Coffee Appreciation

Thanks, can’t believe how easy it is to make good shots considering my utter lack of experience.

Yeah, but, at $372 after tax, I'm trying to work out if spending $200 on top of the cost of a Flair is really worth it. Especially in the current climate. Hell, I'm trying to work out if a Flair at $160 is even sensible right now.

At Home Barista there is a lot of discussion about the pros and cons of the two makers.
I read through all of the 200 plus pages about the Robot and decided partly based on that and the previously mentioned influencer.

So one of the baristas from my local was telling me today that when he was a youngster (maybe 30-40 years ago?) back in the old country all the espresso machines used salt as a filter. He said he missed the taste of it and has subsequently modded his home machine to do the same.
What's that all about? I think he's Sicilian.

@Sumo YBCR is back up and selling online this am, I've just placed an order.

just placed an order, got the fear when the shop was down this morning..

Just placed a YBCR order as well! Go @StevePeel

Sounds like he's talking about a water softener rather than filter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Im0V6HdrLs

Yes me too, I normally call by the shop so to me it feels a bit alien to order online.

I'd just like to say that of all the crap associated with the coronavirus globally, losing my sense of smell just now due to covid surely is the worst bit. Coffee this morning tasted like bitter metal. FML.

I lost my sense of taste and smell with a cold this winter. I did not expect it to be as unsettling and unpleasant as it actually was.

Ordered yesterday somewhat speculatively and the order shipment confirmation just came through.

Let me know if you are unsuccessful and I can give you a bag of beans from mine.

cool will let you know. Got a confirmation email so fingers crossed.
I've got a couple of 250g bags in the house, so I'm not going to have to go without in the near future, just planning ahead for when lockdown intensifies.

Oof, I'm sorry.

@Aroogah yellow bourbon are saying my beans are on their way. So no need for bean collection from you.
@StevePeel thanks for the quick dispatch.

Thanks all. The support has been overwhelming. Planning on keeping going, hopefully on my own soon if demand drops. Just needs 2 of us in for now and we can stay out of each other’s way.

It’s been a big adjustment. Mail order was the smallest part of the business and now it’s the whole business. We don’t have systems or efficiencies in place for this sudden 10-fold increase but its actually been a lot of fun adjusting.

Kenyan is awesome, papers much appreciated! Hope you can ride out the storm.

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Got some advice from accountant today about the employment retention scheme and apparently there’s no provision for shortened hours so I’ve had to ‘furlough’ all 3 staff. We’d been working in pairs, one roasting, the other dispatching at opposite ends of the room and having a great time doing it, so we’re all a bit sad about that.

I’m now dispatching coffee Tuesdays and Fridays so I can roast Mondays and Thursdays without stressing about dispatch. Thanks so much to all of you who’ve ordered, means the world. The old ‘doaskid’ 20% discount is still active for lufguss members, very sorry to those who’ve ordered and weren’t aware. Get in touch next time you order if you want to claim it retrospectively and I’ll make it right.

Lots of love
Steve.

That sucks for your staff and it's a shame that there's not more help for you to help them.

Thanks to you and to them for shipping my most recent order. I'll do my best to keep you roasting in the meantime.

Does this at least mean your staff get to keep some kind of Government backed wage?

Yes they’ll be paid in full, I’ll recoup 80% of that, all being well. It would be better for all our sanity if they could work some hours fully paid by the business, but this is the best thing for fully isolating them.

Awesome bossing.

👊

Glad it kinda works out for the best! Nice work.
Have bought three times as much coffee as is required from my local roastery here in California, who just so happen to be great. They'll be okay as a business in the long run as they have several locations in Pasadena... just hope their members of staff are, also.

My local closed today, I so hope Sal can weather this storm.