Espresso making: do things faster not better

[Wings]

So I jumped back into the espresso world, while I love the convienence of my Keurig I am actually back in the home barista game for my loin fruits, they've discovered the love of all things coffee and espresso especially. So I pulled the trigger on this machine:

But I want to hear your opinions on the best brand, the best frothing technique you have discovered, and any other tips and tricks.


I did just buy a very sturdy tamper and a great-seemingly-tamping mat.

I should say that I'm partial to Lavazza beans but I'm open to suggestions.

 

[Typo Fu Master]

I'm not a coffee expert, so I'm unfamiliar with espresso. Is it stronger than regular coffee? The brief description I just read suggests it's a process. Near boiling water is forced through the coffee. Sounds an awful lot like an expensive Mr. Coffee.

 

[Wings]

I'm not a coffee expert, so I'm unfamiliar with espresso. Is it stronger than regular coffee? The brief description I just read suggests it's a process. Near boiling water is forced through the coffee. Sounds an awful lot like an expensive Mr. Coffee.

It's a very concentrated Mr. Coffee drip.

 

[Typo Fu Master]

I have only had experience with coffee made by drip and the cold filter system used by my BodyBrew. I much prefer the BodyBrew. It's much less bitter. No electricity required. It's made sort of like sun tea. The downside is that you'll have to wait 24 to 48 hours before your first taste. Been using it for about a year now and when I have coffee made any other way I wrinkle my nose and have to use twice as much cream and sugar.

 

[Wings]

I have only had experience with coffee made by drip and the cold filter system used by my BodyBrew. I much prefer the BodyBrew. It's much less bitter. No electricity required. It's made sort of like sun tea. The downside is that you'll have to wait 24 to 48 hours before your first taste. Been using it for about a year now and when I have coffee made any other way I wrinkle my nose and have to use twice as much cream and sugar.

What do you think the difference is? I know that cold brewing coffee removes a lot of the acidity that can affect those with delicate stomachs and/or those that don't enjoy the bitterness of forcing hot water through coffee grounds.

If coffee isn't burnt I'll drink it. I don't mind it black, I enjoy it more with cream.

 

[Typo Fu Master]

What do you think the difference is? I know that cold brewing coffee removes a lot of the acidity that can affect those with delicate stomachs and/or those that don't enjoy the bitterness of forcing hot water through coffee grounds.

If coffee isn't burnt I'll drink it. I don't mind it black, I enjoy it more with cream.

They mention much lower acidity in their description. I'm guessing that has something to do with it. I could drink this stuff black if I had to. It's so much smoother. The end product can best be described as coffee extract. You use as much as you want and add hot or cold water as you prefer.

 

[trysail]

When I quit smoking, I pretty much quite drinking java. The two habits were too closely associated. If I have a cup, I'll want to have a smoke.


As a lifelong expresso lover, I tend to use a macchinetta when I want the real deal. My parents brought one back from Italy in the early '50s which made us early adopters. Otherwise, I'm a French press user.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Moka_Animation.gif
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[Wings]

When I quit smoking, I pretty much quite drinking java. The two habits were too closely associated. If I have a cup, I'll want to have a smoke.


As a lifelong expresso lover, I tend to use a macchinetta when I want the real deal. My parents brought one back from Italy in the early '50s which made us early adopters. Otherwise, I'm a French press user.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Moka_Animation.gif
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Got it. Thank you.

 

[cfuhrer]

The way we used to "steam" milk:
Whole milk in a pint mason jar, zapped in the micro for a few seconds, then spin the lid on and give it a good shake.
Pour into coffee.

 

[Wings]

The way we used to "steam" milk:
Whole milk in a pint mason jar, zapped in the micro for a few seconds, then spin the lid on and give it a good shake.
Pour into coffee.

That is usually how I steam it too! But I'll go back to using a frothed like a responsible Italian.

 

[KingOrfeo]

To properly enjoy espresso, the most important equipment is a hypodermic needle and a rubber hose.

 

[Saint Peter]

The Keurig makes weakass brew. I mothballed the fucker.

 

[RobDownSouth]

So I jumped back into the espresso world..

Thank you for spelling it correctly. The "expresso" crowd really grinds my gears.

 

[Wings]

The Keurig makes weakass brew. I mothballed the fucker.

I must just buy the best k cups then.


Also: fuck you!

 

[Wings]

Thank you for spelling it correctly. The "expresso" crowd really grinds my gears.

Expresso is not a word.

 

[Saint Peter]

I must just buy the best k cups then.


Also: fuck you!

Spill the beans!

Also:

 

[trysail]

Expresso is not a word.

The spelling "expresso" is sometimes used; while some sources state that this spelling is incorrect, other sources call it an acceptable variant spelling...

...There is a debate over whether the spelling expresso is incorrect or whether it is an acceptable variant. It is called a less common variant in some sources. Italy uses the term espresso, substituting most x letters in Latin root words with s; x is not considered part of the standard Italian alphabet. Italian people commonly refer to it simply as caffè (coffee), espresso being the ordinary coffee to order; in Spain, while café expreso is seen as the more "formal" denomination, café solo (alone, without milk) is the usual way to ask for it when at an espresso bar. Some sources state that expresso is an incorrect spelling, including Garner's Modern American Usage.

While the 'expresso' spelling is recognized as mainstream usage in some American dictionaries, some cooking websites call the 'x' variant illegitimate. Oxford Dictionaries online states "The spelling "expresso" is not used in the original Italian and is strictly incorrect, although it is common." The Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster call it a variant spelling...







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[Hard_Rom]

The Keurig makes weakass brew. I mothballed the fucker.

I find the same thing. Coffee is too weak. Better if you use the small cup button but still not near strong enough to remove paint.

The Keurig is a conspiracy tool to make us watered down mediocre coffee drinkers.

 

[MonaLittle]

So I jumped back into the espresso world, while I love the convienence of my Keurig I am actually back in the home barista game for my loin fruits, they've discovered the love of all things coffee and espresso especially. So I pulled the trigger on this machine:

But I want to hear your opinions on the best brand, the best frothing technique you have discovered, and any other tips and tricks.


I did just buy a very sturdy tamper and a great-seemingly-tamping mat.

I should say that I'm partial to Lavazza beans but I'm open to suggestions.

This is the Espresso Machine I have. Love it.

Always use Skim milk when frothing - it comes out thicker (why does that sound so naughty?)

I Love the heating element on the top. Turn the machine on and put your espresso cups up there for just a a little bit and it keeps the cups hot and your beverage (if you're making more than one)

Also - I agree with Sweet Pete - Keurig is nasty coffee and should be outlawed.

 

[rocket_surgery]

Paid $15 for an auto-drip that lasts about a year then I pay another 15 bucks. Coffee is $8 a can and lasts about a month.

Fuck all that fancy stuff and especially fuck those Keurigs. Nasty coffee from an overpriced machine. Plus, what kind of wimp only drinks one cup of coffee? 12 cup machine and I'm set.

 

[neci]

there is a huge difference between steam and pump machines. steam machines have a screw top, where water pressure builds up and then the shot comes out. with these machines, you have to wait for the steam to vent (shooting it out the wand works.) Normally when you see a machine for under $300, it is a steam machine. If you plan on drinking more than one shot at a time, or ever having people over to share it with, don't go for a steam machine. the first machine i ever had was a steam machine.

pump driven machines are the way to go and are in the $1000-300 range. i've owned four through my lifetime, investing between $500-300, per machine. eventually the motor goes out, and that is where the monetary difference comes in. they are nice, because you can enjoy multiple cups, only having to refill the water tank. when it comes to shots, you want to time the pull of the shot, and it should be somewhere between 18-22 seconds, and have a nice crema and you should be able to see gradient layers. If the shot pulls too fast, either use a lower grind for your beans or tamp harder. if it pulls too slow, tamp less or use a higher grind. make sure you are cleaning your machine on a regular basis, so it does not cake up with grime, which can also effect your shots.

milk frothing is an art, that anyone can learn. while i am sure there are youtube videos demoing the process, i'll share my two cents. first off, there is a big difference between foaming nonfat, whole and cream. nonfat foams much faster, and can give you that cappuccino froth the easiest. due to the lack of fat, the bubbles are larger. whole milk will give you a nice, smooth, creamy foam. cream or half and half is very hard to foam. you want to start with the wand in the center of your metal cup. slowly move the wand up and down, making sure not to touch the bottom of the cup. once the milk reaches around 100*, or is warm to the touch of the cup, you begin frothing the milk. this is done by keeping the tip of the wand at the top of the milk, remembering to always move the cup up and down along the top. if you pull it out too far, you will end up with hot milk spewed everywhere. too low, and you won't foam, ideally, you want to keep the tip just dancing on the top of the milk. as the milk grows and froths, keep the wand at the milk level to foam, not in the foam. pulling the wand into the foam, will blow up your foam, putting too much air in it, and it will flatten much faster. as with most things, practice makes perfect.

i currently don't have an electric espresso machine. every machine i've had paid for itself within the first year. i may get one again one day. in the mean time, i've found i prefer the stove top espresso maker that trysail posted. for quality, quantity and price, they are my favorite. i used to have a little handheld milk foamer, which i loved, and then i had one where you poured the milk in, hit a button, and it foamed for you. that one was awesome. the best foamer ever. small machines just don't make as decent foam as the industrial ones, and the electric foamer got me the closest to what i enjoy.

 

[Saint Peter]

Who are you fucking people?

 

[Wings]

God damn, neci I am so turned on by you right now. This is the info I wanted!

 

[neci]

i used to be a coffee slinger, in a former life.

 

[Wings]

This is the Espresso Machine I have. Love it.

Always use Skim milk when frothing - it comes out thicker (why does that sound so naughty?)

I Love the heating element on the top. Turn the machine on and put your espresso cups up there for just a a little bit and it keeps the cups hot and your beverage (if you're making more than one)

Also - I agree with Sweet Pete - Keurig is nasty coffee and should be outlawed.

Thank you! It seemed to be the best in the under $500 range and it's really pretty.