Coffee Appreciation

I have one, it's not great at keeping temperature but you'll learn to work around that. Its temperature is controlled by a pressostat, meaning it will heat until it has reached a rolling boil (110 celsius by my measurements), after which it waits untill the pressure drops below a certain level (around 95 celsius) to then heat it back to a boil.

I've 'upgraded' (led to numerous issues so modified would be better word for it) mine to have PID temperature control and it's brilliant now. Before I would wait for it to come to a boil, start grinding coffee and what not and would then have it it an okay temperature when actually pulling the shot.

If it's been serviced it should last you a while, servicing it yourself is quite easy as virtually everything comes apart with a spanner. Very little to break, so quite carefree in my experience.

@BartS - I have taken it into work today so if you want to swing by, you can have it.

@coventry_eagle is also interested, so whoever wants it "the most" can have it!

I just need it gone this week!

Where is work?

The City, right next to the little pond at Guildhall

Thanks for the response @Tijmen - definitely something to consider then!

I'll pass, would have made a very neat small parts box but won't be free until Thursday!

I recently acquired a Brewista kettle

Slightly late response, but where did you buy the Brewista. Can't see any for sale anywhere?

Or are there alternatives worth going for?

I know many already watch his videos, but for any pour over nerds who haven't seen this, this was very interesting indeed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_r5kpXPRYo

On that point: I know James obviously has Square Mile, books and his videos are all sponsored by Squarespace, but yesterday I noticed that he's now bringing in over $5000 monthly from Patreon alone. Obviously I don't know the guy, but seems like he really deserves all the success he gets. Love watching his videos.

The thing that I think will always make most difference is grind size - and that's the thing that is really difficult to convey in a recipe online. I basically use the same V60 'recipe' and tweak my grind until it tastes good to me with every new set of beans I get.

I only got round to watching his videos fairly recently, and aside from the content I was really impressed with the delivery - I think he's a brilliant communicator.

He is. I remember interviewing him for a programme I did about coffee in like 200..9? And he was exactly the same. Very personable, knowledgeable and infectiously enthusiastic.

He was in my dream last night... I was in an editorial meeting, he rocked up with a mocha pot in his hands and began spouting off his top ten coffee design classics... The editor, my old colleague Marcus Fairs, arrives and James starts taking the piss out of him... Then an old movie gets played during the meeting and James and I become fascinated with the changing light exposure in one corner of the frame... The screen was huge...

Weird... I blame the cold and flu tablets... #csb

Free to a good home

Set of 4x Scrabble espresso cups & saucers.

Excuse the dust from the kitchen refurb.

Pick up from New Cross SE14

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They're cute... Look forward to reading all about your new kitchen in the golf thread... 🙃

Tried searching to no avail, does anyone here have experience with the PuckPuck dripper attachment for Aeropress? A friends lent me one and I’m sure it has great potential but I’m struggling to get good coffee out of it on the first couple of runs using their recommended recipe.

Any tips on how to get the most out of it? So far everything tastes very flat compared to an overnight mix in a french press.

I've not come across the PuckPuck before but it looks like you're comparing slightly different things as the French press has constant contact with the grind whereas the dripper stops brewing once the water has passed through. I'd be tempted to try it on the slowest possible setting to see if you can recreate it, or mess with the grind size and amount to slow down the flow rate.

For my money I don't think you can beat one of these for making cold brew.

For my money I don't think you can beat one of these for making cold brew.

Seconded, got one free with a Pact subscription, they regularly have similar deals on (also for v60s too).

He was in my dream last night... I was in an editorial meeting, he rocked up with a mocha pot in his hands and began spouting off his top ten coffee design classics... The editor, my old colleague Marcus Fairs, arrives and James starts taking the piss out of him... Then an old movie gets played during the meeting and James and I become fascinated with the changing light exposure in one corner of the frame... The screen was huge...

Pretty sure I read these words in a Brett Easton Ellis novel once. Wait, Victor?

Thirded. Got the Mizudashi in the shop, so clean and easy.

Yeah, the more I'm reading the more this seems to be the case. Thanks for the shift in thinking!

I guess I'll continue playing with it to see what I can get out of it before handing it back.

Me too. Good use for cheaper beans and a quick drink before the morning cycle.

So I got this email from Option-O, who is the main distibutor for Helor.
Should I be concerned or is this just a matter of having burrs that are not stainless?
Thanks for your recent order! Please accept our apologies for the delay in processing your order, as our shipment service was also affected by the coronavirus situation.
Before we dispatch your order, we would like to inform that our recent shipment of contemporary burrs mostly have some minor surface discoloration. It is purely cosmetic and does not affect the functionality, nor will it come off in use. An example is attached:
Would that cosmetic condition be acceptable for you? Otherwise, we can also perform an order cancellation with a full refund.
Please let us know.
Best regards

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I am certainly not a coffee expert and likely only have a couple a weekend when at home, but I've recently lived with a mate who had a small electric grinder and I appreciated the freshness of the grinds and the smell/sense of theatre. I would also like to move to grinding my own so I can keep whole beans in stock which should stay fresh for longer... what I am wondering is whether a cheaper grinder will be noticeably worse for me and I'd resent having bought it or entirely sufficient. I only really drink pour-over, I can't really tell the difference between different bean varieties etc, I'm an exceptionally undemanding consumer, I just want a nice cup every now and then. Any advice appreciated...

Grinders are quite important to the process, I would move up a little in quality.
You could also get a hand grinder with better burrs than an electric for approximately the same price, within a range.