Category Archives: Equipment

Brewing, Equipment, Highly Caffeinated

Does the grinder really matter? Really?

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Just how much does the grinder affect your final product?  And, does it really matter if you have a decent one or not?  I have been fortunate to be able to actually test this. I have both a Macap M2M and a Baratza Preciso. The Macap has flat ceramic burs and the Baratza uses conical steel. Both are really excellent grinders with the Macap about $100 more than the Baratza. I ran the same beans through both and dialed in an 18gr dose for my preferred 45sec run time to 40ml on a Gaggia Classic. By all accounts, the Macap shots are excellent…really good, But, the Baratza produced a significantly sweeter shot…like a WTF…did I use the right beans type of significance.
But, it doesn’t end there. I was able to pair these same two grinders with my other espresso machine, a Bezzera BZ10.  I dialed in the exact same shot.  18gr, 45sec, 40ml.  The Macap pairs with that machine way better than the Baratza did. The Baratza shots were always a little bit flat…really good, but lacking a little “pop”. With the Macap, the shots all of the sudden popped like I wanted them too.  I had a hunch that changing the OPV setting on the Bezzera would make it even better, and I was right (adjusted the OPV down to 9.5 bar).
So, there you go.  Yes, the grinder matters, and simply changing your grinder can improve your cup even if you use the exact same machine and beans.
Equipment, Roasting

Roasting with the Behmor 1600 Plus

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The Behmor 1600 Plus is one of the most popular home roasting solutions out there because it can roast a pound of coffee and only costs $369.  I personally roast 1/2lb batches because I find that to be the sweet spot of the Behmor 1600 Plus.  I like my roasts to not go longer than 14 minutes.

Here’s a video I did showing a roast profile I like for beans destined for cold brew.

Brewing, Equipment, Highly Caffeinated

Gaggia Classic Espresso Shot with Good Grinder

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I did a video with the Gaggia Classic and a budget grinder to prove you could get a really nice shot with a setup that you could get out the door with at about $500.

Macap M2M
Macap M2M

So, now, here’s the reason you always hear people talk about the grinder, grinder grinder, when giving advice on making better espresso at home.  Here’s a shot with the Gaggia Classic and a good grinder, the Macap M2M.  This setup is closer to $1000 out the door new (machine and grinder).

Note that I did use a slightly different technique here and different beans, but that really made little difference to the overall outcome.  In the budget shot, I used a single origin, natural process Sumatra bean…which produces great crema.  In this shot I used a blend, but plain and simple, the better grinder yields a better shot.

Equipment, Highly Caffeinated

New Grinder! Macap M2M

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Macap M2M
Macap M2M

I just got a new grinder and boy am I happy.  It is the Macap M2M Espresso Grinder.  I picked it up at 1st Line.  This is labeled as a “commercial” grinder.  And I can see that working in a small cafe.  But, it’s not fast enough to work in a really high volume shop.   However, the Macap M2M is built like a tank, and the small footprint is excellent for home application.  You can read my full review here.

Brewing, Equipment

Gaggia Classic Espresso Shot with Budget Grinder

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So, you want to stay on the cheap, and you’re wondering if you can actually get a decent shot of espresso.  Yes, yes you can.  Keep in mind that “cheap” is quite relative your your situation, but the combo of a Gaggia Classic with a Capresso Infinity grinder can produce a very respectable beverage.

All told, you can be out the door under $500 and brewing cafe quality beverages at home.

Latte Art with the Gaggia Classic
Latte Art with the Gaggia Classic

Some people will tell you that you HAVE to spend at least $500 on the grinder alone, or to get a Rancillio Silvia.  But, your wallet is the deciding factor.  Yes, the grinder DOES make that big a difference even on a lower end machine.  So, if you can afford it, get a better grinder.  But, if you have a budget of $500, this solution right here is a damn fine choice. 

Brewing, Equipment, Highly Caffeinated

Time for a Gaggia Classic

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I decided that the ROK wasn’t going to cut it anymore in my apartment in NY and I needed to upgrade to a machine that still had a budget price, but could keep me from missing my Bezzera BZ10 so much.  I picked up a Gaggia Classic espresso machine (review here) and I am happy.

Gaggia Classic and Capresso Infinity Grinder
Gaggia Classic and Capresso Infinity Grinder

I did the Rancillio steam wand mod immediately and I highly recommend you do it too.  This machine is small, but performance is superb.

Equipment, Highly Caffeinated

Now Roasting – Fresh Roast SR700

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Well, I did it.  I pulled the trigger on this baby, and will be taking the next step towards complete coffee snobbery.  Of course the computer geek in me couldn’t be content with the SR-500.  No, I had to get the Fresh Roast SR700 so I can control the thing with my laptop and save my roast profiles.

Now, I just have to wait for the beans I ordered from Sweet Maria’s to get here so I can start roasting and blending.  I will be posting updates with my efforts, so stay tuned.  The funny thing is I think this may actually make me buy more coffee…in the name of research of course.  I have to have baseline samples with which to compare my output.

Equipment, Highly Caffeinated

Coffee Weight? Do you use a gram scale?

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I had some rewards points stacked up at Amazon, and I picked up this little toy.  And, by little, I mean physically small…really small.  The American Weigh Scale Ac-650 is billed as a “pocket gram scale”, and they aren’t kidding.  This thing is smaller than your phone.

I had never bothered to weigh out my portafilter coffee doses before.  I always just went pretty much by sight, and reading that my grinder would produce about one gram per second.   I was using what I thought was an 18 gram dose for a double shot.  Since, this thing was essentially free, I decided to see how close I was, and see if I could really fine tune things further.

So, how close has I?  What I had been assuming was an 18 gram dose, was, according to the scale, exactly 18 grams!

The scale is drop dead simple to use.  Take the cover off, put it on a flat surface, and push the power button.  The clear cover doubles as a way to make the weigh surface larger if needed, but the surface fits the portafilter spouts perfectly without the cover in use.  There’s a clearly labeled Tare button on the front too.   The accuracy is plenty fine for coffee use, and if you really want, you can change the units to ounces, or even Karats.

All in all, not bad for “free gift”.  Since the thing is so darn small, you could easily add it to a travel setup if you are really anal about weighing your dose.