Well, the tea suggestion (with espresso machine) has made me happy and I can keep my monster mac for awhile or until I can find a good home for her. I am thinking hand grinder and I would love to figure out a steaming solution so I don't have to fire up 2 machines for foam. I am wondering if the wand could be replaced or if my steam is too wet.

Bluecold wrote:Unfortunately that chart doesn't include tea brewed under pressure.
Also, Lockman, how do you grind your tea fine enough to create enough backpressure? Because i'm unsure if coffee grinders can handle tea.
Coffee grinder blades are lubricated by coffee oils. Tea hasn't got oils so i don't think it is a good idea to do it in your coffee grinder. My PeDe squeaked after i ground some tea. Maybe i'm worried about nothing, maybe the ground tea will deflagrate because of excess heat from the grinder blades and burn your house down.

I just use a mortar and pestle. I have also just put it in the PF and tamped (i.e. crushed) it down. I don't think the back pressure is as essential as with espresso. It is strong enough for me. I was thinking of trying my whirly gig grinder as well but I have not done so yet. If I did I might have to back off on the quantity used as well.

timo888 wrote:Caffeine comparison chart. Tea, coffee, chocolate, pepsi, etc.

http://coffeetea.about.com/library/blcaffeine.htm

lol! I don't think that comes close to my doubles.

MUST HAVE COFFEE!

Did fresh roast today and OMG!

Lockman on Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:59 am wrote:Back to homemade chai (lotsa ginger). I am going to miss my shots!

Lockman on Fri May 01, 2009 12:23 am wrote:MUST HAVE COFFEE!

Not bad, you lasted over a month.

Hehehe. That stacks up nicely next to nearly a year for myself from selling my Valentina/SJ and drinking only hand-ground chai tea (which, truly that's the best tea if you're going that way... I like it heavy on cinnamon, peppercorn, and anise; not so big on the ginger) for the whole time, till finally caving in to the more 'affordable' La Pavoni and Mazzer Mini. It was a mistake to quit coffee. Great espresso >> Tea.

On the other hand, Jeff, I see the bling you're eying! For me, after about 9 months frustration with Pavoni + Mini incited a Vetrano upgrade... then Super Jolly.... then Robur... then Elektra T1.... and now Elektra Nino. There's a slippery slope to fall down if you dare, that's for sure. Must... throw... money... in... hole!

HB wrote:Not bad, you lasted over a month.

I tried! It just ain't the same... Coffee is the most fun. efficient, legal way of getting things moving I know of. I use less sugar as well.

There's a slippery slope to fall down if you dare, that's for sure. Must... throw... money... in... hole!

Yeah Nick, so true, and not a great time to be spending money... Or is it? If we get hyper inflation, I may not be able to buy these toys, er, tools at all!

I have a lead on a 2 year old K30 step-less with new burrs for $800. I prefer the Nino look (SEXY vs R2D2 of the K30) and perhaps the grind (the max does a great grind btw) but at the cost I am thinking the K30 might be a smart match with my HX machine for a great combo for years to come. I don't have the ability to get as carried away on temp changes and coffee mathematics without some heavy $$ upgrades.
Any thoughts on this? I noticed Jason is already drooling over the Nino but I live on the "other" side of the tracks. Business is really slow as well. Maybe I could buy his K30 instead! Jason, are you reading this?

I love my Promac. It is easy to use, easy to clean, PLUS, I finally am getting some foam and I am using soy milk! It is built like a tank. I think if you dropped in on the floor it would bust a hole through the floor and joists, land on the slab and suffer a couple of dents.

If I won the lottery I could upgrade to a DB machine for 1-2 degree changes at the PF, a nice San Franciscan Sample Roaster, a Nino and a beachfront coffee plantation in Kona!

On the other hand if we could get a group buy together, it might be worth it. I will be in Europe in about 30 days.
The other thing is that the Mahlkoenig service center is close to me so I could get parts and or repairs easily and they are good people. Warranty issues on the Nino bought overseas could be a real headache.

Lockman wrote:On the other hand if we could get a group buy together, it might be worth it. I will be in Europe in about 30 days.

Keep an eye on the Nino thread then, hopefully we'll have some more info early in the week. I am hopeful that it will be less than 1900USD delivered to a UK address ex VAT, which may mean the need to get a customs stamp at Heathrow on departure, which is easy. Need to check you own airline ticket limits, as it would weigh in at one item under 32kg. Excess baggage or separate freight is expensive, sounds like around 250USD if your baggage allowance can't hack it. More to follow.

So I would need to go somewhere in England to pick up or it would be at Heathrow?

Thanks Chris!

Jeff

Lockman wrote:Coffee is the most fun. efficient, legal way of getting things moving I know of.

Great news!

I'm a medical student. I know that if I have too much coffee in a short space of time, I get jittery. Not quite palpitations, but everything but.

However, I like espresso.

So, the solution is not to cut out the coffee altogether, but to keep it sensible. Luckily for me, I can handle 3 doubles in a day, so it's not a problem unless i get excessive. After about 16.00, i move to decaf.

Oddly enough, when i say "i like espresso", i get all the usual, "ooooh, caffeine fiend! Bet you only like it cos you're addicted!" stuff from people. These same people are often medical students, who think nothing of the caffeine content of tea, and abuse instant coffee for the caffeine. (well, I assume so - I can't see any other reason to drink it ).