Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

New office... Stocked with pact coffee.

Unfortunately they seem to have bought about a ton of the stuff, in whole bean, ground for cafetiere, and ground for Espresso, so it will go stale soon I expect but it's been nice having it on tap :) certainly better than the Nespresso pod garbage at the old office.
 
Folks I've started my journey, got myself an aeropress and I'm borrowing a hand grinder that's the Hunt Brothers one off the rainforest. I'd like to get a better grinder to get it done a bit faster with less sticking and more even grind. The one I want is the Knock Aergrind but it appears to be mostly out of stock and selling at a bit of a premium where it is available. The other option is the Timemore Chestnut but I'd really like something that fits with the aeropress so I can take the lot travelling. Any thoughts on either of those? Or shall I just get a porlex mini and save the cash?

I've got a nespresso machine at home which I'm OK with for home use, if and when it dies I'll get an electric grinder and machine but the hand grinder is all I'm looking for for now.
 
Egon said:
What are your go-to super market 'emergency' beans, or even everyday beans? Struggling to find any with a roasted on date, just a best before.
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my emergency beans are tesco finest sumatran

if I have opened them I will then go and place my hasbean or other order and they turn up plenty quick
 
Egon said:
What are your go-to super market 'emergency' beans, or even everyday beans? Struggling to find any with a roasted on date, just a best before.
Click to expand...

Union Hand Roasted or Grumpy Mule.
Regularly seen it on a couple of supermarkets shelves around here. IIRC Union put a roasted on date and who roasted it on the bag.
 
M&S, waitrose, asda there are some recommendations back down thread.

Best before seems to be roast+3months, and you can also discern freshness by rapid de-gassing/bloated bags .. so just about onto October
 
Got myself some Pact beans and the Aergrind, bliss. Recipe I'm using is one I got from a chat with the guy at a filter/pour-over specialty cafe here in Bristol:
Inverted method
13.5g medium-ground, just smaller than grains of sand
240ml
95C
2 min
Stir when slowly pouring water then set lid and leave, pretty foolproof and seems to work nicely even with approximate measurements in the office (I thought scales as a regular thing at work would probably be a step too far)
 
Don't remember seeing any grumpy mule or union in my local Tesco. Ended up getting a bag of Tesco Finest something or other. I'm going away for a few weeks soon so didn't want to place an order from Rave and have them go stale whilst I'm away.
 
dl8860 said:
Have fancied grinding my own beans at home for a while but the price of good electric grinders / the effort of cheaper manual ones has always put me off.

I remember reading a while back that cheaper electric grinders are a total no-no, is that still the case? Saw this which is very tempting to give a go at that price, or am I 100% just pouring money away?

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/MiddleofLidl.htm?articleId=23030
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Bit late, but I have this; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Krups-Expe...+grinder&qid=1562748845&s=gateway&sr=8-6&th=1

Had it for about 5-6 years now and it's been fine (apart from when the gf decides to grind spices in it....). Can't compare to expensive models, but the grind is always consistent.
 
So I've found a 2nd hand gaggia classic for £95 and close by. It's the newer type and not the 'made in Italy' version. Is it still worth it at this price?

I assume I'm not doing any better for £100 regardless of what version...
 
Begbie said:
I assume I'm not doing any better for £100 regardless of what version...
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potentially join coffeeforums where many deals are posted ... a quick scan shows they often go for £70 ... but if it looks nice.
I don't know the gaggia line but this comment was interesting
That's a Classic Coffee I think. No solenoid valve.
Should be able to retrofit though & may be good for parts.
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make sure it has a solenoid to release the pressure ... see it working. .... I think Raymond has one.
 
Begbie said:
So I've found a 2nd hand gaggia classic for £95 and close by. It's the newer type and not the 'made in Italy' version. Is it still worth it at this price?

I assume I'm not doing any better for £100 regardless of what version...
Click to expand...

Iirc it's the post 2015 ones up until last year that people heavily try to avoid. They are supposed to have fixed the issues in this year's model however so it all depends on just how "new" it is.

But either way I doubt you'd be disappointed. To just get a rancilo wand from amazon for about 20 as that seems like a much needed mod everyone makes.
 
can't remember who asked about new dual/hx machines ...but the ecookshop deal of £700 for a sage double boiler is pretty good .. in black
 
mattyg said:
New business mate. From Scratch.
Thats not even an expensive one...Which at £9k makes my bum hole twitch....lol
It can do 600 cups a day. which covers me and the staff and 20 or so customers..lol
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how much coffee are you now using(& personally drinking!) a week then ?

picking your brains - so do you have a filtered/softened water supply for your machines .. what kind of maintenance schedule do you need.
Still trying to optimise my scale/de-calcification process, but one of the problems, is making sure you have flushed out all the acid, before resuming normal service, so,
I am currently syphoning the boiler .. what do the pro's do ?
 
jpaul said:
potentially join coffeeforums where many deals are posted ... a quick scan shows they often go for £70 ... but if it looks nice.
I don't know the gaggia line but this comment was interesting

make sure it has a solenoid to release the pressure ... see it working. .... I think Raymond has one.
Click to expand...
Yeah we agreed to meet half way, so I won't be able to see it. Much like if I had to buy it from ebay I suppose.

It seems in good condition and I believe its before 2015 going by serial number.

At £90 and able to pick it up seems not bad.

Ebay is all over the place with some starting with bids at £100.... :/

Only one on coffee forums just now at like £120, collection only in Exeter. Too far.
 
Wow.

What an upgrade from an aero press. Even with a cheap burr grinder, the difference is unbelievable!

The only problem is staying away from lattes now!

Anyone with a classic are the baskets 14g? Originally put 17g in and getting it closed wasn't really possible.
 
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