Coffee. Grinder and Cafetiere or Pods in a machine

Coffee. Grinder and Cafetiere or Pods in a machine

Author
Discussion

Flibble

6,470 posts

180 months

Friday 11th June 2021
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seefarr said:
Robbie speaks the truth. Managing your just-in-time coffee deliveries is half the fun! Also start scoping out local independent cafes - find one that makes coffee you like that sells beans you can grab in an emergency.
I feel like I have failed and am going to run out within the next few days.
My local coffee shop sells Strangers coffee, anyone tried it?

Raymond Reddington

2,964 posts

109 months

Friday 11th June 2021
quotequote all
Sway said:
It's so simple, and so brilliant.

I'm over espresso.
I've just sold my Espresso machine, more than happy with the B2C machine for something quick to put in a travel cup in the morning for work, and when I fancy something decent the V60 seems just the ticket.

Dialling in shots for different beans and faffing about didn't really do it for me, and to my unsophisticated palate, I feel like I can pick out more of the tasting notes with V60 than I could with the Gaggia.

PT1984

2,228 posts

182 months

RanchoGrande

1,151 posts

168 months

Saturday 12th June 2021
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I tried pre ground supermarket coffee in it when it first arrived as I had some left over. Tasted way better than instant...

I get what your saying but the difference between fresh roasted and old beans isn't like night and day, it's somewhere in between. Let's say dusk.

I'd imagine there are plenty of people using supermarket beans in the sage with reasonable results they're probably just to scared to admit it online. Someone sent me some beans from a place in Arundel recently, very very good!


justin220

5,331 posts

203 months

Saturday 12th June 2021
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RobbieTheTruth said:
No, it's just not worth the bother.

Keep a Pod Machine or instant for the rare occasion you run out.

There is genuinely no point making a manual drink using Supermarket/Illy/Lavazza etc.

Also, if they are back up beans, they will just get more and more stale, the shot will take seconds to run through the burnt, stale, dry, crumbly beans and you're just wasting your time when you can just get an equally bad coffee with Nescafe.
Are Lavazza really that bad? I tend to keep a 1kg around the house for exactly as mentioned, for when I don't have any fresh beans.

I'll be honest I don't notice a huge difference. Certainly don't think that fresh beans are 4x as good, at 4x the cost.

I do however like getting fresh beans as I like the change in flavour

TX1

2,348 posts

182 months

Saturday 12th June 2021
quotequote all
justin220 said:
RobbieTheTruth said:
No, it's just not worth the bother.

Keep a Pod Machine or instant for the rare occasion you run out.

There is genuinely no point making a manual drink using Supermarket/Illy/Lavazza etc.

Also, if they are back up beans, they will just get more and more stale, the shot will take seconds to run through the burnt, stale, dry, crumbly beans and you're just wasting your time when you can just get an equally bad coffee with Nescafe.
Are Lavazza really that bad? I tend to keep a 1kg around the house for exactly as mentioned, for when I don't have any fresh beans.

I'll be honest I don't notice a huge difference. Certainly don't think that fresh beans are 4x as good, at 4x the cost.

I do however like getting fresh beans as I like the change in flavour
4 X the price ? I pay £15 for a kilo of freshly roasted Malabar beans from Redber.


Baron Greenback

6,961 posts

149 months

Saturday 12th June 2021
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TX1 said:
4 X the price ? I pay £15 for a kilo of freshly roasted Malabar beans from Redber.
Mmmm looks nice coffee, just order a kilo from amazon I will try to remember next time.

Turn7

23,498 posts

220 months

Saturday 12th June 2021
quotequote all
Sway said:
Turn7 said:
Any recommendations for a decent but economical
Swan necked kettle?
Here's mine, seems to work well enough!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07PRPK6R8?ref=ppx_pop...

Obviously, there are tonnes of much cheaper stovetop versions, but I needed electric as it's in my home office.
Cheers....

Should have said electric in my post....

RobbieTheTruth

1,875 posts

118 months

Saturday 12th June 2021
quotequote all
RanchoGrande said:
I tried pre ground supermarket coffee in it when it first arrived as I had some left over. Tasted way better than instant...

I get what your saying but the difference between fresh roasted and old beans isn't like night and day, it's somewhere in between. Let's say dusk.

I'd imagine there are plenty of people using supermarket beans in the sage with reasonable results they're probably just to scared to admit it online. Someone sent me some beans from a place in Arundel recently, very very good!
I think so.

I think your acceptance level drifts a bit, so if you're used to instant, then supermarket grinds could be an upgrade.

IMO - once you've been drinking quality, fresh, lightly roasted - going back to stale, burnt, supermarket is completely unpalatable and the enjoyment level of that and instant is about equal, with instant being quicker and easier.

It's not snobbery, I just think once you become accustomed to light roasts and really enjoy them, the dark roasts become really offensive to the palate.

I'd rather a Ethiopian Nespresso pod over making a manual Espresso out of supermarket. Relatively similar results, but the Nespresso is less harsh and quicker and easier.



RobbieTheTruth

1,875 posts

118 months

Saturday 12th June 2021
quotequote all
justin220 said:
RobbieTheTruth said:
No, it's just not worth the bother.

Keep a Pod Machine or instant for the rare occasion you run out.

There is genuinely no point making a manual drink using Supermarket/Illy/Lavazza etc.

Also, if they are back up beans, they will just get more and more stale, the shot will take seconds to run through the burnt, stale, dry, crumbly beans and you're just wasting your time when you can just get an equally bad coffee with Nescafe.
Are Lavazza really that bad? I tend to keep a 1kg around the house for exactly as mentioned, for when I don't have any fresh beans.

I'll be honest I don't notice a huge difference. Certainly don't think that fresh beans are 4x as good, at 4x the cost.

I do however like getting fresh beans as I like the change in flavour
I think so yeah.

What beans do you normally use?

Lavazza is a dark roast and the beans are quite stale and brittle, so immediate smell/taste is harsh burnt.

I'm surprised you aren't seeing a big change when you revert to them, unless you are already drinking dark roast blends?



Baron Greenback

6,961 posts

149 months

Saturday 12th June 2021
quotequote all
Presume above people are freezing the beans to make the flavor last longer. I find I drink less coffee now I stopped drinking instant coffee, aeropress for work and 1st cup in morning and manual lever espresso.

sean ie3

1,956 posts

135 months

Saturday 12th June 2021
quotequote all
Sway said:
PT1984 said:
sean ie3 said:
I like espresso but the machine is broken for a while now, I got into the MokaPot but got tired of it and started with the French Press and this has become my best bet for the 2-3 cups I drink a day as it is easy to make the strength that you prefer I mostly use beans and a Delonghi burr grinder, about €60. As for as the beans go, Spiller and Tate Signature Blend is my favourite.
Get a Hario V60. Trust me.
Although I've not tried moka or French press (have had aeropress at work with a colleague) - I'd agree.

Love my v60. Quick, simple, cheap - yet I can actually taste the 'notes' despite me being an utter heathen who adds milk and sugar!

Have weaned myself down to a small splash of full fat and a single cube of unrefined brown though.
I do a lot of posh deli/outlet shopping and will buy one as soon as I see one. : )


Blown2CV

28,695 posts

202 months

Saturday 12th June 2021
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paralla said:
RSTurboPaul said:
lol

I just came here to ask how long supermarket bought stuff keeps in decent condition in the cupboard... laugh
The point is that it's not in decent condition when you buy it from a supermarket, it's already way past its best.
and if the question is how long it THEN keeps in the cupboard after you've purchased it from a supermarket. It would be like brown dust by the time you get round to attempting to make a drink out of it. There is a reason why the 'artisan' coffee suppliers send small quantities out as soon as possible after roasting. I just buy a week's worth at a time, each week.

RanchoGrande

1,151 posts

168 months

Saturday 12th June 2021
quotequote all
RobbieTheTruth said:
I think so.

I think your acceptance level drifts a bit, so if you're used to instant, then supermarket grinds could be an upgrade.

IMO - once you've been drinking quality, fresh, lightly roasted - going back to stale, burnt, supermarket is completely unpalatable and the enjoyment level of that and instant is about equal, with instant being quicker and easier.

It's not snobbery, I just think once you become accustomed to light roasts and really enjoy them, the dark roasts become really offensive to the palate.

I'd rather a Ethiopian Nespresso pod over making a manual Espresso out of supermarket. Relatively similar results, but the Nespresso is less harsh and quicker and easier.
Totally, once you've tasted the good stuff it's hard to go back, but I still think given the vast range of beans available in the supermarket there must be a few that can cut it when prepped right? I'm sure someone earlier on in this thread reckoned they were getting good results from the Sainos taste the difference Colombian beans.

Anyway, I'm still researching fresh bean subscription websites. The place I mentioned in my last post is called Edge Tea and Coffee. Very impressed with the taste.


beambeam1

1,006 posts

42 months

Sunday 13th June 2021
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Came in to this thread looking to upgrade our faithful Nespresso pod machine. Tend to use two pods and add milk these days and it's grand for now but we have come to consider that we do like a decent coffee nowadays. With vouchers/cash gifted to us after we got married we have decided we will upgrade to a decent machine... I came in here thinking about a Sage Barista Express and have trawled a few pages looking for comments about it.

Honestly, there is an abundance of great comments and knowledge throughout but I caught a few mentions of "V60" and think I am better off experimenting more with this type of kit than forking out for a machine that isn't suitable or is potentially overkill. The budget I had in mind also falls short of common recommendations of other machines which reinforces the idea of refining my coffee habit before splashing out.

Additionally, the drip style of the V60 instantly reminded me of the coffee I had, and enjoyed, when I was in Japan a few years ago. I think I will experiment with fresh beans and a grinder and take it from there - there are recent comments about fresh beans and supermarket grinds that totally transformed my understanding re: oxidisation, weights/quantity ratios and such. Thanks all for the regular contributions, it has made for some quality reading. And wincing... significant wincing at the price of some items!

PT1984 said:
And I got the V60 free with a £12 Pact purchase!

I think even Hoffman says he doesn’t have an espresso machine at home.
Thanks for this! I'll experiment with the V60 at the very lowest price point first, use it to convince the wife we don't need a machine for now and get some matchy matchy items for the kitchen if we actually enjoy it.

EDIT: With the money saved I am now divebombing into the Ooni Pizza Oven thread instead!

Edited by beambeam1 on Sunday 13th June 02:52

Sway

26,070 posts

193 months

Sunday 13th June 2021
quotequote all
beambeam1 said:
Thanks for this! I'll experiment with the V60 at the very lowest price point first, use it to convince the wife we don't need a machine for now and get some matchy matchy items for the kitchen if we actually enjoy it.

EDIT: With the money saved I am now divebombing into the Ooni Pizza Oven thread instead!

Edited by beambeam1 on Sunday 13th June 02:52
I spent about £100 all in for my first month of v60 brewing.

£10 with Pact for some beans and 'free' v60.
£30ish quid on a reasonable manual grinder.
£50 on a electric swan neck kettle from amazon.
£20ish quid on a set of electric coffee scales/timer.

Actually enjoying trying different beans, and can definitely taste the difference - not only between the different Pact beans, but most definitely with your average 'decent' cafe espresso...

number2

4,266 posts

186 months

Monday 14th June 2021
quotequote all
Anyone changed to a VST basket and found it much less forgiving than others?

Using a Lelit Bianca and Niche, and got the hang of dialling in a standard shot with the IMS basket it came with (and bottomless portafilter), so thought I try a straight sided 18g VST.

Not pulled a decent shot yet. Seems that puck prep is even more important.

To date I've used the Niche grind cup, transferred to the basket, tapped to get broadly level, used a spinning leveling tool then tamp. Worked well enough with the IMS but getting channelling etc. with VST.

Things improved when I ground directly into the basket but this made a mess! Thinking about getting a dosing collar to aid the direct grind.

Anyone had a similar challenge using a VST, and any tips?

I could go back to the IMS but would like to master the VST!

paralla

3,528 posts

134 months

Monday 14th June 2021
quotequote all
number2 said:
Anyone changed to a VST basket and found it much less forgiving than others?

Using a Lelit Bianca and Niche, and got the hang of dialling in a standard shot with the IMS basket it came with (and bottomless portafilter), so thought I try a straight sided 18g VST.

Not pulled a decent shot yet. Seems that puck prep is even more important.

To date I've used the Niche grind cup, transferred to the basket, tapped to get broadly level, used a spinning leveling tool then tamp. Worked well enough with the IMS but getting channelling etc. with VST.

Things improved when I ground directly into the basket but this made a mess! Thinking about getting a dosing collar to aid the direct grind.

Anyone had a similar challenge using a VST, and any tips?

I could go back to the IMS but would like to master the VST!
Maybe try a distribution tool to um....distribute.....the grinds either in the grind cup or in the basket (a collar will help avoid mess). I don't have a dedicated distribution tool, (I don't see value in them for the function they perform) I use the handle of a small spoon from the cutlery drawer to give the grinds a mix.

number2

4,266 posts

186 months

Monday 14th June 2021
quotequote all
paralla said:
Maybe try a distribution tool to um....distribute.....the grinds either in the grind cup or in the basket (a collar will help avoid mess). I don't have a dedicated distribution tool, (I don't see value in them for the function they perform) I use the handle of a small spoon from the cutlery drawer to give the grinds a mix.
Thanks wink. I tried a toothpick and this didn't seem to work... I don't want to get too fancy using the small needle contraptions but perhaps I'll need to give them a go biggrin. I watched a YouTube vid on these last night and thought it was heading towards parody! https://youtu.be/xp3GIR9lynE


paralla

3,528 posts

134 months

Monday 14th June 2021
quotequote all
number2 said:
Thanks wink. I tried a toothpick and this didn't seem to work... I don't want to get too fancy using the small needle contraptions but perhaps I'll need to give them a go biggrin. I watched a YouTube vid on these last night and thought it was heading towards parody! https://youtu.be/xp3GIR9lynE
He's taking himself way too seriously, I could only watch up to when he gave the method an acronym.

I do think there's benefit in mixing up the grinds a bit but not to the extent you need to buy a special tool to do it. My husband is much fussier about it than I am, he uses the probe of a meat thermometer and does it very carefully. I literally give it three second stir with the spoon handle, the meat thermometer is in a drawer further away from the coffee machine and I think it does exactly the same thing so I don't bother going to get it.

I'm into coffee stuff for about £5K but the price of distribution tools doesn't represent good value for me.