Coffee Thread - The ERA of continued caffeine addiction
- Thread starter skeptem
- Start date
It's traditionally a morning drink in Europe. But you can buy it all day - it's not on the breakfast menu or some shit.
Looking to buy a Breville Espresso machine this week, either a Pro or a Touch. Anybody have any opinions on either unit?
I heard a theory it's because Italians are a bit lactose intolerant - so having more than one cappuccino a day will make them really bloated and get indigestion. So over time it just became a 'rule' rather than just something everyone did.
It's an Italian tradition. No Cappuccino after 11.
Best explanation I've come across is that it's due to mild lactose intolerance. The idea being having cappuccino's later on in the day would cause these people to go to bed with a heavy, uncomfortable stomach so they only drank it first thing in the morning.
I have a Barista Pro and I enjoy it. There isn't much I'd change about it. Steamer heats up a little slow. I wish the grind amount control was a little more granular than just half-seconds. But otherwise it is a fine machine.
I don't know what the Touch has over it but I rather have buttons and knobs.
Here is the thread mascot explaining it:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mIcIVCnTrY
Picked up a Delonghi ECP3420 after seeing this video
www.youtube.com
Anybody have other recommendations for a first timer? I'd like to see if it's worth keeping before I invest in a bunch of accessories and maybe a grinder. Was playing with it today with some old preground vietnamese coffee and it wasn't too bad. Anybody have a relatively inexpensive brand of pre-ground espresso beans they would recommend?
Delonghi ECP 3420 REVIEW: Amazon's Best Selling Espresso Machine
Featuring https://geni.us/ECP_3420 with https://geni.us/EC155Portafilter (affiliate links)Why is the Delonghi ECP3420 the best selling espresso machine on Am...
www.youtube.com
Anybody have other recommendations for a first timer? I'd like to see if it's worth keeping before I invest in a bunch of accessories and maybe a grinder. Was playing with it today with some old preground vietnamese coffee and it wasn't too bad. Anybody have a relatively inexpensive brand of pre-ground espresso beans they would recommend?
Picked up a Delonghi ECP3420 after seeing this video
Delonghi ECP 3420 REVIEW: Amazon's Best Selling Espresso Machine
Featuring https://geni.us/ECP_3420 with https://geni.us/EC155Portafilter (affiliate links)Why is the Delonghi ECP3420 the best selling espresso machine on Am...
Anybody have other recommendations for a first timer? I'd like to see if it's worth keeping before I invest in a bunch of accessories and maybe a grinder. Was playing with it today with some old preground vietnamese coffee and it wasn't too bad. Anybody have a relatively inexpensive brand of pre-ground espresso beans they would recommend?
I've been thinking about getting an espresso grinder/maker for around $500-$600ish.
The Breville Barista Express was around there for black Friday.
I've seen quite a few around that price point, though not sure which is best. I bought a Nespresso for my wife on Xmas but am not a fan of the pod costs, so I'm trying to stay around the same cost as the Nespresso machine
I don't have advice for you, but I'm interested by that video. My mom bought that machine recently. I was using it over Christmas. It worked pretty well considering how automatic it was, but I really didn't like the steam wand. Knowing that you can fix the wand and the basket has me somewhat interested.Picked up a Delonghi ECP3420 after seeing this video
Delonghi ECP 3420 REVIEW: Amazon's Best Selling Espresso Machine
Featuring https://geni.us/ECP_3420 with https://geni.us/EC155Portafilter (affiliate links)Why is the Delonghi ECP3420 the best selling espresso machine on Am...
Anybody have other recommendations for a first timer? I'd like to see if it's worth keeping before I invest in a bunch of accessories and maybe a grinder. Was playing with it today with some old preground vietnamese coffee and it wasn't too bad. Anybody have a relatively inexpensive brand of pre-ground espresso beans they would recommend?
Yea I toyed with it and it seems solid? The steam wand is nice and not too frothy at all once you take off the attachment. I have a real tamper and a bottomless porta filter on the way. I just need some real coffee lol. I can update with my findings in a few days
Also is it considered automatic? I read a lot of reviews saying it's too manual. What functions on higher end espresso machines are manual that this machine does automatically?
Didn't like the nespressso either because the pod costs were insane.
My wife got me a big pour over for my birthday which was my gateway into all of this. I am now using a nice electric kettle, weighing my grams, working on the perfect brew....but my pour over is too big. I only enjoy a single cup in the morning. Thinking of getting a V60? I see the name all over and in the OP. Anyone have one and enjoy?
I need to go hunting for a good mug too. My wife got me a mug heater, but it works best with flat bottom mugs. Surprisingly enough, not a single one of our mugs are.
I need to go hunting for a good mug too. My wife got me a mug heater, but it works best with flat bottom mugs. Surprisingly enough, not a single one of our mugs are.
Reposting from another thread. Bought a Lelit Bianca V3 espresso machine and Eureka Mignon Specialita grinder last year after owning a cheapie Breville and what a game changer:
Perfect coffee every time. And quickly once you're used to it. Part of my morning ritual that makes me smile.
Perfect coffee every time. And quickly once you're used to it. Part of my morning ritual that makes me smile.
I've been using a V60 almost every day for several months now. I've really enjoyed using it. I got the ceramic version so I just set it right on top of the gooseneck kettle while it's warming up and I'm grinding my beans. I was using the glass Hario to brew into but it broke recently so I upgraded to the insulted one.
And since this is the coffee thread I might as well share that I've taken my obsession with it to new depths by getting a coffee roaster and roasting my own green coffee beans. Which has opened up a whole new avenue of different flavors and things to try.
Oh, and I'm big time jealous of that absolutely gorgeous Lelit Bianca, LOL
View: https://www.instagram.com/p/CoFc7jnu4mT/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
I want to try it but also I don't want to try itFound this yesterday...
So sexy, I would like to get an espresso machine just to look at it :DReposting from another thread. Bought a Lelit Bianca V3 espresso machine and Eureka Mignon Specialita grinder last year after owning a cheapie Breville and what a game changer:
Perfect coffee every time. And quickly once you're used to it. Part of my morning ritual that makes me smile.
I would advise you to get a good handgrinder, a V60 or an Aeropress, and get going with a standard kettle. James Hoffmann has nice guides for both on his YouTube Channel.
What did you tell it?
Didn't know there was a thread about this!
In the last few months, I got myself a 1zpresso hand grinder and I love the thing. Makes consistent grinds and has been making great coffee along with my French press.
Last couple of coffees that I have enjoyed:
zekescoffee.com
traction.coffee
The last one has made my whole coffee/energy drink cabinet smell like blueberries. And tastes like blueberries.
In the last few months, I got myself a 1zpresso hand grinder and I love the thing. Makes consistent grinds and has been making great coffee along with my French press.
Last couple of coffees that I have enjoyed:
Mexico Chiapas, 1 lb (16 oz)
The Federación de Sociedades Cooperativas Cafetaleras de la Sierra Madre FC de RL (FEDESI) is located in Chiapas, Mexico, and is composed of six coffee groups throughout many municipalities of Chiapas. Surrounded by the Sierra Madre mountains, their coffee is grown at high altitudes...
zekescoffee.com
BURN SLOW ROASTED | SINGLE ORIGIN
We teamed up with our homies over at Burn Slow Ent. to create a rad collection of coffee & gear. Roasted....to the moon!
traction.coffee
The last one has made my whole coffee/energy drink cabinet smell like blueberries. And tastes like blueberries.
A V60 or small Chemex will work (a V60 may work best, since IIRC the smallest Cheney is 3-cups, but you don't have to fill it). Just pour the amount of ground beans you need, the corresponding amount of water, and voila! Compost the filter/beans and you're good to go.
Alternatively, a Bialetti can also work as a single serve device, although it brews stronger and the method is different. I use a V60 as my daily driver, a Bialetti for my afternoon driver, and a French Press for my slower weekend mornings.
Just bought a French press. I was using a single serve Hamilton beach.
So this is how I've been using the French press:
-Heat water to almost boil.
-grind whole bean coarsely then place inside press
-pour water into press, stir
-place lid on and sit for 4 mins
-press down slowly
The coffee tastes just like water. Brewed twice and same results. I like my coffee bitter and currently it's tasteless.
I could fully taste the coffee when using the Hamilton drip and the same bean.
What am I doing wrong? Any suggestions?
So this is how I've been using the French press:
-Heat water to almost boil.
-grind whole bean coarsely then place inside press
-pour water into press, stir
-place lid on and sit for 4 mins
-press down slowly
The coffee tastes just like water. Brewed twice and same results. I like my coffee bitter and currently it's tasteless.
I could fully taste the coffee when using the Hamilton drip and the same bean.
What am I doing wrong? Any suggestions?
Sounds like the flavor is under extracted, which could be caused by a one or more of the following:
Have you tried adjusting the grind setting? A coarse grind is indeed what you want to use, but maybe try going up or down a step or two to see if anything changes.
Also, what's your coffee to water ratio? If the flavor is "tasteless" maybe you need more coffee. This Blue Bottle guide recommends a 1:12 coffee to water ratio (30 grams of coffee for 350 grams of water). Other guides might recommend slightly different ratios, but you can try this and adjust to your preference.
Yea I've been using pretty close to that water/coffee ratio. I think the beans might be to coarse.
So why is finely ground coffee the preference over coarse ground? I would think you get more flavor from finely ground because the bean is broken down more? Just curious.
In general smaller particles have a higher surface area to volume ratio, and the surface area is typically what interacts with other stuff. So finely ground -> more surface area -> easier to extract more of the good stuff from the beans.
I see, thanks. I think I'm gonna finely grind it and try tomorrow.
Small update from me. I've been toying with this thing almost every day. The biggest problem I've had is the puck prep, and it seems it's because my espresso grinds are not fine enough. I picked up a manual one for cheap and got a pretty decent pull finally, but still not perfect. I can also apparently switch out the wand completely with some fancy looking one that's supposed to work better
Now I just need to find good beans. Gonna be honest I'm not the biggest fan of coffee taste. At least what I've tried. Should I be looking at dark roast for espresso? I always add milk and syrup so I'm not sure how much it matters
I mean, that'll depend how much milk and syrup you add, but it'll matter. Personally, I really don't like dark roasts as it kills any of the more nuanced flavors of the actual coffee. With what you're adding, it'll probably just taste less sweet, so you may end up adding more of those two things to counter the darker roast.
Ok yea, I'm a French press believer now, it's great. The coffee taste much cleaner and smooth. I'm still working on the coarse grind but it's great so far.
The only bad thing is I bought shitty quality beans that were on sale lol. I normally use Starbucks brand whole beans, usually Sumatra or morning blend.
Thanks for the help, will be making my way through this topic to see bean recommendations.
The only bad thing is I bought shitty quality beans that were on sale lol. I normally use Starbucks brand whole beans, usually Sumatra or morning blend.
Thanks for the help, will be making my way through this topic to see bean recommendations.
Good to hear things have improved! What did you do to make it better?
Local roasters are always the way to go for some beans. Everyone has their own preference but my favorite beans are Guatemalan. They have a nice, almost chocolately flavor to them.
But my go to daily beans are the Colombian (previously Kenya AA until they got discontinued) beans from Trader Joes. They're not the freshest but have a great price/weight ratio.
I ground the beans longer and let the coffee sit for about 6 mins vs 4 and I feel that helped.
And Trader Joe's! Now that you mention it I remember someone recommending that place before. I live close to one and am gonna check it out. I heard they have a wide variety. Thanks for the help!
Gotcha. Yea I've tried like hazelnut flavored ones that were pretty good. I'll prob look for something similar.
Just be sure to differentiate between flavored beans and beans with flavor notes. Often times a hazelnut coffee actually has added hazelnut flavoring. Same with things like vanilla. But if the coffee has a tasting notes section that says hazelnut or other nuts then it's likely just the pure coffee flavor.
V60s really are so good, it seems to bring out such good flavors in any beans.
How's that insulated Hario carafe? It seems really nice but is it easy to clean?
Yeah, I'd strongly advise against Starbucks blends just because they tend to roast dark and you kinda have to try and guess which ones don't taste like the bottom of an ashtray.
Local roasters will generally roast much fresher and lighter (more on the medium side, not on the dark side), so you'll get more flavors (chocolate, nut, caramel) and less bitter notes.
I invested in a Baratza Encore and switched from using an Aeropress, to a Clever Dripper, just because personally I tend to like a large volume serving. Currently using 400ml of water in the morning, which I couldn't squeeze into the Aeropress.
I've also found it easier to use and clean since switching.
I'm intrigued by trying a v60, but have no idea about how it compares to the Clever Dripper in terms of flavor, cleaning, and ease of use. Can anyone provide any insight please, either into the v60 alone or in comparing it to the Clever Dripper?
I've also found it easier to use and clean since switching.
I'm intrigued by trying a v60, but have no idea about how it compares to the Clever Dripper in terms of flavor, cleaning, and ease of use. Can anyone provide any insight please, either into the v60 alone or in comparing it to the Clever Dripper?
Couldn't you have just added water to your AeroPress coffee?
Yep I tried a few recipes with finer grinds, and / or more coffee, and then diluting with added water afterwards.
Honestly couldn't get the same result as I've had with the Dripper, plus again, I've found it less fiddly overall.
Not knocking the AP at all, it's still there and gets used if I want a shorter drink.
With the Aeropress, I use an amount of water equal to the volume of the mug I always use (I transfer water from the mug to my electric kettle). When I fill up my Aeropress, I can't use the entire contents of the kettle, but I pour that into the mug after I use the Aeropress plunger and my coffee tastes great.
I also use the V60 and can make better tasting coffee with it compared to the Aeropress (subjective, I know). I use the official paper filters with it (and compost afterwards). Been using the V60 for almost a decade now and love it. I've actually never heard of the Clever Dripper before. Oh, if you like to make larger volume servings, maybe look into a Chemex. With the V60, I can do 3 cups at most (but 1 or 2 cups will always taste better). A Chemex can handle larger volumes compared to a V60 (in my experience) and is basically pour over EZ mode; with its filters, even if your technique is off the flavor will almost always still come out ok.
Last edited:
I've only had it a little while but it's been pretty nice. I hand wash the carafe and it's been easy to clean. I've come close on a couple of occasions to burning my mouth as I didn't expect it to keep coffee as warm as it does. Works great for me as I typically brew 500-600g of water at a time.
Nice!! Thank you, that sounds pretty good and that's a good size, I sometimes brew that much as well.
Hey all, for those who brew on a v60, what kind grind size do you go for? I know that's a multi faceted question so in my case, I brew light roasts specifically. Ethiopian light roasts have consistently given me the flavor profile I'm looking for but I also know my Fellow Ode grinder even at its lowest setting really doesn't rival some of the better grinders with how much more smaller they can grind before hitting espresso levels. Sometimes it's hard to shake the thought that I'm missing out on really bringing out the best of my beans sticking with this Grinder but it's also very probable I'm setting myself up to justify a purchase I don't need/shouldn't really make right now.
So, all in all, curious what everyone else's v60 grind size is like. If by chance you also use a Fellow Ode grinder, would love to hear your experiences.
So, all in all, curious what everyone else's v60 grind size is like. If by chance you also use a Fellow Ode grinder, would love to hear your experiences.
Sorry, I don't have a Fellow Ode, but on my Baratza Virtuoso, I dial in to 16. That's closer to fine than coarse. I use a 12 for Aeropress and iirc maybe 10 for a french press, for comparison.
I realize after my post that this conversation is exponentially difficult because grind sizes are not standard/or uniform and the Fellow in particular uses flat burrs. In the below spoiler is ultimately what I end up getting and what I'm starting to think, while good imo, is not ideal for a v60 and I'm curious how it compares to yours and others:
