Coffee

Yeah, I noticed the starter pack and thought that may be worth a go?

Never any harm in getting recommendations for something.

Thanks a lot for the help and info.
 
Antony101 said:
Yeah, I noticed the starter pack and thought that may be worth a go?

Never any harm in getting recommendations for something.

Thanks a lot for the help and info.
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From the description on their site, I normally get something that is "chocolate-ty" as opposed to "citrus".
 
Raymond Lin said:
From the description on their site, I normally get something that is "chocolate-ty" as opposed to "citrus".
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I've just noticed one that is meant to taste of Kit-Kat, must buy some of that stuff.

Is there a guide anywhere that's good. Feel like a right moron but wouldn't mind learning to make a nice coffee. Heard you have to get the ratio right and stuff?
 
Antony101 said:
I've just noticed one that is meant to taste of Kit-Kat, must buy some of that stuff.

How do the cupping notes work? Is there a guide anywhere that's good. Feel like a right moron but wouldn't mind learning to make a nice coffee. Heard you have to get the ratio right and stuff?
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There are a few things to pay attention to when making an espresso.

1 - pre heat the machine
2 - ground enough coffee, but not too much, at least don't put too much into the portafilter.
3 - the size of the ground, how fine it is. This is a tricky part, each bean is different, each bean would need a slight adjustment to the grinder. Too fine will choke the machine, too corse the water will go through it too fast and you extract all the flavours. The ideal time it takes from go to a full double shot is around 25 seconds.
4 - tamper, there are different school of thought even to the shape of it but more importantly is how hard you press it. The ideal pressure is 20Ibs, some say 30Ibs...to be honest, if the shot taste good and comes out with lots of crema then it's fine.....regardless how hard I press it down. So it's a balance between ground size and pressure.
 
Btw, the best way to taste the flavour of the beans is through americano I find.

An espresso shot is intense and almost too strong to distinguish all the character, a latter is just too milky and if you are adding flavoured syrup to it, you might as well stick to Starbucks beans.
 
Antony101 said:
I was wondering if getting a coffee grinder/mill would be worth getting or a waste
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I started with a Taylors Italian ground coffee then progressed to the same but in beans. I used a blade grinder. I kept the beans in the freezer, only taking out what I needed just before grinding. The difference between the freshly ground and pre-ground is incredible.

I've since moved onto a hand held burr grinder and vacuum storage jar, not the freezer.

One day I may progress to a machine grinder and get into the whole espresso thing. Right now I'm really happy with my Aeropress.
 
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Siliconslave said:
the Haro Skerton is a good bet or around £100 for a decent electric grinder.
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I'm a big fan of the Bialetti Moka Express espresso makers, use my little 2 cup every day and makes brilliant coffee for the money (IMO).

Also these electric grinders look good - recommended by a friend who runs his own coffee import/roasting business
 
boxman2000 said:
I'm a big fan of the Bialetti Moka Express espresso makers, use my little 2 cup every day and makes brilliant coffee for the money (IMO).

Also these electric grinders look good - recommended by a friend who runs his own coffee import/roasting business
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That is argubly the best bang for buck grinder around. It is very hard to beat for the money. Just get the dosserless one, much more convenient that way. I got mine 5 years ago and it is still going strong.
 
i hope your sister knows what you are planning here as i started off after trying a nice coffee in a shop demonstration to buying a £200 gaggia baby machine and hand grinder, 5 years later i have just spent £1000 on a new setup and thats not including the constant cost of good beans (although im sticking to the cheaper options for a short time)

I reccomend hasbean as they offer some very excellent beans, they also offer some that i found almost undrinkable. i.e. in the espresso starter pack 1 i loved, 1 was decent, 1 wasnt very good and 2 were almost undrinkable to me.

you may also have a pressurised basket in your gaggia which gives you a sort of fake extraction as the basket offers resistance so you wont know if your grind is too coarse, ive never used one but im sure they would still be chokeable.
 
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