Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

legend, thanks will take a look at the app etc and see where we end up near to.

The missus is a massive afternoon tea fan and we are trying to find somewhere other than the Ritz with impressive surroundings etc. Candidates so far include Sketch, The Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea at the Sanderson and the Berkley for their 'couture' afternoon tea. It's all about finding somewhere with an epic interior, or quirky or with an amazing view....any suggestions?
 
Youstolemyname said:
legend, thanks will take a look at the app etc and see where we end up near to.

The missus is a massive afternoon tea fan and we are trying to find somewhere other than the Ritz with impressive surroundings etc. Candidates so far include Sketch, The Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea at the Sanderson and the Berkley for their 'couture' afternoon tea. It's all about finding somewhere with an epic interior, or quirky or with an amazing view....any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Only place I can think of is Bea's of Bloomsbury. They do afternoon tea. Not tried it, but the place I mentioned has a bit of a view of St Pauls.

A place near me has a Burlesque afternoon tea party from time to time called Tease and Crumpet... Girlfriend won't allow me to go to that. :(
 
Just got a gaggia classic and having problems, when I do a run with no coffee & no basket the water comes through fine. When I add a basket to the portafilter i get steam/water shoot out horizontally from the portafilter drips, rather than it slowly dripping down vertically. Anyone had this issue? The portafilter is definitely locked in place correctly.
 
Last edited:
tntcoder said:
Just got a gaggia classic and having problems, when I do a run with no coffee & no basket the water comes through fine. When I add a basket to the portafilter i get steam/water shoot out horizontally from the portafilter drips, rather than it slowly dripping down vertically. Anyone had this issue? The portafilter is definitely locked in place correctly.
Click to expand...

I know this one. :D

It's due to a redesign of the basket to make it "easier". It's the perfect crema pressurised basket. Its surprising how many people bin them.

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?2362-Messy-Spitting-gaggia-classic
 
Flibster said:
I know this one. :D

It's due to a redesign of the basket to make it "easier". It's the perfect crema pressurised basket. Its surprising how many people bin them.

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?2362-Messy-Spitting-gaggia-classic
Click to expand...

Great thanks, so i need to buy another basket? :( this is expensive stuff to not work out the box.

EDIT: ok i wasn't using the little black "perfect crema device" thing :p with that in the spulttering is prevented :)

Any advice for a standard non-pressure basket?
 
Last edited:
tntcoder said:
Great thanks, so i need to buy another basket? :( this is expensive stuff to not work out the box.
Click to expand...

Yeah. It's a bit of a silly thing for Gaggia to do. Not entirely sure how it was meant to work anyway. They used to include the standard ones as well, but seem to have stopped that now.

I wouldn't bother with the single basket as it's a waste of time, money and effort. Double basket is all that you need.

I'd also look at getting a 58mm tamper instead of the standard nasty black plastic one thats included. Even a basic one will help no end.
 
Recently been trying two of square miles most recent additions:

San Rafael Urias
Finca El Talapo


I also picked up a Hario v60-02 plastic pour over (only a tenner so why not :O ) so have been playing around with that as well. Very easy to use although requires a steady hand, but I can now see what all the fuss is about as it is undoubtedly much easier to taste the different flavours and notes in the coffees as a pour over versus espresso. Admittedly, I still struggle to taste everything that the tasting notes indicate but i'm getting there.

Its also been interesting to try these coffees in different brew methods; espresso, espresso + milk and V60.

For example, the SM San Rafael works really well on the v60, rich, sweet and strong and great for a morning coffee. Lovely espresso, not bitter at all, but didn't work with milk strangely, the flavours just seemed to disappear.
 
Flibster, totally forgot to thank you for the cult, its been totally manic here but I ran through most of it it in the last week and its growing on me. First couple of shots seemed a bit generic, italian style espresso / americano but I began to get more flavours as I adjust it in.

Unfortunately I don't drink milk which sounds like its where the cult shines.

But thanks again for sending it over :)
 
Well I finally got Chemex, filters, grinder and hasbean beans through and all I can say is wow!

I am sure my grind is still some way off and I no doubt haven't got my timing right yet but it's like night and day compared to the muck I used to drink and the rubbish you get in the average coffee shop.

On a slightly different note, Canary Wharf is currently useless for coffee but I noticed there is a Taylor St Barista store opening soon. Are they any good? Currently make do with Pret which is the best of a terrible bunch. It would be nice to have a decent coffee within walking distance of work...
 
Mad old tory said:
Well I finally got Chemex, filters, grinder and hasbean beans through and all I can say is wow!

I am sure my grind is still some way off and I no doubt haven't got my timing right yet but it's like night and day compared to the muck I used to drink and the rubbish you get in the average coffee shop.

On a slightly different note, Canary Wharf is currently useless for coffee but I noticed there is a Taylor St Barista store opening soon. Are they any good? Currently make do with Pret which is the best of a terrible bunch. It would be nice to have a decent coffee within walking distance of work...
Click to expand...

Taylor street is very good. If you're passing through bank/monument or liverpool street they have branches there worth checking out. Be interesting to see what kind of operation they open in CW, but glad something decent is finally opening there. If you get desperate for a good coffee in CW, Canteen does a good coffee, union roasted beans iirc.
 
Hmn, time to stock up from Hasbean I think. I've been meaning to try some Ethiopian coffee as I've only really stuck with South America up until now. Any recommendations?
 
Scam said:
Hmn, time to stock up from Hasbean I think. I've been meaning to try some Ethiopian coffee as I've only really stuck with South America up until now. Any recommendations?
Click to expand...

I got the Ethiopian Shisoko Natural after seeing it on innymug and like it but I'll defer to the experts on the best ones.
 
BUSH said:
Taylor street is very good. If you're passing through bank/monument or liverpool street they have branches there worth checking out. Be interesting to see what kind of operation they open in CW, but glad something decent is finally opening there. If you get desperate for a good coffee in CW, Canteen does a good coffee, union roasted beans iirc.
Click to expand...

Ceers will remember that next tim I'm in the City.

Big fan of Canteen as they serve Meantime beers. Will have to see if they do takeaway coffee I. The afternoon :p
 
Siliconslave said:
Flibster, totally forgot to thank you for the cult, its been totally manic here but I ran through most of it it in the last week and its growing on me. First couple of shots seemed a bit generic, italian style espresso / americano but I began to get more flavours as I adjust it in.

Unfortunately I don't drink milk which sounds like its where the cult shines.

But thanks again for sending it over :)
Click to expand...

Most welcome. It certainly is in it's best in milk. Strangely, the dose/brew I was doing was completely different to how they do it at St Ali/Sensory Lab. I was doing about 18g dose and 40g resultant brew. They do a 20g dose and end up with a 30g brew. Yikes.

Mad old tory said:
On a slightly different note, Canary Wharf is currently useless for coffee but I noticed there is a Taylor St Barista store opening soon. Are they any good? Currently make do with Pret which is the best of a terrible bunch. It would be nice to have a decent coffee within walking distance of work...
Click to expand...

Taylor St are pretty good. It does depend on who the barista is and what the espresso is though. Much more variation than some places I've been. Guest espresso's are usually pretty interesting.

Another day in london for me tomorrow. Time for more excessive caffeine intake. :D
 
Scam said:
Hmn, time to stock up from Hasbean I think. I've been meaning to try some Ethiopian coffee as I've only really stuck with South America up until now. Any recommendations
Click to expand...

The Shisoko is certainly an interesting cup. Very different from the usual coffee's i drink. It is a very floral smelling coffee and although it tastes very nice and gives a good clean mouth feel I find the smell a little too intense when I brew it through the chemex.

I still love the Ogawa natural as an everyday cup alternatively you could try the malawi viphya geisha. The smell, taste and just general feel this invokes when i am drinking it makes this is a good balanced cup for my tastes. Although it does feel like it should be drunk on a sunday as it invokes that kind of lazy sunday feeling in me (Probably just me on that :))
 
From my wanders around London yesterday I've got a couple of thoughts.

I still think that Prufrock is the best place in London for coffee in general. Brew bar is magnificent. They're also starting to do other coffee rather than just Square Mile *occasionally, and you may have to ask nicely ;) *

Best espresso is served at Tapped & Packed on Tottenham Court Road. The blend is amazing. Slightly funky due to the natural they have in it, but very drinkable. I'm not a natural coffee drinker, but that is wow.

The best milk based drinks are served at St Ali supplied places. Sensory Lab is my prefered place to drink it. St Ali is wonderful, but too dark and trendy for me.

Did pick up a coffee that I haven't tried as of yet. Doesn't even appear on their web site at the moment. Square Mile's El Talapo - sounds just up my alley though. Chocolate, caramel, toffee, brown sugar... Yum. :D
 
Flibster said:
Did pick up a coffee that I haven't tried as of yet. Doesn't even appear on their web site at the moment. Square Mile's El Talapo - sounds just up my alley though. Chocolate, caramel, toffee, brown sugar... Yum. :D
Click to expand...

be interesting to see what you think of it. I've just worked through a bag of it, mixture of v60 and flat white and didn't find it overly exciting. I got hints of the notes described, but it lacked richness and body for me, particularly with milk. I tried higher doses but couldn't get myself happy with it. I preferred the San Rafael Urias of the current squaremile coffees. May try it again and play some more with different grinds and brew ratios as on paper i felt the same about it :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom