Coffee Appreciation

andy.w deserves all your rep, you cunty bitches... Upgraded the steam wand on my G Classic to a Rancilio Silvia... Unimpressed, but it's early days... Hippy's blog will probz reveal all... Natch, innit?

Currently drinking Hasbean again for espresso (americanos).

Bolivia Finca Canton Uyunense is very good. Balanced, a little nutty with caramel and chocolate.

The Nicaraguan Limoncillo is good and as I remember it; very clean and caramel-like, but it's verging on too acidic. May try in Aeropress.

The Ethiopian Sidamo is just too acidic. The acidity is getting in the way of the flavour. Will definitely try in the Aeropress and will aim to maybe extract more.

quietly laying the groundwork for getting the girlfriend to let me keep a gaggia classic at her flat (we spend most of our time at hers not mine).

there's such a void of decent coffee places in mordor that we quite often find ourselves going all the way to wimbledon just for a half-decent cup of coffee.

^^ am enjoying the Sidamo as straight espresso thro the classic. my pallette brobably not as refined tho.

A mate just offered to buy me a Starbucks, so I had a "mocha cookie crumble frapaccino" = instant brainfreeze and still drinking it on the train 75 mins later. I might not need dinner tonight...

Wow - 566 calories for the venti size made with whole milk

http://globalassets.starbucks.com/assets/783efffe3fbc4cdc89f92e783fb95be1.pdf

yeah, I had medium whatever they call it. A once in a lifetime experience.

am enjoying the Sidamo as straight espresso thro the classic.

I'm still using a Classic too. I'll maybe need to persevere. I don't think the drink I poured as an espresso would have been stomach-able.

I may need to play around with it a bit like I did with Red Brick (also relatively acidic). I wound up grinding that one finer and pouring more volume to increase the extraction. It's great with milk.

being late to try most things, i've just bought an aeropress. Christ it's good. Dead easy to use. I can't be arsed with times and grams and whatnot. A scoop of coffee / person, water to line +- a cm or two, plunge and voila, a cracking cup. All the different variables certainly changes the coffee a bit, but it always comes out lovely.

I'd go along with that - but occasionally you'll get a cup that's too syrupy. So I started using scales and a thermometer and making a note of the grind and it's such a consistently good cup that I've tweaked over time. Better than any milky espresso-based drink in a cafe.

Squealing machine when pouring. My guess is it's the pump but why?

I'm sure there's a seal I need to replace somewhere...

Fucking seals.

Fucking seals.

^^ never tried it. Presumably they're a bugger to catch. Watch out for the teeth.

^^ never tried it. Presumably they're a bugger to catch. Watch out for the teeth.

I'll bear* that in mind.

*meant that

Osama tried fucking those SEALS. Didn't quite work out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHWp6x24yRM

Went to the Algerian Coffee Store in Soho earlier. Had a great shot of espresso.

Grabbed a couple of bags. Tried their Italian blend so far. It's called somethingorother Rosso. Anyway, it's very dark, rich tasting and smooth. I need to experiment a little more. I'm yet to try the Malawian beans I bought, but they smelled fruity in the jar.

I've given up on using the Hasbean Sidamo for espresso/americano, so it's now in work making great Aeropress drinks.

Just moved to Deptford. I've found Deli X and the Waiting Room; both supposed to be good for coffee. DX definitely sells monmouth beans which is nice. Where else should I know about in South East London? Can a brewed coffee be found outside of the centre of town?

Just got this, espresso on the go is pure win.

These guys had a stall on blackheath during the olympics. Gone back to their very se london base now though.
Quality high.

https://twitter.com/darkfluidcoffee

^Nice, thanks. I will go to Brockley market and have a look. Do they roast in Lewisham?

Still never been to Brockley Market. Really fancy it - great stalls and pop-ups that I see visiting other places all say they're based there usually.

Went to Prufrock yesterday and the chap behind the counter was friendly and chatty- had a smaller than normal coffee with a different bean as a result and really enjoyed it.

Makes a massive change from being served by someone who won't make eye contact and just mumbles to his friend.

Mumbling negatively impacts the taste of coffee? No wonder 31trum drinks beer..

Last time I got served by mumbles* I asked for a cappuccino, he said "so espresso with milk then" in a "what a cunt you are" type way.

I was very impressed by the scorn** I received in return for my money.

*Not Murtle

**I did get a coffee as well

Is it me, or are Taylor Street Baristas the slowest coffee pourers in town?

Their coffee could be really, really good, but it takes them a fucking age to make it, and by the time it gets to you, it's the temperature of tepid bath water.

Less chatting, more frothing.

Last time I got served by mumbles* I asked for a cappuccino, he said "so espresso with milk then" in a "what a cunt you are" type way.

I was very impressed by the scorn** I received in return for my money.

*Not Murtle

**I did get a coffee as well

Coffee Snobs - YouTube

I would've made some comment about his/her inability to steam milk well enough to make a cappucino.

"Can't you do a nice microfoam? If you're just going to pour milk in there then perhaps I should go somewhere the baristas are trained to deal with milk, like Costa.... you cunt"