Espresso Enthusiasts

[Scepticalscribe]

I can understand that there's a seasonal problem.....but what do the French do during the wet cold and windy part of the year?

They sit inside, (where there are also many such tables).

Just looking at that picture, (granted, I would far prefer if the snow did not exist in such a setting), I am already almost weak at the knees.

This is one of my definitions of the acme, or apex, of civilisation.

Meanwhile, I'm finding my recent purchase of Colombian coffee to have a very sweet and tart note of strawberry.

Sounds delicious; do enjoy.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Today is a day for coffee; enjoyed an Ethiopian coffee earlier, and also had a flat white with a late lunch.

 

[quagmire]

Got a question...

Still trying to refine extraction of the espresso with the Touch Impress. Breville seems to recommend pre-infusion of 8-10 seconds or so. And of course total time of extraction should be 25-30 seconds. With the bean I have settled on and with a grind setting of 14, I am getting about 5-6 seconds of pre-infusion, but total extraction time is 27 seconds or so. Coffee seems to taste good.

Any tips to getting the pre-infusion to hit that 8 second mark, but not go above the ideal 30 second shot range? Or if the coffee result is satisfactory, don't bother? I will note the puck seems to be getting stuck to the group head when I remove the portafilter. I will try grind size 13 once I am resupplied and see how that works. I also know the grinder itself has further adjustments on the removable ring that I can play with. So I know I probably have more adjustability remaining.

Still enjoying the machine.

 

[Macky-Mac]

... Or if the coffee result is satisfactory, don't bother?....

Every time I read about brewing coffee, there are always very precise instructions about the amount of coffee vs water, size of grounds, water temperature, time of brewing, etc, etc.....it always seems like a very accurate formula that must....MUST...be followed....or it'll be a disaster.

But then the instructions usually end with the advice "adjust to taste".

So in all my coffee brewing, when it tastes just right to me, that's when it's ready.

And the espresso puck is always a messy thing to deal with.

 

[quagmire]

Every time I read about brewing coffee, there are always very precise instructions about the amount of coffee vs water, size of grounds, water temperature, time of brewing, etc, etc.....it always seems like a very accurate formula that must....MUST...be followed....or it'll be a disaster.

But then the instructions usually end with the advice "adjust to taste".

So in all my coffee brewing, when it tastes just right to me, that's when it's ready.

And the espresso puck is always a messy thing to deal with.

That is what I wondered myself when I got the lighter roasted beans. That was brewing in ~21-22 seconds and the machine saying reduce grind size. But at least as a latte, it was tasting good. But further dialing it in and going to grind size 17, the taste did improve as I was getting 28 seconds total brewing time. With the 21-22 second brew time, the floral notes of the coffee was really coming out. With the finer grind, the other notes the coffee was supposed to have came out. Both tasted fine.

So it is just my ever continuing itch to perfect it as much as I can and get that coffee to its peak of what the machine can do. The Touch Impress is definitely the machine for me as I am not interested in what the youtubers do with their $2000-$3000 machines.

But appreciate the feedback.

 

[Macky-Mac]

That is what I wondered myself when I got the lighter roasted beans. That was brewing in ~21-22 seconds and the machine saying reduce grind size. But at least as a latte, it was tasting good. But further dialing it in and going to grind size 17, the taste did improve as I was getting 28 seconds total brewing time. With the 21-22 second brew time, the floral notes of the coffee was really coming out. With the finer grind, the other notes the coffee was supposed to have came out. Both tasted fine.

So it is just my ever continuing itch to perfect it as much as I can and get that coffee to its peak of what the machine can do. The Touch Impress is definitely the machine for me as I am not interested in what the youtubers do with their $2000-$3000 machines.

But appreciate the feedback.

For further experimenting, you might try for a finer grind and more pressure while tamping the grinds

With my last espresso set up, I felt I was never able to get a fine enough grind out of my grinder and observing the baristas at the coffee shops, they were definitely putting more muscle into tamping down the grinds than I did.

 

[Lioness~]

For further experimenting, you might try for a finer grind and more pressure while tamping the grinds

With my last espresso set up, I felt I was never able to get a fine enough grind out of my grinder and observing the baristas at the coffee shops, they were definitely putting more muscle into tamping down the grinds than I did.

Go to the gym and tamp it up so hard that you can't even get the puck out of the portafilter, and you will destroy any and every knockbox in your way 😂

I think all parts fits together in this process of making espresso.
I tamp it less hard then I did earlier at the moment, with good result.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Enjoyed a mug (Le Creuset) of (natural process) coffee from Ethiopia, served with organic hot milk.

 

[quagmire]

Got resupplied and should not have messed with anything! I adjusted the internal grinder vs the dial and those are bigger changes vs the dial. Messed everything up and took up a lot of coffee to get it dialed back in as before.

Even though it's the same espresso as the other bag, with the same settings it is brewing in 20 seconds now vs the 27 seconds. I reduce the grind size to 13 or 12, it becomes way too bitter for me as a straight shot. Can there be large variations with grind settings between bags of the same bean?

 

[quagmire]

Morning latte.


Also when I got resupplied they sent a sample of their Papua New Guinea Nebilyer Valley A coffee. Brewed it yesterday morning and it was delicious. Think I’ll be switching my drip coffee over to this bean.

I’ve been very happy with this roaster.

 

[Macky-Mac]

Morning latte.

View attachment 2365771
Also when I got resupplied they sent a sample of their Papua New Guinea Nebilyer Valley A coffee. Brewed it yesterday morning and it was delicious. Think I’ll be switching my drip coffee over to this bean.

I’ve been very happy with this roaster.

Papua New Guinea does indeed produce some fine coffee. I first tried some because it was recommended in this thread

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

Papua New Guinea does indeed produce some fine coffee. I first tried some because it was recommended in this thread

I bought my first Aldi Capsule machine because somebody made me a coffee with one of their PNG coffee capsule.
Sadly, they don't make that any more, so I am limited to Columbian and Brazilian capsules...

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I bought my first Aldi Capsule machine because somebody made me a coffee with one of their PNG coffee capsule.
Sadly, they don't make that any more, so I am limited to Columbian and Brazilian capsules...

Do they offer any from El Salvador?

I have become more than partial to much of the coffee from El Salvador.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

Do they offer any from El Salvador?

I have become more than partial to much of the coffee fro El Salvador.

Columbian, Brazilian, Peruvian and I can't remember what the 4th one is.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Columbian, Brazilian, Peruvian and I can't remember what the 4th one is.

As the theme appears to be coffees from the central America region, perhaps Costa Rica was the fourth?

However, should the opportunity present itself, I do recommend that you consider trying some coffee from El Salvador.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

As the theme appears to be coffees from the central America region, perhaps Costa Rica was the fourth?

However, should the opportunity present itself, I do recommend that you consider trying some coffee from El Salvador.

The answer was in a previous post of mine. The fourth one was from Honduras.

 

[mtbdudex]

My wife and I were casually discussing our espresso fondness, and the art of making a “good” espresso .
Then we discussed crema and its nuances…

🔎 proper espresso crema - Google Search

www.google.com

Ahh, when a perfect crema touches your lips as you sip the espresso..

 

[quagmire]

The touch impress makes good desserts too.

 

[Lioness~]

I am playing with the order of things when making espresso.
I bought some barista syrup, white-chocolate - will pick up the package containing the brown-chocolate version today too.
To not mess with the crema, I add a 1 1/2 teaspoon before or in between the shoots, if I can remember that is.
As some of you might remember, I sometimes dropped in chocolate buttons into my espresso. Some fat is good in the espresso, but I get that with the coconut milk-powder.

Some days we want this and other days that, you know, maybe? Alternatives and some changes are good to keep things interesting and evolving.

 

[thewakeboardguy]

I just saw this forum, and I see most of you like single origin coffees for the most part. What I have found is I love the more exotic side of coffee. I prefer the co-fermented coffees, as well as barrel aged coffees. I also roast my own beans, and these types of coffees are some of the most flavorful coffees I have ever had. I recommend trying them, if you have a chance too.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

An Ethiopian coffee coming up; black, as I am out of milk (a deficiency that I hope to have remedied later, today).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Enjoying an afternoon coffee from Ethiopia, served with organic hot milk.

 

[iPaintCode]

I ended up swapping to a Flair 58+ espresso lever as I‘ve not steamed milk in years as I usually pull 2-3 shots in the morning, or americano (hot or iced) and decaf pour-overs in V60 decanter past noon. Far as grinders go I have the Niche Zero, Zerno V1 with SSP HU burrs, a Fellow Ode 2gen (for the price best filter coffee option but needs to be gen2) and just got in a Timemore 078s grinder after months in pre-order.

Also I 100% agree on good beans make for great coffee, I’ve tried a ton of roasters, even highly recommended ones but stick with a few that have worked best for me. Have bought from some roasters that most likely repackage and there was nothing I could do, it just tasted like cardboard or low quality extraction (Best way to explain it).

The 4 roasters I’ve been using for a while:

Onxy
Stumpton
Olympia Coffee
Bones Coffee Company

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Enjoyed Ethiopian coffee today, and perused coffee sites this evening.

 

[ssledoux]

So I have question - I wish I could start a thread for it, but I doubt that’s appropriate since there is already this thread.

How do you make your espresso?

I have a Gaggia super automatic because I’m basically somewhat lazy and want a lungo at the push of a button (to which I add grass-fed heavy cream and a little sugar, so basically a coffee). I do love a cappuccino as well, so I often have one of those for my second cup. I recently started roasting my own organic beans - I LOVE Ethiopian beans with citrus notes.

I ordered a Breville Barista Express, but honestly, not sure I’m up to the task and considering returning it. I know I COULD do it - just not sure I feel like all that work prior to having coffee. Lol

Before I do, I just wanted to ask what others use for making their espresso/coffee.