Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread
- Thread starter Siliconslave
- Start date
Yeah, I don't understand how Starbucks has the following that it does. I've given it a few chances but I've never once made it through an entire cup. The stuff is horrendous.
For myself, if I absolutely must have a high street coffee I think I enjoy Nero the most. I don't really buy coffee when I'm out as nothing tastes as good as what I have at home. Coffee #1 and Boston Tea Party make a coffee I don't hate.
I also buy coffee from where I buy my beans from and funnily enough they're the cheapest too. £2 for a flat white that's actually crafted with care.
For myself, if I absolutely must have a high street coffee I think I enjoy Nero the most. I don't really buy coffee when I'm out as nothing tastes as good as what I have at home. Coffee #1 and Boston Tea Party make a coffee I don't hate.
I also buy coffee from where I buy my beans from and funnily enough they're the cheapest too. £2 for a flat white that's actually crafted with care.
Caporegime
Although, for what it's worth...Starbucks in other countries tastes different, they have to match their local cafe's quality. It's just the UK and US one that is bad.
Starbucks in the far east have more than just coffee, I go there for the Matcha stuff, or Sakura stuff...not really coffee, but flavoured drinks.
Starbucks in the far east have more than just coffee, I go there for the Matcha stuff, or Sakura stuff...not really coffee, but flavoured drinks.
Last edited:
Soldato
Dear God, Starbucks in Spain must be abysmal then.
Funnily enough, the best coffee I've had, anywhere, is at a small cafe in Portree on the Isle of Skye called Birch. Phenomenally good, light roasted espresso, perfectly dialled in. I'm so used getting inferior coffee when away from home that it was a genuine surprise.
I keep meaning to buy some beans from em when they re-open for the summer. https://birch-skye.co/
Soldato
For me it's a small mokapot. It's light and easy to use on a campstove and pretty quick, and you can use it on a teeny tiny stove
Caporegime
And you need to boil water anyway so now it’s all in one vessel. It’s also light and pretty indestructible. I’d go with this too. An aeropress seems like a good idea but you will need the paper filter, or you can use the metal mesh then there’s also the case of looking for a flat sturdy service to push down. There are more variables to think about.
I wound stay away from any of those “hand pump espresso” gadgets too.
Last edited:
JetBoil seems a good, compact option. It has a coffee press accessory which converts the cooking "pan" into a cafetiere.
Last edited:
Well since I already have a mokapot I thought I'd give the aeropress a try, birthday present so why not! All I can say is, damn. That thing makes some fine coffee!
I use a Gagia Brera bean to cup usually which I thought made nice coffee but this is definitely a big step up from that.
It could be the beans in fairness as I got given some Tesco finest Machi Picchu Peruvian ground coffee with it so will see how it goes with some cheaper coffee too. Speaking of, what's the go-to sub £50 coffee grinder? Got some Amazon vouchers burning a hole in my wallet!
The aeropress seems a good lightweight bit of kit for camping, definitely going to give it a go next trip.
I use a Gagia Brera bean to cup usually which I thought made nice coffee but this is definitely a big step up from that.
It could be the beans in fairness as I got given some Tesco finest Machi Picchu Peruvian ground coffee with it so will see how it goes with some cheaper coffee too. Speaking of, what's the go-to sub £50 coffee grinder? Got some Amazon vouchers burning a hole in my wallet!
The aeropress seems a good lightweight bit of kit for camping, definitely going to give it a go next trip.
I just have a V60 and filters in the van. I do have a JetBoil but don't have the cafetiere attachment. Just boil the water, put V60 over a thermos and pour.
Soldato
Last edited:
This may sound a little strange and I'm not entirely sure how to explain it but has anyone noticed any differences with milk texture in recent times? I'll try to explain...
I have a Sage Bambino Plus machine and have had for many months now. It does automatic milk foaming and does a pretty good job of it, too - certainly far better than I can do manually. Or at least it used to. Up until some time last year it was giving me perfectly textured microfoamed milk which when poured out came out looking almost like white paint. I'm not sure exactly when it changed but for a few months now, the milk has been coming out with a more frothy texture rather than the properly microfoamed texture that it used to have.
However I've got a couple of 4 pinters in my fridge, one from Iceland and one from Sainsburys and to my surprise, the Iceland milk is coming out with the same perfect microfoam texture that I had for so long, yet the Sainsburys milk is coming out with the frothy texture. Anyone know if something about supermarket milk has changed recently? I was putting it down to something to do with my machine, but I can replicate these results by swapping between the Iceland and Sainsburys milk every time. I'm just using standard semi-skimmed milk and always have done.
I have a Sage Bambino Plus machine and have had for many months now. It does automatic milk foaming and does a pretty good job of it, too - certainly far better than I can do manually. Or at least it used to. Up until some time last year it was giving me perfectly textured microfoamed milk which when poured out came out looking almost like white paint. I'm not sure exactly when it changed but for a few months now, the milk has been coming out with a more frothy texture rather than the properly microfoamed texture that it used to have.
However I've got a couple of 4 pinters in my fridge, one from Iceland and one from Sainsburys and to my surprise, the Iceland milk is coming out with the same perfect microfoam texture that I had for so long, yet the Sainsburys milk is coming out with the frothy texture. Anyone know if something about supermarket milk has changed recently? I was putting it down to something to do with my machine, but I can replicate these results by swapping between the Iceland and Sainsburys milk every time. I'm just using standard semi-skimmed milk and always have done.
Last edited:
Soldato
As far as I know there are 2 major suppliers of Supermarket Milk. One is Arla, (Morrisons is one they supply) the other is Muller that took over Robert Wiesman Dairy a while ago (Sainsbury). Best to look at the trolley the Milk is put on or check the bottle.
Associate
Does the bad milks bubbles pop away quickly, you'll hear it fizzing. This can happen with poorly handled milk on the supply chain or sometimes if they've changed the feed for the cows, its something to do with the fats in the milk breaking down and free glycerol,I think james hoffman talks about it in some of his milk foaming vids.