Associate
Got a DF64 with HU ssp burrs and I'm looking at the meticulous or decent as an espresso machine upgrade (on a sage oracle atm)
Definitely a tinkerer.Decent and a niche here and an e61 for a decade before that.
What type of coffee do you like? Are you a tinkerer or do you just want things to work ?
Can highly recommended the aeropress go. So quick to make a coffee and super easy to clean. I take mine into the office all the time and when I was a teaching assistant it was a life saver in the strict 15 minute break times.I used to be really into my coffee gear, but lots of work travel and a few other things made me lose interest. I still use my Chemex a fair bit and am really wanting to get another vac pot. My Hario one met an untimely end due to some ham fisted idiot (me) knocking it against the kitchen tap.
I need to get something for when I'm in the office, the coffee here is awful. Something simple and easy to clean up like a Kalita Kantan will do the trick I think.
Yeah, I get that the aeropress is distinctly different to the pour over style coffees.I'm not a fan of Americano style coffee, I've had a few Aeropress brews and they're not my thing.
I forgot to mention, that I used to roast coffee at home for a while. I had an original Behmor home roaster but soon sold it on as it just made more sense to get coffee that had been roasted by a professional. Plus the smell of roasting coffee is horrid.
Your preferences have me thinking the likes of Origin (their single origins). There are some very different roasters I'd recommend:A former roaster! You'll be miles ahead of me then. I struggled for years with consistency when I had the e61 which lead me to gear up. Sometimes great shot followed by sink shot. Looking back could have been temperature swings you get from hxs or pick prep.
Leeds way an I live in the mid-mid dark chocolate plus territory hence the niche. As a black drinker I have been tempted to pick up a flat burr for more clarity but low priority right now. I sometimes get espressoed out and either go fruit bomb turbo's/allonge or v60 to break things up.
I'd say go lever for classic darker style roasts/capa crowds because of the higher flow rates and steaming power.
If you like to tinker and like clarity I can't think of a better machine that the decent tbh to suit your flats. Some massively varied profiles available and the sensors , technical data provide plenty of information about what's going on at all stages. Allonge, blooming , lever style, turbos etc... The heavy software does come with the odd bug though. Nothing game braking , setting change here or there or app update. Decent are quick to release updates though (owner has software background so that's his thing). Expensive bit of kit though and it goes up each year. They buy customers machines, refrub and resell these on the dispora forum. I lurked on there for a few months while I was deciding between a Bianca and the decent .
Any UK roasters or beans you'd highly recommend ?
Oh, I forgot I have a Zassenhaus!