5/17/15 9:48 PM

After spending most of the last 2 months in Italy I need to have some proper espresso more frequently than once or twice a year. I think I've settled on the Breville BES920XL but am wondering where you aficionados get your beans...?

5/18/15 4:12 AM

Please do tell. I could use the same info.

5/18/15 6:25 AM

Excellent machine choice, Rob. I've had one for three years (first gen just went back for service, their out or warranty service is excellent). I roast my own, but Redbird comes highly recommended. Coffeegeek forums have some excellent chatter.

The big thing is grinder, grinder, grinder. Most newbies overspend on machine and underspend on grinder. The Breville grinder is, for example, mostly inadequate.

The other thing is freshness. Beans hit their peak at 14 days or so out of roast, so order direct. My local high end groceries often have stuff thats 6-8wks old, more or less just emergency beans.

5/18/15 6:38 AM

I highly recommend: McNulty's
I lived around the corner from them wehreby they were my direct source for years. Now they do e-commerce/take online orders as well. Their beans are super fresh; great inventory turnover. A small business that has been around for more than a century. Nice folks. If you are in NYC, it is worth a trip to visit the quaint store from the tiles & trim decor, aroma, to the antique heavy duty scale still used to weigh coffee.

5/18/15 11:56 AM

I piggy back off someone's order at Red Bird. (This is because he has special privileges there.)

However, last 3 months, Red Bird has not been so good. Though, the latest batch which I'm receiving today is reported to be a bit better due to a change in one of the ingredient beans.

Red Bird espresso for milk-based drinks.

Blue Jaguar for straight-up espresso.

My coffee pour looks like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfVBrZi7Eho

5/18/15 1:32 PM

I buy mine from a place in New Jersey called Coffee Bean Direct. They're a supplier mainly to restaurants and retail, so their best prices are on larger quantities -- 5 pounds or more - and the single-pound price is substantially higher. They have a big selection, but I have settled on a few I like. It's always very fresh, roasted the day of shipment. They recently switched their cheapest shipping (3$) to FedEx Smartpost, so it takes 3 or 4 days, whereas I used to get it the next day. I think I'll pay the 2 bucks more to get FedEx ground.

To deal with the time (5-6 weeks) it takes me to use up 5 pounds, I break it down into smaller bags (quart Ziploc, the heavy ones, double bagged) and put it in the freezer. It keeps well. This is my current favorite for espresso.
http://www.coffeebeandirect.com/roasted-coffee/organic-fair-trade-1/organic-fair-trade-dark-sumatra-mandheling.html
They have several blends that they say are for espresso, but I haven't tried them, since I prefer to buy Fair Trade. But they've recently added a Fair Trade espresso blend, so I may give that a try next time.

I've always been satisfied with their quality and service.

I, too, got hooked on espresso after a trip to Italy. I use a Rancilio Silvia. (not in the league of your chosen machine, and fussy, but capable of great shots when I pay attention to the necessary finesse).

And I second what greg said about the grinder. A so-so machine paired wiith a really good grinder can make great shots. The greatest machine in the world paired with a mediocre grinder will never do it.

The obsessiveness of the the forum discussions over at coffeegeek.com puts bike forums to shame.

5/18/15 1:47 PM

quote:

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The obsessiveness of the the forum discussions over at coffeegeek.com puts bike forums to shame.

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5/18/15 2:24 PM

Right here in Portland Maine:

http://www.tandemcoffee.com/

I don't drink espresso but I buy beans from them. Their logo is a tandem bike (which appears on every bag) and they are a sponsor of my bike club. What more do you need than that?

5/18/15 8:12 PM

quote:

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I use a Rancilio Silvia. (not in the league of your chosen machine, and fussy, but capable of great shots when I pay attention to the necessary finesse).

And I second what greg said about the grinder. A so-so machine paired wiith a really good grinder can make great shots. The greatest machine in the world paired with a mediocre grinder will never do it.

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5/18/15 8:13 PM

quote:

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The obsessiveness of the the forum discussions over at coffeegeek.com puts bike forums to shame.

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5/18/15 9:18 PM

Rob - I'm guessing you looked at a lot of espresso machines? Can you (or anyone) suggest a semi-automatic machine for under $500? So easy to get price creep with this kind of hobby...

5/19/15 6:38 AM

You can make excellent coffee with a Gaggia classic, and nice refurbs are under 400. Whole Latte Love has the Ascaso duotronic on closeout for 499, a nice machine particularly if you like milk drinks. I'd also look for a lightly used Oscar at that price, they are great machines once you learn how to flush the group for temp.

6/1/15 5:53 PM

Reg 450
On sale 379
With Fathers day coupon code: DAD30: $349
New, 2yr warranty
https://www.wholelattelove.com/products/gaggia-classic-ss-brushed-stainless-steel-semi-automatic-espresso-machine

6/2/15 8:31 AM

Hey Jesus Saves, back in 1966-68 I lived right around the corner from McNulty's too (on Grove Street). I'm glad they're still there. I never cared that much for espresso, but I used to go around and buy fresh roasted Colombian beans, still warm from the roaster. Their Mocha Java was yummy, but it cost a bit more and my skin-tight college kid budget usually prevailed. They had good tea too.

Long ago in a universe far away.

Up here, among the better verndors of good strong coffee are Speeder and Earl's and Vermont Coffee. I don't know specifically about espresso roasts, since I don't care for it. Green Mountain brews weak and I avoid it. For myself, my favorite local bean is Dean's Beans Mocha Sumatra.

6/3/15 11:24 PM

A package arrived in the mail. Tomorrow morning is gonna be busy...

6/4/15 7:13 AM

Red Bird is out of Montana? What' up with Montana? We get our coffee from Montana Coffee Traders - Monteverde from Costa Rica:
https://www.coffeetraders.com/index.cfm/storefront/productcoffee_page/product/monteverde/cat_idx/1/subcat_idx/3
My wife and I both fell in love with Costa Rican coffee while on vacation down there. A mild richness, nutty and citrus notes, and naturally lower in caffeine than others.

6/4/15 11:30 AM

Sidama Shakisso. I only had only enough to make one at 17g. So I couldn't even do a test run to adjust the grinder properly. It came out more watery than I'd like - it needs a tighter grind. Anyway, I don't want a 2nd cup. It's for those who like blueberries in their coffee.

6/4/15 5:20 PM

"It's for those who like blueberries in their coffee."

6/5/15 9:37 AM

This morning, it's the turn of the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Aricha. Many people like a Yirgacheffe but I can't get used to it. Sends my salivary glands into overproduction...

6/5/15 4:23 PM

Sandiway, I think the problem with your Yirgacheffe is that you're supposed to put coffee in the cup, not whatever weird crap is lying around the kitchen.

6/7/15 10:49 AM

Color commentary? :)

6/7/15 11:55 AM

Surprisingly good. A bit on the chocolatey side. But good stuff.



Pleasant. Pleasant aftertaste. Inoffensive.

6/9/15 12:19 PM

Since becoming a homeowner means not throwing money around, I try to make the most of opportunity in terms of what is purchased and how it is enjoyed.

I've noticed that having the same beans every day means that the flavor is hardly noticed even on day 2. So I keep at least five kinds of beans around, perhaps two that will be used for espresso and the rest mostly packed into K-cups.

The grind is extremely important for the flow and extraction, and needs to be fine-tuned to each batch of beans. Even my (albeit modified) Cuisinart grinder grinds fine enough for 95% of the beans I've used.
And since my machine's pressure/temperature are pre-set constants, only the flow rate and extraction time can be controlled by the user, which at least simplifies matters. BTW, I arrived at roughly the same 28 seconds that is often recommended, just by experimenting.

Here near Sacramento, there are many roasting houses distributing 12oz bags of widely-varying espresso beans, some of which are actually excellent light roasts.
There is crazy variety in espresso beans, I share bags with friends so as to try more varieties and try not to worry about impressing anyone with my world's best espresso.
That said, the full pound of Red Bird beans for ~$13 sounds like something I might go ahead and order! Thanks for the tip. (Edit, ordered it)

I don't like drinking the same stuff all the time so would not recommend a particular bean of a specific brand/variety, especially as beans vary batch to batch and most of my choices are locals.

FWIW I am using a 25-year-old Krups ~15psi machine that has never needed servicing in the 10 years since I bought it used. When I screw up and make a bad pull, I chill the result and use it for something like pouring over ice cream, or maybe just tune it up with heavy cream and "enjoy" it on the spot if I'm in a hurry.
But for sure, a simple pressure or flow-control device on the machine would be cool to have at times, mainly just to "save" the occasional errant pull.

6/9/15 1:01 PM

"I've noticed that having the same beans every day means that the flavor is hardly noticed even on day 2. So I keep at least five kinds of beans around."

Same for me with brewing... I get a bunch of 1/2 lb bags of different mud/beans. And bigger for Elaine's morning fav. My wife has finally developed the taste for the darker roasts. I used to have to do his and hers..

No plans on doing this style.... yet....

6/9/15 4:16 PM

quote:

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I've noticed that having the same beans every day means that the flavor is hardly noticed even on day 2.

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