Coffee Appreciation

worthings 20 mins allong the coast from brighton.

im moving to bethenal green hopefully.

need to come out for some beers

Just back from Spain, largely poor coffee but it's amazing how quickly you can adapt to robusta blends made real syrupy with sugar. Some nice places to drink it though; particularly the terrace outside the Guggenheim museum, Bilbao. Hmm ...Titanium....

I finally started reading this. I'm a whole chapter in and already it's exposed flaws in my (non-existant) technique. I hate you Schomer...

care to share some random titbits of information for those of us who can't be arsed to read the whole thing?

Sure. £5 per tip.

#1 "Water is lazy."

This is cheaper: http://www.espressovivace.com/archives.html

What do the gurus use for water softening? It's apparent that a Brita filter doesn't remove enough calcium. Are there any cheap options for home use that will remove more of this limescale bollocks?

Things like these:
http://www.everpure.com/products/ViewProduct/Pages/default.aspx?ProductNumber=EV9100-06

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OMNIPURE-12-MONTH-IN-LINE-FRIDGE-WATER-FILTER_W0QQitemZ330281951990

Lots of other options.. magnets??
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38&_nkw=water+softener

you'll be drilling your own bore hole next…

What do the gurus use for water softening? It's apparent that a Brita filter doesn't remove enough calcium. Are there any cheap options for home use that will remove more of this limescale bollocks?

Things like these:
http://www.everpure.com/products/ViewProduct/Pages/default.aspx?ProductNumber=EV9100-06

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OMNIPURE-12-MONTH-IN-LINE-FRIDGE-WATER-FILTER_W0QQitemZ330281951990

Lots of other options.. magnets??
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38&_nkw=water+softener

how much coffee are you brewing because some of those water softeners are expensive and others are just shit. i would suggest just using mineral water perhaps?

Sorry to disabuse you, Ross.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1495189

I use a water softener that takes huge blocks of salt.

Limescale is hugely reduced as a result.

have another coffee james. then another and another. i'm interested in the effects of caffeine on you and how you interact on this forum.
do it! it's going to be fun.

Big +1 on citric acid - you can buy it for no more than a quid from Turkish shops because they use it in cooking, it's a white powder that comes in a little bag and looks suspiciously like drugs or something a terrorist may possess. Does the job without taint though.

Most things I've read say NO to vinegar for descaling coffee machines.
The ones that are suggested tend to be citric acid based which doesn't taint the machine with vinegar.
Puly stuff isn't supposed to be citric acid either so they've got something funkier.

Not entirely surprising that mineral water has more minerals in, right?

Sorry to disabuse you, Ross.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1495189

I use a water softener that takes huge blocks of salt.
Limescale is hugely reduced as a result.

Is it a filter thing or a machine or one of those inline things?

its a block salt water softener

all non drinking water goes through it, and anything that will get boiled in a kettle or for filling coffee machine

Schulman's Insanely Long Water FAQ
and a [TDS]TDS Meter](http://shop.ebay.co.uk/items/__tds+meter_W0QQ_dmdZ2?rvr_id=&crlp=2915949219_228459_228460&UA=WVI8&GUID=9857cccf1210a0e20490ff80ff7c9b18&agid=1395530259&MT_ID=11&keyword=tds+meter&ff4=228459_228460) is a useful tool both for water quality and getting to the bottom of exactly how well you've made your coffee.

Fuckit. Embedding link fail.

A TDS meter will tell you how much stuff is dissolved in your water, and also how many coffee solids you've brewed into your coffee.

Looks like 3 months between descaling is 'normal' and I should just live with it for home use.

Have access to lovely reverse osmosis pump; <10ppm TDS. Wanna try some?

You guys want the best, then i can only recommend you to look up Gwilyms cart. Hes usually at outside 149 Whitecross Street (weekdays) and in the backyard off Ezra Street on Columbia Road Flower Market (Sundays). Or any of these places:
Dose Espresso, 69 Long Lane, EC1A 9EJ
Flat White, 17 Berwick Street, W1F 0PT
Ginger & White, 4a-5a Perrins Court, NW3 1QS
Modern Pantry, 47-48 St John’s Square, EC1V 4JJ
Pavilion Cafe, Lakeside in Victoria Park, E9 5DU
Taste of Bitter Love, 276 Hackney Road, E2 7SJ.

Also a "good coffee map" of UK LINK

I've had some lovely espressos at Gwilym's but some inconsistent cappucinos - He uses a Square Mile blend that I like

[if anyone managed to get hold of the Juice espresso blend that square mile did can you spare us a few beans, ta]

I use a water softener that takes huge blocks of salt.

Limescale is hugely reduced as a result.

i take two salts in coffee.

@bdw: what number should i be setting he dial on the grinder for my stove top gadget?

11 - if you want FULL flavour

have you got the same grinder as me? if so try it on the 3rd smallest dot on t'dial

i noticed that you can buy square mile coffee in Milk Bar and they will grind it for you, will probably try some from there (don't have my own grinder at home).