Coffee

[Captain Kelsten]

Cheers all. Got a cafetiere for now, and will pick up the delonghi magnifica at some point in a sale. 

[HarryBizzle]

24 minutes ago, Doctor Shark said:

Cheers all. Got a cafetiere for now, and will pick up the delonghi magnifica at some point in a sale. 

 

If you would like to experiment in coffee snobbery, you can take advantage of the 50% for your first five bags that Pact Coffee are doing for NHS employees.

 

You can cancel at anytime but it makes their single origin stuff <£4 a bag, which is brilliant value. They can grind it for cafetiere for you.

[Mr Majestyk]

On 29/06/2020 at 18:33, Doctor Shark said:

Cheers all. Got a cafetiere for now, and will pick up the delonghi magnifica at some point in a sale. 

 

We got our magnifica in a black friday amazon deal a couple of years ago, best coffee related purchase we've made. It's used daily and makes a great cup of coffee.

[Laine]

Reccomendations for a very easy to use budget friendly hand grinder? My mum is really into her aeropress and I’d like to get her a grinder but I don’t have much spare cash. I’ve seen some Hario ones for £25 but there’s a few around that price and I don’t know which is better!

[ZOK]

On 04/07/2020 at 08:50, Laine said:

Reccomendations for a very easy to use budget friendly hand grinder? My mum is really into her aeropress and I’d like to get her a grinder but I don’t have much spare cash. I’ve seen some Hario ones for £25 but there’s a few around that price and I don’t know which is better!

I was sent one like this by the amazing @TheShend as a gift and it’s been brilliant for me to use as a first grinder, simple and no fuss...on Amazon for a tenner? 

Manual Coffee Grinder with Adjustable Ceramic Burr , 30g Coffee Powder Yield https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01ERFBA98/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UJyaFb4Q37S07

 

[HarryBizzle]

I have that grinder (or at least one of the many identical clones on amazon) and would say it’s ok. Certainly good for the price. I think I would probably spend slightly more and go for a hario, though.

 

The grind size is slightly inconsistent and I find it has a tendency to change grind settings on its own. It just has a nut you tighten to change grind size and it seems to have clicks, but they’re large, imprecise and have no markings, so you have no way of knowing if it’s changed other than your coffee suddenly tasting weird.

 

The hario slim mill has much clearer clicks (still not marked, as it goes round multiple times) so it’s easier to count how many clicks you are from fully closed.

 

The Hario Skerton I don’t know much about but it’s also about £25 and worth looking into. 

 

I think above £25ish you should probably cut your losses and go electric (~£80).

 

The Hoff’s cheap grinder roundup (though the Porlex is not cheap) is worth watching:

 

 

[StumpyJohn]

On 05/07/2020 at 10:42, HarryBizzle said:

I have that grinder (or at least one of the many identical clones on amazon) and would say it’s ok. Certainly good for the price. I think I would probably spend slightly more and go for a hario, though.

 

The grind size is slightly inconsistent and I find it has a tendency to change grind settings on its own. It just has a nut you tighten to change grind size and it seems to have clicks, but they’re large, imprecise and have no markings, so you have no way of knowing if it’s changed other than your coffee suddenly tasting weird.

 

The hario slim mill has much clearer clicks (still not marked, as it goes round multiple times) so it’s easier to count how many clicks you are from fully closed.

 

The Hario Skerton I don’t know much about but it’s also about £25 and worth looking into. 

 

I think above £25ish you should probably cut your losses and go electric (~£80).

 

The Hoff’s cheap grinder roundup (though the Porlex is not cheap) is worth watching:

 

 

I have the Porlex mini and its great.  Think I paid about £40 for it but that was a good few years ago now.

[HarryBizzle]

They seem to have rocketed in price over time. They were like £55 when I was looking for one and, from a quick look around, now they’re £80. They get recommended frequently by people who I think paid much less for them than they cost now. They’re also much cheaper in the US.

[dr_manhattan^]

Nearly ran out of aeropress filters so I've just ordered 700 more plus a metal one to try.  Sounds like it gives a different taste based on comments.

 

I've also just discovered The Inverted Method tm So I'll give that a go tomorrow, probably before I get dressed so I don't have to change twice.

[HarryBizzle]

29 minutes ago, dr_manhattan^ said:

Nearly ran out of aeropress filters so I've just ordered 700 more plus a metal one to try.  Sounds like it gives a different taste based on comments.

 

I've also just discovered The Inverted Method tm So I'll give that a go tomorrow, probably before I get dressed so I don't have to change twice.

Make sure you have the plunger a reasonable way in and be careful when flipping it - hold onto both the brew chamber and the plunger. The gas seems to expand and want to force the plunger out when you turn it. 
 

It’s my preferred way of brewing but can be a bit dangerous until you get the hang of it. 

[Laine]

On 05/07/2020 at 09:08, ZOK said:

I was sent one like this by the amazing @TheShend as a gift and it’s been brilliant for me to use as a first grinder, simple and no fuss...on Amazon for a tenner? 

Manual Coffee Grinder with Adjustable Ceramic Burr , 30g Coffee Powder Yield https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01ERFBA98/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UJyaFb4Q37S07

 

Ah thanks for the offer but I started to panic and just went with the Hario!

[dr_manhattan^]

Two inverted Aeropresses in and I think I'm a convert.

[Monkeyspill]

I’m still using the Hario hand grinder. It’s a bit uneven. I get sort of flaky bits in the coffee:

 

 

It’s still decent but think it could be better. 36g of coffee / 600ml water.

[StumpyJohn]

19 hours ago, Monkeyspill said:

I’m still using the Hario hand grinder. It’s a bit uneven. I get sort of flaky bits in the coffee:

 

 

It’s still decent but think it could be better. 36g of coffee / 600ml water.

That looks like a terrible grind, like its been roughly chopped with a blunt knife.

Have a look at: 

 

[HarryBizzle]

That doesn’t look good at all. The bits on top look huge. How old is your grinder? There’s a video by Chris Baca, where his V60 looks similar by the end of his pourover, and his burrs were knackered. Under the curst it looks ok, though. It’s just the boulders float to the top.

 

 

[Spoonman]

19 hours ago, Monkeyspill said:

I’m still using the Hario hand grinder. It’s a bit uneven. I get sort of flaky bits in the coffee:

 

 

It’s still decent but think it could be better. 36g of coffee / 600ml water.

 

Christ. Is that coffee or insulation/packing material?

[ZOK]

On 06/07/2020 at 20:55, Laine said:

Ah thanks for the offer but I started to panic and just went with the Hario!

No problem - I wasn’t offering to sell you my one, by the way! I think I’d worded it confusingly, they are a tenner on amazon. 

[Monkeyspill]

8 hours ago, StumpyJohn said:

That looks like a terrible grind, like its been roughly chopped with a blunt knife.

Have a look at: 

 

It’s not as bad as it looks. All the “fluffy” bits floated to the top while brewing. It also didn’t help that I ground it quickly as I was trying to get the coffee ready before my class started. You have to grind pretty slowly with the Hario or it doesn’t grind very well. But the grinder is definitely knackered. We actually have another one (same type) that I should swap round but it’s a real pain in the arse to set the right coarseness.

 

My wife is now insisting we get a £200 electric grinder (I’m not sure what type) in any case. It makes sense as we’re using decent Square Mile beans (we get them at wholesale prices so they’re not massively expensive) and it’s a shame to waste them on a crappy grind.

[Monkeyspill]

8 hours ago, sharak said:

 

Christ. Is that coffee or insulation/packing material?

Those flaky bits aren’t throughout the grind - they float to the top. The grinder is knackered definitely but it might also be the roast of the coffee, which is fairly light. If I ground a really dark roast I’m pretty sure it would be more even.

[HarryBizzle]

Check out the Wilfa Svart grinder (unless you need a grinder that does espresso). You can get it for under £100. 
 

Yet another Hoffmann review:

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Monkeyspill]

34 minutes ago, HarryBizzle said:

Check out the Wilfa Svart grinder (unless you need a grinder that does espresso). You can get it for under £100. 
 

Yet another Hoffmann review:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

I’ll show it to my wife but I think she’s got her heart set on the £200 one her friend has got - she’s been on courses with Hoffmann teaching I think.

I honestly think the Wilfa would be enough as we’re unlikely to be making espresso. Just V60 and maybe Aeropress. We’ve got a few  Moka pots but I haven’t used them in years.

[Monkeyspill]

Is this a decent grinder?

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wilfa-WSCG-2-coffee-Freestanding-Stainless/dp/B016TKEJ38/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=wilfa+svart+grinder&qid=1594495066&sprefix=wilfa+s&sr=8-1

 

My wife wants to spend £200 on another hand grinder - but I think electric is the way to go.

[HarryBizzle]

14 hours ago, Monkeyspill said:

Is this a decent grinder?

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wilfa-WSCG-2-coffee-Freestanding-Stainless/dp/B016TKEJ38/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=wilfa+svart+grinder&qid=1594495066&sprefix=wilfa+s&sr=8-1

 

My wife wants to spend £200 on another hand grinder - but I think electric is the way to go.

 

That’s the same one in the Hoffman video I posted above - he used it for 4 months at home and was pretty happy with it, bar a few issues like static in the bin. It’s also stocked by Square Mile. They also do the Wilfa Uniform, which cowfields mentioned on the last page, and there’s a Hoffmann youtube review of that as well.

 

Don’t buy it from Amazon - you can get it for <£100 from various coffee roasters and support them while saving money. A lot of them chuck in a free bag of coffee, too.

 

£90 in silver at Workshop Coffee - https://workshopcoffee.com/collections/hardware?filter=Grinders

 

For a while the Wilfa was shipping with EU style 2-pin power plugs but I think that’s been fixed. At least according to the description: Pre-fitted with a BSI approved, 5A Euro to UK plug converter, the Wilfa Grinder is ready to improve your home-brewed coffee straight out of the box.

 

Personally, I think hand grinders are a lot of faff for not much benefit unless you’re travelling all the time or want a very cheap one (i.e. can’t stretch to the Wilfa).

[Monkeyspill]

4 minutes ago, HarryBizzle said:

 

That’s the same one in the Hoffman video I posted above - he used it for 4 months at home and was pretty happy with it, bar a few issues like static in the bin. It’s also stocked by Square Mile. They also do the Wilfa Uniform, which cowfields mentioned on the last page, and there’s a Hoffmann youtube review of that as well.

 

Don’t buy it from Amazon - you can get it for <£100 from various coffee roasters and support them while saving money.

 

£90 in silver at Workshop Coffee - https://workshopcoffee.com/collections/hardware?filter=Grinders

 

Personally, I think hand grinders are a lot of faff for not much benefit unless you’re travelling all the time or want a very cheap one (i.e. can’t stretch to the Wilfa).

 Yes - one of the reasons my wife wants a hand grinder is so we can take it on holiday. But we have a second unused Hario grinder which I think would be fine considering we will only be travelling a few times a year. I’m not sure what the £200 hand grinder she wants is but it seems silly if we can get a Wilfa for under £100.

[HarryBizzle]

2 hours ago, Monkeyspill said:

 Yes - one of the reasons my wife wants a hand grinder is so we can take it on holiday. But we have a second unused Hario grinder which I think would be fine considering we will only be travelling a few times a year. I’m not sure what the £200 hand grinder she wants is but it seems silly if we can get a Wilfa for under £100.

 

Yeah, I would go for either a cheap hand grinder or just take a bag or two of preground for holidays. My cheapo £10 handgrinder does the job when I travel, or I just grind some up and put it in a jar before I go if it’s only a short trip.

[cowfields]

For what it's worth I am really loving the Wilfa Uniform. It was a crazy amount of money to spend on a grinder, but for something that is part of my daily routine I am satisfied. The people at Square Mile were also delightful in getting it sent to me next day. 

 

What I like is that it's very easy to dial the grind up or down back to a specific amount, since I generally do filter in the morning, and an espresso for my elevensies, I'm constantly changing it. it doesn't take up a lot of space on my counter and the grind is really good. 

 

Since discovering a good espresso Aeropress technique I have enjoyed a milky flat-white style coffee* rather than just V60 but heating milk is a bit of a faff. Our microwave is packed away as we hardly ever use it and it took up too much space. So I just have a small pan and heat milk on a hob. While also trying to do the faff around the Aeropress, it's a bit annoying when all I want is a mere 60-70ml of warm milk. On top of that, there's no microfoam....so I'm thinking of getting a milk foamer.

 

This was mentioned: https://www.johnlewis.com/dualit-milk-frother-black/p231706525?sku=231706525&s_ppc=2dx92700053277443508&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=CjwKCAjwi_b3BRAGEiwAemPNUwazWvSvOYWHmnNFAaqCjoPnWb-CZLtILuM0PJ-99biNyH6flXZfdRoCINsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

But I'm not sure. I don't want big foamy cappuccino tops, that's silly. I just want that microfoam that just adds a little thickness / velvety texture you'd get with a proper steam wand. I don't want to spend too much money, or have yet another kitchen thing taking up space, so £50 seems about right. Anyone got any thoughts / advice? I could get one of those little mini whisks but I think more important to me is just a quick and clean way to heat a small amount of milk. 

 

* I tried Square Milk Red Brick and Sweet Shop. The Sweetshop has been disappointing iwth the technique. No matter how I do it Red Brick just gave so much more richness, flavour than Sweet shop. So I'm trying to bash through the Sweetshop so I can order another Red Brick!

[RadgyAdgy]

The £90 Wilfa is great for aeropress and v60. I only replaced mine for a Niche Zero grinder when i started making espresso at home. Stupid amount of money to spend on a grinder but I justify it by remembering the crazy amount I was spending in coffee shops before getting to the office each morning.

[museman123]

2 hours ago, RadgyAdgy said:

The £90 Wilfa is great for aeropress and v60. I only replaced mine for a Niche Zero grinder when i started making espresso at home. Stupid amount of money to spend on a grinder but I justify it by remembering the crazy amount I was spending in coffee shops before getting to the office each morning.

Was yours delivered on time?  Mines due for sept delivery..

[RadgyAdgy]

Yeah i got mine on time but I've had it quite a long time now. Fantastic bit of kit you're in for a treat.

[Gotters]

good coffee history article here, primarily about Nespresso pods but goes wider, love the bit about Gaggia having to call the foam 'creme' as it was originally thought of as scum.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/jul/14/nespresso-coffee-capsule-pods-branding-clooney-nestle-recycling-environment