Post Your Morning Coffees!

[sampage]

Looks great!

This reminds me of when I was a barista for my parents coffee shop (sadly it shut down after about a year and a half). They put me through this coffee class, and I thought it was the coolest job. I worked for starbucks after wards, and it was nowhere near as fun.

At my parents shop, we would have these latte art contests for all the employees. This one girl Kim always won, but she would always be practicing and wasting milk and espresso more than anything . I got alot of pictures of my latte art, but I lost them. I got pretty good at making some cool, interesting designs.

All I drink is black coffee with a touch of sugar.

Thanks! I worked as a barista for about 6 months until the place shut down as well, was easily the most fun job i've had.

Now I just need to get my shots a little more consistent, I tore down my 2nd hand Gaggia Classic the other day and took apart the boiler which looked a little worse for wear. After descaling that things are running better but I need to replace the group gasket and clear out some obstructive build up in it.

 

[avro707]

Practicing my rosetta (had to have a sip before I took the photo)

Excellent! I don't tend to bother with those kinds of drinks, can't manage to steam the milk consistently enough. Using Gaggia Classic as well (Ulka pump version). A lot of times, it ends up quite watery - which is no good at all.

Sometimes it'll work right, but it almost seems like the machine isn't powerful enough. I have the shots very consistent with a good crema and right time for amount of coffee extracted. (I had to reduce the pump pressure slightly to achieve that).

So for cappuccinos, I just leave those to the barista at the two coffee shops I frequent.

 

[sampage]

I've noticed here (Melbourne) that cafe's take their latte art very seriously, almost to fault considering it doesn't alter the flavour. It's a bit of a hobby and I have found myself making coffee's for my housemates just for practice which I'm sure they're happy to see continue

 

[macgeek18]

I had no coffee today. Which is crazy because I usually need 2 cups before I go to work or school. Today was a web design class which was really easy, tomorrow programming, going to need a lot of coffee tomorrow. Mmmm...coffee...

 

[littleman23408]

Thanks! I worked as a barista for about 6 months until the place shut down as well, was easily the most fun job i've had.

Now I just need to get my shots a little more consistent, I tore down my 2nd hand Gaggia Classic the other day and took apart the boiler which looked a little worse for wear. After descaling that things are running better but I need to replace the group gasket and clear out some obstructive build up in it.

I've learned that a good shot is made with 30 pounds of pressure (that is if you are using a tamper to push down your espresso grinds). After you adjust your grinds to be finer or more coarse, then your shot should run for about 35 seconds.

Not sure if any of that helps!

 

[avro707]

If it's anything like my Gaggia Classic was at first, the pressure from the machine was very high - there was a very fine margin between too coarse grind of the beans (the water would blast through too fast), or too fine (where no water would go through the ground coffee). When I say too coarse or too fine, I mean the difference between one or two notches on the adjustment of a Gino Rossi CC45 grinder - which is very fine adjustment.

It meant that it was extremely difficult to get consistent results, no matter how you tamped the coffee down. I adjusted the pump pressure a bit to make it less knife edge. But only the machines with the Italian made Ulka pump can have this done. It's easy to do - and the Gaggia Classic is extremely simple inside. It's also a pretty good machine too - mine is going on 4 years old now and still pretty good. Needs descaling soon though.

Speaking of Baristas, the one at the coffee place I go to normally is heading down to the Melbourne establishment of the same outlet. Argh... Hope his replacement does coffee to the same standard.

 

[dXTC]

Not my pic, but this is my go-to coffee when I don't feel like making a mocha.

Keurig + Caribou Obsidian FTW, and fast too. (Now if K-cups could just be recycled...)

 

[ranviper]

More New England Columbian Dark Roast in my favorite mug. Black and bold. Yum.

 

[Mr. McMac]

I love my Green Mountain Dark Magic Extra Bold K Cups

 

[sampage]

If it's anything like my Gaggia Classic was at first, the pressure from the machine was very high - there was a very fine margin between too coarse grind of the beans (the water would blast through too fast), or too fine (where no water would go through the ground coffee). When I say too coarse or too fine, I mean the difference between one or two notches on the adjustment of a Gino Rossi CC45 grinder - which is very fine adjustment.

It meant that it was extremely difficult to get consistent results, no matter how you tamped the coffee down. I adjusted the pump pressure a bit to make it less knife edge. But only the machines with the Italian made Ulka pump can have this done. It's easy to do - and the Gaggia Classic is extremely simple inside. It's also a pretty good machine too - mine is going on 4 years old now and still pretty good. Needs descaling soon though.

Speaking of Baristas, the one at the coffee place I go to normally is heading down to the Melbourne establishment of the same outlet. Argh... Hope his replacement does coffee to the same standard.

Ah that's a point. I have noticed I tend to grind quite fine for the machine so that it doesn't fly out of the group head. I might have another look inside and see if mine is the Ulka pump version. Cheers!

 

[miniConvert]

I have a teeny tiny espresso from my Miele Nespresso machine. Too teeny and tiny, in fact, to post here. So I've attached a picture of George instead

Tasty.

 

[iBlue]

^ *snort* those commericals were so hilariously corny.

 

[miniConvert]

^ *snort* those commericals were so hilariously corny.

Aren't they though!

I cringe.

Then I make a coffee! ^5

 

[dXTC]

Then I make a coffee! ^5

^5? You're making exponential amounts of coffee? That'll lead to a Great Cornholio incident for sure.

 

[SchneiderMan]

Coffee!

 

[ranviper]

Yum. Got 3 pounds of FREE dunkin donuts coffee for given blood.

 

[Applepi]

As a native Minnesotan, it's only right

 

[avro707]

Ah that's a point. I have noticed I tend to grind quite fine for the machine so that it doesn't fly out of the group head. I might have another look inside and see if mine is the Ulka pump version. Cheers!

On the web, there are instructions on what to do:
http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1175171794


And as a side note, there are plenty of mods for that machine too:

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?m..._id=35&zenid=b3b39629b310d9de9f0b25d5ee8a036b

I wouldn't do that to mine - it will remain a pristine, shiny machine.

 

[SchneiderMan]

I finally made a peach design

 

[JoeG4]

 

[skinniezinho]

this is mine:


Cheap coffee from Pingo Doce (a Portuguese supermarket "brand") made with a cheap (30eur) expresso machine in a non-cheap cup

 

[aniketroxx]

I finally made a peach design

lol nice i just love cappuccino

 

[fotografica]

This morning...

 

[ranviper]

I ought to learn how to make cappuccinos like some of you...

But for now I'll stick with my morning black dark roast and homework.

 

[puckhead193]

mine. (usually its in a tumbler as I'm off to work...)