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Coffee

incorporating Recipes and Cooking
redsturgeon
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Coffee

#439931

Postby redsturgeon » September 6th, 2021, 7:33 am

I was just wondering how others here get their daily shot of caffeine.

I have been drinking one or two shots of double espresso a day for perhaps 10 years now. How I brew it and what I brew has changed over time though.

Let me explain my current set up and brew, some may find this excessive but it makes me happy.

I use a Lelit MaraX espresso machine, this is a beautiful thing, it looks like a mini version of the machines you will find in your local coffee shop and features the same brewing head...the classic E61 (invented in 1961). It is a heat exchanger machine which means it is able to keep steam and the brewing water at different temperatures, important if you are steaming milk but don't want to burn your coffee.

I love using this machine as it has a wonderful tactile feel to it unlike some modern bean to cup machines that automatically dose and time the shot.

I have also just bought a new grinder since reading that the quality and consistency of the grind is one of the key things in producing a good shot.

This set up has cost me well over £1000 which some may consider ridiculously extravagant but that's less than the £5 per day that Mrs RS used to spend at the coffee shop and now she actually prefers the coffee that we brew at home...although trips to the coffee shop are still in order.

The process I follow is this.

1. Switch on machine to warm it up, this is 20 minutes from cold but about 10 minutes if it is already on stand by.

2. Grind 18 grams of coffee into the portafilter basket (yes I do weigh the dose). Level and tamp the coffee puck.

3. Fit the portafilter into the machine, switch on and pull a 36 gram shot that takes between 25 and 30 seconds. (yes I weigh the output too)

4. Drink the delicious and satisfying brew.

For Mrs RS's flat white the milk must be steamed which takes about 30 seconds and can be done while the coffee shot is pouring. Great for practising my latte art skills too (not great yet)

For the coffee beans, I buy from a local roaster so that I know when the beans were roasted (usually that week) and we have a blend of Brazilian and Ethiopian that works for us. I actually pick up from the factory unit where they roast and the smell is fantastic.

With various family members in the house during the pandemic plus friends we usually pull 8 shots a day from this set up and that means about 1 kilo of coffee a week. We have managed to open an account with our local roasters so that we now pay trade prices, saving over 50% on the retail bags sold in the local coffee shop.

I guess this has become a bit of a hobby rather than just the simple process of making a coffee every morning but I find that,as with many things, the regular ritual becomes a zen like moment that enhances the whole process.

John

Midsmartin
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Re: Coffee

#439938

Postby Midsmartin » September 6th, 2021, 7:54 am

There is only one of me in our house who drinks coffee, so shiny machines are an extravagance. I'm afraid my morning ritual is simpler.

I buy ground coffee. Sorry. It isn't quite as good near the bottom of the bag but I can put up with it. I've resisted the occasional urge to buy more kitchen equipment. Maybe one day.

Then I get two mugs out, put a scoop of coffee in the aeropress -a fantastic little device. I pour boiling water into empty mug one, count to ten (how long varies with the coffee), and then pour into the aeropress sitting on mug two. A teabag and more water goes into the warmed mug one for my wife.

I have bought coffee from a very boutique coffee roasting shop locally. I hated the stuff. I like my coffee quite dark, and the roaster could barely contain her contempt when I asked is she had a darker roast. I have not been back.

I read on the internet that the connoisseur buys lighter roasts to savour fruity acidic notes and to avoid bitterness. I like coffee because it's a bit bitter, and hated the acidity of their home roast beans. I suppose it's a question of what your are used to. I am a coffee heathen.

redsturgeon
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Re: Coffee

#439948

Postby redsturgeon » September 6th, 2021, 8:29 am

Midsmartin wrote:
I read on the internet that the connoisseur buys lighter roasts to savour fruity acidic notes and to avoid bitterness. I like coffee because it's a bit bitter, and hated the acidity of their home roast beans. I suppose it's a question of what your are used to. I am a coffee heathen.



I think there is a trend towards lighter roasts these days but everyone's tastes differ and I don't think one style is necessarily better than another, more like some people prefer Bordeaux and others Burgundy.

I've never tried the Aeropress but I understand that it is highly thought of as a coffee making device. If you are interested then James Hoffman who is a bit of a coffee guru has a series of three videos on how to get the best out of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aidvrssMSGo

I don't think you are a coffee heathen...far from it.

John

Itsallaguess
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Re: Coffee

#439951

Postby Itsallaguess » September 6th, 2021, 8:50 am

A heaped tea-spoon of Nescafe, followed by sugar to taste, and then covered with an inch and a half of skimmed milk and stirred well whilst boiling the kettle.

Mug goes into the microwave for 1 minute and 20 seconds, and then stirred well again before filling the rest of the mug up with boiled water from the kettle.

Lovely - although I do treat myself with some of the flavoured coffee sachets from Aldi every now and again, and I prefer the Vanilla one to be honest, as a bit of a treat, and I also buy a jar of their Medium Roast Columbian sporadically, just to mix it up a bit, but still using the above process with that.

I couldn't justify the expense or the additional space taken in the kitchen with any extra coffee-based equipment, although I tip my hat to the coffee industry for being able to create the consumer-level demand for it...

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

Midsmartin
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Re: Coffee

#439955

Postby Midsmartin » September 6th, 2021, 9:04 am

One thing to watch out for with an Aeropress is whether you have a mug whose internal dimensions exactly match the external dimensions of the aeropress. I discovered that we do have such a mug, while away in our campervan recently (the aeropress is perfect for campervans - compact, and no mess with the coffee grounds as they are in a nice compact pellet). It took some levering with a knife, and a lot of swearing and coffee spillage to get it out again.

stewamax
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Re: Coffee

#439993

Postby stewamax » September 6th, 2021, 10:54 am

Do you coffee aficionados drink different coffees or brew the same coffee differently at different times of the day?
I like coffee but can't drink it (don't ask) so I am a tea nerd instead. I buy by post from a tea merchant in Bath and my usual daily regimen is:

- breakfast: Assam and Darjeeling blend (with a dash of milk)
- mid-morning: Lapsang Souchong
- mid-afternoon: Darjeeling blend
- after dinner: best Darjeeling

I guess one could do similar with coffee, when you need a jolt of something in-your-face at breakfast and something more subtle for a reflective after-dinner cup.

PhaseThree

Re: Coffee

#439997

Postby PhaseThree » September 6th, 2021, 11:03 am

I do love a proper coffee, however living in the middle of nowhere means that coffee shops are few and many miles away.
Luckily for me the financial crash lead to a number of small cafes going out of business. I managed to pick up a single group commercial machine (Fracino) and a small commercial grinder (Obel Bregant) for the price of a few months Caffe Nero expenditure.

This set up gives me great coffee daily, and being commercial kit is easy and cheap to maintain.

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Re: Coffee

#440010

Postby AleisterCrowley » September 6th, 2021, 11:58 am

i used to enjoy good coffee - but sadly can no longer drink it (I'm somewhat caffeine sensitive, and it's also an IBS trigger)
My allowed small caffeine intake is one decent cup of tea in the morning (Miles' West Country or Teapigs) then decaff all day :-(

AleisterCrowley
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Re: Coffee

#440030

Postby AleisterCrowley » September 6th, 2021, 1:24 pm

stewamax wrote:Do you coffee aficionados drink different coffees or brew the same coffee differently at different times of the day?
I like coffee but can't drink it (don't ask) so I am a tea nerd instead. I buy by post from a tea merchant in Bath and my usual daily regimen is:

- breakfast: Assam and Darjeeling blend (with a dash of milk)
- mid-morning: Lapsang Souchong
- mid-afternoon: Darjeeling blend
- after dinner: best Darjeeling

I guess one could do similar with coffee, when you need a jolt of something in-your-face at breakfast and something more subtle for a reflective after-dinner cup.

I had a chat with a tea aficionado at a recent music festival - he actually had a 'tea consultation' (online?) with Fortnum & Mason who produced a blend for him
He can now order this online with his unique blend ID
https://www.fortnumandmason.com/tea-blending-landing

UncleEbenezer
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Re: Coffee

#440035

Postby UncleEbenezer » September 6th, 2021, 1:34 pm

stewamax wrote:Do you coffee aficionados drink different coffees or brew the same coffee differently at different times of the day?
I like coffee but can't drink it (don't ask) so I am a tea nerd instead. I buy by post from a tea merchant in Bath and my usual daily regimen is:

- breakfast: Assam and Darjeeling blend (with a dash of milk)
- mid-morning: Lapsang Souchong
- mid-afternoon: Darjeeling blend
- after dinner: best Darjeeling

I guess one could do similar with coffee, when you need a jolt of something in-your-face at breakfast and something more subtle for a reflective after-dinner cup.

My drink changes through the day. The tea and coffee component is typically (but far from always) Assam in the morning, Nescafe after lunch, green tea mid-afternoon, double espresso after dinner, and herb tea at bedtime.

Italians - the originators of much of the coffee culture Blighty has adopted this century - drink milky versions (cappuccino or latte) in the morning, and espresso for the rest of the day starting at lunch. Oh, and "Americano" is what they call instant coffee.

p.s. Shouldn't this thread be on "drink" rather than "food"?

redsturgeon
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Re: Coffee

#440040

Postby redsturgeon » September 6th, 2021, 1:52 pm

UncleEbenezer wrote:
p.s. Shouldn't this thread be on "drink" rather than "food"?


No

Drink
your favourite tipple - wine, beer, spirits

BigB
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Re: Coffee

#440044

Postby BigB » September 6th, 2021, 1:59 pm

AleisterCrowley wrote:i used to enjoy good coffee - but sadly can no longer drink it (I'm somewhat caffeine sensitive, and it's also an IBS trigger)
My allowed small caffeine intake is one decent cup of tea in the morning (Miles' West Country or Teapigs) then decaff all day :-(


I have something similar with UC but regarding ale, not coffee - no ale for 7 years.

I became increasingly fussy with 'decent' coffee over several years, didn't really get on with a fancy Italian machine, and eventually settled on a Nespresso machine as a compromise between decent coffee without going the full hog and becoming invested in all the ritual and personalised aspects of grinding and roasting to your own tastes.

Having been wfh now for 18 months, I have saved a small fortune with coffee shops and have a regular Nespresso delivery instead. Different world view, I now think Nespresso is great value for money, whereas before it used to be unnecessarily poncy and pricy.

BigB

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Re: Coffee

#440090

Postby UncleEbenezer » September 6th, 2021, 4:26 pm

redsturgeon wrote:
Drink
your favourite tipple - wine, beer, spirits

My favourite tipples include tea, coffee and fruit juice. Alongside wine, beer, and occasional other indulgences.

I regard watermelon - a taste I firmly acquired in the Italian summer - as a natural halfway-house between food and drink.

redsturgeon
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Re: Coffee

#440099

Postby redsturgeon » September 6th, 2021, 4:38 pm

UncleEbenezer wrote:
redsturgeon wrote:
Drink
your favourite tipple - wine, beer, spirits

My favourite tipples include tea, coffee and fruit juice. Alongside wine, beer, and occasional other indulgences.

I regard watermelon - a taste I firmly acquired in the Italian summer - as a natural halfway-house between food and drink.


See below from Google

Definition of "Tipple"

nounINFORMAL
an alcoholic drink.
"she drank several glasses of sherry, her favourite tipple"

bungeejumper
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Re: Coffee

#440113

Postby bungeejumper » September 6th, 2021, 5:04 pm

I'm still in mourning after the sad passing of my Krups 963 Espresso machine, after a mere 35 years of delivering my daily caffeine jolt. It had a particularly large-capacity basket for the ground coffee, which meant that I was practically mainlining on a highly-concentrated brew. Without even knowing it.

For 35 years........ :? Oh my god, so that's where the piano lessons went?

But, after much experimentation, I've now found my peace with a somewhat more mainstream device (https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-pa ... l/p4839988?), which delivers almost as much pleasure from somewhat less coffee. I only have one half-pint of coffee (wiv frothed milk) a day; once my brain is up and running, I prefer cold drinks to hot ones. I rarely drink tea - I can't understand why other Britons consume so much of it? Maybe I just don't like milk very much?

But, to return, to the point, I suspect that the real reason people buy complex and expensive coffee machines for their homes is that the very detailed preparation of the beverage brings out some kind of nerdy zen fixation in us. It's got to be just so, or the coffee won't hit us in the optimal way. We could probably get the same astral effect by sitting cross-legged on the table and going ommmmmmmmmmm. Or wearing our underwear inside out. Or maybe sacrificing a few virgins now and then. Mind you, just think what the cleaners would say about that. :|

Basic Lavazza red label these days. I've tried lacing it with extra Robusta, but in the end I couldn't be @rsed. Maybe I'm just getting old?

BJ

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Re: Coffee

#440133

Postby Allitnil » September 6th, 2021, 6:14 pm

I haven't got the space for any sort of machine and tend to find using a cafetiere a bit of a faff when it comes to cleaning it so generally stick to instant. My current favourite is the Kenco Millicano Barista Edition which has 15% ground coffee in it - creates a bit of a sludge at the bottom of the cup but it does make a noticable improvement over the other instants I've tried.

Any other instants that are recommended to try?

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Re: Coffee

#440140

Postby Midsmartin » September 6th, 2021, 6:32 pm

That's where you need an aeropress! The grounds form a nice tidy compact plug that you just pop straight into the compost/bin. It's not like a Cafetiere where you have to spend the rest of the morning rounding up stray bits of coffee.

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Re: Coffee

#440149

Postby swill453 » September 6th, 2021, 7:14 pm

Lavazza red label, bought by the dozen packs from Amazon when it (regularly) gets to about £26.

Made in an aeropress* with a metal filter. Two cups in the morning, wouldn't be without it but don't drink any more during the day.

* - discarded the unneeded funnel, scoop and stirrer, a teaspoon suffices.

Scott.

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Re: Coffee

#440156

Postby TonyB » September 6th, 2021, 7:53 pm

Similar ritual but Lelit Elizabeth, 2x20g in twice daily (sounds like taking a drug!). Somewhat surprised that we have a roaster in my local town but it looks like micro coffee roasters is a growing sector. We enjoy the coffee which is mostly S American, my tastebuds are too worn out to get too much into the black hole that is espresso.

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Re: Coffee

#440179

Postby servodude » September 6th, 2021, 10:53 pm

redsturgeon wrote:For Mrs RS's flat white the milk must be steamed which takes about 30 seconds and can be done while the coffee shot is pouring. Great for practising my latte art skills too (not great yet


Probably a egg sucking scenario here
- but remember to blow out some steam after removing the milk vessel
- it prevents milk creeping back up the wand which can turn in to a problem later

Sounds like a great machine and I've considered something with a proper group head for the house
- but seeing as I am presently the only coffee drinker I've stuck with my 30+ year old stove pot (bought it when I moved out to uni - still in service with it's slightly smaller 10 year old replacement)

- sd


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