Coffee Appreciation

My Gaggia Cubika broke yesterday, one of the tabs on the grouphead that retains the portafilter sheared off, dunno if that's repairable but used it as an excuse to order a Silvia and some Jabberwokky after reading this thread. Seemed an omen that Terry Gillian was on tv last night. Can't wait for Silvia.

missmouse, I'll probably get flamed to a cinder for this, but Starbucks make a big song and dance about their instant. Also percol seems quite popular here in the office.

I can't claim to have had any real experience of either though, so I don't know if the above is of any help.

All the best with your recovery, whatever it is that you're in for.

Percol tastes pretty darn good - thanks for the tip! I'm now the envy of the ward.

now I'm normally a big fan of Square Mile roasts but I'm really not feeling their new 'Redbrick' blend.

Seems very 'thin' if that makes sense

I think any espresso can taste thin on certain machines, I had a lot of thin summer blend shots, and also very thick ones across the board of Londons coffee shops.
In the Red Brick though I get a lot of sweet cherry, chocolate and floral notes without a noticable thinness. This is from shots pulled on a La Marzocco strada EP, so will be interesting to taste from other places.

glad to help, mm.

In other news, union's takengon is doing a good job of getting me up in the morning in the percolator and wholefood's house blend is taking up the afternoon slack.
Too lazy for all this espresso faff

Free to a good home. Need attention and not working. Currently in our basement at Look mum no hands. Please email me here if you're interested info[at]lookmumnohands.com

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What are the controls on the base? Does it have a gas system?

If these are within the capabilities of an amateur to repair, I would like to have a go?

^Yup, to open one up is to understand. Piece of cake.

awesome project, wish I had room to take it on

The plumbing part holds no fears, the electricity bit however holds many.

Mind you, if all the spare parts are available, then if I cannot get a bit to work I suppose I can ultimately just replace it.

Just off to buy some beans. Taking some coffee with me abroad where they have a stovetop, do I grind it in my ascaso at home on the setting for my gaggia classic or get it ground in the shop at what they recommend for stovetop? I don't want to move my home grinder from it's current setting.

Hate the say it but the best cappuccino I've had around here is from Benugo

Just off to buy some beans. Taking some coffee with me abroad where they have a stovetop, do I grind it in my ascaso at home on the setting for my gaggia classic or get it ground in the shop at what they recommend for stovetop? I don't want to move my home grinder from it's current setting.

Get it ground at the shop, stovetops are pretty tolerant of grind. Adjust dose to suit.

^ you sound really different on the phone.

I have a phone voice, it's 3 octaves higher than my real voice

Looks like that coffee machine will draw 26 Amps at full power, which would make me inclined to cable it back to the consumer unit using cooker wire/6mm twin and earth.

Overkill?

Haven't you got enough to be getting on with? ;)

No, wiring is preferable to fire-fighting I find.

Or disconnect 2 legs of the element making it 2000w. That'll be fine for home use if you're going to leave it on 24/7

Haven't you got enough to be getting on with? ;)

Getting close to the wiring stage, 6mm is as easy to run as 2.5mm!

Actually that's a lie, it's really heavy, but in principle its as easy.

Ah yes, you're in the luxurious position of being able to model your kitchen around the machine. In which case you should definitely give the machine its own cooker circuit.

6kW is massive power for a 2 group. Good for thermal stability.

Reassure me that it would only draw that power under full load- there is no way I could afford the electricity bill if that's it's standard consumption!

do you guys like those coffee beans covered in chocolate? i don't.

yo no quiero que granos de café cubrieran en el chocolate