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Unraveling the Espresso Roast Conundrum: What to Buy for Your Perfect Cup

Unraveling the Espresso Roast Conundrum: What to Buy for Your Perfect Cup

You're on a mission to find the perfect beans, but the coffee roaster shops near you only offer medium and light roasts. And you've heard that espresso roast might be what you need, but is it really necessary? Let's dive in and demystify this conundrum together. First things first, freshness matters. Look for whole beans with a visible roast date to ensure you're getting the freshest cup possible. As for the roast level, espresso roast is indeed darker than most, but it's not always necessary for a great espresso. Espresso beans are typically roasted longer and darker to develop robust…
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Mastering Home Espresso: Achieving a Stunning Latte Art with Casabrews CM5418

Mastering Home Espresso: Achieving a Stunning Latte Art with Casabrews CM5418

Mastering the art of espresso at home can be an exhilarating journey, and it's been about 1.5 years since I embarked on this exciting adventure. Consistency and practice are indeed the keys to mastery in any pursuit, and espresso is no exception. Today, I am thrilled to share one of my best latte art attempts at home using the Casabrews CM5418 machine, despite its imperfections, I am incredibly proud of this creation! First off, the machine – the Casabrews CM5418 is a reliable workhorse that produces consistent results. However, the art of latte art lies not just in the equipment…
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Brewing Espresso with a Flea Market Grinder and Dumpster Scale

Brewing Espresso with a Flea Market Grinder and Dumpster Scale

If you find yourself in a bind without your usual coffee gear, don't panic. Even a humble 5€ grinder from a flea market and a rescued dumpster scale can produce an espresso shot. As demonstrated by /u/OpexReddit [link], it's all about getting creative with what you have on hand. First things first, the grinder. It may not be the Kingrinder K6, but this budget-friendly option is worth a try. Grinding coffee beans evenly is crucial for a quality espresso, so it's essential to adjust the grind settings to ensure consistency. A bit of experimentation might be required to find the…
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Mastering Home Espresso with Delonghi Stilosa: A Personal Journey

Mastering Home Espresso with Delonghi Stilosa: A Personal Journey

Delve into the world of espresso at home, a journey I've recently embarked on, and let me share my initial foray with the DeLonghi Stilosa. The coffee beans, hailing from Torra in Portugal, present as a medium/light roast that has piqued my interest. The DeLonghi Stilosa offers versatility, allowing me to bypass the pressurization feature on its original baskets for a more traditional extraction method. Although it doesn't come with an IMS basket, adjusting the pressure manually has proven rewarding. Pairing the original tamper, a homemade WDT tool, and a Kingrinder K6 grinder, I've found a sweet spot with 14-15g…
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Mastering Latte Art with the Sage Barista Express

Mastering Latte Art with the Sage Barista Express

Achieving barista-worthy latte art can feel like a lofty goal, but it's not an unattainable dream. As a relative newbie, I've found success in honing my skills with the Sage Barista Express espresso machine. First things first, let's talk about the equipment. The Sage Barista Express isn't the most high-end espresso machine on the market, but it certainly serves its purpose well. Its built-in grinder, pressure profiling feature, and automatic milk frothing capabilities make it a reliable choice for both beginners and enthusiasts alike. Now, onto the art part. Achieving beautiful latte art is all about technique and practice. To…
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Solving Shot Coning in Your Vibiemme Domobar Junior Espresso Machine

Solving Shot Coning in Your Vibiemme Domobar Junior Espresso Machine

You've been struggling with an unusual issue – your espresso shots are turning cone-shaped after a few seconds, and you're at a loss as to how to fix it. We're here to help. First off, let's clarify what shot coning is: when the crema on top of your espresso begins to separate and form a cone shape. This can be caused by several factors, including grind size, tamping pressure, water temperature, or distribution of the coffee grounds. Beginning with grind size, it's crucial that you find the sweet spot for your Domobar Junior. Too fine of a grind can lead…
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The Unprofessional Roaster: When Customer Service Goes Awry

The Unprofessional Roaster: When Customer Service Goes Awry

You order premium coffee beans, expecting a rich, aromatic brew. But what you get is a bag filled with more chaff than beans, and a taste that's anything but delightful. That was my recent experience with Redber's Guatemala Antigua, a bitter, woody concoction that left me questioning the quality of their roasting process. I had high hopes for this direct purchase, having encountered stale coffee from other sellers on Amazon. I even emailed Redber ahead of time to ensure freshness. But what arrived was a bag full of beans mixed with an excessive amount of chaff. The coffee tasted extremely…
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Discover Your Perfect Roast: Peer-Recommended Coffee Beans for Every Palate

Discover Your Perfect Roast: Peer-Recommended Coffee Beans for Every Palate

You're a coffee enthusiast, always on the hunt for the perfect brew. Welcome to our weekly gathering spot where we share and discuss our favorite coffee roasters and beans. This thread is your go-to place to talk about that new coffee you just can't get enough of or seek recommendations for something out of the ordinary. Are you intrigued by a particular coffee or simply yearning to expand your taste horizons? Don't hesitate to share links for online purchases, along with a brief tasting description and the brewing gear you're using. This week, we've got some top-notch recommendations that are…
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The Unfair Espresso Landscape: Why Don’t Coffee Shops Offer More Roast Choices?

The Unfair Espresso Landscape: Why Don’t Coffee Shops Offer More Roast Choices?

It's baffling that in a world where wine lists offer an extensive array of choices, most coffee shops limit their options to just one or two roasts. As a casual coffee drinker, I find this lack of choice particularly frustrating, given my partner and I have distinct preferences for dark, chocolatey blends over acidic, citrusy ones. The divide in coffee flavor profiles is real, yet it's rarely catered to beyond the most specialist independent coffee shops. My partner, who drinks her coffee black, finds that the tanginess of acidic coffees becomes increasingly unpalatable as they cool. On the other hand,…
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Grinder Showdown for a Small Café: Fiorenzato AllGround Sense vs Mahlkönig E64 WS vs Mazzer Mini G

Grinder Showdown for a Small Café: Fiorenzato AllGround Sense vs Mahlkönig E64 WS vs Mazzer Mini G

You're about to open a small neighborhood café and you've got your heart set on top-notch equipment. But there's one piece that's giving you trouble – the grinder. After doing some research, you found three options – Fiorenzato AllGround Sense, Mahlkönig E64 WS, and Mazzer Mini G – but you need some real-world feedback to make an informed decision. First off, let's talk about the Fiorenzato AllGround Sense. It's gained quite a following due to its excellent reviews on Reddit. The grinder offers a wide range of dosing options and is known for its consistent grind quality. However, some users…
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