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I'm right with you guys. I got way into it sometime back and got a Quickmill Anita espresso machine, Mazzer mini grinder. Now I also have a Behmor roaster and a Bunn VPR airpot machine. I get lazy on the roasting sometimes and just buy some good coffee somewhere. A good local place in the KC area is Broadway Roasting Co. but I like Metropolis and others as well.
 
Do yourself a favor... Technivorm Mochamaster. Best 300 bucks you will ever spend on coffee.
 
Made some coffee in the press this weekend. Made the Cafe du monde. Wasn't a huge fan of that. However with ice and sweetened condensed milk. Holy mother it's good. I brought the press to work with me with some Sumatran coffee. Made it too weak this morning though. I have to get the scoops down.
 
Made some coffee in the press this weekend. Made the Cafe du monde. Wasn't a huge fan of that. However with ice and sweetened condensed milk. Holy mother it's good. I brought the press to work with me with some Sumatran coffee. Made it too weak this morning though. I have to get the scoops down.

I use 6 scoops for a full press, FWIW.
 
Made some coffee in the press this weekend. Made the Cafe du monde. Wasn't a huge fan of that. However with ice and sweetened condensed milk. Holy mother it's good. I brought the press to work with me with some Sumatran coffee. Made it too weak this morning though. I have to get the scoops down.

Yeah that coffee need the condensed milk the chicory is way too bitter on it's own.
 
:eek: You must race around like you did an 8 ball!! I drink about three 16oz cups a day. Could probably drink more if I would sleep at night. I cut it off at 3ish.

Not at all. I'm used to it. I stop at 6pm to be in bed by 10.

I love iced Vietnamese style, with Café Du Monde Coffee & Chicory with condensed milk. It will wake you up!

That it will. I go through phases in the summer where I exclusively drink Vietnamese coffee. Cafe Bustelo works well with this method. I like Du Monde in a press, but for Vietnamese the chicory is lost.

I just used a heavy cast iron pan and the shake technique. Unfortunately, I am at the other side of the spectrum from coffee snob. I will drink anything, just so long as it is coffee and it is hot.

I will too. Above all I' am addicted to caffeine. I prefer quality, but I will drink day old drip cold if I have to.

I have a Gaggia Classic with grinder.

http://www.wholelattelove.com/Gaggia/classic.cfm

One of the best machines I've ever used.
 
I like straight espresso. I drink it all day every day. Last count was 12 shots a day. I'm starting to slow down though. I'm on 8 so far for the day.

do you have an espresso machine, TxBrew?


edit: just saw that you have a Gaggia Classic. Cool!

I roast my own beans and brew a lot of espresso at home too.



image-1025808120.jpg
 
I got a B&D burr grinder for about $40...not sure if it's robbing me of anything, seems to work just like a burr grinder should, by chipping the beans down to small enough particles to fall into the container...sorta like a Corona Mill.

I'd recommend getting a burr grinder. You'll see a big difference compared to other types of grinders. I forget the name of the one I use but it's around $60 and made a big difference in my brews. I also do the french press. Do some googling on burr coffee grinders and you'll get a lot of info.
 
I'd recommend getting a burr grinder. You'll see a big difference compared to other types of grinders. I forget the name of the one I use but it's around $60 and made a big difference in my brews. I also do the french press. Do some googling on burr coffee grinders and you'll get a lot of info.

(re-read my post...I DO have a burr grinder...just a cheap B&D model, though) :mug:
 
I roast with a Behmor 1600, grind with a Rancilio Rocky and put espresso in cups with a Rancilio Sylvia. It's a dependably good combination. We get green beans in large quantities as they improve with age (for the first year as reports would have it).
 
I roast with a Behmor 1600, grind with a Rancilio Rocky and put espresso in cups with a Rancilio Sylvia. It's a dependably good combination. We get green beans in large quantities as they improve with age (for the first year as reports would have it).

Huh, that is exactly opposite of my understanding on green beans. I have always heard that the fresher the better. But, with good packaging and freezer storage they have a respectably shelf life.
 
Huh, that is exactly opposite of my understanding on green beans. I have always heard that the fresher the better. But, with good packaging and freezer storage they have a respectably shelf life.

I've read mixed reviews on whether they should be allowed to sit, or fresher the better.

I'm still of the mind that fresher is better.
 
I've read mixed reviews on whether they should be allowed to sit, or fresher the better.

I'm still of the mind that fresher is better.

This is what I have gone off of so far, from Sweet Maria's:
Q: How long does unroasted coffee last for?
A: The flavor of unroasted coffee is fairly stable when stored in a cool, dry place. Green coffee will not have a drop in cup quality from about 6 months up to 1 year from arrival date (every coffee we sell has an arrival date in the review).

It doesn't really impact me though, I tend to buy all my green beans in either 2-5 lb quantities so I go through them well before 6 months. Probably good, if I bought in bulk and had to vacuum pack and freeze my hops would be none too happy to try sharing space :)
 
In general, fresher is better, but the time between roasting and tasting is much more critical than the time that the green beans sit.

Coffee that was harvested last year and roasted two days ago (assuming good handling and storage) will almost always taste better than coffee that was roasted six weeks ago from this year's harvest.
 
In general, fresher is better, but the time between roasting and tasting is much more critical than the time that the green beans sit.

Coffee that was harvested last year and roasted two days ago (assuming good handling and storage) will almost always taste better than coffee that was roasted six weeks ago from this year's harvest.

Can't argue with that. I don't think I drink coffee more than a week old anymore. Tasting the difference from day to day as it progresses is one of my favorite aspects of roasting. I think I like days 2-3 the best on most coffees.
 
"Green beans store the best in cooled airtight containers, and can easily last in this state for a year without losing flavor" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_bean_storage.

If they are only harvested once a year and then shipped around the world they will be more than a year old by times. I don't notice a taste difference according to the season, nor do I know what year the beans were grown (but I doubt they are thrown out when new ones arrive) so I go for the savings on shipping. I have been doing it for years so am uncertain where I got the idea the flavour become more intense with shrinkage. On the other hand the difference in roasted beans is noticeable after about five days.

Edit
Here is one reference although hardly pertinent to my situation: "It is a little known fact that certain types of coffee beans improve with age. This is because the aging process produces a less acidic taste with a more well-balanced flavor. For the most part, the aging process for coffee beans last between 2 and 3 years. However, there are several specialty coffee stores that offer unroasted coffee beans that have been aged for a longer period. One example is the famed Toko Aroma, which is located in Bandung, Indonesia, who age their unroasted beans up to 8 years." - http://www.ringsurf.com/online/2091-aging.html
 
Loving the French Press. I have some good Sumatran coffee I'm drinking. It's so smooth I'm not even putting milk in it.
 
"That green coffee improves with age, is a tenet generally accepted by the trade. Shipments long in transit, subjected to the effects of tropical heat under closely battened hatches in poorly ventilated holds, have developed into much-prized yellow matured coffee. Were it not for the large capital required and the attendant prohibitive carrying charges, many roasters would permit their coffees to age more thoroughly before roasting. In fact, some roasters do indulge this desire in regard to a portion of their stock. " - http://www.web-books.com/Classics/ON/B0/B701/22MB701.html

From the online book: http://www.web-books.com/Classics/ON/B0/B701/01MB701.html
 
Can you fellow roasters help me decide what to order at SweetMarias? I'm up for another order of green beans for drip/French press and an espresso. I love Ethiopian coffee but sometimes get Guatemalan and others. I can't decide! They have a lot of Ethiopan choices at the moment. Hmmm
 
Can you fellow roasters help me decide what to order at SweetMarias? I'm up for another order of green beans for drip/French press and an espresso. I love Ethiopian coffee but sometimes get Guatemalan and others. I can't decide! They have a lot of Ethiopan choices at the moment. Hmmm

A blend of
Peru Organic Fair Trade HB MCM
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Organic Fair Trade
Nicaragua Fair Trade Organic SHG, EP
is working nicely here.

It works for both my wife and I. There have been no complaints from others.
 
"Green beans store the best in cooled airtight containers, and can easily last in this state for a year without losing flavor" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_bean_storage.

If they are only harvested once a year and then shipped around the world they will be more than a year old by times. I don't notice a taste difference according to the season, nor do I know what year the beans were grown (but I doubt they are thrown out when new ones arrive) so I go for the savings on shipping. I have been doing it for years so am uncertain where I got the idea the flavour become more intense with shrinkage. On the other hand the difference in roasted beans is noticeable after about five days.

Edit
Here is one reference although hardly pertinent to my situation: "It is a little known fact that certain types of coffee beans improve with age. This is because the aging process produces a less acidic taste with a more well-balanced flavor. For the most part, the aging process for coffee beans last between 2 and 3 years. However, there are several specialty coffee stores that offer unroasted coffee beans that have been aged for a longer period. One example is the famed Toko Aroma, which is located in Bandung, Indonesia, who age their unroasted beans up to 8 years." - http://www.ringsurf.com/online/2091-aging.html

Not saying you are wrong, I have just always gone off the recommendation of Sweet Maria's as I don't have the energy to really get into coffee knowledge and the guy seems to know his stuff. One of the reasons I really like Sweet Maria's is because he is always importing fresh crops from around the world so it is unlikely you will end up with coffee that has been sitting for a year...unlike a LHBS that dabbles in roasting, you just don't know what you will get from their generically labeled "Ethiopian" coffee.

Interesting about the aging article...first time I have seen something really discuss aging in any form, makes me wonder what the process is.
 
A blend of
Peru Organic Fair Trade HB MCM
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Organic Fair Trade
Nicaragua Fair Trade Organic SHG, EP
is working nicely here.

It works for both my wife and I. There have been no complaints from others.

Thanks for the suggestion!


I ended up getting their Ethiopian Dry Process Saris Abaya and their Espresso workshop blend #24- El Competidor. I'm looking forward to trying them out.
 
Thanks for the suggestion!


I ended up getting their Ethiopian Dry Process Saris Abaya and their Espresso workshop blend #24- El Competidor. I'm looking forward to trying them out.

I'll be honest, in 2 years of roasting my own, I still very rarely blend...part because I haven't taken the time to get good at it and part because I enjoy learning the character of different regions. Of course, every now and then I will get one that isn't the best and attempt to blend it, like the Ethiopia FTO Dry Process Worka Sakaro...when they say "intense dry fruit" what they really meant was "intense browning banana aroma and flavor from green to the darkest roast that dominates all other flavors and one must blend this or love old bananas to enjoy this coffee."
 
I'll be honest, in 2 years of roasting my own, I still very rarely blend...part because I haven't taken the time to get good at it and part because I enjoy learning the character of different regions. Of course, every now and then I will get one that isn't the best and attempt to blend it, like the Ethiopia FTO Dry Process Worka Sakaro...when they say "intense dry fruit" what they really meant was "intense browning banana aroma and flavor from green to the darkest roast that dominates all other flavors and one must blend this or love old bananas to enjoy this coffee."

Yeah, I'm the same and have also been roasting about the same amount of time. I almost got the Sakaro too. I'll update on the Saris Abaya. I hope I like it, but if I don't I'll still have the espresso blend for now and can order something else later. I've had some great Ethiopians from SM's but I often only get the roast right on one batch and find myself chasing a good roast the rest of the time. At least they're usually all still decent.
 
I drink straight espresso, and occasionally have French press. My espresso maker is a Presso (which is really a fantastic piece of engineering -- well designed, environmentally friendly, and best of all, cheap) and I roast my own coffee. The hot air popcorn method works wonders for roasting coffee.
 
Roasting coffee beans is approximately one million times easier than making beer and as such, has about the highest reward to effort ratio of any DIY food activity. I use a heat gun, too, although I use a bread machine with the lid removed to stir. Hot air popcorn popper is great if you want to get started for cheap to little $. I've heard stove top has mixed results.
 
I used to drink exclusively home roasted Sweet Maria's either Monkey Blend for espresso or whatever Guatemalan coffee looked good at the time with the occasional Sumatran or Salvadoran thrown in for fun. That was until I found a roaster in St. Louis that was consistent. More important, they were consistently GOOD. (Mississippi Mud if you're curious)

While I LOVE my coffee and I REALLY love good coffee... I couldn't justify the amount of work I had to put into home roast when I could purchase a pound at the grocery store. It was really a matter of volume. If I could roast a month's worth of coffee in one batch (consistently) I may change my tune.

Spending an afternoon brewing 10 gallons of beer will keep the fridge full for a while. Spending an hour or two roasting coffee on the back deck will keep me drinking coffee for a week or less.
 
I usually use an Aero Press to make a strong espresso-ish coffee. I used to drink French press in college, but then my ex and I broke up, and she took her press with her (at least I got to keep the pizza stone!). No matter the coffee I almost always drink it black. Sometimes I put a tiny pinch of salt in it, to cut the bitter (mostly when I use too hot of water and burn the coffee). Or a splash of creme de cocoa, giving it a choc. flavor without the sweetness.
 
Can you fellow roasters help me decide what to order at SweetMarias? I'm up for another order of green beans for drip/French press and an espresso. I love Ethiopian coffee but sometimes get Guatemalan and others. I can't decide! They have a lot of Ethiopan choices at the moment. Hmmm

There are a couple that I like and tend to order (but don't come to mind right now), but no matter what, when I place an order, I get a sampler pack (eight one-pound bags). This gives me the opportunity to try random stuff to see if I like it.

Of course, the last time, I ordered five pounds of something, and wouldn't you know it-- they included one of the same thing as one of the eight selections. Doh!!!
 
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