What's caffeinating you today?

[Hot Flatus]

Hur hur hur 

[border-rider]

You can keep it at our house

[Tewdric]

You can keep it at our house

Don't joke...

It's in the kitchen now - didn't go down well but I've found a reasonably hidden corner behind the microwave where it doesn't dominate the whole room to quite the same extent as it did when placed on the counter next to the sink.  I'd read this was a semi-commercial machine and was expecting something a bit bigger than the Silvia, the sort of thing you'd see for after-dinner coffees in restaurants maybe.  But no, it's a full size commercial rig that would be happy knocking out a zillion per hour at Kings Cross station...

I'm going to have to woo Mrs Tewdric with choccyfrothaccinos I think...

<edit>

Mrs Tewdric here!

It's going to take more than a fancy cuppa....

[Biggsy]

Healthpoint Full Alert Caffeine tablets.  30 for a pound from Wikos.

[Tewdric]

And I got here too late for your Silvia     Anyone else got one for sale?

Watch this space - the espresso machine arms race has begun.  Expect Rammy Prickypoos to buy one of these any day now:



I'm angling for a Mazzer Mini but it will have to wait for a couple of months...

Incidentally, I had to buy some descaler from Happy Donkey so I have a bag each of Brazilian Fairtrade and Italian blend on the way too, if nothing else to remind me how bloody good Revelation is, although neither are slouches in their own right by any means.

[Hot Flatus]

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.

[Tewdric]

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.

I think you're right.  No, I'm sure you're right.  The Silvia can do espresso as well as anything with a bit of care, I reckon.

I am going to try to get single shots from a single basket with this machine; it came with heavyweight single and double portafilters.  I used a double basket in a bottomless portafilter on the Silvia, but the greater height of the group on the new machine means a bottomless jobbie showers coffee everywhere if you make an espresso with it.  And I'm in enough trouble already.  It's fine with its supplied triple basket for one of my big mugs though, for a long coffee.

I think the MC2 will grind fine enough to get a 20 second plus extraction from a smaller amount of coffee, and if it works it will be a good thing for a number of reasons!

I will then have to figure how to adjust the grind between the single, double and triple portafilters.  It will be brilliant if they just work on the same grind, (great for after dinner to be able alternate the single and double to produce a batch of espressos), but I don't think it will work like that.

[Hot Flatus]

....and you weren't going to get into it that much   

[DrMekon]

£1.50 in Tescos. Perfect for audax. Taste like espresso & longlife milk which is what it is.

[dasmoth]

Watch this space - the espresso machine arms race has begun.

If someone wants to go for the nuclear option, there's always



(Anyone know if there's one in the UK?)

[Hot Flatus]

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.

Take that back... I realised I was using too large a basket in the bottomless handle, which meant there was room for water to slosh about between the coffee and the shower screen.  Swapped the large Marzocco basket for the Rancilio double and all is perfect.  Excellent coffee, no spraying out of the bottomless filter and a bone dry puck at the end of it.

[Hot Flatus]

By the way.....

[dasmoth]

Now, where's the drooling smiley for all things Synesso-related? 

Currently having another go with the Revelation.  Behaving much better now -- not really sure what's changed, so you might be onto something with the "too fresh" idea...  One more grind adjustment and I think I'll be there.  The coffee is already very good.  One to add to the regular rotation assuming I manage to tame it properly.

Still quite impressed with Foundation, too.

[Hot Flatus]

Rancilio S24!

Like this:

So, managed to get anything as good as from the Silvia out of it?

[Feline]

I've given up coffee before PBP now, I just found myself drooling over my switched off Gaggia 

[dasmoth]

I've given up coffee before PBP now, I just found myself drooling over my switched off Gaggia 

Good grief  .  Now I know why I'm not riding it...

There are allegedly some reasonably-decent decaf [shudder...] espresso blends around, though.

[Tewdric]

I hereby declare I am not giving up coffee prior to PBP.

I will simply drink  more on PBP!

[Phil]

A ristretto from one of these: http://www.jurang.co.uk/shop/jura-coffee-machine-impressa/231-jura-impressa-x9-platinum.html

It was very good, but then I'd rather expect it to be for £3,500

[Feline]

I am enjoying being back on the coffee. About to choose which beans to order next

[citoyen]

Cafe de Pasto, Colombia

Very pleasant.

d.

[Tewdric]

Happy Donkey Classic Italian:

http://www.happydonkey.co.uk/classic-italian-coffee-beans-2-bags.html

It works really well in my new machine and makes a really enjoyable espresso.  It's not quite as refined as something like Revelation, but has bags of character, incredible crema, and is really good value!

I've got another 500g bag of HD Fair Trade Brazilian to go (which is fantastic too but not doing it for me as much as the Italian) and I'll probably get some more Rev as a reality check, but I might well come back to this as my everyday drink.  The only downside is the crema and price probably come from a hefty dose of robusta, which means more caffeine.

[Feline]

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    (Fortunately I don't need to go to bed any time soon because I am about to start a block of nights from tomorrow).

[Tewdric]

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    (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?

[Feline]

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    (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?

Well, I find the taste strong yet smooth, but I am maybe not the best person to ask since I have no sense of smell and therefore  can't taste things as well as some people. I would have a job actually describing the taste. I could send you a pack to try to see if you like it!

[Tewdric]

I might take you up on that!

I'm back on Happy Donkey Brazilian, having had 18 people here for a rugby breakfast party this morning, which made the new coffee machine work for its living!