Just sat down with my second cup of Hasbean's new Jailbreak Blend (http://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/Jailbreak-Espresso-Blend.html). To my taste, it's coming through just a teensy bit acidic. Perhaps not entirely surprising, given that it seems to consist entirely of central American beans.
I know I have a lower tolerance for acidity in espresso than a lot of folks, though, and apart from that it's a very nice balance. The smell is wonderful. Worth trying.
Is it not just his new name for his Premium Espresso blend? I've had loads of that stuff in the past and still have maybe 500g of green somewhere but I'm hooked on Red Monkey Organic at the moment.
What amazes me is that blenders can manage to achieve consistency given the variety in croppings of the same bean. I've also had a go at blending green beans for espresso and it is bloody hard.
Is it not just his new name for his Premium Espresso blend? I've had loads of that stuff in the past and still have maybe 500g of green somewhere but I'm hooked on Red Monkey Organic at the moment.
It's a relaunch of the old Premium Espresso blend, but I believe it has changed significantly. Certainly, this batch is more to my taste than the PE I had a couple of years back. To me, it doesn't quite compare with the superlative Toba Sulawesi blend (http://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/Has-Bean-Toba-Sulawesi-Espresso-Blend.html), but that's my taste-buds speaking, and I suspect the Jailbreak may be closer to what the majority of espresso lovers prefer.QuoteWhat amazes me is that blenders can manage to achieve consistency given the variety in croppings of the same bean. I've also had a go at blending green beans for espresso and it is bloody hard.
+1
Tea. It's always tea. Sainsbury's in this case. :(
Toba Sulawesi: The best coffee I've tasted by an order of magnitude. Absolutely sublime. Yes, a hint of grapefruit, but overall a tremendously rounded flavour without any hint of unpleasant edge. Espresso has body and silkiness, excellent crema and grinds consistently. I won't be hurrying to try anything else.
The problem with Regulators is that they almost never live up to their claims. They make a lot of noise and don't really work. You'd have no difficulty squeezing one in though as they are actually quite small.
The problem with Regulators is that they almost never live up to their claims. They make a lot of noise and don't really work. You'd have no difficulty squeezing one in though as they are actually quite small.
FTFY
Have you tried his Kicker stuff yet?
If you like Kenyan then you'll like Ethiopian Yirgacheff ;)
Mornington Crescent
Kenyan Wathenge (http://www.monmouthcoffee.co.uk/Coffee/Africa/Kenya/Wathenge)
Mild but bright and lively. More winey than citrussy. Nice.
It's only coffee
Bad day last week; ran out of Grand Mere from France for the plunger thingy at work, had to make do with Co-Op Fairtrade sawdust
can you get Grand Mere anywhere in the UK?
Bad day last week; ran out of Grand Mere from France for the plunger thingy at work, had to make do with Co-Op Fairtrade sawdust
can you get Grand Mere anywhere in the UK?
Why would you want to? It's shite ;D
Revelation for the first time.
Also have a bag each of Revelation and Rogue to try over the next few days.
I usually stick to Taylors of Harragate. I'm on the Carte Noir this week as it was in the cheap bin in the supermarket. Im still looking for these cat poo coffee beans, looks like Tescos /Sainsburys won't be getting them anytyime soon.
I've got some Revelation on order. I'll be amazed if you dont like it
Yeah, and if that first one wasn't in fecking Darwen, I'd be bidding...
Yeah, and if that first one wasn't in fecking Darwen, I'd be bidding...
I have just had an Ebay accident on a semi-commercial machine, so my Rancilio Silvia is for sale over in classifieds if you, or indeed anyone else here, is interested.
You could go for one of these (http://www.rapha.cc/rocket-espresso-for-rapha) if you're a fashion victim.
I'd love one of those machines, but not with that logo on it.
I was watching that S24 but it went too high right at the end - hope you enjoy it!
I was watching that S24 but it went too high right at the end - hope you enjoy it!
It was cheaper than they normally are - they usually fetch 5-600 quid on Ebay - the collect only from Cwmbran saw to that. It wasn't you who put the snipe on and won the grinder was it? You cost me the best part of 100 quid if it was! ;D
You can keep it at our house :)
And I got here too late for your Silvia :'( Anyone else got one for sale?
I'll wager that the quality of espresso from your new machine is little different to your Silvia (when surfed)
But, I think your new machine will be waaay better at frothing milk, and also at keeping the cups hot. The passive heating of the Silvia is shit in this respect.
I'm semi regretting not snapping up the Epoca that went with the Mazzer, but there would have been a lot of explaining to do and possibly some time in the cooler.
Watch this space - the espresso machine arms race has begun.
One of the issues with it is that it sometimes arrives only a couple of days after roasting.... I'm not sure that is enough. That said, I grind it quite finely and always end up with a soggy puck but I accept that because what ends up in the cup is excellent.
Rancilio S24!
Like this:
(http://www.siennacoffee.com.au/images/products/rancilio24.gif)
I've given up coffee before PBP now, I just found myself drooling over my switched off Gaggia :'(
Having read reviews I ordered a shed load of Breakfast Bomb. It is living up to it's name, I am on my 3rd cup since I got in from work an hour ago and I am bouncing off the walls :D (Fortunately I don't need to go to bed any time soon because I am about to start a block of nights from tomorrow).
Having read reviews I ordered a shed load of Breakfast Bomb. It is living up to it's name, I am on my 3rd cup since I got in from work an hour ago and I am bouncing off the walls :D (Fortunately I don't need to go to bed any time soon because I am about to start a block of nights from tomorrow).
What's the flavour like? I like a smooth round chocolatey caramel nuance rather than a zingy zesty acidic lemony orangey kick up the jacksy. Do you think it would fit the bill?
I've got four new bags of it, but it is too new. Going in the freezer til I can do a bit of serious espresso drinking.
I've got four new bags of it, but it is too new. Going in the freezer til I can do a bit of serious espresso drinking.
Can it be too new? I thought it declined over time not improved?
I have a freezer full of coffee and a broken down Gaggia at the moment, it's sprung a leak somewhere inside :(
I've got four new bags of it, but it is too new. Going in the freezer til I can do a bit of serious espresso drinking.
Can it be too new? I thought it declined over time not improved?
I've got four new bags of it, but it is too new. Going in the freezer til I can do a bit of serious espresso drinking.
Can it be too new? I thought it declined over time not improved?
Yes to both.
Freshly roasted coffee tastes of nothing. It takes at least a couple of days rest before it is anything like ready, and some coffees I've roasted have need a full week before they are at their peak. The revelation was roasted on Tuesday. Tomorrow if my resolve breaks....
What I got was four bags of really nice filter coffee that I just couldn't get to work in the machine. I emailed the roaster for advice on dose and output, after every shot I produced was sour and disgusting. In all honesty, what was coming out of the machine was exactly what I would expect from roasts this light, over-powering acidity. He and I had a conversation over a number of days, with the end result being that he very generously refunded the entire cost of my order.
I'm really stumped by this. The only way I can get this stuff half-way decent is by down-dosing to almost half of what the roaster recommended, and then I'm left wondering why I should put it through an espresso machine rather than some other method. This roastery supplies many of the poncy 'avant-garde' coffee houses of east London, and I'm so intrigued that I'm intending to head their way and see how they do it, as at the moment getting a decent shot out of light-roast single origin is beyond me. ??? ???
A banging headache if you don't take it easy :D
Given your background with PIDs, I assume you've already tried tweaking the brew temperature?
Do you have any way to measure temperature stability during the shot? I know the E61 HX machines are pretty sensitive to how much water you flush through before the shot -- but not quite sure how the DB version is going to behave.
My own suspicion is that peoples' tolerance to acidity varies quite a bit. I'm not particularly keen on it myself: Has Bean's "Blake" blend (which I still rate really highly) is about as far as I tend to go for espresso.
"Citrusy and acidic" is not what you want in an espresso, is it though?
I'm pretty convinced this is a fad with the proponents looking for something new. Sooner or later everyone will realise it actually tastes horrid, despite our best intentions to liking it, and we'll see a return to darker roasts.
Back to the SM coffee I had, one of the bags was called 'Guji Espresso'. What it was, was very good quality Yirgacheffe, that prepared in a filter with a comparatively low dose was absolutely lovely, but espresso? No, sorry, it just isn't.
This is the thing, in this drive to get more and more flavour from these coffees by up-dosing massively and putting them through an espresso machine with a tiny output of liquid they are missing the point that sometimes less is more, and the subtleties are easily lost. Espresso is not the only way to prepare coffee, but this deconstructed Starbuck's generation can't quite see beyond it yet.
I predict the next fashionable thing will be filter coffee ;)
95 on the PID, which works with everything else.
I can't believe anyone would like the taste of what I'm producing but there is always the chance I'm getting something wrong. What struck me is this I'm sure I read that Blake is meant to be a darkish roast. What I've got is medium roast at best.
That's a tad harsh on Has Bean ::-) .... I found some of the blends ok, all of them took a fair amount of experimentation to get the best out of them (and 'the best' was only passable in some). The Brazil espresso perfetio was pretty good, and we sink a large jug of Breakfast Bomb every morning but I've not tried that as an espresso. The only truly undrinkable ones were some revived Premium Blend they did for Xmas - it kept Ms M in latte for a couple of weeks - and Jabberwocky. They are very different from revelation though. Thanks for the Happy Donkey Brazilian tip - I'll try it alongside the revelation.
I'd sit back with a few cups of revelation and relax if I were you :)
Its lovely isn't it. Its like good old fashion Italian style blends but no nasty surprises and loads of quality flavours. I think it was Tewdric or Dasmoth that first brought my attention to it, how I survived befor I just don't know. (by the way, if you want something along the same lines but half the price try Happy Donkey Brazilian)
I, on the other hand, have opened and tried all of the five Hasbean 'espresso'blends that were sent to me as a present. They are all horrid...really horrid.
Right, so of the five Hasbean espresso blends, two were undrinkable, one was nice, and the other two needed work but the best you could get was something 'passable' out of them.
Praise, indeed. ;D
By the way, of the two Happy Dinkey espresso blends the Brazilian is the smoother. Half the price of Revrlation and excellent vfm.
I'm waiting on a kilo of Mocha Java from Coffee Latino. Tried a sample and it was great in milk drinks, and not bad at all as an espresso.
Has Bean aren't the darkest of roasters, but I'd certainly expect Blake to be darker-end-of-medium, at least. I don't actually have any in the house right now (gave away my last half-bag when I sold my old Silvia at the weekend!), but will take a good look at the new batch which will hopefully be turning up on Saturday.
This fashion for lightly roasted acidic coffee - maybe it's a reaction to Starbucks peddling something just short of "burnt" all these years?
AndyH has got my PID Silvia now, but they are brilliant machines.And today my Iberital MC2, pulycaff, tamper, grouphead cleaning brush & blind filter basket turned up ;D. So today I've been playing with a bag of Taylors supermarket espresso beans that needed using, most of which was discarded but I got a couple of passable shots. Tomorrow it will be Happy Donkey Classic Italian
Good reminder - just put an order in with Extract; I need a posh coffee treat every now and again.
We are currently drinking Union Revelation since Ocado started selling the beans and not just the ground version so I stuck a couple of bags in my order to try. Seems to be very nice. To me it actually doesn't taste that different to Breakfast Bomb (but I have no sense of smell which also means I don't have a great sense of taste either). Simon seems to like it.
I read recently that as part of making the GB Trackies training camp at Newport as comfortable and relaxed as possible, they allowed Sir Chris Hoy to bring his own grinder and espresso machine. 8)
Can anybody recommend a good online suplier of the Good Grounds? Not too exoensive but a wide choice and reasonable shipping costs? I am today mostly getting my caffeine from Vaping Kola Kick E-liquid that is fortified with Caffeine and it makes clouds of vapour as well :thumbsup:I would highly recommend this place http://www.ravecoffee.co.uk/
and like others (including rave that Feline mentioned) will grind the coffee for just how you want it (and the know the difference between espresso grind and filter grind).
Any suggestions?
If you don't want to go as far as a Rocky you could try an Iberital MC2 from Happy Donkey (http://www.happydonkey.co.uk/hd0866-iberital-mc2-auto.html). Prices are plus VAT btw.
Most certainly. I use a Porlex (http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/grinders/products/porlex-ceramic-burr-coffee-grinder) hand grinder at work and it takes me a minute or two to grind the 14g of coffee that I need for a single cup of pour-over coffee. An electric grinder of any kind will be much faster. Our Rocky will knock out a quantity like this in a couple of seconds.
Oh - and in the spirit of the thread, this is what I'm currently drinking:
http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/4-6/products/ethiopia-yirgacheffe-wote-washed
Light, fruity and citrusy. Very pleasant indeed as filter coffee and quite capable as an espresso.
Mountain Dew Energy
Just had my first and second aeropresses of union revelation. Delicious. What treat on cold night.It's a winning combo for me too!
Back to the rave decaf now
Waitrose now stock Union Revelation beans! :thumbsup:
I have a Mazzer mini and I do the flick trick with every grind, also use a pastry brush to get the residue out of the doser from the previous day. Pain in the arse. Wouldn't be an issue if it was in constant use but at 2 or 3 coffees a day its necessary.
I didn't Used To Bother either
This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep this rabbit-hole goes
I've just ordered some Sumatran & some Yirgacheffe from Hasbean.
How are you preparing it and what sort of coffee do you like?
I've just ordered some Sumatran & some Yirgacheffe from Hasbean.
You won't regret their Yirgacheffe one little bit - as pourover, it rocks my world most mornings at the office.
I've just ordered some Sumatran & some Yirgacheffe from Hasbean.
You won't regret their Yirgacheffe one little bit - as pourover, it rocks my world most mornings at the office.
What setting are you using on the Porlex for pour over ? How may clicks from fully screwed in ?
Lavazza Crema é Gusto (don't ask why.) :sick: It's going in the bin.I bought some of that today. I was sent shopping with coffee as one of the items on my list. Now, I virtually never drank coffee until very recently and still drink it rarely - I was taken aback and bewildered at the range of coffees on the supermarket shelves. Tea is so much simpler! Fortunately I worked out that "cafe style" actually meant "beans to grind at home" and immediately ruled out the offerings of Starbucks (on taste and ethical grounds) and Taylors (because we have some Taylors "Rich Italian" and it's rather tasteless). I knew I wanted something stronger in taste - the "Rich Italian" (Berlusconi? Agnelli?) is rated 4 on whatever scale they use, but that seems to be a high number in coffee-scale-world, FWIW (I suspect zilch). I noticed that the own brand coffee was pretty much the same price as the branded, which was surprising, but what struck me more is that coffee packaging is stuck in the 80s - like milk, almost all of it is sold in packs of "227g" and "454g". That inclined me to the two brands with sensible pack sizes, on of which - Douwe Egberts - had cringeworthy names like "Together Time" and "Morning American", so I bought the Lavazza. And I quite like it - it has strength of taste and bitterness I like. So you could have sent yours to me! All in all though, I'm finding my Adventures in Coffee a little dispiriting so far.
Lavazza Crema é Gusto (don't ask why.) :sick: It's going in the bin.
That Lavazza tasted like drinking the contents of a swilled-out ashtray (oh, those student days...), and even worse than catering-quality instant. YMMofcourseV. It just has a really odd, 1-dimensional, almost stale flavour, and I know now that coffee can be so much better. Like you Cudzo, I wasn't really a big coffee drinker until recently (thinking the whole scene a bit pretentious tbh), though usually having at least some Lavazza Rosso (or Oro when I was feeling flush) knocking about. I was more of a tea-head, but switched to some extent after realising I was caning through packets of Sainsburys breakfast blend (yes, yes, I know) made in a French press. It's a mild blend and I never realised how flowery, light, and moreish coffee could or should be. I'd finally 'got' coffee! I know it's only a matter of time before I take the road of no return, buy a Japanese burr hand-grinder and develop a Yirgacheffe habit (but financially embarrassed at the moment and wary of developing yet another potential wallet-emptying interest)!
That Lavazza tasted like drinking the contents of a swilled-out ashtray (oh, those student days...), and even worse than catering-quality instant. YMMofcourseV. It just has a really odd, 1-dimensional, almost stale flavour, and I know now that coffee can be so much better. Like you Cudzo, I wasn't really a big coffee drinker until recently (thinking the whole scene a bit pretentious tbh), though usually having at least some Lavazza Rosso (or Oro when I was feeling flush) knocking about. I was more of a tea-head, but switched to some extent after realising I was caning through packets of Sainsburys breakfast blend (yes, yes, I know) made in a French press. It's a mild blend and I never realised how flowery, light, and moreish coffee could or should be. I'd finally 'got' coffee! I know it's only a matter of time before I take the road of no return, buy a Japanese burr hand-grinder and develop a Yirgacheffe habit (but financially embarrassed at the moment and wary of developing yet another potential wallet-emptying interest)!I hadn't actually drunk any coffee since making that previous post - but this morning I got up late (this is getting to be a bad habit) and shambled into the kitchen, intending to make myself a second cup of tea (Mrs Cudzo brought me the first in bed :D) to find she'd made some coffee - so I drank some. And... it tasted a bit different - I think it had been a bit stronger the first time - but just coffee...
I've not come across Grumpy Mule before. Who came first, I'm wondering - them or Happy Donkey?
They do make a difference, don't they. Which did you go for?
Well I have to say that, having almost finished up the Lavazza (mostly Mrs Cudzo), I was sent out to buy more coffee again. This time I got something called Percolo Dark, I think, and - the point - it tastes far better even to my taste buds! I've also discovered that I like coffee best the way I like tea - without milk.That Lavazza tasted like drinking the contents of a swilled-out ashtray (oh, those student days...), and even worse than catering-quality instant. YMMofcourseV. It just has a really odd, 1-dimensional, almost stale flavour, and I know now that coffee can be so much better. Like you Cudzo, I wasn't really a big coffee drinker until recently (thinking the whole scene a bit pretentious tbh), though usually having at least some Lavazza Rosso (or Oro when I was feeling flush) knocking about. I was more of a tea-head, but switched to some extent after realising I was caning through packets of Sainsburys breakfast blend (yes, yes, I know) made in a French press. It's a mild blend and I never realised how flowery, light, and moreish coffee could or should be. I'd finally 'got' coffee! I know it's only a matter of time before I take the road of no return, buy a Japanese burr hand-grinder and develop a Yirgacheffe habit (but financially embarrassed at the moment and wary of developing yet another potential wallet-emptying interest)!I hadn't actually drunk any coffee since making that previous post - but this morning I got up late (this is getting to be a bad habit) and shambled into the kitchen, intending to make myself a second cup of tea (Mrs Cudzo brought me the first in bed :D) to find she'd made some coffee - so I drank some. And... it tasted a bit different - I think it had been a bit stronger the first time - but just coffee...
As for pretentious, yeah, people do get pretentious about coffee, but some people get pretentious about tea, or bikes, or anything. Coffee is just trendier currently than tea!
I drink decaf tea all day long. One caffeinated drink a day for me, a double espresso in milk first thing. Different brands of decaf vary with PG Tips being disgusting and Yorkshire the best I've had by far.
And, more importantly, why do they serve tea that is too damn hot? Spoils it completely.
What the hell temperature does that water get up to?
How do you coffee geeks store your beans? The re-sealable packs with one-way valve on never seem to stay properly closed and was wondering if there was a better alternative as it takes a good month or so for me to get through a pack of beans.
And, more importantly, why do they serve tea that is too damn hot? Spoils it completely.??? 100C I would think. Unless they're pressurising it somehow. Leave it to brew for a couple of minutes (I guess that'd be "mash" to you, and "steep" for some others :)) and by then it's cooled down to drinking temperature. ???
What the hell temperature does that water get up to?
And, more importantly, why do they serve tea that is too damn hot? Spoils it completely.??? 100C I would think. Unless they're pressurising it somehow. Leave it to brew for a couple of minutes (I guess that'd be "mash" to you, and "steep" for some others :)) and by then it's cooled down to drinking temperature. ???
What the hell temperature does that water get up to?
Picked up some of Monmouth's Colombian Fina Agua Bonita at the weekend and I've been drinking it as pourover today.
Expensive, but delicious.
(And even at £7 for 250g, it still works out a damn sight cheaper per cup than Starmucks.)
As an end note the project also ran a honey process trial with the people of Chisi pulping station. This will be on limited release through the café’s through June 2013 and will be a special for our subscription customers.
It should be - the Aeropress makes an espresso-like drink. So if you like your long coffee, I'd suggest brewing up a double shot and then immediately diluting it down with hot milk or water.
A low-cost ESE-packed French brand called Tentation Ristretto, because my staple Molinari Java lavata has run out. Tentation is OK, a bit more acid than the Java (it's a Latin-American Arabica blend, which is about as precise as calling a drink whisky) and slightly lower in body and bitterness. Pulled as a longish lungo and topped up with hot milk it makes a fair breakfast coffee.
Old brown java from the supplier above. Nice but I need to experiement a little more to get a better brew from it.
A low-cost ESE-packed French brand called Tentation Ristretto, because my staple Molinari Java lavata has run out. Tentation is OK, a bit more acid than the Java (it's a Latin-American Arabica blend, which is about as precise as calling a drink whisky) and slightly lower in body and bitterness. Pulled as a longish lungo and topped up with hot milk it makes a fair breakfast coffee.
I have no idea what you just said, but it sounds suspiciously Jilly Goolden to me.
"... I'm getting tarmac, I'm getting flip flops... *sniff sniff*... oh yes, I'm getting wet badger in Chanel No.5 with a hint of Grecian2000"
That's a separate flavour wheel. There are actually seven grades of badger, depending on ripeness.
A nice PR sent a toy to the office for us to play with...
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k170/smutchin/coffee_zpsea6f72db.jpeg) (http://s88.photobucket.com/user/smutchin/media/coffee_zpsea6f72db.jpeg.html)
It's very good. Select your cup size and strength using a touch screen display, then it grinds the beans to order and pumps out a cup of excellent espresso with a lovely thick crema.
Unfortunately, it's only ours on loan and will have to go back sooner or later, so I'm making the most of it while we've got it. Four cups already so far this morning. I am literally off my tits.
Excellent espresso?
If it does, it'll be the first fully auto machine that can. ;)
Nothing! The sodding machine has broken.
Apologies for the language - going cold turkey!
Nothing! The sodding machine has broken.
Apologies for the language - going cold turkey!
Second day without the coffee machine. We have access to the clients coffee machine on the floor below, but it only produces foul mud. :(
Yer standard Italian style coffee (medium roast, heavy on the Brazil's with a bit of robusta thrown in for body and crema) is actually really easy to extract and you have to be pretty ham-fisted to end up with something bad in the cup. This is possibly the key reason why coffee in Italy is consistent, and consistently good. However, its never amazing and for that you need to go down the road of varietals that are harder to extract.
I made an impulse buy of Lavazza red beans the other day and stuck them in the hopper this morning.
It's barely better than instant - unpleasantly bitter, stale and jarring, with a teasing citrus note on the nose but nothing in the cup.
I'm looking forward to replacing it with my staple everyday Happy Donkey Italian Blend.
I've finally hot round to ordering some Rave beans - a kilo of Italian Job and one of signature. I'll let you know how I get on..
If all else fails, I'd suggest an emergency shopping trip and a second cafetiere. I used to have two and it made life much more civilised when I had a houseful of people :D
Coffee Compass mahogany roast jampit hit. Just had possiblythebest espresso shot I've ever pulled and had a sublime latte earlier with my first semi successful Rosetta too!
Coffee Compass mahogany roast jampit hit. Just had possiblythebest espresso shot I've ever pulled and had a sublime latte earlier with my first semi successful Rosetta too!
I'm into their Hill and Valley blend atm, but the Jampit is lovely too
Need a nice slow pour. 60% brew ratio worked best for me.
Watch out for the TV News tonight, in which a trained negotiator talks a totally wired citoyen out of a tree.
Just tried another one from the delivery - Brazilian Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama. Omfg, it's lush, think I'll have another one...
Yrgacheffe, roasted last Friday. Velvety, almost no bitterness beyond the crema, wonderful round flavour.
Yrgacheffe, roasted last Friday. Velvety, almost no bitterness beyond the crema, wonderful round flavour.
I know you are over in Furrin parts, but if you can try and get hold of some UC Yrgacheffe. It is the most amazing stuff. Roasted in Oxfordshire and sold in delis and Steamer Trading Company shops around the UK. The major differnce to others? It is wood roasted rather than gas or electric. Makes the most gorgeous espresso.
My bad, it's UE.
http://www.uecoffeeroasters.com/
I have been playing with a Moka pot. Lidl are selling these (http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=23695). What do you more experienced coffee people think, worth a punt?
"Crema"= packed full with robusta.
After Citoyen's praise for Bob-O-Link a month back...
After Citoyen's praise for Bob-O-Link a month back...
Mine was from Hasbean, not Bob-O-Link. Presumably very similar though, being from the same region and processed by the same method.
Honey process (what do they call it, natural pulping?) Yellow Bourbon out of Santos, presumably.
Zappi's house roast from Zappi's bike cafe in Oxford. Fathers day gift from daughter. From wood powered Oxford roastery.
The Brikka's a bit different
The Brikka's a bit different
How does it work then? I thought it was a moka pot principle forcing boiling or slightly superheated water through the puck?
Poblado Coffi Espresso Blend (http://www.pobladocoffi.co.uk/product/poblado-espresso-blend/) - pre-ground for the Aeropress at work, but I have two bags of beans for the Gaggia at home. Pretty good. They've started supplying a few local restaurants and they can't get enough of it apparently.
Poblado Coffi Espresso Blend (http://www.pobladocoffi.co.uk/product/poblado-espresso-blend/) - pre-ground for the Aeropress at work, but I have two bags of beans for the Gaggia at home. Pretty good. They've started supplying a few local restaurants and they can't get enough of it apparently.
GN: My Aeropress isn't dead, despite me leaving it out in the sun a couple of weeks ago. I don't think the rubber plunger is in the best shape, and it didn't feel great putting it together, but I just made a brew without it leaking all over the place.
BN: These beans are within the use-by date on the bag but tasting decidedly second-rate. They've been sat on the counter for probably a month or two now, but I can't quite bring myself to bin half a bag. Still better than instant, of course.
The new machine is working out very nicely but we are getting through beans at a rate of knots. Can anyone suggest some good value 1kg bags of beans ideally for less than £20 inc postage?
I've really gone off Rave coffee (and it pains me to say it.) They have lightened up their roasting style, and pretty much every bag I've bought over the last year has ended up unfinished. I'm almost exclusively drinking Coffee Compass (and the Jampit and Jagong are the best)
I've found the Burundi Buziraguhindwa, a medium roast, absolutely excellent as an espresso or in a latte.
I thought I'd ask here for advice - I like coffee, but I don't drink huge amounts of it. I've an aeropress, moka pot, and drip filters at home, but only make coffee a couple of times a week at home - mainly the aeropress as it's least fuss. Is there anywhere that sells beans in small enough amounts to make it worthwhile buying the good stuff and not ending up with lots of stale beans? I generally prefer chocolatey and rich coffee to the lighter acidic styles; what blends would be good to start my explorations with?
I thought I'd ask here for advice - I like coffee, but I don't drink huge amounts of it. I've an aeropress, moka pot, and drip filters at home, but only make coffee a couple of times a week at home - mainly the aeropress as it's least fuss. Is there anywhere that sells beans in small enough amounts to make it worthwhile buying the good stuff and not ending up with lots of stale beans? I generally prefer chocolatey and rich coffee to the lighter acidic styles; what blends would be good to start my explorations with?
Thanks, I think I will try Rave next, they look good value.
Rave Burundi Buziraguhindwa ground in my new Ceado E37s grinder! :thumbsup:
https://flic.kr/p/yPiiHt
Currenlty on Lavazza Crema e Gusto (on special offer last time I went shopping). It may be that it's really optimised for expresso rather than normal filter coffee, or it may be the Robusta beans mixed in, but I'm not as keen on it as I am of my normal Taylor's 'Rich Italian', which is a bit of a surprise.
There is a snippet about African coffee in the latest post (http://petergostelow.com/thebigafricacycle/general-posts/ethiopia-first-impressions-mwanza-muscat-part-8/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BigAfricaCycle+%28The+Big+Africa+Cycle+|+Blog+Update%29) from Peter Gostelow that you may be interested in.
Can someone explain the apparent trend for espresso so bitter it is (at least for me) unpleasant? I've no problem with strength at all, and strength to the point of bitterness can be good, too. But over the last year in various places I've been served drinks so bitter that drinking is a chore not a pleasure.
Am I missing out on an experience I need to become acclimatised to enjoy? Does it require the addition of sugar, is that what I'm doing rong?
Can someone explain the apparent trend for espresso so bitter it is (at least for me) unpleasant? I've no problem with strength at all, and strength to the point of bitterness can be good, too. But over the last year in various places I've been served drinks so bitter that drinking is a chore not a pleasure.
Am I missing out on an experience I need to become acclimatised to enjoy? Does it require the addition of sugar, is that what I'm doing rong?
Coffee machine operators who don't know what they're doing, or don't care.
Given a decent espresso machine and a little bit of care - not even a lot - it's possible to crank out coffee better than about 80% of cafes. I've never tried hard enough to do better than that.
But it's incredibly easy to turn out a rotten cup.
Can someone explain the apparent trend for espresso so bitter it is (at least for me) unpleasant? I've no problem with strength at all, and strength to the point of bitterness can be good, too. But over the last year in various places I've been served drinks so bitter that drinking is a chore not a pleasure.
Am I missing out on an experience I need to become acclimatised to enjoy? Does it require the addition of sugar, is that what I'm doing rong?
Coffee machine operators who don't know what they're doing, or don't care.
Given a decent espresso machine and a little bit of care - not even a lot - it's possible to crank out coffee better than about 80% of cafes. I've never tried hard enough to do better than that.
But it's incredibly easy to turn out a rotten cup.
The only thing to suggest is to try it as a flat white. The milk will mute the acidity, and provided that the extraction ratio is high you'll still get a hit of the fruits. If it isn't, you'll get a cup of Horlicks.
I'm not a huge fan of the acidic/citrussy style myself but I'm currently enjoying a Guatemalan from the Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co which is definitely towards the fashionable end of the flavour spectrum. Made in the Chemex, it comes out pleasantly tart but not astringent or sour.
I'm frustrated beyond belief, there's barely a decent coffee (https://restaurantguru.com/coffee-near-me) place in my current area. But maybe it's good for my cardio, I'm an aging caffeine addict at this point.
I'm on the last few days of my Caffe Serrano I brought back from Cuba. I'm in a quandary. It's a really satisfying cup of coffee, robust and rounded that - for my taste -knocks most locally bought coffees into a cocked roaster.
But, do I just write it off to a slowly fading holiday experience, along with the chords and melody of Chan Chan, ot do I chase it down? (https://iflycuba.com/product/serrano-cafe/) Decisions, decisions.
I'm on the last few days of my Caffe Serrano I brought back from Cuba. I'm in a quandary. It's a really satisfying cup of coffee, robust and rounded that - for my taste -knocks most locally bought coffees into a cocked roaster.
But, do I just write it off to a slowly fading holiday experience, along with the chords and melody of Chan Chan, ot do I chase it down? (https://iflycuba.com/product/serrano-cafe/) Decisions, decisions.
You are buying from the wrong roasters. Many of them are doing this light-roast stuff.
Try https://www.coffeecompass.co.uk <<<=====
Any of their mahogany roast blends will probably hit the spot. Jampit hit is good.
I'm on the last few days of my Caffe Serrano I brought back from Cuba. I'm in a quandary. It's a really satisfying cup of coffee, robust and rounded that - for my taste -knocks most locally bought coffees into a cocked roaster.
But, do I just write it off to a slowly fading holiday experience, along with the chords and melody of Chan Chan, ot do I chase it down? (https://iflycuba.com/product/serrano-cafe/) Decisions, decisions.
You are buying from the wrong roasters. Many of them are doing this light-roast stuff.
Try https://www.coffeecompass.co.uk <<<=====
Any of their mahogany roast blends will probably hit the spot. Jampit hit is good.
Quality advice there. Oh, and they have Cuban Serrano.
i drink filter as well as espresso, but I confess I never leave it to stew, I just brew what I need so I've no idea how these coffees keep hot flavour over time.
i drink filter as well as espresso, but I confess I never leave it to stew, I just brew what I need so I've no idea how these coffees keep hot flavour over time.
If you leave it stewing it tastes horrid. I use a filter machine that has no hotplate but has a thermal carafe instead.
If you want a point of reference, I like the Cafe Grand Mere Degustation, the CC French Breakfast Blend is similar but ...urm... more betterer? IThats always been our goto coffee when shopping in Carrafour or Erics on holiday.
To be precise, Grand Mere is Dowe Egberts (Carte Noir, not too dissimilar, is Lavazza) blended for the French market.
They are what they are: adequate mass market coffee that makes a reasonably pleasant drink. What they lack is the "Fuck, Yeah!" quality of a good cup of coffee. To put it in technical terms.
The problem with Italian coffee (and to an extent, French) is that it is one dimensional. It hasn't changed with the times, which is a shame because the coffee growing industry, and in particular the on-farm processing techniques, are a universe away from where they were even 15 years ago. Italian coffee used to be the byword for quality blending but what they were really good at was hiding a multitude of sins (shite coffee packed out with shite robusta), which was a legacy of Italian poverty up until the 60s and 70s. There is no attempt at any sort of appellation, and indeed with Italian coffees they often talk about 'secret' blends. There is a reason why they keep it a secret and it is all to do with concealing just what shit they put in it.
You have a Coffee in Italy, and you know what you are going to get. It's treated not with reverence, but with the same attitude towards a decent cup of builder's tea. It's functional rather than epicurean. As it stands, I quite like it, but I wouldn't want to drink it all the time.
Nothing 'new' about getting coffee from a decent roaster. Same style, just without all the glaring and semi-concealed faults. Maybe give it a go and see what you think. Nothing to lose.
Nothing 'new' about getting coffee from a decent roaster. Same style, just without all the glaring and semi-concealed faults. Maybe give it a go and see what you think. Nothing to lose.
I think you missed the bit where I said I had spent several years trying different coffees from small roasteries ...
T42: it's nearly 30 years since I lived in France (Rhone Alpes/Loire) and then if you asked for a coffee you go an under-extracted espresso (ie. too much water, not enough beans) made from junk grade coffee.
Bizarrely I quite liked it at the time, but on the rare occasions I go to France and have the same all I can taste is the glaring faults. The French, just like the Italians, can't see past their own gastronomic culture.
But in a gite surrounded by kids and inflatable pool toys using a coffee machine you don't know a reliably OK cup of coffee is what you want. You don't have time to go searching for wherever the local trendy roastary is (and its probably not open on a Saturday teatime when you have just riven six hundred miles to get there). Whatever you can get from the nearest supermarket that gives a decent hit and tastes OK is fine. Any free time is for chasing down a great local red not coffee.
I had a Silvia until 2011. It's a great machine, apart from poor temperature stability which causes very very inconsistent results unless you follow a strict protocol with a stopwatch...
....which is a pain in the arse.
I fitted a PID to it, which pulsed the power in so there was no great temperature variation. It produced results consistently on a par with my £1800 machine.
Just fit one. Trust me on this.
What faff? ??? I press one button. You stand there like a plum counting.
Coffee is not a mystic holy brew, you are right. It is pretty simple to make a perfect shot most times IF you know what you are doing. But that never involves counting to 27 :facepalm:
Hillbilly: Trust me, been there done it, just fit a PID. Go to coffeeforums.co.uk and have a search.
I'm lucky to have Michael's coffee stall on the market in Cambridge - (https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6025/5941155326_41fdfba328_b.jpg) (not my pic, I found it on flickr - he doesnt do mail order, internet or debit cards..)
I worked my way through them all over a year or so and settled on a pretty dark mix of 1 part Sumatra and 2 parts El Salvador, ground in a pretty average burr machine, made with an aeropress mid-way between an espresso and americano strength, black no sugar. 3 cups a day is plenty or I get a bit twitchy!
I'm lucky to have Michael's coffee stall on the market in Cambridge - (https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6025/5941155326_41fdfba328_b.jpg) (not my pic, I found it on flickr - he doesnt do mail order, internet or debit cards..)
I worked my way through them all over a year or so and settled on a pretty dark mix of 1 part Sumatra and 2 parts El Salvador, ground in a pretty average burr machine, made with an aeropress mid-way between an espresso and americano strength, black no sugar. 3 cups a day is plenty or I get a bit twitchy!
He's closed down!! :'( :'(
An organic food stand has started selling his coffee, but they've cut the range down to about 1/3 of what he used to sell and have stopped the Sumatra / El Salvador blend I used to have.. Dammit.
Do the Compass Coffee folks send their beans in a letterbox friendly pack, or will I have to catch the postman? Any suggestions on where to start in their range?
I know what your machine has...I owned one for ten years, and I also know how much better the results were once I fitted a PID.
Fit a PID, then by all means disagree with what I am saying. As it stands only one of us is speaking from an informed position when it comes to whether or not PIDs make any difference.
I know what your machine has...I owned one for ten years, and I also know how much better the results were once I fitted a PID.
Fit a PID, then by all means disagree with what I am saying. As it stands only one of us is speaking from an informed position when it comes to whether or not PIDs make any difference.
I don't believe the machine I have has been on the market for ten years.
You are right about the grinder, though.
I don't have a Silvia either.
You are right about the grinder, though.
Funny you should mention that.... I'm coming to the conclusion I need a comical grinder, just for a laugh.
My Molino is ok for filter grind, but no way can it do a decent expresso.
I don't have a Silvia either.
Then why the fuck are you entering into a discussion specifically about the Rancilio Silvia???
Jeez.
18 years ago, I thought all the fuss about grinders was nonsense, but now I know they make an enormous difference.
No it was about Hillbilly's Silvia.
Then you appeared.
Next time when you appear, Ill be sure to check with you what I and others were previously talking about.
Why would I presume that a PID would be appropriate for all machines? They are pointless on HX machines for example.
I wouldn't presume to say anything about your machine if I didn't know what it was, nor if I had no experience of it.
I will give you one piece of unsolicited advice though:
The last thing you need is another coffee ;D
In a bid to see what else is out there, I ordered some Coffee Masters Super Crema Espresso beans from Amazon (£13 for a kilo). Landed on it after searching Google and the "wisdom" recommending it.
Lives up to the name on the label, with the dark roast delivering a rich crema, but the chocolate/nut taste doesn't match up to this, being strangely subdued compared to similarly dark roasts I've had. Don't think I'll buy another bag when I get through it.
After a week away going cold turkey last year, I've just bought an aeropress for this years hols...
At the risk of outing myself as a caffeine junkie cum philistine, I'm quite impressed.... a gadget that delivers!
After a week away going cold turkey last year, I've just bought an aeropress for this years hols...
At the risk of outing myself as a caffeine junkie cum philistine, I'm quite impressed.... a gadget that delivers!
or...
a cheap Moka pot.
You cant control the water content either, or the dose, or the temp.
In fact you cant really control anything, which is why they are pretty pointless.
Hence pods. End result is the same.
One thing that makes me most wary of the B2C machines is the inability to control the tamping, which appears to me to have a significant impact on the output especially with a low end machine like my current Krups. Theoretically a B2C machine will be adapted perfectly to the grind and pressure, but I dunno.
Depends what you mean by 'control'.
Depends what you mean by 'control'.
To be sure. B2Cs aren't for purists, but I stopped being a purist a few years back. I mean, £2000 just to brew a 10cc coffee? You can get a half-decent bike for that.
It's either decent espresso or it isnt. And if it is coming out of a B2C machine then it isnt. Which is fine, because neither your nor Ham are that interested in espresso. You are enjoying drinking something else.
.
What I am saying is that cheap kit doesnt produce decent espresso, or risotto (which is what one is invariably served in Italy)
You see your journey of obsession ended in abject failure.
Mine ended in the ability to make consistently brilliant coffee with no fuss. Certainly no more than making an instant coffee... and a fair chunk of that comes down to owning decent gear and knowing how to use it.
Temperature surfing=I've got a shit machine
Bottomless portafilter necessity=I've got a shit grinder
Weighing shots= I havent got a volumetric machine
Zen=You are having to mitigate shit kit with fastidious & laborious technique.
Ultimately, decent gear + knowledge= less work not more, greater consistency and brilliant results.
I come down in the morning, press the grinder button, fill the portafilter, quick tamp, press button, and what comes out isnt mediocre.
Hadat Betty's in Northallerrton yesterday.(click to show/hide)Nice(click to show/hide)
HadNovember FFS ;)at Betty's in Northallerrton yesterday.(click to show/hide)Nice(click to show/hide)
Anyway the Sally Army Brass Band were playing carols in the street...
HadNovember FFS ;)at Betty's in Northallerrton yesterday.(click to show/hide)Nice(click to show/hide)
Why do you think I used spoiler tags?
A visit to Betty's was one of the highlights of the AUK Reunion weekend and Specials are not to be spurned.
Despite being rammed they were very wheelchair-friendly.(click to show/hide)
Anyway the Sally Army Brass Band were playing carols in the street...
Better extraction than a standard moka pot but with the same dangers of overheating the coffee and "burning" it.Ah, but have you tried this (https://www.home-barista.com/brewing/how-to-improve-your-moka-pot-coffee-t48638.html)?
Oi! Flatus! Get that smug smile off your face.
I've had my first shot out of my Rancilio/Eureka combo, it's a better drink, OK? So what?
Glad I didn't go for the b2c, although the long term faffage is a factor. Still got a bit of a usage learning curve to go through, too.
I've had a hankering for the sort of 'comfort food' espresso that is ubiquitous in Italy, and to my surprise I've found a decent source of cheap beans, providing one is a little discerning.....TK Maxx.
I counted about 8 different brands on the shelf, of which half looked like they might be shite. Got a 1kg bag of 'Miguel caffe Riserva day fundador' for £10 and it is bang on.
Spidey sensors detect trace of robusta, but that is ok because it gives that certain flavour. Went back and got two more bags.
I think 10% robusta is about right for many quality café blends. In my roasting days, I did once buy a quantity of robusta just for the lolz of trying it in a blend.
I'd leave the Europiccola in the cupboard. There is no fun in trying to get a shit bit of kit to produce something good. Just frustration and a caffeine overdose.
Levers came back into fashion a while back, and there are some decent ones on the market @ £1.5k upwards. Think Tewdric has a Londinium.
I've had a hankering for the sort of 'comfort food' espresso that is ubiquitous in Italy, and to my surprise I've found a decent source of cheap beans, providing one is a little discerning.....TK Maxx.
I counted about 8 different brands on the shelf, of which half looked like they might be shite. Got a 1kg bag of 'Miguel caffe Riserva day fundador' for £10 and it is bang on.
Spidey sensors detect trace of robusta, but that is ok because it gives that certain flavour. Went back and got two more bags.
These guys have loads of Italian brands:
https://www.espresso-international.co.uk/
I think there actually based in Germany (or that was where my oder was shipped form last time I bought some).
Not so much a "What" as a "How".
Came across these (https://www.horwood.co.uk/items/eating-drinking/tea-coffee-1/mugs-cups) double walled espresso cups and have to say they are very good, although a little small in the espresso format (https://www.horwood.co.uk/items/eating-drinking/tea-coffee-1/mugs-cups/judge-double-walled-glassware-espresso-glass-set-2-piece-75ml.htm), needing precise alignment below the portafilter.
"Borasilicate glass" made me smile - that's pyrex, isn't it?
Not so much a "What" as a "How".
Came across these (https://www.horwood.co.uk/items/eating-drinking/tea-coffee-1/mugs-cups) double walled espresso cups and have to say they are very good, although a little small in the espresso format (https://www.horwood.co.uk/items/eating-drinking/tea-coffee-1/mugs-cups/judge-double-walled-glassware-espresso-glass-set-2-piece-75ml.htm), needing precise alignment below the portafilter.
"Borasilicate glass" made me smile - that's pyrex, isn't it?
Well...dishwasher safe?
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_1y3Anb_Tsc/Xd_yKrbFodI/AAAAAAADJpw/0We_zLgBDLgIWg8HDb7YhfxdDlkow6P0ACKgBGAsYHg/s800/IMG_20191127_070937.jpg)
However, they are replacing without quibble, so that's OK. I just won't consider them to be dishwasher safe, which is no big deal
It might be a little too dark. Remember that properly extracted espresso concentrates all the flaws in the beans. People often think that espresso must come from incinerated beans, but actually if you look at most italian cafe beans they are medium to medium-dark roast. Also remember that you have to try quite hard to get a consistent shot from a Silvia, so theres that.
Cuban coffee.
I'm on the last few days of my Caffe Serrano I brought back from Cuba. I'm in a quandary. It's a really satisfying cup of coffee, robust and rounded that - for my taste -knocks most locally bought coffees into a cocked roaster.
But, do I just write it off to a slowly fading holiday experience, along with the chords and melody of Chan Chan, ot do I chase it down? (https://iflycuba.com/product/serrano-cafe/) Decisions, decisions.
Ooh a Rancilio. Is it a Silvia? If it is, I can impart some suggestions which will save much faffage and annoyance...
Ooh a Rancilio. Is it a Silvia? If it is, I can impart some suggestions which will save much faffage and annoyance...
Does that include getting a decent single espresso? Struggling with that, don't use it much but I've tried four times this morning after trying for real last night after a meal and can't say that any was as good as the doubles I normally do.
Coffee Compass is the source of my Cuban Serrano. It has disappeared from their online shop, amusingly (? possibly more sinister than that) Paypal as an USAnian co objects !!1! to cuban trade even if it isn't headed usa-wards so you have to phone them direct, if you want it, and use the SEEKRIT password - "here's my credit card" works.
Haven't found anything to beat CC for value for money yet.
Haven't found anything to beat CC for value for money yet.
Thanks for the tip.
Value for money is a big uptick at the moment with the amount of coffee I'm getting through while WFH. I'm mostly chugging my way through Aldi specials - definitely a case of quantity over quality, but it's palatable enough in the Chemex. I did treat myself to something nice from Hasbean (the Philter blend) to fill out the order when I bought some new filters, but that feels like a lifetime ago.
I see they are doing mystery coffee of £14 a kilo. That's a useful saving.
I bought a kilo of Lavazza Classic 100% arabica from Waitrose last week.
It is shite.
No! doesn't work. It depends on pulsing up the water and turns off when the bottom temperature reaches 80 or some such. That's really as good as it gets. Put it together with something like "Lyons Coffee" if you want something authentic and possibly more drinkable
Plus it annoys the hell out of Mrs Pcolbeck who really doesn't like 70s styling :)
Plus it annoys the hell out of Mrs Pcolbeck who really doesn't like 70s styling :)
Didn't think there was any.
Problem is some of them are a triumph of marketing over substance. Websites that evoke thoughts of 19th century Red brick warehouses with rough wood fittings reclaimed from the sea. Silhouetted bare-chested black-bearded men showered in red sparks as they flame the beans, their raw deep testosterone voices singing sea shanties. Bags in monochrome colours with labels that look hand made on a 1970s typewriter. But coffee that tastes like cardboard.
Never tried a chemex, but not sure how/why it would differ from cone filter.
And MrL, surely not being a cheapskate you would have chosen the Swar-wotsit Krystal Kettle (https://www.latzio.com/product/kitchendining/kitchenappliances/kettles/vera-swarovski-crystal-kettle/?v=79cba1185463)
Since our espresso machine blew a gasket a couple of weeks ago we've been drinking filter coffee (usually a Colombian blend), and have now bought a 'Clever Dripper' while we decide what to do next.
Am impressed by the quality of the brew from the Dripper, and the lack of faff. Might even stick with the new device once we've found the most satisfactory grind/brew time/coffee variety. Can't say we're really coffee connoisseurs, and once the coffee shops re-open we'll be able to satisfy espresso/capuccino craving without the faff.
Has the 'artisan' roastery thing not hit France yet?
Maxicoffee is fine if you want Italian bar coffee, but lots of their stock is incredibly expensive for what it is, IMHO.
That's why I don't really like cafetiere, it's too 'muddy'. The cleanest flavour I've had is from a glass vacuum set (not tried a Chemex though) but it's just too much faff for me these days.
Arabica-like flavour in a heat-tolerant wild coffee species
There are numerous factors to consider when developing climate-resilient coffee crops, including the ability to tolerate altered climatic conditions, meet agronomic and value chain criteria, and satisfy consumer preferences for flavour (aroma and taste). We evaluated the sensory characteristics and key environmental requirements for the enigmatic narrow-leaved coffee (Coffea stenophylla), a wild species from Upper West Africa1. We confirm historical reports of a superior flavour1,2,3 and uniquely, and remarkably, reveal a sensory profile analogous to high-quality Arabica coffee. We demonstrate that this species grows and crops under the same range of key climatic conditions as (sensorially inferior) robusta and Liberica coffee4,5,6,7,8,9 and at a mean annual temperature 6.2–6.8 °C higher than Arabica coffee, even under equivalent rainfall conditions. This species substantially broadens the climate envelope for high-quality coffee and could provide an important resource for the development of climate-resilient coffee crop plants.
I can get both of those from a French website but their minium size of bag is 1 kg, which is a bit hefty to try. I like Italian bar coffee too, though, so once I get through my current hoard I might try it - I still have a few spare valved bags to split it into.
I can get both of those from a French website but their minium size of bag is 1 kg, which is a bit hefty to try. I like Italian bar coffee too, though, so once I get through my current hoard I might try it - I still have a few spare valved bags to split it into.
Go careful with the Covim...they do several grades of bar coffee, one of which is pretty heavy on the robusta. I quite like a touch of it for a faint burnt rubber taste, but too much is pure shite. Ditto Kimbo, I guess.
Have a look on ebay. It might be cheaper than your French supplier (maxicoffee?)
I've ordered a few bags of Italian bar coffee off eBay. A bag of Covim, a Genovese roaster whose coffee I drank in Liguria, and Kimbo, a neopolitan roaster. Still on the Lavazza 100% arabica, which isn't that bad.
Last time I was in Italy the hotel barman was serving Segafredo, and it was excellent. I reckon it's as much the barista as the coffee.
I've ordered a few bags of Italian bar coffee off eBay. A bag of Covim, a Genovese roaster whose coffee I drank in Liguria, and Kimbo, a neopolitan roaster. Still on the Lavazza 100% arabica, which isn't that bad.
FWIW (as it was you who put me onto them) the current Coffee Compass mystery stuff is, at least for me, very excellent and possibly the best quality "mystery" they have had.
What does it taste like?
The French, however, manage to use bad beans badly, so I fully appreciate why you've gone your own way with coffee.
@Ham
Thankyou. Yes, milk is a different beast. It tempers overly acidic fruity coffees into something I can bear, but it swamps the subtleties of exquisite beans. Its a quandary because I like sweet Italian bar espresso now and again, but it is bland with milk. Maybe I need two grinders and two machines? ;)
I got into Cuban serrano couple of decades ago after trying it in Cuba. It was roasted pretty dark and was a bit like a really good Indonesian coffee. Couldn't get it here at the time, so had to import ground pre-roasted stuff. Then I found a source of green and roasted it myself. Sold my roaster about 6 or 7 years ago and can't be arsed with that now.
I'm still lamenting the disappearance some years ago of Harrar coffee. Had a really good earthy fruitiness that held up with a medium dark roast level. When blended with a more neutral central American bean it made an amazing flat white. Just can't find it now, or if you can it's crazy expensive and not good quality.
Will have a look at the CC Mystery
That reminds me of our first "espresso" machine, a small black Moulinex doo-dah that turned out a brown coffee-flavoured drink from ready-ground. It was palatable but you needed a lot of imagination/optimism to pretend you really enjoyed it.
That reminds me of our first "espresso" machine, a small black Moulinex doo-dah that turned out a brown coffee-flavoured drink from ready-ground. It was palatable but you needed a lot of imagination/optimism to pretend you really enjoyed it.
As it happens the chrome thing that didnt work was a Moulinex.
(https://www.topespresso.gr/image/cache/catalog/images/detailed/9/covimgranbar-392x392.jpg)
Covim. And it is filth.
But I don't mind a bit of filth now and again. It's got a fair chunk of robusta in it given the burnt rubber smell and the gloopy crema. Quite nice as espresso but regrettable in milk.
I do find myself craving a really good cup of coffee at times, but there's a pretty decent coffee shop across the way from the office, so at least I get the opportunity a couple of times a week.It's only really the espresso/steamed milk stuff that needs expensive kit and expertise to emulate the decent coffee shops, so If its pour over based drinks then you can home produce as good as anything in a coffee shop.
Sati's Moka Sidamo from the mini-Carrefour in the next village. Surprising that a supermarket supplier bothers to produce a decent coffee, but it's really good.
Someone enlighten me as to what I need to ask for
Thanks
Not so much what, as whatwhom, or wherein or summat - these cups:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqgg2JaUkIEjXWs7fTWCytNQIaK5uAYqWtk3hRngjiaKMkY77T1pQoIXFGM_9000Uqh2fXEclJnYfe7ujJjiXsho6BytiZgE_2E9XunjKM59rF6Avkcca2_nudhGIZCB9CKMw-S_ykz_6l7bZaD1OH8sFYdygf1mgx8smshrwrvWaifdR1fqEXYi13Bw/s1020/PXL_20230722_073519574.jpg)
"Coffee & Cols", a bargainalicious £5 for two cups and saucers from reception of the Stratford Velodrome (where I take Mrs Ham for Physio).