Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

jonneymendoza said:
No you dont as i have read multiple sources stating it doesnt last no longer then 2 weeks.

fine if you enjoy none-fresh coffee thats no better then the beans you get in the supermarket but if you wan absolute freshness, you need to consume the roasted beans within 2 weeks

some quotes for u

Basically lots of sources and the majority of people say its best used with a couple of weeks of roasting, not a month of two!

The last quote is bang on and good explanation.

So in a nutshell if you want to taste and experience your coffee at its peak, drink it asap.
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It depends on the coffee and your taste. I frequently read recommendations that you shouldn't use beans straight away, but two days after roasting. Espresso seems more complicated, with some shops leaving it a week. Just dig in and see what you like the best, you're the one drinking it at the end if the day :)
 
Rojin said:
Hmmm tried to order but it all goes pear shaped when I get to the payment... It could be a sign! :D

Edit: Third time lucky, hopefully it will still track with quidco after all the messing about! £146 is too good to pass up.
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You've made the right choice (imo) :)

I got a good deal on my Gaggia Classic too. It took a while to learn my way around it and get it set up how I liked but it was worth it in the end.
 
FrenchTart said:
If flibster, Siliconslave or some of the other really knowledgeable guys disagree with me I would go with their opinion though :)
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not more knowledge, just more opinionated ;)

I've had a few drawn out arguments/discussion over espresso vs filter with coffee nut friends and in all honesty I'm not totally convinced theres a clear winner either way.

I only drink my coffee black and make espresso/ long black and filter at home. Generally it depends on the beans which method i prefer. The last set of beans i had for packed worked incredibly well with the filter bringing out its subtle caramel flavor.

The lasted batch from Rave just doesn't seem to work in a filter form, brings out a flavor i just don't get along with (not really identified what it is yet) but is lovely in espresso / long black form :)

Sometimes i think i could get buy without a machine, occasionally i'll go exclusively filter for a month or so at a time, but a nice espresso when i'm in the mood is more than worth having the machine around.

James Hoffman wrote in quite a lot of depth about how he was giving up on home espresso a few years ago on his blog: http://www.jimseven.com/ (can't find the specific post) arguing that home espresso machine just couldn't get a good enough coffee to bother with, and that brewing was much more accessible to the man on the street... I strongly disagreed at the time however i've some what grown to agree over the years.

Home espresso is hard, but with some dedication you can make a drink thats far far better than highstreet chains (or dare i say it pod coffee) so for those of us without access to the top cafes of London (etc) its still a good option :)
 
Siliconslave said:
not more knowledge, just more opinionated ;)

I've had a few drawn out arguments/discussion over espresso vs filter with coffee nut friends and in all honesty I'm not totally convinced theres a clear winner either way.

I only drink my coffee black and make espresso/ long black and filter at home. Generally it depends on the beans which method i prefer. The last set of beans i had for packed worked incredibly well with the filter bringing out its subtle caramel flavor.

The lasted batch from Rave just doesn't seem to work in a filter form, brings out a flavor i just don't get along with (not really identified what it is yet) but is lovely in espresso / long black form :)

Sometimes i think i could get buy without a machine, occasionally i'll go exclusively filter for a month or so at a time, but a nice espresso when i'm in the mood is more than worth having the machine around.

James Hoffman wrote in quite a lot of depth about how he was giving up on home espresso a few years ago on his blog: http://www.jimseven.com/ (can't find the specific post) arguing that home espresso machine just couldn't get a good enough coffee to bother with, and that brewing was much more accessible to the man on the street... I strongly disagreed at the time however i've some what grown to agree over the years.

Home espresso is hard, but with some dedication you can make a drink thats far far better than highstreet chains (or dare i say it pod coffee) so for those of us without access to the top cafes of London (etc) its still a good option :)
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i only drink my coffee black too and move espressos!

Also most places in london make crap coffee tbh especially starbucks, costa etc.
 
I stand on the side of filter coffee over espresso, and have done so since I've had my Aeropress and Chemex. I can get more character and depth of flavour, and generally a greater flavour profile in a filter coffee than I can with my home espresso kit, with the same beans. That said, I do enjoy making and drinking espresso based drinks.

Darn it, that deal for the Gaggia Classic has expired :(!
 
jonneymendoza said:
i only drink my coffee black too and move espressos!

Also most places in london make crap coffee tbh especially starbucks, costa etc.
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yes the chains in london (except notes and taylor street) are as bad as anywhere else, however theres also a far better culture of small specialist coffee places thats world class so your not usually too far from a decent place: http://www.thelondoncoffeemap.com/map
 
molinari said:
I stand on the side of filter coffee over espresso, and have done so since I've had my Aeropress and Chemex. I can get more character and depth of flavour, and generally a greater flavour profile in a filter coffee than I can with my home espresso kit, with the same beans. That said, I do enjoy making and drinking espresso based drinks.

Darn it, that deal for the Gaggia Classic has expired :(!
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It was a deal I couldn't resist, quidco tracked okay as well :)

I'm looking forward to having a play with it. If anything the wife will benefit most as she likes cappuccino etc. so I'll also get to play with frothing milk.

I'll pick up a bottomless portafilter eventually, I've just got a tamper and non pressurised basket so far. I'll be looking into what the OPV mod entails later :)
 
molinari said:
I stand on the side of filter coffee over espresso, and have done so since I've had my Aeropress and Chemex. I can get more character and depth of flavour, and generally a greater flavour profile in a filter coffee than I can with my home espresso kit, with the same beans. That said, I do enjoy making and drinking espresso based drinks.

Darn it, that deal for the Gaggia Classic has expired :(!
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Ah nooooooooooo, it would make a great Christmas present !
 
Just done my first ever order with Rave,
1x Signature Blend - 250g
1x Colombian Suarez - 250g

As just got hold of a Gaggia Classic, so trying to get some knowledge on coffee.
 
Rojin said:
It was a deal I couldn't resist, quidco tracked okay as well :)

I'm looking forward to having a play with it. If anything the wife will benefit most as she likes cappuccino etc. so I'll also get to play with frothing milk.

I'll pick up a bottomless portafilter eventually, I've just got a tamper and non pressurised basket so far. I'll be looking into what the OPV mod entails later :)
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I wanted to go for this deal but the missus made it clear she doesnt want a coffee machine :( . Ill get one next time they come down to a good price no doubt .
 
FinglisHobbit said:
I wanted to go for this deal but the missus made it clear she doesnt want a coffee machine :( . Ill get one next time they come down to a good price no doubt .
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I've got an old Krups fna1 nespresso machine in my office. The Gaggia will replace that. It fits in the same space, so jobs a good 'un! The wife still doesn't know about it, it's going to be a present to both of us from Santa :) Going electric for the grinder is the next step :D
 
Hi all.

Still loving my Classic however first thing in the morning we tend to make a big cafetiere of coffee.

Unfortunately the little plastic screw that holds the mesh down has broken and rather than spend the £8 or so buying a metal replacement I thought I'd look at alternatives. Would a 2/3 cup Hario V60 be a good replacement for making regular coffee in the morning? Looks a similarly simple process and if anything, easier cleanup.

Alternatively (and even, possibly, additionally) any other brands cafetieres to look at?
 
majnu said:
Another kickstarter, this is a British designed french press.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/degono/degono-the-revolutionary-tea-and-coffee-press

Additionally I've wanted to try and move away from milk based drinks what flavour difference would this have over Chemex?
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uchuff said:
Hi all.

Still loving my Classic however first thing in the morning we tend to make a big cafetiere of coffee.

Unfortunately the little plastic screw that holds the mesh down has broken and rather than spend the £8 or so buying a metal replacement I thought I'd look at alternatives. Would a 2/3 cup Hario V60 be a good replacement for making regular coffee in the morning? Looks a similarly simple process and if anything, easier cleanup.

Alternatively (and even, possibly, additionally) any other brands cafetieres to look at?
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Quoted above is a nice looking one on kickstarter, looks to take away the messy side of a French press.
 
I picked up a De'Longhi kg79 today and I'm quite impressed by its capabilities. Out of the box it couldn't quite cut it with grinding fine enough for my espresso machine but after a quick and simple modification as detailed in a youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf43mq-xmm8) it works perfectly. At the finest setting the coffee is far too fine for my machine, about the consistency of flour.

I can only compare it to my Kyocera hand grinder and it seems to more than match it. I paid £32.50 delivered from Amazon, it's a bargain.
 
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