Coffee as a source of inspiration

One day, wanted to make himself at home espresso. Coffee plays an important role in maintaining the health of my. This is more about the taste of the drink and habit to drink coffee while thinking, what about the magic-invigorating effects of caffeine. For a long time I brewed coffee in the Turks and grief do not know. Well, he did not know. I did not know until I came the really difficult and stressful project. Immediately it became clear - one cup enough to maintain an adequate level of performance. Soul demanded about three servings per day.

This is where it started and complexity. Nothing like "fuuu instant coffee" I never got sick. Periods of unloved by many surrogate and natural coffee is completely painless alternated in my life before, but ever so could not continue. It was found that if you drink instant coffee for a few cups a day of it really starts to feel sick. Custard fared no better ...

Firstly, he too boring, though not to such an extent. Worse was different. The head was really busy. This not only led to increased demand doppinge but real helplessness in the kitchen. Coffee I drank three times a day, of which at least twice successfully forgot it on the stove. The first time I even poured steadily digested drink and got down to business again (with the same chance of success - came up to 4 attempts in a row), but in the end finally "dropped" and began to drink overcooked. Yes, I know, there are recipes, where coffee is boiled, but I have to those fans do not belong.

Then came the idea and coffee machines. The cafe liked to miss a cup of espresso or two, but the certainty that tradition accustomed at home, I did not have. So that an unlimited budget did not ask.

In this fully automatic coffee machine (which fall asleep and get grain output the finished drink), I decided not to take for two reasons.
1. Inexpensive automatic coffee machine causes me a lot of doubt in terms of quality and reliability, given sufficient complexity of the process.
2. There was a feeling that manual preparation will bring additional pleasure (justified)
3. In the coffee shops I've seen more "manual" carob coffee makers, there was a suspicion that this is not purely a marketing ploy.

The choice of the espresso machine. H5>
 So part of the problem was known at once: it will hand unprofessional "manual" espresso coffee machine.

A few words about professionalism. As I understand it, the level of professionalism of the machine determines to a top speed of coffee for a large number of people than the actual quality of the beverage. Maybe a big foodie with me and did not agree, or places you need to know, but personally I do not feel the benefits of coffee from a coffee shop in front of what I do at home. Much more important, where increased hands, and the quality of the coffee. In addition, it makes little sense to keep heated a few liters of water (for advanced machines usually quite large boilers) for the sake of a few cups of coffee a day.

The first thing that really matters - the shape (diameter) horn (portafilter). It should be 58 millimeters. Coffee brewed in a coffee machine with a narrow and long (serving coffee usually does not change) horn I really do not like it. Furthermore, improving the quality of coffee beans is not as strongly reflected on the taste of the beverage. And the choice of tamper (about them later), this size is not so wide.


Also portafilter must be massive (thick and metal). Espresso pretty picky about temperature estraktsii, so that the presence of around a thick layer of ground coffee warmed metal is very important. Ie skimp on the coffee machine can be as long as the portafilter starts to become plastic.

Needed another option of using one machine to prepare three basic drinks: espresso, cappuccino and American. With espresso, of course, there is no problem, by definition. Milk can also be whipping on any coffee machine, but the water supply is not everywhere. Ie for US already need a separate kettle ... the word "tea" ... what's the general tea? So that hot water is needed for integrity and internal consistency of the process.

With regard to pre-wet the coffee. Personally, I do not feel the difference, so for this opportunity has decided not to pursue.

Any auto dosing were also discarded. Firstly, the more complex mechanism, the lower the reliability (or much higher price). And secondly, while too much coffee nuances - the quality of the grains and milling to a temperature and humidity environment. Yet reliable personally supervise each brewing. And the mood has not been canceled, I want to consistently repeatable results - instant divorce ...

So, the final set of requirements: a massive portafilter diameter 58 millimeters, the function of hot water ... everything! Does not sound too expensive. The way it is. And it turns out that the choice among non-professional coffee machines practically no. So everything is very simple. Took Gaggia New Espresso. Issue price of 240 ~ $

Watching from the top of your current experience now, I would still take a model with two boilers. Parallel function for DHW heating and steam (for whipping milk) me now a little lacking. Although nothing fatal. And if you do not like cappuccino or latte, then pay not for that.

Upd. While edit the article, I am quite get the hand to make drinks with whipped milk on one boiler, so that the problem was more a lack of skills. It's funny that I read a lot of advice initially and did everything, like, once right and gets the start in a month ...

Accessories h5>
 Here begins not weak "divorce" the future of the coffee lover. Run through the basic positions

temp

Pitcher h5>. Divorce. In fact you are selling at exorbitant prices Turk. And in Turku at a lower price, you usually get a more comfortable handle and quality (thick) metal. However, I do not know about it and bought a pitcher. They say more about the shape of the nose and latte-art - I do not know, I do pictures do not turn out, so to compare the pitcher with the Turks, from this point of view, I can not. And milk, of course, still what whipped.

Knock-box. H5> bin for used coffee with a special wall to knock the horn ... Maybe a little more convenient trash can, but certainly not as much more expensive. They cost from $ 50, with coffee from hitting the crossbar "popping" wants not always. In general, I did not take.

Thermometer for milk. B> Type with frothed milk can not overheat, otherwise kaput, blah blah blah. This is even true. But a couple of times easier to overheat the milk, noting the temperature "feels". Moment of overheating is impossible to miss - there is nasty (for me) the smell of boiling milk. Fu. Taste matches - overheated milk 'wins' coffee. I overheated once, after which the puncture was not paying $ 10 for a thermometer do not see sense. Yes, and a thermometer sticking out of the pitcher hurt people take you for a confident professional barista.

Discovery h5>
 1. Coffee is obtained tastier than all the coffee shops I know of.

2. Wide portafilter does not forgive mistakes. If only for a narrow noticed a problem - the inability to brew coffee at too finely ground, that is where you'll pay and too big - half a cup of coffee will be in half - all around. A similar retribution awaits you and tamping bad - too strong, too weak, and especially the curve. Then save only the experience. Be patient and napkins.

3. The quality of coffee is set. Freshly ground coffee on the order tastier fasovanija ground. The difference is not in the field of high matters - improving the taste obviously, this is not some fleeting flavor, but it is a clear taste. Moreover, normal coffee is not so expensive. About $ 20 per kilogram. But it is important to find a place. Just perebrobuyte all nearest point of sale. In my case, in the house next door sold great coffee, the smell of which are felt even through two packages outside in windy conditions, and across the street for the same price under the same name (usually the name of the country + grade) - prepogany, the smell of which I did not feel Even in the cup.

4. Grinding is very important. Therefore morally prepare to buy a coffee grinder. I plan to do it soon. And worth it, is likely to be more expensive espresso machine. So far, it seems that for 400 dollars you can buy something suitable. Because every time asked to sell coffee girls do slightly smaller or slightly larger than the last time, already tired. Yes, I already remember and even recall how did the last time. But still in perfect grind I got the strength of a couple of times. Partially disadvantages can be mitigated temperovkoy (more ram coarser and less - small), mixing of different coffee grindings, the amount of coffee. But all this is nothing more than a pair of crutches. And I do not kostylschik!


5. In the measurements of time is not much point. On the Internet, decided to write about the ideal time estraktsii about 25 seconds. But, as I wrote above, too many factors - coffee, grind, the mood, the weather ... It is better to observe the color (dark color initially, over time, lighter) and texture (from the "lush", rich bubbles to a simple watery) flowing coffee and try-try-try. Taste the selection of your dreams will take only a few days without having to dance around the coffee machine with a stopwatch. And changing the coffee taste you have to look again - do not worry. It's worth it. In addition, in order estraktsiyu stopping at different times, you'll get different versions of espresso - ristretto, lungo. Example in the picture. Central struyti should not be, but here we must choose - or are you doing a good coffee or take pictures of it.

6. A good espresso is quite hard to drink. Even heard a story that, say, poor Americans could not stand the fortress espresso and diluted it, so there was American. I used to despise weakness and drank mostly double espresso. Now came the realization. What I saw before - small portions of the US. This espresso is not just sturdy - it is oily, viscous ... Its taste even water is not so easy to drink. But after the double may even come a condition similar to mild intoxication (much like with a pint of beer). So espresso with almost daily drink turned into once or twice a week. But now it kicks in almost pure form!

7. Heating. Warming just incredibly important. So coffee should before the first use to work for about an hour. Can be warm for about 15 minutes, and then throw another cup of hot water into the empty portafilt. But still better longer. In general, the process is very similar to the Chinese tea ceremony - with hot water before preparing the drink is better to throw everything you can, except perhaps that the milk for whipping (it just needs to be cold). Warm coffee pleases many times weaker than the hot ... even more frustrating than happy! And the best cup warm separately. Cost coffee machines used passive heating from the boiler, which I personally do not have enough. I found a way out by buying a one-place small glass-ceramic tile, which warm up the cup before brewing. You can simply pour the first cup full of hot water, but it is inconvenient, as the coffee machine is in the operating room, where there is no shell.

8. Coffee takes a great deal. One serving of espresso - about 8 grams. Even with my three cups a day goes about a kilogram of coffee per month. And enough sleep is impossible, will not estraktsiya and flow of water through the coffee slush. So save on consumables will not work.

9. In my espresso machine portafilter to be accompanied by a plastic insert to improve the result of bad coffee brewing. I initially did not consider the instructions, resulting in a rather large number of spoiled coffee good. It is better to throw away immediately. I would like to save on coffee - buy soluble by itself will not save the taste of coffee.

10. Clean. Under the coffee machine I've highlighted a separate table. In the video, all the coffee is usually wipe with a towel, I went for a more simple way, and provided a bunch of disposable wipes. Dreamed of as perfect and beautiful I've got to be. Alas. Portafilter and cup I will certainly keep clean, but the coffee table priporoshit almost always. Always something wakes or drips past. Initially tried to clean up all at once, but it spoils the coffee meditative mood ... In the end, came to the daily cleaning of the table in the evening. Carefully looked closer to the table top coffee houses realized that there, too, all is not sterile. In general, spilling around the coffee (in moderation) creates some its atmosphere, and the smell in the room is appropriate.

11. The dosage. Often on the video to the Internet can be seen that there are different ways of dosing ground coffee - from regulators and special devices on the grinder to the scales. Balance in this respect reliable, but the meaning is clear ... if you make a few hundred cups of coffee a day - in this case, speed and repeatability are very important. But for myself somehow warmer and lamp do "by eye". A couple of days right amount of coffee itself is stabilized and.

So, good coffee really make your own. Except, of course, the taste has a number of convenient features for monitoring that will help you be sure that everything is done correctly.

A trickle of flowing coffee must be flat, stable and slightly viscous A cup of coffee should be formed dense stable foam. The use of coffee should be moderately dry (not seem like a dirty slush) and have a clear imprint of "per capita" block. He should be easily removed from the portafilter. Ideally - a single drop "tablet." Until recently, however, or I'm not old enough, or coffee needs more serious.
 In general, it is worth it. Moreover, relatively inexpensive, at least in comparison with the result.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/245812/