Haha, this came in as I sent my response to Audrey - home roasting indeed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Shaun Taylor http://shaundoreenevankeegan.blogspot.com/ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Barry Luterman Sent: 16 August 2009 12:58 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: water pressure and creating crema Next 2 steps. 1 A quality grinder 2. Roasting your own beans. After taking these two steps there is no going back. You will have entered the dark side completely. On Sun, Aug 16, 2009 at 7:53 AM, AM <[email protected]> wrote: Hi guys, This series of experiments have raised more questions than answers.... but I am pleased to report that I got my hands on two different types of roasts from Blue Bottle, both roasted on August 14... I weighed and ground a batch of Retrofit beans, tamped them into the portafilter bolted it onto Brewtus and pulled the lever..... held my breath and wondered if the beans didn't improve matters if I had the physical fortitude to chuck Brewtus out the window and devote myself to tea. Well my fellow bean-o-philes - Gold. It was like striking gold. (Did I mention the beans were roasted this past Friday?) After my first sip I did the Espresso Shuffle Happy Dance, I brewed meself an elixer.... I still have to play with the grinder settings and eventually upgrade but the magic is in the freshness of the beans. I am still curious about those mere mortals out there with lesser machines and store bought beans and why they get crema topped espressos.....(crema being desirable or not.....that point aside) out of their lesser overpriced blocks of plastic. Anyway - thanks everyone.... I have learned a bunch, like my Brewtus again and am a devotee of super-fresh beans. Hope I will be able to leave the Bay Area from time to time. I need another cup...... Ciao for now! Audrey On Aug 2, 11:42 am, "Shaun Taylor" <[email protected]> wrote: > Not to worry, I still have bruises from all the espresso slaps I've had to > give myself over the years, and I occasionally have to give myself a slap or > two (like I did a few weeks ago) when I something obvious like this comes > along and I realize I should have done it years ago: > > http://www.jimseven.com/2009/07/06/video-1-crema/ > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > -- > > Shaun Taylor > > http://shaundoreenevankeegan.blogspot.com/ > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf > > Of AM > Sent: 02 August 2009 11:24 > To: Brewtus > Subject: Re: water pressure and creating crema > > I should have thought it out before I wrote..... giving myself an > espresso dope slap.... > > I promise to heretofore never allow my ground beans to have more than > three breaths of open air! > > Thanks Shaun, Barry, and Neil > > Audrey > > On Aug 1, 10:56 am, "Shaun Taylor" <[email protected]> wrote: > > Uhmmm, no, grind a few seconds before you are ready to pull your shot. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > -- > > > Shaun Taylor > > >http://shaundoreenevankeegan.blogspot.com/ > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf > > > Of AM > > Sent: 01 August 2009 11:43 > > To: Brewtus > > Subject: Re: water pressure and creating crema > > > I will check on when the Peets is roasted. I live about five miles > > from where they roast. I have always just assumed that it was fresh. > > > My understanding of burr grinders is that if you can control the grind > > and the time you are okay. > > > If I buy from a company such as Blue Bottle and it is fresh etc.... am > > I better off having them grind it for me? > > I will try it both ways.... report back. > > > Thanks! > > > On Jul 29, 5:41 pm, "Neil Atwood" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hi Audrey, > > > > Illy, Peets and anything else of that ilk are, by nature, stale. That > will > > > reduce the amount of crema significantly (although it's worth notingin > > > itself that crema production is not *always* a sign of a quality shot). > > > > You need to start with coffee roasted within that last 14 days > (preferably > > > 7) and consumed within a maximum of another 14 days. If the coffee does > > not > > > have a roast date on it, assume it's stale. > > > > The Breville grinder will barely be adequate for espresso. It's not just > > > about getting fine enough, it's about consistency of particle size - > > > something which only comes with quality grinders. It may just make it... > I > > > hope so for your sake! > > > > Sorry if I sound negative, but, the most important thing for fine coffee > > is > > > the source material (the coffee), and for espresso, the grinder is at > > least > > > as important as the espresso machine. > > > > Cheers > > > > Neil A. > > > Blue Mountains, Ozhttp://minstrygrounds.net.au-Ablog about selecting, > > roasting and drinking > > > fine coffee > > > __________________________ > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf > > > > Of AM > > > Sent: Thursday, 30 July 2009 7:11 AM > > > To: Brewtus > > > Subject: Re: water pressure and creating crema > > > > Thanks for your reply Neil. > > > > I use Illy, Peets, some store bought, and try beans from small > > > roasting houses in and around the Bay Area. > > > > I am not familiar with the roasting process and how long it takes.... > > > but what I buy locally I am told is fresh.... and the likes of Illy > > > are vacuum packed. I buy the beans in small quantities half a pound at > > > a time and I buy it weekly. > > > I keep them sealed but do not refrigerate or freeze them. > > > > I recently bought a burr grinder from Breville. It has about twenty > > > different settings and I am currently playing with the extra fine/ > > > espresso grind. > > > > I will check out the link you sent. > > > > Thanks! > > > > Audrey > > > > On Jul 26, 3:03 pm, "Neil Atwood" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Two things: > > > > > Beans and Grinder > > > > > Beans: > > > > What beans are you using? When were they roasted? How long do you keep > > > them? > > > > > Grinder: > > > > What grinder do you have? > > > > > Regards > > > > > Neil A. > > > > Blue Mountains, Ozhttp://minstrygrounds.net.au-Ablogabout selecting, > > > roasting and drinking > > > > fine coffee > > > > __________________________ > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > > Behalf > > > > > Of AM > > > > Sent: Monday, 27 July 2009 3:42 AM > > > > To: Brewtus > > > > Subject: water pressure and creating crema > > > > > I have had Brewtus for almost three years. I have been happy with it > > > > except for the fact that I can't get a consistent crema when pulling a > > > > shot. I have gotten a burr grinder, measured out beans (14grams), > > > > timed the shot, tamped to the point of adding it to my daily workout, > > > > opened the machine to tighten bolts....offered to make sacrifices to > > > > the kona gods.... Could not get any real help from WLL..... > > > > > I think that the water pressure coming out of the porta filter is too > > > > low. I have tried to change the pressure via that screw gauge behind > > > > the drainage tray but the crema level does not improve. Any advice on > > > > how to get the water to flow through the porta filter any slower? I > > > > want my crema! > > > > > Thanks for your suggestions! > > > > > AM <br --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Brewtus" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/brewtus?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
