View entire thread: Opinions wanted for Gensaco home espresso equipment?
Posted by Sales Manager on 2008-02-05 12:01:51 Post Subject: Opinions wanted for Gensaco home espresso equipment?
Opinions Wanted!
We just added Gensaco home espresso equipment to our site but we are not that familiar with thier equipment. We are offering home espresso equipment as a convenience as that is not our primary business. We do know they are a re-branded product of manufacturer La Nuova Era, an Italian producer of semi-pro espresso machines and that they are built in Milan, Italy. We would like to know their effectiveness, durability, comparisons with other similiar equipment etc.
Any opinions will be appreciated.
Thanks!
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Posted by Sales Manager on 2008-02-05 12:01:51 Post Subject: Opinions wanted for Gensaco home espresso equipment?
Opinions Wanted!
We just added Gensaco home espresso equipment to our site but we are not that familiar with thier equipment. We are offering home espresso equipment as a convenience as that is not our primary business. We do know they are a re-branded product of manufacturer La Nuova Era, an Italian producer of semi-pro espresso machines and that they are built in Milan, Italy. We would like to know their effectiveness, durability, comparisons with other similiar equipment etc.
Any opinions will be appreciated.
Thanks!
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View entire thread: Portable Kiosks & Service Van for Sale
Posted by alikat on 2007-10-22 16:52:00 Post Subject: Portable Kiosks & Service Van for Sale
We have two Mountain Mudd double drive through kiosks along with a 1998 Ford Econo Van for sale. Van is installed with grey and fresh water tanks to service kiosks. Kiosks mfg date was 2002 but have been in storage since 11/2005 and 6/2006. Kiosks come with original espresso equipment. We are asking $50000 OBO for entire package. Buyer would be responsible for transporation costs. Present location Reno, NV
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Posted by alikat on 2007-10-22 16:52:00 Post Subject: Portable Kiosks & Service Van for Sale
We have two Mountain Mudd double drive through kiosks along with a 1998 Ford Econo Van for sale. Van is installed with grey and fresh water tanks to service kiosks. Kiosks mfg date was 2002 but have been in storage since 11/2005 and 6/2006. Kiosks come with original espresso equipment. We are asking $50000 OBO for entire package. Buyer would be responsible for transporation costs. Present location Reno, NV
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View entire thread: American Made Espresso Machine
Posted by ourespresso on 2005-08-05 10:03:48 Post Subject: American Made Espresso Machine
Here at Pighetti's Espresso Equipment, we have designed and manufactured a commerical espresso/cappaccino machine. We are located in Winter Park, Florida. We have a traditional 1 and 2 group which comes in 120 or 220v. We also have a coffee shop model 1 and 2 group. The 2 group coffee shop model has a built in refridgerator that holds a whole gallon of milk. Visit our website www.ourespresso.com or call us at 888-673-2441. We also design and build custom carts and kiosk. Talk to you all soon!
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Posted by ourespresso on 2005-08-05 10:03:48 Post Subject: American Made Espresso Machine
Here at Pighetti's Espresso Equipment, we have designed and manufactured a commerical espresso/cappaccino machine. We are located in Winter Park, Florida. We have a traditional 1 and 2 group which comes in 120 or 220v. We also have a coffee shop model 1 and 2 group. The 2 group coffee shop model has a built in refridgerator that holds a whole gallon of milk. Visit our website www.ourespresso.com or call us at 888-673-2441. We also design and build custom carts and kiosk. Talk to you all soon!
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View entire thread: SCAA Conference Audio CD's
Posted by SCAA Educator on 2006-03-21 07:57:14 Post Subject: SCAA Conference Audio CD's
If your just getting into the coffee business or already a seasoned professional then your in luck. I have some great audio CD's available for sale from last years conference. They average about 60-90 minutes in length and extremely helpful as it features respected leaders in the coffee industry. Below are a few of some of these great sessions with industry leaders.
Technically Speaking - Coffee & Espresso Equipment Care
Using the right technical tools to acheive quality in Direct relationships.
Making sure your label is compliant with the national organic program.
Roasting Equipment Maintenance
Using alternative processing methods
Tasting the roast- Common Roasting Defects
Effective Short Training for wholesale customers
Equipment selection and services
Coffee tasting with Ken Davis
Descriptive Cupping: Tasting Terminalogy
Community Involvement/ Cause Related Marketing
Community Involvement/ Building relationships
Hiring Smart: Why you should look once, twice, three times before hiring.
Available on CD for $9.95 each or all 13 for $99.95. If interested, email me at promolax@yahoo.com
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Posted by SCAA Educator on 2006-03-21 07:57:14 Post Subject: SCAA Conference Audio CD's
If your just getting into the coffee business or already a seasoned professional then your in luck. I have some great audio CD's available for sale from last years conference. They average about 60-90 minutes in length and extremely helpful as it features respected leaders in the coffee industry. Below are a few of some of these great sessions with industry leaders.
Technically Speaking - Coffee & Espresso Equipment Care
Using the right technical tools to acheive quality in Direct relationships.
Making sure your label is compliant with the national organic program.
Roasting Equipment Maintenance
Using alternative processing methods
Tasting the roast- Common Roasting Defects
Effective Short Training for wholesale customers
Equipment selection and services
Coffee tasting with Ken Davis
Descriptive Cupping: Tasting Terminalogy
Community Involvement/ Cause Related Marketing
Community Involvement/ Building relationships
Hiring Smart: Why you should look once, twice, three times before hiring.
Available on CD for $9.95 each or all 13 for $99.95. If interested, email me at promolax@yahoo.com
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View entire thread: SCAA's SOUTH EAST REGIONAL BARISTA COMPETITION
Posted by Michelle Campbell on 2007-08-24 16:46:25 Post Subject: SCAA's SOUTH EAST REGIONAL BARISTA COMPETITION
Dear Barista Competition Enthusiasts,
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) is proud to present the 2007 South East Regional Barista Competition (SERBC), hosted by Monin Gourmet Flavorings, Astoria General Espresso Equipment and Ambex.
The SERBC will take place October 19-21, 2007 at:
The Harborview Center
300 Cleveland St.
Clearwater, Florida 33755
http://harborview-center.com/
Click on the following link to find the 2007 SERBC Documents:
http://www.scaa.org/about_regional_next.asp#Southeast 2007
SERBC DOCUMENTS:
Schedule of Events
Travel Information
Competitor Registration Form
Judges Registration Form
Volunteer Registration Form
Competitor Rules & Regulations
Judges Rules & Regulations
Head Judge Score Sheet
Technical Score Sheet
Sensory Judge Score Sheet
If you or someone you know is interested in competing, judging or volunteering at the 2007 SERBC, please direct them to the link posted above for a Registration Form.
Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions or concerns.
I look forward to seeing all of you in Florida!
Kind regards,
Michelle Campbell
Director of Community & Events
Specialty Coffee Association of America
330 Golden Shore, Suite 50
Long Beach, CA 90802
TEL: (562) 624-4100
FAX: (562) 624-4104
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Posted by Michelle Campbell on 2007-08-24 16:46:25 Post Subject: SCAA's SOUTH EAST REGIONAL BARISTA COMPETITION
Dear Barista Competition Enthusiasts,
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) is proud to present the 2007 South East Regional Barista Competition (SERBC), hosted by Monin Gourmet Flavorings, Astoria General Espresso Equipment and Ambex.
The SERBC will take place October 19-21, 2007 at:
The Harborview Center
300 Cleveland St.
Clearwater, Florida 33755
http://harborview-center.com/
Click on the following link to find the 2007 SERBC Documents:
http://www.scaa.org/about_regional_next.asp#Southeast 2007
SERBC DOCUMENTS:
Schedule of Events
Travel Information
Competitor Registration Form
Judges Registration Form
Volunteer Registration Form
Competitor Rules & Regulations
Judges Rules & Regulations
Head Judge Score Sheet
Technical Score Sheet
Sensory Judge Score Sheet
If you or someone you know is interested in competing, judging or volunteering at the 2007 SERBC, please direct them to the link posted above for a Registration Form.
Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions or concerns.
I look forward to seeing all of you in Florida!
Kind regards,
Michelle Campbell
Director of Community & Events
Specialty Coffee Association of America
330 Golden Shore, Suite 50
Long Beach, CA 90802
TEL: (562) 624-4100
FAX: (562) 624-4104
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View entire thread: Seattle Barista Academy Class This Weekend!!!
Posted by Seattle Barista Academy on 2007-10-10 12:25:43 Post Subject: Seattle Barista Academy Class This Weekend!!!
Seattle Barista Academy, located in Renton, Washington has a limited number of spaces still open for our weekend intensive class this weekend, October 14th and 15th.
This 2-day course covers all the variables that are essential for the barista to monitor, in order to achieve consistent drink excellence. The student will be presented with the most advanced industry techniques for dosing, tamping, extraction and drink building, in addition to equipment maintenance, cleaning, and customer service and presentation skills.
The Seattle Barista Academy, is your source for Professional Barista Training. We offer espresso training classes with hands-on experience in grinding coffee, steaming, extraction, drink fabrication, latte art, barista training with barista certification, and education materials and CDs.
Experience the best in espresso education with hands-on training using professional espresso equipment. Learn to make a latte, cappuccino, macchiato, or mocha drink from start to finish. Differentiate yourself from your competition with latte art, etching, and other coffee presentation techniques.
Our espresso coffee education classes and coffee consultating services are a must for the new coffee shop startup as well as for the experienced operator who wants to fine tune and update their coffee shop experience. In all of our classes we share cutting edge concepts that the elite coffee shops are currently using to grow their businesses and can make a major difference in your operational success.
We are currently offering a special discount on this class for Coffee Forum members. The class is usually $1295.00 and we are offering it for $895.00 for Coffee Forum members.
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Posted by Seattle Barista Academy on 2007-10-10 12:25:43 Post Subject: Seattle Barista Academy Class This Weekend!!!
Seattle Barista Academy, located in Renton, Washington has a limited number of spaces still open for our weekend intensive class this weekend, October 14th and 15th.
This 2-day course covers all the variables that are essential for the barista to monitor, in order to achieve consistent drink excellence. The student will be presented with the most advanced industry techniques for dosing, tamping, extraction and drink building, in addition to equipment maintenance, cleaning, and customer service and presentation skills.
The Seattle Barista Academy, is your source for Professional Barista Training. We offer espresso training classes with hands-on experience in grinding coffee, steaming, extraction, drink fabrication, latte art, barista training with barista certification, and education materials and CDs.
Experience the best in espresso education with hands-on training using professional espresso equipment. Learn to make a latte, cappuccino, macchiato, or mocha drink from start to finish. Differentiate yourself from your competition with latte art, etching, and other coffee presentation techniques.
Our espresso coffee education classes and coffee consultating services are a must for the new coffee shop startup as well as for the experienced operator who wants to fine tune and update their coffee shop experience. In all of our classes we share cutting edge concepts that the elite coffee shops are currently using to grow their businesses and can make a major difference in your operational success.
We are currently offering a special discount on this class for Coffee Forum members. The class is usually $1295.00 and we are offering it for $895.00 for Coffee Forum members.
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View entire thread: To buy or lease equipment? What do you do?
Posted by cafemakers on 2005-10-01 19:47:56 Post Subject:
It is difficult to lease commercial espresso equipment as a startup business, startup normally being defined as a company operating in the same line of business for less than 2 years.
A few years back, banks were very excited about the prospect of a new booming capital equipment market (coffee shops) and started writing a lot of small dollar equipment leases ($15k and less) to new prospects - unfortunately, those banks soon learned that an electrical device that has water continuously flowing though it under high heat and pressure is not good collateral.
As a number of these businesses failed, the banks were left with worthless equipment that had been destroyed by improper preventative maintainence. Financial institutions learned that a failing coffee shop does not replace its water softeners; as a result, there was a strict tightening of the purse strings and I have since found that few lenders offer a reasonable product designed for new businesses leasing coffee equipment. Incidentally, you should avoid used, remarketed or repossessed espresso machines for this same reason.
The coffee equipment leases for startups that I have reviewed in the last few years have been very expensive with extremely high interest rates and some annoying "features," specifically, the inability to prepay principal on your loan or buyout the agreement without some kind of penalty. In many cases, we've learned that the referring equipment dealer or manufacturer may receive a "spiff" or referral bonus that is financed into the agreement, unbenownced to and paid for by the lessee.
We often recommend to clients the straight-out purchase of equipment using other forms of finance as being a preferable alternative. A secured bank loan, SBA assisted loan, personal line of credit (such as a home equity line of credit) and even credit cards can offer less expensive and more flexible solutions.
You or someone else here may be able to find a good lender that offers a competitive product of which we are unfamiliar, in which case, send them our way - we've got a lot of people that would like to meet them!
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Posted by cafemakers on 2005-10-01 19:47:56 Post Subject:
It is difficult to lease commercial espresso equipment as a startup business, startup normally being defined as a company operating in the same line of business for less than 2 years.
A few years back, banks were very excited about the prospect of a new booming capital equipment market (coffee shops) and started writing a lot of small dollar equipment leases ($15k and less) to new prospects - unfortunately, those banks soon learned that an electrical device that has water continuously flowing though it under high heat and pressure is not good collateral.
As a number of these businesses failed, the banks were left with worthless equipment that had been destroyed by improper preventative maintainence. Financial institutions learned that a failing coffee shop does not replace its water softeners; as a result, there was a strict tightening of the purse strings and I have since found that few lenders offer a reasonable product designed for new businesses leasing coffee equipment. Incidentally, you should avoid used, remarketed or repossessed espresso machines for this same reason.
The coffee equipment leases for startups that I have reviewed in the last few years have been very expensive with extremely high interest rates and some annoying "features," specifically, the inability to prepay principal on your loan or buyout the agreement without some kind of penalty. In many cases, we've learned that the referring equipment dealer or manufacturer may receive a "spiff" or referral bonus that is financed into the agreement, unbenownced to and paid for by the lessee.
We often recommend to clients the straight-out purchase of equipment using other forms of finance as being a preferable alternative. A secured bank loan, SBA assisted loan, personal line of credit (such as a home equity line of credit) and even credit cards can offer less expensive and more flexible solutions.
You or someone else here may be able to find a good lender that offers a competitive product of which we are unfamiliar, in which case, send them our way - we've got a lot of people that would like to meet them!
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View entire thread: Start-up opportunity for Drive thru
Posted by cafemakers on 2004-11-15 20:19:02 Post Subject:
Is that the same kit you were promoting back in April? Why are you selling?
We have a steel, all season , drive-thru building with espresso equipment, cart, 'fridge, etc. for sale. Any interest, let us know.
MJ
-- Mike Jurayj (elanmike@yahoo.com), April 26, 2004.
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Posted by cafemakers on 2004-11-15 20:19:02 Post Subject:
Is that the same kit you were promoting back in April? Why are you selling?
We have a steel, all season , drive-thru building with espresso equipment, cart, 'fridge, etc. for sale. Any interest, let us know.
MJ
-- Mike Jurayj (elanmike@yahoo.com), April 26, 2004.
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View entire thread: How did you get experience?
Posted by NW JAVA on 2007-10-28 09:31:10 Post Subject:
I bought the espresso equipment, hires a crappy barista to train me, and then I spent all the time I can in forums, at coffee fest, ect. and learnt more and more about the craft. There are DVD's you can get (http://espresso101.com/) and a tonne of resources on the webb...try coffeegeek tooo, and so many other resources........
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Posted by NW JAVA on 2007-10-28 09:31:10 Post Subject:
I bought the espresso equipment, hires a crappy barista to train me, and then I spent all the time I can in forums, at coffee fest, ect. and learnt more and more about the craft. There are DVD's you can get (http://espresso101.com/) and a tonne of resources on the webb...try coffeegeek tooo, and so many other resources........
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View entire thread: suppliers in illinois
Posted by j282smokey on 2006-05-03 02:22:45 Post Subject: suppliers in illinois
I'm looking for some info on local coffee suppliers and anyone who carries espresso equipment and machines. I'm located in illinois , really stinks I missed out on that coffee fest in chicago. Basically doing all my homework right now for a buisness plan. I'm finding all kinds of info on the net. to buy machines and supplies but would rather buy it locally. That way it could be serviced whenever it has to be. I appreciate any info I can get. Thanks
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Posted by j282smokey on 2006-05-03 02:22:45 Post Subject: suppliers in illinois
I'm looking for some info on local coffee suppliers and anyone who carries espresso equipment and machines. I'm located in illinois , really stinks I missed out on that coffee fest in chicago. Basically doing all my homework right now for a buisness plan. I'm finding all kinds of info on the net. to buy machines and supplies but would rather buy it locally. That way it could be serviced whenever it has to be. I appreciate any info I can get. Thanks
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View entire thread: Decalcifying Jura Impresso Super Automatic?
Posted by CCafe on 2007-04-18 17:18:13 Post Subject:
Don't use vinegar. It is no where near as effective as the tablet. It does ok descaling a coffee pot, but is rather poor with espresso equipment.
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Posted by CCafe on 2007-04-18 17:18:13 Post Subject:
Don't use vinegar. It is no where near as effective as the tablet. It does ok descaling a coffee pot, but is rather poor with espresso equipment.
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View entire thread: La Pavoni Opinions?
Posted by CCafe on 2008-07-16 06:25:43 Post Subject:
I would be vary weary if they are trying to sell you a new Pavoni 3 group for $2500. I haven't found very many people who are willing to let a $8000 - $10,000 machine walk out never used for a 1/4 of the price. Its not uncommon for espresso equipment to sit on the shelves a year or two. Granted the one you are talking about is 4 years old.
Just be careful because if the sell is final and no returns will be accepted then you might be out quite a bit of cash. You better see what type of warranty exist for that machine.
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Posted by CCafe on 2008-07-16 06:25:43 Post Subject:
I would be vary weary if they are trying to sell you a new Pavoni 3 group for $2500. I haven't found very many people who are willing to let a $8000 - $10,000 machine walk out never used for a 1/4 of the price. Its not uncommon for espresso equipment to sit on the shelves a year or two. Granted the one you are talking about is 4 years old.
Just be careful because if the sell is final and no returns will be accepted then you might be out quite a bit of cash. You better see what type of warranty exist for that machine.
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View entire thread: Coffeehouse in a specialty store
Posted by T-Rai on 2006-07-19 21:25:30 Post Subject: Coffeehouse in a specialty store
Hey All! I'm a newbie, how exciting! Anyway, I'm looking to start a coffeehouse in a small little 300 square foot room in a quaint specialty store in a home built in the mid to late 1800's! Does that sound cool or what? I know the space is small, but it will probably be able to seat 12-15 people inside, plus people can roam thru the 3-level home of specialty items or sit out on the wrap around porch that overlooks the Mississippi, or on many other outdoor seating arrangements on good weather days. It's just off the highway but doesn't have direct visibility and it's in a small river town. Can I put this all together in 300 square feet space? What would an educated guesstimate be for buildout of simply building a bar and backbar with the plumbing and electric, assuming that the plumbing is right in the same area I would put the bar? What have some of you paid for the buildout just for a basic set up for espresso equipment, sinks, etc? Basic! Thanks! Did I mention that this coffee forum rocks?
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Posted by T-Rai on 2006-07-19 21:25:30 Post Subject: Coffeehouse in a specialty store
Hey All! I'm a newbie, how exciting! Anyway, I'm looking to start a coffeehouse in a small little 300 square foot room in a quaint specialty store in a home built in the mid to late 1800's! Does that sound cool or what? I know the space is small, but it will probably be able to seat 12-15 people inside, plus people can roam thru the 3-level home of specialty items or sit out on the wrap around porch that overlooks the Mississippi, or on many other outdoor seating arrangements on good weather days. It's just off the highway but doesn't have direct visibility and it's in a small river town. Can I put this all together in 300 square feet space? What would an educated guesstimate be for buildout of simply building a bar and backbar with the plumbing and electric, assuming that the plumbing is right in the same area I would put the bar? What have some of you paid for the buildout just for a basic set up for espresso equipment, sinks, etc? Basic! Thanks! Did I mention that this coffee forum rocks?
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View entire thread: any good espresso machine for home? help
Posted by javahill on 2004-10-01 22:03:20 Post Subject:
If you want quality on a budget, look for a refurbished commercial single group. La Cimbali if you can find one. It is still probably going to be a bit outside your stated range, but you'll never need to replace it.
Look for companies that service espresso equipment in the yellow pages or on line. The generally have used equipment. Stay away from the plastic consumer stuff, especially used.
Like drrum_bi suggests, look at the reviews on those sites. Buy local just to make sure the equipment is wired for 220v (you're in Yurp, right?)
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Posted by javahill on 2004-10-01 22:03:20 Post Subject:
If you want quality on a budget, look for a refurbished commercial single group. La Cimbali if you can find one. It is still probably going to be a bit outside your stated range, but you'll never need to replace it.
Look for companies that service espresso equipment in the yellow pages or on line. The generally have used equipment. Stay away from the plastic consumer stuff, especially used.
Like drrum_bi suggests, look at the reviews on those sites. Buy local just to make sure the equipment is wired for 220v (you're in Yurp, right?)
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View entire thread: Nuova simonelli mac2000v-help please
Posted by cafemakers on 2006-09-03 22:47:21 Post Subject:
Hopefully it's just a matter of a steam wand rebuild. Unfortunately, it is more likely that your boiler has inhaled milk resulting from incorrect use by the previous owner. You may need to replace the heating element and or boiler; possibly other internal mechanisms. You should seek assistance from a NS technician in your area.
It is dangerous to purchase used espresso equipment for precisely this reason; you're never quite sure what you'll end up with.
Good luck,
Andrew
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Posted by cafemakers on 2006-09-03 22:47:21 Post Subject:
Hopefully it's just a matter of a steam wand rebuild. Unfortunately, it is more likely that your boiler has inhaled milk resulting from incorrect use by the previous owner. You may need to replace the heating element and or boiler; possibly other internal mechanisms. You should seek assistance from a NS technician in your area.
It is dangerous to purchase used espresso equipment for precisely this reason; you're never quite sure what you'll end up with.
Good luck,
Andrew
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View entire thread: Dallas Area Roasters
Posted by cafemakers on 2005-12-03 11:38:52 Post Subject:
As a general rule, those roaster that know what they are doing avoid these types of arrangements when speaking specifically about espresso equipment. The cost of equipment, expertise and technical service time is prohibitive when done correctly for a roaster to absorb the upfront investment.
Such a relationship is also a bad idea for you. You want to make sure that you can specify the equipment needed for your unqiue business needs and retain the independence to purchase your service and supplies from any other provider, as you see fit, without the looming threat of loosing your primary income-producing machine.
No equipment and services come for free. I suggest that you will be far better off to purchase each element for your shop independently at a fair price and choose you coffee roaster based on the quality of their product and customer service.
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Posted by cafemakers on 2005-12-03 11:38:52 Post Subject:
As a general rule, those roaster that know what they are doing avoid these types of arrangements when speaking specifically about espresso equipment. The cost of equipment, expertise and technical service time is prohibitive when done correctly for a roaster to absorb the upfront investment.
Such a relationship is also a bad idea for you. You want to make sure that you can specify the equipment needed for your unqiue business needs and retain the independence to purchase your service and supplies from any other provider, as you see fit, without the looming threat of loosing your primary income-producing machine.
No equipment and services come for free. I suggest that you will be far better off to purchase each element for your shop independently at a fair price and choose you coffee roaster based on the quality of their product and customer service.
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View entire thread: Decent Home Countertop Espresso Machine
Posted by mrgnomer on 2007-01-03 20:19:17 Post Subject:
I understand what you mean about easy bake oven machines. Before stumbling onto good coffee via some good coffee forums and then espresso the only thing I knew were steam pressured machines that called themselves espresso machines.
I've had two machines and two grinders in the last two years: a Rancilio Silvia and Rancilio Rocky grinder to start and currently my machine is a Quickmill Vetrano and a Macap M4 stepless grinder. Home roasting keeps the beans fresh and after two years and counting of research and practice the espresso my current set up gives me makes it worth the investment.
A good machine needs to generate between 8 to 9 bars of pressure to extract what is by definition espresso. It's the pressure that draws out elements in the coffee that no other extraction method can. It's why espresso is unique and for many the ultimate form of coffee extraction.
Most budget machines sell themselves on pump pressure but there's also more to a machine than just how much pressure it can put out. The higher the pressure doesn't mean the better the espresso either, in fact, 8-9 bars is ideal for espresso. Anything outside of that range can compromise regular extraction.
Good machines are adjustable, consistent and reliable. They're designed for espresso and use commercial or commercial grade parts. No gimmicks and elaborate promises just sound engineering and solid performance.
This is my current set up and I'm very pleased with it.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r93/mrgnomer/IMG_1461.jpg
Never would I have imagined spending so much on espresso equipment two years ago but after a year the investment not only started looking sound but necessary for the quality of espresso I was looking for.
Still there are other machines much, much less expensive that others can advise you on better than me on. You did stress good so this is my advice on what is necessary for good espresso.
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Posted by mrgnomer on 2007-01-03 20:19:17 Post Subject:
I understand what you mean about easy bake oven machines. Before stumbling onto good coffee via some good coffee forums and then espresso the only thing I knew were steam pressured machines that called themselves espresso machines.
I've had two machines and two grinders in the last two years: a Rancilio Silvia and Rancilio Rocky grinder to start and currently my machine is a Quickmill Vetrano and a Macap M4 stepless grinder. Home roasting keeps the beans fresh and after two years and counting of research and practice the espresso my current set up gives me makes it worth the investment.
A good machine needs to generate between 8 to 9 bars of pressure to extract what is by definition espresso. It's the pressure that draws out elements in the coffee that no other extraction method can. It's why espresso is unique and for many the ultimate form of coffee extraction.
Most budget machines sell themselves on pump pressure but there's also more to a machine than just how much pressure it can put out. The higher the pressure doesn't mean the better the espresso either, in fact, 8-9 bars is ideal for espresso. Anything outside of that range can compromise regular extraction.
Good machines are adjustable, consistent and reliable. They're designed for espresso and use commercial or commercial grade parts. No gimmicks and elaborate promises just sound engineering and solid performance.
This is my current set up and I'm very pleased with it.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r93/mrgnomer/IMG_1461.jpg
Never would I have imagined spending so much on espresso equipment two years ago but after a year the investment not only started looking sound but necessary for the quality of espresso I was looking for.
Still there are other machines much, much less expensive that others can advise you on better than me on. You did stress good so this is my advice on what is necessary for good espresso.
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View entire thread: Got The Spot & Equipment-NEED KIOSK
Posted by Ambitious Lady on 2004-11-18 20:44:02 Post Subject: Got The Spot & Equipment-NEED KIOSK
What an awesome forum! I hope someone can help me.
I jumped into a seasonal small business without much research & successfully profited. Then I purchased another turnkey building (it was a drive thru espresso stand) that never opened due to the long process of gaining city permits etc.
Now, with that espresso equipment, I signed a contract for a spot in a mall type area (about 8x12), BUT - I need a kiosk!
I have researched many who custom design these carts/stands/kiosks however, most come with the equipment. I was wondering if anyone knew where I could get just a standard kiosk without getting ripped off. Also, the shipping issue worries me.
One more question, is anyone familiar with New Orleans Coffee Works as a coffee distributor - I was thinking about using them?
Looking forward to hearing some great advice
THANK YOU
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Posted by Ambitious Lady on 2004-11-18 20:44:02 Post Subject: Got The Spot & Equipment-NEED KIOSK
What an awesome forum! I hope someone can help me.
I jumped into a seasonal small business without much research & successfully profited. Then I purchased another turnkey building (it was a drive thru espresso stand) that never opened due to the long process of gaining city permits etc.
Now, with that espresso equipment, I signed a contract for a spot in a mall type area (about 8x12), BUT - I need a kiosk!
I have researched many who custom design these carts/stands/kiosks however, most come with the equipment. I was wondering if anyone knew where I could get just a standard kiosk without getting ripped off. Also, the shipping issue worries me.
One more question, is anyone familiar with New Orleans Coffee Works as a coffee distributor - I was thinking about using them?
Looking forward to hearing some great advice
THANK YOU
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View entire thread: Grounds in coffee from filtering?
Posted by CCafe on 2005-06-14 16:31:10 Post Subject:
Hate to break it to you but RO water is only good for two things, and that’s to drink it or for tea. Coffee requires some dissolved minerals in the water to make a perfect cup. If you take them out you won't properly extract your coffee, which will leave with less than a perfect cup.
Here is how the SCAA defines a perfect cup. http://www.scaa.org/whatis_brewing.asp
RO is hard on espresso equipment, in the long run it will eat it up over time. Plus if you take your water all the way down to where there is no mineral content left anything that uses a fill probe won't work properly either. Water with no mineral content is not conductive. There for your fill probe system won't work.
On top of that how much water is your system throwing away to make 1 gallon of drinking water? A good system (not the cheap ones) tend to dump around 2 to 2.5 gallons of water to make 1 gallon of drinking water. The home units and a few oddball systems throw away between 3 to 4 gallons. I find that a bit excessive for water usage.
I'm not trying to be negative, I just wanted to make sure you had all the facts on RO!
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Posted by CCafe on 2005-06-14 16:31:10 Post Subject:
Hate to break it to you but RO water is only good for two things, and that’s to drink it or for tea. Coffee requires some dissolved minerals in the water to make a perfect cup. If you take them out you won't properly extract your coffee, which will leave with less than a perfect cup.
Here is how the SCAA defines a perfect cup. http://www.scaa.org/whatis_brewing.asp
RO is hard on espresso equipment, in the long run it will eat it up over time. Plus if you take your water all the way down to where there is no mineral content left anything that uses a fill probe won't work properly either. Water with no mineral content is not conductive. There for your fill probe system won't work.
On top of that how much water is your system throwing away to make 1 gallon of drinking water? A good system (not the cheap ones) tend to dump around 2 to 2.5 gallons of water to make 1 gallon of drinking water. The home units and a few oddball systems throw away between 3 to 4 gallons. I find that a bit excessive for water usage.
I'm not trying to be negative, I just wanted to make sure you had all the facts on RO!
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View entire thread: long lasting machine
Posted by Rick G on 2008-06-26 01:36:19 Post Subject: long lasting machine
Greetings all, newbie here and I''m old so be nice;
I have the bare basics of espresso equipment that i am using to see if I like it. I have stopped going to S***Ks and love making my own even with junk equipment from S****Ks, but i have killed my espresso maker(on purpose but don''t tell the wife) and am in the market for a new upscale and shinny E61 machine. Question is which brand is the sturdiest and projected to have the longest anticipated lifespan.
I have been looking at Quickmill,Alex by Izzo (favorite), Isomac,Pasquini and Expobar. I am also concerned about the ability to find parts in the future.
Any better or stronger out there?
Still looking for a coffee roaster here in Las Vegas but not much luck, also can''t find anyone that sells equipment either. Thank goodness for the internet.
thanks
Rick G
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Posted by Rick G on 2008-06-26 01:36:19 Post Subject: long lasting machine
Greetings all, newbie here and I''m old so be nice;
I have the bare basics of espresso equipment that i am using to see if I like it. I have stopped going to S***Ks and love making my own even with junk equipment from S****Ks, but i have killed my espresso maker(on purpose but don''t tell the wife) and am in the market for a new upscale and shinny E61 machine. Question is which brand is the sturdiest and projected to have the longest anticipated lifespan.
I have been looking at Quickmill,Alex by Izzo (favorite), Isomac,Pasquini and Expobar. I am also concerned about the ability to find parts in the future.
Any better or stronger out there?
Still looking for a coffee roaster here in Las Vegas but not much luck, also can''t find anyone that sells equipment either. Thank goodness for the internet.
thanks
Rick G
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View entire thread: Light-commercial coffee machinery...
Posted by CCafe on 2007-06-02 00:03:54 Post Subject: Re: Light-commercial coffee machinery...
Firstly, bog-standard filter coffee. I''d like to offer my customers a nice cup of plain old coffee for a reasonable price - any reccomendations for a good machine that could serve up maybe 300 cups of coffee a day?
Okay, since the original post, I've learned some more. I don't need a bog-standard coffee machine, I'll just make Americanos. That'll save some effort.
My main questions are now -
1) how much harder is it to use semi-auto than automatic and does it taste noticably better?
2) these espresso 'pods'...do they make acceptable espresso shots? they seem a lot less hassle and generally more idiot-proof than anything else...
I think your problem is you second guessing yourself. For the most part your moving in the right direction.
But have you ever drank an Americano? I really don't like it. The taste is bland compared to regular coffee. The other thing to look at is preparation time for making 1 Americano vs regular drip coffee. Pouring a cup of coffee is 10 times faster then preparing 1 shot of espresso and a plus side to pouring coffee is a monkey could do it. No training required.
I would definitely increase your budget a few thousand more. A good espresso machine is a must but is not a cure all solutions. What is going to happen to your business when the espresso equipment breaks? Closed no coffee today?
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Posted by CCafe on 2007-06-02 00:03:54 Post Subject: Re: Light-commercial coffee machinery...
Firstly, bog-standard filter coffee. I''d like to offer my customers a nice cup of plain old coffee for a reasonable price - any reccomendations for a good machine that could serve up maybe 300 cups of coffee a day?
Okay, since the original post, I've learned some more. I don't need a bog-standard coffee machine, I'll just make Americanos. That'll save some effort.
My main questions are now -
1) how much harder is it to use semi-auto than automatic and does it taste noticably better?
2) these espresso 'pods'...do they make acceptable espresso shots? they seem a lot less hassle and generally more idiot-proof than anything else...
I think your problem is you second guessing yourself. For the most part your moving in the right direction.
But have you ever drank an Americano? I really don't like it. The taste is bland compared to regular coffee. The other thing to look at is preparation time for making 1 Americano vs regular drip coffee. Pouring a cup of coffee is 10 times faster then preparing 1 shot of espresso and a plus side to pouring coffee is a monkey could do it. No training required.
I would definitely increase your budget a few thousand more. A good espresso machine is a must but is not a cure all solutions. What is going to happen to your business when the espresso equipment breaks? Closed no coffee today?
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View entire thread: Anyone start out part time, then........
Posted by ourcoffeebarn on 2007-10-28 19:56:03 Post Subject:
We had to expand beyond just roasted coffee to make a living. i.e green bean sales and Home coffee roaster sales, then we went into home espresso equipment pretty heavily and we have since backed off home espresso equipment sales. We are trying to target "niche" coffee equipment markets for home use. In short we had to diversify but still stay in the coffee field to make our web site my wifes full time job and I still just roast coffee 3 times a week during the evenings as my second job. We are into our 5th year now and getting ready for our biggest time of the year! Holiday Sales!
I'm not trying to scare anyone out of the coffee industry, but you have to LOVE coffee to stay with it!
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Posted by ourcoffeebarn on 2007-10-28 19:56:03 Post Subject:
We had to expand beyond just roasted coffee to make a living. i.e green bean sales and Home coffee roaster sales, then we went into home espresso equipment pretty heavily and we have since backed off home espresso equipment sales. We are trying to target "niche" coffee equipment markets for home use. In short we had to diversify but still stay in the coffee field to make our web site my wifes full time job and I still just roast coffee 3 times a week during the evenings as my second job. We are into our 5th year now and getting ready for our biggest time of the year! Holiday Sales!
I'm not trying to scare anyone out of the coffee industry, but you have to LOVE coffee to stay with it!
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View entire thread: same question as every other newbie
Posted by javahill on 2005-11-20 23:11:08 Post Subject:
Buying used is not necessarily asking for trouble. But... start with a good machine. Buy it from a dealer/service tech with a good reputation for working on the kind of machine you bought (they would have done the refurb).
You can check with espresso equipment companies for a list of authorized service techs in your area - they would be able to get parts if you need them. From the service tech, you could ask for references from his/her clients.
Best of luck to you.
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Posted by javahill on 2005-11-20 23:11:08 Post Subject:
Buying used is not necessarily asking for trouble. But... start with a good machine. Buy it from a dealer/service tech with a good reputation for working on the kind of machine you bought (they would have done the refurb).
You can check with espresso equipment companies for a list of authorized service techs in your area - they would be able to get parts if you need them. From the service tech, you could ask for references from his/her clients.
Best of luck to you.
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View entire thread: same question as every other newbie
Posted by javahill on 2005-11-23 00:20:50 Post Subject:
start here
http://www.coffeeuniverse.com/resource? ... =&country=
set industry sector to Espresso Equipment Commercial and state to IL
You'll get some names to start with. Tell them what you are looking for. They can probably help or point you toward someone who can.
You can also go to the web sites of manufacturers like La San Marco
http://www.lasanmarco.it/jsps/dealer.js ... e2=AMERICA
http://www.esiespresso.com/ is the distributor for La Marzocco. They are in Washington, but should know about service organzations nationwide.
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Posted by javahill on 2005-11-23 00:20:50 Post Subject:
start here
http://www.coffeeuniverse.com/resource? ... =&country=
set industry sector to Espresso Equipment Commercial and state to IL
You'll get some names to start with. Tell them what you are looking for. They can probably help or point you toward someone who can.
You can also go to the web sites of manufacturers like La San Marco
http://www.lasanmarco.it/jsps/dealer.js ... e2=AMERICA
http://www.esiespresso.com/ is the distributor for La Marzocco. They are in Washington, but should know about service organzations nationwide.
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View entire thread: Location question
Posted by espressomaniac on 2004-11-24 05:27:40 Post Subject: keep looking
The fact that you already brought it to their attention has already raised a defensive front on their end, it looks like the presentation went badly or indeed, they are going to be adament about any place serving anything food related, "I'd ask them if they would like to set up an espresso machine, but it sounds likely they'd opt out saying people are happy with the muddy water, no need to change and actually give a damn". You will have to do much gain their approval, and I feel, by the time you've made all of their accomodations, your operation would be too restricted to do much with. Food should be the natural evolution to your menu, once you get over the espresso equipment jitters and everything is paid off, you'll be searching for additional sources of revenue, and guess what, that diner's days are numberd if you do this right and aren't afraid to take this to the next level all together.
Sorry to sound so cut and dry about it, but it's business and you can't limit it's potential. Sooo....look for a place that can turn into a diner itself, get your biz plan(s) together, one for the all out diner, the other for the espresso stand, if you play your cards right, they may opt to let you do your coffee + light menu verses a mainstream diner opening up in their town.
The draw back to this approach, if they call your bluff, you should be prepared to open that new place, or at least show enough in the literal preperations on site that you are serious, again, giving them one last chance if they finally realize you are serious.
That tangent to the side, are there "NO" other potential locations??? I can drive into any city and town with a notepad and jot down many potential locations through raw observations, some needing more capitol to start up over the others, but it seems there always is plenty of room to set up shop. If you just take a road trip yourself and simply drive and/or walk keeping an eye open, ignoring the details of who'm to contact about what property "deal with that after the fact" as long as you are realistic, you'll see your options are just not quite as limited to be forced to attempt to open up under the shadow of the pre-existing diner.
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Posted by espressomaniac on 2004-11-24 05:27:40 Post Subject: keep looking
The fact that you already brought it to their attention has already raised a defensive front on their end, it looks like the presentation went badly or indeed, they are going to be adament about any place serving anything food related, "I'd ask them if they would like to set up an espresso machine, but it sounds likely they'd opt out saying people are happy with the muddy water, no need to change and actually give a damn". You will have to do much gain their approval, and I feel, by the time you've made all of their accomodations, your operation would be too restricted to do much with. Food should be the natural evolution to your menu, once you get over the espresso equipment jitters and everything is paid off, you'll be searching for additional sources of revenue, and guess what, that diner's days are numberd if you do this right and aren't afraid to take this to the next level all together.
Sorry to sound so cut and dry about it, but it's business and you can't limit it's potential. Sooo....look for a place that can turn into a diner itself, get your biz plan(s) together, one for the all out diner, the other for the espresso stand, if you play your cards right, they may opt to let you do your coffee + light menu verses a mainstream diner opening up in their town.
The draw back to this approach, if they call your bluff, you should be prepared to open that new place, or at least show enough in the literal preperations on site that you are serious, again, giving them one last chance if they finally realize you are serious.
That tangent to the side, are there "NO" other potential locations??? I can drive into any city and town with a notepad and jot down many potential locations through raw observations, some needing more capitol to start up over the others, but it seems there always is plenty of room to set up shop. If you just take a road trip yourself and simply drive and/or walk keeping an eye open, ignoring the details of who'm to contact about what property "deal with that after the fact" as long as you are realistic, you'll see your options are just not quite as limited to be forced to attempt to open up under the shadow of the pre-existing diner.
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View entire thread: HOme use Vs Commercial use Espresso makers
Posted by mrgnomer on 2006-08-19 21:46:14 Post Subject: Re: HOme use Vs Commercial use Espresso makers
As home use Espresso makers is about 5-10 times cheaper than commercial use Espresso makers.
May I know the difference in term of quality of the espresso brew, consistency, and durability of these machines?
I used to own a Rancilio Silvia espresso machine and a Rancilio Rocky grinder. While that set up wouldn't be considered a cheap home use espresso set up I recently upgraded to a good semi automatic e61 heat exchanger machine and a better commercial quality grinder and my espresso has taken a big leap forward as far as quality and consistency goes.
It depends on what you consider a home use espresso maker. If that's a steam machine an entry level pump machine will make much better espresso. Having owned an entry level pump machine I can say that the lack of adjustablitiy and control with respect to things like the pump pressure and the brew temp really make pulling good shots difficult. A commercial quality machine is adjustable with respect to both it's pump pressure and boiler pressure and with an HX machine getting used to flushing for brew temp isn't hard and once you get understand it you have control of your brew temp and can fine tune it to your tastes.
The difference then between home espresso equipment and commercial grade home equipment would be like the difference between a tool designed to be cheap but do the job for a home handyman who'll use it just once in a while and a quality professional grade tool designed to do the job right. The home tool is adequate but can't be pushed too far nor can one expect much of it while the professional quality tool not only will allow a skilled hand to get excellent results it's good design and quality make it a joy to use.
A good prosumer e61 HX machine will make excellent espresso. With a smaller boiler of around 1.5L steaming buckets of milk might be a problem but pulling back to back shots wouldn't be. A strict commercial machine would most likely be double boiler and both the boilers would probably be pretty big in order to maintain temperature stablity and power for an environment where it'll pull lots of back to back shots and steam for lattes and such. With respect to espresso quality I think the grind, the beans and the hand of the barista will make more of a difference than the machine once you get to the prosumer $1000+ level.
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Posted by mrgnomer on 2006-08-19 21:46:14 Post Subject: Re: HOme use Vs Commercial use Espresso makers
As home use Espresso makers is about 5-10 times cheaper than commercial use Espresso makers.
May I know the difference in term of quality of the espresso brew, consistency, and durability of these machines?
I used to own a Rancilio Silvia espresso machine and a Rancilio Rocky grinder. While that set up wouldn't be considered a cheap home use espresso set up I recently upgraded to a good semi automatic e61 heat exchanger machine and a better commercial quality grinder and my espresso has taken a big leap forward as far as quality and consistency goes.
It depends on what you consider a home use espresso maker. If that's a steam machine an entry level pump machine will make much better espresso. Having owned an entry level pump machine I can say that the lack of adjustablitiy and control with respect to things like the pump pressure and the brew temp really make pulling good shots difficult. A commercial quality machine is adjustable with respect to both it's pump pressure and boiler pressure and with an HX machine getting used to flushing for brew temp isn't hard and once you get understand it you have control of your brew temp and can fine tune it to your tastes.
The difference then between home espresso equipment and commercial grade home equipment would be like the difference between a tool designed to be cheap but do the job for a home handyman who'll use it just once in a while and a quality professional grade tool designed to do the job right. The home tool is adequate but can't be pushed too far nor can one expect much of it while the professional quality tool not only will allow a skilled hand to get excellent results it's good design and quality make it a joy to use.
A good prosumer e61 HX machine will make excellent espresso. With a smaller boiler of around 1.5L steaming buckets of milk might be a problem but pulling back to back shots wouldn't be. A strict commercial machine would most likely be double boiler and both the boilers would probably be pretty big in order to maintain temperature stablity and power for an environment where it'll pull lots of back to back shots and steam for lattes and such. With respect to espresso quality I think the grind, the beans and the hand of the barista will make more of a difference than the machine once you get to the prosumer $1000+ level.
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View entire thread: water conductivity issues in prosumer machine sensors
Posted by CCafe on 2005-11-14 15:59:13 Post Subject:
Really you never use RO on any espresso equipment unless you post treat the water. RO water can be slightly aggressive or as some put it acidic. So over the course of a few years you can wreck your machine. If your RO is working the way it is supposed to then the water will be nonconductive and water sensors such as level probes will not work. Distilled water is better but it too can be nonconductive.
Just use tap water and run it through a prefilter system that filters down to .5 microns, and make sure it removes chlorine and all the other additives to your water. Slap a water softener on if you have hard water.
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Posted by CCafe on 2005-11-14 15:59:13 Post Subject:
Really you never use RO on any espresso equipment unless you post treat the water. RO water can be slightly aggressive or as some put it acidic. So over the course of a few years you can wreck your machine. If your RO is working the way it is supposed to then the water will be nonconductive and water sensors such as level probes will not work. Distilled water is better but it too can be nonconductive.
Just use tap water and run it through a prefilter system that filters down to .5 microns, and make sure it removes chlorine and all the other additives to your water. Slap a water softener on if you have hard water.
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View entire thread: Home Coffee Roasting, grinding, etc.
Posted by mrgnomer on 2006-03-12 11:37:14 Post Subject:
Hi MRSRoasting,
Starting from zero knowledge and experience I've been home roasting now for about 5 months. I opted to start with the I Roast 2 because of the versatiltiy of the machine with regards to a programmable 5 stage time/temperature roasting profile and memory storage it offers.
There was some trial and error with respect to programming in good roasting profiles but after over a hundred roasts with the machine I've got about 6 programmed profiles that work with just about all the beans I now roast from drip to espresso blending. No problems with the machine so far. I've modified my kitchen vent to accept an exhaust hose from machine to fan so roasting indoors is no problem.
Espresso is my passion now so I'm roasting batches of beans for bases and blending. I'm finding roasting the beans seperately better ensures roasting degrees that suit their character/use so, for one, I have a lot of mason jars and lids. I get spagetti sauce that comes in mason jars so my store of jars is constantly growing. Picking up new mason lids and collars for the jars is a minimal expense. Most hardware stores carry them.
Besides the jars I use a small adjustable kitchen balance scale for roast/blending weighing. It's quite accurate and doesn't need batteries. A canning funnel helps with pouring beans into jars. I use masking tape and a pen to label them.
Logging roasts and blending experiments helps. I've got a big binder dedicated to all things coffee and roasting where all my roasts are logged along with notes on cupping. It's frustrating getting a good roast/blend but not being able to duplicate it.
If you're going to seriously take up espresso a very good grinder is a worthy investment. I have a Rancilio Rocky but if I had to do it all over again I'd have spent a few dollars more and started with a Mini Mazzer. They are exceptional grinders and will follow their owners, from what I've seen, for a life time as a dedicated espresso grinder.
However, if you're going to switch from espresso to drip using the same grinder, the Mazzer, with it's minute stepless adjustability, will drive you crazy so a stepped grinder like a Rocky might be a better fit. That or two grinders: one for drip/decaf, one for espresso.
In any case, quality coffee, especially quality espresso is dependant on the grind so going with a cheap grinder will cause a lot of frustration and regret if you find yourself passionate about coffee and invest in good espresso equipment but can't appreciate your investment because of a poor, inconsistant grind.
As far as coffee brewing, personally I like to have total control. Total control of the water temp, steep time/extraction, grind and roast quality. A french press or a good vacuum brewer is much cheaper than most fancy automatic drips and if you know how to use them will make much, much better coffee. A coffee made from good fresh roast ground evenly and fully saturated by water within an ideal temperature range and extracted over a good period of time will be excellent coffee. For a french press it's water about 25 sec off the boil poured over grounds and stirred for complete saturation and steeped for 3 minutes before plunging. If the coffee is too strong, add heated water to dilute. This will have no affect on the coffee's quality other than dilution to taste.
Unfortunately it's been found that most drip machines do a very poor job delivering ideal variables for excellent coffee extraction. IMHO, if you want it done right, do it yourself. It's no more difficult than steeping tea.
Apart from that, having brushes to brush out the grinder and rags on hand to clean is helpful. If you get into espresso a good solid tamper, coffee scoops, frothing pitcher, frothing thermometer, good espresso cups and cleaning solutions is some of essential equipment.
Roasting and brewing is really a simple and doesn't require much equipment at all other than what's obviously essential. Commercial grade equipment for espresso pulling should make for more consistent high quality shots but for coffee brewing, anything that conscientiously controls the variables will make good coffee. Bunn equipment from what I've read is very good at brewing coffee so apart from a thermal carafe to keep freshly brewed coffee warm rather than letting it sit on a burner to burn, I couldn't think of anything else. Still, if you want to know what you're roast really tastes like grind it well and french press it.
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Posted by mrgnomer on 2006-03-12 11:37:14 Post Subject:
Hi MRSRoasting,
Starting from zero knowledge and experience I've been home roasting now for about 5 months. I opted to start with the I Roast 2 because of the versatiltiy of the machine with regards to a programmable 5 stage time/temperature roasting profile and memory storage it offers.
There was some trial and error with respect to programming in good roasting profiles but after over a hundred roasts with the machine I've got about 6 programmed profiles that work with just about all the beans I now roast from drip to espresso blending. No problems with the machine so far. I've modified my kitchen vent to accept an exhaust hose from machine to fan so roasting indoors is no problem.
Espresso is my passion now so I'm roasting batches of beans for bases and blending. I'm finding roasting the beans seperately better ensures roasting degrees that suit their character/use so, for one, I have a lot of mason jars and lids. I get spagetti sauce that comes in mason jars so my store of jars is constantly growing. Picking up new mason lids and collars for the jars is a minimal expense. Most hardware stores carry them.
Besides the jars I use a small adjustable kitchen balance scale for roast/blending weighing. It's quite accurate and doesn't need batteries. A canning funnel helps with pouring beans into jars. I use masking tape and a pen to label them.
Logging roasts and blending experiments helps. I've got a big binder dedicated to all things coffee and roasting where all my roasts are logged along with notes on cupping. It's frustrating getting a good roast/blend but not being able to duplicate it.
If you're going to seriously take up espresso a very good grinder is a worthy investment. I have a Rancilio Rocky but if I had to do it all over again I'd have spent a few dollars more and started with a Mini Mazzer. They are exceptional grinders and will follow their owners, from what I've seen, for a life time as a dedicated espresso grinder.
However, if you're going to switch from espresso to drip using the same grinder, the Mazzer, with it's minute stepless adjustability, will drive you crazy so a stepped grinder like a Rocky might be a better fit. That or two grinders: one for drip/decaf, one for espresso.
In any case, quality coffee, especially quality espresso is dependant on the grind so going with a cheap grinder will cause a lot of frustration and regret if you find yourself passionate about coffee and invest in good espresso equipment but can't appreciate your investment because of a poor, inconsistant grind.
As far as coffee brewing, personally I like to have total control. Total control of the water temp, steep time/extraction, grind and roast quality. A french press or a good vacuum brewer is much cheaper than most fancy automatic drips and if you know how to use them will make much, much better coffee. A coffee made from good fresh roast ground evenly and fully saturated by water within an ideal temperature range and extracted over a good period of time will be excellent coffee. For a french press it's water about 25 sec off the boil poured over grounds and stirred for complete saturation and steeped for 3 minutes before plunging. If the coffee is too strong, add heated water to dilute. This will have no affect on the coffee's quality other than dilution to taste.
Unfortunately it's been found that most drip machines do a very poor job delivering ideal variables for excellent coffee extraction. IMHO, if you want it done right, do it yourself. It's no more difficult than steeping tea.
Apart from that, having brushes to brush out the grinder and rags on hand to clean is helpful. If you get into espresso a good solid tamper, coffee scoops, frothing pitcher, frothing thermometer, good espresso cups and cleaning solutions is some of essential equipment.
Roasting and brewing is really a simple and doesn't require much equipment at all other than what's obviously essential. Commercial grade equipment for espresso pulling should make for more consistent high quality shots but for coffee brewing, anything that conscientiously controls the variables will make good coffee. Bunn equipment from what I've read is very good at brewing coffee so apart from a thermal carafe to keep freshly brewed coffee warm rather than letting it sit on a burner to burn, I couldn't think of anything else. Still, if you want to know what you're roast really tastes like grind it well and french press it.
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View entire thread: Bad Espresso - what went wrong?
Posted by CafeBlue on 2007-04-26 22:46:40 Post Subject:
Bafa;
From your description, you noticed several things the new staffer did completely incorrectly. She could use better training and better supervision, or else she ignored her better training and should be reprimanded or dismissed. Please approach the cafe' management/owner as you did the morning crew. At least forward a link to this forum's posting. It sounds like the morning crew has better practices, so at least some of the skills and knowledge base is available. You and your cafe will benefit from best practices.
The shot was too fast, the shot was under-extracted. Andrew is right, under-extraction usually results in sour taste. The coffee most likely also channeled in the portafilter, due to the light tamp - this means the overall under-extracted brew is compounded by over-extraction at the high water flow channels, so it is also bitter. She likely under-dosed as well as under-tamped - then the "puck" of spent coffee would come out of the portafilter soggy/wet/loose. She also may have adjusted the grinder setting way too fine in compensation for her other poor practices, yielding fines and sludge in the cup. It is also likely that the spouts of the portafilter dragged in spilled grinds and transferred the loose grinds to your espresso.
You can learn more from the WBC, training videos, workshops and classes, coffee roasters, espresso equipment dealers, or on-site training/consultants.
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Posted by CafeBlue on 2007-04-26 22:46:40 Post Subject:
Bafa;
From your description, you noticed several things the new staffer did completely incorrectly. She could use better training and better supervision, or else she ignored her better training and should be reprimanded or dismissed. Please approach the cafe' management/owner as you did the morning crew. At least forward a link to this forum's posting. It sounds like the morning crew has better practices, so at least some of the skills and knowledge base is available. You and your cafe will benefit from best practices.
The shot was too fast, the shot was under-extracted. Andrew is right, under-extraction usually results in sour taste. The coffee most likely also channeled in the portafilter, due to the light tamp - this means the overall under-extracted brew is compounded by over-extraction at the high water flow channels, so it is also bitter. She likely under-dosed as well as under-tamped - then the "puck" of spent coffee would come out of the portafilter soggy/wet/loose. She also may have adjusted the grinder setting way too fine in compensation for her other poor practices, yielding fines and sludge in the cup. It is also likely that the spouts of the portafilter dragged in spilled grinds and transferred the loose grinds to your espresso.
You can learn more from the WBC, training videos, workshops and classes, coffee roasters, espresso equipment dealers, or on-site training/consultants.
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View entire thread: Espresso Machines?????? Help
Posted by freshroast on 2006-02-21 02:39:40 Post Subject:
I like the Nuova Simonelli Line of commercial espresso equipment and you can check them out locally if you live near Seattle. Check out their website for their phone and address for gathering your data you need to make a decision at: http://www.emeraldcityespressomachines.com/index.html
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Posted by freshroast on 2006-02-21 02:39:40 Post Subject:
I like the Nuova Simonelli Line of commercial espresso equipment and you can check them out locally if you live near Seattle. Check out their website for their phone and address for gathering your data you need to make a decision at: http://www.emeraldcityespressomachines.com/index.html
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View entire thread: Question on Roasting
Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2007-08-09 15:03:41 Post Subject:
First of all, thanks for the invitation. Next time I am in Florida, I will try to stop in and see it in person.
When you wrote scientific aspects of roasting, I think you really mean systematic approach to roasting. You are offering a system that if it works as you claimed, controls multiple variables better than any human can. In the strictly defined roasting process world starting from charging the drum to dumping the beans it is a good thing. No one is saying it is a bad thing. The objection is with your insistent of "no roastmaster is needed". I am sure you are aware of espresso making automation in coffeeshop today. At the risk of repeating something you already know, to make a good espresso you need to have 4 Ms: la miscela, the coffee blend; la macinadosatore, the grind and dose; la macchina, the machine and la mano, the barista. Missing one M you cannot have a good espresso. There are many attempts to control espresso machine's and grinder's variables, especially in the gadget loving labor cost reducing USA. Some of the innovations are well thought out improvement and are being incorporated into todays espresso equipment. But superior drinks are made by experienced and dedicated baristi who spent time to learn their beans and perfect their technique. Not some button pushing counter person who can careless if he is flipping a burger or pushing out a latte. In my mind, it is a package deal.
Regarding smell, if you choose not use that tool, fine. Obviously some of your users can roast pretty good coffee without it. Can't argue with result. But there are plenty of very good roasters use that tool as part of their roasting process. It may be pure nonsense to you, but it works for them. Can't argue with result.
And as to devices that can overcome variations in green coffee moisture? Yes. I've seen it in action. As far as other variations such as aging, etc.? Yes. But in a production sense, not to where you have wandered back to once again which is green selection and pre-roasting expertise. If there are slight variations from one lot to another consistency or as close as possible is very important. If you're able to test every bag great. Test every bag and then change the recipe and programming. If you can't, it's nice to have a machine that can get you damn closer than ahuman who can't see a little extra moisture content or a bean that roasts slightly differently without any testing. Furthermore, if testing every bag and lot, you can always rule out human error or deviation if a machine is doing it. The machine doesn't sneak outside for a smoke.
I am genuinely curious about these devices. I would very much appreciate some manufacturer's name.
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Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2007-08-09 15:03:41 Post Subject:
First of all, thanks for the invitation. Next time I am in Florida, I will try to stop in and see it in person.
When you wrote scientific aspects of roasting, I think you really mean systematic approach to roasting. You are offering a system that if it works as you claimed, controls multiple variables better than any human can. In the strictly defined roasting process world starting from charging the drum to dumping the beans it is a good thing. No one is saying it is a bad thing. The objection is with your insistent of "no roastmaster is needed". I am sure you are aware of espresso making automation in coffeeshop today. At the risk of repeating something you already know, to make a good espresso you need to have 4 Ms: la miscela, the coffee blend; la macinadosatore, the grind and dose; la macchina, the machine and la mano, the barista. Missing one M you cannot have a good espresso. There are many attempts to control espresso machine's and grinder's variables, especially in the gadget loving labor cost reducing USA. Some of the innovations are well thought out improvement and are being incorporated into todays espresso equipment. But superior drinks are made by experienced and dedicated baristi who spent time to learn their beans and perfect their technique. Not some button pushing counter person who can careless if he is flipping a burger or pushing out a latte. In my mind, it is a package deal.
Regarding smell, if you choose not use that tool, fine. Obviously some of your users can roast pretty good coffee without it. Can't argue with result. But there are plenty of very good roasters use that tool as part of their roasting process. It may be pure nonsense to you, but it works for them. Can't argue with result.
And as to devices that can overcome variations in green coffee moisture? Yes. I've seen it in action. As far as other variations such as aging, etc.? Yes. But in a production sense, not to where you have wandered back to once again which is green selection and pre-roasting expertise. If there are slight variations from one lot to another consistency or as close as possible is very important. If you're able to test every bag great. Test every bag and then change the recipe and programming. If you can't, it's nice to have a machine that can get you damn closer than ahuman who can't see a little extra moisture content or a bean that roasts slightly differently without any testing. Furthermore, if testing every bag and lot, you can always rule out human error or deviation if a machine is doing it. The machine doesn't sneak outside for a smoke.
I am genuinely curious about these devices. I would very much appreciate some manufacturer's name.
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View entire thread: Advice Needed
Posted by BaristaTrainer on 2007-11-05 11:09:45 Post Subject:
Hi Chacha,
Adding a specialty coffee retail bar to your business could be a great option. Would you lose a tenant or two by adding the coffee bar? If so it would be very important to run some financial projections to make sure that you can feasibly cover your expenses and it would be viable in your building.
Since your question also addressed super automatic espresso machine, I thought I'd post some thoughts from a previous discussion here on this forum.
I do think that there are applications where super-automatic machine would work well in i.e., car dealerships, schools, c-stores, salons, some restaurants, etc. but I feel that if coffee and espresso is your primary or even secondary business you'd be much better off going with a traditional machine, and investing the difference into training.
A super automatic espresso machine is not as fast as a skilled barista on a conventional machine. While a super automatic may be able to produce one drink faster than a barista on a conventional machine, there is no contest when preparing multiple drinks. This slow down in preparation time could/would seriously effect your success in building a clientele base, especially at the drive thru window. This may be why we often see 2 or even 3 super automatic machines in many large chain locations.
A conventional machine provides an element of "theater" within your coffee bar or even your drive-thru. People like to watch the sights an hear the sounds associated with drink preparation. They want to know that they are buying there espresso drinks from a skilled professional.
Most important, many super automatics will only produce a mediocre quality beverage. Because of the mechanical complexity of the machine (which I might add can involve constant maintenance & repairs), the engineering will often not allow for a grind consistency fine enough to produce a top quality shot of espresso. If the coffee was ground fine enough to produce a quality shot, significant residues of coffee grounds would be left in the extraction chamber after the expended puck of used coffee was disposed of, thus causing a fouling of the mechanism, or requiring some type of rinsing cycle between shots. It is for this reason that super automatic machine almost always extract too fast, and often produce watery, more sour shots of espresso.
I would want consumers to be able to differentiate the quality of your coffee as compared to the big chains. Using a super automatic will only drag down your coffee quality down to their level. I believe the best way to compete against them is to have better tasting drinks, at comparable price, served by friendly people.
Also remember when buying your espresso equipment to always opt for a warranty and know who will be servicing your machine before buying it ... if your machine is down for 2 days and you lose 2 days of business, the initial cost of the equipment can be irrelative.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
- Matt
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Posted by BaristaTrainer on 2007-11-05 11:09:45 Post Subject:
Hi Chacha,
Adding a specialty coffee retail bar to your business could be a great option. Would you lose a tenant or two by adding the coffee bar? If so it would be very important to run some financial projections to make sure that you can feasibly cover your expenses and it would be viable in your building.
Since your question also addressed super automatic espresso machine, I thought I'd post some thoughts from a previous discussion here on this forum.
I do think that there are applications where super-automatic machine would work well in i.e., car dealerships, schools, c-stores, salons, some restaurants, etc. but I feel that if coffee and espresso is your primary or even secondary business you'd be much better off going with a traditional machine, and investing the difference into training.
A super automatic espresso machine is not as fast as a skilled barista on a conventional machine. While a super automatic may be able to produce one drink faster than a barista on a conventional machine, there is no contest when preparing multiple drinks. This slow down in preparation time could/would seriously effect your success in building a clientele base, especially at the drive thru window. This may be why we often see 2 or even 3 super automatic machines in many large chain locations.
A conventional machine provides an element of "theater" within your coffee bar or even your drive-thru. People like to watch the sights an hear the sounds associated with drink preparation. They want to know that they are buying there espresso drinks from a skilled professional.
Most important, many super automatics will only produce a mediocre quality beverage. Because of the mechanical complexity of the machine (which I might add can involve constant maintenance & repairs), the engineering will often not allow for a grind consistency fine enough to produce a top quality shot of espresso. If the coffee was ground fine enough to produce a quality shot, significant residues of coffee grounds would be left in the extraction chamber after the expended puck of used coffee was disposed of, thus causing a fouling of the mechanism, or requiring some type of rinsing cycle between shots. It is for this reason that super automatic machine almost always extract too fast, and often produce watery, more sour shots of espresso.
I would want consumers to be able to differentiate the quality of your coffee as compared to the big chains. Using a super automatic will only drag down your coffee quality down to their level. I believe the best way to compete against them is to have better tasting drinks, at comparable price, served by friendly people.
Also remember when buying your espresso equipment to always opt for a warranty and know who will be servicing your machine before buying it ... if your machine is down for 2 days and you lose 2 days of business, the initial cost of the equipment can be irrelative.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
- Matt
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View entire thread: La Marzocco Espresso machine
Posted by cafemakers on 2005-01-27 11:47:55 Post Subject:
Everydaygourmet makes an extremely important point: we find that all many new shop owners place all of their focus on the espresso equipment, and overlook many of the most basic important aspects of starting and running their new coffee business: 1) the coffee and 2) the business.
The challenges in running a coffee shop are the same as running any other retail business: selecting a good location, dealing with landlords, contractors and red tape, developing solid operational procedures, selecting good employees and managing them effectively, marketing that business, dealing with competition... and the list can go on and on.
The specialty coffee business faces one added challenge, in that the far majority of people who start a coffee shop have never even tasted good coffee. Although helpful for ideas in shop design and location selection, the danger in using Star$ as a model is that many shop owners do not realize how awful a product they serve. This would be like trying to start a gourmet restaurant without ever having tasted food other than McDonald's.
Save the equipment selection for later. If you really want to help your new business now, buy a plane ticket to Italy and hop from cafe to cafe to see what the USA is really missing in product quality. You'll see a number of different machine names, and all of them will serve great coffee.
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Posted by cafemakers on 2005-01-27 11:47:55 Post Subject:
Everydaygourmet makes an extremely important point: we find that all many new shop owners place all of their focus on the espresso equipment, and overlook many of the most basic important aspects of starting and running their new coffee business: 1) the coffee and 2) the business.
The challenges in running a coffee shop are the same as running any other retail business: selecting a good location, dealing with landlords, contractors and red tape, developing solid operational procedures, selecting good employees and managing them effectively, marketing that business, dealing with competition... and the list can go on and on.
The specialty coffee business faces one added challenge, in that the far majority of people who start a coffee shop have never even tasted good coffee. Although helpful for ideas in shop design and location selection, the danger in using Star$ as a model is that many shop owners do not realize how awful a product they serve. This would be like trying to start a gourmet restaurant without ever having tasted food other than McDonald's.
Save the equipment selection for later. If you really want to help your new business now, buy a plane ticket to Italy and hop from cafe to cafe to see what the USA is really missing in product quality. You'll see a number of different machine names, and all of them will serve great coffee.
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View entire thread: La Marzocco Espresso machine
Posted by everydaygourmet on 2005-01-27 12:07:39 Post Subject:
Everydaygourmet makes an extremely important point: we find that all many new shop owners place all of their focus on the espresso equipment, and overlook many of the most basic important aspects of starting and running their new coffee business: 1) the coffee and 2) the business.
The challenges in running a coffee shop are the same as running any other retail business: selecting a good location, dealing with landlords, contractors and red tape, developing solid operational procedures, selecting good employees and managing them effectively, marketing that business, dealing with competition... and the list can go on and on.
The specialty coffee business faces one added challenge, in that the far majority of people who start a coffee shop have never even tasted good coffee. Although helpful for ideas in shop design and location selection, the danger in using Star$ as a model is that many shop owners do not realize how awful a product they serve. This would be like trying to start a gourmet restaurant without ever having tasted food other than McDonald's.
Save the equipment selection for later. If you really want to help your new business now, buy a plane ticket to Italy and hop from cafe to cafe to see what the USA is really missing in product quality. You'll see a number of different machine names, and all of them will serve great coffee.
Great McDonald's analogy - well said on all points Cafemakers!
Barb,
The one of the other things I would do, is utilize a consultant for more than a few hours of consultation. I believe cafemakers offers this service, and they are not pushy about it in the forums - they have my respect just for that reason alone.
If you ahve never opened and/or operated a business (I have done both several times....and it is still a somewhat overwhelming process) then I would most definately budget for some professional advice from a consultant.
You'll get an idea pretty quick of the 3,000 other decisions besides your espresso machine that I mentioned earlier.
Again, Good Luck
http://www.brealins.com/images/Brealins_Sign.jpg
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Posted by everydaygourmet on 2005-01-27 12:07:39 Post Subject:
Everydaygourmet makes an extremely important point: we find that all many new shop owners place all of their focus on the espresso equipment, and overlook many of the most basic important aspects of starting and running their new coffee business: 1) the coffee and 2) the business.
The challenges in running a coffee shop are the same as running any other retail business: selecting a good location, dealing with landlords, contractors and red tape, developing solid operational procedures, selecting good employees and managing them effectively, marketing that business, dealing with competition... and the list can go on and on.
The specialty coffee business faces one added challenge, in that the far majority of people who start a coffee shop have never even tasted good coffee. Although helpful for ideas in shop design and location selection, the danger in using Star$ as a model is that many shop owners do not realize how awful a product they serve. This would be like trying to start a gourmet restaurant without ever having tasted food other than McDonald's.
Save the equipment selection for later. If you really want to help your new business now, buy a plane ticket to Italy and hop from cafe to cafe to see what the USA is really missing in product quality. You'll see a number of different machine names, and all of them will serve great coffee.
Great McDonald's analogy - well said on all points Cafemakers!
Barb,
The one of the other things I would do, is utilize a consultant for more than a few hours of consultation. I believe cafemakers offers this service, and they are not pushy about it in the forums - they have my respect just for that reason alone.
If you ahve never opened and/or operated a business (I have done both several times....and it is still a somewhat overwhelming process) then I would most definately budget for some professional advice from a consultant.
You'll get an idea pretty quick of the 3,000 other decisions besides your espresso machine that I mentioned earlier.
Again, Good Luck
http://www.brealins.com/images/Brealins_Sign.jpg
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View entire thread: Bean distributors in the Midwest
Posted by ourcoffeebarn on 2004-11-09 19:00:48 Post Subject: Midwest Roaster
Hello
I just joined this forum and I am a web-based small batch coffee roaster and home espresso equipment distributor, I ship all over the country check out my site to see what you think http://ourcoffeebarn.com/estore I don't mean to be selling but I thought you might like to have anther option that is in the Midwest
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Posted by ourcoffeebarn on 2004-11-09 19:00:48 Post Subject: Midwest Roaster
Hello
I just joined this forum and I am a web-based small batch coffee roaster and home espresso equipment distributor, I ship all over the country check out my site to see what you think http://ourcoffeebarn.com/estore I don't mean to be selling but I thought you might like to have anther option that is in the Midwest
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View entire thread: Has anyone use any books?
Posted by BaristaTrainer on 2004-10-18 17:30:52 Post Subject: Books and Videos
I have managed 3 operations and have used Espresso 101 and Bean Business Basics religiously. I recommend having a library of books and videos at your and your employees disposal.
Espresso 101 can save you countless hours when training your employees (labor costs can add up) and it covers the following:
* A Brief History of Coffee
* Coffee Bean Roasting and Blending
* Espresso Equipment
* Extracting Perfect Espresso
* The Art of Steaming and Foaming Milk
* How to Prepare Espresso Bar Drinks
* Fundamentals of Brewed Coffee Preparation
* Cleaning, Safety and Maintenance
The price of the books and videos are competive to other books and videos in the industry and encompass lots of information. If you can educate yourself early on and are able to save yourself from making costly mistakes during start-up the cost of educational products and/or consultation should be well worth it!
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Posted by BaristaTrainer on 2004-10-18 17:30:52 Post Subject: Books and Videos
I have managed 3 operations and have used Espresso 101 and Bean Business Basics religiously. I recommend having a library of books and videos at your and your employees disposal.
Espresso 101 can save you countless hours when training your employees (labor costs can add up) and it covers the following:
* A Brief History of Coffee
* Coffee Bean Roasting and Blending
* Espresso Equipment
* Extracting Perfect Espresso
* The Art of Steaming and Foaming Milk
* How to Prepare Espresso Bar Drinks
* Fundamentals of Brewed Coffee Preparation
* Cleaning, Safety and Maintenance
The price of the books and videos are competive to other books and videos in the industry and encompass lots of information. If you can educate yourself early on and are able to save yourself from making costly mistakes during start-up the cost of educational products and/or consultation should be well worth it!
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View entire thread: Superautomatic Espresso Machines
Posted by tommieann on 2005-04-09 08:55:30 Post Subject: What a Ripoff
Metareware is giving away free Jura Capresso maybe you should check it out :
Good Luck on your supposedly FREE Espresso Equipment. I was on site for 30 minutes with there offers and unless you sign up for about 10 offers, which you have to pay for, you won't get the machine. Thanks for your information, but obviously you haven't tried it yet.
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Posted by tommieann on 2005-04-09 08:55:30 Post Subject: What a Ripoff
Metareware is giving away free Jura Capresso maybe you should check it out :
Good Luck on your supposedly FREE Espresso Equipment. I was on site for 30 minutes with there offers and unless you sign up for about 10 offers, which you have to pay for, you won't get the machine. Thanks for your information, but obviously you haven't tried it yet.
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View entire thread: Black Coffee
Posted by JohnB on 2008-06-03 08:25:08 Post Subject:
JohnB, where in Connecticut are you? If you're looking for an exceptional coffee shop, you could ask ElPugDiablo, a coffee shop owner and member of this forum. He could definitely recommend something near you.
If you're ever further north, check out Mocha Joe's in Brattleboro, VT (thanks EPD!).
I live in northeastern Ct. where most of the brewed coffee sold comes from DD or independent coffee/donut shops. I only buy the iced coffee at DD around here but when I travel I try to check out any Cafes I come across. I hit 2 shops on a recent visit to Boston, both disappointing. Providence is the closest city & there is one cafe/roaster there that I saw on line I will try the next time I'm in town.
I have my own Espresso equipment & I buy quality beans/blends from high end roasters around the country so I don't need a local cafe. Its just very disappointing to walk into a place when you are on the road that has a very nice Espresso machine & end up with a double that would go down the sink if I were home. Why spend thousands of $$ on a nice multigroup machine & use preground coffee in foil packs?(recent experience)
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Posted by JohnB on 2008-06-03 08:25:08 Post Subject:
JohnB, where in Connecticut are you? If you're looking for an exceptional coffee shop, you could ask ElPugDiablo, a coffee shop owner and member of this forum. He could definitely recommend something near you.
If you're ever further north, check out Mocha Joe's in Brattleboro, VT (thanks EPD!).
I live in northeastern Ct. where most of the brewed coffee sold comes from DD or independent coffee/donut shops. I only buy the iced coffee at DD around here but when I travel I try to check out any Cafes I come across. I hit 2 shops on a recent visit to Boston, both disappointing. Providence is the closest city & there is one cafe/roaster there that I saw on line I will try the next time I'm in town.
I have my own Espresso equipment & I buy quality beans/blends from high end roasters around the country so I don't need a local cafe. Its just very disappointing to walk into a place when you are on the road that has a very nice Espresso machine & end up with a double that would go down the sink if I were home. Why spend thousands of $$ on a nice multigroup machine & use preground coffee in foil packs?(recent experience)
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View entire thread: Now That Mickey D's Is Goin' All Specialty On Us...
Posted by PinkRose on 2008-04-03 15:43:00 Post Subject:
Hello.
Has anyone tasted any of McDonalds specialty coffees yet?
I read that there are some McDonalds restaurants in several states that already have the espresso equipment up and running. Most of them should have it by the end of 2008.
I don't frequent McDonalds restaurants ... except for those times when I'm on the road and craving a fast salad.
Rose
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Posted by PinkRose on 2008-04-03 15:43:00 Post Subject:
Hello.
Has anyone tasted any of McDonalds specialty coffees yet?
I read that there are some McDonalds restaurants in several states that already have the espresso equipment up and running. Most of them should have it by the end of 2008.
I don't frequent McDonalds restaurants ... except for those times when I'm on the road and craving a fast salad.
Rose
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View entire thread: Black Coffee
Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2008-06-03 11:11:57 Post Subject:
JohnB, where in Connecticut are you? If you're looking for an exceptional coffee shop, you could ask ElPugDiablo, a coffee shop owner and member of this forum. He could definitely recommend something near you.
If you're ever further north, check out Mocha Joe's in Brattleboro, VT (thanks EPD!).
I live in northeastern Ct. where most of the brewed coffee sold comes from DD or independent coffee/donut shops. I only buy the iced coffee at DD around here but when I travel I try to check out any Cafes I come across. I hit 2 shops on a recent visit to Boston, both disappointing. Providence is the closest city & there is one cafe/roaster there that I saw on line I will try the next time I'm in town.
I have my own Espresso equipment & I buy quality beans/blends from high end roasters around the country so I don't need a local cafe. Its just very disappointing to walk into a place when you are on the road that has a very nice Espresso machine & end up with a double that would go down the sink if I were home. Why spend thousands of $$ on a nice multigroup machine & use preground coffee in foil packs?(recent experience)
If you are in Boston area, check out Simon's in Cambridge, Crema in Harvard Square, Atomic Cafe in North Shore and Taste in Newton. You can also e-mail Jamie at barismo.com, he knows the Boston market pretty well. You should also get on Terroir's mailing list and attend George Howell's open house. You will get to try his Northern Italian as pulled by his padawan, and definitely try any of his drip Kenyans and Yirgs. Coffee doesn't get any better than his Kenyans and his Yirgs.
Northeast CT will put you in the Windham County? Don't know much in that area. In New Haven, there is me and Willoughby's. Willoughby's has great drips. If you are lucky, they will be brewing one of their COEs or even Esmeralda. For espresso, I am afraid there is yours truly in Hartford and in New Haven that is about it. I can pull a passable shot. When the planets are aligned and when lighten struck you will get a god shot.
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Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2008-06-03 11:11:57 Post Subject:
JohnB, where in Connecticut are you? If you're looking for an exceptional coffee shop, you could ask ElPugDiablo, a coffee shop owner and member of this forum. He could definitely recommend something near you.
If you're ever further north, check out Mocha Joe's in Brattleboro, VT (thanks EPD!).
I live in northeastern Ct. where most of the brewed coffee sold comes from DD or independent coffee/donut shops. I only buy the iced coffee at DD around here but when I travel I try to check out any Cafes I come across. I hit 2 shops on a recent visit to Boston, both disappointing. Providence is the closest city & there is one cafe/roaster there that I saw on line I will try the next time I'm in town.
I have my own Espresso equipment & I buy quality beans/blends from high end roasters around the country so I don't need a local cafe. Its just very disappointing to walk into a place when you are on the road that has a very nice Espresso machine & end up with a double that would go down the sink if I were home. Why spend thousands of $$ on a nice multigroup machine & use preground coffee in foil packs?(recent experience)
If you are in Boston area, check out Simon's in Cambridge, Crema in Harvard Square, Atomic Cafe in North Shore and Taste in Newton. You can also e-mail Jamie at barismo.com, he knows the Boston market pretty well. You should also get on Terroir's mailing list and attend George Howell's open house. You will get to try his Northern Italian as pulled by his padawan, and definitely try any of his drip Kenyans and Yirgs. Coffee doesn't get any better than his Kenyans and his Yirgs.
Northeast CT will put you in the Windham County? Don't know much in that area. In New Haven, there is me and Willoughby's. Willoughby's has great drips. If you are lucky, they will be brewing one of their COEs or even Esmeralda. For espresso, I am afraid there is yours truly in Hartford and in New Haven that is about it. I can pull a passable shot. When the planets are aligned and when lighten struck you will get a god shot.
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View entire thread: Now That Mickey D's Is Goin' All Specialty On Us...
Posted by Carmine Domenaco on 2008-04-16 02:14:15 Post Subject: Re: Now That Mickey D's Is Goin' All Specialty On Us...
I guess I can understand why SB bought Clover so they could have a high-end machine brew one cup at a time. Without ever having used a Clover I really couldn't say anything bad about it. But waiting 40 seconds to brew a cup of coffee and that doesn't include the time it takes to grind the beans. Thats a lot of time on your hands. If you read the specs it plainly says 16 ounces per minute throughput. You would have to have a counter full of these machines in a busy SB just to keep up on the morning demand.
I don't believe a Clover will be replacing the dual 1.5 gallon brewers anytime soon. Beside when I first read about the Clover it reminded me of a Bunn BrewWise which has the ability to change settings with different types of coffee too.
I agree, clover won't replace the big brewers, however it gives SBUX an edge against the fast-food coffee competition AND it removes a tool from the most progressive shops, thus lessening the distance between the avant garde and SBUX. There were many compelling reasons to own the company instead of just owning a lot of their machines. Some might remember they tried unsuccessfully to buy la marzocco several years back when they used to have top of the line espresso equipment.
The clover is a fantastic concept with kinks left to work out, if the designers are given the green light to develop a new series who knows what they could do.
Honestly the best clover cups I had used 90-120 second dwell times which are unrealistic for all but the most laid back places. The short dwells lacked a lot of complexity but play well with most coffee drinkers. I also know that Howard and crew understand that they can't use their run of the mill coffees in this machine so I expect it will allow them to enter a different segment of the coffee market, which in turn will lead to more bean sales, a high margin item in any shop. (Better than breakfast burritos)
I was in a shop with 4 clovers, a good barista could turn out eight 8 oz cups in under 90 seconds. Not enough to keep up with a rush, but it allows the theater of the process and time for the operator to interact with the customer. Again, a way to slow things down just a bit and diminish the reputation that SBUX is the fast food of coffee.
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Posted by Carmine Domenaco on 2008-04-16 02:14:15 Post Subject: Re: Now That Mickey D's Is Goin' All Specialty On Us...
I guess I can understand why SB bought Clover so they could have a high-end machine brew one cup at a time. Without ever having used a Clover I really couldn't say anything bad about it. But waiting 40 seconds to brew a cup of coffee and that doesn't include the time it takes to grind the beans. Thats a lot of time on your hands. If you read the specs it plainly says 16 ounces per minute throughput. You would have to have a counter full of these machines in a busy SB just to keep up on the morning demand.
I don't believe a Clover will be replacing the dual 1.5 gallon brewers anytime soon. Beside when I first read about the Clover it reminded me of a Bunn BrewWise which has the ability to change settings with different types of coffee too.
I agree, clover won't replace the big brewers, however it gives SBUX an edge against the fast-food coffee competition AND it removes a tool from the most progressive shops, thus lessening the distance between the avant garde and SBUX. There were many compelling reasons to own the company instead of just owning a lot of their machines. Some might remember they tried unsuccessfully to buy la marzocco several years back when they used to have top of the line espresso equipment.
The clover is a fantastic concept with kinks left to work out, if the designers are given the green light to develop a new series who knows what they could do.
Honestly the best clover cups I had used 90-120 second dwell times which are unrealistic for all but the most laid back places. The short dwells lacked a lot of complexity but play well with most coffee drinkers. I also know that Howard and crew understand that they can't use their run of the mill coffees in this machine so I expect it will allow them to enter a different segment of the coffee market, which in turn will lead to more bean sales, a high margin item in any shop. (Better than breakfast burritos)
I was in a shop with 4 clovers, a good barista could turn out eight 8 oz cups in under 90 seconds. Not enough to keep up with a rush, but it allows the theater of the process and time for the operator to interact with the customer. Again, a way to slow things down just a bit and diminish the reputation that SBUX is the fast food of coffee.
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View entire thread: What is differences between $50 and $200 espresso machine?
Posted by CCafe on 2005-01-21 10:09:06 Post Subject:
About 8 years ago I went to Wallyworld (Walmart) and purchased an espresso machine for around $40. At the time I thought it made great espresso, but back then I really didn't know my butt from a hole in the ground. Also my $40 really went a long way, about 1 year. It broke and I called to get it fixed. Wow for the price of the parts and repair I could buy at least 3.
So I set out and looked around and ended up buying a Capresso semi automatic. It had a wand and I had to manually make my shots and steam my milk. Now I paid about $200 for this machine and since then I have decaled it a few times and dismantled for a deep clean. I finally gave it to my mother in-law because she likes espresso. It is still running like the day I purchased it back in 1998.
I have since then started working for a company repairing espresso equipment and have acquired a Solis Master 5000 Super Auto. It makes descent espresso. I no longer have to grind and manually make my shots. My trade off was quality for ease of use, that and I drink a ton of espresso at work.
From what I see on the net, you can buy one for around $550! My boss told me when he 1st started to sell them they were around $1000. Personally I would like to get a hold of the Jura Capresso S9 demo unit we have. It has more features, plus it comes with a milk frother so now I can become even lazier at home.
So I guess what I am trying to say is that you may have to spend a little more to get something that is better in the long run. You know if I went with that old analogy that you get what you pay for, I would have probably spent close to $400 on crappy espresso machines at Walmart.
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Posted by CCafe on 2005-01-21 10:09:06 Post Subject:
About 8 years ago I went to Wallyworld (Walmart) and purchased an espresso machine for around $40. At the time I thought it made great espresso, but back then I really didn't know my butt from a hole in the ground. Also my $40 really went a long way, about 1 year. It broke and I called to get it fixed. Wow for the price of the parts and repair I could buy at least 3.
So I set out and looked around and ended up buying a Capresso semi automatic. It had a wand and I had to manually make my shots and steam my milk. Now I paid about $200 for this machine and since then I have decaled it a few times and dismantled for a deep clean. I finally gave it to my mother in-law because she likes espresso. It is still running like the day I purchased it back in 1998.
I have since then started working for a company repairing espresso equipment and have acquired a Solis Master 5000 Super Auto. It makes descent espresso. I no longer have to grind and manually make my shots. My trade off was quality for ease of use, that and I drink a ton of espresso at work.
From what I see on the net, you can buy one for around $550! My boss told me when he 1st started to sell them they were around $1000. Personally I would like to get a hold of the Jura Capresso S9 demo unit we have. It has more features, plus it comes with a milk frother so now I can become even lazier at home.
So I guess what I am trying to say is that you may have to spend a little more to get something that is better in the long run. You know if I went with that old analogy that you get what you pay for, I would have probably spent close to $400 on crappy espresso machines at Walmart.
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View entire thread: Drive Thru building- Help!!!!
Posted by BaristaTrainer on 2004-11-23 15:25:43 Post Subject:
CM and CG have some good points ...
here are a couple more things to consider when choosing your machine. A lot of this is from a discussion I had with a Sr. Consultant in the Industry and from my experience using these machines.
I do think that there are applications where super-automatic machine would work well in i.e., car dealerships, schools, c-stores, salons, some restaurants, etc. but I feel that if coffee and espresso is your primary business you'd be much better off going with a traditional machine, and investing the difference into training.
A super automatic espresso machine is not as fast as a skilled barista
on a conventional machine. While a super automatic may be able to produce one drink faster than a barista on a conventional machine, there is no contest when preparing multiple drinks. This slow down in preparation time could/would seriously effect your success in building a clientele base,
especially at the drive thru window.
A conventional machine provides an element of "theater" within your
coffee bar or even your drive-thru. People like to watch the sights an hear the sounds associated with drink preparation. They want to know that they are buying there espresso drinks from a skilled professional.
Most important, many super automatics will only produce a mediocre
quality beverage. Because of the mechanical complexity of the machine
(which I might add involves constant maintenance & repairs), the engineering will often not allow for a grind consistency fine enough to produce a quality shot of espresso. If the coffee was ground fine enough to produce a quality shot, significant residues of coffee grounds would be left in the extraction chamber after the expended puck of used coffee was disposed of, thus causing a fouling of the mechanism, or requiring some type of rinsing cycle between shots. It is for this reason that super automatic machine almost always extract too fast, and often produce watery, more sour shots of espresso.
I would want consumers to be able to differentiate the quality of your coffee as compared to the big chains. Using a super automatic will only drag down your coffee quality down to their level. I believe the best way to compete against them is to have better tasting drinks, at comparable price, served by friendly people.
Also remember when buying your espresso equipment to always opt for a warranty and know who will be servicing your machine before buying it ... if your machine is down for 2 days and you lose 2 days of business, the initial cost of the equipment can be irrelative.
BT
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Posted by BaristaTrainer on 2004-11-23 15:25:43 Post Subject:
CM and CG have some good points ...
here are a couple more things to consider when choosing your machine. A lot of this is from a discussion I had with a Sr. Consultant in the Industry and from my experience using these machines.
I do think that there are applications where super-automatic machine would work well in i.e., car dealerships, schools, c-stores, salons, some restaurants, etc. but I feel that if coffee and espresso is your primary business you'd be much better off going with a traditional machine, and investing the difference into training.
A super automatic espresso machine is not as fast as a skilled barista
on a conventional machine. While a super automatic may be able to produce one drink faster than a barista on a conventional machine, there is no contest when preparing multiple drinks. This slow down in preparation time could/would seriously effect your success in building a clientele base,
especially at the drive thru window.
A conventional machine provides an element of "theater" within your
coffee bar or even your drive-thru. People like to watch the sights an hear the sounds associated with drink preparation. They want to know that they are buying there espresso drinks from a skilled professional.
Most important, many super automatics will only produce a mediocre
quality beverage. Because of the mechanical complexity of the machine
(which I might add involves constant maintenance & repairs), the engineering will often not allow for a grind consistency fine enough to produce a quality shot of espresso. If the coffee was ground fine enough to produce a quality shot, significant residues of coffee grounds would be left in the extraction chamber after the expended puck of used coffee was disposed of, thus causing a fouling of the mechanism, or requiring some type of rinsing cycle between shots. It is for this reason that super automatic machine almost always extract too fast, and often produce watery, more sour shots of espresso.
I would want consumers to be able to differentiate the quality of your coffee as compared to the big chains. Using a super automatic will only drag down your coffee quality down to their level. I believe the best way to compete against them is to have better tasting drinks, at comparable price, served by friendly people.
Also remember when buying your espresso equipment to always opt for a warranty and know who will be servicing your machine before buying it ... if your machine is down for 2 days and you lose 2 days of business, the initial cost of the equipment can be irrelative.
BT
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