runaro Senior Member Joined: 12 Feb 2009 Posts: 21 Location: Norway Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Marzocco GS3 Grinder: Compac K 10 WBC Drip: Hario Roaster: Toper Cafemino Gas
Posted Sun Apr 29, 2012, 1:19pm Subject: Mahlkoenig Guatemala for home use?
I have the opportunity to buy a used Guatemala grinder at a good price and intend to use it for light commersial use and for my own press/drip/cupping. Does it have much grind retention? Is it suitable for grinding small amounts of coffee (40-60 grams for my Hario or french press)? Is it possible/expensive to modify it to the Guatemala lab model?
NobbyR Senior Member Joined: 10 Jul 2011 Posts: 1,612 Location: Germany Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Poccino Opus One, Ariete Grinder: Eureka Mignon Istantaneo,... Vac Pot: N/A Drip: Melitta Linea Unica de Luxe Roaster: N/A
Posted Mon Apr 30, 2012, 5:45am Subject: Re: Mahlkoenig Guatemala for home use?
The Guatemala has been designed to (pre-)grind a whole bag of coffee beans, i.e. 500 g, right into the bag. It's suitable best for use in coffee shops, depots and local roasters. You're supposed to knock the full bag against the spout a few times in order to remove any coffee powder which may still be left inside. That way there's hardly any retention.
Even though it might be viable, grinding small amounts of coffee is not what this grinder is best at.
*** "This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee)
Posted Mon Apr 30, 2012, 2:13pm Subject: Re: Mahlkoenig Guatemala for home use?
Might be wrong but I think it's the Guatemala Intelligenstsia use for their single pour overs in their cafes. If i'ts not the Guatemala it's a close relative.
As far as I'm concerned if you can live with the aesthetics I'd jump at the chance of one of these. Not sure what the grind retention is but I reckon it has to be fairly minimal otherwise it wouldn't be of use in a set up like Intelligentsia's (they don't want the follow on cup made with the residue of what the last person ordered). I also think it's fairly popular as a cupping grinder where the same logic would apply.
Posted Mon Apr 30, 2012, 3:04pm Subject: Re: Mahlkoenig Guatemala for home use?
I used to use a Guatemala for cupping and other corse grinding. It's a fabulous machine. If space and cost work out there isn't much better. You can dump you weighed dose in the top and grind it all with less than 1g loss is less than 5 seconds. The plastic outer shell feels a little odd and cheep-ish, but the motor hums like an industrial appliance (not commercial...industrial). The down side it that its just really big, like all shop grinders. I sold mine to fund a restoration project and replaced it with a Bunn LPG being sold here on the BST forum. The LPG is inferior in just about every way except that it can live on a shelf. High clearance counter real-estate is at a premium in my kitchen, that and I needed to free up the $1000 price difference. If the cost isn't a burden, space is available, and the condition is good, buy it.
The only grinders I would prefer are the Lab version and the Tanzania.
runaro Senior Member Joined: 12 Feb 2009 Posts: 21 Location: Norway Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Marzocco GS3 Grinder: Compac K 10 WBC Drip: Hario Roaster: Toper Cafemino Gas
Posted Tue May 1, 2012, 2:07am Subject: Re: Mahlkoenig Guatemala for home use?
Thanks for the replies, I think I will go for it, I have plenty of room in my kitchen coffeecorner to fill :). I had a look at the Intelligentia videos, very nice. It may be tempting to look at modifying it to the lab version later. Anyone know if this is a straight forward thing to do?
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