Coffee

Poured first latte in June. Happy with my progress so far. Here's a flat white and a swan that I poured today. There's always still room to improve and remember, no matter where you are in your latte art journey, I think your art is beautiful :) and I'm sure tasty as well.

I am still very much a beginner, but if anyone has any questions about latte art I'd be happy to try to help!

Considering making 4-5 shots of espresso in the morning then just filling up a full size coffee mug so it can last throughout the morning.

Anyone have experience with this? Good idea or heart attack speedrun?

Anybody else with a Bambino Plus experiencing this?

Machine is about 3 weeks old. I'd seen small amounts of water underneath the machine from day 1 but not getting out of control. Ran a cleaning cycle today and if I hadn't put a towel down it would have been all over the floor.

Feels like it's probably coming from where the machine drains into the drip tray because there's some pools on the machine base under the tray as well.

Drip tray is pushed in as far as it'll go.

Is this a flaw in the design or have I got a lemon?

Pretty much the title. I’ve noticed lately that more independent and non-grocery roasters will have 12 ounce bags instead of one pound.

Is there a special reason for this beyond, I assume, bringing the price of more gourmet-ish coffee to a price point comfortable for the average consumer?

Also, shout out to King Bean in South Carolina, I love their Capers Blend.

I used James Hoffmann's French press technique. So this is a full sized bag because they had a good sale on it and I decided to risk it for the biscuit.

So I got tons of green apple on the nose from the fresh grounds. Once it was brewed the raspberry showed up in a sort of jammy way and the green apple took back seat and lost the perception of acidity and became more of a regular apple for me. On the palate the fruit became sort of a generic fruit and the star was a nice sweet nuttiness. I'm guessing this is what they are calling cola candy on their tasting notes but absent spice and citrus it just doesn't trigger as cola (candy or otherwise) for me. All and all a very pleasant cup of coffee.

Tinker continues to leave me satisfied though to date my favorite offering of theirs remains the Jorge Rojas as cherry and chocolate are just hard too beat for my tastes. I swear one of these days I'll get around to trying another roaster.

I used to be mostly into teas, but my wife has always been into coffee. I work night shift so I figured it would be nice if I brewed her a cup in the mornings and save her the time getting ready. I've learned a lot about brewing coffee and found a brand that I like but she isn't as into it and doesn't really have a brand she likes. She used to just get a random bag of pre-ground from the grocery store and add sweetener and creamer or almond milk until it was palatable but she's trying to cut down on that stuff.

Does anyone know of a good sampler of whole beans that is somewhat representative of the varieties, origins, and roasts to hopefully narrow down someone's preference?

A detailed experiment investigating how long to steep immersion cold brew, with both numerical and qualitative results.

I pulled out my Hario Switch today and realized I’ve only really experimented with Tetsu Kasuya’s “God Recipe” (pasted below for those interested). Overall I’ve found the cups to be smooth and sweet. I don’t love the minor fuss of the temp drop, but it’s an interesting approach.

What other recipes have you used for the Switch? I appreciate any recommendations in advance!

Tetsu Kasuya’s “God Recipe” https://youtu.be/gC8K40kZ_6E

20 grams of coffee and 280 grams of water. Three pour structure with a temp drop and immersion on the 3rd pour. Okay to grind a little finer than usual.

• 0:00-0:30: Pour 60 grams at 90-93C. Switch open, let it flow.
• 0:30-1:00: Pour 60 grams at 90-93C. Switch open, let it flow.
• 1:00-1:15: Close the Switch. Drop water temp to about 70C and pour in 160 grams of water (total is now 280 g).
• 1:15-1:45: Let the immersion take place. 1:45:-3:00: Open the Switch and let drawdown occur. Try to aim for a grind size that allows the drawdown to complete at ~ 3:00. Close switch at 3:00 if not finished.

The cup should have acidic note separation initially but the body will be round and sweet with little to no bitterness.

Small coffee shop in Alba, Italy

I disassembled and cleaned my Eureka the other day, my first time doing so, and now what was a “2” grind size is closer to a “4.” In other words, it’s grinding finer overall. I’m guessing something was changed during reassembly? Do I need to recalibrate it or anything? I had notes about grind sizes for different coffees, are these all moot now?

I've been using my coffee syphon for a year+ now. It became a ritual for me and it makes a good cup. The past month or so I've run into a problem that I can't find any answers to, hoping someone here has seen this.

When I remove the syphon from the lamp, it will draw down about half way then stop. The rest of the coffee is sitting up top refusing to come down. The pressure doesn't release as quickly as it used to, but I think something else is the problem.

• I've stirred to ensure the grinds aren't blocking
• I've pried the two chambers apart - I can hear the pressure release, this itself doesn't solve it either
• I've dumped the contents of the top to another container and cleaned out the grinds then added it back, it still sits up top

The only thing I can think of is the filter, but some of the coffee can go through.

Using the Hario NXA-5 and Yuchengtech lamp.

Another batch of Tinker coffee. I think this leaves me having tried all their current offerings so I’ll need to decide if I want to look elsewhere to keep my sampling going (looks over at S&W Craft Roasting) or actually commit to a full bag. I got asked last time so I’ll state it up front that I’m just using James Hoffmann’s French Press technique. I realize coffee presents a bit differently when I actually use my Aeropress but I only pull it out for the rare afternoon coffee when my wife is out of the house*.

Don Mauricio: I mostly just got milk chocolate and a bit of fruitiness on this one. It was quite pleasant and I’d in no way turn down a cup nor am I going to find it a chore to finish the sample but it is not particularly interesting to me.

Jorge Rojas: The winner of this batch of samples for me mostly because I’m a sucker for cherry. I just grinned as I popped off the catch cup on my grinder and was just hit with the aroma of dark chocolate cherry. And that strong dark chocolate cherry stayed the star when I started drinking it. The melon showed as a sorta of cantaloupe-like musk on the back end. So a favorite fruit, some chocolate, and a bit of an evolution? Yeah, I’m here for it.

Laayyoo: A grape bomb for me, from grounds to sip it was front and center. The grape was supported by a different non-grape tart fruitiness and a potpourri quality which they’re obviously specifying as raspberry and lavender but my palate wouldn’t have picked them out as such. This came across as a bit muddied in my French press but trying it on my Aeropress helped sharpen things though didn’t bring anything new to light.

The idea that I’m not a fan of floral notes in my coffee is slowly being strengthened. I’m not going to write coffees with such notes off completely but I will be restricting any purchases to sample sizes unless things change. You might wonder why I’d keep buying samples but I enjoy trying new things even if at the end of the day I’m not a huge fan of them.

*For those who had a, “Whaa?” reaction. I find the French press to be more forgiving when I’m in a pre-caffeinated state. So shy away from the Aeropress for morning coffee. As for why my wife is relevant, she hates the smell of coffee so I only brew coffee when there is enough time for the smell to dissipate before she wakes up or comes home.

Remember to defrost your coffee from 12:30pm EST / 9:30am PST and boil 1-2 litres (32-64oz) of distilled water.

I hope those participating have fun! Unfortunately I won’t be joining as I forgot to pack my kit before leaving town—somehow I remembered my travel mug but naught else—so I’ll be catching up upon returning. Happy weekend!

I recently broke my coffee carafe, so I'm on the market for a new one, and I was hoping to get some recommendations from people on here.

Preferably, it would be a double walled glass one, but I've really struggled to find many options. I've only really seen one offering from fellow, which is just a bit small for my needs, since I usually brew about 700ml. There's also the fact that it's quite pricey...

Anyone have any experiences with it? Is it actually worth it? Are there other options that fit the bill? Am I looking for the wrong thing entirely and maybe you can tell me why

Step 1: pull espresso on ice of your favourite grind Step 2: top up with milk Setp 3: drink

Current budget setup for Aeropress and Chemex. My Bodum blade grinder finally died after two years so I bought a Normcore v2. Seasoned with 800g of Strait Coffee Breakfast Blend. Looking forward to a GagnePress of Botany Rd Java P-14 tomorrow.

It's the time for cozy moments, and there is nothing quite like a steaming cup of coffee to warm your spirits. By infusing your coffee with flavors suited for these seasons you can create delightful beverages that are not only delicious but great for making memories.

What are your favourite stay-inside recipes?

Cinnamon adds a warm and comforting aroma to coffee, try getting the best organic cinnamon rolls you can get and grind them in your spice grinder. A pinch of this spice not only brings flavor, but it's said that it might support a better health. It's sweet and woody notes make it perfect for the darker days ahead.

Crushed up almonds can enhance and enrich your coffee by adding a more nutty flavor. Just a few almonds inside of your pourover or immersion brew can make it have a luxurious taste. Almonds add a depth to the brew and changes up your regular cup.

Coca nibs are less suited for an immersion brew, but for short filtration they can add an explosive taste to your cup. Be sure to use raw unsweetened nibs, to benefit from their warmth and antioxidants that contribute to your well-being.

Do you have any other great additions? How about mixing up your brew with spiced herbal tea?

Usually, I make around 300mL of iced coffee. Here's how I do it:

1. Weigh 100g of ice cubes, put in the carafe, and store in the freezer.
2. I use 18g of medium roasted arabica, and grind it medium coarse (similar to pour over size)
3. Put the coffee ground in Hario Switch and add 200g of boiled water.
4. Stir and let it brew for 5 minutes.
5. Decant the coffee into the carafe (nr. 1).
6. Give a good stirr until all the ice cube melt, and enjoy it directly or put in the fridge for later.

I hope it helps.

V60, OE Lido ET grinder, and the beans were Sugar Shack blend from Vivid coffee

Hello again, After getting Gaggia Classic Pro Evo in August 2023, I have been using pre ground coffee from my local coffee shop.

I am planning to get Baratza Encore ESP to pair with my GCP since the grinder is currently on sale for like 10% off on Retail price.

Wanted to know if Encore ESP would be a good choice?

Today I’ve just started in to a bag of Chromatic Kunjin, tasting notes on the bag of “tart cherry / molasses vibes” seems true to my taste. It’s overall round, very juicy, and syrupy. This coffee looked especially red and velvety to me when ground, and quite low in chaff. I bought it from the discount shelf at the shop in San Jose, and was traveling around with it for a few days and it was filling the car with an irresistible aroma. Once home I had it frozen for about a month before thawing and now enjoying. Doesn’t seem too worse for wear!

After my consideration about milk foaming here, I'm now considering getting a Bellman Stovetop steamer.

First of all - does anyone have any experience with it, bad or good, they'd like to share?

Secondly, I'm unsure whether to get the one with the gauge or not. I've read in a few places that it's actually not quite as good with the gauge - that it doesn't actually generate as much pressure. It's also more expensive and money is definitely an issue.

I've also read that, with the one without a gauge, you can tell when it's up to pressure with the pressure safety valve. However, I've also seen some retailers very firmly saying to not do this. It occurs to me that this might jsut be to cover themselves legally or whether it's actually a bad idea.

If there is a clear way to tell when it's up to pressure without a gauge, then it's obviously better to get that if only because it's cheaper. It would need to be possible to reliably tell in advance if it's there or not though.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

In the last year or so I've been getting more and more into coffee, but I'm still a student so I can't afford all the fancy equipment and beans yet lol. After learning how to brew good coffee with my moka pot, some family members gave me a Melitta cone for pour-overs

I couldn't find much info or techniques for this kind of brewer, only for the V60 and such, so I wanted to ask here what your opinion on the Melitta cone is. Any recommendations? So far I'm happy with the coffee I'm brewing with it, but any extra information would be appreciated