SStones Senior Member Joined: 24 Nov 2012 Posts: 207 Location: Canada Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Giga 5, ECM Giotto, Rocket... Grinder: Anfim Milano-Best Vac Pot: No :( Drip: Some $30 thing from Walmart Roaster: I buy pre-roasted.
Posted Thu Feb 7, 2013, 5:25am Subject: Re: Helping out a newbie that is overwhelmed with choices
Sorry to throw in another 2 cents on the frozen beans topic but it should be pointed out... Let your frozen beans, whether in bag or jar or whatever, sit on the counter and rise up to room temperature before you break the seal. You won't get that whoosh of air rushing into the jar, but you don't want to. When the warm, humid air rushes in and around those frozen beans, water droplets condense on their surface, slightly moisten the beans, then evaporate away. This has the same effect as a couple days of exposure/aging. If the beans are at room temperature before the seal is opened, there won't be any condensation and aging will be at a normal rate.
ATLDiver Senior Member Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 18 Location: Atlanta, GA Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Thu Feb 7, 2013, 7:00am Subject: Re: Helping out a newbie that is overwhelmed with choices
My unit came with both a double and single shot pressurized filter plus a double-shot non-pressurized one. Per Gaggia's recommendations I used the double-shot pressurized filter, I'll use this for a few days until I get the hang of it.
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,698 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Thu Feb 7, 2013, 7:43am Subject: Re: Helping out a newbie that is overwhelmed with choices
SStones Said:
Sorry to throw in another 2 cents on the frozen beans topic but it should be pointed out... Let your frozen beans, whether in bag or jar or whatever, sit on the counter and rise up to room temperature before you break the seal.
couldn't agree more! In fact, I check my hoppers each night before going to bed, and then take a jar out of the freezer if needed, so it has the entire night to come to room temp.
SStones Said:
You won't get that whoosh of air rushing into the jar...
not my experience at all. In fact, I get a whoosh every time I open a jar...well, actually it's like a sharp pop with a burst-like puff.
I use Ball canning jars, 4oz, 8oz, and 16oz, I fill them to the max when my shipments arrive (typically two or three days post roast), put the lids on loosely and leave them on the counter for at least several hours (usually overnight), then crank the lids tight (sometimes hear a bean crack), and then put them in the freezer right away.
ATLDiver Senior Member Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 18 Location: Atlanta, GA Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Thu Feb 7, 2013, 7:49am Subject: Re: Helping out a newbie that is overwhelmed with choices
That's what I plan on doing, I have a Foodsavor with a mason-jar attachment so that would be easier. You mentioned your shipments arriving, I assume you're buying your beans online...if I may ask where and are they fresh?
For those of us who do not roast our own beans, I'd say the overwhelming majority of us buy online -- anecdotally, I'd say it's more than 90 percent of the (non-home roasting) regulars here.
No, Sean, we all go out and buy stale beans because they're so much better! ;^)
Sean, take a look at "the list" here. Every one 99% of these roasters will roast-and-ship the same day. (I'm giving myself a tiny bit of wiggle room just in case there's one on there that doesn't.) They roast-to-order.
We each have our favorites; mine is Red Bird in Montana. As I mentioned above, I generally order over the weekend, on Monday at the latest. My order gets roasted AND shipped on Tuesday, and it arrives at my front door on Thursday. (For more comments about Red Bird, look here.)
I'd call that fresh.
One minor note of caution: I won't order from roasters located east of the Mississippi River unless they ship via flat rate USPS Priority Mail. The longest the postal service takes to deliver is three days (Sundays not included). Both FexEx and UPS ground services will take five days coast-to-coast, not including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. In terms of actually calendar days, I've had shipments take as long as ten days, but the shipping company swears that 10=5 . . . go figure. Anyway, USPS will get my coffee from the roaster in, say, New York or Pennsylvania to my home in California in three days -- something to consider when ordering from roasters far away from Atlanta.
Again, I've never had a problem with Priority Mail getting my freshly roasted coffee beans delivered on time.
RichardCoffee Senior Member Joined: 2 Dec 2010 Posts: 96 Location: Long Beach Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: gaggia baby twin, mini... Grinder: fiorenzato pietro 63mm,... Roaster: weber grill with rk drum
Posted Thu Feb 7, 2013, 8:20am Subject: Re: Helping out a newbie that is overwhelmed with choices
I use my MDF grinder as a travel machine. Last time I used it, in early January, I was using the 4 setting for espresso. 6 is pretty high and might be right for a lighter roast, but, in my experience, it would be way too coarse - especially for darker and/or older beans.
D4F Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 1,191 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID Grinder: Preciso
Posted Thu Feb 7, 2013, 10:23am Subject: Re: Helping out a newbie that is overwhelmed with choices
ATLDiver Said:
Hopefully I'll steadily improve but so far I'm pleased with the results. One thing I have to work on is my steaming, that by far seems to be the biggest challenge. Thanks to all for the advice....
D4F Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 1,191 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID Grinder: Preciso
Posted Thu Feb 7, 2013, 10:26am Subject: Re: Helping out a newbie that is overwhelmed with choices
As others have suggested, ditch the pressurized pf. You will have to learn all over and the grinder and tamp will be totally different. Freshly roasted beans and the non-pressurized is easy to use. I did similar about 1 year ago.
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,698 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Thu Feb 7, 2013, 11:33am Subject: Re: Helping out a newbie that is overwhelmed with choices
I buy off the "list of favorites" on the home barista site. some I was buying before I ever saw that list, and others I found on that list. No matter though, there are so many good roasters on there, I will unlikely ever get through all of them. My main staples are Red Bird (Espresso and Blue Jaguar Espresso), and Klatch Roasting (WBC). They roast and ship on the same day and I get both through Priority Mail 2 (RB) or 3 (Klatch) days later, like clockwork.
Speaking of Klatch WBC...today I pulled myself the best double I've ever made at home with it. It was utterly amazing...in my mind, a God shot!
ATLDiver Senior Member Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 18 Location: Atlanta, GA Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Thu Feb 7, 2013, 12:31pm Subject: Re: Helping out a newbie that is overwhelmed with choices
Thanks for that 'list,' I found a couple places I plan on sampling from that's close. Also I found a local place highly rated nearby, (Land of a Thousand Hills,) I'll swing by this weekend and try.
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