Lets talk about COFFEE

[A Y]

Sounds like a bunch of roasters got their hands on some Panama Geisha. Verve was charging $65/8 oz. Last night's brew tasted like black tea.

Another thought for lagsun: you may prefer more rustic coffee styles than the clean, acidic, citrusy stuff. To that end, look for dry-processed or unwashed beans, which will usually come from regions like Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Yemen (the Peet's Mocha Sanani). Washed coffees tend to be more acidic and cleaner.

 

[akatsuki]



^
Just read up a bit about Izzo Alex Duetto II. Sounds great. How did you decide on this machine and did you look at the La Spaziale S1 Vivialdi Version II?
Want to upgrade my machine but it doesn't help that you can't use the machine before buying or at least I don't know where this can be done. Would you mind sharing how you decided on which machine you wanted?

Realistically, you just have to take a jump on faith - both machines are good and are capable. Frankly it just came down to the fact that I like how the Izzo looks better.

It was definitely massive overkill over the Silviano which, while an HX machine, seems like a great deal in a prosumer machine...

 

[patrickBOOTH]



^
Just read up a bit about Izzo Alex Duetto II. Sounds great. How did you decide on this machine and did you look at the La Spaziale S1 Vivialdi Version II?
Want to upgrade my machine but it doesn't help that you can't use the machine before buying or at least I don't know where this can be done. Would you mind sharing how you decided on which machine you wanted?

What do you use now?

I remember a while back looking at La Marzoccos. Even the consumer ones were thousands of dollars.

 

[A Y]

The LM GS/3 is a very nice home machine.

Has anyone looked at the new Breville double-boiler? PID-controlled temperature along with an overpressure valve, two pumps, and programmable preinfusion, and the initial reviews have been very positive. It basically sounds like it's been spec'ed out by a coffee enthusiast. $1200 at places like Williams-Sonoma. Mark Prince below compares its design to the GS/3 and Speedster.

http://coffeegeek.com/proreviews/firstlook/brevilledualboiler/details
http://www.amazon.com/Breville-BES900XL-Automatic-Espresso-Machine/dp/B005I722YC

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I had a Breville a long time ago. It went into the garbage. Before I knew much, pressurized portafilters and such. I believe it was their top model then.

Can't you not really go wrong with a Rancillo Silvia?

 

[A Y]

The Silvia is like sticks and stones compared to the new Breville. Maybe the old ones were terrible, but this new one has all the right features to be a really great machine. There are modded Silvias with PID temp controls, boiler insulation, OPV, pressure probes in the head, etc. that may kind of approach the Breville, but they end up looking like someone's science experiment. In many ways, this Breville is like the culmination of all the Internet experimentation of the last decade or longer finally put into an affordable package.

 

[Matto ELITE]

Girlfriend bought me a grinder and french press for Christmas

I've never really made my own coffee before or even have an idea of what I might like, my caffeine usually comes from Blue Monsters or K-cups.

Any recommendations on what type of coffee I should start with? I'm guessing a milder bean but some recommendations would be great while I build up my pallatte for the more expensive stuff.

 

[commedesformes]

went to philz for the first time the other day and got the "handmade espresso". anyone know what the deal with it is? got what was essentially a cup of drip coffee and not what one would normally call an espresso. had to run so couldn't ask for more details. definitely don't understand what the hype is all about.

 

[Aditi190]

I preferably drink dark Coffee and Horns we have been to the House of Coffee Beans in Rice Village. It's awesome location in Houston. We had to pay around $10 Per head to enter inside. Actually there two places of Coffee House Main location is at Braeswood Place which is at south and Coffee and Diner are at west.

 

[akatsuki]



The Silvia is like sticks and stones compared to the new Breville. Maybe the old ones were terrible, but this new one has all the right features to be a really great machine. There are modded Silvias with PID temp controls, boiler insulation, OPV, pressure probes in the head, etc. that may kind of approach the Breville, but they end up looking like someone's science experiment. In many ways, this Breville is like the culmination of all the Internet experimentation of the last decade or longer finally put into an affordable package.

I was talking about the Silviano not the Silvia. The QM Silviano is definitely the culmination of a lot of experimentation on the Silvia.

http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/espresso/silvano

 

[A Y]



Any recommendations on what type of coffee I should start with? I'm guessing a milder bean but some recommendations would be great while I build up my pallatte for the more expensive stuff.

I wouldn't worry too much about a specific brand for now --- buy small (8 oz) quantities, and try everything you can get your hands on to figure out what you like. What do you have available nearby?

There are several taste dimensions you can go on (grossly simplified):

- light- vs. dark roast. Light roasts tend to be more acidic (tart or sour), but you can taste more fruit flavors, especially citrus. Dark is closer to your traditional mass-produced coffee, but it can be very good as well. Dark roasts emphasize more chocolate and caramel tastes, though there can be fruit there too. Done poorly, dark roasts can also be too bitter, but light roasts can be too tangy.

- washed vs. dried/natural processing of the beans. This refers to how the fruit around the coffee bean (really a seed) is removed. Washed coffees tend to be more acidic, but cleaner with more clearly defined taste sensations, especially fruit. Dry-process beans are a bit more rustic, sometimes funky with more earthy flavors. Central American beans tend to be washed, and Brazilian and some African beans tend to be dry processed. Indonesian beans are also in the funky zone, because they use a semi-dry process.

- blend vs. single-origin. With many specialty roasters, the emphasis is on single-origin beans, which means the beans are all from the same farm and usually the same varietal. In some really limited-run coffees, the particular patch they're grown in is also specified. Blends tend to be consistent year after year, but they hide the origin characteristics of the bean more. Single-origins emphasize the character of the bean, its processing, and the farm, but they can be inconsistent from year to year, just like fresh produce. Personally, I think the single-origins are more interesting, but a lot of people like blends, too.

- Regional differences. This is somewhat tied to the processing since local geographic conditions as well as local traditions tend to dictate what kind of milling you can do to the beans. There's way too much to go into here generally speaking, but don't get too tied up with tying quality to a particular region or farm (eg. Kona, Jamaica Blue Mountain). All regions can produce great coffee, each distinctive in its own way. Buy from a good roaster whose tastes agree with you, and you'll do OK.

I was talking about the Silviano not the Silvia. The QM Silviano is definitely the culmination of a lot of experimentation on the Silvia.
http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/espresso/silvano

That looks pretty nice, and isn't terribly expensive either.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



I wouldn't worry too much about a specific brand for now --- buy small (8 oz) quantities, and try everything you can get your hands on to figure out what you like. What do you have available nearby?
There are several taste dimensions you can go on (grossly simplified):
- light- vs. dark roast. Light roasts tend to be more acidic (tart or sour), but you can taste more fruit flavors, especially citrus. Dark is closer to your traditional mass-produced coffee, but it can be very good as well. Dark roasts emphasize more chocolate and caramel tastes, though there can be fruit there too. Done poorly, dark roasts can also be too bitter, but light roasts can be too tangy.
- washed vs. dried/natural processing of the beans. This refers to how the fruit around the coffee bean (really a seed) is removed. Washed coffees tend to be more acidic, but cleaner with more clearly defined taste sensations, especially fruit. Dry-process beans are a bit more rustic, sometimes funky with more earthy flavors. Central American beans tend to be washed, and Brazilian and some African beans tend to be dry processed. Indonesian beans are also in the funky zone, because they use a semi-dry process.
- blend vs. single-origin. With many specialty roasters, the emphasis is on single-origin beans, which means the beans are all from the same farm and usually the same varietal. In some really limited-run coffees, the particular patch they're grown in is also specified. Blends tend to be consistent year after year, but they hide the origin characteristics of the bean more. Single-origins emphasize the character of the bean, its processing, and the farm, but they can be inconsistent from year to year, just like fresh produce. Personally, I think the single-origins are more interesting, but a lot of people like blends, too.
- Regional differences. This is somewhat tied to the processing since local geographic conditions as well as local traditions tend to dictate what kind of milling you can do to the beans. There's way too much to go into here generally speaking, but don't get too tied up with tying quality to a particular region or farm (eg. Kona, Jamaica Blue Mountain). All regions can produce great coffee, each distinctive in its own way. Buy from a good roaster whose tastes agree with you, and you'll do OK.
That looks pretty nice, and isn't terribly expensive either.

In a nutshell Latin America is bright and citrusy, Africa has notes of fruit, Indonesia is extremely earthy. A lot of it has to do with the soil.

I would also say try to buy things that are within 5 days of their roast date.

 

[A Y]



In a nutshell Latin America is bright and citrusy, Africa has notes of fruit, Indonesia is extremely earthy. A lot of it has to do with the soil.

I hesitate to generalize like that. For example, a washed Kenyan can be as bright and citrusy as any Latin American bean, while an Ethiopian Harar can be very earthy. And you'll find beans from all over the spectrum even with the same kinds of milling processes from Costa Rica and El Salvador. Perhaps part of it is the soil, and perhaps also the geography and climate of the farm, sort of like how pinot noir from the same valley can taste very different.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



I hesitate to generalize like that. For example, a washed Kenyan can be as bright and citrusy as any Latin American bean, while an Ethiopian Harar can be very earthy. And you'll find beans from all over the spectrum even with the same kinds of milling processes from Costa Rica and El Salvador. Perhaps part of it is the soil, and perhaps also the geography and climate of the farm, sort of like how pinot noir from the same valley can taste very different.

All very true. No arguments, but I feel that a lot of cafes curate their stock to be pretty textbook based on the regions. Sources like peets and such they get down to the more nitty gritty.

 

[Gibonius]

I just got decent burr grinder to replace my crappy blade grinder, and also a metal filter for the Aeropress. Going to have fun experimenting. The first cup with the grinder was very different from what I've been getting out of the blade, even with the paper filters. I'm sold on the grinder being important.

Second cup, with the metal filter, much more robust taste but I'm not getting the same taste notes beneath that. Different experience. Also a pain ********** to clean, I usually just eject the little puck along with the paper filter into the trash, now I need to let it cool and pluck off the metal filter first. No sediment in the bottom of the cup though.