Worldman Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,791 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Expobar Office Control Grinder: Cimbali 6/S
Posted Mon Apr 25, 2005, 10:35am Subject: Re: The espresso scene in Sweden (1 Geek's view)
ahhhhh...I am reminded of the finale of Puccini's opera: Tosca, when Tosca jumps to her death, I believe that it is Scarpia who is shouting a woeful: ''Tosscaaa...Tosscaaa...Tossssscaaaaaaaaa''.
So, too, I wanted to shout ''Sossstaaa...Sossstaaa'' - but not woefully.
I walked to Sosta on Jakobsbergsgatan this afternoon (about a 20' walk form my hotel). Here they have a 3GH Wega machine and a very large Inova grinder. It was lunch time and the place was pretty full. I started with a single espresso and it was pretty nice, perhaps better than Cafe Elini - but not by much. The beans are real lightly roasted. Like seemingly everyone else in Sweden, they are bought in 2kg bags; these particular ones from Italy. Hence, the beans can not be too fresh.
[Note to self: look into investing in a coffee roaster in Stockholm. With all of the coffee bars, a simple $100k investment will yield a R.O.I. in a couple of weeks!]
The espresso was followed by a cappaccino and it was a little dissappointing! How is this possible? First, the latte art was not nearly as good as that at Caffelini and not even close to that which JonR10 makes, let alone some of you others who have been doing it longer. The milk was BEAUTIFUL micro-foam, though and most certainly NOT dissappointing. The second thing about the cap was that the coffee flavor did not cut through the milk and the resultant drink was a little weak - not too weak, just a little less ''gusto'' than I want.
After lunch at the Panini place next door, I returned for another cap. The latte art was a bit better but still not up to Elini's. The milk was the same beautiful texture. The flavor was the same slightly weak.
On my way back to thte hotel, I stopped at another coffee bar called ''John Chris Coffee''. They were using a 3GH Faema machine and had 3 grinders with different blends therein; one of them called ''Len Espresso''. It was explained to me that this was a milder coffee good for espresso. Feeling that the name of the blend was prescient, I asked for a single espresso. The result was a slighly overly big shot of about 2.25 oz. It had some crema but that was too thin and blond. The taste was OK, though.
So far, in Sweden, I would rate Sosta and Caffelini at the top.
Worldman Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,791 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Expobar Office Control Grinder: Cimbali 6/S
Posted Mon Apr 25, 2005, 1:38pm Subject: Re: The espresso scene in Sweden (1 Geek's view)
Dinner tonight was at an Italian restaurant called: Ridorhustorgetts Cafe on Storeyrkodbinken. After dinner espresso was a single. Real nice! they have a 2 GH San Reno machine and an Inova<grinder. Again, the beans are imported form Italy.
Worldman Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,791 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Expobar Office Control Grinder: Cimbali 6/S
Posted Tue Apr 26, 2005, 8:58am Subject: Re: The espresso scene in Sweden (1 Geek's view)
Still, I delay in Stockholm yet another day. Well, this means there is an opportunity for more Swedish espresso.
I am really starting to have an appreciation for the Swedish espresso scene. There are shops all over the place especially here in Stockholm. I have not yet fond one shop, though who buys beans roasted in Sweden; all are improted in 2kg bags and this means that NONE can be fresh!
This moring's breakfast was at Cafe Elini and this really is my fav in Stockholm. The product is always consistently good. I had a cap with oj & croisant followed by another cap. mmmmmm
I had a late moring espresso at a place called Robert's Coffee on Drothinggatan where they have a 4GH Faema machine. My single espresso was almost 4 oz.!!! It did have OK crema and the taste was not all that bad. Still, why doesn't someone teach them?
I then headed out for Non Solo coffee bar on Odengatan. This was one of the places recomended by both Cargo_Macchiato as well as the owner of Cafe Elini. I walked from my hotel for about 1.5 hours before reaching the destination. (Walking is such a nice way to see a city.) During this 90 minute walk, I must have passed no fewer than 40 espresso places! What a cool city!
Non Solo has a 3GH Espressa machine. I started with a single espresso and it was nice, small and thick with good, rich crema. The taste was pretty good too. This was followed by a cappaccino and this was a little dissappointing. The latte art was a feeble attempt by the barista. Still, the milk was nice micro-foam and one could taste the coffee through the milk.
My top ratings to date for Stockholm...
For Espresso:
Sosta
Caffelini
Non Solo
For Cappuccino:
Caffelini
Non Solo
Sosta
Len
This coffee plunges into the stomach...the mind is aroused, and ideas pour forth like the battalions of the Grand Army on the field of battle.... Memories charge at full gallop...the light cavalry of comparisons deploys itself magnificently; the artillery of logic hurry in with their train of ammunition; flashes of wit pop up like sharp-shooters. Honore de Balzac French realist novelist (1799 - 1850)
fredrik_bt Senior Member Joined: 27 Nov 2004 Posts: 222 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Isomac Tea, laPavoni EPL Grinder: Macap M4, Isomac Macinino... Drip: Never Roaster: Oven, hot air popcorn...
Posted Tue Apr 26, 2005, 10:11am Subject: Re: The espresso scene in Sweden (1 Geek's view)
Worldman Said:
I am really starting to have an appreciation for the Swedish espresso scene. There are shops all over the place especially here in Stockholm. I have not yet fond one shop, though who buys beans roasted in Sweden; all are improted in 2kg bags and this means that NONE can be fresh!
The problem is not the beans. They're quite fresh and packed in one-way valve bags and to be honest I can't feel any difference between to bags that are roasted the same day but opened at different dates. It's when you open the bag you can feel the difference from day to day. I've heard about one barista who says that he sometimes need to let the beans rest for a day or two before brewing them.
Buying from local roasters in sweden is a big mistake. None of them have tasted an espresso and they think it's just to wait until the beans are done with the second crack so they are totally black. Try to find a cafe who have the Mauro De Luxe. These are very nice and you should try them.
Before you wrote something about start roasting beans in sweden. Please do, and find a place near my house so I can walk by several times a week and pick up fresh beans ;)
Worldman Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,791 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Expobar Office Control Grinder: Cimbali 6/S
Posted Tue Apr 26, 2005, 2:41pm Subject: Re: The espresso scene in Sweden (1 Geek's view)
fredrik_bt,
I looked at your profile. It says that you are 15 years old. I AM impressed! Having an Isomac Tea at 15 has to be way cool.
All,
I had my afternoon cappaccino at a place in the basement of a door on an alley off of Västerlånggatau. (Man, how ''subordinate'' is that? Not just off the alley - but in the basement off an alley.) Anyway, the place is called Cafe Art and I see their sign every time I walk down Västerlånggatau. They have a 2GH non name machine and ground coffee sitting in the doser. 1 pull for a sinlge and very mild tamp plus a big no-spout pitcher for frothing. The resultant cino was not as bad as I was expecting. It was definately not good - but not too bad either.
Dinner tonight was at Michael Angelo restaurant on Västerlånggatau. After dinner espresso was made on a 2GH Promac machine (with E61 looking GH) using Kimbo beans (from Italy, of course). While it was not done in a geek acceptable manner - this was the most coffee taste I have experienced in Sweden. The espresso was too thin and had little crema - but it DID have the taste of coffee. Ergo, we can credit them for having nice beans and poopy barista skills.
Worldman Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,791 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Expobar Office Control Grinder: Cimbali 6/S
Posted Wed Apr 27, 2005, 5:51am Subject: Re: The espresso scene in Sweden (1 Geek's view)
Today, 27th, breakfast (complete with both 1 cino and 1 espresso), was at Caffelini. Later in the moring I returned for another cino and asked the owner where else in Stockholm he recomended I try coffee. To this he replyed that a coffee bar named: Zanzibar on a square on Hamngatan just 1 block off of Kungstradgårdg telling me that one of its barista had just placed in a Swedish barista contest (for cafe latte).
Off I headed for Zanzibar. I found the sqaure easily but couldn't find the bar even after asking a couple fo people. Then 1 guy pointed out that it was in the middle of the square. Zanzibar has a 3GH La Marzocco machine and 3 Mazzer SJ grinders. I started with an espresso and it was nice...really nice. This was the best coffee taste so far in Sweden plus the barista pulled the shot perfectly, it being small and thick. Nice crema and real nice mouth feel and taste. ahhhhhh...
Next was a cappucino with a nicely formed latte art heart thereon. Through some black art the barista was able to form the heart so that it stayed in the middle of the cup even AFTER adding and stirring in 1/2 teaspoon of raw sugar...and it stayed there to the bottom of the cup! After having lunch at a nearby restauarant, I retruned to Zanzibar for another cino. The same barista pulled my drink and in conversation, I was informed that:
He was the barista who placed 3rd in the Swedish cafe latte competition,
Numbers 1 & 2 were from outside of Stockholm (1 in the south of Sweden & 1 in the far north - Lapland), and
They (Zanzibar) are using coffee beans roasted in Stockholm!
Poop! There goes me roasteria in Stockholm! Someone beat me to it.
All in all, I rank the best in Stockholm as: Espresso:
fredrik_bt Senior Member Joined: 27 Nov 2004 Posts: 222 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Isomac Tea, laPavoni EPL Grinder: Macap M4, Isomac Macinino... Drip: Never Roaster: Oven, hot air popcorn...
Posted Wed Apr 27, 2005, 5:59am Subject: Re: The espresso scene in Sweden (1 Geek's view)
You make me want to go to Stockholm. Here in gothenburg the most coffee sucks and even cafes that has a good reputation can't serve good shots. One day I went to the five "best" cafes in gothenburg and I had only one shot that was drinkable, to be honest it was in the same range as my good shots.
Worldman Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,791 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Expobar Office Control Grinder: Cimbali 6/S
Posted Thu Apr 28, 2005, 3:08pm Subject: Re: The espresso scene in Sweden (1 Geek's view)
fredrik said:
You make me want to go to Stockholm. Here in gothenburg the most coffee sucks and even cafes that has a good reputation can't serve good shots. One day I went to the five "best" cafes in gothenburg and I had only one shot that was drinkable, to be honest it was in the same range as my good shots.
Indeed! Come to Stockholm - there is a lot of prety good espresso to have here.
All,
This AM breakfast was at Caffellini: cappaccino / crosiant / OJ followed by a cleansing espresso. mmmmm...I continue to like this place.
I then want to Alfon's Coffee Shop for my late morning fix. Here they have a 3GH Cimballi machine and Cimballi grinder. Both the espresso and cappaccino were OK, actually, pretty good...just not great. Still, here is yet another place putting out an acceptable cup.
Lunch was at a restauarant in the basement of the City Hall of Stockholm. The food was GREAT! The after lunch espresso was not so great.
For my afternoon coffee, I walked back to Zanzibar. The espresso and the cappaccino were as good as yesterday.
I walked to caffellini around 20:00 knowing that they close at 18:00 but the owner told me that he was expecting to get his new machine at 16:00, and thought I would just look through the window to see the thing. Well, he and the technicians were still there tuning the beauty. It is a 2GH Della Corte click here machine and he says that it is the first in Sweden. The tech. pulled a shot for me. It was a bit too hot and bitter. After some more tuning, the owner made cappacino giving me the 1st one on his new machine. I am humbled by the honor. Tomorrow's breakfast will be here and I can't wait.
This evening, I went to Stampen (Stockholm's famous jazz pub). Someone ordered an espresso - they served him a cappaccino cup 2/3 full of espresso! The guy was Italain, too!
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