Coffee Appreciation

I bought a cheap moka pot on eBay to have at my in-laws when I visit (context to let you know that I don't want to spend any money sorting the issue out!) and the first thing that happened was that it arrived with a broken. I emailed the people I bought it from and they gave me a full refund. So I thought "great, a free moka pot to have a play with. Maybe I can make myself a nice wooden handle to put on it sometime but for now I'll just pick it up with oven gloves." The only problem is that the coffee isn't coming through properly. The pot was on the stove for 15 mins and I still only got about a 3rd of the coffee through. I'm using the same quantities of water and coffee and the same type of coffee that works perfectly fine to make a perfect 3 minute coffee but it's just not working. What could be wrong with it and is there anything I can do to make it work?

I think I may have solved the moka pot issue. I didn't think it was possible, but Lavazza coffee (the red one) is too fine for my cheap, and obviously very shitty, moka pot. Instead I tried the crappy shop bought general coffee and it worked ok!

got a Polex grinder and 500g of Jailbreak beans for xmas, time to finally star drinking 'real' coffee and get the most of out of my aeropress.

would this be a step in the wrong direction?

http://mobile.comet.co.uk/p/Coffee-Makers/buy-GAGGIA-CLASSIC-RI8161/40-Coffee-Maker/412414

currently aeropress...

Good price that. It's up to you though really. The Classic is a good consumer espresso machine but from my experience with it (sold it to Mr Smyth after not a huge amount of use) it was still not really comparable to the results with a commercial machine. My main gripe is that it doesn't do milk well at all. For espresso it's not bad. I do, however, much prefer the results I get with my Aeropress and Porlex.

More Concise:

Aeropress and a good grinder = good quality home coffee
Consumer espresso machine = cheap imitation of what's available in a good café

i was given some blue mountain beans for xmas

are they too nice to put into the rancilio sivlia/rocky combo?

should they really be used in a french press?

Aeropress and a good grinder = good quality home coffee
Consumer espresso machine = cheap imitation of what's available in a good café
Expensive pro grinder and espresso machine run by hippy = cheap imitation of what's available in a good café

"The best espresso will always come from an Italian standing coolly behind a big machine, not an obsessive Englishman throwing money at a small one." - oboerista

i was given some blue mountain beans for xmas

are they too nice to put into the rancilio sivlia/rocky combo?

should they really be used in a french press?

I'd give it a go through the espresso machine, just to see. Probably better suited to brewing though.

Bombcup is right - slow filtered is best for Blue Mountain. It's my favourite filter coffee - the zero acidity makes is really mellow.

Have about £200 to £400 to spend on a machine - is it worth bothering with that budget or should I just get an aeropress and some kind of frothing device? If I should go down the machine route, what manufacturers should I be looking at? Any help appreciated :)

That budget will get you a decent setup; first off get a used commercial grinder off ebay if space affords, or a good domestic grinder like a Rancilio Rocky. Without a good grinder and high quality freshly roasted coffee you're going to be pissing in the wind whatever machine you buy.

That should leave you with enough for a used Gaggia Classic which will put you in reach of great espresso. Milk will be almost impossible unless you put a steam arm from a Silvia onto it.

Don't bother with any of this if you don't fancy lots of cleaning, frustration and head scratching. Just buy the grinder and enjoy excellent brewed coffee, that's what I do.

Just buy the grinder and enjoy excellent brewed coffee, that's what I do.

:)

...when not going to the garage for a session on the levers.

^ That project has completely stalled BTW. Damned parenthood.

Bodum 6 cup french press, £4. Win.

Thanks for the pointers Bombcup!

Currently drinking this:
brewed in a french press.

Very, very nice. It's like tea, only its coffee.

Very, very nice. It's like tea, only its coffee.

Wha?

Fragrant and light and ting?

In other news:

^^^Nice Yirgacheffes have flavours of tannin, bergamot and lemon, like an Earl Grey. But coffee.

Wha?

MWOAR CAFFEINE!!!!!!!
http://columnfivemedia.com/shop/in-caffeine-we-trust-poster/

Oh tried M&S esspresso blend the other day on the work machine, fair play to them they've made a really nice blend and for the budget watchers...2 bags for £4.50 was a bargain! Its hot and rich... and left my tongue sucking the roof of my mouth. (C&P into any dirty quote you like)

What's the secret with a Moka pot, slow on the heat, let the pressure build and it all comes through in a oner? The one I bought seems very temperamental - could it be different coffee's grinded...er....more differenter?