Looking for ways to get my hands on commercial espresso equipment

#1: Post by **akiley** » May 27th, 2013, 3:56 pm

Hi All,

I'm a HB going on about 8 years home roasting (Hottop, Behmor), Silvia, Andreja.

Here is my predicament. I am REALLY itching to get my hands on a good commercial espresso machine to see how it compares to mine and to just play a bit. Just a few shots and a froth or two. Every time I go to a coffee shop, I fantasize about the barista falling ill in the middle of the morning rush. "Help, are there any barista's in the building?"

I thought about a class, but there isn't much here in Ann Arbor Michigan. I could buy a Linea or Synesso at Costco and bring it back, but they don't seem to carry those models

I though about bribery but that's embarrassing. Chloroform's too mean. Any suggestions? I will travel, I will pay.

On a similar note. I often travel and can talk the barista into grinding my beans for my shot. But recently I was stuck on an island with a beautiful 3-grouphead Expobar behind the bar. I had to look at it's blue lights twinkling at me three meals a day for 7 days. I had coffee with me. They had no idea how to pull a shot. Individual packets of coffee were dumped into a single basket and it was expensive and bad. I needed to be barista with my coffee.

Where should a guy with my kind of problems go? Creative answers welcome. ... Aaron

#2: Post by **iginfect** » May 27th, 2013, 4:29 pm

Fri. a.m. at Counter Culture with Dan's HB get to together.

Marvin

#3: Post by **Chabeau** » May 27th, 2013, 6:37 pm

There are plenty of espresso spots in A2. Have you thought about asking a shop owner if you can have a go on their equipment after they close for the day?

#4: Post by **pacificmanitou** » May 27th, 2013, 8:27 pm

I know there's a distributor in my area that allows you to play on their equipment. You could also try to rent some from a member here, but shipping may be high.

#5: Post by **puffinjk** » May 28th, 2013, 12:01 am

Comet coffee in AA, jim saborio, synesso i think, great guy. Jim King

May 28th, 2013, 4:19 pm

Chabeau wrote:There are plenty of espresso spots in A2. Have you thought about asking a shop owner if you can have a go on their equipment after they close for the day?

That's not a bad idea. We do have several shops that are quite good including Zingerman's, Ugly Mug, Mighty Good, Comet. But I don't know the owners very well because I'm always at home making my own. It feels kind of like asking a stranger to let you try their car out around the block.

But this has me thinking. I should hang out more and ask about how I could try/rent equipment.

... Aaron

#7: Post by **hudsterboy** » May 29th, 2013, 2:18 pm

Just get friendly with a small shop. There's a place here in palm springs where I go. Sometimes I talk to them about coffee, and they've offered to let me pull shots on their equipment during slow times (like noon).

#8: Post by **boar_d_laze** » May 30th, 2013, 2:38 pm

Ask about purchasing a before or after-hours "lesson."

That way you can at least cut through some of the total unfamiliarity BS -- (where do I turn it on and off?), dialing in grind and dose, etc. -- and find out what you can make the machines do.

Who knows? You might also learn things that will improve your skills.

BDL