Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

NickK said:
12 weeks for roasted beans if kept in sealed bag. I'll get a maximum of 4 weeks before the has to be so hard and the MCAL gushes or chokes with a fine line between for making espresso.
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Is that 12 weeks if its not frozen? or is that 12 weeks even if its been put in the freezer?
 
NickK said:
Of the coffees that Raymond has listed there are two that I've tried. Both good coffee, although until you get used to the machine and develop a taste for the differences in coffee I'd hold fire on the Bolivia (£7) and look at the Skyberry (£3-4) along with other coffees from around the world - they all have different tastes (you'd notice this especially if you start making americanos as the flavour is not as intense).
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Skyberry is GREAT ! Really really nice, fruity, light and sweet.
 
Ok here we go again!!!!

I managed to somehow return the cuisinart grinder lol

So I've seen a dualit burr grinder for <£60 in selfridges? Is that good yeah for starter use. I'm not too bothered if its going to last more than a few years?

sid

edit/ Looks like you can hack this as well. Does anyone know if this is usable without hacking or is that simply essential?

sid
 
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sid said:
So I've seen a dualit burr grinder for <£60 in selfridges? Is that good yeah for starter use. I'm not too bothered if its going to last more than a few years?
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Supposedly reasonable for the money, although why not spend a bit more and get the Iberital MC2 which you could be happy with for a good while longer.
edit/ Looks like you can hack this as well. Does anyone know if this is usable without hacking or is that simply essential?
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You mean this type of thing - http://www.toomuchcoffee.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&btitle=CE&mid=&ceid=166 ? If it doesn't grind to your satisfaction surely you can just return it as you did with the cuisinart one?
 
beh said:
Supposedly reasonable for the money, although why not spend a bit more and get the Iberital MC2 which you could be happy with for a good while longer.

You mean this type of thing - http://www.toomuchcoffee.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&btitle=CE&mid=&ceid=166 ? If it doesn't grind to your satisfaction surely you can just return it as you did with the cuisinart one?
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Well I simply don't want to buy anything online and have it delivered. Its difficult. If it was available in the shop I would buy one now

Well there is also no garuntee of being able to return the grinder tbh. I was lucky I managed it with the cuisinart one.

sid

edit/ How long will happy donkey take to deliver, If there are any problems with it, I really cannot be bothered to send it back, etc. I have neither the time or the patience tbh
 
The problem is that there are no specialist Coffee shops on the hight streets that hasa good selection of grinders, that Dualit is the best you can get really. I would go out on the weekend buy buy one if i could just pick one up, but being at work all week it is very hard to judge delivery dates from online.
 
Raymond Lin said:
The problem is that there are no specialist Coffee shops on the hight streets that hasa good selection of grinders, that Dualit is the best you can get really. I would go out on the weekend buy buy one if i could just pick one up, but being at work all week it is very hard to judge delivery dates from online.
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If it means taking a day off and something coming whenever then its not really possible.

i'm not sure if my cheap gaggia machine can take advantage of the expensive grinder tbh.

I am very surprised that the kitchenaid artisan burr grinder got poor reviews as well.

The stupid woman in John lewis who had clearly no idea wtf she was on about said it/ and the cuisinart one would have been fine tbh. But they clearly aren't looking at it online

sid
 
Raymond Lin said:
"its fine" = it can grind, not = it can grind great coffee.

I can have it sent to at work but i don't really want to, not something this big. It's not very professional.
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I told her it was gushing but shes like - its probably the coffee or the tamper. I tamped with my fully body weight to get it to choke but it was having none of it tbh.

sid

edit/ I'm gonna get the dualit for the time being and see what happens,

As addictions go, I can always upgrade to a high spec machines later
 
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sid said:
edit/ How long will happy donkey take to deliver, If there are any problems with it, I really cannot be bothered to send it back, etc. I have neither the time or the patience tbh
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From the HD site, "We are so confident that you will like this grinder that we are prepared to offer you a two week 'return to us within 2 weeks if your not happy' deal on it ...", that tells me it's gotta be pretty rare occurrence.
 
Dist said:
Is that 12 weeks if its not frozen? or is that 12 weeks even if its been put in the freezer?
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Well they say three months without freezing.. but that has to be perfect conditions and I doubt particularly drinkable at the end.
Freezing will be fine - I just got a bag out that was roasted on the 17th November. It's just degassed and the bag is puffed up. Freezing slows rather than stops the degradation - so I'd expect it to have lasted three months in the bottom of the freezer quite easily. It may not be as perfect as the day it was frozen but will be drinkable.
 
Nice to know coffee will last long enough, time for me to start pricing up coffee machines/grinders.

Another quick question, are coffee machines that can warm/froth milk for a nice cappuccino much more expensive then just a espresso machine?
 
w00t w00t

The dualit grinder worked a charm on my old whittard beans.

30 secs for a double with decent crema.

OMG i'm happy.

I don't know how much better the other grinders are but this one works fine

sid
 
I've not had a good coffee year so far...

I've given up with my roasting experiments for now after setting off the fire alarm multiple times :o

My Gaggia Classic failed in a rather spectacular style on the 2nd as well. One of the seals has gone and the boiler has burnt and the electrics were frazzled by high pressure hot water... :(

Still. Now have a Rancilio Silvia on order and have also stepped up a grinder as well. Ordered a Mazzer Mini. Always liked the look of them and can't wait to give it a go when it arrives. Living off hand ground coffee and an Aeropress. Not a bad way to drink coffee to be fair. ;)

Have sold the MC2 to the chap next door after he came round for a coffee... He's now addicted to espresso. :D

I will get my Classic repaired eventually and then move it into my playroom. :D
 
Couple of shots

coffee-1-copy.jpg


coffee-2-copy.jpg
 
Dist said:
Nice to know coffee will last long enough, time for me to start pricing up coffee machines/grinders.

Another quick question, are coffee machines that can warm/froth milk for a nice cappuccino much more expensive then just a espresso machine?
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One an the same - in short having a steam wand on the machine should be a given. If not then the machine is basically a marketing invention and I'd avoid it like the plague. So - any machine worth having will have a wand.

To complicate things not all machines produce the same results of steamed milk.. well worth looking at the coffee geek reviews
 
Well thanks to this thread I have got back into "proper" coffee, well, sort of.

I have dug out my cafetière and got some pre-ground coffee (Kenyan and Java...mmmm...Java)

Once I have got the holidays booked and paid for I'll be getting a burr grinder and some beans.

:)
 
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