Espresso Enthusiasts

[Shrink]

Evening folks, it's me again! I don't know why but Gaggia's in the UK are, for some reason, hard to come by. I have, however, found this one and it has the right size portafilter (as mentioned before). It also seems like a good price £208.or $277. Thing is, is that I'm not aware of the seller? Has anyone had dealings with them before? See here; http://www.coffeeitalia.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=a-classic

And also (and please don't jump down my throat!) but this is my first result from grinding. Is this a fine grind? Can you tell from the pictures? Thanks.

View attachment 643162View attachment 643164View attachment 643165

I find it very difficult tell from pictures. If you pinch a bit of that coffee between your thumb and index finger it should compress like confectioners' sugar. Here is a quote I stole from somewhere that might be useful…

"Grinding coffee for espresso is probably the most difficult to get right. The coffee grind needs to be fine enough to increase the pressure required to push the water through the filter and create a good crema. But if the grind is too fine, the ground coffee can block the coffee filter. Generally, espresso coffee grind resembles a mixture of powdered sugar and fine beach sand. Since each espresso machine is a bit different, you may have to experiment to get the coffee grind just right (Allmann Bros Coffee)."

Here and here are two articles I found that might be of some use. The only way to really know if a grind is correct for your particular machine is by some experimentation. You should be doing some reading about the preparation of espresso.

When you pull a shot you wanted to take around 25 seconds (20-30 seconds) to either pull a single shot (~1.25 ounce) or a double (2.25-2.5 ounce). The way to judge your grind is to properly fill the portafilter (you must do some reading about this process) and do your tamp (more reading...tamp should be 30-50 pounds). Then pull your shot counting off, or timing, 25 seconds. Then measure how much coffee has been extracted by volume. If you are pulling a double shot and the volume is less than 2.25 ounces... the grind is too fine and you need to coarsen it up a tiny bit (on a grinder with, say, 40 settings–you would coarsen it up by maybe two clicks) and try again. If the resultant coffee volume was more then 2.25 ounces, you would move the grind adjuster one or two clicks for a finer grind.

What you are doing in order to pull the proper shot volume in the proper time is holding all of the other variables constant (e.g. tamp pressure, water pressure) and just adjusting the grind settings. I'm sorry to push this point so much but in a grinder with only 16 or 17 line settings, each click on the grind selector will cause such a huge change in grind fineness or coarseness that it is unlikely you'll hit the perfect setting. This is why you need a grinder with at least 30 or 40 grind settings because in making espresso you will only use about 10 settings on the finest end of the grind scale (usually designated 0-10). With a grinder with only 17 total settings you will only have perhaps 3 or four grind settings from which to choose... which means that each click of the grind setting adjuster will make too big a difference in the grind produced.

So...in short ...the only way to know if the grind is correct is to try it, time it, and adjust it.


EDIT: I just looked at the espresso machine to which you had a link. It looks fine for your purposes.

Now, spend that same money on a grinder, and get it cheaper espresso machine.

 

[0388631]

If it resembles Turkish grind, you've overdone it and you're going to have a nasty mess on your hands. I sometimes like to sprinkle Turkish coffee into my regular drip and if I do too much, it clogs up the gold filter. It took me a long time and many cleanups to fix!

Anyway, I take back what I said on the instant coffee is almost always horrible. I came across something called Medaglia D'Oro Instant Espresso Coffee at Whole Foods of all places. Now had I seen this at a regular store I'd have pondered and not bothered with it except for baking (excluding tiramisu) because actual brewed espresso messes up recipe flow sometimes. Well, at $3.29 for 2 oz, I thought why not. How bad could this be, even for its high price in relation to what you're getting.

Well,, I'll tell you. It isn't exactly fresh espresso, but it is rather good. I'm flummoxed at how I've seen this product for at least 20 years here in America and overseas and always thought it would be terrible. I mentioned in the past of my backpacking days many years ago in Europe with a friend. It wasn't exactly backpacking because it was more in line with the work we were in, so to speak. But I remember my companion, whose name I can't recall now, had what I think was this espresso in a glass jar. And would drink it with cold or hot water.

Profiteroles with espresso flavored pastry cream are in order.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Currently sipping a large mug of (freshly ground) coffee made from two different Ethiopian coffees. Yum.

 

[Shrink]

Currently sipping a large mug of (freshly ground) coffee made from two different Ethiopian coffees. Yum.

And I, too, soon to be sipping a big cup of freshly ground coffee made from three different South American beans.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

And I, too, soon to be sipping a big cup of freshly ground coffee made from three different South American beans.

Enjoy it: Are the three different South American beans from three different countries?

 

[Shrink]

Enjoy it: Are the three different South American beans from three different countries?

Thanks...enjoy yours, too.

I was mistaken. This roast has beans from Indonesia, Nicaragua, and Honduras. The bean types are Bourbon, Typico, Catuai, and Catimor.

It is a delicious dark roast blend... but not for you, I think, a bit stronger then you like.

I'm going to make up a cup now.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Thanks...enjoy yours, too.

I was mistaken. This roast has beans from Indonesia, Nicaragua, and Honduras. The bean types are Bourbon, Typico, Catuai, and Catimor.

It is a delicious dark roast blend... but not for you, I think, a bit stronger then you like.

I'm going to make up a cup now.

Enjoy it:

I find that if I have a dark roast, the 'harshness' and sharp bitterness that some dark roasts boast, mean that I feel the need to, or wish to, take it with milk (or team) and sugar. With the lighter roasts I currently drink, I can take them without sugar, and, while, in general, I like to add milk or cream, it is not necessary to do so.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Tucking in to a breakfast of eggs, blue corn tortillas, and home-roast Ethiopian coffee. Delicious!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Tucking in to a breakfast of eggs, blue corn tortillas, and home-roast Ethiopian coffee. Delicious!

Sounds delicious.

Enjoy.

And do, please, tell us a little more about the blue corn tortillas - this is not something we grew up with in our part of the world.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Sounds delicious.

Enjoy.

And do, please, tell us a little more about the blue corn tortillas - this is not something we grew up with in our part of the world.

Blue corn, something I've always really enjoyed from childhood. It is native to the Americas, a type of maize, and I believe was cultivated by the Hopi as a mainstay of their daily diet. It's nuttier and richer, has more protein and a lower glycemic index than other types of corn. I love it, especially when used in enchiladas made with winter squash and a spicy (dark spices and roasted chilies) tomato sauce. Oh my, now I'm hungry again...

 

[S.B.G]

I just wrote this piece for my website today and thought I'd share it here too since we have some new people popping in and out of the thread lately. If I got anything wrong please let me know so I can correct it.

What is Fresh Coffee

Great coffee starts with fresh beans.
If you’re looking for the freshest coffee you can get, you should purchase coffee from a coffee roaster. Look for a roasted on date written on the bag or on a sticker. This indicates the day in which the beans were roasted so you know about how fresh they are. Anything more than about 2 weeks from the roasted on date should generally be avoided.

Store the beans in an air tight container, such as a Friis Coffee Vault which has vent filters to allow CO2 to escape and prevent O2 from getting in. Keep the container in a cool dry area like a cabinet in your kitchen, but not in a freezer or refrigerator.

Grind coffee just before you brew. Coffee ground in the store or factory creates more surface area, releasing the carbon dioxide faster, thus the coffee will become stale faster.

Also never reuse your coffee grounds to make coffee. Once brewed, the desirable coffee flavors have been extracted and only the bitter ones are left.

Off gassing
As a part of the roasting process, gases develop inside the structure of the coffee bean. Upon exiting the roaster, these gases, CO2 chief among them, begin escaping the bean: “off gassing,” as it’s called. When coffee is still very fresh (say, one or two days old), the carbon dioxide off gassing that’s occurring is so rapid and volatile that it adversely affects coffee brewing.

If your coffee is fresh, you’ll experience more off gassing. If you experience more off gassing, your coffee’s extraction (a measurement of how much mass is removed from dry coffee grounds by water--basically, “how well you brewed the coffee”) will be uneven and unpredictable.

As carbon dioxide makes its effort to escape the bean, oxygen attempts to make its way in. This process, called oxidation, leads to coffee’s staling, and the general decline of its flavor. This is why I use the Friis Coffee Vault containers. 7-12 days after roasting the carbon dioxide off gassing that inhibits proper extraction has calmed down, while the staling effects of oxidation have not begun to settle in. This timetable is not hard-and-fast but is a general guideline to go by.

Why NOT to buy pre-ground coffee.
Coffee oils are very delicate, which makes them an easy victim of contamination. Whatever odors are around ground coffee will taint it in ways that will not contribute to your coffee tasting experience.

Oxygen: The cells inside the roasted coffee bean contain many different volatile aromas and flavors. Once ground the volatile aromas are immediately released and they react with oxygen in the air (oxidation). After 15 minutes the ground coffee loses about 60% of its aroma.

Moisture: Coffee oils are water-soluble. That’s a good thing or it would be very difficult trying to get the oils out of the bean. This fact however poses a great problem for ground coffee. When ground coffee is exposed to moisture in the environment it immediately starts to dilute the oils.

Carbon Dioxide Depletion: Increased surface area permits for greater carbon dioxide off gassing. During the roasting process a lot of CO2 is created. Since the bean is porous, some of it is lost during the cooling process. Much of it, however, is retained within the cells of the coffee bean. This CO2 plays an important role in that it is the primary method for getting the essential coffee oils into the coffee once they are released. The problem is that the increased surface area created after grinding permits for greater CO2 off gassing.

The Solution: always grind your coffee freshly just before brewing. Just imagine how much flavor, aroma is gone and how much staleness is present in pre-ground coffee from a factory that has been waiting to be shipped, been in transit and then placed on a store shelf for who knows how long.

I was simply stunned at how much better tasting coffee was when I first started grinding my own beans at home and brewing them immediately.

I hope this information is helpful to anyone looking for the best cup of coffee they can get.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Blue corn, something I've always really enjoyed from childhood. It is native to the Americas, a type of maize, and I believe was cultivated by the Hopi as a mainstay of their daily diet. It's nuttier and richer, has more protein and a lower glycemic index than other types of corn. I love it, especially when used in enchiladas made with winter squash and a spicy (dark spices and roasted chilies) tomato sauce. Oh my, now I'm hungry again...

Thank you - and what do they look like, or how do you prepare them?

I have to say that I am not terribly familiar with Mexican food, either, but the little I have ever had, I hugely enjoyed.
[doublepost=1470240971][/doublepost]

I just wrote this piece for my website today and thought I'd share it here too since we have some new people popping in and out of the thread lately. If I got anything wrong please let me know so I can correct it.

What is Fresh Coffee

Great coffee starts with fresh beans.
If you’re looking for the freshest coffee you can get, you should purchase coffee from a coffee roaster. Look for a roasted on date written on the bag or on a sticker. This indicates the day in which the beans were roasted so you know about how fresh they are. Anything more than about 2 weeks from the roasted on date should generally be avoided.

Store the beans in an air tight container, such as a Friis Coffee Vault which has vent filters to allow CO2 to escape and prevent O2 from getting in. Keep the container in a cool dry area like a cabinet in your kitchen, but not in a freezer or refrigerator.

Grind coffee just before you brew. Coffee ground in the store or factory creates more surface area, releasing the carbon dioxide faster, thus the coffee will become stale faster.

Also never reuse your coffee grounds to make coffee. Once brewed, the desirable coffee flavors have been extracted and only the bitter ones are left.

Off gassing
As a part of the roasting process, gases develop inside the structure of the coffee bean. Upon exiting the roaster, these gases, CO2 chief among them, begin escaping the bean: “off gassing,” as it’s called. When coffee is still very fresh (say, one or two days old), the carbon dioxide off gassing that’s occurring is so rapid and volatile that it adversely affects coffee brewing.

If your coffee is fresh, you’ll experience more off gassing. If you experience more off gassing, your coffee’s extraction (a measurement of how much mass is removed from dry coffee grounds by water--basically, “how well you brewed the coffee”) will be uneven and unpredictable.

As carbon dioxide makes its effort to escape the bean, oxygen attempts to make its way in. This process, called oxidation, leads to coffee’s staling, and the general decline of its flavor. This is why I use the Friis Coffee Vault containers. 7-12 days after roasting the carbon dioxide off gassing that inhibits proper extraction has calmed down, while the staling effects of oxidation have not begun to settle in. This timetable is not hard-and-fast but is a general guideline to go by.

Why NOT to buy pre-ground coffee.
Coffee oils are very delicate, which makes them an easy victim of contamination. Whatever odors are around ground coffee will taint it in ways that will not contribute to your coffee tasting experience.

Oxygen: The cells inside the roasted coffee bean contain many different volatile aromas and flavors. Once ground the volatile aromas are immediately released and they react with oxygen in the air (oxidation). After 15 minutes the ground coffee loses about 60% of its aroma.

Moisture: Coffee oils are water-soluble. That’s a good thing or it would be very difficult trying to get the oils out of the bean. This fact however poses a great problem for ground coffee. When ground coffee is exposed to moisture in the environment it immediately starts to dilute the oils.

Carbon Dioxide Depletion: Increased surface area permits for greater carbon dioxide off gassing. During the roasting process a lot of CO2 is created. Since the bean is porous, some of it is lost during the cooling process. Much of it, however, is retained within the cells of the coffee bean. This CO2 plays an important role in that it is the primary method for getting the essential coffee oils into the coffee once they are released. The problem is that the increased surface area created after grinding permits for greater CO2 off gassing.

The Solution: always grind your coffee freshly just before brewing. Just imagine how much flavor, aroma is gone and how much staleness is present in pre-ground coffee from a factory that has been waiting to be shipped, been in transit and then placed on a store shelf for who knows how long.

I was simply stunned at how much better tasting coffee was when I first started grinding my own beans at home and brewing them immediately.

I hope this information is helpful to anyone looking for the best cup of coffee they can get.

Great post and very well explained.

However, I will say that in some of the countries where I have worked, grinding your own is simply not an option, thus, pre-ground coffee was nectar, hard to obtain, and quite surprisingly expensive.

 

[S.B.G]

However, I will say that in some of the countries where I have worked, grinding your own is simply not an option, thus, pre-ground coffee was nectar, hard to obtain, and quite surprisingly expensive.

As @Shrink says, any port in a storm!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

As @Shrink says, any port in a storm!

Oh, heaven's, yes. Some storm, agreed.

A French Press - one of those Bodrum pots, and a few tins of LavAzza - especially the better quality ones - can cost a veritable fortune in some countries, and yes, the whimpering gratitude with which myself and some of my colleagues (not to mention my local staff) greet this largesse lets me know that it is hugely appreciated.

Moreover, I will usually leave it behind when I depart, perhaps give it to my staff - and that goes down awfully well, too.

 

[S.B.G]

Moreover, I will usually leave it behind when I depart, perhaps give it to my staff - and that goes down awfully well, too.

I have little doubt that the gratitude they express is well deserved for their hard work and that the coffee supplies left with them is a wonderful bonus too.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I have little doubt that the gratitude they express is well deserved for their hard work and that the coffee supplies left with them is a wonderful bonus too.

If it is at all possible, I tried to have morning meetings over coffee - this tended to go down awfully well, an left them with a taste for good coffee (some of them would only ever have tasted the abominable instant prior to that).

But, yes, without their dedication and hard work, I think our tasks would have ben impossible to carry out.

In some places - such as the Balkans - the coffee culture (an influence form two sources - the Ottoman Turks, and the Austrian Habsburgs) is so prevalent and so excellent that you don't need to buy any - it is readily available everywhere.

But, when you advance into the tea drinking regions of the world, then, a French Press and some tins are an absolute godsend.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Thank you - and what do they look like, or how do you prepare them?

Well, I won't go off on too much of a tangent, but I would roast an acorn or butternut squash and mix with some black beans, sauteed onion and garlic, a bit of cumin, and fresh cilantro. I would wrap the tortillas around this mix, and top with a tomato sauce. Roasted tomatoes and onion, sauteed garlic, cumin, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cocoa, blended with some reconstituted ancho, pasilla, and chipotle peppers (including the juice) and cooked into a delicious rich sauce. Bake the whole thing until bubbly, and top with fresh cilantro and cojita...

See, now I have to figure out how to clear up the drool on my keyboard...

Well, time for a cup of FP!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Well, I won't go off on too much of a tangent, but I would roast an acorn or butternut squash and mix with some black beans, sauteed onion and garlic, a bit of cumin, and fresh cilantro. I would wrap the tortillas around this mix, and top with a tomato sauce. Roasted tomatoes and onion, sauteed garlic, cumin, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cocoa, blended with some reconstituted ancho, pasilla, and chipotle peppers (including the juice) and cooked into a delicious rich sauce. Bake the whole thing until bubbly, and top with fresh cilantro and cojita...

See, now I have to figure out how to clear up the drool on my keyboard...

Well, time for a cup of FP!

Some of those other nouns are also completely new to me - 'reconstituted ancho' (I have never heard of the un-reconstituted kind, either), pasilla and so on, in that I have no idea of what they are.

Chipotle peppers - on the other hand - I have heard of, but again, have never had, or seen, or used.

Now, I know that some of this is simply the different vocabulary for vegetables or herbs we have in common - such as, your eggplant for our aubergine, zucchini, (which we call courgette), and cilantro (coriander, to us).

But, in truth, that cuisine of Mexico, and the south west of the US is truly alien to me; we don't see it, or hear of it, or come across it in Europe.

But some sort of bread - and blue corn tortilla would meet the requirement for something with starch, - fresh coffee and good scrambled eggs does sound lovely.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Some of those other nouns are also completely new to me - 'reconstituted ancho' (I have never heard of the un-reconstituted kind, either), pasilla and so on, in that I have no idea of what they are.

Chipotle peppers - on the other hand - I have heard of, but again, have never had, or seen, or used.

Now, I know that some of this is simply the different vocabulary for vegetables or herbs we have in common - such as, your eggplant for our aubergine, zucchini, (which we call courgette), and cilantro (coriander, to us).

But, in truth, that cuisine of Mexico, and the south west of the US is truly alien to me; we don't see it, or hear of it, or come across it in Europe.

But some sort of bread - and blue corn tortilla would meet the requirement for something with starch, - fresh coffee and good scrambled eggs does sound lovely.

Ahh, well ancho, pasilla, and chipotle are dried (sometimes smoked) versions of fresh peppers (poblano, chilaca, and jalapeño, respectively), hence they are reconstituted with water. They impart a dark brooding heat and add nice flavor complexity to the sauce....

 

[Shrink]

I just wrote this piece for my website today and thought I'd share it here too since we have some new people popping in and out of the thread lately. If I got anything wrong please let me know so I can correct it.

What is Fresh Coffee

Great coffee starts with fresh beans.
If you’re looking for the freshest coffee you can get, you should purchase coffee from a coffee roaster. Look for a roasted on date written on the bag or on a sticker. This indicates the day in which the beans were roasted so you know about how fresh they are. Anything more than about 2 weeks from the roasted on date should generally be avoided.

Store the beans in an air tight container, such as a Friis Coffee Vault which has vent filters to allow CO2 to escape and prevent O2 from getting in. Keep the container in a cool dry area like a cabinet in your kitchen, but not in a freezer or refrigerator.

Grind coffee just before you brew. Coffee ground in the store or factory creates more surface area, releasing the carbon dioxide faster, thus the coffee will become stale faster.

Also never reuse your coffee grounds to make coffee. Once brewed, the desirable coffee flavors have been extracted and only the bitter ones are left.

Off gassing
As a part of the roasting process, gases develop inside the structure of the coffee bean. Upon exiting the roaster, these gases, CO2 chief among them, begin escaping the bean: “off gassing,” as it’s called. When coffee is still very fresh (say, one or two days old), the carbon dioxide off gassing that’s occurring is so rapid and volatile that it adversely affects coffee brewing.

If your coffee is fresh, you’ll experience more off gassing. If you experience more off gassing, your coffee’s extraction (a measurement of how much mass is removed from dry coffee grounds by water--basically, “how well you brewed the coffee”) will be uneven and unpredictable.

As carbon dioxide makes its effort to escape the bean, oxygen attempts to make its way in. This process, called oxidation, leads to coffee’s staling, and the general decline of its flavor. This is why I use the Friis Coffee Vault containers. 7-12 days after roasting the carbon dioxide off gassing that inhibits proper extraction has calmed down, while the staling effects of oxidation have not begun to settle in. This timetable is not hard-and-fast but is a general guideline to go by.

Why NOT to buy pre-ground coffee.
Coffee oils are very delicate, which makes them an easy victim of contamination. Whatever odors are around ground coffee will taint it in ways that will not contribute to your coffee tasting experience.

Oxygen: The cells inside the roasted coffee bean contain many different volatile aromas and flavors. Once ground the volatile aromas are immediately released and they react with oxygen in the air (oxidation). After 15 minutes the ground coffee loses about 60% of its aroma.

Moisture: Coffee oils are water-soluble. That’s a good thing or it would be very difficult trying to get the oils out of the bean. This fact however poses a great problem for ground coffee. When ground coffee is exposed to moisture in the environment it immediately starts to dilute the oils.

Carbon Dioxide Depletion: Increased surface area permits for greater carbon dioxide off gassing. During the roasting process a lot of CO2 is created. Since the bean is porous, some of it is lost during the cooling process. Much of it, however, is retained within the cells of the coffee bean. This CO2 plays an important role in that it is the primary method for getting the essential coffee oils into the coffee once they are released. The problem is that the increased surface area created after grinding permits for greater CO2 off gassing.

The Solution: always grind your coffee freshly just before brewing. Just imagine how much flavor, aroma is gone and how much staleness is present in pre-ground coffee from a factory that has been waiting to be shipped, been in transit and then placed on a store shelf for who knows how long.

I was simply stunned at how much better tasting coffee was when I first started grinding my own beans at home and brewing them immediately.

I hope this information is helpful to anyone looking for the best cup of coffee they can get.

As always, an interesting and informative write up by our good friend, @SandboxGeneral.

Just a little note about off gassing... When making pour over or French press one adds a relatively small amount of water at first to allow for the bloom. During the bloom the moistened coffee seems to swell in volume, and what is happening is that the remaining gas still trapped in the whole beans, even after allowing a resting period for off gassing, is released after grinding. Then the necessary water to complete the process of brewing in a pour over or a French press is added.

(You just knew that the Incredibly Annoying Coffee Snot would have something to say...)

 

[Scepticalscribe]

As always, an interesting and informative write up by our good friend, @SandboxGeneral.

Just a little note about off gassing... When making pour over or French press one adds a relatively small amount of water at first to allow for the bloom. During the bloom the moistened coffee seems to swell in volume, and what is happening is that the remaining gas still trapped in the whole beans, even after allowing a resting period for off gassing, is released after grinding. Then the necessary water to complete the process of brewing in a pour over or a French press is added.

(You just knew that the Incredibly Annoying Coffee Snot would have something to say...)

Actually, I first came across this a few years ago, and have done it ever since when making and preparing coffee in a French Press.

 

[JamesMike]

Blue corn, something I've always really enjoyed from childhood. It is native to the Americas, a type of maize, and I believe was cultivated by the Hopi as a mainstay of their daily diet. It's nuttier and richer, has more protein and a lower glycemic index than other types of corn. I love it, especially when used in enchiladas made with winter squash and a spicy (dark spices and roasted chilies) tomato sauce. Oh my, now I'm hungry again...

Great with scrambled eggs and hot sauce.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Great with scrambled eggs and hot sauce.

And, is your recipe for 'hot sauce' similar to the one supplied earlier by @mobilehaathi?

Anyway, I think my posts are becoming a bit predictable here: What can I say - or write? A mug of Ethiopian coffee lies close to my hand as I type.
[doublepost=1470313970][/doublepost]However, I will add a thought to this.

Yesterday, Shrink mentioned his dark roast, adding that it mightn't be to my taste.

What I dislike about most coffees that are sold as 'dark roasts' is that 'harshness', the 'sharpness' of the bitter taste and the 'muddiness' that some of them have.

The Ethiopians have a 'clean', 'bright' taste, which I realise I have come to love, and a smoothness, another quality I know that I avidly seek out and look for in a coffee. So, 'clean' and 'bright' (not 'muddy') notes, along with 'smoothness' and yes, some sweetness, are what I seek out.

Funnily enough, while close to what the Ethiopians can offer, neither the Kenyan nor the Rwandan can replicate that 'sweet, smooth, clean, clear, bright' taste that I get from the Ethiopian.

Now, a smooth dark roast would find some favour with me, and a smooth, sweet dark roast, even more so.

 

[S.B.G]

The Atomic Coffee Roasters (recommended by @Shrink) Intensi Espresso blend arrived today. The smell of the coffee coming from the package, still wrapped in the USPS packing, smelled absolutely terrific! I couldn't wait to get the bag of beans open and get a better smell of it.

I let the Expobar warmup for a good long while and pulled a shot. The taste was very good too, deep and rich with very little after taste. It was roasted on the 1st of the month so it's only had 3 days to off gas. I bet it will taste a little bit better over the next couple of days too.

 

[Shrink]

The Atomic Coffee Roasters (recommended by @Shrink) Intensi Espresso blend arrived today. The smell of the coffee coming from the package, still wrapped in the USPS packing, smelled absolutely terrific! I couldn't wait to get the bag of beans open and get a better smell of it.

I let the Expobar warmup for a good long while and pulled a shot. The taste was very good too, deep and rich with very little after taste. It was roasted on the 1st of the month so it's only had 3 days to off gas. I bet it will taste a little bit better over the next couple of days too.

View attachment 643492

Well, if nothing else...it's FRESHLY roasted.

I'm glad it was OK...I hope it's even a bit better in a couple of days.