
phaelon56
legacy participant-
Posts
4,027 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Store
Help Articles
Everything posted by phaelon56
-
Great to see you here m(a)ce. We'll really value your insights as a professional. I'm just a hobbyist but watch the commercial scene closely with great interest. You tuch on so many issues that are critical and haven't even entered into the discussion yet - maintenance, cleaning etc. Unlike some, I'm not a LaMarzocco bigot. Admittedly they make great machines but one can just as easily produce lousy shots on an LM as with other machines. If I walk into a cafe and see the portafilter handle sitting on the counter I don't even bother ordering an espresso (in Ireland I only found one cafe where they left the portafilter in the machine to retain temp but they still made horrible espresso). I'll be happy to start a thread on espresso blends for milk based drinks vs. straight espresso shots but wil have to rely on the experience of others for input - my blending experience is very limited.
-
I'll have to respectfully disagree with Holly on this one. Once the vacuum sealed container of ground coffee is opened, deterioration is rapid. Even freezing is not really a salvation. I've made Melitta style and auto drip style coffee for years using cheap blade grinders and have been consistently pleased with the results. I did but a cheap burr style (i.e. $30- $40) grinder ocne and it was so horrible I returned it immediately. It created lots of powder along with the small particles. Yes, a blade style grinder does chop rather than grind but if one is not making press pot style coffee or using a gold mesh filter, IMHO it's still far better than pre-ground coffee, even that which has been stored in an airtight jar or frozen. I tried drip coffee with my Solis Meastro and yes, it was a trifle better than what I made with the blade grinder but the real difference became evident only with espresso (to me).
-
I'm with Michael on this one but I use 17 grams for doubles in my stock Isomac basket and 22 grams for doubles when using the La Marzocco "triple" basket and portafilter assembly. I think the ristretto (restricted pull) double makes lots of sense - about 1.25 to 1.5 oz of syrupy and concentrated espresso with all the flavor one expects in a good shot. Finding it in a cafe is a different story. A true double should be 2 - 3 oz in total, preferably closer to 2 oz. The problem seems to be more of a process and preparation technique issue than it is one of the inherent quality of a true doubel shot. I also imagine that the popularity of milk based drinks in the US is a factor. Typical milk based drinks, even the "short" ones (which are 12 oz in most US cafes - about double the size of that a capa or latte should be), require more espresso in order to cut through the milk in some reasonable fashion. It's far easier to standardize on double shots for all espresso than it it to keep different portafilter handles available with different basket sizes, keep varying shot times etc.
-
But with espresso..... eliminating all the variables and establishing a consistent process control lets you get the same results again and again.... I can only pray that sex doesn't get that scientific. Really though.... the Variac is a great mod for those who are otherwise happy with their roaster. There is the standard $100 Variac but I think Coffee Corral in AZ sells one that's about $70 and is said to be adequate. I'm not a hacker by nature but have been advised that using heavy duty dimmer switches is NOT a good idea. I have an Apenroast drum style roaster. The difference between the roasts from this (15 to 18 minutes for early to rolling second crack) and my old Poppery (5 to 6 minutes total roast time) are amazing. The Poppery roasts were indeed very bright - I dont think the drum roast is what makes the Alps roasts so much melower and more interestign (to me) rather it's the longer roasting time. You'l get that with a Variac. Lever machines are really cool but my take on them is that it's kinda like having an old British sports car - a thing of beauty to behold and in the right hands an ethereal experience to drive but not what you want for everyday transportation. In addition to the learning curve issue. one has about a fifteen minute window in which to make shots with a lever machine while the brewing temps are at the optimal level. Then it's necessary to turn it off to cool down for awhile before turning it on again later to make some more. Get a good E61 style HX machine and you can just bang out great shots one after another and steam milk at the same time. I don't think a steam toy style espresso maker or even a low end thermoblock pump machine is a good choice for anyone whose taste has developed to reasonably discerning levels. I was able to make milk based espresso drinks with my $80 thermoblock DeLonghi and they were as good as the local Starbucks but the espresso "plateau" was immediate - it didn't take time to get there. Eventually, Fat Guy, you'll just hjave to bite the bullet and drop about $1,500 on a good espresso machine and grinder but check this out in the meantime - it's a new machine that the guys over at coffegeek just reviewed - sort of an automatic moka pot. It makes something that sounds akin to cafe crema - coffee made under pressure but yet not really espresso Krups Moka Brew review A Bodum Santos vacuum system is worth considering but it's just a refinement of what you're getting from French press - not something markedly different. Also IMHO, the Toddy systems are great for cold drinks but I like my hot coffee to be made fresh and hot.
-
I've never had good decaf coffee in a restaurant and rarely had it in a cafe but does it exist? Absolutely. Having once been a certified souse who none the less retained taste buds, I dont'n think comparing high quality decaf coffee to de-alcoholized wine and beer is a fair comparison. I'll admit that the decaffeination process affects the flavor but a good quality decaf bean, properly roasted, ground fresh and prepared properly, yields a very satsifying cup - far better relative to regular coffee than de-alcoholized wine and beer is relative to regular wine and beer. When I did drink alcohol, if I chose to have somethign non-alcoholic it was never any of the de-alcoholized products as the taste just wasn't there. My current M.O. is to mix decaf 50/50 with regular coffee (or espresso blends) to get half caf. Espresso blends are another story - it's very hard to get a really good decaf espresso blend but word is that Intelligentsia's Black Cat decaf really gets it done.
-
The sad thing is that if he gets Starbucks coffee or a Starbucks wannabe it won't be any more representative of what good "American" coffee can be than bad diner coffee is. I'm not knocking Starbucks per se - they're betetr than diner coffee and they've done much to elevate standards in general but the overroasting and overly strong brewing ratio don't do justice to decent beans. These Italians are likely to go back to Italy assuming that mediocre coffee is the norm in the US. It may be the case in some places but there are many exceptions. Right now we're in a catch-22 situation. The restarauteurs believe (rightly) that people won't appreciate or be willig to pay for the difference and therefore don't invest the time or money to serve a better product. IMHO it's a Field of Dreams situation. If you build it they will come - people are open and willing given the oportunity and also if the concept of a true espresso bar coffee is presented to them in a friendly and not elite manner. I look forward to the day when stopping off at a bar after work with friends to downa few shots means espresso shots
-
Bob makes an excellent point. The manual Zassenhaus mills at $60 or $70 will beat the pants off any electric burr or blade grinder under $100. IMHO they will perform as well or better than the $150 Solis Maestro Plus but with the distinct advantage of havign much better durability on the burr assemblies and most likely a far longer working life.
-
The better places that I'm fortunate enough to run into on occasion seem to have standardized on doubles - singles are not offered. I think it's better that way. There's still a need for education - better espresso costs more to produce for a variety of reasons including such issues as La Marzocco's "triple" basket, which if used with the appropriate amount of grounds, consumes about 21 or 22 grams for a double shot (compared to the 7 grams per single shot that SCAA and others specify and is likely the amount that folks like 'bucks use).
-
It's been close to 20 years since I ate at Yono's - nice to hear that it's still there. It was the first really upscale place that I ever ate in solo. The menu was a bit puzzling but fun - half Indonesian and half french but not fusion. Add to that the fact that they were playing country music. As I recall the meal was better than average and the indoenesian soup I had was fantatsic but it was sooooo long ago. More recently I've enjoyed the woodfired pizza at Bruno's in Sarataoga Springs (not the Wolfgang Puck chi-chi fu-fu type of pizza). I also have had reasonbly consistent Southern food and very good fried chicken at Hattie's. In some respects I preferred it when Hattie and Bill McDaniel owned it but the new owner has done well atretaining some of the original items and also updating the menu and ambiance. Neither of the previous places is upscale by any stretch of the imagination but can be fun places for a decent meal.
-
Asking for a ristretto in most US cafes will yield a blank stare and a "Whaaaaa?" from the barista. I asked for one at The Smelly Cat Coffeehouse in Charlotte NC (nice little place - terrible coffee). When I advised the barista thatit could be made by grinding finer he said (I swear this is true) "Our grinder has only one setting - we can't do that." The "double espresso" that he subsequently served me in a wretched styrofoam cup had about 6 oz of liquid. yes that's right - each single shot was a whopping 3 oz! Needless to say.... I didn't finish that drink and I have yet to ask for a ristretto in another cafe (I'll wait until I get back to Seattle). I'm perfectly hapy to leave my ristretto consumtion for home. I just wish I could get a good regular double shot in more places than it is currently available.
-
Not having been fortunate enough (yet) to travel in Italy, my knoweldge and perspective is gained from the way a ristretto is understod and produced by better cafes here in the US (there are precious few but fortunately the number is growing). Looking at it from a logical standpoint alone, using less water (i.e. a shorter pull) will indeed yield a reduced amount of fluid but not a true restricted pull. I can personally vouch that the taste, appearance and mouthfeel of a properly produced ristretto shot is distinctly different from that of a standard shot. Perhaps the Italian bars already produce a ristretto style shot by default and therefore simply offer a short shot when asked for a ristretto? I'm not qualified to answer that. Grinding to fill or partly fill the doser is a common practice both here and in Italy. Espresso coffee is so ingrained in their culture that the grounds in the doser may be no more than 5 - 10 minutes old. Here in the US during the day.... when the morning rush is over.... the grounds in that doser may have been sitting around for an hour or two on a slow day. Try making an espresso shot from two hour or three hour old grounds that are covered but not in an airtight container. Now make a shot from absolutely fresh grounds. Even the less discerning among us will notice a difference (I place myself in that group more often than not) - the fresh ground is markedly superior. The better US cafes are now using timers attached to grinders that produce a standard weight of grounds for each time the grind button is pressed. The sticklers and artisans among this group will still swear by hand tamping even in busy environments. A compromise that is highly acceptable to my way of thinking is the La Marzocco Swift Grinder It has a dual bin allowing both decaf and regular to be ground in the same machine. It grinds an exact dose every time directly into the portafilter and automatically tamps to the exact specified pressure. Also very kewl is the fact that one can adjust the grind in minute increments on the fly to produce American style ristretto shots. Now all I need is $4500..... I'd be remiss if I failed to mention that some very savvy baristas actually allow the first little bit of a pour to go into the drip tray and then stick the demitasse or pitcher under the spout. After that, the pull is stopped just as the "mouse-tail" of dribbling espresso starts to go tan/blond and the "tiger'striping" of crema has slowed down. This technique will also yield a shot that is lower in fluid volume for obvious reasons although the same grind setting is used. Doing this addresses the issue of underextracted espresso at the start of the pull and overextracted at the end of the pull. Both under and over extraction can have negative impact on the quality of the shot but I'll start a separate thread to discuss shot timing etc. if you all are amenable to that.
-
Thre West indian Ginger beers such as D&G tend to be a bit pricey in any grocery stores but check the Goya section. My local store is now carrying Goya ginger beer - not as spicey as the D&G but it's pretty darn good for about half the price. Now that I've been exiled to Syracuse NY fromthe NYC area I can't seem to find the 1.5 liter bottles of limonata but there are a few local stores that carry vast selections of beer and also party supplies. Most of thhose have Schweppe's Bitter Lemon in the bar mixers section. It is commonly sold as a bar mixer and not a soda. Now if I could only find Cidona. It's an apple flavored soft drink I have encountered only in Ireland - it's noticeably better in the small bottle than it is in the 1.5 liter bottles and in either case its a refreshing change. The apple taste seems very natural and it's not as sweet as a typical soft drink.
-
Yes... a restricted pull. It has been scientificaly proven over many years with much testing by people far smarter than I (not hard to do!) that certain parts of the espresso production process should remain relatively fixed, e.g. brewing water temp, length of time for pulling the shot, tamping pressure and weight of beans. The amount of liquid in a standard shot is typically assumed to be 1 to 1.25 oz in total with a weight of 7 grams and a pull time of 22-30 seconds. Recommended tamp pressure is approximately 30 pounds (practice tamping on a bathroom scale to get a feel for what level of pressure is needed). Why the long winded explanation? The elusive process of pulling great espresso shots time and time again is one of controlling variables. Starting with a good batch of fresh roasted beans and having adjusted the grinder initially for the bean type and roast level (blend, bean type, roast level, elapsed time since roasting and ambient humidity all affect the grind level needed but once it's established for a given batch of beans, few if any grinder adjustments are needed). The easiest variables to control are the beans, the tamp, the temp and the time (assuming good equipment and a bit of practice). This leaves the grind as the one thing that is easy to adjust. Just grind a bit finer and leave all other variables the same when shooting for a ristretto. You'll probably find that the espresso now dribbles and sort of pours out in a syrupy fashion (akin to flowing honey) rather than flowing as rapidly as it does for a standard shot. Typically, most folks use a double basket to make ristretto shots and aim for a liquid volume of about 1 oz to 1.25 oz. This is the fluid volume total after the crema has settled. If you're not getting the "Guiness effect" with an initial abundance of crema that settles down to about a 1/4 "head".... back off from ristretto shots and work on the basics elements of a shot. Mine go as high as 1.5 oz but if properly made, a ristretto shot will usually be sweeter and more intense than a regular espresso shot. Rather than being more bitter - it's the opposite. Some blends lend themselves to this better than others. An espresso blend that has a bit of an acid bite or undertone, ideal for cutting through the milk in lattes, may be less suitable for ristretto shots than a blend optimized for consumption as straight espresso. IMHO, ristretto shots have a less noticeable advantage in milk drinks than they do in drinking straight shots but I still do them as my favored latte cup is a 6 oz stainless steel job. I do a 1.5 oz ristretto and then add 3 parts frothed milk to finish the drink. Hey..... are the times, weights etc. listed above some sort of golden rule than canot be violated? No, they are basic guidelines. Depending on portafilter size (both diameter and also what type/brand of basket), espresso machine type etc., these are fluid numbers but the idea is to establish a consistency to your process. It quickly becomes second nature and if all the variables are reasonably well controlled, one needs only adjust the grind under most circumstances and good results will quickly follow. Lower end machines and/or grinders may have troubel producing ristrettos or at least doing it consistently. The traditional double or single shots are time proven as tasty and delicious but it is fun to experiment with ristrettos. I find it interesting that "Gimme! Coffee", a small regional microroaster and cafe operation in Ithaca NY standardizes on double ristrettos for all drinks. They have the best and most consistent espressp that I've tried anywhere on the east coast and take the art of espresso very seriously (Schomer modifications on their La Marzocco's, daily and thorough cleaning of grinders, stringent process control for steaming/frothing the milk, through employee training etc.). I have to think that if these guys have standardized on ristretto shots it's for a good reason.
-
Fast read digital thermometers are extremely helpful for these things - I think mine was about $10 or $15 and has proven invaluable for water temp sensitive projects. I also like to preheat the vessel in which brewing, steeping or beverage storage will occur to minimize temperature drops during the process or before serving.
-
I stopped in a Barnie's Coffee location the other day for a quick cup on the way to the movies. They have a single Capresso auto coffee maker in stock that's in a very beat-up dog-eared box and marked 25% off. The original price is $140 or $160 if I recall correctly and I won't budge until they go to 50% off but I'm intrigued by the product. Sorry I can't find any pics to post here as Gogle searches turned up nothing. Her's what makes it unusual: it has a conventional looking glass carafe on the warmer plate at the baset. The top is a glass container that holds the water with a cone shaped (a la Melitta or Chemex) filter below it. The bopx claims that the unit holds the water in the upper glass contanienr, heats it untilit is just below the boil (the optimal level for brewing) and then releases it. Brewing time is claimed to be 2 1/2 to 4 minutes depending on how many cups one makes. On the surface it would appear to be an automatic brewer that eliminates the shortcomings typically associated with auto drip makers. It's certainly not that much more trouble to just use a Melitta cone but the auto feature is appealing. Have any of you seen or tried this machine?
-
Although manual stirring is not involved, best practices with a Melitta style cone also involve a presaturation. The idea is to pour just enough water to get the grounds completely saturated and then wait a moment to do a second pour. The second pour generally gets poured in around the edge to get the wet grounds that have now adhered to the sides of the cone back into the center so there's an even dispersal of coffee and water when the complete remaining portion of water is poured. Have never really though about that process before but it seems to be a valid practice. It's probably not a coincidence that some of the best espresso machines (not all but many) utilize the venerable E61 style grouphead design pioneered by Faema in the early 60's. These machines have a pre-infusion cycle that saturates the grounds in the portafilter gently and fills up the empty space above the grounds with water before the pressure is applied. Pre-infusion seems to add an element of consistency to a process greatly affected by variables.
-
I think this may be a variation of the Senseo Crema system It uses pods or plastic cartidges of some sort. The original system was suing Douwe Egberts coffee if I recall correctly. I haven't tried the output of such a machine but the verdict seems to be that it's costlier but to many people's tastes, better than regular drip coffee. The brew is produced quickly and under pressure - the result is akin to a cafe crema (this is sort of a over-volume espresso - typically a double shot's worth of espresso blend is ground coarser and the standard 25 - 30 second pull yields about 6 oz of liquid). The original Philips Senseo Crema system had been wildly popular int he European market - I think Capresso is also making such a machien now. It's not a substitute for a good espresso machine but a very good way to have an excellent cup of "regular" coffee that is quick and convenient to make.
-
Soooo.... which one is the bright, happy, dreamy and mystical pop oriented beverage and which one draws its strength from the dark side?
-
It's worth noting that Sweet Maria's sells mostly green beans for home roasters but owner Tom Owen does roast once a week or so - only a few varieties but it gets shipped good and fresh and his beans are excellent - typically estate selections that one doesn't find available in roasted form elsewhere. Espresso Vivace Stumptown Roasters Intelligentsia These three are the biggies for discerning aficionados (two were already mentioned by others and have sterling reputations - Stumptown is coming on strong and their Hairbender espresso blend is said to be phenomenal). Another place, in Austin TX, worth trying for espresso in particular is Little City Roasters Their Little City espresso blend is awesome - deep chocolatey tones and not a hint of bitterness. They're about $1 a pound less than the others and give an extra $2 per pound discount on Tuesdays but you'd have to call to find out if the discount is offered to mail order customers. If you really want to cut costs down.... consider ordering from Caracalillo Coffee Mill They're in Tampa FL - I think you need to order in five pound lots but their current special is $15 for a five pound bage of fresh roasted whole bean espresso blend. I'm told that the quality is good and also consistent. Obviously, unless you use massive amounts, a five pound lot call for repacking and freezing small bags once you get the shipment but IMHO it's worth the effort to do that when buying mail order as it simplifies life and cuts down on shipping costs.
-
I certainly haven't been aware of this as an issue - at least not in any of the circles I travel in (which are admittedly humble). Unfortunately, apart from the practice of prividing carafes and hot refills for coffee (in some places), coffee also gets short shrift (in terms of proper preparation).
-
With proper exposure to quality fresh tea and the right preparation techniques, I suspect I could become a convert but the intensity of a good espresso would still keep pulling me back in....
-
Unless I missed them in my searches.... that's about double the number of comparable baristas in Manhattan. In all fairness to pruveryprs of espresso/lette in Manhattan, I haven't tried them all but the only one I've heard of who seems to hit the mark sometimes is Higher Grounds on the Lower East Side (and even there it seems to be very much contingent on who's behind the bar).
-
If you want to see a noticeable improvement in your espresso and also want to make a good long term investment.... look for a used Rancilio Rocky in good shape (should be available for about $175 or so) or consider an Anfim or Cunill Tranquilo. The latter two, especially the Cunill, are noisier but all three are solidly built - really a semi-commercial quality that will yield many years of life from the burrs, also running cooler (cooler = better for the beans) and giving more consistent particle size. New price range for these units will be just under $200 uo to $250 or so if you shop around. The cool looking new Kitchenaid is a retro style based on their old grinder that has been around for many years. It's said to be rugged and excellent for drip and press pot coffee but not quite exacting enough to deliver best results for espresso. Short of a full size commercial grinder, the penultimate is the Mazzer Mini. It's about $375 or a bit more these days and very tough to find used. The only likely reason someone would ever sell one is if they got an unbeatable deal on a Jolly or Robur (larger mazzer commercial grinders). The Mini is actually a commerical grinder designed for use in smaller volume cafes. I cringed at spending that much on a grinder and now can't imagine using anything else - it's that good. I'll hand it down to my daughter 40 years from now when I'll be getting coffee from an IV - until then I can't imagine needing any other grinder.
-
Can't help you on tea but if you like coffee even a little bit.... be sure to try a cafe con leche at one of the many walkup windows for places that offer Cuban food. It's inexpensive, sweet and flavorful. Even if you're not a fan of espresso drinks you'll probably like the cafe con leche.
-
I'm on my roasting hiatus temporarily until I close on my house and get out of my temporary quarters. I seem to end up drinking straight varietals most of the time for my drip coffee - the Sumatran Mandheling and similar have gained my favor due to the robust body and low acidity. I've done a bunch of experimenting on espresso blends and still haven't settled on what I like best.