Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

FrenchTart said:
Hasbean doesn't have free delivery.

I like to use up my coffee within 3 weeks max but in theory it's okay up to 4, depending on who you believe. Tbh I think it changes negatively at about the 2 week mark.
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So is that if the coffee is opened? What about if the coffee is unopened? Just trying to get my head around this...

Thanks :)
 
wildest_jjk said:
So is that if the coffee is opened? What about if the coffee is unopened? Just trying to get my head around this...

Thanks :)
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the roasted coffee in a sealed packet has a longer shelf life.

First 24hrs to 3 days the beans are degassing - losing the co2 that was trapped inside them during roasting. Once this is done the beans are considered at peak.
One - four weeks sealed in an airtight package its considered in good condition.
Beyond this its beginning to go a little stale.

It'll vary depending on the beans, the roast and environment etc, but thats rough guide :)
 
Siliconslave said:
the roasted coffee in a sealed packet has a longer shelf life.

First 24hrs to 3 days the beans are degassing - losing the co2 that was trapped inside them during roasting. Once this is done the beans are considered at peak.
One - four weeks sealed in an airtight package its considered in good condition.
Beyond this its beginning to go a little stale.

It'll vary depending on the beans, the roast and environment etc, but thats rough guide :)
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Thanks!

So I could probably get away with buying 2 or 3 packets. Once opened is there a 'best' approach to storage?
 
For the Foundry Rocko brand and latest Silver Oak varieties I bought they say need 7-11 days post rost for espresso to be viable, coffee forums and my experience agrees with that, otherwise get unpredicatble shots and also need a very fine grind; for filter can use it sooner.

+1 siliconslaves comment about 4 weeks max keeping sealed


About grinders, I thought Barista Grinder is nonetheless £50 more than MC2, so maybe prettier, but at a cost, and MC2 being Italian made may have better reliability - how much do new burrs for Barista cost too ? (less than £20 for MC2/Rocky)
They were giving a Barista grinder, free with the dual boiler sage, so that gave some additional ebay supply and might expect some further bargains (monitor coffeeuk)
 
wildest_jjk said:
Thanks!

So I could probably get away with buying 2 or 3 packets. Once opened is there a 'best' approach to storage?
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two options in my opinion are you either use the resealable bags the (majority) of roasteries supply, keep them in that in a cupboard - Not in the fridge or you get a vacuvin coffee saver which does most of the same thing, with a little more vacuum.:)
 
One thing to keep in mind if you end up buying multiple varieties is that each of them will likely require a different grind setting to get optimum results. As I'm very lazy I prefer to use up all of a particular bag before moving on to my next one so I'm not constantly re-calibrating.
 
glitch said:
Look forward to hearing your thoughts on it - I miss my Gaggia Classic but not the MC2 grinder, so the Sage BE has been on my radar for some time now...
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... so talk me out of getting an MC2, what had you disliked ?

(was still thinking of side-gradeing from a Rocky, for a stepless alternative)

... also waiting to see if Rave have a post-xmas deal for some Signature
 
jpaul said:
... so talk me out of getting an MC2, what had you disliked ?
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Everything about it annoyed me. The way it looked, the way it sounded and most of all the stupidly finicky stepless adjustment which felt like I needed to have a background in safe-cracking in order to get to grips with it.

I'm sure that it is a wonderful machine given adequate time and more patience than I had to spare, but I hated it. So I replaced it with a Rocky and never really looked back.

Today, I'd go Sage Smart Grinder Pro. Or Barista Express, which seems to have one already built-in. Which is nice, should you want that sort of thing.
 
Anyone got a DeLonghi Nespresso Lattissima Touch?

Looking at buying a Nespresso machine for the first time.

Had a proper coffee machine for a while but eventually stopped using it as we became lazy and went back to instant but now with a baby we only have time to make a quick brew.

Anyone have one and can recommend?

Have seen it on sale for £190.
 
Get the Latissima+ instead; cheaper (£140 with £75 Nespresso credit) and does everything the Touch will. I think the only differences between the two models are cosmetic

I know a few people who have the + and they swear by them. Decent enough coffee too, once you've found the pod that suits you.
 
I've had a nespresso machine for quite a few years now and it's been great, very handy for a quick shot.

Once I found out you could get the 10 packs of pods from the supermarket I stopped buying the originals from nespresso, so I didn't have to buy 200 at a time.

I've probably not bought originals in a couple of years now.

I'm thinking I enjoyed the original Nespresso pods much more though. It's been so long since I tried them, perhaps I'm just imagining it?

What do others think? Do the 3rd party supermarket ones pale in comparison or are they just as good?
 
glitch said:
Get the Latissima+ instead; cheaper (£140 with £75 Nespresso credit) and does everything the Touch will. I think the only differences between the two models are cosmetic

I know a few people who have the + and they swear by them. Decent enough coffee too, once you've found the pod that suits you.
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i cant find the Lattissima+ on sale, i think the touch has replaced it.
 
Right folks, thought I would provide an update on my purchase of the Barista Express...

Basically I changed my mind immediately and returned the machine (sorry to let you down). There are a few reasons for this but nothing to do with the capabilities of the machine. Instead I purchased a few things:

De'Longhi EC680 Dedica Coffee Machine with 15 Bar Espresso Pump
Melitta 1011-16 Look IV Therm Timer Coffee Filter Machine
Bodum Bistro Electric Coffee Grinder
Andrew James Milk Jug and Thermometer
Smart Weigh SWS100 100g Scales
Coffee Canisters by Coffee Gator x 2
Bodum Double Wall Glasses Set of 4

Now just need the new kitchen to fit everything.
 
This question is aimed at the likes of Frenchtart/Siliconslave/Flibster or other coffee experts on here.

I want to know if installing a PID on something like a Gaggia Classic or Rancilio Silvia (currently in possession of both) would be worth my while in the long run? Thinking about buying one for the Silvia.
 
Grimley said:
This question is aimed at the likes of Frenchtart/Siliconslave/Flibster or other coffee experts on here.

I want to know if installing a PID on something like a Gaggia Classic or Rancilio Silvia (currently in possession of both) would be worth my while in the long run? Thinking about buying one for the Silvia.
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kind of difficult to answer tbh, I put one on my gaggia a couple of years back (it's somewhere in the thread...) and it's been great, but was such a long time ago it's hard to know how much of a difference the PID bit really makes.

That being said the one I got has a temp readout, automatic pre-soak and timed shots which are definitely worth it. Having used a friends gaggia recently it's so much easier with these little luxuries:
Turn the machine on, wait for the readout to stabilize at 102 (to account for head loss on the way to the grouphead) and hit a button.

It totally stabilizes the time and temperature variables :)
 
The fully blow pid's become quite expensive though £150+, versus a machine upgrade,I considered the mecoffee pid for a while (inc pre-infusion & bluetooth app)
but decided product was a bit immature (s/w bugs! / reliability) and also not volumteric control,

if anything, a simpler pid, just controlling temperature (even a home brew version <£50, buy thermocouple, pid, genuine solid state relay) seemed sweet spot -
but a 2nd hand HX model came up and Silvia and I parted (Rocky misses her).

The HX also gives simultaneous/powerful steaming but have not fully exploited/learned it yet.
 
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