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Espresso Enthusiasts

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
SandboxGeneral said:
In some private conversations over the weekend with @Shrink it was declared that in relation to coffee criticism I am officially insane! Apparently that ship sailed long ago and since he's the guy who gets to decide who is and who isn't insane, I can take it to the bank!

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Very long ago, indeed.

But, enjoy the journey....

Shrink said:
Oh, yes, dear boy, you joined many of us in the Land of Coffee Insanity long ago. You are, indeed, among the lost souls.

BTW...my Atomic order of beans has arrived! As I will run out of my old order today...this is a positive event of biblical proportions!:eek::D
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Ah, excellent news that your Atomic Roast arrived today; had it not, I can imagine the exquisite torture of awaiting the post tomorrow, and - depending on whether that yielded a positive result - feeling obliged, or compelled to start rationing the remaining the coffee until Wednesday.

Such trials and tribulations are not to be borne......
 
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tadad1 said:
It appears to be a rebranded Breville Barista Express.

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From the sound of my meticulously weighed 18.5 grams of freshly double roasted beans falling into the hopper, the heady aroma of said beans as they are transmuted to an extremely desirable form, the muscle memory invoked tamp, the giddy gleeful extraction that never fails to put me into a wide eyed trancelike state of euphoria to the first and last sinful sip of the resulting nectar this machine has not once let me down in just short of 2 years.

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Is it the best machine available? No. However its a great starter for the budding home barista and at its price point offers enough temperature, dose and grind adjustments to allow shot tailoring. Its sturdy build, compact all in one design, small footprint and simple user interface make it cost effective, comfortable, easy and convenient to use.

It is quick to come to temperature, delivers consistent results although may require small adjustments between different beans, roasts and levels of bean freshness. It froths adequately enough to partake in a little latte art should the whim catch you and has never once run out of steam on me.

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Other than a wipe down after use, a flush when she tells me (about once a month) and because of our hard water supply I follow with a purge of white vinegar to remove any possible scale buildup very little maintenance has been required to keep it in pristine condition.

In all honesty I have no regrets with this machine however after all that I am currently at a point where I am considering an upgrade to something a little more classical. Something a little more powerful. Something much more curvaceous and whole lot more shiny. Something undoubtably far more expensive.

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Sorry for the late reply. Been at work all day. Thanks for a great little review there! Sounds like you've got your money's worth out of this machine. Good look with your upgrade.
 
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Bliss. A fine swag found on my doorstep upon arrival home this afternoon.
 
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i, too, just received in order of my favorite beans. Mine were pre-roasted - but that's the way it has to be now. Opening that bag releases a scent so heavenly it practically makes you giddy.

I had my first cup of coffee this morning which was a delight. A second cup of bit later of the second of the two blends that I bought.

I wish a good morning, a good afternoon, and a good evening to all the coffee maniacs.
 
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Shrink said:
i, too, just received in order of my favorite beans. Mine were pre-roasted - but that's the way it has to be now. Opening that bag releases a scent so heavenly it practically makes you giddy.

I had my first cup of coffee this morning which was a delight. A second cup of bit later of the second of the two blends that I bought.

I wish a good morning, a good afternoon, and a good evening to all the coffee maniacs.
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Thank you, and may I return the compliment.

Meanwhile, today, I had two double espressos in the rather nice, tasteful, coffee shop that is beside the offices where my brother works. I hadn't been there for almost a year, yet the lovely Japanese lady who runs it remembered that I usually ordered a double espresso. Now, that is service.

Until today, she hadn't known that my brother and I are siblings (she kept muttering 'you are not alike' but she was thrilled with the discovery). In any case, as my brother goes there almost every day for tea or coffee, I think that my double espresso - already remembered effortlessly - will become indelibly etched in her memory.
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
Thank you, and may I return the compliment.

Meanwhile, today, I had two double espressos in the rather nice, tasteful, coffee shop that is beside the offices where my brother works. I hadn't been there for almost a year, yet the lovely Japanese lady who runs it remembered that I usually ordered a double espresso. Now, that is service.

Until today, she hadn't know that my brother and I are siblings (she kept muttering 'you are not alike' but she was thrilled with the discovery). In any case, as my brother goes there almost every day for tea or coffee, I think that my double espresso - already remembered effortlessly - will become indelibly etched in her memory.
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That is what is wonderful about a small, non-chain, coffee shop... the personal knowledge of the customers. It was like, back in the day, a local bookstore where you were known, and could hang around and browse for hours.

Most of it now lost to huge, impersonal chain stores (or even more impersonal websites).
 
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Shrink said:
That is what is wonderful about a small, non-chain, coffee shop... the personal knowledge of the customers. It was like, back in the day, a local bookstore where you were known, and could hang around and browse for hours.

Most of it now lost to huge, impersonal chain stores (or even more impersonal websites).
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Agree completely on the superior service - and often - superlative coffee (not to mention an attractive atmosphere and a welcoming ambience) that you will frequently find in the smaller, independent coffee shops. But then, they tend to be run by enthusiasts, and that makes a significant difference to what they do and how they choose to do it.
 
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Shrink said:
i, too, just received in order of my favorite beans. Mine were pre-roasted - but that's the way it has to be now. Opening that bag releases a scent so heavenly it practically makes you giddy.

I had my first cup of coffee this morning which was a delight. A second cup of bit later of the second of the two blends that I bought.

I wish a good morning, a good afternoon, and a good evening to all the coffee maniacs.
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So you managed to get your last lot of beans to last then.
Glad the rationing has ended!

If I ever run out of tea I'm not sure what I'd do!
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
The Yirgacheffe I recognise (probably my favourite); what are the other two?

Anyway, enjoy your beans and your coffee.
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Indonesian Sumatra Mandheling. Often described as having a rich complex full body that lingers on the palate with tones of sweet chocolate and licorice. It's unique taste is said to be due to the rich volcanic soil in which it grows and the local milling process "Giling Basah" which involves hulling the bean while still at a rather high 50% moisture content (as apposed to the 10-12% of most other processes) which gives the green beans a signature darker colour.

The first bean I roasted. I recall gleefully throwing a handful into a pan and shake, rattle and rolling over a gas flame until the start of second crack. As crude a method as it was the aroma of the grind, the syrupy thick crema, the spicy nose of that first double shot and delightful lingering licorice aftertaste sealed our friendship.

The Timorese bean or Tim Tim is a new one for me chosen out of curiosity. The only one of its kind it is a naturally occurring interspecies hybrid of arabica and robusta first discovered growing on the island of Timor in the 1940s. Describe as having a medium to full body with an expansive taste and vibrant yet low-toned acidity. I am keen to try a few different roasts and see how it fairs a a single origin or in a blend.
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
The sentence "Coffee. Ethiopian. Hot." is still valid.

Am currently at home sipping a mug (a mug of organgey schmorangey crockery stoneware that was cast, fired, made, marketed and sold by a well known French manufacturer of such classics of the kitchen), of coffee from Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia. And quite lovely it is, too.
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Is not "Coffee. Ethiopia. Hot." 3 sentences?
 
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Talking of sentences – can you make sense of this one?

James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher.
 
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Dave Meadows said:
Is not "Coffee. Ethiopia. Hot." 3 sentences?
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I think you have missed the relevance - or significance - of this quote.

Or rather, that it is a thread appropriate - and indeed, personally apt - signature sentence - with a venerable ancestry suitably amended.

That is, suitably amended for my tastes and this thread, of course.
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
I think you have missed the relevance - or significance - of this quote.

Or rather, that it is a thread appropriate - and indeed, personally apt - signature sentence - with a venerable ancestry suitably amended.

That is,suitably amended for my tastes and this thread, of course.
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Of course. I did know what you meant. As for my little teaser;

The example refers to two students, James and John, who are required by an English test to describe a man who, in the past, had suffered from a cold. John writes "The man had a cold," which the teacher marks as being incorrect, while James writes the correct "The man had had a cold." Since James' answer was right, it had had a better effect on the teacher.
The sentence can be understood more clearly by adding punctuation and emphasis:
James, while John had had "had", had had "had had"; "had had" had had a better effect on the teacher.

Yes, well, ok. Back on thread. My new espresso machine is being delivered today and I have to say I'm exited!
 
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The other day I placed an order for the "Diesel" blend and should receive it by Friday or Saturday I think.

Just now I placed an order for more "French Roast" and because of @Scepticalscribe always talking about the Ethiopian coffee that she loves I decided to order some of that too. I don't think I've ever tried Ethiopian coffee before.

All of these orders I placed are from the Atomic Roasters and the Ethiopian coffee I selected looks like the one I might enjoy the best of their 3 Ethiopian offerings. This one will be used in French Press and not espresso.
Capture.PNG
 
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SandboxGeneral said:
The other day I placed an order for the "Diesel" blend and should receive it by Friday or Saturday I think.

Just now I placed an order for more "French Roast" and because of @Scepticalscribe always talking about the Ethiopian coffee that she loves I decided to order some of that too. I don't think I've ever tried Ethiopian coffee before.

All of these orders I placed are from the Atomic Roasters and the Ethiopian coffee I selected looks like the one I might enjoy the best of their 3 Ethiopian offerings. This one will be used in French Press and not espresso.
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Yes, I'd recommend French Press (or the dripper method) for Ethiopian coffee.

As you are used to fairly strong coffee, I would suggest that you make the Ethiopian coffee a bit stronger than you would usually when using other beans (or blends). This is because Ethiopian coffee tends to be lightly roasted, and, thus, to some people, might come across as a bit insipid, especially if they have been used to 'strong' roasts, and full bodied coffees.

Personally, I like the 'clean, clear, bright smooth' notes of Ethiopian coffees, (and, so, it appears, does our friend @Kurwenal, who has written highly of Ethiopian coffee) but not everyone does.

Enjoy your coffees.
 
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SandboxGeneral said:
The other day I placed an order for the "Diesel" blend and should receive it by Friday or Saturday I think.

Just now I placed an order for more "French Roast" and because of @Scepticalscribe always talking about the Ethiopian coffee that she loves I decided to order some of that too. I don't think I've ever tried Ethiopian coffee before.

All of these orders I placed are from the Atomic Roasters and the Ethiopian coffee I selected looks like the one I might enjoy the best of their 3 Ethiopian offerings. This one will be used in French Press and not espresso.
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I tend to prefer my Ethiopian coffee as pour over, but if is roasted towards FC+ it can make a nice press pot too. If it's too lightly roasted though FP may not be the best choice.
 
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SandboxGeneral said:
Good idea and thanks for the recommendation, I shall be sure to do that.
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For example, I stayed with my brother this week - and there is coffee in his house which I had bought quite some time ago. (I'm the coffee drinker - not him, and the coffee is suffered in his cupboard on my account for when I stay).

Anyway, I had forgotten that it wasn't Ethiopian, and heaped in several dessertspoons to produce something hair-raisingly strong; so, an extra dessertspoon or two for Ethiopian coffee, and, if you are used to Ethiopian coffee, as I am, maybe reduce (note to self for the future) the amount you use for other coffees.........
 
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