Espresso Enthusiasts

[Scepticalscribe]

I love - absolutely love - the sheer insane intensity of the focus, the utterly deranged attention to detail, along with the absorbed obsession with the topic subject matter itself, espresso.......

Ah, I just love this thread. Sighs happily, and ponders on whether to give my much loved and rather battered Bialetti pot another outing today......

 

[Shrink]

I love - absolutely love - the sheer insane intensity of the focus, the utterly deranged attention to detail, along with the absorbed obsession with the topic subject matter itself, espresso.......

Ah, I just love this thread. Sighs happily, and ponders on whether to give my much loved and rather battered Bialetti pot another outing today......

I resemble those statements!!

Is this the little espresso pot that you use?

It looks like a great pot for one who travels as much as you...

Also, cute as a button!!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I resemble those statements!!

Is this the little espresso pot that you use?

It looks like a great pot for one who travels as much as you...

Also, cute as a button!!

Yep, that is the very one. Much used, and much loved (and I really like that gurgling sound it makes when the espresso is just about ready), mine can make up to six cups of espresso in one seductive pot.

However, as it is a treasured gift (bought back from Italy) by my godmother around two decades ago, I don't take it with me when travelling abroad to twilight zones; instead, the Bialetti is confined to the civilised parts of western Europe, where it is very much at home.

 

[Shrink]

Yep, that is the very one. Much used, and much loved (and I really like that gurgling sound it makes when the espresso is just about ready), mine can make up to six cups of espresso in one seductive pot.

However, as it is a treasured gift (bought back from Italy) by my godmother around two decades ago, I don't take it with me when travelling abroad to twilight zones; instead, the Bialetti is confined to the civilised parts of western Europe, where it is very much at home.

I can certainly understand protecting the highly valued and treasured Bialetti you have at home.

But if you wanted to take one with you on your travels, even the budget of a terribly underpaid Diplomat p) might manage the cost of a new, unsentimental pot. The link below is the US Amazon, but it should be available for a similar price across the pond. (I know you have the problem with $=£, and VAT...but still...)

http://www.amazon.com/Bialetti-Expr...85626&sr=8-1&keywords=bialetti+espresso+maker

 

[twietee]

Yep, that is the very one. Much used, and much loved (and I really like that gurgling sound it makes when the espresso is just about ready), mine can make up to six cups of espresso in one seductive pot.

We share the same model then! But 12 cups, really? Makes me think I drink too much espresso!

Anyway, that gurgling sound always more than compensates for the sound of the alarm in the morning. Always a nice and encouraging start into the day!

 

[JFord047]

long time reader, first time writer

I got "into" espresso when I was young 14, and over the years tried more and more ways of getting the Perfect cup of coffee.

Trouble was that Every time I was in a different country, the "bean mix" I liked ended up wrong with the different water.

The water in Scotland is fresh crisp and pure - the Scottish Highland Spring Bottled Water, is in fact my Tap water!

so I came up with a blend of Beans that makes the perfect cup every time (ish)

Guatemala Elephant Coffee 8.8oz
Sumatra Coffee 17.6oz
Monsoon Malabar Coffee 17.6oz
Bourbon Espresso Coffee 8.8oz
Old Brown Java Coffee 17.6oz

Mix it up, and that's my perfect blend!

I tried the French press - Good but no oomph in it, and sometimes it was just lacking.

I then went onto an espresso Pump machine by Delonghi, this made a great coffee again and again.. but there were in My opinion 2 drawbacks.

1. My grinder was never consistent, different particles DID alter the coffee taste
2. The Mess.... between grinding, tamping and emptying it was horrific, (according to my other half! she thought it was everywhere, it was in fact only about a 4 foot area!)

so I balanced everything out, and did a crib sheet (sad and anal I know but it works!)

how many cups of coffee a day = 12, each with 4 espresso's in them is 48 a day (wonder why I don't sleep??)

taking into account the cost of a new GOOD grinder, and a New Good machine, I was up at £800.

So I bought the Delonghi Bean to Cup Espresso machine @ £750, but got some discounts so only paid £420.

This thing is WONDERFULL, you pour in the water and the beans, program it to put 4 espressos in a mug, then just press the button!

it can make 8 different coffee's on its own, just pick the program!

the best bit of all is that it's mess free! just slide out the container and put the waste in the bin.

It makes the exact same coffee every time - much to my delight!

I have had it now for 2 years, and its still going strong.

everybody comes to visit for Coffee (miserable Gits are too tight to buy a Starbucks!)

The final seal of approval could be the Step Son is a barista, and he prefers the coffee out of my machine than the stuff he makes in work!

So my thoughts on coffee.....

Take your time, find the right beans for your taste, trial and error, single / mix / blend - but always beans, they keep longer, and the flavour only comes out once they are cracked.

once you have your blend of beans, read the reviews, go and look at the machines, and get one with a good pressure output.

Paying a little more for a machine with a longevity and trusted performance, is better than buying 10 cheap ones over the same period of time.

Enjoy

Jim

----------

as a PS....

The Old Delonghi one I had was 10 years old, I gave it to my sister 2 years ago, and she is still using it right now.

But she only drinks 2 cups a day, and sleeps a lot

 

[Shrink]

I got "into" espresso when I was young 14, and over the years tried more and more ways of getting the Perfect cup of coffee.

Trouble was that Every time I was in a different country, the "bean mix" I liked ended up wrong with the different water.

The water in Scotland is fresh crisp and pure - the Scottish Highland Spring Bottled Water, is in fact my Tap water!

so I came up with a blend of Beans that makes the perfect cup every time (ish)

Guatemala Elephant Coffee 8.8oz
Sumatra Coffee 17.6oz
Monsoon Malabar Coffee 17.6oz
Bourbon Espresso Coffee 8.8oz
Old Brown Java Coffee 17.6oz

Mix it up, and that's my perfect blend!

I tried the French press - Good but no oomph in it, and sometimes it was just lacking.

I then went onto an espresso Pump machine by Delonghi, this made a great coffee again and again.. but there were in My opinion 2 drawbacks.

1. My grinder was never consistent, different particles DID alter the coffee taste
2. The Mess.... between grinding, tamping and emptying it was horrific, (according to my other half! she thought it was everywhere, it was in fact only about a 4 foot area!)

so I balanced everything out, and did a crib sheet (sad and anal I know but it works!)

how many cups of coffee a day = 12, each with 4 espresso's in them is 48 a day (wonder why I don't sleep??)

taking into account the cost of a new GOOD grinder, and a New Good machine, I was up at £800.

So I bought the Delonghi Bean to Cup Espresso machine @ £750, but got some discounts so only paid £420.

This thing is WONDERFULL, you pour in the water and the beans, program it to put 4 espressos in a mug, then just press the button!

it can make 8 different coffee's on its own, just pick the program!

the best bit of all is that it's mess free! just slide out the container and put the waste in the bin.

It makes the exact same coffee every time - much to my delight!

I have had it now for 2 years, and its still going strong.

everybody comes to visit for Coffee (miserable Gits are too tight to buy a Starbucks!)

The final seal of approval could be the Step Son is a barista, and he prefers the coffee out of my machine than the stuff he makes in work!

So my thoughts on coffee.....

Take your time, find the right beans for your taste, trial and error, single / mix / blend - but always beans, they keep longer, and the flavour only comes out once they are cracked.

once you have your blend of beans, read the reviews, go and look at the machines, and get one with a good pressure output.

Paying a little more for a machine with a longevity and trusted performance, is better than buying 10 cheap ones over the same period of time.

Enjoy

Jim

----------

as a PS....

The Old Delonghi one I had was 10 years old, I gave it to my sister 2 years ago, and she is still using it right now.

But she only drinks 2 cups a day, and sleeps a lot

First...WELCOME TO THE LOONEY BIN, Jim.

Great to have you posting with the rest of us deranged coffee freaks!

It sounds like you really like your super automatic machine. It sure it is a lot easier, and NEATER, than my semi-automatic. Clean up after making a double shot is not exactly my favorite part the the espresso experience.

Never...REPEAT NEVER, apologize for be anal on this thread. This is the home of the maniacally demented coffee nut. I just bought a scale that has a 0.01 gram resolution to measure my dose...it's that one bean weight that makes all the difference!!!

I love that you have developed your own blend. I roast my own beans, and right now I'm rotating through 3 different blends (Not my blends... 3 different green bean blends created by Sweet Marias), and a single source bean.

I hope you'll continue to post with all us crazies...we always enjoy fresh, equally goony, friends. But remember:

Abandon hope, all ye who enter here!!

 

[S.B.G]

Sitting here on my chair next to the doorwall watching it lightly snow while sipping on my latté, I can't help wish that my body would allow me to wake up earlier some days so I could sit and enjoy an espresso before going to work.

Unfortunately I usually wake up with enough time to shower and get ready for work and then head out the door.

 

[Shrink]

Sitting here on my chair next to the doorwall watching it lightly snow while sipping on my latté, I can't help wish that my body would allow me to wake up earlier some days so I could sit and enjoy an espresso before going to work.

Unfortunately I usually wake up with enough time to shower and get ready for work and then head out the door.

I wish I had your problem. I wake up incredibly early whether I want to or not. I wake with enough time to make my espresso, clean up, and do a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle!!

Ah well, the blessings of the Golden Years.

Enjoy your latte, Mate!

 

[S.B.G]

I wish I had your problem. I wake up incredibly early whether I want to or not. I wake with enough time to make my espresso, clean up, and do a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle!!

Ah well, the blessings of the Golden Years.

Enjoy your latte, Mate!

Maybe some day when I'm old like you and just as senile and obsessive about espresso as you, I'll wind up arising early to drink my cup and then wish I was young again and could sleep longer! LOL

 

[Shrink]

Maybe some day when I'm old like you and just as senile and obsessive about espresso as you, I'll wind up arising early to drink my cup and then wish I was young again and could sleep longer! LOL

Senile, huh!?

I'll remember you called me that.

Um, you called me...something.

When I remember what is was...

Um...what was I saying?

 

[S.B.G]

Senile, huh!?

I'll remember you called me that.

Um, you called me...something.

When I remember what is was...

Um...what was I saying?

I don't seem to recall what I was saying.... hmmmm... oh wait, my espresso cup is empty. I think I need a refill.

 

[Kissaragi]

Just wait till shrink discovers TDS meters. A whole new way to obsess over coffee and spend a fortune.

Actually, im amazed you dont have a scace yet shrink?

Also, im still waiting for my damn gasket! I take my cimbali customer service comments back.

 

[Shrink]

Just wait till shrink discovers TDS meters. A whole new way to obsess over coffee and spend a fortune.

Actually, im amazed you dont have a scace yet shrink?

Also, im still waiting for my damn gasket! I take my cimbali customer service comments back.

I don't know what a TDS meter is! But I will look it up...and thanks so much for mentioning whatever it is so I can obsess over whether I must have one.

I do have a scale, but it's resolution is very rough...1.0 grams. Not a problem when I am measuring out 240 grams for a bean roast (that's the max my roaster holds), a gram either way makes no difference. But since I went to the trouble of getting a Strada filter basket, and it takes a 17 gram dose, a better scale seemed reasonable. With a 1.0 gram resolution, when it says 17 grams in the window, it means it is between 17.00 grams and 17.99 grams...a whole gram swing. When I looked at better scales, all the scales I saw here were in the same price range, or significantly more than mine for a 0.1 gram resolution. The scale I bought (from Londium Espresso, a one man UK company) was in the lower price range for the higher resolution scales, and has a 0.01 resolution. It's also tiny, takes up no space, but will only weigh up to 300 grams, so I still use my old scale for weighing higher weights. The other thing that's nice about the scale is that it has a built in calibration function, and comes with a 200 gram calibration weight.

Now i'm going to find out what a TDS meter is!!

Edit: OK, very cute. No, I haven't gone that far and, amazingly, I'm not going to go that far. I did buy test strips to test the hardness of my water because of the scaling effect it has on the espresso machine. (I know your life will not be complete, nor will you sleep at night, until I tell you that I have about 20-25 ppm calcium carbonate in my water...very soft water!)

I did go to the trouble of getting the information below off Amazon so YOU can get a TDS meter!!!

 

[Kissaragi]

I don't know what a TDS meter is! But I will look it up...and thanks so much for mentioning whatever it is so I can obsess over whether I must have one.

I do have a scale, but it's resolution is very rough...1.0 grams. Not a problem when I am measuring out 240 grams for a bean roast (that's the max my roaster holds), a gram either way makes no difference. But since I went to the trouble of getting a Strada filter basket, and it takes a 17 gram dose, a better scale seemed reasonable. With a 1.0 gram resolution, when it says 17 grams in the window, it means it is between 17.00 grams and 17.99 grams...a whole gram swing. When I looked at better scales, all the scales I saw here were in the same price range, or significantly more than mine for a 0.1 gram resolution. The scale I bought (from Londium Espresso, a one man UK company) was in the lower price range for the higher resolution scales, and has a 0.01 resolution. It's also tiny, takes up no space, but will only weigh up to 300 grams, so I still use my old scale for weighing higher weights. The other thing that's nice about the scale is that it has a built in calibration function, and comes with a 200 gram calibration weight.

Now i'm going to find out what a TDS meter is!!

Edit: OK, very cute. No, I haven't gone that far and, amazingly, I'm not going to go that far. I did buy test strips to test the hardness of my water because of the scaling effect it has on the espresso machine. (I know your life will not be complete, nor will you sleep at night, until I tell you that I have about 20-25 ppm calcium carbonate in my water...very soft water!)

I did go to the trouble of getting the information below off Amazon so YOU can get a TDS meter!!!

Lol, I dont think my skills will ever be good enough to warrant measuring dissolved solids!

Not a scale, a scace device. Its a portafilter with a thermocouple in the bottom designed to be used every time you pull a shot to monitor the temperature of the espresso very precisely. With a data logging thermometer you can get profiles of temperature throughout the shot.

Its something id love, but they arnt cheap either!

 

[S.B.G]

Lol, I dont think my skills will ever be good enough to warrant measuring dissolved solids!

Not a scale, a scace device. Its a portafilter with a thermocouple in the bottom designed to be used every time you pull a shot to monitor the temperature of the espresso very precisely. With a data logging thermometer you can get profiles of temperature throughout the shot.

Its something id love, but they arnt cheap either!

Oh you know Shrink is going to buy one of those! I just know it.

 

[Shrink]

Lol, I dont think my skills will ever be good enough to warrant measuring dissolved solids!

Not a scale, a scace device. Its a portafilter with a thermocouple in the bottom designed to be used every time you pull a shot to monitor the temperature of the espresso very precisely. With a data logging thermometer you can get profiles of temperature throughout the shot.

Its something id love, but they arnt cheap either!

WOW! I've never heard of a scace (Soory, I just thought it was a typo...I should have known better!) I thought I had almost every accessory available.

I'm going to go look it up, just to see what I'm missing.

 

[Kissaragi]

WOW! I've never heard of a scace (Soory, I just thought it was a typo...I should have known better!) I thought I had almost every accessory available.

I'm going to go look it up, just to see what I'm missing.

With me, theres a 90% chance that it was a typo lol.

Just saw it measures pressure now too!

 

[Shrink]

With me, theres a 90% chance that it was a typo lol.

Just saw it measures pressure now too!

Just took a quick look at some information. The scace, plus the recommended data logger, costs $914!!!

Even I'm not that crazy! If I'm really honest, part of the reason I don't like it is it is ugly, and esthetics count. Also, it is just one step more information than I can process. I'm sure it somehow makes the espresso better, but even holding the price out...TMI. I don't think my palate is that finely tuned that I would really know the difference. Anyway, I might have mentioned before...too damned expensive!

So nyaah, nyaah..SandboxGeneral, I'm not getting it!!

 

[S.B.G]

So nyaah, nyaah..SandboxGeneral, I'm not getting it!!

In my best Yoda voice, oh you will, you will.

 

[Shrink]

In my best Yoda voice, oh you will, you will.

I never thought I'd say this, but the scace is just more than I need.

Then again...never say never..

Stay tuned to this space for further updates...but don't hold your breath!

 

[JFord047]

Thanks for the welcome shrink!

I don't roast my own, although have contemplated it, its easier here to get the pre-roasted.

And not to worry, I am nutty enough to get into most loony bins! and not as a Staff member.

I just Love GOOD Coffee, not averse to a good Cup of tea now and again either... mostly Earl Grey when the mood takes me!

 

[Shrink]

Thanks for the welcome shrink!

I don't roast my own, although have contemplated it, its easier here to get the pre-roasted.

And not to worry, I am nutty enough to get into most loony bins! and not as a Staff member.

I just Love GOOD Coffee, not averse to a good Cup of tea now and again either... mostly Earl Grey when the mood takes me!

I don't think there are too many others who roast their own. Most here are slightly more sane than I, and buy pre-roasted. (only slightly more sane, mind you!)

I do believe that we have a few tea aficionados posting here...definitely an oprpessed minority on this thread!

The thread has been fairly quiet recently, so having some "new blood" is great!

Have fun...

 

[eric/]

I've been experimenting with different coffees. I found that it's actually difficult to get anything that's been roasted within the last two weeks, or even with a date at all. Living in a rural area hurts that.

But I do feel like I've gained a lot of control over the process and I'm comfortable, and I think I'm at the point where I'm just refining skills.

I've also gotten decent at making vanilla lattes, which my gf loves. I mainly bought a machine to make those types of drinks anyway. But I want to make good espresso too.

 

[Shrink]

I've been experimenting with different coffees. I found that it's actually difficult to get anything that's been roasted within the last two weeks, or even with a date at all. Living in a rural area hurts that.

But I do feel like I've gained a lot of control over the process and I'm comfortable, and I think I'm at the point where I'm just refining skills.

I've also gotten decent at making vanilla lattes, which my gf loves. I mainly bought a machine to make those types of drinks anyway. But I want to make good espresso too.

I think that unless you can go to a gourmet shop that roasts their own coffee, you'll continue to have difficulties finding beans roasted within 2 weeks.

Since the drinks you are making are espresso based, working on good espresso is the foundation of the drink.

I'm trying to remember if the pre-raosted coffee that I used to order (illy dark roast espresso blend) was dated. However, it was very well packaged in a vacuum sealed stainless steel tin, and I believe it was fresh when opened. Unfortunately, it was available to me only by online order. Not convenient, but worthwhile for me.

It's great that you are feeling more and more comfortable producing your drinks. I, too, am still refining my skills. I don't think that ever stops. Each drink production is a little different (at least for me), and I keep learning the skills to make the necessary adjustments so the next cup of that particular roast is a bit better.

The continued quest for the perfect double shot. Seldom, if ever achieved...but aslways sought!