Espresso Enthusiasts

[Shrink]

I expect that we shall have to step into that particular breach and help you through this trying and testing time; after all, you can hardly be expected to offer counselling to your suffering self, now, can you?

Fear not, faithful friend. We are there for you, in your hour of need, one and all......espresso enthusiasts to the rescue....

Ahh, knowing that the wonderful support is out there for me certainly keeps me from considering...ah...drastic measures!

My virtual espresso family truly understands the horrible, soul killing pain of this delay!

You are my strength...

 

[tetrabear]

Hario

This one is a good grinder:
http://www.hario.jp/coffee/grinder.html

 

[Shrink]

This one is a good grinder:
http://www.hario.jp/coffee/grinder.html

Thanks for bringing these hand grinders to our attention😀

A few questions...

Have you used any of the grinders displayed on the page?

With what coffee production method do you use the grinder...espresso?..drip?... press?

Is the adjustment fine enough to be used with espresso?

If you feel like it, I would love to hear a bit about your experience with the grinders.😀

 

[S.B.G]

Ahh, knowing that the wonderful support is out there for me certainly keeps me from considering...ah...drastic measures!

My virtual espresso family truly understands the horrible, soul killing pain of this delay!

You are my strength...

We're here for you buddy! Keep your chin up and before you know it, it will be here (there). 🙂

 

[Shrink]

We're here for you buddy! Keep your chin up and before you know it, it will be here (there). 🙂

You're a rock!

So good to know I'm not....(***sniffle***)...alone in this time of need!

 

[tetrabear]

Thanks for bringing these hand grinders to our attention😀

A few questions...

Have you used any of the grinders displayed on the page?

With what coffee production method do you use the grinder...espresso?..drip?... press?

Is the adjustment fine enough to be used with espresso?

If you feel like it, I would love to hear a bit about your experience with the grinders.😀

I use it for filter coffee but it got finer settings for espresso as well.
I have a better link:
http://shop.squaremilecoffee.com/products/skerton-hand-grinder

It is a bit of a workout though! 😉

 

[mobilehaathi]

Thanks for bringing these hand grinders to our attention😀

A few questions...

Have you used any of the grinders displayed on the page?

With what coffee production method do you use the grinder...espresso?..drip?... press?

Is the adjustment fine enough to be used with espresso?

If you feel like it, I would love to hear a bit about your experience with the grinders.😀

Well I happen to keep the MSS-1B at work to use with my press. It works quite well for that method. I'm not too sure it can go fine enough for espresso though.

 

[Shrink]

I use it for filter coffee but it got finer settings for espresso as well.
I have a better link:
http://shop.squaremilecoffee.com/products/skerton-hand-grinder

It is a bit of a workout though! 😉

I know...I use a hand grinder, too!😛

Well I happen to keep the MSS-1B at work to use with my press. It works quite well for that method. I'm not too sure it can go fine enough for espresso though.

Certainly makes sense. For press, and maybe drip and filter it would be fine, but a bit limited in available adjustments for espresso. Looks great for office, travel, away from home stuff.

It's nifty looking, too...😀

 

[takeshi74]

One part in the Starbucks segment which caught my attention was how it was revealed (not that it's a big secret) is how the "barista's" do not grind, tamp or extract the espresso they make. They apparently use super-automatic machines and all they do is press a button. That takes all the fun out of it and removes the magic and ambiance from the coffee shop.

SB has PBTC's, not baristas. If one wants to be a barista then Starbucks is the wrong place to work. The one advantage to their superautos is that it does improve consistency which is really what many of these large chains (in any line of business) strive for. Granted, it's consistently mediocre to poor but it's consistent and their countless customers are just fine with it.

I'm not really convinced that their ambiance or magic was any better when La Marzocco Lineas and Mazzers were their standard gear. Seems pretty much the same to me. Besides, if they had not switched I wouldn't have my Super Jolly (for something ridiculous like $120). It was a Starbucks decaf grinder in its previous life.

 

[Shrink]

SB has PBTC's, not baristas. If one wants to be a barista then Starbucks is the wrong place to work. The one advantage to their superautos is that it does improve consistency which is really what many of these large chains (in any line of business) strive for. Granted, it's consistently mediocre to poor but it's consistent and their countless customers are just fine with it.

Great, succinct, and spot on post!😀

You can have the best equipment in the world...crap beans in, crap coffee out.

 

[appleii.c]

I hope you guys don't mind me jumping in here on this old-ish thread. But as a fairly inexperienced espresso fanatic myself, I was looking for some decent recommendations for some everyday espresso. I've tried a few different common ones, the Lavazza, Illy etc. , but I'm curious as to what your go-to everyday brand preference is. Starbucks is obviously terrible... shouldn't even be called espresso, but I'm looking for something that wont break the bank drinking every day like the Illy. Have you guys tried Bustelo? Or Pilon? I think for the money they are pretty decent.

 

[Shrink]

I hope you guys don't mind me jumping in here on this old-ish thread. But as a fairly inexperienced espresso fanatic myself, I was looking for some decent recommendations for some everyday espresso. I've tried a few different common ones, the Lavazza, Illy etc. , but I'm curious as to what your go-to everyday brand preference is. Starbucks is obviously terrible... shouldn't even be called espresso, but I'm looking for something that wont break the bank drinking every day like the Illy. Have you guys tried Bustelo? Or Pilon? I think for the money they are pretty decent.

First....WELCOME!😀

We enjoy all new posters, so please don't apologize...it's great to have you with us. It's an old, but very active thread with a bunch of friendly, welcoming, and pathologically obsessed coffee freaks.😛

Since I roast my own, I can't be of much help. But I guarantee that there will be others along more than happy to make suggestions about affordable coffees.🙂

 

[tbayrgs]

I hope you guys don't mind me jumping in here on this old-ish thread. But as a fairly inexperienced espresso fanatic myself, I was looking for some decent recommendations for some everyday espresso. I've tried a few different common ones, the Lavazza, Illy etc. , but I'm curious as to what your go-to everyday brand preference is. Starbucks is obviously terrible... shouldn't even be called espresso, but I'm looking for something that wont break the bank drinking every day like the Illy. Have you guys tried Bustelo? Or Pilon? I think for the money they are pretty decent.

First, welcome. As with many things in life, the more, the merrier. 😀

Second, Shrink offered very timely advice in the post immediately above yours, namely...

You can have the best equipment in the world...crap beans in, crap coffee out.

The best coffee for espresso starts with freshly roasted beans (generally less than 2 weeks since roasting), ground with a machine/device capable of producing a rather fine particle of as consistent a size as possible and brewed in a machine capable of pushing water within a specific temperature range through those packed grinds at about 9 bars of pressure. But as Shrink so succinctly stated, if you start with bad coffee, the best equipment in the world will not be able to turn it into great (or even good) espresso.

The coffee you've referenced will most likely have been roasted much longer than 2 weeks prior, and if already ground, will never produce a quality cup, no matter how old (or young). In my experience, they are generally also over roasted and very oily.

Best place to start would be at a roaster local to you. Also, there are many, many good roasters who sell their product online. Yes, it will likely be more expensive than the stuff you'll pick up at your local retail market or Starbucks but not ridiculously more and the difference in quality will astound you.

 

[Kurwenal]

Good morning. And it is. SM Liquid Amber, roasted three days ago in my Hot Top, taken into "rolling second crack," then rested for three days and opened this morning. Very, very nice. I may drink 3 or 4 of these this morning.

As always, when I get anything 8 or above, I have to take a picture so I will remember it.

but I'm curious as to what your go-to everyday brand preference is.

I roast my own, mostly, but I also regularly buy roasted beans just to see what's out there. My first suggestion is to find a local roaster, someone you can get to know and, in that way, be sure you are getting the freshest beans.

If that is not an option, then any of the following are easily recommended:

Red Bird Espresso.

Blue Bottle Retrofit.

Stumptown Hair Bender.

Each of these sources will get you the highest quality beans within a day or two of the roast. I don't believe any of the other options you mentioned are even close to that standard of freshness.

 

[Shrink]

Good morning. And it is. SM Liquid Amber, roasted three days ago in my Hot Top, taken into "rolling second crack," then rested for three days and opened this morning. Very, very nice. I may drink 3 or 4 of these this morning.

As always, when I get anything 8 or above, I have to take a picture so I will remember it.

Image



I roast my own, mostly, but I also regularly buy roasted beans just to see what's out there. My first suggestion is to find a local roaster, someone you can get to know and, in that way, be sure you are getting the freshest beans.

If that is not an option, then any of the following are easily recommended:

Red Bird Espresso.

Blue Bottle Retrofit.

Stumptown Hair Bender.

Each of these sources will get you the highest quality beans within a day or two of the roast. I don't believe any of the other options you mentioned are even close to that standard of freshness.

Of the three SM blends that I buy regularly...New Classic Espresso Blend, Espresso Monkey Blend, and Liquid Amber, it is the Liquid Amber that is my favorite.

Looks wonderful...might have to go make some!😀

I certainly agree with you and tbayrgs that finding a local roaster, or at least a high quality coffee house, to purchase beans is, short of home roasting, the best strategy if at all possible. Next is finding a web site that does fresh roasting and quick shipping.

 

[Kurwenal]

Of the three SM blends that I buy regularly...New Classic Espresso Blend, Espresso Monkey Blend, and Liquid Amber, it is the Liquid Amber that is my favorite.

I may be coming to that. I get more consistent quality with Monkey; LA has lower lows but also higher highs, I think. At least for my roasts.

Looks wonderful...might have to go make some!😀

From now on, you just say: "I'm going to London."

 

[Shrink]

DAILY UPDATE:

(Remember, Scepticalscribe, mon amie, you asked! 😉)

After four days in Cincinnati, while the FDA decided whether the machine was kosher or not, it was released from Customs yesterday. According to my contact at DHL, it would ship last night and be delivered today. And if you believe that, I have a Bridge I'd like to sell you!

I checked this morning, and the packages (the gizmo is in 2 packages) were still in Cincinnati. At 0630 my time they left, but I was assured that since there was a weather delay, and everything was late, it would still be delivered today. And if you believe that, I have some property in Florida I'd like to sell you!

On the tracking web site it said "Exception". (For those not familiar with shipping nomenclature, that means "you're screwed"). Both packages arrived alright, and were to be delivered today, however (!) one of the packages was sent to the wrong distribution point.

So, to make a long story longer...I received one of the two packages today...the lever group.

No pictures today...you must suffer along with me, you poor people!

BTW: Cincinnati is not a place anyone, or anything, should get stuck. As the old (poor) joke has it...First Prize is ONE week in Cincinnati...Second Prize is TWO weeks in Cincinnati.

This is the death of a thousand cuts...🙁

 

[Scepticalscribe]

DAILY UPDATE:

(Remember, Scepticalscribe, mon amie, you asked! 😉)

After four days in Cincinnati, while the FDA decided whether the machine was kosher or not, it was released from Customs yesterday. According to my contact at DHL, it would ship last night and be delivered today. And if you believe that, I have a Bridge I'd like to sell you!

I checked this morning, and the packages (the gizmo is in 2 packages) were still in Cincinnati. At 0630 my time they left, but I was assured that since there was a weather delay, and everything was late, it would still be delivered today. And if you believe that, I have some property in Florida I'd like to sell you!

On the tracking web site it said "Exception". (For those not familiar with shipping nomenclature, that means "you're screwed"). Both packages arrived alright, and were to be delivered today, however (!) one of the packages was sent to the wrong distribution point.

So, to make a long story longer...I received one of the two packages today...the lever group.

No pictures today...you must suffer along with me, you poor people!

BTW: Cincinnati is not a place anyone, or anything, should get stuck. As the old (poor) joke has it...First Prize is ONE week in Cincinnati...Second Prize is TWO weeks in Cincinnati.

This is the death of a thousand cuts...🙁

Yes, mon vieux, I did indeed ask.

In fact, you will doubtless be pleased to learn that my concern and interest in this very matter prompted me to take a fleeting look at this thread this very night in order to check up what progress, if any, had been made, and is exactly why I am dropping in just now.....

Death by a thousand cuts? Surely something of an understatement? Why, this is death by a million microscopic cuts!


Ah, well, there are a number of schools of thought on this. One says that suffering is good for you (not a school of thought I have ever subscribed to); another, that deferred gratification makes the enjoyment of actually acquiring - and taking happy possession of - whatever it is that you have been waiting for, all the greater. I will concede that there is quite possibly something in this, and personally, I must say that I quite enjoy the deferred yet much anticipated thrill of receiving something I have long looked forward to.

Do keep us updated. (What is the lever group?)

'Londinium',.....the very name rolls so easily off the tongue.....

 

[Shrink]

Yes, mon vieux, I did indeed ask.

In fact, you will doubtless be pleased to learn that my concern and interest in this very matter prompted me to take a fleeting look at this thread this very night in order to check up what progress, if any, had been made, and is exactly why I am dropping in just now.....

Death by a thousand cuts? Surely something of an understatement? Why, this is death by a million microscopic cuts!


Ah, well, there are a number of schools of thought on this. One says that suffering is good for you (not a school of thought I have ever subscribed to); another, that deferred gratification makes the enjoyment of actually acquiring - and taking happy possession of - whatever it is that you have been waiting for, all the greater. I will concede that there is quite possibly something in this, and personally, I must say that I quite enjoy the deferred yet much anticipated thrill of receiving something I have long looked forward to.

Do keep us updated. (What is the lever group?)

'Londinium',.....the very name rolls so easily off the tongue.....

I agree that deferred gratification is the approach I'm trying to take. That suffering-is-good-for-you stuff is the bunk! Self flagellation just hurts!

If you look back to the picture that I posted above (Post# 1884), the lever group is that big cylindrical gizmo to which the lever is attached. It is the mechanism the gathers and controls the pressurized water flow through the compressed grinds. It pretty much is what makes a lever machine a lever machine, as distinguished from a machine with a pump. It's all manual, as opposed the the pump doing the work of pressurizing the water flow to 9 BARS (atmospheres of pressure) or more.

 

[Grey Beard]

That suffering-is-good-for-you stuff is the bunk! Self flagellation just hurts!

But you must admit that the liberal use of lemon juice gives the spice to life. 😀

KGB😎

 

[Shrink]

But you must admit that the liberal use of lemon juice gives the spice to life. 😀

KGB😎

Ooowwww!

I certainly hope that you don't speak from personal experience!

However, as I live to serve, might I suggest salt or vinegar will have a similar effect.😱

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Connoisseurs of masochistic pain, is that what we have here? Not exactly my cup of tea, or, since this is the forum we are on, coffee, nay espresso......

Never been into the sackcloth and ashes stuff myself, nor taken with the dubious delights of self-flagellation.

Given time, life will deal enough of the other for me to wish to embrace it of my own accord; instead, give me a coffee, and cognac, good company, good music, and a good book to read, and I'm - if not happy - well, at least, quite content.

 

[Shrink]

Connoisseurs of masochistic pain, is that what we have here? Not exactly my cup of tea, or, since this is the forum we are on, coffee, nay espresso......

Never been into the sackcloth and ashes stuff myself, nor taken with the dubious delights of self-flagellation.

Given time, life will deal enough of the other for me to wish to embrace it of my own accord; instead, give me a coffee, and cognac, good company, good music, and a good book to read, and I'm - if not happy - well, at least, quite content.

I completely agree with your attitude toward self inflicted pain...who needs it!

However, as a professional devoted to enabling others to attain their personal goals, I felt it incumbent upon me to offer some suggestions.

It is not for me to judge!




Right!

 

[mobilehaathi]

DAILY UPDATE:

(Remember, Scepticalscribe, mon amie, you asked! 😉)

After four days in Cincinnati, while the FDA decided whether the machine was kosher or not, it was released from Customs yesterday. According to my contact at DHL, it would ship last night and be delivered today. And if you believe that, I have a Bridge I'd like to sell you!

I checked this morning, and the packages (the gizmo is in 2 packages) were still in Cincinnati. At 0630 my time they left, but I was assured that since there was a weather delay, and everything was late, it would still be delivered today. And if you believe that, I have some property in Florida I'd like to sell you!

On the tracking web site it said "Exception". (For those not familiar with shipping nomenclature, that means "you're screwed"). Both packages arrived alright, and were to be delivered today, however (!) one of the packages was sent to the wrong distribution point.

So, to make a long story longer...I received one of the two packages today...the lever group.

No pictures today...you must suffer along with me, you poor people!

BTW: Cincinnati is not a place anyone, or anything, should get stuck. As the old (poor) joke has it...First Prize is ONE week in Cincinnati...Second Prize is TWO weeks in Cincinnati.

This is the death of a thousand cuts...🙁

Perhaps you've misinterpreted what is going on here...DHL is trying to extract ransom by sending you your precious machine in pieces!!!😱

 

[Shrink]

Perhaps you've misinterpreted what is going on here...DHL is trying to extract ransom by sending you your precious machine in pieces!!!😱

I'll pay! I'll pay!

Just get them to make their ransom demands and send me the rest of my beautiful machine...and I'll PAY!