Counter Culture Coffee espresso - brew & dose?

[Ozark_61]

Just cashed in my holiday coupon for CCC - fantastic stuff! Bought a bag of Aficionado and Twin Cities Express. What temp and dose do y'all recommend? I couldn't find anything doing a website search, so thought a definitive thread would be good for the rest of us without bags to burn...

I did see the other thread regarding a gaggia with aficionado recommending 17gm, and 198-204'f.

I've been pulling the twin cities around 18gm, 203' - tastes quite good, but any other recommendations?

Cheers
Geoff

[woodchuck]

See thread on Aficionado ... Cheers Ian

http://www.home-barista.com/forums/nutty-counter-culture-coffee-aficionado-t5008.html

[Ozark_61]

Thanks Ian - so 203' for aficionado. Any recommendations for dose? How about for the twin cities blend?

[HB]

Brewing at 203 for Aficionado sounds too hot to me, but I agree it's warmer than their other coffees. Their lab espresso machine is turned to 201 and SCAA competition espresso machines are 200F, so that's where I would start. I don't have specific dosing recommendations (they vary too much for a given espresso machine, basket, and taste profile preference). Generally speaking, I dose around 15 grams in a standard Faema-style basket.

[nathan_ccc]

Greetings from Durham, NC:

Sorry for the delay in posting.

I spoke with Lem Butler this morning about this. Lem worked with CCC roaster Kieran Ionescu to develop Twin Cities Express for use at the 2007 SERBC competition (which Lem won; yay, Lem!) ... hence the name Twin Cities Express: an express ticket to the USBC competition May 2-5, 2008, in Minneapolis, MN).

As such, TCE was designed to be prepared at 200 degrees (competition temp). Lem uses 18 grams in a double basket and suggested resting the coffee for a week before brewing, which is all pretty consistent with what other folks here have noted.

In another thread (the Gaggia/Aficionado one), I posted CCC head roaster Tim Hill's suggestions of 17 grams @ 199 degrees.

Thanks!

Best,
Nathan

[woodchuck]

As Dan said, 203 may be a bit high. 94C (201 and a bit) on my VII worked pretty well.

Cheers

Ian