COTD Coffee of the day

Gatorade · Post by **Gatorade** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:28 am

MrSmooth wrote:I'm with the coffeeking...

This AM... 5 day old Espresso roast from my local microroaster, ground in a Nuova Simonelli MCF and then shot made with my Rancilio Silvia espresso machine. Not as fancy as his S1, but with care, equal to making a proper coffee. The perfect post-shave-ritual ritual.

Nice! Welcome to the group. So what is your shave ritual?

MrSmooth · Post by **MrSmooth** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:38 am

Gatorade wrote:
Nice! Welcome to the group. So what is your shave ritual?

Thanks for the welcome. I start with a humid room, showered face, and while my Vulfix 406 warms up in the hot water in the sink, I moisten my face and use Proraso preshave. Then, depending on mood, I either fire up the Taylor's Rose or Proraso tube... been using the Proraso more as the weather is getting hot... grab my brush, and with some cream in my hand make a stiff lather and then hit my face. I do two passes (applying lather before each) with a Merkur HD comb-style DE razor and am using the Personna Israeli blades from ebay. Following I use a cold rinse, and then Proraso Dopabarba moisturizer. I recently tried a sample of AoS moisturizer, and I think I'm going to switch to that. I also used American Crew aftershave moisturizer from time to time when in the mood for that scent.

Gatorade · Post by **Gatorade** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:42 am

MrSmooth wrote:
Gatorade wrote:
Nice! Welcome to the group. So what is your shave ritual?
Thanks for the welcome. I start with a humid room, showered face, and while my Vulfix 406 warms up in the hot water in the sink, I moisten my face and use Proraso preshave. Then, depending on mood, I either fire up the Taylor's Rose or Proraso tube... been using the Proraso more as the weather is getting hot... grab my brush, and with some cream in my hand make a stiff lather and then hit my face. I do two passes (applying lather before each) with a Merkur HD comb-style DE razor and am using the Personna Israeli blades from ebay. Following I use a cold rinse, and then Proraso Dopabarba moisturizer. I recently tried a samle of AoS moisturizer, and I think I'm going to switch to that. I also used American Crew aftershave moisturizer from time to time when in the mood for that scent.

Nice. I have the Prorasso Soap tub the green one from Target. I really like the cool feeling at times. You will find much company here with that set up the Merkur is a popular choice.

HLSheppard · Post by **HLSheppard** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 5:28 pm

MrSmooth wrote:I'm with the coffeeking...

This AM... 5 day old Espresso roast from my local microroaster, ground in a Nuova Simonelli MCF and then shot made with my Rancilio Silvia espresso machine. Not as fancy as his S1, but with care, equal to making a proper coffee. The perfect post-shave-ritual ritual.

The Silvia is a damned fine machine. It was my second "real" espresso machine.

A Silvia will reward perfect technique but will punish (my) flaws.

I must say the La Spaziale S1 is WAY more forgiving... Whew, I don't even know if I could still pull a good shot on a Silvia! More power to ya, bro!!

Welcome to the group!

MrSmooth · Post by **MrSmooth** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 8:53 am

HLSheppard wrote:
The Silvia is a damned fine machine. It was my second "real" espresso machine.

A Silvia will reward perfect technique but will punish (my) flaws.

I must say the La Spaziale S1 is WAY more forgiving... Whew, I don't even know if I could still pull a good shot on a Silvia! More power to ya, bro!!

Welcome to the group!

Thanks, Howard. A group of us espresso fans have an older La Spaziale (10-15 yr old) here at work set up for pods. Beats the regular office coffee, but nothing like fresh roasted, fresh ground. The S1 has intrigued me, but I'm not ready to upgrade. Spending the "play"-dough on the wetshaving and homebrewing at the moment.

Silvia, it's true, she's a little needy. But I've come to understand her.

John

HLSheppard · Post by **HLSheppard** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 3:53 pm

MrSmooth wrote:
HLSheppard wrote:
The Silvia is a damned fine machine. It was my second "real" espresso machine.

A Silvia will reward perfect technique but will punish (my) flaws.

I must say the La Spaziale S1 is WAY more forgiving... Whew, I don't even know if I could still pull a good shot on a Silvia! More power to ya, bro!!

Welcome to the group!
Thanks, Howard. A group of us espresso fans have an older La Spaziale (10-15 yr old) here at work set up for pods. Beats the regular office coffee, but nothing like fresh roasted, fresh ground. The S1 has intrigued me, but I'm not ready to upgrade. Spending the "play"-dough on the wetshaving and homebrewing at the moment.

Silvia, it's true, she's a little needy. But I've come to understand her.

John

John -

We must have been separated at birth! I homebrew as well!!

If you tell me you have an interest in briar pipes/tobacco; I'm coming over! (wherever you are - brothers just know that kind of stuff, don't they??)

MrSmooth · Post by **MrSmooth** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 4:51 pm

HLSheppard wrote:John -

We must have been separated at birth! I homebrew as well!!

If you tell me you have an interest in briar pipes/tobacco; I'm coming over! (wherever you are - brothers just know that kind of stuff, don't they??)

Well, I used to smoke good cigars, but I've kinda given it up. Still, I'm sure we could pass quite an enjoyable evening! PM me if your ever in the Denver area, There's always some good homebrew to enjoy.

I may do likewise if I'm ever in your neck of the woods...

HLSheppard · Post by **HLSheppard** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 5:20 pm

LOL - believe it or not - I'm looking at a job opportunity in Denver! If it does come to fruition (maybe September), I'll PM you!!

MrSmooth · Post by **MrSmooth** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 5:26 pm

HLSheppard wrote:LOL - believe it or not - I'm looking at a job opportunity in Denver! If it does come to fruition (maybe September), I'll PM you!!

Excellent, I'll be looking forward to hearing how it turns out.

Time to go pour another pint.

Ray · Post by **Ray** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 9:48 am

I love my Silvia with some sweet maria espresso monkey blend nothing could be better.
The Ethiopian Harar Horse was so good I had to roast up another batch. I have some Kenyan peaberry that I haven't roasted up yet so will proably be the next batch I roast.

MrSmooth · Post by **MrSmooth** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 12:56 pm

Ray wrote:I love my Silvia with some sweet maria espresso monkey blend nothing could be better.
The Ethiopian Harar Horse was so good I had to roast up another batch. I have some Kenyan peaberry that I haven't roasted up yet so will proably be the next batch I roast.

Sounds excellent! I almost got into roasting my own, but right before I thought about placing an order with Sweet Maria's, this guy, the Coffea Rostir, went into business near where I live, and he is a wizard at roasting, is into the SCAA, and does a great job microroasting as demand dictates for freshness with his 2kg Probat (or was it a Dietrich? I forget) roaster. All of his coffee is wonderful.

jvan · Post by **jvan** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:01 pm

Stop the madness!

Tomorrow FedEx is delivering my entry level roaster and 10 pounds of green beans. I ordered verything from The Captain's Coffee. By the way they are awesome folks to deal with and use everything that they sell. First it it was upgrading my pocket knife collection and now I'm going to be roasting my own beans. Seriously I am looking forward to taking my coffe addiction to the next level. Thanks Howard et all!

Fzoul · Post by **Fzoul** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:18 pm

http://coffeeam.com/

Everything you really need and the only place I buy my coffee (and no, I don't work for them).

Gatorade · Post by **Gatorade** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 9:24 am

Saturday:

French Roast
Filtered H2O
Bon Jour French Press
Sugar
French Vanilla creamer
Disney Travel Mug

5 minute steep. Nice creamy cup of coffee. I love my press! May need to upgrade the grinder in the future to hopefully eliminate the powder that comes from a blade grinder. Even when the grind is coarse there is fine powder that comes up through the mesh. Not unexpected but I would like to eliminate that in the prep.

MrSmooth · Post by **MrSmooth** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 2:07 pm

Gatorade wrote:Saturday:

French Roast
Filtered H2O
Bon Jour French Press
Sugar
French Vanilla creamer
Disney Travel Mug

5 minute steep. Nice creamy cup of coffee. I love my press! May need to upgrade the grinder in the future to hopefully eliminate the powder that comes from a blade grinder. Even when the grind is coarse there is fine powder that comes up through the mesh. Not unexpected but I would like to eliminate that in the prep.

Presses do rule over drip everytime. I just had to replace my ten-year-old Bodum that had self-destructed (brittle plastic cage, the one replacement part not available) with a new Chambord (metal cage this time). I like half and half, and sugar is only for when I pour it over ice. Currently in the office, I have Sumatra Mandheling (again from my μ-roaster...) for the press pot.

I'm with you on the grinder. Poke around http://www.coffeegeek.com/ for good grinder recommends. The "Ultimate" grinder according to many I've read about is the Mini-Mazzer, and for press pot, the sub-ultimate is a Rancilio Rocky. I believe the Solis Maestro is the minimum grinder the coffee folk I hang with would recommnd for presspot for dust elimination.

GregPQ · Post by **GregPQ** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 4:43 pm

COTD today (and every day):
Peets French Roast, ground by their expert and attentive staff
Bialetti 3-cup stovetop moka (stainless steel)

Served in a nice Starbucks espresso cup and saucer my daughter got me.

I like this because:
1. In the morning, I often don't have the time to sip a full mug.
2. Moka brew can really grow on you: more oomph than filtered, but not as bitter as real espresso.
3. Does not require constant work, like melita pour-over or French press do.
4. Favorable caffeine-diurethic ratio: more caffeine in smaller quantity liquid results in less bathroom visits. I'm sure this holds for the drinkers of true espresso as well!

My family and I spent a week in Paris in April, and the thing that struck me the most about coffee there vs coffee in the USA, is that everyone in Paris drinks coffee from a real cup. It does make a difference!

How about a poll as to whether you shave first and make coffee second, or vice versa? Of course you'd have to allow for the tea drinkers, the Coke-for-breakfast crowd, and the OJ freaks...

Greg

HLSheppard · Post by **HLSheppard** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:57 pm

My wetshave regimen comes before my double ristretto (sometimes a latte and sometimes not).

Remember though, Greg: "true" espresso shouldn't be bitter! Bitterness should only be one flavor component of what you're tasting.

I found this in my archives:

Espresso is the quintessential preparation of coffee.
Unlike other preparation methods like drip coffee, which is larger particles of ground coffee washed by the gravity-induced flow of water, espresso is prepared at a higher temperature and at 10 times the pressure. The smaller ground particles offer much more surface area, resulting in a drink that is not just coffee-flavored water.

Espresso is a drink that incorporates three different factors.
Crema, the trapped gasses released during extraction, surrounded by viscous liquids and water droplets, containing many of the aromatic properties of the cup and insulating those contained in the black liquid beneath. Underneath the crema is a combination of soluble elements that are dissolved into the water, and an emulsion of insolubles known as colloids, suspended by the liquid. These are the oils, lipids, and solid particles that provide the body inherent in espresso.

The sensory experience while drinking espresso leaves only hearing unaffected.

Chefs tell you we eat first with our eyes. This is true also with
espresso. We first see the cup, the crema, and we know if it was properly prepared and delivered. As we raise the cup to drink and inhale, the fragrance assaults the olfactory senses. In 1995, over 700 volatile substances had been identified in espresso, today there are over 850.

During the first sip, the crema and emulsions coat our taste buds, giving balance to acidity and bitterness in the cup. Our sense of touch comes into play as the mouthfeel of the drink is imparted by the oil droplets and viscosity of the liquid.

Our taste buds become involved as the perception of sweetness, salt, acidity and bitterness combine to affect all areas of the mouth.

Upon exhaling, the flavor of the cup is perceived by the upper
palate and sent to the nose. Pleasant aftertaste will remain for up to 30 minutes. Negative attributes can stay much longer, and are difficult to dispel.

Espresso is an experience where the extreme complexity of coffee meets the equally complex sensory network.

MrSmooth · Post by **MrSmooth** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 8:09 am

Howard's all over this one, but I have to chip in my 2 cents...

My bro-in-law had a habit of drinking Starbuck's Espresso, usually a double, for many years. When he finally came over one time and I pulled him a shot on my Rancilio Silvia, he sipped it and looked puzzled. Then he asked quitely, "This isn't espresso roast, is it?" I assured him it was a fine example of a good espresso roast, only a few days old.

"But it isn't bitter!" he exclaimed.

"No," I said. "Only poorly made espresso should be bitter."

He didn't really say much after that, other than, "this is really good" a few times.

Since then he has picked up a Rancilio Rocky grinder and mostly does presspot or thermal carafe brewing at home with better beans. Yes, he still ocassionally sips a starbie's espresso, but I think I'v ruined him for their product by now. Who knows, maybe someday he'll spring for his own machine.

I'm with you on "coffee in a real cup" though. The only way to fly. Oh, and for me, espresso is a post-shave-ritual ritual.

Post by **ichabod** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 9:24 am

GregPQ wrote: How about a poll as to whether you shave first and make coffee second, or vice versa? Of course you'd have to allow for the tea drinkers, the Coke-for-breakfast crowd, and the OJ freaks...

Greg

I generally have a double espresso as I shave. I look forward to my morning shave ritual in a way most would view as freaky. Generally speaking I go with Illy pods due to the convenience/taste combination. This thread has some great ideas though.

This morning, no espresso, due to having a bit of a cold and seeing no point in having the drink if I couldn't enjoy it.

Ray · Post by **Ray** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:42 am

MrSmooth wrote:The "Ultimate" grinder according to many I've read about is the Mini-Mazzer, and for press pot, the sub-ultimate is a Rancilio Rocky. I believe the Solis Maestro is the minimum grinder the coffee folk I hang with would recommnd for presspot for dust elimination.

I have one of each I use the Mini-Mazzer for the espresso machine and the Solis Maestro for ever thing else the Solis comes close but not quite coarse enough of a grind for a good French Press but it'll work.
Today
Kenyan peaberry
Roasted up some last night the only peaberry that I’ve found that I liked was the Maui peaberry that isn’t even grown any more was lucky enough to get a couple lbs of the last harvest a few years back I figured I’d give another one a try. I roasted it light since all of the other Kenyan beans have all done really well roasted light. I’m thinking this is an exception to that rule. I roasted it to the end of first crack and found it very acidic so may try the next batch a little darker and see what happens.