Coffee Appreciation

Tried this, aside from the fact it takes ages to make a coffee, it's really nice.

Yeah, I reckon my v60 use is going to drop a fair bit now.

On another note, who uses bottled water for making coffee? I generally use tap water and a filter but trying some out at the moment. Any recommendations? I've tried Ashbeck (Tescos) which is good.

I use Sainsbury's (Highland? Scottish? can't remember) quite often, it's like 55p for 2l. I think most bottled water will be better to use than filtered tap water just for the consistency – a filter deteriorates over a short amount of time so god knows what TDS it'd read from one day to the next. I use one for drinking water but haven't had great results with coffee.

Or take an empty bottle to a nice cafe with an RO tap, fill up and leave a little tip.

I'll give it a look thanks although if I went to a nice cafe with a RO tap I'd probably just have a coffee there :)

At the aeropress UK champs the other week lots of contestants we're using Waitrose Essentials bottled water. They insisted it has a very good mineral content and PH balance.

Tesco Ashbeck here, though I have a brita filter kettle which works well for the Aeropress. Also makes a massive difference for tea.

This kenyan is amazing, hope to get similar results to shop aeropress brew in morning

Haven't tried North Star but they're based not far from me, I might stop by and pick up some beans.

On an unrelated note, I noticed a temperature control kettle in Aldi today for £20. Tempted.

Do any of you guys know anything about fully-automatic, milk and the lot office type coffee machines? Like this kind of thing: http://www.greenfarmcoffee.co.uk/equipment/jura-giga-x7/

We used to have a Jura and it never made nice coffee, even with nice beans. Are there any decent alternatives that might last five minutes in a room full of monkeys?

^ They're about as good as it geets AFAIK for prosumer bean to cup. They can produce good coffee if kept clean and the grind and dose are well adjusted but someone will need to take responsibility for these jobs. The milk will never be great.

I always recommend a Technivorm Moccamaster for multi user self serve coffee, the coffee is so much nicer from them. Hands-up the company I work for sells them, but they got them in because I kept going on about how great they are.

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We had one of those at my work. Think it's still sitting around somewhere. Use good coffee in it and it makes a pretty decent cup.

We had that type of machine at my old company and the coffee was always fairly pleasant. Trivial for your average colleague to operate, too.
It was one with a glass carafe so of course they got dropped etc all the time.

I am looking at stepping up my coffee game and getting a good process dialed before my first sprog arrives in June (I am assuming we will need coffee....quickly).

I have a Gaggia Classic with the OPV mod using a portafilter gauge I bought and things are looking good, except, my grind. I use the Hairo hand grinder and I have worked out that the perfect particle size is between two of the fixed settings and its bugging me. Also grinding is a pain and takes ages to make more than one dose.

So... can anyone recommend a good electric grinder with steps wide enough (or stepless) that can get me pulling good 27sec shots? I have a 150 budget. Thanks all

Edit: I have UTFS and the Rancillo Rocky and Gaggia look like good options, but, I know Gaggia have changeable reliability depending on the time of year and it would be good to get some first hand user accounts... if that makes sense. Thanks all

Iberital MC2 paired with Classic here, would be in budget.

http://www.happydonkey.co.uk/iberital-mc2-grinders/

I'll take a look, thanks for the tip!

Gone for it, read the reviews, seems really good. Just the kind of thing. I'll keep the Hairo for french press and keep the Iberital for espresso only, no need to make big grind adjustments.

Treated myself to bottomless portafilter too. Time for a scale and a backflush before the goodies arrive :D

Nice one. Pay attention to the setup instructions they send you. The worm screw is a very very slow adjustment but if you rush it you can lock the burrs together and fubar it beyond warranty. They sent me a couple bags of v.dark roast blend beans which were useful to use setting it up rather than pricey bags of nicer beans.

http://metro.co.uk/2015/04/03/man-ejaculated-into-colleagues-coffee-because-he-fancied-her-5133632/

^^ epic wtf.

Possible epic wtf:

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I have one of them in the fridge to try.

I didn't finish it, not great.

At the aeropress UK champs the other week lots of contestants we're using Waitrose Essentials bottled water. They insisted it has a very good mineral content and PH balance.

Thanks for the tip!

^ I tried it on danners reccomendation and it was fine although I think Tesco's Ashbeck still comes out better with slightly stronger flavours.