Thread: Coffee Enthusiasts

As with any hobby/ addiction, spending the time to learn about the equipment and the people involved can make a huge difference in the amounts of money spent...and the enjoyment of the products consumed.

There are shysters everywhere and being able to find a person that can help navigate the jungle out there is a win. Most 'old timers' on the coffee forums will answer an email or two. Still it is necessary to do a good bit of reading in the forums you enjoy to find the difference in quality of the posters.

Like with razors; how many of have a "junk drawer" half full of misguided buys. I do. Aided and abetted by retirement, I had a lot of time to spend on the hunt. Before that it was coffee and espresso machines. I thought razors would take up less room. Hah !!!

I am now down to a good electric "Moka Pot" and an Olympia Cremina, supported by a Vario grinder... That from an all time high of three cafe professional machines and three grinders plus a profusion of coffee makers. Did I say addiction???

In passing, the quality and freshness of the coffee that you buy is way more important than the machines which you use to make your brew!

Home work can keep the wallet and household happy!
Enjoy the hobby!
~Richard/ Espressme

Agreed, Geezer, brewing with high-quality, fresh-ground coffee beans is the #1 key which my good friend seems to have forgotten lately. Plus, many home baristas get caught up in the espresso machine and skimp on the grinder, the second most important variable. I was shocked how much difference a conical burr grinder made in my espresso.

I have a Cuisinart Burr Grinder that I think does a good job, it also has variable grinds on it.

Also now roasting my own coffee, I can "control" the quality of the beans used. Still new there, but getting the hang of it.

And you're spot on Richard with the homework being done first. I am reading, reading and reading some more. I have learned so far that to skimp on the machine cost will cost you more. Pretty much the same as it is in the shaving side of things. And actually, an intro sized/class commercial Espresso machine is about the same cost as 2-3 of my custom razors. So it really isn't that out of the park on cost. Or so I'm telling myself

But I'll keep reading, and will post some questions on the forum Richard linked me to. Then after a bit, I'll take the plunge and buy a machine. But there are so many variables to learn and consider in a quality machine.

So for now, I'll sip another cup out of my vacuum pot or Chemex pour over

Originally Posted by Dieseld

And you're spot on Richard with the homework being done first. I am reading, reading and reading some more. I have learned so far that to skimp on the machine cost will cost you more. Pretty much the same as it is in the shaving side of things. And actually, an intro sized/class commercial Espresso machine is about the same cost as 2-3 of my custom razors. So it really isn't that out of the park on cost. Or so I'm telling myself

Or, approximately the cost of (1) Zowada meteorite Damascus blade, am I right?

Good on you!
As you progress in your reading and questing, it is good to remember that:
Espresso as we know it is about 100 years old. It was developed as a way for commercial stands in public places such as railroad stations to end a huge waste of coffee grinds and their resulting brew.

The previous methods used were to have a huge heated cauldron of drip grind brew which left a huge amount of sodden grounds and which also may not sell a full batch. Freshness was a problem also. We now think 20 minutes is the longest a brew stays fresh,

The search was on for a fast single serve method of making brews during rush periods and not wasting the grinds and brew as the slack time arrived when the stand must be open anyway.

There are conflicting arguments as to who developed the first "espresso" machine. Howsomever, it was done and we now reap the benefits.

The name espresso is not the way that the coffee is brewed... but only the word for FAST!

All later uses of that term are the result of better methods and coffee as defined by users to point out a particular improvement. Even Turkish Coffee as bought in the "alsuwq/ marketplace" falls under that umbrella term. Moka pots, steam machines, pump machines, are all testament to a great idea.

Enjoy your brews!
~Richard

That you are my friend, that you are

Originally Posted by Dieseld

I'm really liking roasting my own coffee. I have this roaster figured out and it's doing great.
I've also realized, that fresh roasted coffee is much stronger than the stuff you buy in the store. I find I only need about 1/2-2/3 as much ground coffee to make the same amount and strength as the pre-ground stuff.

Ahh...... good coffee sure starts your morning off great

Interesting comment.

If you buy fresh beans or properly preserved ones there should be no difference strength-wise between your roasts and store bought ones. If there are it means either you have been using stale beans or grounds or you are over roasting and getting that heavy smoky flavor which drowns out most of the notes in the coffee in favor of that too strong a coffee flavor.

I have been taught that beans that are ground should set a few days and then be good brewing for ten days..

Bitter brew is too hot a brewing water for the particular beans and Sour brew is using too cool a water for the beans.

Darker beans require less heat to bring out their flavor, Lighter beans require hotter brewing water.

Buying your own green and roasting them yourself can remove some of the difficulties. It took me a year before I could consistently roast beans to the levels I prefer. Also, buy only a couple weeks' supply of green. It does get stale and dries out, leaving less flavor to enjoy. You may decide that you don't like the beans and so they go to waste.

As to costing for a setup, there are established coffee parts houses that offer a bundle of grinder and machine at a significant saving. Even better when they offer a discount code along with it!
JMO
~Richard

I would tend to think, that the beans I was buying were stale. They were bulk packaged beans.

I have made the mistake of over roasting, and you're right. The taste was smokey.
The coffee's I've been roasting, is from a quality coffee company and I believe fresh beans do make quite the difference. I don't go for a dark roast for my daily coffee. But a medium roast. So I do watch the roaster diligently to not burn the beans.

Most store bought beans are not fresh enough. I made that change back in the ‘90s when a local roaster debuted and really appreciated the difference in the cup. This past year, I visit the downtown roasting facility of yet another local roaster to obtain good beans.

With all of this coffee talk and the recent realization that it took me several hours to notice that standard time is once again in effect, I felt compelled to enjoy a 3rd cup of coffee on this snowy morning.