Coffee Appreciation

I'm sure you can get someone you fabricate you a shiny red box to put a Europiccola in for £3k ;)

Not me, I'm into blue 'bots.

Folks, do you pre-heat your portafilter or just load it up cold and pull the shot bareback?

I’ve always preheated but wondering about the benefits of a slight temperature spike at the beginning of the shot, dropping down a bit through the pull as the temperature sinks into the cold portafilter. With preheating I’m guessing you start quite hot and get a steady rise through the pull. Do you? I think I need to borrow a Picolog and some thermocouples from work, I need a better look at what’s going on.

Everything I've read indicates it should be in the machine warming up with the rest of it. I also pre flush the machine before refitting the filled portafilter to dump any steam/hotter water. Dunno if that's necessary but it's habit now.

My mate works for this company and (whilst i suppose he would) professes to really rate the machine: https://www.ikawacoffee.com/at-home/

I have had some of his home-roasted coffee and can confirm it was delicious.

Blue is much too straightforward a term to use for that colour! Personally I'd go 'Sonny Crockett t-shirt teal'

That is a compliment to the colour by the way!

+1 to all of this IMO

After 30 years, I've given in and started weighing the coffee for the French press (50g coffee / 900g water).

Wife looks at me funny but the coffee is much more consistent and I don't hear her complaining about that!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-olympia-cremina-lever-espresso-machine-220v/303564173590

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyhn49uXyHk&t=13s

That filthy steamwand...

Oh gosh, the pro version comes in a pelicase.

Does this count as essential?

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that's what Hermione said

Joke aside, I always spot those in poorly run "cafés", a great indicator of the cleanliness of the place!

Certainly. Apparently Kristian House (former British Road Race champ and JLT rider) has one and is a big fan. If that endorsement, together with pelicase, isn't persuasive enough I don't know what else I can say...

Joke aside, I always spot those in poorly run "cafés", a great indicator of the cleanliness of the place!

Think I've mentioned this here before, but I've had a cafe owner start freaking out when he came in and I had taken the burrs out of the grinder for cleaning (for clarity, I was working there, not as a customer). That was a good (bad) indicator of their standards!

So bottled water seems to have done the trick and gave the filter a gentle rub. Now building up the oil with a couple of batches but hopefully that solves the mystery. Still not a big fan of the idea of buying bottled water though

Just watched that, I really have no desire to upgrade my Classic but that is pretty fucking sexy...

Always keep your wand clean. Statement to live by, that.

buying bottled water though

Fuck that shit.

that is pretty fucking sexy...

Not >3k sexy though.
If I was going to drop big bucks I'd want a hot rod machine like a custom-skinned Rocket or something

Anyone use these? Just bought a pair as we don't have a dedicated water filter. Not sure the water in Leeds is even that hard, but for £8, figured it was worth a shot.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-PACK-Water-Softener-Cartridge-Gaggia-Espresso-Coffee-Machine-Maker-Descaler/401145695963?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Yeah, crazy money but still very pretty... I have been eyeing new machines up lately, don't think I'll do it but you never know... Head barista at my local roasters offered me a two group La Marzocco for a thousand bucks a couple of months ago, I was very, very tempted but I'd just refurbished my Classic so, etc, not enough space, etc... And I don't need a two group machine (his 'n' hers group heads?!?), a one group Linea would've been a different story!! Bargain tho'...

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That would work in Oz but not I couldn't fit more than a 1-group in my kitchen here.

I'm still running this big ol' bastard...

The filter jug is from the tank-fill Bezzara I had that went to @big_daddy_wayne as the S26 is plumbed in through a large inline filter.

Bez vs. Ranc size comparison:

You’re in Oz, right? Looks like a lot of machine for the cash.
I completely see why you wouldn’t go for it, but I can also feel the temptation!

Anyone use these? Just bought a pair as we don't have a dedicated water filter. Not sure the water in Leeds is even that hard, but for £8, figured it was worth a shot.

I have used the "real" Brita cartridges for Gaggia and they worked well.

I was running a double filtration system - Brita jug then in-tank filter.

Would recommend!

I was tempted but it's just so big, where would my grinder, toaster, juicer and blender go? We'd have to move!!

@hippy That Bezarra is a nice size...