Dusty Chalk Posted January 14, 2020 Report Posted January 14, 2020 4 hours ago, Aura said: Why does it look like you snorted a line? Aye keed, aye keed... 2
Aura Posted January 14, 2020 Report Posted January 14, 2020 wait that's not how you test for correct coarseness? 3
n_maher Posted January 14, 2020 Report Posted January 14, 2020 I've the Baratza Virtuoso and I think I've been using it damn near daily for the last six+ years without a hiccup. I never thought I'd appreciate a grinder, but I do. 1
grawk Posted January 14, 2020 Report Posted January 14, 2020 16 hours ago, robm321 said: Only $2,500. $650 1
HemiSam Posted January 15, 2020 Report Posted January 15, 2020 For some reason I'm not receiving notices via email for posts although I'm subscribed...bummer. Glad I checked back in. The Niche is a stunner! Love the footprint and the quality.....hmmmmm. I'm going to investigate this little gem. I have to admit the aesthetics are very sexy and this review might have put me over the edge... HS 3
Craig Sawyers Posted January 15, 2020 Report Posted January 15, 2020 I use a Mahlkonig Vario, which is a 43mm flat burr grinder with a hopper feed. It is about the same price as the Niche Zero. So what would I buy now? Interesting question. The downside with the Niche Zero is the need to weigh the beans for a single grind, which is a longer process (but I listen the majority of the time to vinyl, so I'm no stranger to ritual). The upside is the gorgeous design, and zero retention. And, dare I say, British! The upside of the Vario is the hopper feed and very comprehensive range of grind settings. It is also compact enough to fit under the cupboards over my work surface. The downside is that it has coffee retention. 1
grawk Posted January 15, 2020 Report Posted January 15, 2020 I took the hopper off my current grinder (a commercial Wega K10), and do individual dosing. This lets me store the beans in a valve bag, so they stay fresh longer. I'm probably going to pull the trigger on the niche zero in the next week or so. I currently weigh the beans in and the grinds out. I'm looking forward to skipping the "grinds out" step when I get the Niche.
grawk Posted January 15, 2020 Report Posted January 15, 2020 https://www.home-barista.com/reviews/niche-zero-grinder-review-t57516.html 1
Torpedo Posted January 15, 2020 Report Posted January 15, 2020 40 minutes ago, grawk said: https://www.home-barista.com/reviews/niche-zero-grinder-review-t57516.html Dear lord, and we complained about the nonsensical long reviews at Head-fi 2
grawk Posted January 15, 2020 Report Posted January 15, 2020 espresso is way more important than audio. 2 3
HemiSam Posted January 16, 2020 Report Posted January 16, 2020 Well, I've got a Niche Zero ordered. Will be selling blood later this afternoon...LOL. HS 6
HemiSam Posted January 18, 2020 Report Posted January 18, 2020 While awaiting the Niche, needs continue... HS 5
Aura Posted January 18, 2020 Report Posted January 18, 2020 well i'd really intended to get a kalita for pour-over instead of a hario v60 but i came across the v60 drip decanter and it looks about perfect... uses a plastic size 02 so i can make two cups for Mrs and me and save time. plus Prima restocked the untabbed 02 filters which are (apparently) hard to come by now so i ordered a bunch with the decanter. pour over come at me bro. 3
Aura Posted January 23, 2020 Report Posted January 23, 2020 the v60 rocks. just about done with this Ethiopian after getting mixed results on aeropress. make one brew with this hario and it is significantly better from start to finish. i think the aeropress will be reserved for experimental purposes. used James Hoffman method, very easy and seems like a good base recipe to adjust off of for new bags. also i love getting two reasonable cups from one brew. 5
robm321 Posted January 23, 2020 Report Posted January 23, 2020 I arrived at the same conclusion. Other than french Press, the pour over is my favorite. The Aeropress is versitile but leans towards the acidic side for me. That said, I still use it regularly. I'd love to get into espresso, but kitchen counter space and cost to get it right keeps me from going down that road. 2
Craig Sawyers Posted January 23, 2020 Report Posted January 23, 2020 I agree with the Aeropress, but the acidic side can be reduced by using water that is 85-90C (so well off boiling), using a fairly coarse grund, and using a short brew time. I've been trying to experiment with mine to make a false espresso, with limited results. Like you, I don't have the space for an espresso machine. And the absolute kitchen rule is never ever put something in a cupboard - after which it stays in the cupboard never to emerge again. 2 1
HemiSam Posted February 2, 2020 Report Posted February 2, 2020 The Niche Zero arrived last week and I've gotten to use it. So did the Chemex. I chose the 6 cup which worked out well for my situation. I'm the only coffee drinker in the house, but if I have a guest I can certainly brew them a cup as well. The Niche is gorgeous and very substantially built. Is it worth the money? That's a relative thing IMO. It is excessive so I think best for the hardcore coffee drinkers that would make good use of it and/or those that really get into the aesthetics and function of the machine. It is pretty damn fun to use and look at. It has a lot of settings and because you can go well beyond the dial, and arguably need to for the finer or coarser grinds, it requires a bit of practice / experiment but nothing too complicated. The Chemex I am still experimenting with. Drinking a Rwandan Ruli now and it is AMAZING. It was damn good in the French press as well so it's solid coffee. The thing is there is a substantial difference with the Chemex. First...I love the French press. It makes delicious coffee simply IMO. You get ALL the coffee flavor and what comes with it. The Chemex is a much more polite cup of coffee...cleaner. Probably easier to drink. I'd liken it to cigar smoking...those that have been in it a long time I have found lean towards the more robust profiles. HS 8
Aura Posted February 6, 2020 Report Posted February 6, 2020 (edited) this week i've made a few changes for my pour-over... the first change is a recipe adjustment to start using the '40-60 method' on my hario. the basic premise is to slow the brewing process a bit, segment out into smaller pours with more even extraction. it feels like i have more overall control. the end result so far is a more balanced coffee that isn't overwhelmed with acidic bitterness (which i'm finding hard to dial in on these light roast beans, specifically those from Africa). it also seems to be deeper underlying flavors like earthy and nutty. the second change is trying out third wave water packets. i really don't care enough about brewing with my own DIY water and this is already so pretentious to be mixing with distilled gallons, but i'll admit it does taste different. the coffee is softer and i think the acidity has more clarity. but it doesn't fundamentally change the taste compared to my own tap water. you get 12 gallons' worth for $15, not terrible, but i'll probably utilize it on occasion rather than all the time or perhaps with beans that are particularly expensive or good. Edited February 6, 2020 by Aura 3
grawk Posted February 6, 2020 Report Posted February 6, 2020 my niche should be here within the week 1 2
HemiSam Posted February 6, 2020 Report Posted February 6, 2020 2 hours ago, Aura said: this week i've made a few changes for my pour-over... the first change is a recipe adjustment to start using the '40-60 method' on my hario. the basic premise is to slow the brewing process a bit, segment out into smaller pours with more even extraction. it feels like i have more overall control. the end result so far is a more balanced coffee that isn't overwhelmed with acidic bitterness (which i'm finding hard to dial in on these light roast beans, specifically those from Africa). it also seems to be deeper underlying flavors like earthy and nutty. the second change is trying out third wave water packets. i really don't care enough about brewing with my own DIY water and this is already so pretentious to be mixing with distilled gallons, but i'll admit it does taste different. the coffee is softer and i think the acidity has more clarity. but it doesn't fundamentally change the taste compared to my own tap water. you get 12 gallons' worth for $15, not terrible, but i'll probably utilize it on occasion rather than all the time or perhaps with beans that are particularly expensive or good. Interesting, Aura. what African coffee are you drinking? The stuff I tend to buy is on the fruity side : Ethiopian, Rwandan. I find Indonesian coffee, particularly the Sumatran stuff, very “earthy”. Polite for it tastes like dirt...lol. I spent a year and a half there in the late ‘90’s. We loved it but not the coffee so much. HS
Aura Posted February 6, 2020 Report Posted February 6, 2020 1 hour ago, grawk said: my niche should be here within the week hell yeah. i've been reading up on comparisons for drop coffee between niche and lido 3. 38 minutes ago, HemiSam said: what African coffee are you drinking? The stuff I tend to buy is on the fruity side : Ethiopian, Rwandan. I find Indonesian coffee, particularly the Sumatran stuff, very “earthy”. Polite for it tastes like dirt...lol. I spent a year and a half there in the late ‘90’s. We loved it but not the coffee so much. largely ethiopian and kenyan. honestly i think i prefer south american coffee. the extra acidity from african is tough to balance... i guess it's probably not suppose to in some sense. you want fruit, you gotta have light roast with tons of acidity. 1
grawk Posted February 6, 2020 Report Posted February 6, 2020 95% of my use is for espresso, or "allongée" espresso. I'll probably keep another grinder for drip and French press. But this will let me put my commercial grinder into storage, it's too big and annoying for home use. 2
HemiSam Posted February 15, 2020 Report Posted February 15, 2020 I understand new Niche Zeros will ship with this modification. Once they are available, we can secure one for the cost of shipping. In the reviews I read about the popcorning and that definitely happens, but I'm not at all bothered by a bean or two jumping around until they make it into the burr grinders. The argument they make here is the weight of the beans on top forcing the early beans through earlier. Heck...my palate could not differentiate two coffees before and after if I borrowed my pooches senses...LOL. I'll likely get it as it looks like a nice to have. I may or may not use it all the time as I feel it takes a bit away from the aesthetics of the machinery...I like being able to see down into the burrs but I'm broken that way. Engine covers on my cars generally don't last long... HS 1
luvdunhill Posted February 16, 2020 Report Posted February 16, 2020 Regarding the acidic profile with the Aeropress, I find that lowering the water temperature and using the “inverted method” as follows makes a huge improvement: Wash grounds for :30 seconds, apply minimal water so that everything is covered. Brew for :60, pour slowly. Stir 3-5 times. Invert. Press. I use a fine grind, but the course grind results in a different flavor profile. 1 1
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now