Any coffeegeeks here?

[stutue]

Cant do without a couple of espressos first thing, but can't rely on cafés or chains to produce something drinkable so now have £2000 worth of kit on my kitchen counter.

Anybody else here a coffeegeek?

 

[Master50]

Saeco Magic+ and Illy coffee. the initial cash output is off-putting but over time and some 20,000 shots later it is still working great and producing consistently good espresso. Compared to what I was spending in Starbucks or the many better coffee shops locally I think I am paying about %40 of that number. Still a lot more expensive than drip with much less waste including luring that swill down the drain for being undrinkable. No filters or plastic single serving cups. Given the expense of a fully automatic machine you have to be committed to years of good coffee or you won't amortize the initial outlay. If you live in a hard water area your machine will suffer. I live in an area where the water is very soft and all I need to do is use filtered water to eliminate as much of the particulate in the water but no mineral problems. I had a friend in Saskatchewan that used distilled water to preserve the boiler from calcium build up.
What is really amazing is how many years I drank Nabob or Maxwell house before I had my first Americano.

 

[fatandfast]

Drink La Colombe daily. I like all the blends other than decaf, which I have not tried. The flavors are good and the company has done lots for cycling. I drink a couple of Pannikin coffee roasts from time to time. I drink so much coffee that I am thinking of getting a home teeth whitening machines.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

A friend of a Starbucks employee says Starbucks deliberately burns their coffee for a little extra bitter taste. Not sure I buy that story, but I never really was a huge fan of Starbucks.

I use a Keurig, which has worked well for me. Before buying I heard a few stories about Keurig issues, like not making a full cup, heaters burning out and so on. So far, I have not had any problems. But I like Tully's Hawaiian blend, or Italian Roast. They are extra bold medium to dark roast with good flavor. Not sure how they compare to espressos, which I have never had. Anyone able to compare?

 

[stutue]

I think Starbucks go for a really dark roast because its a bit more of a classic taste perhaps. Plus it is easier to get right when you extract.

Ironically, since I started this thread I've developed a sudden aversion to coffee! Just dont want to drink it at the moment

 

[The GCW]

Dreaming

Ascaso Dream.

Morning dreams, afternoon daydreams and dreaming before rides.

 

[bridgeman]

Peets, Sulawesi-Kalosi. Burr grinder every morning.

 

[The GCW]

My Dream ended.

My Ascasco Dream died over a month ago. I think I've had that machine over 10 years. I've been faking it with a drip machine and I can't have that once cycle season comes.

If purchasing a bike and all that gear is difficult, buying an espresso machine seems more difficult.

I don't know what I'll end up choosing but I think I've narrowed it down to an E-61 group double boiler. Probably with a Baratza Vario or Forte grinder.

Zzzz

 

[mewmewmew13]

You might also like this..
http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=5711
I also think there was the thread "What coffee 'ya drinking'" or similar