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First impression, first shot going from Neo to Signature: a 20g dose is a lovely thing. Looks like I should have done the Classic or better from the beginning, as the main downside of the Neo is it's the only one that can't be upgraded to use the Pro 2 (bigger) brew head. Still, it was a good learning tool as I had to run 2 shots a day so I got lots of practice and side by side experimentation!
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Sep 30, 2021 18:44
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Espresso tonic was a success 
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Oct 3, 2021 01:08
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Thumposaurus posted:Asspresso grind Joey, have you ever had a Turkish prison rear end coffee?
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Oct 19, 2021 23:41
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Early in a bag I often pull a 1:2 but pull another 2 out into another cup. I drink half the shot strong then add a small bit at a time from the second pull to see what extra extraction tastes like. It's weaker sure but sometimes it rounds out some too-acidic first runnings so I prefer the longer shots in those cases 
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Nov 2, 2021 22:23
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FYI, Gray Ember mug 14 oz $100 at Costco (in stores but looks like online too). Compare to $100 10 oz or $130 14 oz on Amazon. Costco claims 80 minutes per charge vs 60 from Amazon and that is sometimes the case with the Costco exclusive version of items like this. I don't like the gray and I mostly drink straight shots, but I figured I'd pass along for those interested.
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Nov 6, 2021 23:26
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Wild that your body can get so specifically accustomed to a dose in espresso. I just went 30% higher for laffs and it feels like the first time 
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Nov 17, 2021 19:49
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Just got the "only pay shipping" Tchibo coffee and immediately realized this is Too Much Coffee for me to use before it goes stale (more stale?). Is it safe to say cold brew frozen into cubes lasts longer than just freezing the beans? Chest freezer so no worries about defrost cycles.
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Nov 23, 2021 06:09
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Nanofoamer is 25% off Also 
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Nov 26, 2021 04:40
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So I bought a $40 Instant heat + foam pitcher thing that worked fine for 2 months then crapped out. I'm now going to do the Nanofoamer + a pitcher. Most people use a metal pitcher so they can feel when the heat is right, but since I'm using the microwave I am between these two. Are there any better ones I should be looking at? I don't really care about looks, just microwave + dishwasher safe. These spouts look fine enough for newbie latte art right? https://www.amazon.com/CHOOLD-Ceramic-Creamer-Pitcher-Serving/dp/B078JJPVMV https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SFFM243/ref=crt_ewc_img_oth_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A184VL207F2WL2
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Dec 6, 2021 19:55
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I would prefer something I can put in the dishwasher, after our first Pyrex set lost all its gradations in the wash I only hand wash it. And it is on Mom's Earl Grey Duty every morning so I'd need her to be done before I wash it, before I could make my cappuccino. So since I need a second vessel I figured I'd also go for something with a sharper spout for those  pours, in addition to the dishwasher safe benefit.
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Dec 7, 2021 04:20
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I got decent results out of Intelligentsia El Gallo breakfast blend, but it took a lot of iterations on my Flair: Started 1:2.5, 200°F 2 iterations getting rough grind setting, then... 3. A bit fast, well balanced and a bit tart and funky --> go finer 4. Good speed, still a bit too tart though --> go longer 5. 1:3 was very well balanced but lost some of the flavor --> drop temp 6. 1:3 195°F perfect! Since it's a different bean your dial-in process will be different, just saying I think you can get decent results out of Intelligentsia if you go a bit longer. I know you don't have direct temp control so sorry that part isn't helpful.
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Dec 9, 2021 20:34
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Pentecoastal Elites posted:I hate throwing out drinkable coffee unless I really hosed it up, but I've got to travel for work on Sunday so I'll spend tomorrow dialing it in as best I can even if that means a few dumped shots -- I do think there's something there now. I love how big a difference the last few iterations of dialing in gets you, it seems alchemical. That said, milk covers all mistakes, and lengthens the "drinkability" window from mere minutes to days for my palate. I have only thrown out a small handful of shots ever, the rest go in a Mason jar for a milk drink later
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Dec 11, 2021 00:49
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If you find yourself with no other option, here's a ranking of 30 TJ coffees https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/best-trader-joes-coffee
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Dec 13, 2021 19:04
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Whomst among us haven't done weird dehydration experiments with espresso from the "only pay shipping" coffee beans, as an attempt to make coffee roasted nutz?    Very sharp. Will test it out tomorrow!
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Dec 16, 2021 05:43
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Hello, I am posting from the grave because I died of suffocation down these rabbit holesBrianBoitano posted:Whomst among us haven't done weird dehydration experiments with espresso from the "only pay shipping" coffee beans, as an attempt to make coffee roasted nutz? By the way, I was being literal when I mentioned these were sharp - like razor blades. And for those of you who thought this looked like drugs: Dead Nerve posted:Are we freebasing coffee now? Pilfered Pallbearers posted:You need to smoke that My cat agreed with you and tried to get high:  Thankfully she only spread it over half of our carpet and bedsheets. I'm happy to share that after 5 iterations (earliest attempt not shown) I got the glassy look I was going for with enough coffee flavor:  Clockwise from top left:
 All in all, dehydrating the espresso was interesting but since the hard crack stage of sugar is higher than boiling then all aromatics are driven off / destroyed anyhow. That, and I didn't powderize enough since I learned the ratio as I went. Still neat to say I did it and my cat got into my stash.
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Dec 18, 2021 07:21
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DIY espresso crystal brought to 220°F, 125g nuts added, cooked stirring to 250°F. Transferred to baking sheet before any seed crystals formed, while syrup was still clear. Roasted at 330°F for 10 minutes. Really nailed it, ready to ship to family. The texture is spot on, the coffee is strong. The color makes it look burnt but that's mostly the coffee, though 3 minutes would be better next time. An IR thermometer shows the nuts did indeed hit 330°F which is past the target of 300-310°F.
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Now that I've got coffee nuts out of my system, any favorite baking recipes that use espresso?
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Dec 18, 2021 23:38
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I started on the Neo but if you like milk drinks get one that can use the larger Pro 2 basket. After upgrading I'm so glad I did!
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Dec 24, 2021 22:43
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kemikalkadet posted:Plunging just stops the extraction so you could plunge and let it sit there without over-extracting. If you're pouring it straight away it doesn't make any difference. Saying that, I've tried pouring without plunging and it's always resulted in way more sludge in my cup, might just be a crappy cafetiere though... I don't use it often. Hoffmann's technique is steep 4 minutes, stir, skim floaty bits, and let settle for 5 minutes before pouring. That makes all the sludgy bits settle to the bottom for me, I only really get them when I push to get the last few drops. Did you do a similar process when you did yours? His thesis is that crap can freely flow through the press filter but if you disturb, skim and let settle that gravity does the filtering for you.
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Dec 25, 2021 15:32
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Just got a Nanofoamer to replace the lovely Instant b brand "auto heat and foam" pitcher that died, and it's night and day. Got that latex paint texture and was able to do the whole "build a canvas" with a clear shape on top. Not nearly an identifiable shape but now the tool works well enough for me to hit the ground and learn! Texture tastes good which is the most important thing, since I don't use Instagram anyhow.
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Dec 26, 2021 23:48
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Bobstar posted:Hah, last night I was second-guessing having spent so much on an espresso grinder, and then this morning I tried to make an espresso with a new bean I got for Christmas. Options on my Encore were glug-glug 60s shot, or whooosh 8 seconds. Specialita can't get here fast enough! In the meantime you can reduce your coffee dose off the 60s shot setting to get closer to balance 👍
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Dec 28, 2021 18:16
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sugar free jazz posted:wtf is happening im so confused I'm spitballing here but could be the fresh beans have a lot of CO2 and you could use a bloom step. https://www.taylorlane.com/blogs/read/moccamaster-manual posted:Step 5: Bloom Your Coffee
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Jan 5, 2022 21:47
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Big grain of salt alert: I'm still less than a year into this hobby. I've only ever used Flair, but a neighbor who is a bean roaster can vouch for the quality of my shots. It's the classic "cheaper, bigger PITA brew, less PITA cleaning / maintenance" that also applies to manual grinders. I started with a Neo which was nice for small doses but I recently upgraded to one that can take the Pro 2 portafilter so I have the option of doubles. That's where I'd start if I were new to espresso and didn't mind a 10-15 minute process. I'm down to 15 minutes to pull two 13g doses including cleanup. There's a lot to learn and get right, but if you do then you'll pull shots that rival $1,000+ automatics. This is because you can control temperature and pressure, and you can adjust shots if they don't feel right. This also means you can properly extract light roasted e.g. Ethiopians which feels like stealing Ambrosia from Olympus. I've heard mixed things about the Flair 58. The larger puck diameter means you can use the thousands of accessories out there, but one of the benefits of other Flairs is exactly the narrow puck size, which is less prone to channeling. The 58 also has some electric preheating, which takes a while but simplifies workflow especially for back to back shots. I'm happy I never have to worry about descaling or pumps / thermostats / whatever breaking, but I know I can't efficiently serve more than 4 guests efficiently. Other thing to note is for milk drinks you'll need a separate device. I like my results from the Nanofoamer but I will probably end up with a Bellman or similar. Also Flairs can't fit the really high end coffee scales underneath without jury rigging something. Doesn't affect me since I just use a $15 small scale with a timer.
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Jan 11, 2022 19:52
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Google Butt posted:How many shots out of 10 do you guys nail with these levers? Yeah after the first month of learning, I only really miss the mark when I have a new bean. Within 2 shots of a new bean I'm really enjoying my shots, and milk can always cover any mistakes in that dialing in process.
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Jan 11, 2022 23:03
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Megabound posted:Oh yeah, I enjoy them in doses, but it's hard to get past a extremely strong tartness in some of them, indicative of underextraction, unless I'm very careful in my prep and heat my group hotter than usual. Just to clarify my 1:2 is a physical limitation of the LaPavoni, I have a 14g basket and can usually on get a max of 30 - 32g out so I always just aim for 28. This was me when I started with the Neo. I just did back to back 12g in / 30g out batches with a slight tweak each time to experiment, like grind size, temperature, or ratio. Let me do longer ratios while still getting enough overall coffee.
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Jan 16, 2022 23:47
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Favorite 6 oz and 8 oz latte mugs? Don't care if they have a handle or not, just looking for semispherical so it's easy to do art.
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Jan 22, 2022 04:04
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Gunder posted:I like the 6.5oz Fellow Monty milk art cups. I have the white/copper ones. That was exactly what I was looking for, thank you! Couldn't find a site that had both 3.5oz and 6.5oz in stock at the same time, so went with 3.5oz and "notify me" on the 6.5oz Buying a big boy tamper to replace using the dosing cup too 
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Jan 24, 2022 00:40
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Seems very expensive, what would be the benefit over a Bellman? Looks nice and "does it all" but like Bionicle said earlier the unknown provenance. Somebody send Hoffmann a link!
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Jan 26, 2022 01:42
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Woke up with a strange desire to eat coarse ground beans with milk a la grape nuts Going back to bed, hope I wake up with more sense
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Jan 27, 2022 13:24
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BrianBoitano posted:That was exactly what I was looking for, thank you! Couldn't find a site that had both 3.5oz and 6.5oz in stock at the same time, so went with 3.5oz and "notify me" on the 6.5oz Got this today and fuckin nailed it  In all seriousness, the cups are gorgeous except one blemish in one cup - a grey speck that stands out but not enough to return it and deal with the inherent waste there. One great success - I was able to make a small amount of good foam with my nanofoamer, despite what my horrid pour technique might suggest. This is really tough since usually small amounts make a whirlpool that sucks air, but a combo of a narrow juice glass with a spoon to reduce the surface swirl got it. Still plenty of agitation under the surface to shrink bubbles but no new air introduced after stretching
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Jan 28, 2022 23:10
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Bought some "naturally low caffeine" beans from my neighbor roaster. Not sure how low they are but it gives me excuses to make silly things in the afternoon with no guilt. 
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Feb 19, 2022 00:12
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I grew up in Houston, so I invented a Caramel Delatte  used chai caramel from this recipe and I gotta say it's working for me
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Feb 19, 2022 00:54
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Do the bags puff up a bit since they off-gas CO2 so soon after roasting? Still good to vacuum seal because no oxygen though.
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Feb 25, 2022 17:57
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Not related to needle size, but you can 3d print a nice holder. Many libraries and universities let you print for pennies, or I think there are sites that will print and ship. I did DIY with a cork before this was available. I had to add hot glue to stop them from slipping around.
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Mar 5, 2022 19:37
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I'm a pretty good person to answer your questions except I've never used any other manufacturer of machine so no true comparison here.Bruxism posted:One of the things that had made me hesitate taking the plunge up to this point is the need to preheat the brew head, but in the demo video they just placed the head on top of their electric kettle while it heated up. Is that sufficient for heating the head? I always envisioned having to submerge it in boiling water or something. The cleanup also looked much easier than I expected. For the first 2 months I thought "surely you need to submerge to get high enough temperatures for light roast" but followed a rec to try the steam and it works very well. I do re-steam it for 5 seconds just before using but otherwise it took a ton of prep out. Yes, cleanup is as easy as it looks! Bruxism posted:For those of you that own flairs do you find it performing as well today as when you bought it? Do you continue to use it or has it become a disregarded tool because of the amount of labor it takes to pull a shot? Do you feel like you were able to master the process pretty quickly?  Bruxism posted:Is there anything essential to pick up for it that isn't included in the Pro 2 kit? Appreciate your insights! Get a proper tamper (I like this etsy person) since the dosing cup is a bit too narrow and WDT. You already have a grinder and scale yeah?
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Mar 28, 2022 22:38
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I got mine secondhand and didn't get the stainless tamper, that should be fine then. Mine just had the plastic dose cup as tamper. Mine also didn't have the temp strip but if you cook at all then a thermapen is a luxury you should pursue if budget allows - helped me dial in my technique the first dozen times I used the steam method. I'd definitely trust it over a color change strip.
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Mar 28, 2022 23:29
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Double posting - I have an opportunity to invest in a really good coffee company - they import + roast, and now they're opening a cafe in a good location. Does anyone have direct experience in cafe finances? I'm able to find some "industry standard" comparisons for some parts of the projected income statement + visits / day + $/visitor but not others. I'll get an attorney to look at the actual paperwork, and I'm sure the numbers are a bit optimistic but I'd like a sniff test from someone on da inside. X-posting in the industry workers thread.
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Mar 29, 2022 01:07
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*son moves step stool over to coffee cart* Wife: is there anything dangerous on there?  don't think so *son immediately finds the WDT* They always keep you on your toes! Bruxism posted:Thanks again. I went ahead and ordered the Pro 2. I'll have a few days next week to mess around with it and get it dialed in. Thermapen is on our kitchen wish list as well. Next gift giving excuse, I'm sure it will turn up. To help you get started without the thermapen: I just dialed in another light roast, and checked temp more closely this time. You really have to get the basket steamed a couple times. My kettle has a keep warm setting so it will come up to boil, wait a minute, boil / steam some more, repeat. By the time I've ground and done puck prep it's steamed 3 times, I force it once more and make sure the water is immediately off the boil and I hit 200°F.
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Apr 2, 2022 19:40
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Get a bripe like an adult
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Apr 6, 2022 22:00
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You're welcome! I've never thrown out a shot entirely - since you can adjust pressure or output on the fly you can minimize flaws, and those that remain usually fade in an americano or flat white 👍 I'm very happy to be at a point where the bean quality seems to matter most.
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Apr 7, 2022 18:48
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| # ¿ May 10, 2024 17:53 |
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Neat! Linking the SAMart thread here, mostly for my own reference when I get off work so I can order: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3594506&perpage=40&noseen=1
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Apr 13, 2022 19:24
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