Coffee Drinkers? (or other hot beverages)

[n_maher]

No, that's helpful.  For now I'll carry on with my existing Baratza which to my (likely uncultured) taste buds does just fine for both espresso and French press.  And while I appreciate the offer of a manual grinder, I'm clogging the kitchen with stuff as-is and would be unlikely to put it to good use.  I'm slowly bringing myself around to the thinking that keeping things that I don't use is useless.  

[EdipisReks1]

Keeping things you don’t use is indeed that. That is the conclusion I’ve come to as well. 

[EdipisReks1]

I sort of feel silly having bought it, when I ended up just ordering a Niche like a week later, but Ode with SSP isn’t going anywhere: it’s an incredible grinder for filter in this configuration. 

It doesn’t taste like an espresso-focused grinder. I also hate it, but that’s not the point: I love a lot of things I hate.* It’s just so close to being good. But boy is this a good cup of coffee (Rwandan misozi, in this case).

*this is eye-rollingly obvious to anybody who has met me. It’s probably a big part of why I’m a weird shut in.

Edited November 6, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[HemiSam]

The Niche is the business. You’re going to love it, ER. 
 

HS

[EdipisReks1]

3 hours ago, HemiSam said:

The Niche is the business. You’re going to love it, ER. 
 

HS

That is my expectation! Hopefully I’ll get it at the same time the Flair 58 arrives (it’s still off the port of LA in a container ship).

[grawk]

The two grinders I've been happiest with espresso:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264926779752?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item3daeddd968:g:VnMAAOSwOGdfeo9t&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAADEPYe5NmHp%2B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkPrKr5t53CooMSQt2orsStdebXPz4ZTXCT8FI9kPBh3H7icDs8pdj8hZbd4eDhOQJuDStqyZ0upicFUYto8%2FD43NPbbB0AHlbJbfRv1nBf3viE%2BRm6yOvzGVxFPPUC6ersF51fD04cu6sR7mCO7WECph5WTHVzfb7oe3HNp5%2Bi7FJTAcTw20q7R8nQsrE2GyNDwaO6P%2B6RvaUzqN8593QV0Xl3UVDTlg%2FKpUTIJU72LxEVuS8KkLuK%2FkCnYtl86kpViucM7hhifXgrE3kqHgKqrtNhOCmy3%2Bi%2F7cWAnDEhA%2F4Fzhhj4ArVb%2B%2FgZTrsS5q0Bb55FTr6uXqrbF5VyGbddCPmQNYhF5nu38bvHfelcnsDFYqQzoIm0GF0%2BiWgk8wPgMx%2FQrOOVEugv8P1UGFpShczyo27y9OjeqkgAsFszqA1MhjuxvonW2w90CDGmQ%2BFJFKrJ3ViG%2B6FQr9GOaCWB0nKyy1sDEOQCjSJmf%2FfcRmaZo6KQ535%2BgrepLBydnwnkQ7T%2BBtB2hfunwa26Znserqj1UWuNGPAqd%2FtPu%2FinFEMR3VMcsMiXtsTbiGH1QH%2BvL1DthT6KOL8Kxs68d3drfNHFooNa2gX22sPTkqgEulQysYlMmIlGQGjMXya5I3era5LCefgHrwNde2J%2F7B5Hc2VvM041CzsRPojjOF762BP4Zw%2BqMcBi2%2FnhnED0mA%2FRf78YH4ZkM1tIWjJtLUUJJfz4v558vlDz%2B6g7%2Bx0%2FXgjJcmN2T3P6bLLMYACNEPVDqqQ2cwPwfe4lqoULIUDsnz3SAg7Xhl0ADctOsvfLe10%2B5Mw3QecgIptYcMFOAwDE5eQC0hLXgVDw9zbrnDhFtAVdTDagX3nd%2FIR24SUIm7zQUYenbWcnEV2ZOTL4ftjZIDyIoc8b712qskP0zJ6bjON1olUIEhDzWvJbzaHnYpraNYVqoc1TWLj5YTUYCJfs9lgDhBlv1bAqgu7GXtI%2BHaOVpwn9XPQk6riPWfmhHRiTzkVONTvWHdrjQKuwM%3D|clp%3A2334524|tkp%3ABFBMkIya_55f

and the niche.

That crappy $50 chinese grinder works better than it has any right to, but is a bit finicky.  It's too fast, it's staticky, and you only want to single dose with it, but it's inifite adjustment, and gets plenty fine. 

 

Similarly, the breville infuser at $550 is what I'd get if I didn't have my decent.  My daughter has that pair, and she can make an amazing espresso with the pair.  Mine is more consistent, and easier to dial in, but she can make espresso that rivals any coffee shop I've been to with $600 in hardware and my beans...

[EdipisReks1]

I have an older version of that machine (I think it’s essentially the same heating and flow equipment, but with an older version of the electronics): it’s what I use when I don’t use my Flair Pro2 (someday the cargo ship the Flair 58 is on will dock and I’ll get it), so it’s what I mostly use.

I’ve had the Breville for nearly 10 years and am not going to replace it anytime real soon. It makes delicious espresso. Much better than what the neighborhood coffee shop, which is pretentious but otherwise doesn’t really seem to care about quality, puts out on tens of thousands of dollars of equipment. 

I had my first coffee from Malawi today, thanks to Covered_ears. It’s delicious. Quite mellow, with a very pronounced citrus flavor (but not a lot of acidity, per se) and a lingering undertone of barley malt. Pour over 16:1. Delicious. 

Edited November 9, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[EdipisReks1]

Container ship with Flair 58s finally was released for delivery to the warehouse. They then have to do QC and box up and then ship, and who knows how long that will take, but it’s at least progress. 

[EdipisReks1]

The Ode with SSP is much better if you completely disassemble the front end and re-calibrate the calibration mechanism. Shouldn’t drift now, and I can grind Turkish to French press. Even better, there now isn’t any room in the mechanism for coffee to get into, so I can adjust the setting smoothly without having to run the grinder while doing so (apparently a common issue). The thing has some of what I can only describe as “baffling design choices,” internally.

Those choices mean that it is very sensitive to being assembled carefully. It works fine if it has been. Clearly this one was not. The issue I fixed is likely what causes some people to complain about the auto shut-off not working: there was enough slack that, if there was any more slack in this example, the motor would have difficulty detecting whether or not resistance has been applied.

Shouldn’t have to do all of that, but here we are. I’m happy with it now. 

Edit: in Fellow’s defense, the issues I was fixing wouldn’t have been a problem with the stock burrs, as they just weren’t consistent enough for the small variation to be a factor. Fellow sells these burrs, though. 

Edited November 9, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[EdipisReks1]

It would also be straight forward to turn the Ode into a step less grinder, I think, but I’m going to use it for a while before I disassemble it again and attempt what I have in mind for that. 

[Aura]

re: Ode and SSP... i swear i read like 6 months ago on Home Barista or reddit that Fellow had confirmed they were exploring burr updates for an Ode revision. i assume just including an SSP by default. guessing that will make it more expensive.

Nate - probably worth waiting on this supposed revision.

[en480c4]

Just figured I'd share my experience making my own flavored latte syrup.

Traditionally I've been a fan of Starbucks' Cinnamon Dolce lattes, but seemingly like everyone, they have significant shortages and have effectively discontinued them.  This is also a syrup flavor that they no longer offer for sale in the stores, where you can only buy Classic or Vanilla. Looking for a change in what I've been making at home, I tracked down a recipe and I have to say that it's fantastic... Definitely preferable to store-bought.  Flavor is a bit stronger, so I'm having to adjust and use less than I'm used to.

• 1/2 C water
• 3/4 C white sugar
• 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Combine in a small pot and bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce heat and stir continuously, 3-5 minutes, until all granularity is gone and there is a slight reduction.

 

[EdipisReks1]

On 11/10/2021 at 10:47 AM, Aura said:

re: Ode and SSP... i swear i read like 6 months ago on Home Barista or reddit that Fellow had confirmed they were exploring burr updates for an Ode revision. i assume just including an SSP by default. guessing that will make it more expensive.

Nate - probably worth waiting on this supposed revision.

They have been talking about a V2 burr for ages. Yet to see any real progress made public. What they really need to do is make a V2 version of the grinder to fix the issues. It’s close, but it feels like it’s about 80 percent baked. Better than half-baked, I guess. Having said that, I’m very happy with the grounds and workflow and process I get for pour over, and the grounds it makes for espresso are really quite nice, but it’s hardly ideal for that workflow (and the retention is much higher with the burrs that close, but of course it wasn’t designed to do it).

I imagine a V2 will be step less, lower retention, and with in house burrs that resemble the SSP multipurpose, and a dosing cup that is suited for espresso (I bought a cheap doser and glued a magnet to the bottom; not perfect but it works). It would be a great home grinder for $500 like that.

I won a bag of Coffee in Hoffman’s 1 Million Bean Giveaway! I never win anything in contests, so I’m excited. I’ll report tasting notes once I have it. 

Edited November 11, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[EdipisReks1]

Ian, my partner would really like that, as she enjoys flavored coffees. She doesn’t really consume refined sugar on the regular, though, so I bet I could modify it with truvia (they make a brown version too, which I use for Cubanos, and it’s great), though I would have to play with ratios. Thanks for posting that!

[EdipisReks1]

For anyone curious about espresso dosing with the Ode, the espresso doser (a 51mm for my Breville) goes in the Ode dosing cup. The magnet raises the espresso doser to just the right height, and it fits perfectly. Wouldn’t work with a larger portafilter, probably, unless it was a fairly short dosing cup) but this should work a treat for my workflow (haven’t used it yet) while minimizing mess. 

Edited November 11, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[EdipisReks1]

I don’t have tons of details, but Square Mile bought up the entire export production of a remote farm in Oaxaca. I’m excited to try it! I have really liked the Mexican coffees I’ve had. I’m guessing it’ll be 12 ounce bags? No idea. The idea of only being able to try this coffee being through a contest makes it even more exciting, and I’ve been wanting to try Square Mile for a while now. 

[grawk]

I just finished my yeminia.  Made it as a luongo, 18g in 135g out.  An amazing coffee.  I'd roast it on the regular if I could get it for under $10/lb green.  At current prices tho, I'm glad I got to try it.

[EdipisReks1]

I put a preorder on the new Silvia Pro X. Let’s see how long it takes to actually get. The thing is hideous, but it does every thing I want an espresso machine to do. I’ll probably cancel if the expected delivery date is more than three months out: an espresso machine doesn’t do me much good if it’s not here!* Prima will get it to me (and I could just drive to Louisville if push comes to shove), but they don’t know when they will receive any and there are people ahead of me. I simply decided to jump instead of hemming and hawwing like I normally do with this sort of thing. 

Any discount for large orders, Dan? I don’t know how the economics of coffee beans work.

*see Flair 58 which STILL hasn’t shipped.

Edited November 17, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[grawk]

on the yemenia? nope, he’s basically roasting it at cost:

https://levercraftcoffee.com/collections/whole-bean-coffee/products/single-origin-yemenia-qima-alchemy-series-lot-3

For other beans, yeah there’s generally tiered pricing on greens. Full 65kg bags are usually significantly cheaper, before shipping. Then there are places that sell in the 50-65 lb range, then 25, 15, and 5. 

[Dusty Chalk]

Thoughts on Rancilio Silvia espresso machine?  Are there better (or as good) machines that are cheaper?
Rocky grinder?  Niche is cheaper, so is Niche the d-_-b recommendation?

Asking for a friend...in the UK, so yeah, maybe imaginary friend, but pretty sure she's real.

[EdipisReks1]

The “regular” Silvia is a good machine for the money. It’s hideous, though (so is the Pro X I preordered: it seems to be Rancilio’s house aesthetic). I would consider it superior to the comparably priced Gaggia and Breville (Sage across the pond) as it has a 58mm portafilter. I don’t have any experience with the Rocky.

Rocky seems to be quite a bit cheaper than the Niche: I can buy one for $400 on Amazon right now. I don’t have any interest in hopper based machines. I would say, based on specs, the Niche is a lot better (I decided I couldn’t justify the Option-O Lagom P64 when I had the opportunity to order a Niche finally). 

The Niche Zero is difficult to buy.  It was pre COVID, too. I don’t know if one can pre-order at the moment. 

Edit: I guess the Gaggia has a 58mm basket too. A comparably priced Breville won’t. It’s not necessarily bad, per se: my electric machine currently is a 51mm Breville. A lot easier to get good accessories for a 58, though. I would get the Silvia over the Gaggia, for sure. They are both hideous.  Breville is hideous too. 

Edited November 17, 2021 by EdipisReks1

[EdipisReks1]

6 hours ago, grawk said:

on the yemenia? nope, he’s basically roasting it at cost:

https://levercraftcoffee.com/collections/whole-bean-coffee/products/single-origin-yemenia-qima-alchemy-series-lot-3

For other beans, yeah there’s generally tiered pricing on greens. Full 65kg bags are usually significantly cheaper, before shipping. Then there are places that sell in the 50-65 lb range, then 25, 15, and 5. 

Oof. That’s expensive enough that it’s not in my “impulse fun money” amount. 4 ounces wouldn’t even let me get to know the coffee. 

[Covered_Ears]

6 hours ago, grawk said:

on the yemenia? nope, he’s basically roasting it at cost:

https://levercraftcoffee.com/collections/whole-bean-coffee/products/single-origin-yemenia-qima-alchemy-series-lot-3

For other beans, yeah there’s generally tiered pricing on greens. Full 65kg bags are usually significantly cheaper, before shipping. Then there are places that sell in the 50-65 lb range, then 25, 15, and 5. 

Yeah, Mad Priest sells theirs at 55/4 oz; the coffee lot cost 46.5/lb. I'm not very familiar with roasting costs, but considering every business under the sun needs to markup to stay in business I can't imagine 50-55/4 oz is netting them that much.

41 minutes ago, EdipisReks1 said:

Oof. That’s expensive enough that it’s not in my “impulse fun money” amount. 4 ounces wouldn’t even let me get to know the coffee. 

Jacob, message me if you want to share some later.

[grawk]

I got 8, and liked it a lot by the end. Just not enough to do it again. 

[HemiSam]

21 hours ago, EdipisReks1 said:

The “regular” Silvia is a good machine for the money. It’s hideous, though (so is the Pro X I preordered: it seems to be Rancilio’s house aesthetic). I would consider it superior to the comparably priced Gaggia and Breville (Sage across the pond) as it has a 58mm portafilter. I don’t have any experience with the Rocky.

Rocky seems to be quite a bit cheaper than the Niche: I can buy one for $400 on Amazon right now. I don’t have any interest in hopper based machines. I would say, based on specs, the Niche is a lot better (I decided I couldn’t justify the Option-O Lagom P64 when I had the opportunity to order a Niche finally). 

The Niche Zero is difficult to buy.  It was pre COVID, too. I don’t know if one can pre-order at the moment. 

Edit: I guess the Gaggia has a 58mm basket too. A comparably priced Breville won’t. It’s not necessarily bad, per se: my electric machine currently is a 51mm Breville. A lot easier to get good accessories for a 58, though. I would get the Silvia over the Gaggia, for sure. They are both hideous.  Breville is hideous too. 

I don't know that I'd call them hideous if you love stainless boxes...LOL

HS