The Coffeehouse.... Baristi, Barista, Bariste

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Originally Posted by Tim

Here's an intriguing new product which is tempting me at the moment, the Flair. It's attracted a lot of interest and even the coffee geeks seem to like it. Somewhat fiddly if you just want a quick cup, but nowt to go wrong or break either and you can take it on your travels. A fully manual La Pavoni in some respects? I like it and at £159 it could be a good alternative to an expensive machine, no milk frothing though.

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That looks to be a very good combination of form & function, which might tempt me away from the convenience of Nespresso. Did you (or anyone else) get one, and if so what do you think of it?

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Originally Posted by Tim

I used to use a Moka pot Marco and experienced some bitterness to start, but was doing it wrong and found the following helped - YMMV, but it sounds like you're pretty much there.

Even fill, not tamped down

Pre-heated water (always fresh, filtered and first boil) and fill to below the valve, as you do

Place on the hob but not a high heat, medium to encourage a gentle extraction. Off the heat as the extraction starts, some actually cool the base with cold water, but I never bothered. What you don't want is a rapid extraction following a rigorous boil in bottom chamber

Keep the pot spotlessly clean, the old wives tales of a seasoned one are actually true, it does change the flavour of the coffee, but it's not an improvement IMO

Serious coffee is an art and science. I'm a rank amateur but have learned the importance of fresh beans, the ratio of coffee to water, extraction time and water temperature. But the grind should never be underestimated, this is where the money should be invested to get good consistent results. You can play with ratios, water temperatures, have the freshest beans, the perfect extraction and put your coffee through the most expensive espresso machine, but if the grind is poor, the end result will be poor.

I found this comparison interesting and the Rancilio Rocky at around £220 is an entry level grinder. It's not uncommon for coffee geeks to have grinders costing 2/3 times more than their espresso machines - bit like the front end in audio. Doesn't matter how good your amp and speakers are, if your source is poor, it'll sound poor ;)

https://youtu.be/zuIOlsdDg_o

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Excellent stuff, Timbo! Have noted all your tips, so thanks. One other thing I do (which I saw on a YT video) is to stir the coffee in the upper chamber, just before serving it, to infuse all the flavours, which I find subtly improves results:)

Also another one, which I haven't tried yet, is to use sparkling mineral water, instead of tap water (for the brew)... Apparently it imparts some crema to the finish. I'll be trying that soon and reporting back.

I've also been having great results with the full-cream milk I've had delivered from the local dairy, which quite simply is in a different league from supermarket stuff, no matter how good! The cappuccinos I've been making have just been stunning.

The rest of the stuff I've been getting from the dairy, such as butter, cream and yogurt - all local produce, has also been excellent. I thoroughly recommend folks to seek out their local dairy and get local fresh produce delivered direct. It's often cheaper than stuff in supermarkets and the quality is far superior, plus the convenience of having it delivered direct to your door is fab!

I've just bought this Bialetti Venus Moka pot, which suits induction hobs better than the one I'd been using previously:

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...921/ENrtLe.png

Works fab and looks great! Will take some pics tomorrow, to show the results I've been getting:cool:

Marco.

That the 4 cup Marco

It's a six-cup one I've got, mate. Bought it from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/6-Cup-Biale.../dp/B00067WCM6

It's really fab!:cool:

Marco.

I’ve got one of them (to replace my old aluminium one which has camping duties).

Also had this little single cup for ages. [emoji4]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...acd2a66d39.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7c055d1a43.jpg

Boy I need this

Lol... Craving a caffeine hit?:eyebrows:

A cheeky wee Macchiato this morning, with fresh Welsh dairy milk:

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/9KbrGn.jpg

Marco.

I was yes. Tough day.

Better coke than coffee?

Mostly yes. Watch the price, though.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f2664f24e9.jpg

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Originally Posted by Marco

Lol... Craving a caffeine hit?:eyebrows:

A cheeky wee Macchiato this morning, with fresh Welsh dairy milk:

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/9KbrGn.jpg

Marco.

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Real milk respect.

Trust your local milkman.