Coffee Appreciation

Starbucks Via Blonde Roast Instant Saches

you wot m8

I said it. Honestly, very decent for instant coffee when I am sleeping outside with access to only boiling water. There's loads of new instant over here that are all made by small roasters in conjunction with Swift Coffee. They're usually $15 for six sachets and they all have that instant coffee taste about them, which the Starbucks stuff doesn't, and I appreciate that.

If Cometeer lasted outside of a freezer, I'd buy that, but alas, it doesn't.

You can get the buttered, caramelised Singaporean/Malaysian style coffee in the UK now: https://www.kopihouse.co.uk/shop/Nanyang-Kopi-Powder-250g-p135416132

I imagine this will upset some people.

I usually bring an aeropress/metal filter and plastic grinder bikepacking, but that's for party pace carrying lots of beers. Lightweight trips, I'm with JD, instant is the way. The Supreme instant isn't terrible.

I found that buttery stuff a very acquired taste/experience.

But I'd still buy a bag of that.

Robusta tho. My brain rattles after I drink it.
Usually a Wild Bean machine in a shell garage on a long drive. Avoid it like the plague otherwise!

Little's instant coffee is also surprisingly good if you're travelling. I do love a pourover at home, but like a couple of others have said, just take good instant with me when travelling.

GSI ultralight java drip + pre-ground is my lightweight choice.

I'm with @JB on this. Instant sachets, Starbucks in particular, are just fine. Perfect to get you going just enough to get to the nearest boulangerie/cafe.

Never tried Little's myself but I bought it for my dad sometimes after he was moved into a home. The carers weren't willing to make him a cafetiere (which is what he'd been used to at home) and remember to come back and plunge it, but were fine with doing him an instant with his own coffee. He said it was a significant step up from the crap instant they normally served and rated the Ethiopian one.

Anyone done temperature or pressure mods on the Gaggia Classic?

Think I'm going to try this:
https://youtu.be/MxPNQRCxQZc

Done PID and it was pretty easy, only challenge was understanding Gaggia's wiring. Reckon mine was put together last thing on a Friday. Considering a dimmer but I'm happy with my shots at the moment. I've a La Pavoni for finessing every single element, I like the Gaggia's simplicity in comparison.

Lance Hedrick is doing a Gaggiuino video soon, it'll probably push me over the edge to do this mod too.

Anywhere I can pick up a decent 1kg bag of beans tomorrow in East London?

Dark Arts

Pleasantly surprised by Rave coffee - have had a couple of bags from them recently and their signature blend is very good if you’re looking for an uncomplicated and good value espresso. Free postage over £25 as well.

+1! They have a pretty wide range of stuff. Regular drinker of their decaf.

Agree.
I buy a box of their coffee bags to leave at my Mother in Law's.
Decent.

+1 to Dark Arts

'Listen to Bathory' and 'Honest' are very good

I've dropped the pressure on mine and been gearing myself up for the Gaggiunio mod as well. I'm not sure how much better the coffee will be but I enjoy tinkering.

Where can I send my Gaggia Factory 105 to in order for it to be refurbished?

Had a surprisingly excellent coffee at Bean + Brew in Wood Green the other day - had to go for an x-ray at the Mall and really fancied a coffee before I got the tube home. I think I was mostly surprised because it's such a generic cafe name and I'd just picked it because it was seconds from the station, but it was really delicious. Super tiny inside but it's got beans for sale with recent roast dates which to me is always a good sign, and a few stools by the window so you can sit in if you want.

What papers are people using for the clever dripper? I got a hundred bundled with it, they were unbranded but I think they were clever dripper's own ones? Been using the filtropa ones since but they're a bit rubbish, they don't really fit well. Are there any other options?

Get that brewed up and doubled with some condensed milk.

I've always just used filtropa 4, not felt there's a size problem.

Actually let's make a change - what's the best home espresso machine in the view of this thread?