Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

[Buckster]

those whiterose prices look very good indeed - anyone on here used them ?

 

[Kainz]

rave used to be good value before they had a social media budget + fancy packets and branding.
the whole market is like the beer market now with fancy names /graphics to give GenZ an individualized experience - kings new clothes.


the flow control filter cap looks like an interesting option making them like a clever dripper - but seemingly you have to apply the plunger as opposed to gravity feed - not sure I get it

Looks like I’m dumping Rave for my next purchase of Monsoon Malabar then!

 

[Cadder]

Rave's Monsoon Malabar is still excellent. We're a few coffees into a 250g bag and it's spot on. Of course it pours different to any other coffee I've had and the crema is about 5mm thick but the taste is spot on.

 

[Jupiter]

Try this: pour coffee into an ice cube tray. Freeze. Have coffee ice cubes with milk in the morning. This is a money spinner, surely?

 

[iron_monkey]

Anyone seen any good offers about?

 

[Raymond Lin]

Try this: pour coffee into an ice cube tray. Freeze. Have coffee ice cubes with milk in the morning. This is a money spinner, surely?

Espresso would work, filter would be too weak. Unless you want to empty the entire tray into a glass. Takes too many ice cubes and therefore takes too long to melt for it to release the coffee.

 

[Scam]

Finally got myself a replacement moka (actual real Bialetti one this time). I have a Baratza Encore grinder that goes from 0-30 steps (with half steps actually). I usually grind on 1-1.5 for my aeropress and I think 20-23ish for cafetière. What out of that range would you grind for a moka pot brew?

 

[iron_monkey]

It's been a long time since i used my mokka as i just use the espresso machine now, i think it was around 15 i used on my sage smart Pro grinder.

 

[Raymond Lin]

A little less than espresso I expect?

I would start with espresso grind first though for the 1st cup and see how you like it. Then you can only go 1 direction to adjust.

 

[iron_monkey]

James Hoffman does a great vid on the mokka pot

 

[gazref]

Finally got myself a replacement moka (actual real Bialetti one this time). I have a Baratza Encore grinder that goes from 0-30 steps (with half steps actually). I usually grind on 1-1.5 for my aeropress and I think 20-23ish for cafetière. What out of that range would you grind for a moka pot brew?

Don't own an Encore but if you're calibrated currently this site suggests 4-16 .

Coffee Grind Size Chart Generator

Search for your coffee grinder brand and model and generate a chart specific to its settings.

honestcoffeeguide.com

The Grind Size Chart (+ Grind Settings Database)

Grind size can be tricky to dial in. Here are some steps in the right direction, including an overview of common grinder models + recommended adjustments.

coffeechronicler.com

8-10

Probably split the different and start on 6?

 

[Scam]

James Hoffman does a great vid on the mokka pot

Already watched a few times EDIT: Just remembered he suggests an AP filter in the moka, awesome.

Probably split the different and start on 6?

Thanks for the links. Amazed they start at 4 for the AP though, seems awfully high. I use Hoffman's method (2min not inverted, agitate, another 30secs) so I wonder if he suggests a finer grind for that.

 

[gazref]

Not all Grinders are same from factory and they do drift over time, my niche almost daily. Next time you open her up for clean recalibrate it. Follow manufacturer guidelines but it's generally tightening to the point of burrs touching(don't turn it on!!) and make that your zero. Above all else let taste guide you, if you like what's I'm the cup keep it what you got.

 

[jpaul]

I think grinder setting depends massively on the coffee, even more than it's freshness
- with the rocky I have had some waitrose beans that need 8 and some Aldi ones that use 4 , for an espresso 15-20s extract time
... so since the cabration starts at zero where the burrs touch that's twice the size of grain.

(reposting) if you have a good digital camera

Android app to estimate coffee grind size distribution - Page 2

Hey, I just started pulling the original app into a python package, but missed this forum until now! I'd be up to try tuning the software a bit. Updated repo: {link} I'm mostly interested in following the brewing method advised in this paper, but I'm planning to measure the particle size...

www.home-barista.com

 

[jpaul]

Looks like I’m dumping Rave for my next purchase of Monsoon Malabar then!

haven't tried it too yet - waitrose's own italian beans still seem pretty good when fresh - picked up some roasted Aug 17th yesterday


hot chocolate on the espresso steam wand :
think I've now cracked the initial mixing of the cocoa&sugar problem, put them in the steaming jug, add a small amount of hot water from the machine,
mix to a paste, then add cold milk and wand it - tip is that cocoa melts at >body temp.
for the months since I started had used cold milk to mix paste.

 

[Invertigo]

So our delonghi bean to cup machine seems to not be long more for this world and looking at getting something a bit nicer. Would like a steamer for milk but beyond that, any guidance on what to look at?

Seen the Sage Barista Express at what seems a reasonable price which includes a built in grinder, but maybe a separate one is better?

All in looking at no more than £500 honestly, if anyone can offer a steer!

 

[Stellios]

So the Barista Express is probably a good shout. I've had one 2 years and its been great. The weakest point being the grinder. It does the job OK, but a lot of people progress into buying a stand alone grinder after a while.

The Barista Pro has recently had its grinder refreshed and now uses a set of Baratza burrs which are meant to be quite good from reports I've read. It might be worth seeing if you can pick one up close to budget.

 

[jpaul]

learned something new about milk frothing -
I always warmed cups with hot water from bezerra HX machines, which I took ~30s, before steaming milk/chocolate,
steam pressure/it's temperature, is much better if I steam first, it's all over in 30s, versus 45s before, I hadn't realised boiler/1.3KW doesn't recover faster

Does everyone dip steam nozzle to base of jug multiple times after they have the top throth they need, just to help uniformly heat it faster, cleanup of nozzle takes a bit longer though.

 

[gazref]

Non milk drinker these days but I used to stretch it first listening for that magic noise. Surfing the tip just below surface then once it's stretched out submerge and leave until you get up to temp of 65/70degrees.

 

[Irish_Tom]

Just had a strange experience with a taste test.

I should preface this by saying that I’m hardly a Sommelier (wine or coffee). I’m not going to be able to pick out a specific region or variety in a blind tasting. However, I’ve done a few coffee cuppings and wine tastings — my palette isn’t complete devoid of taste.

I got a new bag of beans yesterday and still had enough for a cup from my last bag, so I thought I’d do a comparison.

Cup 1
1 month old
Nicaraguan single origin
Light roast
Origin Coffee Roasters

Cup 2
Roasted this week
Ethiopian single origin
Medium roast
Moonroast Coffee Roasters

Both cups made with a AeroPress using The Hoff’s ultimate recipe.

Although one was made after the other, I made sure they were the same temperate for tasting.

…They tasted the same…

I was expecting at least something to differentiate them. Different regions, different roasters, different roasting level, different age… nothing.

I know the AeroPress is a “forgiving” brewing method, but I didn’t think it removed all character from the cup.

I asked my wife to try them both without telling her what I was doing and she thought they were the same brew.

So either we’re both about to come down with COVID; by some miracle these two different beans have ended up with the same flavour profile; or something about my method has stripped the nuance out of the cup.

Any ideas?