Coffee Appreciation

The inside coating of the bottom reservoir definitely looks like it's peeling off, I really don't think it's only a discoloration. The outer varnish of the same bottom reservoir is slightly discolored, but that only cosmetic and doesn't bother me.

Where the inside coating is peeling, you can see orange oxidation if you leave the maker wet after use, this brushes off easily, it's otherwise black.
Theoretically it can't come from the stainless steel, so maybe it's a primer being used to give a key to the coating, as the coating itself should be designed not to rust.
Can't I just get the inside sand blasted and keep using it as a stainless steel pot?

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You don't varnish stainless steel. You polish it. Or Chrome plate it.

The inside isn't stainless steel. The layer that's peeling off isn't steel and the underneath isn't stainless or it wouldn't corrode like that.

Whatever is peeling off, you don't want it in your water, whatever is underneath, you don't want rust in your water.

Just bin it

I lust after this

I did lust after this as well as I remember a friend having one back in the day - always liked it, and our family has a few other Alessi things that are all quite nicely designed and very durable, which makes up for the price.
Also it's nice that the bottom is so wide, as this uses the stove more efficiently (thus cooking the coffee faster - which is a good thing both for the taste as well as for people struggling with being patient).

All this being said it's just too much fucking money for a stovetop coffee maker.
Also that handle / lock mechanism does work but I just don't like it, I don't know, it's just annoying to use for me.

I think the best stovetop coffee I had came out of standard Bialetti stainless ones ("Musa").

Sorry this took so long, I don’t get notifications for some reason.

If the coffee tastes bitter that is unlikely to improve with resting (degassing). If the coffee is very fresh it can taste a little thin, and a bit edgy - the flavours aren’t so cohesive and the acidity might lack definition, but bitterness most often comes from over-roasting. It could be a bean defect, or it could be poorly brewed. I would not speculate about what another roaster might be doing, Allpress are great but stuff can slip through the net.

That’s the very excellent Tom Haigh innit. Great guy, very actively pushing for gender equality in coffee at the highest levels. If you ever get a chance to go to one of his presentations at Tate Modern they’re always fascinating.

I messed up my YB order and didn't put the street name on my address (I am an idiot), and as interim I picked up some Hasbean. From El Salvador, it's got Fany in the name (I'm a child), and it's absolutely banging. Very different sort of taste to the YB stuff, so I think I'll get a bag of this as a change every now and again.

I have been drinking YB almost exclusively since @StevePeel launched the webshop so I think it's ok to mix it up by now!

If it's Finca la Fany then it is great coffee that's been consistent for years. It's a regular at my LCS and is one of those coffees that I buy multiple bags of (breaking my normal rule of always going for something different each time).

Yeah that's the one! Delicious.

Thank you for the reminder that I needed to order more coffee. Done.

Just opened a bag of Ethiopian Kochere from La Cabra. Pricey but very nicey. Grapefruit when hot and cooling to apricot. Swoons

Edit: ....and jasmine as well at the end.

We have pretty much stuck to YB coffee too. Quality and convenience (and supporing a forumenger) make them an utter no brainier. Our consumption has increased as we are both at home more of the time. With CTUK closing I won’t be in London for week blocks of work so we are now getting 2x1kg bags of different beans at a time.

We pick up other beans if we pass some kind of hipster roaster when away from home for a little variety but nothing we have encountered so far has shifted where our primary loyalty lies.

No worries @StevePeel . The taste did improve with time, but it wasn't exactly great.

Anyway, back on the YB beans now, bang on the buck straight out of the bag.

CTUK closing

How come?

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/326237/#comment14445470

On the convenience front is it still delivered in boxes? I'd love a YB subscription (maybe 1-2 kilos a month) but would want it posted through the letterbox rather than having to be in to answer the door. Have been traveling a lot lately so just can't guarantee someone will be at home. Quality and price is bang on obvs.

Pretty sure @StevePeel mentioned he does envelopes now too.

Yeah, it comes in flat packs now, if you ask.

That was a thing for me as well. Queueing up at the post office >>>>>>

Oh brill, cheers - will set a reminder to re-up when current batch looks low.

Sad news, ta for link.

After a year with the Rocket Apartamento I think it's safe to say I would recommend it. Can I make as good a cup with a £300 machine? Yes. Can I do that every day. No. And that's all it is really, consistency.

After a year of ownership, using only bottled water (I live in Bath, the water here comes out of the tap in pebbles) I have had exactly zero troubles. Temperature and flow is consistent as the boiler has enough capacity/thermal mass and the cup warming is particularly good as a result. Steam pressure is fine even while pulling a shot, though I mainly drink black espressos so I can't say I've tested it much (thus not giving a toss about a steam gauge).

PS: Using an Isomac grinder I 'hacked' to grind as fine as I like.

Have you looked into some sort of filter instead? Bottled water is an environmental catastrophe.

Right you are. I try to do my best by buying flagons that last two weeks. But I should look again at a filtration system now it’s staying. Sadly the Apartamento is a tank only vibe pump machine but I’m not going to complain if I have to fit a filter tap under the sink. Thanks for the prod 🤙

Assume just filtering stuff with a brita or similar jug isn't good enough?

nah i've done that with my old machine. Needed descaling every 2-4 weeks and I am sick of tasting descaler in my coffee.

I am sick of tasting descaler in my coffee

uwot