Life is too short for bad coffee - The Off Topic thread

Hodors Appletart · 03-03-2021 2:44pm

just bought these

Link

adrian522 · 03-03-2021 2:55pm

Most coffee filters in general are bio degradable and can go in the compost bin. Trying to reuse them seems overkill.

Hodors Appletart · 03-03-2021 3:12pm

adrian522 wrote: »

Most coffee filters in general are bio degradable and can go in the compost bin. Trying to reuse them seems overkill.

ah yeah, I put them in the compose alright, and I use the unbleached ones too - but it's still paper at the end of the day.

Weepsie · 03-03-2021 3:51pm

I reuse aeropress ones all the time. In 6-7 years of owning one I'm on my second pack of filters. Did use a metal filter for a while though

caviardreams · 03-03-2021 4:49pm

Weepsie wrote: »

I reuse aeropress ones all the time. In 6-7 years of owning one I'm on my second pack of filters. Did use a metal filter for a while though

I don't think you're drinking enough coffee! Banned from the forum

:D:D:D

Hodors Appletart · 03-03-2021 4:50pm

caviardreams wrote: »

I don't think you're drinking enough coffee! Banned from the forum :D:D:D

I was re-using Aeropress paper filters too, but I much prefer the metal one.

Coillte_Bhoy · 03-03-2021 5:35pm

Can i use baking soda to clean a filter coffee machine and how exactly do i go about it? Also can i use regular descaler like i use to clean kettle and shower head? Thanks.

caviardreams · 03-03-2021 7:15pm

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

ah yeah, I put them in the compose alright, and I use the unbleached ones too - but it's still paper at the end of the day.

Agree - it's as much the manufacturing of them than the waste.

I am using filtropa 4s, have heard great things about kalita 103s though. Anyone else tried them?

Hodors Appletart · 03-03-2021 9:01pm

what's the difference or why are they better?

caviardreams · 03-03-2021 10:20pm

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

what's the difference or why are they better?

Thicker I think! but never tried them - just saw some folk on reddit saying they are the best

You know you have reached peak coffee pedant when you are wondering about the thickness of paper filters!

insert name here 123 · 07-03-2021 1:18pm

Hi, can i ask those who have more knowledge than me on this subject.

I've purchased a coffee machine as im tired of paying for horrible coffee locally.

I normally only have cappuccino. What milk woukd you recommend when making my own? So many to choose from; soya, almond, light, super light etc..

I would have one a day every day, normally when i gonto café, id ask for skinny cappuccino, is that just the baritsa using low fat milk?

Thanks in advance

07-03-2021 1:23pm

Always full fat milk, it stretches and froths better. Also keep your milk jug in the freezer so it's really cold

Bigbooty · 07-03-2021 1:46pm

For plant based milk oatly barista is the most popular and rightly so. Rebel kitchen mylk was also developed specifically for coffee but I've yet to get my hands on it. James Hoffman(peace be upon him) was involved in it. Think minor figures oat milk is also quite good.

insert name here 123 · 07-03-2021 2:28pm

Thanks all, I will try the recommendations.

Hodors Appletart · 07-03-2021 5:47pm

Bigbooty wrote: »

For plant based milk oatly barista is the most popular and rightly so. Rebel kitchen mylk was also developed specifically for coffee but I've yet to get my hands on it. James Hoffman(peace be upon him) was involved in it. Think minor figures oat milk is also quite good.

Hodors Appletart · 08-03-2021 11:22am

Couple of little coffee items arrived for me today

First up, a new rubber seal for the Aeropress which I ordered from Amazon.de about 3 weeks ago.

I also ordered some Reusable Filters for the Clever Dripper, also from Germany, but direct from the place that makes them, took about a week.

They are currently boiling away as instructions tell you to do that before use.

Just made my first Aero in about a month.

Hodors Appletart · 08-03-2021 12:28pm

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

They are currently boiling away as instructions tell you to do that before use..

:eek:

I bleeding forgot about these, the water boiled off and almost caused my kitchen to burn down

cnocbui · 08-03-2021 7:16pm

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

:eek:

I bleeding forgot about these, the water boiled off and almost caused my kitchen to burn down

I love the timer on my induction stove that repeatedly saves me from myself.

Hodors Appletart · 16-03-2021 11:08am

I used the reusable hemp filters in the clever for the first time this morning

couple of things I noticed.

Using my usual grind the drip time was way quicker so I need to grind finer I think

there was also a weird taste, I'd boiled and then dried the filters as instructed

I adjusted the grind size for my second cup, it still ran through very quickly, but the taste is gone. Lots of sludge though

going to grab a bag of cheap beans and experiment

Weepsie · 22-03-2021 11:21am

Anyone here have and/or used a flair at all?

Tempted by one but unsure if I should get the neo which is the most forgiving and cheapest, or classic/signature which are more expensive or the pro which is possibly unnecessary entirely.

I've an original Rok presso and I like it and have upgrades it but waiting on new bayonet screws to arrive for it.

Hodors Appletart · 22-03-2021 11:53am

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

I used the reusable hemp filters in the clever for the first time this morning

couple of things I noticed.

Using my usual grind the drip time was way quicker so I need to grind finer I think

there was also a weird taste, I'd boiled and then dried the filters as instructed

I adjusted the grind size for my second cup, it still ran through very quickly, but the taste is gone. Lots of sludge though

going to grab a bag of cheap beans and experiment

I just can't get to grips with the reusable filters at all, they drip way too quickly, and don't filter fine enough so the cup is always sludgy - I've tried using two filters but it's the same, and again this morning there was a weird metallic taste from my first cup.

I've been rinsing the filters immediately after each use, and then before each cup.

I'll continue on with them, but I'm on the verge of giving up

cnocbui · 22-03-2021 2:49pm

Weepsie wrote: »

Anyone here have and/or used a flair at all?

Tempted by one but unsure if I should get the neo which is the most forgiving and cheapest, or classic/signature which are more expensive or the pro which is possibly unnecessary entirely.

I've an original Rok presso and I like it and have upgrades it but waiting on new bayonet screws to arrive for it.

I don't understand how these types of devices are supposed to work, can someone fill me in? I get the mechanical principles perfectly, but I don't understand how these srts of things can extract coffee with water thats at 92°C.

To get a warm cup of coffe from my espresso machine I have to boil water in the microwave, run it through the filter holder into my ss cup - twice - pop the filter into the now warm water and put that back in the microwave and boil again and repeat before loading the grounds, emptying the hot water from the cup and running a shot before everything cools down

So how do these presses not suck all the heat out of the water almost instantly?

Weepsie · 22-03-2021 3:06pm

You preheat the portafilter and chambers with boiling water and/or steam. The portafilters on the flair are fairly thick so once they are hot, they should be okay to go.

You don't have to have it bang on 92, you should be able to get it in the range. The workflow is probably a bit tedious for some, but your own workflow seems a bit much from a machine too.

The ROK needs 2-3 flushes of water often. I leave boiling water in it while im prepping other thing, flush it, then to a another quick flush and heat cup too.

The Flair and the Robot have an awful lot of fans and great feedback for the most part, so people are obviously getting good results. I don't want to have a machine permaplaced on my counterspace is one reason for me, and I like that mechanical things anyway. They have a new one next month, that has a small electrical element to keep everything heated. Uses a standard portafilter too, but I'd wager it will be €€€

stuchyg · 22-03-2021 3:09pm

Iv been thinking of getting a flair myself. Isnthere anywhere in Europe they can be bought, likely to get hit on customs otherwise

Squidgy Black · 23-03-2021 1:05pm

stuchyg wrote: »

Iv been thinking of getting a flair myself. Isnthere anywhere in Europe they can be bought, likely to get hit on customs otherwise

Coffee24.de are the german distributor and they ship to Ireland

Weepsie · 23-03-2021 11:58pm

I found a super deal for a flair pro on eBay, and thought I had delivery from UK sussed, but now PayPal and eBay are blocking me from adding a new UK address completely now.

F*ckin Brexit.

Maxicoffee in France have the neo in white for 130 delivered

stuchyg · 24-03-2021 12:32am

Weepsie wrote: »

I found a super deal for a flair pro on eBay, and thought I had delivery from UK sussed, but now PayPal and eBay are blocking me from adding a new UK address completely now.

F*ckin Brexit.

Maxicoffee in France have the neo in white for 130 delivered

Is that ebay or direct via site

Weepsie · 24-03-2021 12:00pm

The flair pro was a private sale.

Maxicoffee is via their own site. The god shot in belgium have the entire range of flairs too. Neo is 132 , Classic 175, Signature 275 and Pro 350 or something.

Krusty_Clown · 24-03-2021 12:51pm

cnocbui wrote: »

but I don't understand how these srts of things can extract coffee with water thats at 92°C.

To get a warm cup of coffe from my espresso machine I have to boil water in the microwave, run it through the filter holder into my ss cup - twice - pop the filter into the now warm water and put that back in the microwave and boil again and repeat before loading the grounds, emptying the hot water from the cup and running a shot before everything cools down

Are you talking about 92°C in the cup? Seems like a very lengthy process for an espresso machine with a price tag north of €1k. I have the PID on my Sylvia set to maintain the water temperature at 106°C (equivalent brew water temperature around 96°C). It runs on a smart timer and is timed to start heating at 7:30am for a first cup at 8am. A quick flush into the cup while grinding the beans and it's ready to go. Espresso shot is around 70°C, which is just about drinkable temperature. Steam gets up to about 155°C in about 30 seconds, for milky drinks (single boiler machine). Are you trying to get your shots much hotter than 70°C?

cnocbui · 24-03-2021 1:17pm

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Are you talking about 92°C in the cup? Seems like a very lengthy process for an espresso machine with a price tag north of €1k. I have the PID on my Sylvia set to maintain the water temperature at 106°C (equivalent brew water temperature around 96°C). It runs on a smart timer and is timed to start heating at 7:30am for a first cup at 8am. A quick flush into the cup while grinding the beans and it's ready to go. Espresso shot is around 70°C, which is just about drinkable temperature. Steam gets up to about 155°C in about 30 seconds, for milky drinks (single boiler machine). Are you trying to get your shots much hotter than 70°C?

No, I'm trying to warm the metal bits that otherwise cool down the shots. The water going through the grounds is at the right temp but then it hits the cold mass of brass that is the filter holder then it's further cooled by the SS cup.

I am in a very hard water area so I am using distilled water in my machine, so This is the alternative to just running water through the machine, given the tap water is more plentiful than the distilled.

It sounds like a bother but It's not really as I just run the preheat water in the microwave while I wait the minute or so for the machine to heat up after switching it on.

No doubt I'm about to get flak for using distilled, but most people don't know about masking or believe it doesn't apply to them.

Life is too short for bad coffee - The Off Topic thread

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