I'm having some coffee made from newly arrived beans; tasting notes said to be "chocolate cake, almonds and toasted coconut". The chocolate cake note clearly dominates.
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Espresso Enthusiasts
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I've had this Bezzera espresso machine 3 1/2 years and I love it! I'm drinking the most delicious cappuccino right now! What a great hobby.
The beans are from a farm in the Kona district of Hawaii. It's a mix of different varietals; SL34, Red Bourbon, and Kona Typica. They've been honey processed and then roasted to medium-dark.
It's been a while since I've had coffee with such a strong chocolate note.
That sounds absolutely delicious; do enjoy.
I know SL28 and SL34 (they were developed in Kenya, if I am not mistaken), and I am familiar with Red Bourbon (and its close - if different hued - relatives).
However, I don't believe that I have ever had - sipped, sampled, savoured, let alone ever even encountered - Kona Typica. It is not a bean I see in any of the coffees sold or served in even the small producers and roasteries I patronise, who sometimes come up with very unusual and rare coffees.
How would you describe - or define - it?
Kona Typica.....as I understand it.....is the name given to the localized Typica plants grown in Hawaii. When coffee plants were first imported a couple of hundred years ago, much of it was Brazilian Typica. Later on the Guatemala Typica plants became the main type of Typica plant being imported (and I gather that's still true). There's been some cross pollination over the years and now Kona Typica has become the common name for all Typica that's grown on any of the Hawaiian islands.
Of course, how it tastes depends upon how it's processed and roasted, but here's general description from one roaster 's website;
The traditional variety, Kona Typica, is responsible for the balanced, sweet, and slightly floral tasting notes of great Kona coffee. With lighter roast Kona you'll find notes of stone fruit and cocoa butter, whereas dark roasted Kona will result in a more chocolatey and nutty cup.
Other varietals are grown as well, and so tasting notes for Hawaiian coffee can vary quite a bit.
How accurate does it have to be for Sylvia to be happy?
I suspect that the inexpensive kitchen scale I use, while ok for making pour-over coffee, it won't give as precise a measurement as you'll want......so I won't mention it by name.
My recommendation is to search on Amazon for "scales for making espresso".
When I do that search, I see lots of choices......likely choices seem to be 2 to 3 times what I paid, and they have read-outs in fractions of grams instead of rounded off to the nearest gram
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Decided to try our old Moka coffee pot. Couldn't find it, searched everywhere it wasn't*. Ended up giving up and wandered down to the local mercery shop (they sell cooking stuff as well as textiles) to get a new one.
First attempt was a messy disaster. Coffee splurted everywhere. Cleaned up before before my beloved caught me.
Watched a couple of YouTube videos on how to do it properly.
Things to take away --
* I know this, because it wasn't there...
First attempt was a messy disaster. Coffee splurted everywhere. Cleaned up before before my beloved caught me.
Watched a couple of YouTube videos on how to do it properly.
Things to take away --
- Use a coarser grind.
- Start with water that has just boiled.
- Watch the pot with the lid open.
- Use gentle heat, and take off the heat once the coffee starts to come out.
- Put an aeropress filter over the bottom of pot to filter out all the fines.
* I know this, because it wasn't there...
A tired afternoon, and I forgot to put in the basket in the portafilter 🤯
Some things happened 💥 and I woke up anyway.
But I must say it all turned our well anyway, and I filtered the espresso from the grains.
The 2nd double espresso turned out better.
Ah, well, some days...you all know.
Some things happened 💥 and I woke up anyway.
But I must say it all turned our well anyway, and I filtered the espresso from the grains.
The 2nd double espresso turned out better.
Ah, well, some days...you all know.
I still have my Moka pot somewhere. I forget the brand, but it's more round and bulbous than the typical octagonal one — looks more like a stainless steel snowman or something. I only use it nowadays if I want to make a little espresso for something like an affogato or tiramisu, but I've always been pretty adept at getting the right grind and temperature on it. For day to day use, all the prep and clean-up aren't really worth it for me.
Acaia Lunar. About $250. Displays both extraction time and extraction mass, simultaneously.
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We’ve all had moments like those! I’ve used my machine so many times that I can make an espresso while in a coma... which is pretty much my state when I make my first drink of the morning.
Went to one website which lists it at $50 and also at $250. https://www.voltagerestaurantsupply...tagerestaurantsupply&utm_content=All Products
$50 seems more in line with the nicer scales that do time and weight. I wonder what $250 gives you. I'll take a look, but wouldn't consider spending that much. Thanks for the input; gives me something to think about.
What do you mean, “extraction mass”? All scales measure weight; you you talking about something else?
I thought the benefit of the Acaia is if you use a Decent, it has a Bluetooth connection that lets the espresso machine regulate the flow based on how much lands in the cup. But that feature requires a special espresso machine, and the Acaia is otherwise not very different from a $50 scale like the Timemore.
Gram is a measure of mass, so that leads to some confusion when a scale gives gram readings. But, you're right, we only measure weight with these scales, so "gram" is being misused. At the top of a mountain the scale would suggest there are less grams than it would at sea level, but the mass didn't really change. I wonder what the norm is for expressing weight in countries that use the metric system. "Newtons" works, but I never hear anyone use that - "I dropped a whole newton just by eating less Fig Newtons."
Thanks for that extra info.
Okay; I was just a little confused because there are so many complicated things people do with espresso making these days.
I’ve had a Timemore scale for 3 years now and it works very well. Not over-complicated; you can trigger it to start a timer as soon as it detects a drop hitting the cup. I use that feature every time. It’s well built and holds a charge for a few weeks at a time.
I must admit I am impressed at how well wet coffee grains can distribute themselves all over your kitchen, and in the process find little nooks and crannies that are nigh impossible to clean out.
My solution for times like that is the coffee pod machine. The worst that can happen if you forget the coffee pod is a cup of hot water.
But, - to my mind, breaking out the moka pot is a lovely (occasional) week-end treat.
Enjoyed a coffee (and brunch - poached eggs, pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, a seasonal fruit smoothie, sparkling water and a most pleasant flat white coffee) in the same quite lovely Regency spot where I enjoyed a coffee (and brunch) last week.
Only the company (equally agreeable) differed from last week.
Then, I repaired to the French bakery, where I bought French bread, and another coffee.
Only the company (equally agreeable) differed from last week.
Then, I repaired to the French bakery, where I bought French bread, and another coffee.
Enjoyed a most pleasant coffee from Burundi, served with organic hot milk.
We live in different worlds. I had my morning espresso with a day-old croissant I found sitting abandoned on the kitchen counter.
Indeed, a trusty mug of black gold from a drip coffee machine today with rye toast.
That was yesterday - most days, I sip and savour my coffee at home.
Re day old croissants, there is nothing whatsoever wrong with them; heated in the oven on an occasional morning (well, afternoon) Sunday, slathered with butter (and good quality French jam, or some cheese) with a steaming mug of coffee to hand, is something approaching bliss.....
I find it an especially agreeable breakfast (er, brunch) in summer.