Espresso Enthusiasts

[Macky-Mac]

So I have question - I wish I could start a thread for it, but I doubt that’s appropriate since there is already this thread.

How do you make your espresso?

I have a Gaggia super automatic because I’m basically somewhat lazy and want a lungo at the push of a button (to which I add grass-fed heavy cream and a little sugar, so basically a coffee). I do love a cappuccino as well, so I often have one of those for my second cup. I recently started roasting my own organic beans - I LOVE Ethiopian beans with citrus notes.

I ordered a Breville Barista Express, but honestly, not sure I’m up to the task and considering returning it. I know I COULD do it - just not sure I feel like all that work prior to having coffee. Lol

Before I do, I just wanted to ask what others use for making their espresso/coffee.

you roast your own beans......I'm thinking that actually disqualifies you from being "basically somewhat lazy". Plus you already have good gear and are about to receive another fine (and not cheap) espresso device.

How does a real "basically lazy" person make espresso? They tell a barista what they want and then take a seat at a table outside and relax until the espresso appears......well, that's how I do it anyway

 

[Scepticalscribe]

One of the coffees I most enjoy during the week is the coffee I consume on a Sunday, which is - almost invariably - a nice, relaxed, ruminative coffee.

Anyway, I greatly enjoyed a coffee from El Salvador today.

 

[ssledoux]

you roast your own beans......I'm thinking that actually disqualifies you from being "basically somewhat lazy". Plus you already have good gear and are about to receive another fine (and not cheap) espresso device.

How does a real "basically lazy" person make espresso? They tell a barista what they want and then take a seat at a table outside and relax until the espresso appears......well, that's how I do it anyway

I guess the thing is, roasting beans is a 15-20 min process once a week or 10 days, and I can do it when I feel like doing it.

The actual making of my cappuccino or americano, or whatever coffee is first thing in the morning when I don’t feel like doing anything til I have a cup of coffee. 😛

With the gaggia, I turn it on, and about 1 minute later, push a button and have a lungo shot to which I can add some heavy cream and a little sugar, OR I can froth milk for a cappuccino if I feel like it. I am just not positive I’m up to the task of doing what the Breville requires - hoping some owners will chime in!

 

[adrianlondon]

I’m going to dilute (hah!) this thread a little, although there’s still espresso content.

This concoction, which was absolutely delicious despite turning a double espresso into something unrecognisable, is a salted sakura cream caffe latte.

In, and I make no apology for this, a Starbucks.

A “Starbucks Reserve Roastery” no less, in Tokyo. Arabica beans being opened, poured and conveyor-belted into a roasting vat in front of our very eyes. It was an experience. A very interesting experience.

Which, no doubt counter intuitively to their marketing department, makes ordinary Starbucks even less appealing than before.

 

[Lioness~]

I guess the thing is, roasting beans is a 15-20 min process once a week or 10 days, and I can do it when I feel like doing it.

The actual making of my cappuccino or americano, or whatever coffee is first thing in the morning when I don’t feel like doing anything til I have a cup of coffee. 😛

With the gaggia, I turn it on, and about 1 minute later, push a button and have a lungo shot to which I can add some heavy cream and a little sugar, OR I can froth milk for a cappuccino if I feel like it. I am just not positive I’m up to the task of doing what the Breville requires - hoping some owners will chime in!

It’s been going up and down here, regarding the tiredness or lack of focus required, especially in the mornings, before the espresso, in order to make the espresso, since I bought the Sage/Breville.
But I must say that continuous repetitive practices creates habits just like any other habits.

When we break the cycle of habits it takes more to get into it again, so people do your espresso every day, because you shouldn’t miss that streak, almost no matter what. 😁
I had a moment of dip in the joy of this machine when I cleaned it the first time though, absolutely. But I might get used to it. In retrospect it wasn’t that hard, just different than my earlier Siemens.

Then @mtbdudex was kindly to simplifying the cleaning process for me afterwards, and it seemed not so difficult anymore.

Sipping on a wonderful espresso at the moment - worthy of all the labour ♥️

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I finished the coffee from El Salvador today.

However, while it is high time to start perusing and browsing coffee sites (any thoughts on Rwandan coffees?), I still have some coffee from Ethiopia left.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Enjoyed an Ethiopian coffee with organic hot milk this afternoon.

 

[Macky-Mac]

I finished the coffee from El Salvador today.

However, while it is high time to start perusing and browsing coffee sites (any thoughts on Rwandan coffees?), I still have some coffee from Ethiopia left.

Rwanda produces excellent coffee. I'm under the impression that most of it is Bourbon....bright, fruity, clean....very enjoyable.

I'm starting to look towards ordering next month's coffee myself. The current packages have reached the point where they're no longer so satisfyingly full.

 

[Macky-Mac]

...
The actual making of my cappuccino or americano, or whatever coffee is first thing in the morning when I don’t feel like doing anything til I have a cup of coffee. 😛
....

I fully understand that situation.

I've switched from making espresso in the morning to pour-over coffee.....and despite being an easy and forgiving process, I occasionally manage to mess that up. I'll realize I've mucked things up when I start the grinder and notice that the container for the ground coffee is elsewhere on the counter instead of where it should be below the output of the grinder.

Some days I just need a cup of coffee before I can make a cup of coffee

 

[decafjava]

I fully understand that situation.

I've switched from making espresso in the morning to pour-over coffee.....and despite being an easy and forgiving process, I occasionally manage to mess that up. I'll realize I've mucked things up when I start the grinder and notice that the container for the ground coffee is elsewhere on the counter instead of where it should be below the output of the grinder.

Some days I just need a cup of coffee before I can make a cup of coffee

This is why coffee shops exist.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I fully understand that situation.

I've switched from making espresso in the morning to pour-over coffee.....and despite being an easy and forgiving process, I occasionally manage to mess that up. I'll realize I've mucked things up when I start the grinder and notice that the container for the ground coffee is elsewhere on the counter instead of where it should be below the output of the grinder.

Pour over is probably the least challenging (or most forgiving) method of brewing, or preparing, coffee, and is my to-go method most mornings.

French Press is for when I have guests, and my moka pot gets an airing - sometimes - at week-ends.

Some days I just need a cup of coffee before I can make a cup of coffee

Amen to that.

A passionate and profound and heartfelt amen to that.

You said it, mate.

This is exactly my position, as well.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

My coffee from El Salvador is finished, and my coffee from Ethiopia is dwindling rapidly.

Hence, I have just now placed an order to replenish my supply (supplies?) of coffee.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Rwanda produces excellent coffee. I'm under the impression that most of it is Bourbon....bright, fruity, clean....very enjoyable.

I'm staring to look towards ordering next month's coffee myself. The current packages have reached the point where they're no longer so satisfyingly full.

Yes, you're absolutely right; most of the coffees from Rwanda that I have seen are Bourbon.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It is also high time - past high time - to invest in a Chemex pot.....

 

[Lioness~]

I fully understand that situation.

I've switched from making espresso in the morning to pour-over coffee.....and despite being an easy and forgiving process, I occasionally manage to mess that up. I'll realize I've mucked things up when I start the grinder and notice that the container for the ground coffee is elsewhere on the counter instead of where it should be below the output of the grinder.

Some days I just need a cup of coffee before I can make a cup of coffee

Buy some caffeine tablets, they can be helpful at 😴 times.

 

[Madhatter32]

It was early in the morning. I was still half asleep. Made my morning coffee and was holding the carafe. Begin to pour and closed my eyes to enjoy the aroma. With my eyes closed, i detected a strange sound -- like a very small waterfall or something. Never mind, it's nothing I thought. A few moments later, I opened my eyes. THE HORROR. I missed my mug and irrigated my rug with the finest Hawaiian Peaberry coffee in my possession. The next 15 minutes was cleanup ... and then I started again. This time awake.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It was early in the morning. I was still half asleep. Made my morning coffee and was holding the carafe. Begin to pour and closed my eyes to enjoy the aroma. With my eyes closed, i detected a strange sound -- like a very small waterfall or something. Never mind, it's nothing I thought. A few moments later, I opened my eyes. THE HORROR. I missed my mug and irrigated my rug with the finest Hawaiian Peaberry coffee in my possession. The next 15 minutes was cleanup ... and then I started again. This time awake.

Commiserations.

You have my most profound sympathies.

However, (and I write as someone who has worn spectacles since the age of seven, so stuff to do with eyes, open or shut, let alone the whole vista of vision is not unknown to me), might I suggest that this idea of closing one's eyes, even if only to savour and enjoy the sublime aroma (at least, until after the coffee has been successfully poured) runs the risk of......well......seriously spoiling things.....

 

[Madhatter32]

Commiserations.

You have my most profound sympathies.

However, (and I write as someone who has worn spectacles since the age of seven, so stuff to do with eyes, open or shut, let alone the whole vista of vision is not unknown to me), might I suggest that this idea of closing one's eyes, even if only to savour and enjoy the sublime aroma (at least, until after the coffee has been successfully poured) runs the risk of......well......seriously spoiling things.....

Indeed, very risky. I'm considering changing personal life mantra to "eyes wide open."

 

[Lioness~]

It was early in the morning. I was still half asleep. Made my morning coffee and was holding the carafe. Begin to pour and closed my eyes to enjoy the aroma. With my eyes closed, i detected a strange sound -- like a very small waterfall or something. Never mind, it's nothing I thought. A few moments later, I opened my eyes. THE HORROR. I missed my mug and irrigated my rug with the finest Hawaiian Peaberry coffee in my possession. The next 15 minutes was cleanup ... and then I started again. This time awake.

This is why I have KleanKanteen mugs - they don't break at least.
It's enough to clean up the wasted espresso, when not been awake enough to manage the balancing and staying awake enough to get it back to the bed to enjoy.

 

[Madhatter32]

This is why I have KleanKanteen mugs - they don't break at least.
It's enough to clean up the wasted espresso, when not been awake enough to manage the balancing and staying awake enough to get it back to the bed to enjoy.

Love my KleanKanteen too. I didn't think to use it in the house though. Now I just have to figure out how to remove coffee stains from a rug.

 

[quagmire]

So I did my first real medium clean of the Breville( I would call the descaling and group head clean tablet as deep clean).

Machine was cleaner than I would think after one month now.

My normal cleaning routine was obviously clean the portafilter, basket, milk jug, and wipe down the group head after every brew. Once a tank, I would use the group head cleaning mode without the tablet to just go through backflushing the machine with just water and then clean out the tray.

Today I unscrewed the group head and took it off and the backside was definitely dirty with coffee oils and grime and put it in a water bath with cafiza to soak. But honestly, looked like just soap and water could have cleaned it by how quickly it came off. I went to pop off the plastic bottom piece out of the portafilter to clean the bottom metal part and it was practically still clean! Some coffee residue still, but not as bad as I have seen when watching youtubers who recommend once a month to do it. But they must be extremely heavy users.

Then cleaned out the steam wand and grinder.

 

[ssledoux]

Pour over is probably the least challenging (or most forgiving) method of brewing, or preparing, coffee, and is my to-go method most mornings.

French Press is for when I have guests, and my moka pot gets an airing - sometimes - at week-ends.

Amen to that.

A passionate and profound and heartfelt amen to that.

You said it, mate.

This is exactly my position, as well.

Okay let’s talk about pour over, because that is something I’ve considered doing regularly after reading it is really the best, cleanest brew since the filters filter out most of the diterpenes, while retaining the polyphenols (okay I know it’s not probably the thing a lot of folks care about, but since I put this in my body every, single day, I’d like it to be as good as it can be).

That being said, if I do a good espresso shot with some grass-fed milk froth, I am good with no sugar, but if I do coffee, I like a little sugar and heavy cream.

So I’m struggilng to decide whether I want to replace my superautomatic with a better superautomatic so I can get a good froth and make cappuccinos daily, or go to a pour over.

The struggle is real folks. ;-p

 

[avro707]

wet and cold outside again today.....I'm losing track of how many coffees I've had today

Yes, windy and cool here as well, probably would have rained if I decided to ride a bicycle outside so I didn't. Need a coffee. Off to grind some beans now and make one. Coffee machine got switched on at 5am so it's well ready to go.

 

[quagmire]

So I am being resupplied today. Same espresso beans, but I am changing out my drip coffee with that Papua New Guinea coffee the roaster sent a sample of.

But first latte since the cleaning of the machine and boy did removing the oil from the group head make a giant difference in taste! Just shows as always, maintenance matters!

 

[mtbdudex]

After going thru 2 bags of “Brazil” roast, back to the Lavazza roast.
Been so busy at work, got past 4/15 tax day in USA .. the weekend is here!!