Article: "Why Espressos in America are not Good?"

#1: Post by **Bob_McBob** » February 26th, 2016, 3:20 am

A somewhat amusing read

https://medium.com/@sinzone/why-is-espr ... .gvcyptxhx

February 26th, 2016, 8:39 am

Particularly this part:

"Machines are old and used hundreds of times per day. The more you use a machine the more its mechanics inside will taste of coffee and produce better quality. Don't buy a brand new machine. It takes years to have the internal cylinders and tubes smell like coffee."

But these criticisms of post-Italian espresso have been raised before. Giorgio Milos complained about American espresso a few years back, only to apologize the following year with a change of heart:
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archi ... st/243033/

#3: Post by **41fivestar** » February 26th, 2016, 12:46 pm

I think "...taste all the aromas of the coffee." was my favorite bit in the article. I also love that he used a picture of Phillip Ma as the example of an American Cafe. He is one of the best baristi in SF, period.

#4: Post by **davidjbillo** » February 26th, 2016, 1:21 pm

My takeaway, if I want to make "good" espresso:

1. Buy my beans from Amazon
2. Don't tamp the grounds
3. Grind as fine as possible, and use only Cimbali machine
4. Grind, dose, and brew in 30 seconds or less
5. One barista...one machine...forever
6. Use an old machine (see above)...and don't clean it
7. Only fill the cup half way

Did I miss anything?

February 26th, 2016, 1:34 pm

Oh, you forgot to import Italian tap water...

February 26th, 2016, 5:52 pm

Don't forget... the shot has to be pulled on Italian soil, by an Italian barista draped in the Italian flag, whilst singing the Italian national anthem, and whilst the ghost of Luigi Bezzera is summoned by rubbing a well seasoned Moka pot

And all of this must happen faster than you can say robusta 5 times.

That's my takeaway.

#7: Post by **SonVolt** » February 26th, 2016, 6:50 pm

canuckcoffeeguy wrote:Don't forget... the shot has to be pulled on Italian soil, by an Italian barista draped in the Italian flag, whilst singing the Italian national anthem, and whilst the ghost of Luigi Bezzera is summoned by rubbing a well seasoned Moka pot

And all of this must happen faster than you can say robusta 5 times.
<image>

That's my takeaway.

...while flailing your hands and arms all about.

#8: Post by **keno** » February 26th, 2016, 7:44 pm

Lmao! This should be in the "craziest thing I seen all day" thread. This guy is absolutely nuts. I was in Italy a few months ago and was really disappointed by the quality of the coffee there. Who cares if it's cheap and fast, so is McDonalds.

He is right that LM machines are hardly used there but the reason is that they don't give you a free machine like the big coffee suppliers which get cafes to sign contracts for a free espresso machine and grinders in exchange for buying their lousy coffee.

#9: Post by **MyCchiato** » February 26th, 2016, 7:57 pm

canuckcoffeeguy wrote:Don't forget... the shot has to be pulled on Italian soil, by an Italian barista draped in the Italian flag, whilst singing the Italian national anthem, and whilst the ghost of Luigi Bezzera is summoned by rubbing a well seasoned Moka pot

And all of this must happen faster than you can say robusta 5 times.
<image>

That's my takeaway.

I believe Sophia Loren is required to baptize it too.

#10: Post by **SonVolt** » February 26th, 2016, 8:07 pm

Interesting about La Marzocco being marketed as a high-end Italian machine that's not well known in Italy. Is that true?