Posted Fri May 6, 2005, 6:05pm Subject: Re: SCAA 2005 Show Floor: Consumer Stuff!, Road Reports
Mark - Thanks for the photos and coverage of the consumer elements, no matter how trifling the consumer portion was. I would think the pro-sumer LM would go a long way toward making up for some of your other dissapointments. I know I'm chomping at the bit to get my hands on one, so I was glad to see your follow up and additional photos.
Your photos of the LM in the original "Day 2" coverage whet my appetite so much that I immediately fired off an email to their US office to get the details (where, when, how). I received an email back from "The Man" himself Bill Crossland. His reply was gratious and enthusiastic, and made me all the more encouraged to start saving the money I'll need to buy one of these beauties (Versalab....you may want to take notes).
I may send them another email about this, but do you know if the final machine will have a hot water tap?
I'm sure that there's at least one place doing reasonable coffee in Charlotte. And if not, it'd be fun to pick a cafe and do the 'geek equivalent of those home makeover shows..
Absolutely! In fact, I think the prototype (pictured) is getting a retrofit soon to change the position of the steam pipe / knob, and add a hot water tap. I wrote this in the LM thread:
MarkPrince Said:
There's also a lot of usability built into this machine. It's built so that servicing is going to be easy. While the preproduction model didn't show it, the shipping models will have a wand and hot water system that no other consumer machine can touch (for eg, the water wand is fed from a mix of a neutral (reservoir) water source and the steam boiler for a fairly precise, no sputtering water delivery for americanos, teas or cup cleaning.
I forgot to mention something. The hot water will be button-activated, and can be programmed to a predetermined volume (ie, press the button, and it will pour out however many mls you programmed in... press it again before you reach that ml amount, and it will stop).
wang Senior Member Joined: 27 Nov 2004 Posts: 42 Location: Dublin, Ireland Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Rancilio Nancy Grinder: Rocky, Maestro Drip: Bodum Columbia Roaster: Black & Decker Heatgun
Posted Sat May 7, 2005, 10:15am Subject: Re: SCAA 2005 Show Floor: Consumer Stuff!, Road Reports
Is it just me or is the picture you snapped up for the 'old' plastic encased burrset from solis different to the original burrset? It used to be a curved five pointed star instead of a straight six pointed star. Looks like the Innova/Lux set with a solis frame. Did they change the specs for the normal Maestro or was it just an inconsistent example?
darrylr Senior Member Joined: 3 Apr 2005 Posts: 253 Location: Washington Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Sat May 7, 2005, 11:31pm Subject: Re: SCAA 2005 Show Floor: Consumer Stuff!, Road Reports
Hi Mark, thanks for the writeup. A correction on one of the items--the pod brewer you identified as a Grimac is actually a Grindmaster, and it's designed for coffee pods (Senseo style, 62mm) not ESE pods. They do promote it as being compatible with different kinds of pods but I'm pretty sure they mean coffee style pods, not espresso pods. I looked at the machine and its pod holder and really I don't think anything other than a 62mm coffee pod would work. It might work with Melitta-style coffee pods which are around 52mm or so but I suspect it wouldn't get a good extraction--too much bare metal around the smaller pod. Strange that they didn't simply supply the machine with different sized pod holders.
mdreuben Senior Member Joined: 20 Oct 2002 Posts: 188 Location: Cleveland Expertise: Professional
Espresso: La Spazialle VII, Electra... Grinder: Mahlkonig K 30 ES Vac Pot: Yama Drip: Say No To Drip! Use the Eva... Roaster: Sonofresco, Gene Cafe,...
Posted Sun May 8, 2005, 3:22pm Subject: Re: SCAA 2005 Show Floor: Consumer Stuff!, Road Reports
So realistically, when can we expect to see the new LM consumer machine? I have to figure out how much to start saving each month!
Posted Thu May 12, 2005, 11:05am Subject: Re: SCAA 2005 Show Floor: Consumer Stuff!, Road Reports
Mark knows how to communicate his passion for anything espresso related. His interest strikes a corresponding chord of interest in me. Are neophytes welcome at SCAA?
I learn just by noting his pros and cons.
My only question: What company makes the super auto he likes? I can't get the picture to enlarge.
Posted Sun May 15, 2005, 8:06am Subject: Re: SCAA 2005 Show Floor: Consumer Stuff!, Road Reports
<Coffee Roadshow with full-blown tractor trailer, carts and setups so that a crew can travel across the country to malls, venues and festivals preaching the good word about coffee and letting the consumer taste, up-close, what "specialty coffee" is all about.
Though I'd love to visit the SCAA show and see the barista competition in all its glory, the above is more what I'm looking for.
I want a learning experience, with an opportunity to interact with a pro barista. I want to hone my shot and frothing techniques, experience a cupping so I can self-judge my shots, and take a one on one latte art workshop.
Are there any such opportunities in the Chattanoonga, TN. or Atlanta area coming up?
The Starbucks folks are friendly and helpful, but I'm not convinced they have the vocabulary or expertise I'm looking for. I seem to know more about what should be when it comes to espresso based drinks, and that's only what I've read here on Coffee Geek and Whole Latte Love.
Some of the friendly, but clueless responses: "Oh, what do you mean - 30 lbs. of pressure?" "I don't know - what IS latte art?" "Superfoam?"
It's very frustrating knowing the chasms of what I don't know about espresso and not having anyone nearby to learn from.
Are any of you attending the SCAA Southeast Regional Barista Guild Jam in Greensboror, NC? Would that be what I'm looking for?
Posted Thu May 19, 2005, 5:11pm Subject: Re: SCAA 2005 Show Floor: Consumer Stuff!, Road Reports
Mark, thanks for the photo essay. Any info on the price & anticipated release date for the LM Consumer? Is this machine a refinement of the "prototype" single head LM home unit you had/have?
Noel Mano dell 'operatore> Macinadosatore> Miscela> Macchina espresso
Posted Wed May 25, 2005, 2:09pm Subject: When when when???
... and how much ???
If anyone has ball park figures for each question, I'd appreciate it. Not that I can blow what I assume is a ton of $ any time soon, it's always nice to dream.
Hell, I *should* be happy with my solid hx Expobar Lever and I certainly don't deserve a sweeter machine until I can work more consistent magic on this one. Anyway...the LM looks really nice.
Symbols: = New Posts since your last visit = No New Posts since last visit = Newest post
Forum Rules: No profanity, illegal acts or personal attacks will be tolerated in these discussion boards. No commercial posting of any nature will be tolerated; only private sales by private individuals, in the "Buy and Sell" forum. No cross posting allowed - do not post your topic to more than one forum, nor repost a topic to the same forum. Who Can Read The Forum? Anyone can read posts in these discussion boards. Who Can Post New Topics? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post new topics. Who Can Post Replies? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post replies. Can Photos be posted? Anyone can post photos in their new topics or replies. Who can change or delete posts? Any CoffeeGeek member can edit their own posts. Only moderators can delete posts. Probationary Period: If you are a new signup for CoffeeGeek, you cannot promote, endorse, criticise or otherwise post an unsolicited endorsement for any company, product or service in your first five postings.
= No New Posts since last visit 