Fluffeepuff wrote: We definitely had to adjust grind on the MAX and MC3 when bouncing back and forth between the espresso machines,

Thanks for posting this--espresso machines are one of the few purchases where it's not that easy to compare before purchase, so real-world evaluations are fun to see.

From a technical aspect, any thoughts on the need to change grind between machines? While I know they are way different machines, the pressure and portafilter basket dimensions would have made me think the grind settings would not vary so much. Which machine did you use a finer grind?

They were running different profiles on each machine. Pre-infusion, which is used commonly on the DE (it is the users choice by the type of profile they are running) will impact the grind size needed.

I was actually adjusting grind mostly for coffee changes, except when using profiles on Decent which were very different from my normal Slayer technique. Ironically, we did not try Slayer profile on DE1, as the spring lever profile that we started with worked so well.

BartG wrote:Wow, cool meet up !

How did the Niche grinder compare to the two monoliths?
That David vs Goliath stuff always interests me

I think I only tried one espresso (with different coffees) from the Niche Zero; it tasted good. I wanted to test the MC3 vs Niche and I do remember there being a difference in taste, but both shots tasted good. I'd need wayyyy more time to produce a subjective (or attempt at an objective) judgement. It's a cool little machine and I think a good value. Would be nice if it had portafilter forks, though.

mivanitsky still has both grinders and could probably comment on the Niche in much more detail.

hperry wrote:Not far from LV, I think, I is Colorado River Coffee Company. I've liked their standard espresso roast as a comfort coffee since I discovered them on a trip.

CRCR supplies a lot of cafes in town with coffee; I've been there and they are some cool folks. I personally don't like their espresso blend (called Redwall), but their other coffees I've tried have been good A bit of a drive in Boulder City and they don't have a storefront; more of a wholesale roaster.

Calcifer wrote:How is the DE1+ for steaming milk. I'm a latte art enthusiast and I want to get a new machine that can make a killer latte with perfect microfoam.

I'm told it's fine, albeit a bit slow. To be honest, I have not tried, as the Slayer is 2 feet away, should I desire milk.

Calcifer wrote:How is the DE1+ for steaming milk. I'm a latte art enthusiast and I want to get a new machine that can make a killer latte with perfect microfoam.

DE1 is a very good a steamer. I haven't had the joy of a La Marzocco or Slayer steamer, but compared to a Profitec Pro 700, I much prefer the DE1.

DE1 steam is dry. It's not marketing jargon. E61 steam for me has always seemed wet. It's over 2 bar in unlimited capacity which allows you to get a vortex easily going (something E61s can be difficult doing). It's a little on the slow side due to optimizing for maximum pressure.

I can do 4 ounces of milk in around 25 seconds and 6 ounces in 35 seconds. 8 ounces in 45 seconds. The timer is a great feature that you'll never know you wanted until you use it.

You should have no issue creating perfect latte art milk every time. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

I decided to lug my modified GS/3 over to Mike's place this morning when I returned MAX.


We spent a few hours pulling shots of various single origins on his Slayer and my GS/3 using MAX and a Monolith Conical. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and it was fun getting to see how the Jake Valve-equiped GS/3 stacked up against the Slayer and also how the MAX shots compared to the Conical.

All combinations of shots were good. With the differences being subtle and more around shaping the texture and highlights of the espresso flavors, rather than any one combo being better than another.

Take the Slayer: Consistent and consistently excellent with the same beans pulled on multiple grinders using both the EPNW HQ14 and Pullman baskets. The consistency allowed for identifying the enhanced clarity of MAX, and the more prominent mouthfeel of the Conical. One coffee four different ways. All different, all great.

Then there's the GS/3: Flexible is the word that sticks with me after working with the Slayer. Once again, we worked with the conical and the MAX, and settled on the HQ14 basket. We took a stab in the dark for a grind setting on the Conical and got a shot that choked using a flow rate based pre-brew of about 1.5ml/s (9.3g output in 45s. It was delicious!) We then built the exact same puck again and pulled it using 2.5 bar preinfusion to get a nice ristretto with a 1:1.25 ratio using a declining lever pressure profile. This shot was really nice and balanced with excellent sweetness while still being a tad acid forward. We ended up bumping the temperature up 2 degrees to add some bass notes when we switched to MAX and pulled a few more shots before it was time for me to pack up and enjoy a highly caffeinated drive back home!

It was a thrill to spend some time nerding out with Mike, talking about all things coffee, and enjoying good espresso and better company. Tomorrow it's back to using my aligned SSP-equipped Super Jolly, so we'll see how bad the MAX withdrawal is.

Thanks again for the hospitality, Mike and please chime in with your thoughts of the morning.

Cheers!

- Jake