turn the pump on for x seconds' preinfusion. Like anything in these kinds of hobbies, people will argue to no end on which is the best and why everything else is terrible.
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Feb 20, 2024 05:59
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bizwank posted:Research how far away the nearest independent repair shop is for any of those machines before you buy (especially the Ascaso); you'll need a shop that leans more towards commercial repair for most of those. Don't assume the retailer will take them in for servicing after the warranty is up and/or that they're as passionate about properly repairing machines as they are selling them. nwin posted:Anything with an e61 group head, like the lelit mara x, is going to have a long preheat time. You can use a smart switch to mitigate that a bit by just turning it on before you wake up. Not as convenient if you want to pull a shot mid day unless you want to keep it on all the time. Thanks for the feedback! Great idea scouting out local repair options. For the smart switch stuff, I found one wouldn't work with that as it required a digital switch push, I'll have to check for that. I just discovered that I want to pull shots from the inside of a 70's Buick wtf 
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Feb 20, 2024 06:01
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gwrtheyrn posted:What features are you actually looking for? For example, a couple different things can be marketed as preinfusion--line pressure preinfusion from plumbed in machines, steam pressure preinfusion, and 'turn the pump on for x seconds' preinfusion. Like anything in these kinds of hobbies, people will argue to no end on which is the best and why everything else is terrible. From the reading I’ve done, without actually doing any of this mind you, a HX system that is faster than a single boiler to get up to speed, and (mostly) allows you to steam milk while brewing seems like a cool feature. I won’t be making more than two drinks at a time for the most part, and I don’t mind waiting like 40 seconds in between shots, so the dual boiler seems a bit overkill from what I’ve read. I don’t know much about pre infusion other than it supposedly helps prep the puck for full pressure extraction. It seems a lot of these machines in this category do this automatically, but I’m not opposed to needing to purge water a few times. (I think this is related?) I’m expecting to empty the tray every use as it’ll be next to the sink. A rotary pump sounds nice since it’s quieter, but those seem to be exclusive to the dual boilers. Haptical Sales Slut fucked around with this message at 08:09 on Feb 20, 2024 |
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Feb 20, 2024 08:02
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Haptical Sales Slut posted:Thanks for the feedback! Great idea scouting out local repair options. The Lucca a53 mini was something I seriously want but do not need. Its steaming power is amazing, the 53mm portafilter supposedly is a bit more forgiving to pull shots with than a standard 58mm, and I think it looks loving cool as gently caress. In my fantasy world, I’ll get one of those plumbed in when I buy our next house.
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Feb 20, 2024 11:14
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Haptical Sales Slut posted:Hello coffee goons. I'm a complete espresso newbie looking to get into the hobby as I WFH most of the time now. Currently I just have a Moccamaster drip machine and a canonical burr grinder, but I have money to burn on a dedicated machine + grinder for espresso. I'm looking to upgrade and Mara X is prob what I'm going for. I make coffee at around the same time every day so the slow heat up isn't an issue, and will use a Wi-Fi plug so I can switch it on remotely if needed. Would love a Bianca but it's much bigger and heavier and hard to justify the cost when I'm the only coffee drinker in the house. The Mara is fairly flexible for modding too. Can add flow control, nice custom wood parts, and someone's made use of the data port hidden inside so you can read temp data and add a shot timer with a reed sensor attached to the pump.
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Feb 20, 2024 12:27
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Not a bad option. The bianca is beautiful and the dual boiler rules. But it is big. I'm 3 weeks into a dual boiler ownership and I loving love mine. Going from the bambino to an Izzo Alex Duetto is such a leap in quality but I agree, 54mm deep pucks are way more forgiving than 58mm 17g doses.
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Feb 20, 2024 15:52
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Hello, I'm semi-new to espresso and have been messing for a few years with a Sage dosecontrol grinder and had a ECM685 or whatever the famous Delonghi entry level one is. Managed to break it when my modded steam wand hose popped off and soaked the machine and I upgraded to a Lelit Victoria demo model from a local shop, to which I added a new Vibratory Pump pressure valve to get it to 10PSI as the old one was stuck thanks to limescale. New machine is complete night and day and I'm finally able to make coffee taste delicious, now the grinder is holding me back with it's insane inconsistency but that's a future me problem. My question is maintenance wise: I run the lelit filter and I use prefiltered water from my fridge as well to deal with limescale. According to manual this is fine. But I never got an blind basket and I've only cleaned the outside of the grouphead after every use. Manual does not say anything about using a blind basket and backflushing. Is that something that needs to be done and is there any kind of detergent involved as well?
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Feb 20, 2024 16:26
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haddedam posted:a Lelit Victoria I do not have that particular model, but at a glance, the specs say it has a three-way valve, which is where you would want to backflush: quote:The inclusion of a three way solenoid valve allows for backflushing and provides easy to knock out pucks when you’re done brewing. Jan fucked around with this message at 17:48 on Feb 20, 2024 |
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Feb 20, 2024 17:44
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