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Post by stinky on Oct 9, 2014 11:01:17 GMT -6
My main interests, these days, are: Coffee - absolutely fanatical about it. Love everything to do with the equipment, the roasting, the process of brewing it. Don't mind drinking it, either. good stuff here. i have to temper my obsessive/tinkerer nature with coffee...i've been very close to cobbling together a home roaster. I've been obsessive about coffee since about 2003. I built a home roaster from a stir crazy popcorn popper and one of those tabletop convection ovens, and have been using it for about 10 years. I also got tired of crappy home brewing equipment and got a Wega single group professional machine for my home (and a mazzer grinder) in 2005. Coffee equipment consumes about 50% of the counterspace in my tiny 1920s home. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2014 11:26:54 GMT -6
good stuff here. i have to temper my obsessive/tinkerer nature with coffee...i've been very close to cobbling together a home roaster. I've been obsessive about coffee since about 2003. I built a home roaster from a stir crazy popcorn popper and one of those tabletop convection ovens, and have been using it for about 10 years. I also got tired of crappy home brewing equipment and got a Wega single group professional machine for my home (and a mazzer grinder) in 2005. Coffee equipment consumes about 50% of the counterspace in my tiny 1920s home. i had planned to do a modified stircrazy/convection roaster as well. i'm currently extremely outlet challenged which has my brewing equipment dialed to my 12yo solis maestro grinder, a stovetop mokka and a clever drip. i'll likely be adding an aeropress in the near future to give it a whirl. |
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Post by stinky on Oct 9, 2014 11:31:40 GMT -6
I've been obsessive about coffee since about 2003. I built a home roaster from a stir crazy popcorn popper and one of those tabletop convection ovens, and have been using it for about 10 years. I also got tired of crappy home brewing equipment and got a Wega single group professional machine for my home (and a mazzer grinder) in 2005. Coffee equipment consumes about 50% of the counterspace in my tiny 1920s home. i had planned to do a modified stircrazy/convection roaster as well. i'm currently extremely outlet challenged which has my brewing equipment dialed to my 12yo solis maestro grinder, a stovetop mokka and a clever drip. i'll likely be adding an aeropress in the near future to give it a whirl. A couple of things: 1) you can't roast inside anyhow (it smells absolutely awful--nothing like what you would think that "fresh roasted coffee" smells like). It smells like burning hay. 2) i have an aeropress i bought circa 2006 and used once. want it? |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2014 11:36:32 GMT -6
i had planned to do a modified stircrazy/convection roaster as well. i'm currently extremely outlet challenged which has my brewing equipment dialed to my 12yo solis maestro grinder, a stovetop mokka and a clever drip. i'll likely be adding an aeropress in the near future to give it a whirl. A couple of things: 1) you can't roast inside anyhow (it smells absolutely awful--nothing like what you would think that "fresh roasted coffee" smells like). It smells like burning hay. 2) i have an aeropress i bought circa 2006 and used once. want it? the roasting was to happen in my garage while in dallas. words can't describe how much i miss having a garage. i'll absolutely take it if you've no plans to use it. i'm not sure how often i'll use it, but am interesting in trying one out. |
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Post by stinky on Oct 9, 2014 11:37:46 GMT -6
No plans to use it. I'll dig it out and see if it fits in a padded flat rate mailer.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2014 11:43:01 GMT -6
No plans to use it. I'll dig it out and see if it fits in a padded flat rate mailer. thanks. i can likely pick it up at some point to save a few $ in shipping as well...whichever works. |
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Post by stinky on Oct 9, 2014 11:47:36 GMT -6
k. i'll let you know.
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Post by julian on Oct 9, 2014 13:01:49 GMT -6
1) you can't roast inside anyhow (it smells absolutely awful--nothing like what you would think that "fresh roasted coffee" smells like). It smells like burning hay. Definitely wasn't ready for that. For me, freshly ground roasted coffee beans is one of THE very best smells on the planet... but the smell of roasting green beans is fairly disgusting. If anything, your comparison is quite generous. Like a lot of people, I went down the home roasting route for a while. You sort of have to try it, but I soon worked out that there's a reason the commercial roasters cost 10s of thousands and a reason why people spend every day roasting beans and it still takes years to truly know what you're doing. It's also the case that most beans need 24 to 48 rest before using (often much longer than that for espresso use) and so buying from decent roasters online is really the best way of doing it. The money I used to save buying green beans I'd end up losing due to throwing away at least a couple of batches that I'd messed up each time. I use a Grigia Club Coffee Machine, which is a rebadged Rancilio 27 in a different casing. The grinder paired with that is a Mazzer Super Jolly (which probably will be well known to most who're into coffee). For filter/drip, I use a Technivorm Moccamaster with a Iberital MC2 grinder. Even I realise how pathetic I am about coffee. Filtered water, jug measured and beans weighed out each time (exactly 22.4g against 12fl oz of water for filter brews). Usually takes me 20mins to make my first cup in the morning from start to finish. But, my God, it's always worth it. Learned a lot about coffee from (a lot of) time spent at Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland and try and incorporate what I learned there into both my purchasing and brewing. Although I'll try different places now and again - and always when I travel - I get the majority of my beans from Has Bean, awesome company. |
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Post by stinky on Oct 9, 2014 17:52:47 GMT -6
1) you can't roast inside anyhow (it smells absolutely awful--nothing like what you would think that "fresh roasted coffee" smells like). It smells like burning hay. I use a Grigia Club Coffee Machine, which is a rebadged Rancilio 27 in a different casing. The grinder paired with that is a Mazzer Super Jolly (which probably will be well known to most who're into coffee). For filter/drip, I use a Technivorm Moccamaster with a Iberital MC2 grinder. The 27 is a serious machine. Nice to hear I'm not the only one with a commercial machine in my kitchen. We have the same grinder, although mine is rebranded as an Astoria. It's an ex-starbucks SJ that I snagged on ebay when they went from manual to superauto. I always wanted a Moccamaster--I have a Presto Scandinavian, which, although discontinued a long time ago was a steal for the price given the temperature regulation it has. If I ever break the carafe, I'm getting a moccamaster. Frankly, though, as far as drip goes, with the proper grinder I can make better coffee with a $2 pourover than about any machine. |
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Post by stinky on Oct 9, 2014 19:34:56 GMT -6
Ohhh. Hey, a standalone coffee thread.
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Post by Winterland on Oct 9, 2014 19:52:57 GMT -6
Great to read about some other good coffee addicts. I love coffee also. Have been into lattes for quite a while. Of course it starts with good coffee. We have a small chain in Minnesota, Dunn Brothers that has a roaster in each shop. Their coffee always smells heavenly. I even like how the store smells when they are roasting. I like sumatra and columbian blend for espresso and regular coffee. I am able to get some decent coffee at Costco also for a great price. I started with a steam espresso maker and finally moved to a real pump machine. I have one at home and one at work. Knowing I will be drinking a nice latte helps get me out of bed. Straight up, no sugar or flavoring. I can't drink it with either. Found some great deals on Craigslist by being patient. Purchased one of these machines for $30 with all kinds of accessories and another for $45. Both like new. They are $300 new. I think people give them as gifts and some people don't use them. They were sold by Starbucks but are made by one of the better espresso maker companies. I just need a good grinder.  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2014 19:55:26 GMT -6
I love coffee also. Have been into lattes for quite a while. Of course it starts with good coffee. We have a small chain in Minnesota, Dunn Brothers that has a roaster in each shop. Their coffee always smells heavenly. I even like how the store smells when they are roasting. I like sumatra and columbian blend for espresso and regular coffee. I am able to get some decent coffee at Costco also for a great price. I started with a steam espresso maker and finally moved to a real pump machine. I have one at home and one at work. Knowing I will be drinking a nice latte helps get me out of bed. Straight up, no sugar or flavoring. I can't drink it with either. Found some great deals on Craigslist by being patient. Purchased one of these machines for $30 with all kinds of accessories and another for $45. Both like new. They are $300 new. They were sold by Starbucks but are made by one of the good espresso make companies. I just need a good grinder. there were a few dunn brothers locations in dallas. frequented one of them quite a bit when i first lived there. |
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Post by Winterland on Oct 9, 2014 19:56:59 GMT -6
Wow never new they made it that far. I can remember when they had one store here.
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Post by stinky on Oct 9, 2014 20:05:25 GMT -6
I just need a good grinder. Rancilio Rocky is a really good entry level burr grinder if you can find one cheap. |
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Post by Mattbert on Oct 9, 2014 20:15:18 GMT -6
I was going to say I prefer tea, but I fear I'd be the victim of a terribly polite and exacting hate crime. And then shit would get real.  |
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Post by DigDug on Oct 9, 2014 20:26:33 GMT -6
Love/NEED my coffee! Usually by it at the small coffee shop in town (cute girls  and when I make it at home its espresso. I'd like to learn how to make Turkish coffee. Only had it a few times and it was Great. |
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Post by Winterland on Oct 9, 2014 20:30:48 GMT -6
I also like to drink tea. I like black tea but have moved to mostly green tea for the health benefits. I know we have some Brits here and not sure if green tea is even considered tea to them.  I drink coffee in the morning, regular green tea in the afternoon and decaf green tea in the evening. Have been buying Trader Joes teas for a while. Good price and I like it. I put in a little honey. A little off topic but I have been into good honey also. I have read that using honey made in the area you live in can help with allergies. I have had some hay fever type allergies off and on since I was a kid. They have almost totally went away. Not sure if it is because of honey or not. I have went out of my way to buy from a small honey producer in the area and it is actually cheaper than getting at the store. A few years ago I believe Consumer Reports did a test of honeys and it was found many were not pure honey but cut with cheaper sugars and corn syrup. Some imported in illegally from China, yuck. I also found Makuna honey. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81nuka_honeyIt is from New Zealand and Austrailia and has been said to have medicinal properties. I also get it at Trader Joes. It is expensive but I switch between that and my other honey. You can also use honey in place of sugar in cereal, oatmeal, baking etc. I try to stay away from sugar but will use honey where sugar is needed. |
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Post by Winterland on Oct 9, 2014 20:39:35 GMT -6
I just need a good grinder. Rancilio Rocky is a really good entry level burr grinder if you can find one cheap. I will check this out. Thanks |
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Post by Winterland on Oct 9, 2014 20:42:13 GMT -6
Love/NEED my coffee! Usually by it at the small coffee shop in town (cute girls and when I make it at home its espresso. I'd like to learn how to make Turkish coffee. Only had it a few times and it was Great. There is a Mediterranean restaurant we frequent that has Turkish coffee. It is good. Never made it myself. |
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Post by wisdom on Oct 9, 2014 21:01:14 GMT -6
I also like to drink tea. I like black tea but have moved to mostly green tea for the health benefits. I know we have some Brits here and not sure if green tea is even considered tea to them. I drink coffee in the morning, regular green tea in the afternoon and decaf green tea in the evening. Have been buying Trader Joes teas for a while. Good price and I like it. I put in a little honey. A little off topic but I have been into good honey also. I have read that using honey made in the area you live in can help with allergies. I have had some hay fever type allergies off and on since I was a kid. They have almost totally went away. Not sure if it is because of honey or not. I have went out of my way to buy from a small honey producer in the area and it is actually cheaper than getting at the store. A few years ago I believe Consumer Reports did a test of honeys and it was found many were not pure honey but cut with cheaper sugars and corn syrup. Some imported in illegally from China, yuck. I also found Makuna honey. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81nuka_honeyIt is from New Zealand and Austrailia and has been said to have medicinal properties. I also get it at Trader Joes. It is expensive but I switch between that and my other honey. You can also use honey in place of sugar in cereal, oatmeal, baking etc. I try to stay away from sugar but will use honey where sugar is needed. I heard the same thing regarding local honey and allergies. I've always been fascinated by bees and thought of getting into apiary.. for anyone interested, Sue Hubbell wrote a few great books/stories about her experiences beekeeping. I believe in Manuka honey and use it with apple cider vinegar and cinnamon to make a nice stomach-settling drink when I feel a bit queasy. Drugstores have also started selling bandages with Manuka honey on them for burns and to prevent infection. I believe the local honey thing works for allergies.. I don't think I've seen this conclusion drawn before, but I believe it works like homeopathic remedies are supposed to work. Basically, a small amount of irritant, toxin, or allergen is diluted by pure water to the point where it is virtually non-existent.. the diluent supposedly provides protection against the symptoms of the irritant, toxin, allergen though chemically, it is just water. If you think about local honey.. it's going to contain trace amounts of whatever allergens are in the area. |
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Post by wisdom on Oct 9, 2014 21:03:01 GMT -6
I just need a good grinder. Rancilio Rocky is a really good entry level burr grinder if you can find one cheap. I used a Gaggia MDF for my Espresso.. loud mother, but I thought it did the trick and wasn't too expensive. Never had a chance to compare the two, so don't know how it stacks up against the Rocky, but it did the trick for me. |
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Post by Winterland on Oct 9, 2014 21:14:33 GMT -6
I also like to drink tea. I like black tea but have moved to mostly green tea for the health benefits. I know we have some Brits here and not sure if green tea is even considered tea to them. I drink coffee in the morning, regular green tea in the afternoon and decaf green tea in the evening. Have been buying Trader Joes teas for a while. Good price and I like it. I put in a little honey. A little off topic but I have been into good honey also. I have read that using honey made in the area you live in can help with allergies. I have had some hay fever type allergies off and on since I was a kid. They have almost totally went away. Not sure if it is because of honey or not. I have went out of my way to buy from a small honey producer in the area and it is actually cheaper than getting at the store. A few years ago I believe Consumer Reports did a test of honeys and it was found many were not pure honey but cut with cheaper sugars and corn syrup. Some imported in illegally from China, yuck. I also found Makuna honey. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81nuka_honeyIt is from New Zealand and Austrailia and has been said to have medicinal properties. I also get it at Trader Joes. It is expensive but I switch between that and my other honey. You can also use honey in place of sugar in cereal, oatmeal, baking etc. I try to stay away from sugar but will use honey where sugar is needed. I heard the same thing regarding local honey and allergies. I've always been fascinated by bees and thought of getting into apiary.. for anyone interested, Sue Hubbell wrote a few great books/stories about her experiences beekeeping. I believe in Manuka honey and use it with apple cider vinegar and cinnamon to make a nice stomach-settling drink when I feel a bit queasy. Drugstores have also started selling bandages with Manuka honey on them for burns and to prevent infection. I believe the local honey thing works for allergies.. I don't think I've seen this conclusion drawn before, but I believe it works like homeopathic remedies are supposed to work. Basically, a small amount of irritant, toxin, or allergen is diluted by pure water to the point where it is virtually non-existent.. the diluent supposedly provides protection against the symptoms of the irritant, toxin, allergen though chemically, it is just water. If you think about local honey.. it's going to contain trace amounts of whatever allergens are in the area. Yes being homeopathic is exactly why it probably works. When you get allergy shots they do the same thing. Inject you with a little bit of what you are allergic to. Most vaccines in general. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2014 22:17:00 GMT -6
Manuka honey is great stuff, but tastes like Robitussin once you get up into the umf 25 range.
Another homeopathic remedy is oregano oil. Any time I feel like I'm getting any throat irritation or cold I bite through an oregano oil capsule and squirt the oil into my throat. It burns like crazy for a few minutes but pretty much stops whatever was lingering.
Re: local honey... for normal use I only use local honey. I figure it can't hurt and most everything that's not local is imported from Brazil or Argentina. But the best hay fever / seasonal allergy treatment that I've encountered is acupuncture. I started getting acupuncture for my allergies about 3 years ago and haven't had to take any allergy meds since. It's been great and is overall a lot less expensive than what I was spending on Claritin over the course of a year.
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Post by julian on Oct 11, 2014 12:44:20 GMT -6
Found some great deals on Craigslist by being patient. Purchased one of these machines for $30 with all kinds of accessories and another for $45. Both like new. They are $300 new. I think people give them as gifts and some people don't use them. They were sold by Starbucks but are made by one of the better espresso maker companies. I just need a good grinder. That is an amazing deal. I started out with one of those Starbucks branded machines. They're made by an Italian company, Saeco, and are capable of producing a really decent espresso. Make sure you do this though... you'll be glad you did. www.slideshare.net/monicaescriba33/depressurizing-the-saeco-pressurized-portafilter-espresso-machines-homebarista |
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Post by julian on Oct 11, 2014 12:47:17 GMT -6
So, here's a question for the coffeeheads... and one I'm still unable to answer myself...
If you could only drink ONE of these from today until you die, which would you choose: beer or coffee?
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and when I make it at home its espresso. I'd like to learn how to make Turkish coffee. Only had it a few times and it was Great. 
