Roasting coffee while looking at threads


 
GrantT said:
Hehe....funny you bring this up as I also have a J Max too. I will say that the manual operation does get old after a while, depending on how many shots you do daily. I like it, but found it a little fussy - what I mean is that when grinding, I would get slightly different results depending on how I hold the grinder - either vertically, or at an angle. It does have a large diameter chamber so maintaining a good grip can be challenging unless you have large paws. I also purchased a J-MAX for my son as a gift (he is in Toronto) as he was getting into coffee and wanted to try something on a budget as well. He likes it, but does still want an electric...

Grinding with the grinder at an angle makes it physically easier (as I think fewer beans are entering the burrs) but I also seem to get a less consistent grind. Because I like very light roasted beans (which tend to be harder) the grinding can be a little tough. Darker roasts grinder easier so you might want to take that into account.

TBH, I have not used my J-MAX in some time as I find I actually get just as good (if not better) results with my "cheapo" Shardor grinder that I purchased on Amazon. I originally purchased it for doing drip coffee. This grinder came up in other threads with @LMichaels and was discussed there too. I am actually pretty happy with the Shardor, though it is a conical, for espresso as well. Our main grinder is a Macap flat burr which I have had for 10+ years...it will last forever which is the payback for getting into the "commercial" grade grinders. It does not do well for retention or single dosing though so the workflow is not great. i.e. you get what you pay for. But, when I want a decaf or shot of something different, I use the Shardor.

This was the Shardor....I (which I never do) purchased the 2 year Amazon warranty as I was highly doubtful this thing would last...but still going strong, static-free, and easy to change between drip and espresso.


Based on my very positive experience with that one, I remaining highly tempted to get this one for increased number of grind settings, but I am not sure if there is still enough in the "espresso" range to make any difference vs the cheaper grinder.


Sorry, probably just added more conflict in a decision...I would suggest make sure you have a good return policy in case you are not happy? Manual grinders seem to be a love/hate thing in the end.
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Grant,
I purchased the KINGrinder K4 and it arrived yesterday. I am really happy with the purchase. Played with it last night and again tonight and have it pretty dialed in. I just finished by making two double shots that were right within the "new guy" desired matrix, 18 grams in, just under 30 seconds, 32 grams out, right between 9 and 10 bars for most the shot. After dumping out a a few attempts last night and tonight, I am drinking those last two attempts as a quad shot iced shaken espresso and I am really really happy with the results. It is night and day from what my capresso can do. The espresso is so creamy and smooth.

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At it again. Roasting monsooned Malabar, much bigger and less dense beans than others I’ve tried.
 

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Great update, thanks. Great news on the grinder for sure - it sure is crazy how much difference a quality grind does for espresso. The grinder will likely get more consistent and improve as the burrs break in a bit after a few KG too...

That roast on the Malabar looks amazing!! Wish I was a couple thousand miles closer so you could send me some!! ;->
 
So a neighbor/bread customer asked me today if I like espresso.....of course, I said yes! :) She has had this machine sitting around and asked me if I wanted it. $50 later, I have a Livia 90-S!

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Of course, I had to give it a go..... After letting it heat up, I put 14g of coffee in the basket (used my Lido), tamped it, inserted the portafilter in the machine and turned on the pump! Bingo, bango.....espresso!!!

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....and it's good! It's not blow you away good, which I didn't expect from my Major Dickason, and an initial attempt on the grind/dose, but there's no sourness, good crema, good flavor, and not bitter! When I have a bit of time, I'll work on dialing in the grind/dose/tamp, and time out some shots to see what we can come up with. Then it's on to frothing some milk!

I'm super excited! The only other "real" espresso machine I've ever had is a La Pavoni Europiccola Lever that was a bear to use.

Woo hoo!

R
 
Push to brew Livia 90s will last forever if you shut them off when not brewing, only about 4 years if you leave them on all the time.
I made mine six years ago from a couple I got from a guy who bought them new, turned them on, and replaced them when they stopped working.
He said he got about 4 years on each. 😇
 
HankBates said:
Push to brew Livia 90s will last forever if you shut them off when not brewing, only about 4 years if you leave them on all the time.
I made mine six years ago from a couple I got from a guy who bought them new, turned them on, and replaced them when they stopped working.
He said he got about 4 years on each. 😇
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Since I'm the only coffee drinker in the house (unless my middle daughter is home), I will only turn the machine on if I intend to brew, otherwise, it will be off. I will be ordering a blind disc to backflush the machine (as is recommended after use, and for periodic cleaning), and will also likely pull the shower screen to clean and inspect. I have no idea of the age of the machine, though I have sent the serial number to Pasquini to see if they can help. I gather that these were produced from 1990-2010 (ish), and my serial number is 33xxx.

I played around with my grind and tamp this afternoon, and my third shot (14g) gave me about 55g at 22 seconds, and I may have shut it down too early. Nice cream, great flavor, and nothing off about the shot (sour or bitter), so I'm pretty pleased at this point. At $50 invested, it's pretty hard to find anything to complain about! :)

R
 
Livia 90s and Genesis 1000s both suffer from a similar problem, their drip pans are both nla, and in the case of the Livias they are plastic and easily broken.
But in both cases they have proven to have a useful life well beyond that anticipated when they were manufactured 😊
 
Got two more 8oz batches roasted up today - Chirripo Finca Jose (CR) and Aurelio del Cerro (GUA). Roasted both to Full City, to be used for espresso and in my Moccamaster. Also spent some time dialing in my new grinder, and enjoyed this evening's after dinner caffeine booster (Angtigua Pavon Farm, GUA -- Roasted on the 20th.) Good stuff! :) (Don't mind the messy cup, was using my bottomless portafiler so I could monitor things during the shot, and it tends to splatter a bit!) :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

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Very nice looking shot.

If you really want to keep your grouphead clean (and improve your shots too!) pick up one of these to place on your coffee grinds after you tamp, but before you pull the shot. Helps disperse the water better from the grouphead to the grinds, and prevents the coffee from kicking back up into the grouphead. Makes a great add-on...

coffeechronicler.com

What is a Puck Screen? And Should You Use one? | The Coffee Chronicler

Unlock the secret to better espresso shots and cleaner groupheads with this popular little gadget.
coffeechronicler.com coffeechronicler.com
 
GrantT said:
Very nice looking shot.

If you really want to keep your grouphead clean (and improve your shots too!) pick up one of these to place on your coffee grinds after you tamp, but before you pull the shot. Helps disperse the water better from the grouphead to the grinds, and prevents the coffee from kicking back up into the grouphead. Makes a great add-on...

coffeechronicler.com

What is a Puck Screen? And Should You Use one? | The Coffee Chronicler

Unlock the secret to better espresso shots and cleaner groupheads with this popular little gadget.
coffeechronicler.com coffeechronicler.com
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I've seen those, but haven't picked one up yet. Thanks, Grant!

R
 
Rich G said:
Got two more 8oz batches roasted up today - Chirripo Finca Jose (CR) and Aurelio del Cerro (GUA). Roasted both to Full City, to be used for espresso and in my Moccamaster. Also spent some time dialing in my new grinder, and enjoyed this evening's after dinner caffeine booster (Angtigua Pavon Farm, GUA -- Roasted on the 20th.) Good stuff! :) (Don't mind the messy cup, was using my bottomless portafiler so I could monitor things during the shot, and it tends to splatter a bit!) :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

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What new grinder??
 
Was away from home for a bit, and discovered when I made coffee this am, that I only have about a week's supply left!! Set up my Behmor, and got a pound each of GUA Aurelio del Cerro and CR Chirripo Finca Jose roasted up (4x half pound batches.) I went a bit darker on the Costa Rican beans (second pic) just to see how that affects the flavors in my cup. Those will primarily be destined for the Moccamaster, while the Guatemalans will be used for espresso. A good way to kill some time while recovering from an eventful New Year's.....

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These should be ready right about when my rurrent stash runs out! :)

Rich
 
Rich G said:
Was away from home for a bit, and discovered when I made coffee this am, that I only have about a week's supply left!! Set up my Behmor, and got a pound each of GUA Aurelio del Cerro and CR Chirripo Finca Jose roasted up (4x half pound batches.) I went a bit darker on the Costa Rican beans (second pic) just to see how that affects the flavors in my cup. Those will primarily be destined for the Moccamaster, while the Guatemalans will be used for espresso. A good way to kill some time while recovering from an eventful New Year's.....

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These should be ready right about when my rurrent stash runs out! :)

Rich
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The CR beans look awesome. The GUA look somewhat familiar...can't remember which beans I had that they resemble but I think it was that small bag of Hair Bender from Stumptown Roasters that my son gave me.
 
Jay D in Jersey said:
The CR beans look awesome. The GUA look somewhat familiar...can't remember which beans I had that they resemble but I think it was that small bag of Hair Bender from Stumptown Roasters that my son gave me.
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Yeah, the CR's were just into 2nd crack when I removed them to cool, they should get slightly oily over the next four days. I find I like a slightly lighter roast on the Guatemalan beans, and I was playing with a different roasting profile. In a few days, we'll see if I messed them up or not! :)

Rich
 
So just wondering since this seems to be the place where people know a lot about beans. (coffee beans LOL). I recall reading somewhere but can't remember where. Do darker roasts benefit from a higher or lower brew temperature? Likewise what about roasts still on the dark side but more "medium"?
 
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