Search found 21 matches

by mdrew
April 10th, 2010, 4:41 pm
Forum: Coffees
Replies: 8
Views: 1548

Caracolillo (CCM) Coffee?

Thanks for the tip. I am primarily looking for beans already roasted. While I'm sure that I'll get into roasting my own some day, I don't want to go there quite yet. I just need to get some "good" freshly roasted beans that don't cost too much to practice on for a while. I am finding that my skills ...
by mdrew
April 5th, 2010, 6:26 pm
Forum: Coffees
Replies: 8
Views: 1548

Caracolillo (CCM) Coffee?

I did search and did not get the same results as you, which is why I posted the question. I must have searched this particular board and not the whole site because I did not get nearly the amount of threads that your link has. Thanks
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by mdrew
April 5th, 2010, 11:58 am
Forum: Coffees
Replies: 8
Views: 1548

Caracolillo (CCM) Coffee?

Has anyone tried CCM's roasted beans? I was about to order a few different roasts and give them a try but figured I'd ask first. I searched this site, but couldn't find much information on this company
by mdrew
March 12th, 2010, 1:54 pm
Forum: Tips and Techniques
Replies: 10
Views: 706

New semi-automatic owner needs general getting started guidelines

That's a good idea. I must have pulled a dozen shots day one, drinking them all to taste the differences and was definitely a menace to society by the end of the day. I would have been better off going from one extreme to the other.... This thing steams milk so much faster than my super auto did
by mdrew
March 12th, 2010, 12:53 pm
Forum: Tips and Techniques
Replies: 10
Views: 706

New semi-automatic owner needs general getting started guidelines

I've been enjoying my new machine all week. I've gone through about two pounds of coffee experimenting with grind, tamping pressure, pre-infusion and temp. One thing I find particularly interesting, is just how much tamping pressure affects extraction time. It doesn't take much of a difference at al...
by mdrew
March 9th, 2010, 10:40 am
Forum: Tips and Techniques
Replies: 10
Views: 706

New semi-automatic owner needs general getting started guidelines

I had better success this morning. Grinder setting was way too fine. I figured I'd mess around with different grind settings, water temp and tamp pressure throughout the day today. I'll most likely be akin to two squirrels trapped in a cage by lunch, but I'll have this thing figured out before I'm d...
by mdrew
March 8th, 2010, 11:21 pm
Forum: Tips and Techniques
Replies: 10
Views: 706

New semi-automatic owner needs general getting started guidelines

OK. I may have better luck in the morning too. My beans came in the mail this evening. Man that was fast.... I just placed the order last thursday
by mdrew
March 8th, 2010, 9:58 pm
Forum: Tips and Techniques
Replies: 10
Views: 706

New semi-automatic owner needs general getting started guidelines

Thanks to the advice of some nice folks of this site, I just took delivery of a Vivaldi II and a Vario grinder. I spent the day plumbing the machine into my water line. I had to get creative due to the placement of the machine nowhere near the sink. I had to sweat a tee into my water line
by mdrew
February 26th, 2010, 9:36 pm
Forum: Buying Advice
Replies: 33
Views: 2100

Considering switch from super-auto to semi-auto espresso machine

Well it seems as if Mary is at the whim of the email eater. She emailed me to let me know that she got the order from SCG and wanted to let me know that she did in fact email me earlier this morning with more information. Sadly, I did not get her email. I just hope she didn't lose
by mdrew
February 26th, 2010, 4:16 pm
Forum: Buying Advice
Replies: 33
Views: 2100

Considering switch from super-auto to semi-auto espresso machine

Well maybe I'm the exception and not the norm. Probably the way my luck is going this week. But pick up the phone? That's too old school...LOL. Kidding aside, I usually do just that, but want to actually see a picture of the stuff and see product specs and description. I have found mixed results tal...