Australian Members

[hasnostyle]

hasnostyle,what sze are you? I have a 38R from Azzarro the I've never worn.

I actually have no idea what my size is... i think 34-36....

If its fits ernesto, then all his

 

[fxh]

I'm shocked - shocked I tell ya - that advice from outside of Melbourne is being taken seriously.
I drink coffee - only about 4 a day - but every day and mostly its all I have for breakfast.
Mostly what is probably called a long mach or a long black with some milk.
Sometimes I have a latte when I'm out.
It might surprise some of youse but the basic ingredient for a good coffee is ......er ..um ....... good coffee. Roasted well - not too dark and bitter.
I have a mate who has had a few high end commercial machines plumbed in - his coffee is a bit above Starbucks.
Most baristas, even, or especially, in Melbourne often have their hand firmly pulling on the wrong lever.
I have a candle /kero vacuum machine, a filter machine, a one cup filter, a plunger and a good old reliable Bialetti.
I also have a local fresh roaster within 1k
The best coffee is possibly by the vacuum machine - however its fiddly , cumbersome and time consuming and its not far ahead of the next best - which is ...the one cup filter - its takes nearly twice as much coffee grounds but it makes the superior cup. Next is the plunger - but it needs a coarser blend.
What do I use everyday? - the Bialetti stovetop. And you know what folks (as sleazebag Kev would say) I often take people HOME after a barista coffee for a GOOD coffee.

You know it makes sense

 

[fxh]



I actually have no idea what my size is... i

This is not really a good position to start from

 

[eightace]

What do I use everyday? - the Bialetti stovetop.

+1

 

[hasnostyle]

This is not really a good position to start from

This is true, hence getting suit shop to measure me up.

And then based on how it fits ill have a good idea of size for future suit hunting

Prior to this, id go to a store and try stuff on.

 

[Osiris2012]

When it comes to coffee machines unless you know what you are getting into I think you are better off starting low with a cheap manual machine but a good grinder and going from there. I've lost count of the amount of friends and family etc over the years who have gone out and purchased machines only to have them sit there or get moved to the cupboard after a couple of months. Latest one to bite the dust was one of the directors at work who just donated their insufficiently used BES860 to the office. At this stage, unsurprisingly the coffee shop next door and the nespresso machine are still getting the most usage.

 

[iSurg]

I think at the end of it all.....

Brikka plus good grinder and good beans.

All this single boiler stuff is giving me a headache.
Do you think the Brikka can actually produce crema? It's advertised as so.

 

[iSurg]

Might try aeropress as well.

 

[Plestor]



Might try aeropress as well.

I'd warn you that its closer to filter than espresso. Lovely cup tho.

 

[fxh]

The secret with the bialetti stove top is to not fill it with too much grind, tamp it slightly, and most importantly, two things, put it on slow low heat , not high, and turn it off before the second lot of water bubbles up at the end. Hard to explain but easy to see.

One of my sisters, the hipster one in St kilda,always turns hers up on high and ruins everything. I dread her coffees. But she does rattle on about single origin etc. Never had a decent single origin anywhere. I get my own blend made up at the roasters

 

[fxh]

Oh and the stove top is best for one person and 1.5 cups. At a stretch 2 people. Hopeless for groups. But then coffee is like single malts really best savoured quietly, slowly alone.

 

[fxh]

Dunno about the brikka. Seems a bit fancy and modern to me.

If you muck around with water volume and grind volume a bit and turn it off at the right time you can get crema OK with practice with the old school stove top little Italian with moustache. Clean it regularly with ajax and steel wool inside and out and replace rubber ring every n ow and then

 

[LonerMatt]

I am so glad I don't drink coffee right now.

 

[Oli2012]



I am so glad I don't drink coffee right now.

x2. As if this hobby wasn't expensive enough...

 

[fxh]

So what's the haps upon the Murray region, or are you on hols in the big smoke.

Me ---- I'm doodling on the tablet while ms. Fxh watches t de f. (Sigh) last night she watched Geelong v hawks.( big sigh)