Any baristas (coffee enthusiasts) among us? :-)

Bialetta Moka, with Graffeo or Lavazza gold here.

Bit spoilt at work as we have free Nespresso, I get through far too much in a day!

When I move back to Europe and have a kitchen I can swing a mouse in, I'll get something a bit more fancy....I quite like the Moka routine and smell though :)
 
I've a Rancilio Epoca S2 that I picked up at a clearance auction (bankrupt kit from a pub/restaurant) - nobody was interested because it was "as seen, unverified function" as it needed plumbing into a water supply, and both the portafilters were missing. Cost £30... another £100 for a couple of aftermarket replacement portafilters and a hour's service/checkup and I was sorted. Complete and utter overkill for a domestic situation, tbh, but it was still cheaper than a lot of the domestic stuff that'll have blown up long before mine even needs a mechanical overhaul...
 
Can I get a thread revival (off the back of the other discussion)..

Still enjoying my Aeropress after all these years (stuck with paper filters in the end). Also added a Chemex to my arsenal.

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Not having a lot of money to spare, I recently took a punt on an esspresso maker from Aldi (turns out to be a rebranded Delonghi).
Has a milk further for my lattes and is a doddle to use. Solidly built too.
Treated myself to a solid steel tamper and a steel milk jug.
Very pleased with it.
Lavazza Gold is very nice, as is Starbucks house espresso (and they grind the beans for you).
Happy as a pig in poop. :)
 
neil_g said:
Can I get a thread revival (off the back of the other discussion)..

Still enjoying my Aeropress after all these years (stuck with paper filters in the end). Also added a Chemex to my arsenal.

10483397_860072704021317_1905189714_n_zpsn63hvajd.jpg
12362277_1740343492860565_1181210927_n_zpslk1rmlvc.jpg
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That looks cool. May finally find a used for my chemistry degree :)
 
dejongj said:
That looks cool. May finally find a used for my chemistry degree :)
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:LOL: I was thinking along the same lines.
There is less activity involved in wine making :D
 
Another Gaggia Classic user here. I use whole beans - grind as required
with a Graef CM800 .....total outlay (both used) = £200
Ground beans start to lose their characteristics after a few hours
so any ground coffee from a supermarket packet will be well past its best

I buy espresso beans from Coffee Compass
they have a 3 x 500g special for £22
they will grind for you - but as I said..?

if you're really interested in coffee machines, have a look at Coffee Forums UK
 
neil_g said:
Can I get a thread revival (off the back of the other discussion)..

Still enjoying my Aeropress after all these years (stuck with paper filters in the end). Also added a Chemex to my arsenal.

10483397_860072704021317_1905189714_n_zpsn63hvajd.jpg
12362277_1740343492860565_1181210927_n_zpslk1rmlvc.jpg
Click to expand...

Ooo extra points for the inverted Aeropress. Also I'm now Googling chemex.

Anybody want to talk to me about cold brew?
 
The only good use for instant coffee is for making frappées!

Mrs Nod did a blind comparison between an Aeropress and a more traditional cafetierre and didn't have a clear favourite so she's stuck with the far cheaper option! She does like the pump up espresso gadget, although if you can boil a kettle etc., why not do a proper brew of Greek?!:p
 
JonathanRyan said:
Anybody want to talk to me about cold brew?
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I'll give it a try when we get back. It'll only be a caffetierre one but should be a proof of concept of sorts!
 
I fancy a bean to cup machine, mainly because the wife gets annoyed when I make a mess with coffee grounds lol
 
I nearly always have some Costa in the house, but do like to try different blends either bean or ground. Use an insulated filter mainly to make it and sometimes a percolator.
 
Yardbent said:
Another Gaggia Classic user here. I use whole beans - grind as required
with a Graef CM800 .....total outlay (both used) = £200
Ground beans start to lose their characteristics after a few hours
so any ground coffee from a supermarket packet will be well past its best

I buy espresso beans from Coffee Compass
they have a 3 x 500g special for £22
they will grind for you - but as I said..?

if you're really interested in coffee machines, have a look at Coffee Forums UK
Click to expand...

A Graef CM800 user here too along with a Technivorm Moccamaster KBGT741. Both very solidly built and purchased after a massive amount of research.

We get a monthly delivery of beans from H.R Higgins. We've tried a good selection of the beans they offer but usually buy whatever they've got on "special" along with our 2 faves. They do Jamaican Blue Mountain now and then. It's currently £140/kg but fluctuates between £130 & £180. I managed to pluck up the courage to buy & try 250g. It was delicious but far too expensive for a regular brew. It's not like you can keep it for ages for special occasions without the flavour degrading like you can with an expensive whiskey.
 
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any recommendations for decent decaf beans ?

Docs orders, while I'm on certain meds I need to step away from the caffeine, but I don't think I can do without coffee altogether - and I certainly can't face instant decaf...
 
neil_g said:
fair enough, there are so many "wrong" ways in coffee making opinion :D
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Yes, I've notice people get quite, erm, passionate about their own method :D For example with the Aeropress I can't honestly say I could tell the difference between upside down and right side up so it's much easier for me not to invert a column of hot liquid. But I know I'll never convince an upside downer ;)
 
I bought a delonghi bean to cup machine, it's taken weeks of tweaking settings and coffee brands but I've finally got it to make perfect coffee

Except, there's always a red light on, empty this,fill that,clean this

Or maybe I'm drinking too much coffee :D
 
Only just noticed this "coffee" thread - what grinders are people using?

I used to take the "lazy" option of buying pre-ground coffee but after grinding whole beans I could NEVER go back to pre-ground!

I have got a fully manual grinder - a "porlex tall" which only cost about 38 pounds - it's a bit labour intensive but I have now got quite used to it and like the extra manual involvement - almost like using an old film camera lol
 
If you smell coffee beans roasting and don't like the smell, then don't drink coffee. But if you do like it, then try to drink coffee with a similar taste. Which rules out instant and a whole load of other rubbish systems that spoil good coffee.
 
ianp5a said:
If you smell coffee beans roasting and don't like the smell, then don't drink coffee. But if you do like it, then try to drink coffee with a similar taste. Which rules out instant and a whole load of other rubbish systems that spoil good coffee.
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You so mistaken about instant coffee, each mid-morning boil kettle, heat in m'wave half mug milk, add boiling water to milk, add the Birds Mellow instant coffee, stir like mad to get a fuffy top sprinkle with drinking choc, de lic ous. Biscuits vary Mcvities mostly. My brother who always drinks strong black coffee no milk, his personality is that he is like a cat on hot bricks, he can't sit down for 2 mins, he's up and then he's going out then he's back. After his visit we are exhausted by him. He's addicted to it can't live one day without it. Oh! I forgot this thread was about my phone, never mind.
 
Yes. That's a different drink completely though. Perhaps a source of confusion on the thread.
I like the flavour of good coffee. So no milk or sugar or nonsense. And have it espresso, where you get a bit less caffeine.
 
Shirleyr said:
You so mistaken about instant coffee, each mid-morning boil kettle, heat in m'wave half mug milk, add boiling water to milk, add the Birds Mellow instant coffee, stir like mad to get a fuffy top sprinkle with drinking choc, de lic ous. Biscuits vary Mcvities mostly. My brother who always drinks strong black coffee no milk, his personality is that he is like a cat on hot bricks, he can't sit down for 2 mins, he's up and then he's going out then he's back. After his visit we are exhausted by him. He's addicted to it can't live one day without it. Oh! I forgot this thread was about my phone, never mind.
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Half a cup of milk :eek: instant coffee and drinking chocolate powder. And stir to get a "fluffy" top. Hmm I can see it's a drink that some would like but I would class that more as a hot chocolate with a spoon of instant coffee in it. I'm surprised one can still taste the coffee, or perhaps that is the idea behind it to not taste it.
 
Shirleyr said:
You so mistaken about instant coffee, each mid-morning boil kettle, heat in m'wave half mug milk, add boiling water to milk, add the Birds Mellow instant coffee, stir like mad to get a fuffy top sprinkle with drinking choc, de lic ous. Biscuits vary Mcvities mostly. My brother who always drinks strong black coffee no milk, his personality is that he is like a cat on hot bricks, he can't sit down for 2 mins, he's up and then he's going out then he's back. After his visit we are exhausted by him. He's addicted to it can't live one day without it. Oh! I forgot this thread was about my phone, never mind.
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Seriously? Mellow Birds?
Sorry...an instant coffee is OK if you're in a desperate rush, or somewhere without an alternative, but Mellow Birds is to coffee what a supermarket sachet of "instant chocolate drink" is to real cocoa.
 
viv1969 said:
Seriously? Mellow Birds?
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In the absence of a platypus, one of the few animals that lays eggs and produces milk, (and therefore can make its own custard)
Birds custard is OK :)
 
wack61 said:
I bought a delonghi bean to cup machine, it's taken weeks of tweaking settings and coffee brands but I've finally got it to make perfect coffee

Except, there's always a red light on, empty this,fill that,clean this

Or maybe I'm drinking too much coffee :D
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Which one did you get?
 
I've had it about 12 months, used it a lot, probably too much , no problems though the grinder doesn't like oily beans, it does grind them but you have to move them about with something as it's doing it as the oil makes them stick together so gravity isn't enough for them to drop in the chute
 
Yardbent said:
http://www.coffeecompass.co.uk/shop/decaffeinated.html
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fabs said:
These have a shop less than a mile from me. A real old fashioned rickety old shop hidden down an alley. When they're roasting the beans, I'm like the bisto kid if I'm in the Town!

I've had their Columbian decaf and it's very good. They do free delivery as well.

http://thehouseofcoffee.co.uk/

http://thehouseofcoffee.co.uk/product-category/coffee/decaf-coffee/?price-filter&pa_tasting-coffee
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Cheers Guys ... looks like I could be on decaf for a while, so I'll have plenty of chance to try those options out...
 
Dolce gusto mini machine, with various pods. Fave are plain old cafe grande and Americano. Better than instant but not in the least coffee impresario levels. Just like the taste 48 pods a tenner on amazon.
 
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