Wonder if I got this right.
I recently switched coffee beans. I used to make espresso out of dark roasted beans and it works okay with my barista.
I changed to medium roasted by Jones Coffee Roasters - Brasil Natural. [the beans are less than 4days old. ] I've been having trouble reproduce the taste and favor.

AFter several failed attempts. I decided to mix my dark roasted [over 2wks] with medium roasts and I finally got some okay espresso. [ i said okay b/c my limited grinder and espresso machine]

Anyway, I read somewhere here that if the brew temp is lower than 200 for medium roasted beans than the extraction is under and not taste as it should be.

My question is how can I tell if my cheapo Barista is hitting the marks. I dont' want to spend extra $$ on this machine to buy a calibrate portafilter with temp. gauge. Is there a home make limited version or technique that I can get "close" estimate of my brew head temperature?

Thanks.

I've had excellent espresso at 195F, so it really comes down to the blend and roast. Some roasts will taste terribly sour that cool, but others are delicious. I haven't ordered from Terroir in a while but their roasts used to do well at the cool end. Capri and Taormina from Caffe D'Arte in Washington State might also be worth a try. You could place a few calls or send some emails to the site's sponsors and ask them what roasts they have that do well on the cool side.

SimonSoCal wrote:Is there a home make limited version or technique that I can get "close" estimate of my brew head temperature?

From the site's FAQs and Favorites, see Seeking low tech way to measure brew temperature.

Thanks HB,
Man you are walking encyclopedia.

Not really. But you're not the first to make such a comment, which prompted me to write Forum search tips in hopes of helping members find the information they seek more easily.

Dan,
Thanks again. I will read up on it.