Coffee Appreciation

also interesting:

http://www.beanscenemag.com.au/articles/view/vintage-coffee-machines

apparently they are using the sputniks in shell service stations in australia.

had a very, very good espresso from here today - probably the smallest coffee place in London so don't expect to sit down inside [there are seats outside]

Just opposite Great Ormond Street Hospital

http://theespressoroom.com/

I've got one of these: http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&cp=15&gs_id=3g&xhr=t&q=krups+coffee+grinder&pq=krups+coffee+giner&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&biw=1252&bih=662&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=16350190489748234286&sa=X&ei=s4DrTtmMOMfc8QO8vrDaCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CKMBEPMCMAI

And a Bialetti stovetop. How fine should I be grinding?

Pretty close to the finest setting for stovetop. Go by taste - make sure you're dosing consistently then if it's cloying and bitter you've gone too fine, or if it's thin or sour it's too coarse

Will do. It might not be the Forum Recommended TM model (I had shop vouchers so had to choose from what they had), but the cup I had this evening with Monmouth espresso beans through the stovetop was much nicer than what I had been getting with supermarket pre-ground coffee through the same Bialetti. I like it as it comes, but next on the list is some way to create credible frothed milk for the other half. Any recommendations?

the cup I had this evening with Monmouth espresso beans through the stovetop was much nicer than what I had been getting with supermarket pre-ground coffee through the same Bialetti.

I should think so too ;)

This is the sort of thing to look out for to get good quality foam, but for some reason they're not easy to find.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_tn-BcgdHg

You can whisk heated milk but it's usually a bit miserable.

That looks terrifying. BANG!

Probably why they are hard to find

Has a steam wand:

And does actually steam milk quite well.

What is that, Dammit?

If you see what I mean. Not, what is that, damn it?!

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24022306-the-pound-70-cup-of-coffee-with-a-dirty-secret.do

This article annoyed me today, not just because Kopi Luwak is not actually very nice coffee, or because at around £100 per kilo a £70 cup (made with precisely 7g - sic) is a piss take, but mainly because the rising popularity of this novel but average coffee has resulted in the battery farming of the Civet cat in Indonesia where they are fed large amounts of coffee cherries (oh, so they don't get to choose the finest cherries then?) in order to harvest their shit. Not a product to glamorise IMO.

Bombcup, where did you hear about these practices? I'm interested to read more. Once bought a very small packet but wasn't impressed at all.

I was talking to a coffee importer who said he'd seen Civets being kept in tiny cages on a buying trip to Indonesia. There's a backlash against Kopi Luwak amongst the speciality coffee industry with a few campaign groups. Google 'Kopi Luwak cruelty' for articles.

What, like techshop? Would like to know more.

The one I know of is called Hackspace. They have a unit in Shoreditch

I'm processing coffee beans myself in a similar way to the Civets. For £50 you can have a rummage through one of my dungs. I'm free-range as well.

In the office today.. who's got a definitive aeropress/porlex technique?

going to really get my geek on. Got scales, thermometer etc. I've been using the hasbean inverted brew technique with the grinder set about 3 clicks off the finest setting but i'm looking to get something as close to a double espresso shot as possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxVYe-TE2eU&feature=player_embedded#!

^^Maybe don't bother inverting as you're not looking for any real steep time. Try about 16 - 18g, 70ml water, quick stir and press straight away

^^Maybe don't bother inverting as you're not looking for any real steep time. Try about 16 - 18g, 70ml water, quick stir and press straight away

I use this method pretty much but 'bloom' the coffee first i.e. put a small amont of water on the grounds first, stir and then leave for about 45 secs. Then pour the rest of the water on, stir again and press. Gives the best cup I found.

Borrowed the method from http://timwendelboe.no but it looks like he's now recommending the inverted method that I'm not that keen on.

That's cool, but for an espresso type brew I wouldn't leave the bloom for that long as it's very finely ground coffee which both extracts very quickly on its own but also has the double-whammy effect of increasing the brew pressure, further increasing the extraction.

TopBrewer Coffee faucet by Scanomat - with iPhone control - YouTube
!

a whole cup of crema, that must be good

That's cool, but for an espresso type brew I wouldn't leave the bloom for that long as it's very finely ground coffee which both extracts very quickly on its own but also has the double-whammy effect of increasing the brew pressure, further increasing the extraction.

Fair comment. I generally use the aeropress for long drinks rather than espresso.

Coming to the end of some Kenyan Gatomboya at the moment. Time to get something new for Xmas I think.

has anyone's eightpointnine order arrived - still trying to work out when to cancel it to ensure i get the coffee but not the subscription

Cancelled mine the day it came, no charge.

waiting for mine to arrive, did ask for monday delivery...