Thread: Are you a Coffee Snob as well?

I've been roasting my own beans for a few years now. Gotta Capresso 461 for drip, Bodum french press, an Aeropress (way better). My favorite coffee is straight espresso from my PID'ed Zaffiro. It's amazing what a couple of degrees temperature can do to the shots of some blends. Yes, I'm a coffeegeek as well as a shaving geek. The downside is that I can't bring the espresso setup with me on the road, and my own coffee has ruined me for most coffee bars.


Wayne

Originally Posted by bbqncigars

I've been roasting my own beans for a few years now. Gotta Capresso 461 for drip, Bodum french press, an Aeropress (way better). My favorite coffee is straight espresso from my PID'ed Zaffiro. It's amazing what a couple of degrees temperature can do to the shots of some blends. Yes, I'm a coffeegeek as well as a shaving geek. The downside is that I can't bring the espresso setup with me on the road, and my own coffee has ruined me for most coffee bars.


Wayne

Wayne -
I'm assuming a Zaffiro is an espresso machine, but I'm not familiar with the term PID'ed....a little edification for the back of the class would certainly be appreciated!

-whatever

-Lou

Originally Posted by scarface

Wayne -
I'm assuming a Zaffiro is an espresso machine, but I'm not familiar with the term PID'ed....a little edification for the back of the class would certainly be appreciated!

-whatever

-Lou

a finely tuned expresso maker for those times when the factory settings are different then what you think are optimal... Zaffiro is 42 pounds of stainless beauty...
P-- proportional band... fine tunes boiler heating tempertures... helps to keep it in the zone
I--- interval time how often should it check that it is the correct temp
D -- derivitive defines the range that the temp can fluctuate

or some such nonsense... when you get to the point of needing this, quit drinking expresso and get yourself a "coffee toddy" which is a cold brew coffee system and is about as basic as it gets.

beside there is no such thing as "good expresso" there is only nasty and sublime both are complimented by a shot a grappa (or cognac or everclear) and are a fantastic way to start your day... especially if you are not doing anything important before noon.

A couple of hard core press potters here. Some of the best coffies we drink have come from these roasters. They are not the only top notch ones out there, just a few of the best we have had consistant quality with in the U.S.. The roaster we use the most is http://www.counterculturecoffee.com/...tpage&Itemid=1, just because they are in our backyard, and thus a local support. In Chicago there is http://intelligentsiacoffee.com/, which also does tea. In Portland, there is http://stumptowncoffee.com/ and http://www.rockyroaster.com/ in Canoga Park, Ca.. These roasters source and roast some of the best on the planet.

I also drink coffee, but usually more during the winter months. We also grind our own, have beans imported from Guatamala, my Sister and Brother In Law go on mission trips to Guatamala every year. We usually buy Millstone brand from Wal-Mart, but we also get the Gevalia coffee through the mail every 3 months. I can drink it flavored or not, but when flavored my favorites are: Millstone "Holiday Peppermint" or Gevalia Chocolate Raspberry.

BBQnCigars,

Just wondering, and probably should check it out on the CG forums, but did you find that PID-ing the Zaffiro made much difference? The whole point I bought it the same month Mark came out with his review (2003?) was that it is a single, large boiler with good temperature stability. The most I do with it is a simple surf of flushing the head a few times until the heating element kicks in again to take it to the top of the heat profile and then brewing.

Is the PID the same as with Silvia?

Man, only one home roaster---bbqncigars---posting so far?! You guys are super lightweights in terms coffee snobbery; let me show you the routine and equipment that results from eight years of true obsession . . .

- I roast my own beans
- I grind with a Rancilio Rocky
- At home, I brew with either a Hario vacuum brewer or a Pavoni Europiccola
- At the office, I brew with a Pavoni PUB commercial espresso machine (which I bought myself)

I've become so spoiled by my own coffee, I never drink coffee from a cafe or restaurant, except when I'm traveling and need a caffeine fix.

That, fellow straight razor shavers, is coffee snobbery!

OccamsRazor:
I found that a couple of degrees in boiler temp setting on the PID can really make a difference in how a particular blend tastes. Particularly in bringing out sweetness, specific flavor overtones (chocolate or fruit for example). If I were doing it today I'd probably go with one of the cheaper electronic thermostat options. I also added ceramic fiber blanket insulation (left over from insulating my big pit) around the boiler. This seemed to really help the thermal stability and recovery. Insulation is a cheap thing to try, just make sure it's heat proof. Gawd, I love the shots that the Zaffiro can make. Don't you?


Wayne

I love what I started hehehe..

Am I a coffee snob? No --- just as long as it is strong and has caffeine ---I probably drink about 6 cups a day ---whatever's brewing (mostly Community) --just make it strong enough to take hair off your chest.

Justin