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Coffee Thread - The ERA of continued caffeine addiction
- Thread starter skeptem
- Start date
I'm an avid decaf drinking at I live by Colectivo's Dream Harder. Absolutely love the stuff, as does my wife.
I personally stay away from drinking a lot of caffeinated coffee because of some heart issues I had when I was younger, but I love coffee. I have some with caffeine once in a while, but live on decaf, so usually I don't hang around a lot of coffee threads where decaf is hated so much, but glad if I could help someone else find something tasty.
I use a Sette 270 and it's pretty loud, but with how fast it is I don't notice it (usually grinding 18-20g in 5s depending on my alterations for espresso).
We took our coffee hobby up and notch and started home roasting recently. Finally got the new setup going earlier this week:
We took our coffee hobby up and notch and started home roasting recently. Finally got the new setup going earlier this week:
Much appreciated! I'm going to buy and test some out. I'm confused on grind types though. Google didn't help me a ton. What kind do I go with if I just want to brew with a regular coffee maker?
Yeah, I just brace myself and cringe for a few seconds. And I live alone!
Just got my Dream Harder in the mail today. Damn, the bag looks and feels and smells nice. How do I get this inside me....
Ok. Tried first cup. This is pretty darn good!
Great to hear! As I said, I pretty much live on decaf and have lived on that Dream Harder kind in particular for years now. Love it. Colectivo as a whole is my favorite of the local roasters. I spend a lot of time around their cafes doing work.
I usually make espresso for myself but I am going to have guests over for the next couple of months. What would you all suggest for large scale brewing. French press? Moka pot? Pour over?
Not if you try to use them for espresso grinds everyday...
Not if you try to use them for espresso grinds everyday...
I have a Bonavita 1900ts and Oxo ON grinder ---- looking for some recommendations on the BEST (price not an issue, but reasonable price preferred, of course) whole coffee beans to buy online. Open to all styles --- looking for the best of the best!
I mean, I guess there is? Personally it's hard for me to say. Obviously decaf tastes different but I feel it's not really much more different than some other style of roast. There are terrible decaf coffees out there, definitely, and there are terrible regular roasts out there, too (*cough*Starbucks*cough*). I think I've read people tend to associate more bitter with caffeinated and less bitter with decaf, but that isn't 100% true all the time obviously. You can have more mellow caffeinated coffee and some pretty bitter decafs. I'm drinking one right now that's a french roast from Colectivo that's really bitter.
I think technically a decaf is going to be more watered down because of the process that takes some of the flavor out of it and it might be more miss than hit because there are less decaf drinkers out there so it gets less attention than it could otherwise.
I could also be more used to decaf than others, too, so my taste receptors might be different than others.
For me, I link decaf with subtle roasted flavours. Even relatively light roasts seem to somehow taste very slightly roasty compared to the equivalent full caf version.
The difference is tiny though, and will depend heavily on what decaf method was used. No chemical methods like Swiss water have the least impact on flavour.
The difference is tiny though, and will depend heavily on what decaf method was used. No chemical methods like Swiss water have the least impact on flavour.
OP
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That's where I'm at. I've also considered opening up the grinder and doing some DIY insulation....but that would void the warranty.
I use a Sette 270 and it's pretty loud, but with how fast it is I don't notice it (usually grinding 18-20g in 5s depending on my alterations for espresso).
We took our coffee hobby up and notch and started home roasting recently. Finally got the new setup going earlier this week:
So hows it going?!?
I actually just tried my first home roasting in an air pop popper that I modified this weekend. We did a light, medium, and dark roast of Kenya beans as our first trial.
Very nice! It's been going well, trying to absorb and learn as much as I can, but still very much trial and error right now. Finally nailed a good lb of a Nicaraguan the other day that's still resting a bit. I'm heading to a local green been shop in Oakland later today to pick up some more (Sweet Maria's).
Had a big epiphany the other day and can't wait to try again.
Yeah. It's definitely not nearly as strong tasting, but I also have a crap coffee pot here at work, and the water runs through the grounds so quick it doesn't even have time to get flavor on regular coffee either. I need a method to brew it stronger.
I've been trying this 4:6 recipe made famous by World Brewers Cup 2016 winner Tetsu Kasuya over the past few days with quite good results. I like my coffee 'Norwegian' for a lack of better words, some may call it tea-like or even weak but I just appreciate sweet and acidic tones and cleanness, so I use a light roast Ethiopian or Kenyan coffee and only 300 grams of (really) coarse ground coffee instead of 320.
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I went from one of these:
To one of these (or similar) thanks to my birthday:
And it is like night and day. About half as quiet and so, so consistent. Makes sense when you open up the Cuisinart one and it has more in common with a blender than a burr grinder.
To one of these (or similar) thanks to my birthday:
And it is like night and day. About half as quiet and so, so consistent. Makes sense when you open up the Cuisinart one and it has more in common with a blender than a burr grinder.
Please let me know if it worked for you.
The basic recipe is pouring 60ml water every 45 seconds, and do that 5 times. The coffee is coarse enough if that 60ml has just about completely disappeared. This has always given me good results so far. The ratio of the first two pours (the 40% of water used) then decides sweetness and acidity. So for example 40ml for the first pour and then 80ml for the second pour will accentuate sweetness, whereas 80ml for the first pour and then 40ml for the second pour will accentuate acidity. The part I'm still experimenting with is the 60% water used for the body, I mostly just stick with three pours of 60 ml.
So our second bean to cup machine shat the bed just out of warranty. £500 is a lot to spend when you don't know if you'll get more than 2 years out of it. So now we are thinking to try a nespresso machine. Probably more per cup but offset by the much lower price of machines. Figure we'd at least try it for a year and compare costs. Separate grinder/espresso machine not an option as in the mornings I want something automated and dont have time for multiple steps.
Are they ok? Are there options for longer coffees - we don't usually bother with milk based coffees but do like long/Americano style so I don't know if the pods have enough to do a mug?
Are they ok? Are there options for longer coffees - we don't usually bother with milk based coffees but do like long/Americano style so I don't know if the pods have enough to do a mug?
Hmm. You should roughly plot out the cost tho. 500 for a superauto with cheaper coffee (compared to pods) vs 150-200 nespresso with very expensive pods. Try for 1-2 years.
We have the nespresso at work. Pods are single shots. Quite small, and each one is roughly $1.50. So it's $3 for a double which people typically dilute to an americano. It doesn't have a separate hot water, so you have to continue running water through coffee. I would never buy it for my house but works free so whatever
We have the nespresso at work. Pods are single shots. Quite small, and each one is roughly $1.50. So it's $3 for a double which people typically dilute to an americano. It doesn't have a separate hot water, so you have to continue running water through coffee. I would never buy it for my house but works free so whatever
recently got a Nespresso machine after our bean-to-cup machine died. Figure we'd try for a year or two. The machine was about £80 and you get £40 of vouchers for pods so the initial outlay isn't too bad. Official Nespresso pods work out to about £0.33 each and there are lots of 3rd party options for slightly less. The quality is surprisingly good for espresso but I'm struggling with Americano. Yes, I know its an espresso machine but there must be people out there that have this figured out.
The Lungo pods are kind of ok if I do a shot of lungo, remove the pod and then do another lungo shot of hot water. A little small but not too bad.
The espresso pods seem way too weak if I do an espresso or lungo shot through them, then top up my mug with hot water. I tried two espresso shots today and that was mucn better, but now you're getting a little expensive
Any other options from people that have these machines to get a decent long coffee/americano
The Lungo pods are kind of ok if I do a shot of lungo, remove the pod and then do another lungo shot of hot water. A little small but not too bad.
The espresso pods seem way too weak if I do an espresso or lungo shot through them, then top up my mug with hot water. I tried two espresso shots today and that was mucn better, but now you're getting a little expensive
Any other options from people that have these machines to get a decent long coffee/americano
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How fine is the Capreso? Can it choke a pressurized portafilter espresso machine? I have that cuisinart and it sucks.
Also someone recommended putting sugar into the portafilter basket along with the coffee, gat damn what a revelation!
one ice cube, no sugar, no cream
it's terrible but it gets the job done. also, I use the ALDI brand coffee but I couldn't find an image of it.
I'm currently drinking hotel coffee from one of those little 4 cup machines.
Boiling hot, somehow both bitter and bland at the same time, with the consistency of water.
Enough of it gives you heart palpitation but none of it ever feels like it wakes you up. And your GI gets rocked.
But still, shit coffee is better than no coffee.
Boiling hot, somehow both bitter and bland at the same time, with the consistency of water.
Enough of it gives you heart palpitation but none of it ever feels like it wakes you up. And your GI gets rocked.
But still, shit coffee is better than no coffee.
Some of the best coffee in my life has been in a hotel room drip or hospital room vending machine, because usually those are precisely the times when you NEED a cup of coffee, so it doesn't even matter that it tastes like sewage.
My setup at home is a lame "blender style" Cuisinart grinder, an Aeropress ( for relaxing weekends) and a Hamilton Beach Flexbrew (that brews either K-Cups for on-the-go weekdays on one side or a carafe on the other for entertaining guests).
I'm getting married, and am throwing my first espresso machine on the registry.
Hit me with the recommendations!
Hit me with the recommendations!
Breville. Barista or the one without grinder and ask for a capresso grinder on your registry too lol
Is the one without the grinder under a different name?
Also, is the grinder a burr grinder?
Tried to make some iced coffee yesterday for the first time. French press + water/grounds in a 12:1 ratio and left it in the fridge for 12 hours. Added some ice, condensed milk once pressed. So good!
The non grinder model is called the Infuser I believe and should be a straight comparison in features to the Barista.
https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/b...breville-barista-express-vs-breville-infuser/
The grinder should be a burr grinder.
The non grinder model is called the Infuser I believe and should be a straight comparison in features to the Barista.
https://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/b...breville-barista-express-vs-breville-infuser/
The grinder should be a burr grinder.
I am drinking bad office coffee right now, it's ok
At home I have a hand crank burr grinder that I use to make my stovetop moka coffee and the whole process is grand. Buy the beans from local coffee shops and drink it black as sin
At home I have a hand crank burr grinder that I use to make my stovetop moka coffee and the whole process is grand. Buy the beans from local coffee shops and drink it black as sin
I have one and I think It's fine but I don't think it's worth the price tbh... It is quite easy to clean up but you also aren't making a lot of coffee so it kind of depends on your needs.
This is what I picked up after tax day. Breville Barista Express. Got 20% off at BB&B so it was only $480
I'm pretty happy with it, honestly. It took me a bit of time (and a lot of wasted coffee) to fine-tune the dose side. I only have two real complaints:
- The water catcher at the bottom fills up fairly quickly. It seems to release some water every time I turn the thing on, as well as after I use the steam wand.
- The steam wand knob is a little... cheap. It doesn't click nicely into place in one direction, so there's been 2 or 3 times where I THINK it's spitting steam into my milk, but because it hasn't clicked all the way over, it's just spitting hot water out of the wand. If you turn the knob the other way, hot water comes out of a different spout (for an Americano or whatever else).
But overall, I love it. It's nice to finally have something that makes an espresso shot as good as most coffee shops. I just hope the thing holds up. I use it almost daily.
This is what I picked up after tax day. Breville Barista Express. Got 20% off at BB&B so it was only $480
I'm pretty happy with it, honestly. It took me a bit of time (and a lot of wasted coffee) to fine-tune the dose side. I only have two real complaints:
- The water catcher at the bottom fills up fairly quickly. It seems to release some water every time I turn the thing on, as well as after I use the steam wand.
- The steam wand knob is a little... cheap. It doesn't click nicely into place in one direction, so there's been 2 or 3 times where I THINK it's spitting steam into my milk, but because it hasn't clicked all the way over, it's just spitting hot water out of the wand. If you turn the knob the other way, hot water comes out of a different spout (for an Americano or whatever else).
But overall, I love it. It's nice to finally have something that makes an espresso shot as good as most coffee shops. I just hope the thing holds up. I use it almost daily.
The water filling up is the automatic purge for maintaining the right temp. Trust me it's way better than a machine where you manually have to pump water to cool down the boiler.
The steam wand thing seems like a problem. Mine doesn't do that. If I set it to steam, it does push out left over water before steaming but it never only pumps water.
I know what you mean. I'm fine with it doing that, it just fills up the bottom fast. :)
Yep, that's what it does the majority of the time. It's just when I turn the knob and it's maybe a millimeter away from actually being all the way turned, where it will pump water out but not steam. It's just a matter of making sure I give it a little extra push when I turn it, but I wonder... is it supposed to "click" in place? Mine doesn't feel like it clicks. What I usually do is, turn the knob all the way, wait for the water to purge and steam comes, then I turn it off really quick and put the milk jug in place, then turn the knob again to get the steam going. I guess I could just avoid the off-and-on part and just stick the milk jug up there as soon as the steam starts coming? Hmm... something to think about.
It's like this: if you twist it as far as it goes, that's steam on (I know you know that). If you twist it back into the middle, it will shut off steam and purge immediately. Instead now, if you slightly twist it out of place (but not into the middle) that's an 8-second pause. If you don't put it back into steam position within 8 seconds, it will shut off the steamer, purge, and go into standby, but if you twist it back into steam before 8 seconds it will engage the steamer as if nothing happened.
Personally, I just point the steamer at the hole for the water tray, turn it on. Let the water pump out, then when it starts to make some bubbles there I'll quickly put the steam wand into the milk before steam is blasting out and shoots milk everywhere lol. I've done the pause method too, and it works fine, but I'm ok with a little water in my milk so it's not necessary for me.
Personally, I just point the steamer at the hole for the water tray, turn it on. Let the water pump out, then when it starts to make some bubbles there I'll quickly put the steam wand into the milk before steam is blasting out and shoots milk everywhere lol. I've done the pause method too, and it works fine, but I'm ok with a little water in my milk so it's not necessary for me.
Where can I get a cold foam maker like they have at Starbucks? That foam is legit and this is coming from a person who puts nothing in coffee. It makes for a nice texture and seems ideal for summer.
I tried the Nespresso frother attachment once with cold milk and it turned out decent. Other frothers should also be able to do the same thing.
Haven't tried Starbucks' cold foam. But it seems they use a blender with a special blade for it.
How does he keep his damn kettle so pristine. After just a month of usage mine had already begun to show signs of rust. And coffee-related:
Been buying a box of these every week. I goddamn hate mochi. However so much mochi I buy at the beginning of a week will be gone by the end of the week. Gotta stick with one box.
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It's the same blender they use for all of their mixed drinks/frappuccinos, but they use a different pitcher with a specific blade in it (I think they also add some syrup?). I will see if I can snap a picture of one later. You could probably replicate it with a good blender.