kbuzbee

Now you tell me! I just poured a 10 pound bag of Domino into the Probat! Argh! (just kidding) Sounds very interesting. And AMEN on your comments on ALL coffee producing countries. Ken

Owen, you're getting a GS3??? I'll be over. Ken

Well, Lonnie, it seems to me that what you're saying is the unit is implied and to be correct usage it must be easily understood/not easy confused?? I'm not sure I agree with that but to address the above.... a rice would be a grain of rice, a soup (if used as 'I'm going to buy a soup') would be a bowl of soup, except perhaps at the grocery where it might mean a can, and a spaghetti would be a dry spaghetti noodle.... at least to me So if you said them to me you would be correct since I would understand them.... Hmmmmm Ken

Having heard so much about Vivace (and living in Cleveland where I can't just hop in the car and go try them) I decided the best I could do right now was order some beans and try them in the La Pavoni. I wanted them to be primo fresh so I asked for the $17 shipping (for 1 pound of coffee) for second day air. Well they roasted it on Wed but shipped it Thursday (and UPS will hold it over the weekend) so I'll get it Monday afternoon and get a nice pull off my week old stale coffee (shipped express) this coming Tuesday... Lovely. I sent them a note saying I was pretty disappointed at this. It was ignored (I guess people in Cleveland don't even rate a reply). Overall I'm already disappointed. I'll see Tuesday whether the coffee has any life left in it........ I have serious doubts. Ken

A La Marzocco?? Wow, how cool. Okay, a little jealous.... Ken

Depends how you mean. My Bamix will froth cold milk just fine but I assume you mean a steam wand that is part of the espresso machine??? 1. Don't use skim milk. Whole milk or better. 2. Start with the tip right on the milk (in a fairly narrow vessel) 3. As the milk getts small fine bubbles on top, lower the wand into the milk. 4. slowly move it up and down until the milk gets to ~140f There are more detailed threads on CoffeeGeek but that should get you started Ken

Not really the point. The company may be wonderful but the name was, perhaps, imprudently chosen. Ken

You're right, too funny. Makes you wonder. Maybe going for the Mr. Wizard thing?? Dunno. Ken

.... you mean just before "brewing", right??? ;-) (ducking) Great write up, Owen. And Rebecca! Awsome! A true coffee geek indeed. Sounds like my kitchen. Have you tried the Brikka?? I love that thing. Just can't get away from my LaPavoni long enough to really appreciate it. Ken Daybreak Coffee Company

Sorry Ya-Roo, I made the assumption that the huge marketing campaign waged by these things had them defined in everyone's mind by now (The Dunkin Donuts guy even promoted them on the Today Show recently). My bad. As Jason says, a POD is a container (usually a bag but some are plastic cups or whatever) generally sealed in foil to keep the coffee from oxidizing (too badly) filled with ground coffee. Once you grind coffee it's fresh for, say, 10 minutes or so. Do the storage systems these pods employee lengthen this time? Yes, but by how much? and is it enough? are questions only you can answer. Some poeple can't really taste the difference fresh coffee makes anyway, but most, to some degree, can. As mentioned above, there are a few companies out there trying to corner the "Less Stale than Other PODs" market but if you think fresh coffee matters the only thing you can do with a pod machine is buy empty pods and fill them with your own ground coffee. This is WAY less convenient than any other brewing method I could think of.... negating the pod machine's one clear advantage. I know I make these things sound like they are evil incarnate. They aren't. There are many people out there who really enjoy the coffee they make. You have to be the one who decides if you fall into that group. Ken Daybreak Coffee Company

And if you insist on a POD machine those are wonderful things to help mitigate the problems inherent with these systems. That said, I will repeat there are many, inexpensive, convenient (not AS convenient perhaps) brewers that will make so much better coffee. Owen's cheap pour over Melitta filter makes a fantastic cup of coffee (though I prefer the ceramic version). With a grinder, fresh coffee and really ANY of the mainstream brewing methods you have almost unlimited flexibility to adjust your coffee to your preference. You can brew hotter or cooler. You can grind more fine or more coarse. You can use less coffee or more. By example, we took our Aeropress on vacation (with a Zassenhaus grinder, fresh beans and hot pot). I did everything the same between my coffee and my wife's except hers had 1/3 as much coffee. I loved mine, she loved hers. Some pods systems allow you to adjust a few parameters (like temperature) but it's kinda sad that you have to give up any of the quality or flexibility you have using a $3 pour over to move to a $500 pod machine. As for the Bialetti Mukka, I'd say it makes an okay cappa-like beverage. As Owen says, it isn't espresso so it isn't "really" cappuccino, but its good. It's not microfoam, it's hot milk/strong coffee with a touch of foam on top. The only thing to remember is to clean it up immediately. Otherwise, you have some soaking and scrubbing to do. But, I have to say, it is the easiest way to make a drink like this I've ever seen (some of the multi thousand $ fully automatics may do this as easily but this thing is $100!). Bialetti has a movie about the thing: Go to www.bialetti.com -> coffee makers -> Mukka Express -> view video It's actually pretty informative. Ken

That is the great fight, Jason. Fresh coffee versus convenient coffee. POD machines are way convenient but the coffee is NOT fresh. You can get your own pods to fill with fresh coffee you just ground but what just happened to your convenient coffeemaker?? That seems like the dumbest compromise but maybe there are folks out there who would use the premade pods on workdays and still have the option of fresh coffee on their days off??? I dunno. I choose fresh coffee. There are fairly effecient methods to make it when I'm in a hurry (Moka pot 3 min French Press 4 min) even a shot of espresso only makes a minute to grind, fill, tamp and pull if I put the machine on 20 minutes before to warm up. I understand the appeal of the pods, I do, but I just can't go there. Ken Daybreak Coffee Company

The Saeco website has a great video of how this thing works. Never tried it myself but it looks very cool. Their website doesn't list the real urls so you have to go to: Saeco click on consumer products->Make yourself a coffee -> The Brew Group (movie) The Saeco USA headquarters just relocated near me. I keep meaning to get over there one day. Ken Daybreak Coffee Company

They do, scoll down to the bottom of the page... Technivorm You are spot on about the hot plate... Avoid at all costs. All the Technivorm models do, however, brew a great pot of coffee... Also for a fraction of the cost of the Miele systems.... Can't help with the built in part though (and no car option I'm aware of ) Ken www.daybreakcc.com

... and freshness. Do you know where those PODs have been??? Hmmmm????? I didn't realize that Miele systems were $2000... Wow! That seems like a lot. It does look cool though. I guess I'd think about that if I had unlimited funds and was rebuilding my kitchen..... Alas, no. Ken www.daybreakcc.com

Bond Girl, do you mean a Vacuum Pot?? That is one of the BEST ways to brew coffee (though ours is a Cona). A Chemex pour over is excellent as well. The New Aeropress does a great job (one cup at a time only). I'm not a big fan of the new, hi tech machines. I think the older methods beat them hands down for taste. If I had to recommend a "machine" though, I suppose it would be a Technivorm. They keep a fairly true temperature, which is important in coffee brewing. Regardless of method, you'll need a good grinder (fresh beans < 10 days from roast are required for decent coffee). I use a Zassenhaus hand grinder but there are many high end grinders that do a good job - around $200. If you want something a little stronger that ALWAYS makes a great cup and is kinda fun to use, try a Bialetti Brikka. There are 2 cup and 4 cup (1.75 oz cups!) models (I prefer the 2 cup). Heating it on the stove for about 3 minutes, it suddenly goes nuts and coffee "explodes" into the upper chamber in about 2 seconds. We are offering a brewing class to our customers so brewing is "on my mind" these days Ken www.daybreakcc.com

Marc, have you worked with the Aeropress yet?? It took me several passes to get a cup I enjoyed. Many more until I found a combination that worked for my wife. She still likes her cona brewed coffee better but I got to where I was able to make very good cups for each of us. Interested to hear your experience. Ken

Absolutely! But it really kills the nose. For me (so far) Beer - 20 ounce Pilsner glass Second - 6 ounce wine glass Bourbon - Schott Zweisel Cask Aged Spirits glass Second - 10 ounce curve walled rocks glass Wine - 14 ounce wine glass Second - 6 ounce wine glass Tequila - 4 ounce snifter Second - 4 ounce Reidel tulip glass Cognac - 4 ounce Reidel tulip glass Second - 6 ounce snifter so far for rum (and I'm talking Pyrat XO straight up here) 4 ounce snifter (really brings out the nose) Second - 6 ounce wine glass (more places have these and it also does a nice job showing off the nose). Both glasses present the rum well to the palate. I think the shape of the wine glass may present it better (to me, but I have a LARGE mouth Anyone else?? Anyone have something I haven't named here?? Ken

Every spirit has a shape of glass that shows off it's best characture. What is rum's?? Ken

I agree, the pod machines limit your choice and you just can't guarentee their freshness. There are a couple user fillable pods out there you can use your own coffee. It all sounds like eliminating their only advantage (convenience). The espresso machines are fine but I prefer my La Pavoni Europiccola. (and my wife will stick with her Cona though we were both impressed with the coffee we were able to make with the Aeropress while we were travelling) So the base answer is - no, I don't want any of these machines. I would be interested in a Clover but not at the price they are asking. It's fine for coffee houses but a bit high for my kitchen. Ken

Had the opportunity to try the Pyrat XO last week in Florida. Wow, this is rum to me. I've tried a few here and there. Never really found one I liked. I like Pyrat XO. Makes me want to try the Cask 23.... Someday. Ken

We are 80% manual. Zassenhaus hand crank grinders, butane burner for the Cona pot. Only the La Pavoni requires outside power. While I do preheat the water in a tea kettle, it's only to save fuel. The butane will heat the pot almost as quickly. These were actually factors in choosing this to be our daily routine (btw - power free backup for the Europiccola is an Aeropress) Do NOT want to start the day coffee free - and the power goes out here frequently enough. BTW II - we now have a generator so we are double backed up. Hooray for coffee! Ken

It sounds delicious. "Today" just covered it. Drinking it in the shadows of the Alps would certainly enhance the experience. I may have to give it a go. Ken

Erik, the Toddy filters are a thick (1/4") fibre. They feel like dense synthetic packing material. The Aeropress uses filters that are very thin and paper. Yes, also a fibre but not the same at all. I'd say the Toddy's were smaller diameter. I gave up on my Toddy and gave it away, so I can't check. You can reuse the Aeropress filters. I have during one day but it's like reusing a drip filter. It's wet and soaked with coffee oils. I don't want to reuse them from day to day. Besides, they are like $.01 each. The Toddy filters rinsed out much better and were more durable and WAY more expensive.. This was my third day with the Aeropress. The first day I ground too coarse and the cup was terrible. Yesterday and today I ground very close to my espresso grind and the cups were just wonderful. This will definately be great to have on a trip. For $30 - very recommended. Ken

For anyone interested in this there is a great thread going on CoffeeGeek: Aeropress Enjoy! Ken