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I think you're meant to start timing as soon as the water hits the puck, so as soon as you start the flow, I guess.
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# ¿ May 5, 2020 12:56 |
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# ¿ May 13, 2024 13:21 |
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Foxfire_ posted:First 5s or so is preinfusion, so after that? You want to count the preinfusion as well. So you need to count those 5 seconds.
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# ¿ May 5, 2020 17:58 |
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Foxfire_ posted:How does that make sense physics-wise? Isn't the goal to use the time/2.5oz as a measurable proxy for an extraction pressure+flow rate (which is the actual thing you're trying to control)? Counting preinfusion time would mean the extraction part would have to be done at a faster flow to still get to the 30s target. I generally try to get about 40 grams of espresso from 18 grams of coffee in around 28-30 seconds. Tastes pretty good. That's including a 6-second pre-infuse. My machine doesn't have a pressure gauge on it, so I can't comment on pressure, I just judge by how the flow looks and by taste. I think I wasn't sure about including the pre-infuse time either, but that's how the timer works on my machine and I eventually found an article on a roastery website saying that you start the timer from the start of the pre-infuse. Nothing I've found since then has contradicted this.
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# ¿ May 5, 2020 19:19 |
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Lord Stimperor posted:Just wanna say I'm delighted at how much people out about the specifics of the brewing process, down to each gram and second. I really hope I like the fresh beans that arrive tomorrow so I can justify getting down this rabbit hole! You can get really great results by having a cheap V60 brewer and a scale. I recommend the guide that James Hoffmann made for it. It's what I use and it's reliably great. He goes over all the equipment you'll need and mentions the pros and cons of spending more money at any particular stage, eg a gooseneck kettle instead of a standard kettle. Even if you don't plan on getting a V60, it's worth a watch.
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# ¿ May 5, 2020 21:53 |
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There have been studies that show that distributors actually serve to lower extraction, not increase it. So take any pro-distributor testimonials with a grain of salt.
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# ¿ May 21, 2020 16:38 |
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kemikalkadet posted:Do you have a link? It doesn't make logical sense to me but maybe I'm missing something. http://socraticcoffee.com/2016/12/examining-the-impact-of-the-ocd-on-total-dissolved-solids-extraction/ The conclusion: quote:Because our dose and final beverage mass does not vary significantly between conditions, any differences observed in TDS can be extrapolated to differences in extraction yield (EY). Our last hypothesis, regarding the interaction between the independent variables, would suggest that an effect seen when using the OCD would be evident with all grinders. This could be related to consistency in the OCD’s effect. Our results may suggest variability inherent in the grinder itself with regard to TDS/EY can overcome any negative impact on extraction created by the OCD. That's the first one I found. I'm sure I've also heard of another one that was mentioned a while back in one of James Hoffmann's espresso videos. He's not a fan of distributors either. Gunder fucked around with this message at 18:31 on May 21, 2020 |
# ¿ May 21, 2020 18:28 |
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MonkeyLibFront posted:I've decided to get in to good coffee, looking to get a Chemex and a Barratza Encore grinder but they seem to be out of stock as everyone's got the same idea at the moment in the UK which is slightly annoying, Any recommendations on scales? The Hario V60 scale is all you need. It's not as "nice" as the (much more expensive) smart scales, but it does the same job.
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# ¿ Jun 2, 2020 19:37 |
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I have been using the Stagg EKG since last year. It’s excellent. Edit: The Ode isn’t out yet.
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# ¿ Jun 13, 2020 12:46 |
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Lord Stimperor posted:Anyhow, that's the lesson I learned today.
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# ¿ Jun 20, 2020 03:39 |
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Lord Stimperor posted:I followed the advice, and it seems to work. I’d try grinding finer and finer each time until you hit a wall of bitterness and astringency. Then coarsen it back up until that goes away and then you’ve found your sweet spot.
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# ¿ Jun 20, 2020 14:55 |
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How much coffee do you guys typically consume? I try and stick to two servings a day, whether it's an espresso or a pour-over. That way, I shouldn't be over the safe daily limit for caffeine.
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# ¿ Jun 22, 2020 16:44 |
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I feel like I don't ever get any "boost" from drinking coffee, I just like how it tastes. I guess I'm just drinking it for the flavour. I definitely do get the withdrawal headache if I don't drink any in a 48 hour period though.
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# ¿ Jun 22, 2020 16:58 |
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I haven't looked into it very much, but I think it's meant to be a good manual grinder.
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# ¿ Jun 27, 2020 18:11 |
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If you prefer dark roasts, I’m sure there’s much better out there than IKEA and Starbucks. Your grinder deserves better. Also: if you keep running dark, oily beans through it, you’ll need to clean that thing more often. I’d do it at least once a month. Just grind some Urnex Grindz through it. It’s cheap, easy and effective.
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# ¿ Jun 28, 2020 15:50 |
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Bear in mind that the grindz will last quite a while. I think Amazon ships them to me in the UK for about £16, and that’ll last more than a year.
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# ¿ Jun 28, 2020 17:46 |
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ThirstyBuck posted:Is there a big taste difference between a bottomless and a pressurized portafilter? Pressurised portafilters are designed to be used with coffee grounds that haven’t been properly ground for espresso. Store bought pre-ground coffee is an example of that. You can also use one to try and correct any errors in grind size when you’re not using a good quality espresso-calibrated grinder. A bottomless portafilter is a diagnostic tool which some people use to try and work out if they’re forming and tamping their pucks properly. It lets you observe the coffee flow directly, and will give you a clearer picture of the water flowing out of the bottom of the puck. Jumping from one to the other will almost certainly make a big difference in taste, but it might not be a pleasant one. Unless you have a solid espresso grinder, I’d stay away from the bottomless portafilter. If you want to try a non-pressurised portafilter, just get a normal unpressurised portafilter with spouts, and see how that is. The bottomless one is more of an advanced tool, and there shouldn’t be any taste difference between any two unpressurised portafilters, whether they’re bottomless or spouted. (Different basket sizes and shapes could change things, but for now let’s leave that to one side) Edit: beaten
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# ¿ Jun 30, 2020 16:34 |
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Yeah, what mediaphage said. It makes brewing a consistently nice cup a lot easier since you can be much more precise with it. I bought one because I make all my coffee with a pour-over, so it makes sense for me, but if you're not sure about it, just use a normal kettle until you are sure you want to keep making them that way.
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# ¿ Jul 4, 2020 15:28 |
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This video guide that James Hoffmann made for the V60 is really, really great. I use that exact technique every single day. It also goes into each piece of equipment and adjustments you may want to make for using normal kettles like yours. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI4ynXzkSQo
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# ¿ Jul 4, 2020 15:30 |
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HERAK posted:I really quite like my hand grinder but I now find myself occasionally wanting to make coffee for more than one person. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good electric grinder that will work for an aeropress, a moka pot and a french press? Price range?
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# ¿ Jul 5, 2020 13:57 |
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HERAK posted:Ah knew I should have waited until after my 2nd cup of the day to post. around £100 - £150ish but higher is also possible if it's a great machine. I'd say a Baratza Encore? It's right in that price range, and should be capable of all the things you want it to do. https://baratza.com/grinder/encore/ Edit: The only thing I'm not so sure about is the moka pot range, as that is pretty close to espresso, and the Encore isn't an espresso grinder. Gunder fucked around with this message at 15:08 on Jul 5, 2020 |
# ¿ Jul 5, 2020 15:06 |
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With Munkaboo's clarification, I'd happily recommend the Encore. It's a really well made, well-reviewed grinder. Edit: Here's an in-depth review of the Encore: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-coffee-grinder/ Here's a James Hoffmann comparative review of the Wilfa and the Encore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gm6UfD9qSc Both grinders perform pretty similarly, the Wilfa will probably be a bit cheaper. Baratza is known for having a fantastic support and repair network, I can't speak to that about the Wilfa, as I have never owned one. Gunder fucked around with this message at 16:46 on Jul 5, 2020 |
# ¿ Jul 5, 2020 16:36 |
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If you're buying in the UK, then you can certainly get an Encore from coffeehit.co.uk. They have them currently for around £130. Edit: They also sell refurbished models for cheaper, although I don't think they have any refurbs in stock at the moment.
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# ¿ Jul 5, 2020 18:41 |
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HERAK posted:I went down a James Hoffmann rabbit hole over the weekend. I think it will be the Baratza with the upgraded burrs, I'll need to check the various cookware stores around me. and see if they have a second hand one lurking somewhere. You might want to see if anywhere is selling a Virtuoso+ refurbed. Saves you the upgrade.
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# ¿ Jul 6, 2020 23:12 |
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There's also the cheaper Breville/Sage stuff too. I like my Breville Barista Pro a lot. Silvia is probably better, though more expensive.
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# ¿ Jul 7, 2020 11:48 |
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When it comes to espresso, the problem with something like the Encore is that you can’t make small enough adjustments to properly dial in the grind size. Espresso grinders, like the Eureka Mignon Specialita, or the Baratza Sette 270, have way more grind settings, so you can really minutely control the grind size.
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# ¿ Jul 8, 2020 01:30 |
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It's worth emphasising that Hoffmann only recommends storing beans in the bags that they came in as long as they have proper seals for re-sealing each time, accompanied by a one-way valve. Quite a few coffee bags don't have one or both of these. For this reason, something like an Airscape is always a good idea to have lying around, even if most bags will be suitable for long-term storage.
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# ¿ Jul 11, 2020 00:47 |
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The taste of an Aeropress lies somewhere between moka pot and french press. It’s nice. It’s very easy to clean, just pop the coffee puck out into the bin and rinse the stuff off with leftover hot water from the kettle. Simple.
Gunder fucked around with this message at 03:17 on Jul 12, 2020 |
# ¿ Jul 11, 2020 23:55 |
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One of the interesting aspects of pour-over brewers is how different it tastes depending on which brewer you use. My V60, Chemex and Kalita Wave all taste very different. I think the Wave highlights earthier, nutty notes, the V60 highlights floral and acidic aspects, and the Chemex turns the EQ down on everything, making a more balanced but also slightly weaker tasting cup overall. The other nice thing about them is that, apart from the Chemex, the actual brewer is pretty cheap, so after you've got your nice grinder, scales and pouring kettle, you can spend an extra £15 on a different brewer, and get a completely different taste.
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# ¿ Jul 12, 2020 17:23 |
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I have definitely heard that heat affects the accuracy of a scale, but I’ve never seen it happen personally. My own fancy coffee scale comes with a little rubber disc that I rest my carafe on while brewing. I think the disc is designed to prevent what you’re experiencing from happening.
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# ¿ Jul 13, 2020 13:37 |
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Lord Stimperor posted:That last looks far better than the cardboard lid I taped on at the top. I'll upgrade it to wood at some point, though. Remember that the pour-over brewers are really cheap. The expensive part is the gooseneck kettle, which you don't need. It makes everything a lot easier and more consistent, but you definitely don't need it. In fact, the best tasting V60 I ever made was achieved with an ordinary kettle. Gunder fucked around with this message at 10:37 on Jul 18, 2020 |
# ¿ Jul 18, 2020 10:28 |
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Lord Stimperor posted:I wanna get an Aeropress this week. I think the Go feels a bit crappy and cheap next to the standard Aeropress. Unless you need to use it in places where you won't have access to a mug, just get the standard model. Edit: Hoffmann review of it.
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# ¿ Jul 21, 2020 16:58 |
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I usually wait about 2 weeks for espresso beans, 7 days for filter.
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# ¿ Jul 28, 2020 01:37 |
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Anyone tried the Kruve Sifter? Considering getting one to cut down the draw-down time on these African beans. They definitely generate a lot more fines than other beans.
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# ¿ Jul 29, 2020 19:09 |
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Yeah, I can't see myself using it for everything, but I do love my floral African coffees, and brewing them properly is proving a bit difficult with all these fines.
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# ¿ Jul 29, 2020 19:38 |
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BlackMK4 posted:Got my used Niche in the mail, cleaned it out completely, and zero'd it today. Only took four shots to dial it in pretty well, which is a nice change from my SJ Electronic with SSP burrs. I won't miss having to sweep the chute out multiple times a day. How’s the grind quality in terms of grinding for espresso?
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# ¿ Jul 30, 2020 04:39 |
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MonkeyLibFront posted:So I've just purchased some coffee from a roaster that I've found who's just around the corner from myself. Ones been roasted this morning and the other was 2 days ago, is there a period in which you should leave it before grinding or do I just go straight in? it was a question I wanted to ask him but I was in a bit of a rush, also what's the rough time that it starts to turn? Depends what it’s for. I tend to leave espresso for at least a week, usually about 14 days. Everything else is fine after 4 days or so.
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# ¿ Aug 11, 2020 17:36 |
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I saw an interesting experiment where a team from a roasterie did blind taste testing on their own espresso blend after certain intervals of resting. Almost uniformly the team preferred the beans that had been resting for over 3 weeks. Anything much shorter than that tasted harsh and overly bright.
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# ¿ Aug 11, 2020 19:10 |
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Snowmankilla posted:Thanks for all the advice. I will try some real coffee from a legit place before I spend some cash. The standard Aeropress is incredibly easy to use and clean. Cheap too.
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# ¿ Aug 19, 2020 18:39 |
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The timers are for people who don't single dose. They just store all their beans in the hopper and let it shoot out 10 seconds of beans each morning, whatever that ends up being. Having said that, my Baratza Virtuoso+ and my Eureka Mignon Specialita both have some degree of grind retention. I fix this by putting in 20.1 grams instead of just 20g of beans into the hopper. It's really not a big deal, and it's far better than using a hand grinder.
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# ¿ Aug 20, 2020 23:26 |
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# ¿ May 13, 2024 13:21 |
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i own every Bionicle posted:Anybody try the Cafec roast specific filters? Sprometheus made a video review of them that almost looks too good to be true. Looks great. Most places I buy from don't actually specify a roast level though, and I'm not sure I could tell the difference between a light and medium, most of the time. I suspect most of what I'm drinking is a light roast, but I'm not sure.
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# ¿ Aug 21, 2020 23:09 |