The Coffeehouse.... Baristi, Barista, Bariste

[struth]

looks good

[Tim]

So if you guys find the flavour "too bold" or "way too strong", then blame your sissy-delicate palates

Or one could say 'more refined palates' - I mean, putting milk in coffee and therefore destroying all the delicate flavours, complexity and the many hours of toil to produce that flavour.

As involved as HiFi like Jim says

(perhaps the wrong choice of word for Moka Pots though, exchange strong for bitter)

[Marco]

Or one could say 'more refined palates' - I mean, putting milk in coffee and therefore destroying all the delicate flavours, complexity and the many hours of toil to produce that flavour.

Lol - are you saying that Italians, who've turned coffee into an art form, don't have refined palates? No, I know what you mean. Indeed, I've already said black coffee (espresso, done well) is the connoisseurs choice, and that's a fact!

However, there's a time and place for black coffee, and also one for the milky variety

Marco.

[Marco]

looks good

Cheers, mate. It's about the best it's come so far - learning all the time and slowly refining the process!

Marco.

[Tim]

Lol - are you saying that Italians, who've turned coffee into an art form, don't have refined palates?

Well I couldn't just roll over and let you basically call me a peasant now could I?

[struth]

Afternoon dose...



Alright, who wants a fight? Lol

[Marco]

Well I couldn't just roll over and let you basically call me a peasant now could I?

Lol - well if the cap fits!

[Only kidding]

Marco.

[Marco]

Afternoon dose...



Alright, who wants a fight? Lol

IMO, the crema in the top-left picture is textbook. Doesn't really get much better

Marco.

[Jimbo]

Yup, totally agree. I mistakenly thought your comments were given from your position as a coffee professional, rather than simply reflecting your own personal taste, which is fine

I also like cafetière coffee too, but ultimately prefer the greater intensity of flavour you get from a Moka pot, or professional, pressurised machine.

Marco.

To be honest coffee is a bit of a minefield in terms of flavour and consistency. You can take a single variety of coffee bean and roast in many different ways then pick the roast you like which can be standardised but then make up your coffee in numerous different ways. Throw in the variables of temperature, time , water quality and method of making and you can get a coffee that is perceived to have many different flavours.

Obviously the large coffee chains standardise every aspect of their coffee from variety and production through to roasting and finally make up in the coffee shop. The process will be exactly the same in order that you get the same coffee in any given outlet.

I have a large barista machine at work which has 2 steam wands and 3 groupheads. I use it all day but my observation from using it is that the more coffee that goes through it the better it becomes. Fresher water ( don't forget there can be a 20 litre tank in the boiler) and perfect temperature optimise the coffee produced so you end up with excellent flavour and crema. Some of the first coffees we take off in the morning can be a bit rough and thin bodied. Obviously coffee shops generally don't have this problem unless your the first customer! However coffee shops tend to swamp their coffee with milk so you can't taste the coffee anyway!

The Italians, and I am sure your aware of this Marco, don't drink coffee for thirst like we do with our huge lattes and bucket size cups. They only drink coffee for the flavour and hit of caffeine. As one Italian told me in Milano, "we drink water if we are thirsty never coffee!"

[CageyH]

Yeah, lovely, and not too 'brown' either! (soz, Kev).

Orangey-brown (slightly ochre), thick crema for me is 'the one'.

Marco.

What is your opinion of this?