Coffee Appreciation

Porlex every day. One of the best investments I've ever made.

Grinds as fine as flour

<known exaggerator.

Love my Porlex mini. Now I've finally sorted a f/t job, it'll get put to the daily use for which it was purchased.

^All about this - I've dusted off the aeropress recently and the porlex/aeropress seems a perfect combo. Very satisfying.

Porlex mini, Handpresso, and HasBean India Peaberry Bold will be my work staple for the immediate future.

I'll be getting a 20 minute break in the morning and afternoon, and it's good to know it will be time spent enjoyably and ritualistically. [/quality of life, Stew, etc.]

Finally decided to upgrade the grinder so I have gone with the recommendations and ordered the standard Porlex grinder from Hasbean to replace my Krups burr grinder. I will try that with the various Brazilian, Colombian and Indonesian beans that should be arriving with it. It will be interesting to see how much the grinder makes a difference.

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions in the thread; the UTFS function around here is bloody useful.

I recently sold my old Zassenhaus on here and bought a Porlex. It's probably the most precise thing I've ever handled that didn't cost loads of money. I can't recommend it enough (though I haven't compared it to either the Hario Skerton or Hario Mini.

@kboy - I've been using Hasbean coffee for a few months now and have enjoyed it very much. The iPhone application is great for ordering when you're low. Takes about 30 seconds.

I'm enjoying said zassenhaus, is the porlex a huge step-up in quality for the bucks?

wish hasbean had android version of iPhone app.

also wish someone could build iPhone emulator for Android...

Android thread >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Finally. freshly ground coffee good'ness can be mine.

Found a new 'bisseti' coffee grinder in a charity shop for £1 Got some fresh Columbian for it and began experimenting with different settings to get it right.
Works alright I guess. Its nothing special in its construction, you get slightly different sized grindings, I figure it could do with a lower bearing to help it stay more consistent, but then, it cost me £1
Best thing is the satisfying grinding sound/smell.

Someone mentioned needing a portable method of frothing milk - has anyone tried using a cafetierre to do it? heat the milk up in the microwave, fill cafetierre half full and then keep plunging until It's doubled in size. it does the job if you have nothing else.

Doesn't that yield similar results to the 'woefully inadequate' Aerolatte?

Doesn't that yield similar results to the 'woefully inadequate' Aerolatte?

I think an aerolatte is just a slightly modified french press so I'd assume the results would be similar.

Aerolatte is a very small high speed whisk. I have one from a pound shop, it does froth alright. That said, it's a *different kind *of froth and therefore not proper froth so I understand.

I got confused with this, the Bodum Latteo.

When I'm suggesting this method it's meant as 'an absolute last resort', rather than a viable option for milk frothing. When you're in a position to not be able to have a decent machine but want to make your coffee slightly nicer than standard then the french press does the job.

Finally decided to upgrade the grinder so I have gone with the recommendations and ordered the standard Porlex grinder from Hasbean to replace my Krups burr grinder.

F.A.Kinnell.

That Porlex has made a huge difference to the quality of the shots I had been pulling. Must resist making 3rd double espresso of the morning.

Posting some Porlex Mini / Zassenhaus 'Knee' stats for internet posterity:

Porlex Mini Handpresso starting point = tightest setting (but not the final click where you have to force it a bit)

Zassenhaus starting point = tightest it'll go (needs extra 1/4 turn of handle and nut together after it initially seems to stop)

Handpresso:

• Porlex - 4 clicks from starting point (equates to half a turn)
  
• Zassenhaus - 5/8 of a turn
  
  

Bialetti Brikka:

• Porlex - 6 clicks from starting point (equates to 3/4 of a turn)
  
• Zassenhaus - 3/4 of a turn
  
  

The extra little bit for the Bialetti makes all the difference. At the Handpresso setting, it semi-chokes the Bialetti, and is just enough to make the coffee start to taste burnt.

Either setting seems okay for SwissGold permafilter pour-over thingy, but generally that's getting the Bialetti setting.

Ok fastest response from the experts panel gets the glory.....

I'm finally going to buy a bag of decent espresso to dust off my Gaggia with. On my way home along the spice route I pass Prufrock, St Ali and Climpson on Broadway Market and anywhere in between. Where should I go?

not climpson

edit: i just wrote that cause i don't like it in general, beans might be good though

Just ordered my first bag from hasbean, quite curious

£6 incl shipping for 250g of their four bean mix, feels cheap after the recent hike in Monmouth prices

so after a weekend with this i'm quite happy. doesn't taste as strong as i want, but upping the dose addresses most of that though. It's however very very smooth and nice to drink, perfect afternoon slow sip coffee

need something stronger in the mornings, like a punch in the guts, can anyone recommend anything? From hasbean or elsewhere

Algerian coffee shop in Soho? Their Santos is awesome - dark, rich and with a kick. I love the stuff. Brave, I believe, is a proponent of it as well.

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Went for the St Ali in the end. Got lured by the fact it was roasted right there and the staff where pretty cool. Now my bag smells amazing. Cannot wait for the morning.

Right, need some help coffee fiends...

Tentatively thinking of PID modding my Silvia to address the massive inconsistencies in shots that are coming through. I can pull two shots with the same grind and dose and get two completely different espressos which suggests that despite my best efforts at temperature surfing, the boiler is still overshooting the temperature with each pull. Does anyone have any experience of this/recommendations/good reason for me to not look into it further?

Any experienced baristas looking for a job? I know of a new cafe opening in dalston that will be looking for staff shortly. Drop me a PM

Has anyone tried chocolate covered coffee beans as a sweet? When I was up in Sheffield I was bought a bag from a local chocolate shop and they were amazing. They're literally roasted coffee beans covered in dark chocolate and you eat them as if they were chocolate raisins, although not so many in one go!

Has anyone tried chocolate covered coffee beans as a sweet? When I was up in Sheffield I was bought a bag from a local chocolate shop and they were amazing. They're literally roasted coffee beans covered in dark chocolate and you eat them as if they were chocolate raisins, although not so many in one go!

YES! Great for snacks on overnight rides, to keep the sleep at bay