Coffee Appreciation

Why do the Italian companies make their pre-ground so fine?
I could never get a satisfying cup from that stuff.

I guess it's to give more body to the brew, you get a thick, bitter coffee which is quite reminiscent of espresso. The culture in Italy is to put sugar in espresso as standard so bitterness is not a big issue.

Modern coffeewanker style is to avoid bitterness and embrace acidity so a coarser grind tends to suit.

ah thanks, ergo my preference for the finer things...
yep, I do sugar

Oh, plus it has to work on domestic espresso machines too.

Boil the water in a kettle first to about 80-90%. Then into the mocha pot and put it on a very low heat on the stove with the lid open. You want the coffee to ooze out of the tower very slowly. Take of the heat before the crema gets light and frothy.

Thanks for the advice chaps - it looks like I need a grinder. Any recommendations? (Cheap is good, because student)

Anyone have a recommendation of descaling a Gaggia Baby? The supermarket stuff(applied once a month through the wand) isn't cutting the mustard and the group has hummed up again.

Porlex over the harío because you can get more grip around it. I have both.

Porlex is good, these are meant to be similar but less prone to the handle flying off issues that the porlex has.

https://www.coffeehit.co.uk/rhino-hand-grinder.html

Though I use a pentagonal drill bit for my Porlex so it's not been an issue for me.

Puly caff for all of your coffee descaling needs

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Household-Cleaners/Puly-BBD02-Caff-Machine-Cleaner-900-g/B0033FYR0I

Or just buy citric acid granules. You need to be careful which descalers you use with aluminium boilers.

Small footprint electric grinder recommendations?

Getting bored/fed up of the porlex.

No one else here seems to like this one, but I've had zero problems with it in over a decade of use, including adjustments. I've used the Porlex and Hario and both are harder to use.
https://www.amazon.com/Zassenhaus-Espresso-Grinder-Havanna-041002/dp/B0013SRP2O

I use that for the backflush on the groupo then (As per manufacturers guidance) the applicance stuff through the wand. Still furred up to shit though. Running through 100% strength as I type...

we're at this point too. I've had a look in the past and the result you'll get to is that:

The Rocky looks like crap but will do reasonable job
The vario looks great but isn't all that and is very expensive
You need to make room for a Mazzer Mini or Super Jolly.

If you don't give a shit about looks, then you buy this http://www.coffeeitalia.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=isomac-grinder-2

What's not to like about that, @benjam?

INDUSTRIAL

There's definitely not £100 worth of difference beween those Isomac jobs and these Delonghi / krupps / melitta / whatever they're badged as today jobs. Decent for brewed coffee and fine enough for espresso.

http://www.johnlewis.com/de-longhi-kg79-coffee-grinder/p507144?sku=231952461&s_kwcid=2dx92700016974397786&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=COCCqrumtdECFZG6Gwodv0QPXw&gclsrc=aw.ds

Running through 100% strength as I type...

And we're back in action. Boom.

http://www.diy.com/departments/bosch-cordless-18v-20ah-li-ion-combi-drill-2-batteries-psb-1800-li-2/1131623_BQ.prd?SRD_cordlessdrills

I think we'll have to agree to disagree there. But that's okay because I'm spending my own dumb money.

More my price bracket

Krupps or Delonghi?

Ta for the insight but a bit spendy for me.

I already have that exact drill, but it lives in the shed, behind three locks, outside, where it rains, and is cold, where for I need to imbibe coffee before venturing...

I have the Krupps version, and use it for pourover/Aeropress with my weekly Pact coffee. It works well, and after 18 months of usage at least once a day is still going strong.

I'd buy one again.

Wicked, exactly the two use cases I have too. Thanks