Posted Wed Apr 4, 2012, 3:41pm Subject: Re: Noob wants to get 90% of the way to great espresso
klund Said:
I realize now that I'm in a fresh coffee bean wasteland. I'm going to place my first order at Counter Culture today. I initially got a 2.2 lb bag of Lavazza beans, because at the time I didn't know what to get. I've tossed so many shots trying to get things right, so maybe that's OK?
Careful though, this can be misleading. I started off measuring my shots volumetrically and was blown away how far off I was once I started weighing them. Crema will add a lot of volume. But for a 90% shot, it's a good start!
D4F Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 1,191 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID Grinder: Preciso
Posted Wed Apr 4, 2012, 4:22pm Subject: Re: Noob wants to get 90% of the way to great espresso
Redbird is a nice place to start and delivery is quick. Also, Redbird is well described and you can read about a lot of experience and description. Even with less than great beans, you can dial the grind fairly close.
jwoodyu Senior Member Joined: 31 Dec 2010 Posts: 704 Location: Michigan Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Allex Duetto II Grinder: Mazzer Major Roaster: Poppery
Posted Wed Apr 4, 2012, 4:59pm Subject: Re: Noob wants to get 90% of the way to great espresso
LATrapp Said:
Careful though, this can be misleading. I started off measuring my shots volumetrically and was blown away how far off I was once I started weighing them. Crema will add a lot of volume. But for a 90% shot, it's a good start!
I can do that, although it goes against my tendencies. I tend to measure as little as possible when cooking, relying on what "feels right". Perhaps I will need to channel some of my brother's OCD for this.
Yeah you won't always have weigh every time just till you get were your going. As it is now I weigh my dose when I am dialing in a new batch of coffee. Since I buy 5 lbs at the time and only thaw what i can use in a day once I am dialed i am pretty much dialed for the whole batch on the grinder. I scale every espresso shot and eyeball everything else.
You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.
Posted Wed Apr 4, 2012, 5:57pm Subject: Re: Noob wants to get 90% of the way to great espresso
jwoodyu Said:
Since I buy 5 lbs at the time and only thaw what i can use in a day once I am dialed i am pretty much dialed for the whole batch on the grinder. I scale every espresso shot and eyeball everything else.
I was thinking about buying a 5 lb bag of Redbird and freezing most of it in smaller portions. That would hopefully allow me to work on grind/dose/tamp without having to readjust for new beans all the time.
I know I'm going in the right direction - I've already made drinks better than anything I've done before. I just don't have any consistency.
A scale with 0.1 gram precision should arrive tomorrow
Welcome to coffeegeek.com ;) I told my doc " I am worried about my memory" he said "when ever a patient tells me that it just mean they have to much on their mind. Now went the spouse tells me that, well then that is another story." I bet the same applies here.
You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.
D4F Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 1,191 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID Grinder: Preciso
Posted Wed Apr 4, 2012, 6:18pm Subject: Re: Noob wants to get 90% of the way to great espresso
5 lbs is a lot if you don't end up liking it. I am trying 1 lb each of Redbird, RB decaf, and Blue Jaguar. I am saving the Blue Jag until I use the others, I don't want to mess with 3 at once. I like the Redbird and decaf, and can't wait to try the Blue Jag. I ordered 3 lbs to help with shipping. I will probably settle on 5 lbs of Redbird or Blue Jag for the next order.
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