Search found 957 matches

by MNate
March 6th, 2024, 7:14 pm
Forum: Water
Replies: 7
Views: 278

Home water softnener and RO unit

A lot of us use RO water to make a gallon or 5 of espresso water at a time thanks to Pat's direction. I think this website's instructions are nice: {link} Which exact recipe you should use? Obviously there is no agreement and some of it depends on your desired outcomes. But a nice thing is you can try
by MNate
February 28th, 2024, 10:47 pm
Forum: Grinders
Replies: 35
Views: 1207

Will a flat burr grinder help me like light roasts?

Explore medium roasts with your niche first. It does a fine job with them. Keep learning to distinguish the bitter vs acidic tastes. If you don't like mediums, I wouldn't think you'd like light roasts. (And what we here call medium most places would label light, by the way). Where do you get your co...
Advertisement
by MNate
February 25th, 2024, 3:43 pm
Forum: News and Suggestion Box
Replies: 2
Views: 108

Latte Art Forum?

Subject of a how-to? Most looking for this, I'd gather, are fairly new to the site and they may have better success finding it there than buried in a forum. We tend to also have links to popular latte artist/teachers that really do the work for us: just watch these videos (if we're alright with doin...
by MNate
February 10th, 2024, 7:29 pm
Forum: Cafes and Get-togethers
Replies: 43
Views: 1319

Niseko, Kyoto, and Tokyo

Yeah, the 10a thing really prevented me from trying many places. Looking forward to hearing about your experiences!
by MNate
February 8th, 2024, 11:23 am
Forum: Buying Advice
Replies: 18
Views: 675

Moving on from superauto purgatory... Lever?

Yup, you'd get to learn a lot without sacrificing results if you first got a Robot/Flair/Forge or the like while you keep dreaming about your perfect machine. Lots of cool levers out there and half seems to be what you fall in love with
by MNate
February 8th, 2024, 11:06 am
Forum: Buying Advice
Replies: 17
Views: 681

Buy a 1kg Home Roast Machine

Not what you're wanting to hear, but smaller batch sizes have a lot going for them in a home environment: more opportunity to try different approaches with less wasted attempts is the main one. And if you do happen upon a roast approach you want to repeat it's only another 10 minutes to do each addi...
by MNate
February 7th, 2024, 8:32 pm
Forum: Knockbox
Replies: 48
Views: 2004

How to improve coffee beyond "good enough"?

Finding and learning to follow recipes was definitely step one for me. It's all I can really do cooking and baking too, and although sometimes my wife complains that I added, say, too much salt to a dish ("But that's what the recipe said!") when I find the recipes we like and the chefs and bakers we...
by MNate
February 6th, 2024, 11:12 pm
Forum: Tips and Techniques
Replies: 410
Views: 23194

Blind shaker better than WDT??

007 had it right all along... {image}
by MNate
February 6th, 2024, 12:31 pm
Forum: Buying Advice
Replies: 21
Views: 808

DE1Pro - what options to choose at purchase time?

Well, I'll throw in my thoughts too! -Pro machine is the right choice. No need for XZ -I upgraded the wand too and like it, although neither really let you ghost steam without having the jug sit on something to elevate it. I really really like the ghost steaming... That said: -I'd really not do the ...
by MNate
February 2nd, 2024, 6:58 pm
Forum: Grinders
Replies: 17
Views: 1427

Need an espresso grinder roadmap

I don't know your tariff question but I do think a mini would be a good start or a Niche. Personally I think 99% of new espresso people should buy a conical first. They're easier to get right and make a classic profile without much trouble. But many will move on from them as they chase clarity or fr...