Well groundhog already gave its opinion. Now for a less well known but growing northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin tradition: Spring Home-Barista get together.

To those who have not attended one in the past. It is a get-together of HB members (and feel free to bring coffee/espresso loving family or friends). I hosted one on Pi day 2015 Chicago/Milwaukee HB.com get-together #13 (attendee list) Unique to these get-togethers is completely casual meeting of (using an education analogy) freshman university students and all the way up to emeritus professor levels. Host is high school senior student level knowledge Host provides main food dish and guests are welcome (not required) to bring side dish/finger food/dessert.

I will update this initial thread post information below up through time of get-together.


DATE & TIME :
March 24, 2018

10AM to when last person leaves (usually no later than 1800) BUT feel free to leave as early as one desires

LOCATION:
Rockford, IL area (will personal message attendees with exact address week before the get together)

ATTENDEES: (tentative at present)
mdmvrockford (host) and possibly two of his acquaintances
another_jim (TeamHB)
dominico (TeamHB) and potentially guest
prairiedawg & spouse
earlgrey_44
brianl
Barb
jackson6

CAFE VISIT
Also tentative plan is to have those interested go to Rockford Roasting Company [ http://rockfordroastingcompany.com ] about 20 minutes (10 minutes w/o traffic) from my home. If this is done then it would make sense to go there later during get together (e.g. after 1300) when business is less busy there and time for owner & head roaster to meet with us. Boss's vehicle can hold five persons and my other car (with someone offer to drive it holds four or five if tight squeeze). So if we have more than nine interested in RRC then we will need another guest to also drive. RRC espresso machine on ground level is two group Synesso Hydra https://www.espressoparts.com/synesso-mvp-hydra-2-group. And grinder is Mahlkonig K30 & EK43. Upstairs is their coffee lab with two group Bosco spring lever and Super Jolly grinder. Roasting is done on site (ground floor) with a US Roasters brand roaster. Head roastmaster has laptop computer and thermometer connected to the roaster.

HOST FOOD DISH (I effective do not cook so main dish is limited ) :
* homemade pizzas whose toppings are chorizo sausage, manchego cheese & sliced tomatoes, olive oil and cilantro)
* homemade tossed salad (dark green leaves, cranberries, fresh grated cheese, crumbs, store bought balsamic vinaigrette)

SIDE DISHES (guests bring but not required)
* homemade apple pie (Mrs. Prairiedawg)
* homemade vanilla custard (Prairiedawg)
* Kettle brand salt and cracked pepper potato chips (host)

COFFEE BEANS (to new attendees, feel free to bring your home roast or purchased roasted bean but no obligation to do this):
* fresh home-roasted beans of guests (TBD)
* Paradise Roasters Vietnam Lang Biang (medium roasted) (host)
* Paradise Roasters Havana (dark roasted) (host)
* Paradise Roasters Ethiopia Suke Quto pulped natural (light roasted) (host)
* Rockford Roasting Company Nyerere Kenya (light roasted) (host)

WATER for the COFFEE & ESPRESSO
* distilled water remineralized with Third Wave Water (espresso profile) packet

EQUIPMENT LIST:
(1) espresso machine & brewer
* I think we will be needing a 2nd small lever machine (e.g Cremina) or portable quality espresso maker (e.g. Flair, Espresso Forge, Portaspresso) --> PLEASE SEE POST #16)

* Quickmill Alexia (E61) with PID and four (15g, 17g, 20g, 21g) VST portafilter baskets (host)
* Olympia Cremina (1967 version) with "naked portafilter's" (Gabor's) pressure piston gauge (double and triple PF baskets) (host)
* Clever Coffee Dripper (one that takes #4 coffee filter) (host)
* Bodum french press (4 cup capacity) (host)
* siphon vacuum brewer (barb)

(2) grinder
* Monolith Conical ()rairiedawg)
* Orphan Espresso Pharos with aluminum bolt covers made by Dr. Pavlis (R.I.P.) but o/w essentially stock (host)
* Mazzer Super Jolly with doser & stock burrs (host)
* Rancilio Rocky doserless (unmodded) (host)
* Helor 101 with both burr set (espresso burr not broken in yet) (host)

(3) accessories/cups
* need guest to bring more espresso demitasse/cups --> (earlgrey_44)
* Bodum double wall espresso sized glasses (total 5) (host)
* nine thick porcelain cappuccino/latte cups and saucers (host)
* two 58mm tampers and one 49mm tamper (host)
* two AWS 0.1gram digital scales (host)
* one 1L Bonavitta PID gooseneck kettle (host)

ETHANOL:
* four different single malt scotches [two Balvenies (12 & 15 year), Glenfiddich (15 year), Highland 16 year] (host)
* 750cc bottle Avignonesi Rossi di Montepulciano 2015 (host)
* four-12oz cans Stevens Street APA from Penrose Brewery (host)
* at least four-12 oz bottles of Three Floyds "Zombie Dust" (host) [two bottles likely gone before 3/24/2018 meeting as will be drank by host's family]
* four-16 oz bottles Zywiec Porter 1881 (host)

OTHER ENTERTAINMENT:
* club level table tennis table and four paddles with various speed rubber and foam and analog ball machine (my other hobby...though I am still novice at it)
* four seat sound-isolated 5.1 home theater downstairs (each of three main speakers have powered subwoofer) (e.g. Assetto Corsa PC program in full simulation mode with wheel and pedal set, TNTC IMDB Top 250 movies)-> please feel free to bring in reference sound and/or reference picture Blu ray discs to demo but realize if motion picture made after 1970, I probably already own it so ask me in PM if I own it already
* home's main level has 50 inch plasma for regular viewing of cable TV (no premium channels)
* middle-aged but still overly enthusiast male Labradoodle. Please pet him and give him a Milk Bone treat (host has supply) and he will be your best friend too. If you don't pet him he will keep jumping at you begging for your attention:(. Please PM earlgrey_44 to get other details of his friendliness.

Is there an easy way to get to the area from Chicago for the carless? Maybe a list of possible carpools?

I am looking forward to it, Michael!

From PM's I have received so far, the best dates appear to be March 10, March 17 and March 24, 2018. But it is still quite early so if you are interested please post reply or PM me.

I'm in, but my schedule isn't as open as some others. I've been looking forward to the next one. Sounds like fun.

I know these get together are not about the equipment. Still it does not hurt to ask. If anyone planning to attend owns a KinuM47 hand grinder would you mind bringing it?

I would like to compare it hands-on vs. my Helor 101.

Thanks.

I'm in for the 24th.
I can bring a supply of cups too.

Earlgrey_44: please bring espresso cups.

In the interim 3 years, my labradoodle isn't as overly enthusiastic