Crazy part is I just bought a Breville 800 Espresso Machine and waiting for delivery...
Breville is sending the new single layer portafilters free with just a phone call Yeah Breville ( I learned about the golden rule issue here thanks)

Before this I had a sub $100 steam machine a few years back and when back to drip pot..

I love coffee just not dark roasted stuff I think?
I love Caribou Cappuccinos and such.. One question is are they made with dark roasts or brown beans...

Do people brew espressos with brown bean or is it a black bean only kind of thing..

Is it a taste I need to develop?
Do people use brown beans for all their drinks like espresso, cappuccinos and ect?


Thanks and sorry for all the questions at once...

Hmm-m, where to start. Have you read the The Home Barista's Guide to Espresso? It will help answer your questions and provide a foundation for a more fruitful discussion.

I would definitely use a fresh, light roasted coffee, not an "espresso roast", preferably a Hawaiian, Central American, or possibly a Kenyan.

You will need to invest in a decent grinder. Otherwise you will just get watery concentrated coffee with that machine.

With that machine you will need to experiment heavily, surfing around, to find the correct way to use it at optimal temperature, etc. to get a good extraction.

It is perfectly acceptable to drink lattes.

Johnny Kleso wrote:I love coffee just not dark roasted stuff I think?
I love Caribou Cappuccinos and such.. One question is are they made with dark roasts or brown beans...

More directly, yes, people use "brown" beans for espresso. While each blend or bean type will have its optimal roast, you will find that most people prefer a lighter roast.

Darker roasts, like Italian roast, are not really used by too many folks, as the character of the bean is lost and the extractions can become bitter.

The important thing is to do what you enjoy drinking, not what other people do.

Have you ever drunk what is regarded as good espresso?

Bluecold wrote:Have you ever drunk what is regarded as good espresso?

Exactly; and not easy to find in most places. That is where to start. A standard.

Howard

May I suggest a trip to Octane (octanecoffee.com IIRC). You'll definitely get great espresso there. If you're ever down towards Griffin, the Safehouse (dirtycup.com) is apparently doing some interesting stuff, though I've never been there myself.

You know I only drank Espresso once and had three shots but was mixed with Zambucca but if I remember there was no crema, it was just dark coffee...

I know any time I have bought french roast coffee it really turned me off but was the never high end brands..

Hawaiian is what I have been drinking the last few months so that makes me happy I dont have to drink dark roast

I have plans to buy a Mazzer Mini tomorrow from Illy I was thinking of the Vario but like the HD ness of Mazzer and the good price with Illy discount..




I'm a disabled/retired prototype machinist and do metal and woodworking now so I may make a few tampers with some super exotic wood handles and some custom parts to catch the spilled grounds from the grinder in the near future..

Thank for your opinions ...