edschlukebir wrote:I'd like to make it as well. It'd be nice to meet some more coffee people in this part of the world. I'm in German Valley just west of Rockford.

Eric, I'll add you to the tentative attendee list in the OP. I skimmed your posts and looked at your twitter link from HB. It appears you have not been to one before. I am sure you can already figure out, but just in casenot: the setting is very casual. We should be having two Team HB moderators in attendance and at least two master home coffee roasters. Gravy is the roasted coffees brought (e.g. IN PAST Panama Elidia (?spelling) and equipment list are la creme de la creme.

edschlukebir wrote:I'd like to make it as well. It'd be nice to meet some more coffee people in this part of the world. I'm in German Valley just west of Rockford.

Please see PM I sent you as I want to avoid thread drift.

OK, updates to planned Chicago-Milwaukee Spring 2019 Get Together (GTG).
I. dates are between Saturday April 6, 2019 (1st choice) and Saturday March 30, 2019 (2nd choice)


II. Planned attendees, as usual, please check post #1 intermittently for update.
E.g. (a) I need someone to bring a cheap disposable (in case a certain klutz drenches it) 0.1 gram scale that reads over 500grams. I have drench my AWS and now it will not zero. My replacement (non-AWS brand ) is reportedly 0.01 gram BUT it maxes out at 500grams so cannot use Clever Coffee Dripper on it. Oh my first world problems.

(b) Total coffeegeek request but if someone would bring an Acaia scale (Pearl or Lunar) that would be most appreciated by host (who want to test drive one).


III. Main dish protein source (please vote via PM or email or on this thread):
BTW I am listing ingredients and recipe for Thai pad sie ew for full disclosure b.c. I am anal retentive and so that all attendees know what they are consuming in case food allergy/intolerances. Remember my day job.
(a) stir fry beef (butcher pre-cut very thin beef (sirloin) marinated for six hours [in combination of Kikkoman regular soy sauce & finely chopped fresh garlic & crushed black pepper & baking soda (to tenderize the meat more) & sesame oil]
or

(b) thinly sliced (~3 to 5mm) boneless skinless chicken breast marinated twenty four hours [in combination of Thai Golden Mountain brand sauce & finely chopped fresh garlic & crushed black pepper & sesame oil & Thai oyster sauce & Junmai Sake]
or

(c) tofu for vegetarian but this would taste so lame compared to (a) and (b), IMO and IIRC there are no vegetarians in the usual gang
(I am trying to learn Thai fried tofu before the GTG as appetizer but until proven otherwise do NOT expect this to be served. Likely appetizer will be store bought frozen (but still wonderful) Chinese chicken egg roll fried in safflower oil with sesame oil (~9:1 ratio mix).


IV. Approximately two weeks prior to GTG, I will PM all confirmed attendees my home address. It is same as before (March 2018 and March 2015 GTGs).


V. For those interested, please feel free to bring Blu ray (2k not 4K) that you may want to screen but please note if it is post-1970 release AND well- regarded movie (e.g. on IMDB Top 250 or Roger Ebert's Great Movies ) then I probably already own it. Last year we screened G-rated family-friendly [ ]"John Wick" Red Circle club scene and "Samsara" Tibetan monk scene. Or bring your favorite CD or SACD (latter in 5.0 multi-channel; my .1 channel broke since March 2018). Last year, we sampled host's multichannel SACDs Pink Floyd "Wish You Were Here" (Acoustics Sounds remaster) and Rolling Stones "Sympathy for the Devil" (Bob Ludwig remaster). I'd love to get others opinion of Muddy Waters SACD "Folk Singer" (two channel stereo). Attendees input on AV adjustments/tweeks are always encouraged and welcome (in past: thanks another_jim, earlgrey_44 and vberch).

Ok back to coffee & espresso:)



VI. TOPICS TO DISCUSS (so far a,b, c are host's request): Please post other topics you want discussed during the GTG.
(a) How to dial in new coffee roast w/o wasting 1/2 to 3/4 of the bag like host does.(another_jim) Yes I have read posts on HB. But coffee novice me still don't get it.
(b) "reverse engineer" George Howell's Costa Rica : how does this master roaster make it taste great w/o involuntary facial pucker (another_jim)
(c) Grinder smackdown (another_jim) taste & ergonomics.
(1) Monolith Conical (v 1.0) vs. Niche Zero Grinder
(2) Maybe Mazzer Super Jolly vs. other possible titan (please do NOT expect this though).
(3) Helor 106 (Flux) vs. OE Pharos v1.1 (I won't be participating in this one as my Pharos dogs are retired until proven otherwise)

I look forward to seeing the usual gang. And to date we should have at least two new attendees (foodie neighbor of mine and a fellow HB member who home roasts).

Hello Guys, i'm being forced out of town march 26 to april 9. I hope you guys enjoy!

Bummer.

Well Prairiedawg (a/k/a master BBQ pitmaster (NO sarcasm) is planning 3rd annual Summer 2019 Chicago-Milwaukee get together and as you know Jim usually hosts Fall one.

OK, post #13 was probably a little too long Chicago-Milwaukee Spring 2019 get together

To get straight to the point:
* still plenty of time until the planned April 6, 2019 get together
* will need guest to bring scale accurate to 0.1 gram but also limit over 500 grams (so that can use for brew coffee too). My working scales all max out at 500 grams and full #4 filter sized Clever Coffee Dripper exceeds this mass.
* will need 2nd machine. Reason is there is strong possibility I will have sold the Quickmill Alexia with PID and all its associated paraphernalia by time of the April 6, 2019 get together. I am in process of simplifying my home espresso setup.

I'll bring a machine, some scales, and the Niche Zero, which I'd like the attendees to take for a spin.

i will bring the MonCon as well. You know, You could just sell the the Quickmill after the GTG......

Hopefully the prospective local (thank goodness) buyer will be too busy with his day job until after 4/6/2019.

But given last week I spoiled he and his son with espressos (one light-medium and other medium roast) (grinder OE Pharos v1.1 and machine OE Cremina with pressure piston gauge) at their store, I think he will buy the machine before then. Currently he is using an espresso pod machine. The (first world) horror, the (first world) horror.

Needless to say both said the difference was day and night in favor of the Pharos&Cremina. They also saw my Pharos dogs (when grinding the light- medium roast) and said no way to the Pharos So my SuperJolly might be on the for sale block too.


ALSO, please also see email I will be sending your in ~ 10 min (not posted here to avoid thread drift).

mdmvrockford wrote: Currently he is using an espresso pod machine.

.

Audible Gasp!