View entire thread: Learning Latte Art
Posted by spindoc on 2005-09-18 21:01:38 Post Subject: Learning Latte Art
If you are lucky, you might find a barista in your town willing to teach you the elements of latte art. In MY town, there aren't any baristas who do latte art (or who know what they're doing, for that matter), but it is not a large town, either.
You would also need to find someone who has 10 gallons or so of milk to spare! You go through a LOT of milk learning the elements!
There are places you can go, however, to take a formal course of instruction in a couple days' time. I just finished such a course today, and a lot of the teaching was done by Chris Defario, who has, himself, won several competitions and is a member of this forum. What a patient guy he is, and knows why things happen in creating the art, not just that they do happen.
Not a professional barista, I just wanted to learn latte art for its own sake; the few days I have spent in Portland have been really very rewarding. I know, now, that I am able consistently to pull a good shot and do the latte art I want. Feels gooood.
I had been hanging around the Coffee Geek site for a couple of years, and making espresso at home, but the formal training cleared up a lot of things for me and I was surprised at the number of things I still needed to learn.
Anyway, I am hoping to participate in the new Latte Art section here and maybe, sooner or later, to contribute something worthwhile.
Spindoc
Sebring, Florida
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Posted by spindoc on 2005-09-18 21:01:38 Post Subject: Learning Latte Art
If you are lucky, you might find a barista in your town willing to teach you the elements of latte art. In MY town, there aren't any baristas who do latte art (or who know what they're doing, for that matter), but it is not a large town, either.
You would also need to find someone who has 10 gallons or so of milk to spare! You go through a LOT of milk learning the elements!
There are places you can go, however, to take a formal course of instruction in a couple days' time. I just finished such a course today, and a lot of the teaching was done by Chris Defario, who has, himself, won several competitions and is a member of this forum. What a patient guy he is, and knows why things happen in creating the art, not just that they do happen.
Not a professional barista, I just wanted to learn latte art for its own sake; the few days I have spent in Portland have been really very rewarding. I know, now, that I am able consistently to pull a good shot and do the latte art I want. Feels gooood.
I had been hanging around the Coffee Geek site for a couple of years, and making espresso at home, but the formal training cleared up a lot of things for me and I was surprised at the number of things I still needed to learn.
Anyway, I am hoping to participate in the new Latte Art section here and maybe, sooner or later, to contribute something worthwhile.
Spindoc
Sebring, Florida
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View entire thread: New to the coffee world
Posted by KnappCap on 2007-11-25 11:05:55 Post Subject:
The current Moon Monkey Shop has been in business for nearly 2 years. I've only been with the company for about a year and I work as a manager. One of the co-owners of the shop, Trevor, roasted for about 2-3 years and studied the art for even longer before the shop opened. So by the time we opened and were roasting on a higher scale, there was a good quality of bean already being produced.
I'm glad you liked our website. Most of it is actually really old, we should be having a new site in the next week or two that you'll have to check out. One area that we do keep updated though is our coffee offerings, just so that you know that's current. Let me know if you need anything else.
Other good source to check out for learning more on roasting is the roasters guild or coffee geek.
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Posted by KnappCap on 2007-11-25 11:05:55 Post Subject:
The current Moon Monkey Shop has been in business for nearly 2 years. I've only been with the company for about a year and I work as a manager. One of the co-owners of the shop, Trevor, roasted for about 2-3 years and studied the art for even longer before the shop opened. So by the time we opened and were roasting on a higher scale, there was a good quality of bean already being produced.
I'm glad you liked our website. Most of it is actually really old, we should be having a new site in the next week or two that you'll have to check out. One area that we do keep updated though is our coffee offerings, just so that you know that's current. Let me know if you need anything else.
Other good source to check out for learning more on roasting is the roasters guild or coffee geek.
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View entire thread: Anyone out there have opinions about Illy Arabica ??
Posted by cindy on 2007-10-25 04:05:47 Post Subject:
heyyyy!
ive been waiting for someone to post a topic on illy.
i am very familiar with illy arabica as it is found in many franchise coffee and espresso bars in south africa...and from what ive seen and heard from some of my other coffee geek/roaster buddies...illy is very sarisfying to the regular coffee drinker. they always have a very constant taste and whether im in cape town or johannesburg...illy will always taste the same...but (and this is a big but) some of th local coffee maniacs (me and my roaster croniez) arent all that satisfied with illy. not for one minute are we disputing the freshness or the quality, we just feel that regarding espresso...we tend to favour other brands....once again ILLY ISNT BAD AT ALL...were just not over fond of it.
****heres what im using at the moment and i am yet to have someone complaining about this blend....its brilliant for espresso and not too expensive.....brazil natural, brazil pulped, honduras wet processed and dominican republic...try it!
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Posted by cindy on 2007-10-25 04:05:47 Post Subject:
heyyyy!
ive been waiting for someone to post a topic on illy.
i am very familiar with illy arabica as it is found in many franchise coffee and espresso bars in south africa...and from what ive seen and heard from some of my other coffee geek/roaster buddies...illy is very sarisfying to the regular coffee drinker. they always have a very constant taste and whether im in cape town or johannesburg...illy will always taste the same...but (and this is a big but) some of th local coffee maniacs (me and my roaster croniez) arent all that satisfied with illy. not for one minute are we disputing the freshness or the quality, we just feel that regarding espresso...we tend to favour other brands....once again ILLY ISNT BAD AT ALL...were just not over fond of it.
****heres what im using at the moment and i am yet to have someone complaining about this blend....its brilliant for espresso and not too expensive.....brazil natural, brazil pulped, honduras wet processed and dominican republic...try it!
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View entire thread: Is this break even formula true for you?
Posted by sld on 2005-03-05 10:51:40 Post Subject: Is this break even formula true for you?
"I saw a figure in this month's Fresh Cup magazine that blew my mind. An article claimed that the break-even point can be formulated as monthly sales equal to ten times your rent. TEN TIMES? I boggled. I just KNEW it couldn't be true. But when I sat down and did the math on a fully staffed operation of The Black Drop, damn if it wasn't exactly that. The biggest expense, hands down, was salary." I copied this from coffee geek. Our rent will be $2,500 a month which means we would need $25,000 a month to break even. We were thinking we could break even on half this amount. We will be working so I know this will make a difference, I would like to know other coffee shop owners experience with these numbers. Thanks
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Posted by sld on 2005-03-05 10:51:40 Post Subject: Is this break even formula true for you?
"I saw a figure in this month's Fresh Cup magazine that blew my mind. An article claimed that the break-even point can be formulated as monthly sales equal to ten times your rent. TEN TIMES? I boggled. I just KNEW it couldn't be true. But when I sat down and did the math on a fully staffed operation of The Black Drop, damn if it wasn't exactly that. The biggest expense, hands down, was salary." I copied this from coffee geek. Our rent will be $2,500 a month which means we would need $25,000 a month to break even. We were thinking we could break even on half this amount. We will be working so I know this will make a difference, I would like to know other coffee shop owners experience with these numbers. Thanks
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View entire thread: Coffee in Iraq
Posted by ourcoffeebarn on 2005-09-16 15:41:21 Post Subject:
There are some of us who post here also support the Coffee Geek site.
If you would PM me or just a plain Email I would be VERY Happy to send you a couple of pounds to try! I am a veteran of the first Desert Storm and also a coffee roaster so I can relate!
I got my taste for espresso in Italy in the mid 80's and a Great Cappucino and Lattes while stationed in Germany too. Starbucks didn't exist when I went to Europe in 1986 at least not by me, they were everywhere when I got back from Desert Storm.
It was my job to get the coffee brewed for my FDC squad leader while in the "Field" training in Germany against an invasion by the USSR through the Fulda Gap. (A whole different world then) I found that I got treated better if I brought coffee from a German store than when I would aquire some from the mess section!
I may not support the current President but I will ALWAYS support the Men and Women who answer the call to Duty!
Be safe and remember
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Posted by ourcoffeebarn on 2005-09-16 15:41:21 Post Subject:
There are some of us who post here also support the Coffee Geek site.
If you would PM me or just a plain Email I would be VERY Happy to send you a couple of pounds to try! I am a veteran of the first Desert Storm and also a coffee roaster so I can relate!
I got my taste for espresso in Italy in the mid 80's and a Great Cappucino and Lattes while stationed in Germany too. Starbucks didn't exist when I went to Europe in 1986 at least not by me, they were everywhere when I got back from Desert Storm.
It was my job to get the coffee brewed for my FDC squad leader while in the "Field" training in Germany against an invasion by the USSR through the Fulda Gap. (A whole different world then) I found that I got treated better if I brought coffee from a German store than when I would aquire some from the mess section!
I may not support the current President but I will ALWAYS support the Men and Women who answer the call to Duty!
Be safe and remember
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View entire thread: multiple companies or stick to one???
Posted by Panini Guy on 2006-04-24 03:28:47 Post Subject:
We deal with one roaster. We selected ours because they had the national rep we were looking for regarding espresso and had access to estate-grown Latin American beans as well as great beans from Indonesia and Africa.
As it is we use three grinders just for that one roaster (a Swift with regular/decaf and a Super Jolly for a second blend or "guest blend". To feature additional roasters would require more grinders in order to have everything dialed in perfectly. You can't just change out hoppers.
Our roaster also provided us with significant training and also got us great deals on our equipment, so there's more to it than just coffee. We're part of the "extended family". It would take a lot to lose us as customers.
That said, we have used and will continue to feature a "guest blend" very selectively - maybe only a half dozen times a year. We use it when we're "gifted" with something we want to share (i.e. we had a very rare Counter Culture Kenya AA Tegu Lot 182 recently) or when we just can't get what we want - an example is next week, we had to go elsewhere for a Chiapas-grown Mexican organic for Cinco de Mayo because our roaster was out of Mexican.
The "guest blend" also works for us by elevating our rep for featuring the best coffees from everywhere, even if we only do it once in a blue moon - it shows we know more than the average bear and our coffee geek customers enjoy it.
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Posted by Panini Guy on 2006-04-24 03:28:47 Post Subject:
We deal with one roaster. We selected ours because they had the national rep we were looking for regarding espresso and had access to estate-grown Latin American beans as well as great beans from Indonesia and Africa.
As it is we use three grinders just for that one roaster (a Swift with regular/decaf and a Super Jolly for a second blend or "guest blend". To feature additional roasters would require more grinders in order to have everything dialed in perfectly. You can't just change out hoppers.
Our roaster also provided us with significant training and also got us great deals on our equipment, so there's more to it than just coffee. We're part of the "extended family". It would take a lot to lose us as customers.
That said, we have used and will continue to feature a "guest blend" very selectively - maybe only a half dozen times a year. We use it when we're "gifted" with something we want to share (i.e. we had a very rare Counter Culture Kenya AA Tegu Lot 182 recently) or when we just can't get what we want - an example is next week, we had to go elsewhere for a Chiapas-grown Mexican organic for Cinco de Mayo because our roaster was out of Mexican.
The "guest blend" also works for us by elevating our rep for featuring the best coffees from everywhere, even if we only do it once in a blue moon - it shows we know more than the average bear and our coffee geek customers enjoy it.
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View entire thread: A coffee machine. I don''t know what machine should I buy?
Posted by TinkAttitude on 2007-07-18 06:55:57 Post Subject:
i read the coffee geek review of the flama zentrum - and like what i read, except for the fact that the machine was made of so many plastic parts, but could not find it for sale anywhere... so i am still searching for a decent at-home espresso maker for a beginner with not much talent or taste!
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Posted by TinkAttitude on 2007-07-18 06:55:57 Post Subject:
i read the coffee geek review of the flama zentrum - and like what i read, except for the fact that the machine was made of so many plastic parts, but could not find it for sale anywhere... so i am still searching for a decent at-home espresso maker for a beginner with not much talent or taste!
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View entire thread: Do you support local artists and craftspeople?
Posted by Vars on 2008-07-21 21:49:11 Post Subject:
Call me crazy, but I want people coming here because of what we serve.
Most regular cafe goers, I observe, only buy the cheapest coffee, which is no better than McDonalds' coffee at most cafes (surely not yours) and sometimes actually worse.
They hang out at the cafe because they are seeking refuge. It's the "Third Place" that Starbucks brochures and training manuals talk about.
For potential customers who are not merely seeking refuge, you need some way to draw them in and make them think that going to a cafe is a "special occasion" and worth of a $4 latte.
Most cafes in America just don't live up to that wish.
No music. No art. Nothing ... except so-so coffee at the price people are set on paying.
So people spend $1-1.50, stay for a half-hour thinking "it's better than Chuck E Cheese anyway" and then they leave.
And then frustrated indy cafe owners wonder why Charbucks has taken over, or blame the consumer.
You see, the consumer isn't at fault. It's actually the cafe owners who wrongly assume everyone is a coffee geek like them.
It's a classic business mistake.
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Posted by Vars on 2008-07-21 21:49:11 Post Subject:
Call me crazy, but I want people coming here because of what we serve.
Most regular cafe goers, I observe, only buy the cheapest coffee, which is no better than McDonalds' coffee at most cafes (surely not yours) and sometimes actually worse.
They hang out at the cafe because they are seeking refuge. It's the "Third Place" that Starbucks brochures and training manuals talk about.
For potential customers who are not merely seeking refuge, you need some way to draw them in and make them think that going to a cafe is a "special occasion" and worth of a $4 latte.
Most cafes in America just don't live up to that wish.
No music. No art. Nothing ... except so-so coffee at the price people are set on paying.
So people spend $1-1.50, stay for a half-hour thinking "it's better than Chuck E Cheese anyway" and then they leave.
And then frustrated indy cafe owners wonder why Charbucks has taken over, or blame the consumer.
You see, the consumer isn't at fault. It's actually the cafe owners who wrongly assume everyone is a coffee geek like them.
It's a classic business mistake.
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View entire thread: Do you support local artists and craftspeople?
Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2008-07-22 14:41:56 Post Subject:
Most regular cafe goers, I observe, only buy the cheapest coffee, which is no better than McDonalds' coffee at most cafes (surely not yours) and sometimes actually worse.
They hang out at the cafe because they are seeking refuge. It's the "Third Place" that Starbucks brochures and training manuals talk about.
For potential customers who are not merely seeking refuge, you need some way to draw them in and make them think that going to a cafe is a "special occasion" and worth of a $4 latte.
Most cafes in America just don't live up to that wish.
No music. No art. Nothing ... except so-so coffee at the price people are set on paying.
So people spend $1-1.50, stay for a half-hour thinking "it's better than Chuck E Cheese anyway" and then they leave.
And then frustrated indy cafe owners wonder why Charbucks has taken over, or blame the consumer.
You see, the consumer isn't at fault. It's actually the cafe owners who wrongly assume everyone is a coffee geek like them.
It's a classic business mistake.So vars, do you think people will drive or walk pass 2 Starbucks, 5 Dunkin Donuts and 3 independent coffee shops everyday to your place because your have local art works, live music and comfy chairs? The "special occasion" IS your coffee, your coffee knowledge and your charming personality.
If most cafes in the US have no music no art and only so-so coffee, and Starbucks have no music no are and only so-so coffee. Aren't they on equal footing? The sad fact is many coffee shops have horrible coffee and are filthily dirty. The only selling point is that they are indie. And by hanging a few painting from local folks they think they have earned the right of a loyal following. If you ask me, Starbucks is doing those communities a great favor by establishing a standard, albeit a relatively low standard, that these indie can't meet.
Also, for your consideration, 70% of transactions are to go orders. Painting, live music, free wife and what not means nothing to 70% of your customers. Quality product, clean environment, efficient and friendly service is how you earn your money.
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Posted by ElPugDiablo on 2008-07-22 14:41:56 Post Subject:
Most regular cafe goers, I observe, only buy the cheapest coffee, which is no better than McDonalds' coffee at most cafes (surely not yours) and sometimes actually worse.
They hang out at the cafe because they are seeking refuge. It's the "Third Place" that Starbucks brochures and training manuals talk about.
For potential customers who are not merely seeking refuge, you need some way to draw them in and make them think that going to a cafe is a "special occasion" and worth of a $4 latte.
Most cafes in America just don't live up to that wish.
No music. No art. Nothing ... except so-so coffee at the price people are set on paying.
So people spend $1-1.50, stay for a half-hour thinking "it's better than Chuck E Cheese anyway" and then they leave.
And then frustrated indy cafe owners wonder why Charbucks has taken over, or blame the consumer.
You see, the consumer isn't at fault. It's actually the cafe owners who wrongly assume everyone is a coffee geek like them.
It's a classic business mistake.So vars, do you think people will drive or walk pass 2 Starbucks, 5 Dunkin Donuts and 3 independent coffee shops everyday to your place because your have local art works, live music and comfy chairs? The "special occasion" IS your coffee, your coffee knowledge and your charming personality.
If most cafes in the US have no music no art and only so-so coffee, and Starbucks have no music no are and only so-so coffee. Aren't they on equal footing? The sad fact is many coffee shops have horrible coffee and are filthily dirty. The only selling point is that they are indie. And by hanging a few painting from local folks they think they have earned the right of a loyal following. If you ask me, Starbucks is doing those communities a great favor by establishing a standard, albeit a relatively low standard, that these indie can't meet.
Also, for your consideration, 70% of transactions are to go orders. Painting, live music, free wife and what not means nothing to 70% of your customers. Quality product, clean environment, efficient and friendly service is how you earn your money.
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View entire thread: Mocha Syrups
Posted by mikefly on 2005-07-31 05:50:27 Post Subject:
The little jerk read about my plan here so i have to remember not to make the secret plan public lmfao......by the way CG=coffee geek but he is in agrement that it is beter tasting and beter on our budget....we also did a blind tatse test on one of our customer/freinds and he is a CG also and he chose the hershy so if you own a shop pick some up its only a $1.26 and do the test your self and base your discion off of the facts...and remember its not about what you like that will make you money
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Posted by mikefly on 2005-07-31 05:50:27 Post Subject:
The little jerk read about my plan here so i have to remember not to make the secret plan public lmfao......by the way CG=coffee geek but he is in agrement that it is beter tasting and beter on our budget....we also did a blind tatse test on one of our customer/freinds and he is a CG also and he chose the hershy so if you own a shop pick some up its only a $1.26 and do the test your self and base your discion off of the facts...and remember its not about what you like that will make you money
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View entire thread: Free CoffeeForums T-Shirt - Post 100 Messages!
Posted by topher on 2006-06-20 04:10:52 Post Subject:
Yea the shirts look great....my wife gives me a hard time when I wear it though...says I'm a coffee geek.
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Posted by topher on 2006-06-20 04:10:52 Post Subject:
Yea the shirts look great....my wife gives me a hard time when I wear it though...says I'm a coffee geek.
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View entire thread: How to make the perfect foam?
Posted by jmeiss on 2006-10-11 09:19:43 Post Subject:
A couple thoughts:
1) Always start with a COLD steaming pitcher. This allows for a longer steaming time from start to finish (no more than 160deg). We turn off our steam wand at 140 on the thermometer, and it always climbs to 160 after the steam is off and the thermometer catches up. Find the right combination for your machine.
2) If you steam your milk first and then pull your shots, not only will your shots be fresher, but your milk will have time to settle and the foam fully rise to the top.
3) Read this guide from Coffee Geek - http://coffeegeek.com/guides/frothingguide
Good luck.....
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Posted by jmeiss on 2006-10-11 09:19:43 Post Subject:
A couple thoughts:
1) Always start with a COLD steaming pitcher. This allows for a longer steaming time from start to finish (no more than 160deg). We turn off our steam wand at 140 on the thermometer, and it always climbs to 160 after the steam is off and the thermometer catches up. Find the right combination for your machine.
2) If you steam your milk first and then pull your shots, not only will your shots be fresher, but your milk will have time to settle and the foam fully rise to the top.
3) Read this guide from Coffee Geek - http://coffeegeek.com/guides/frothingguide
Good luck.....
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View entire thread: Dark Roast Coffee Beans vs Medium Roasted Coffee Beans
Posted by mivox on 2003-03-21 17:44:59 Post Subject:
Well, dark roast is really dark, medium is not-so-dark, and light isn't very dark at all.
hehehe
But flavor wise, the dark roast beans tend to have a stronger, harsher flavor than a medium or light roast... If you like really dark, strong coffee, or you like making espresso, a dark roast is the way to go. I like French Roast myself... I think most coffee labeled "espresso roast" is a little too 'burnt' tasting for me. Medium or light roasts would be good for someone who wants a mellower/milder cup of coffee...
Oh... and the different 'colors' are just determined by how long the coffee is roasted for. The longer the roasting, the darker the color. If you want to be a REAL coffee geek (even I haven't gone this far), you can buy 'raw' beans and get a home roasting machine, or roast beans in your oven. Then you could try a different roast every day of the week! hehehe
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Posted by mivox on 2003-03-21 17:44:59 Post Subject:
Well, dark roast is really dark, medium is not-so-dark, and light isn't very dark at all.
heheheBut flavor wise, the dark roast beans tend to have a stronger, harsher flavor than a medium or light roast... If you like really dark, strong coffee, or you like making espresso, a dark roast is the way to go. I like French Roast myself... I think most coffee labeled "espresso roast" is a little too 'burnt' tasting for me. Medium or light roasts would be good for someone who wants a mellower/milder cup of coffee...
Oh... and the different 'colors' are just determined by how long the coffee is roasted for. The longer the roasting, the darker the color. If you want to be a REAL coffee geek (even I haven't gone this far), you can buy 'raw' beans and get a home roasting machine, or roast beans in your oven. Then you could try a different roast every day of the week! hehehe
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View entire thread: Saeco Incanto Sirius
Posted by Deej on 2005-03-08 18:32:39 Post Subject: MikeLev also mention messy brewgroup
Mikelev sez: "And the Brew Group gets a lot messier than the Vienna's did with coffee smeared all up and down the shaft (even beyond the rubber seal)..."
JerseyGuy..... Is the brewgroup typically messy when you pull it out? I wonder if there's a difference in procedure between the way you and MikeLev use your machines?
PS-I spoke with a gentleman who runs another website and he said that 'none of the superautomatic machines brew espresso, they brew swiss coffee.' Any opinions on his take on things? He's used the Solis 5000 and prefers its taste to the Sirius but I'm certain he still brews using more traditional machines. He also said 'temperature and pressure mean everything when brewing.' He doesn't believe that the superautos really make the 15 bar that they advertise.
Please throw your two cents in everyone. I'm collecting data, doing research and crunching numbers before I shell out the big bucks. The Sirius looks great to me but I'm a gadget guy and I may be unfairly swayed by the hitech display. What's a coffee geek to do?
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Posted by Deej on 2005-03-08 18:32:39 Post Subject: MikeLev also mention messy brewgroup
Mikelev sez: "And the Brew Group gets a lot messier than the Vienna's did with coffee smeared all up and down the shaft (even beyond the rubber seal)..."
JerseyGuy..... Is the brewgroup typically messy when you pull it out? I wonder if there's a difference in procedure between the way you and MikeLev use your machines?
PS-I spoke with a gentleman who runs another website and he said that 'none of the superautomatic machines brew espresso, they brew swiss coffee.' Any opinions on his take on things? He's used the Solis 5000 and prefers its taste to the Sirius but I'm certain he still brews using more traditional machines. He also said 'temperature and pressure mean everything when brewing.' He doesn't believe that the superautos really make the 15 bar that they advertise.
Please throw your two cents in everyone. I'm collecting data, doing research and crunching numbers before I shell out the big bucks. The Sirius looks great to me but I'm a gadget guy and I may be unfairly swayed by the hitech display. What's a coffee geek to do?
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View entire thread: Saeco Incanto Sirius
Posted by Mikelev on 2005-03-10 17:30:33 Post Subject: Re: MikeLev also mention messy brewgroup
Mikelev sez: "And the Brew Group gets a lot messier than the Vienna's did with coffee smeared all up and down the shaft (even beyond the rubber seal)..."
JerseyGuy..... Is the brewgroup typically messy when you pull it out? I wonder if there's a difference in procedure between the way you and MikeLev use your machines?
PS-I spoke with a gentleman who runs another website and he said that 'none of the superautomatic machines brew espresso, they brew swiss coffee.' Any opinions on his take on things? He's used the Solis 5000 and prefers its taste to the Sirius but I'm certain he still brews using more traditional machines. He also said 'temperature and pressure mean everything when brewing.' He doesn't believe that the superautos really make the 15 bar that they advertise.
Please throw your two cents in everyone. I'm collecting data, doing research and crunching numbers before I shell out the big bucks. The Sirius looks great to me but I'm a gadget guy and I may be unfairly swayed by the hitech display. What's a coffee geek to do?
The brew group is a little messier than the Vienna ever was. By this I simply mean that there is dried up coffee all over the brew shaft (even above the rubber gasket) and a lot of other places. I can tell you this now...it seem that the Incanto does indeed make a stronger cup of coffee, though the crema is not nearly as intense. But, my biggest gripe with this machine (and in fact the reason I may even sell it) is because I absolutely HATE that permanent Panarello device!!!! I don't know why Saeco ruined this model with thing! When I used the nozzle on the Vienna, it made the most perfect froth you could ever imagine...with this Panarello, you only get a layer of dry froth on top and hot milk underneath. I think I'm going to get the Royal Pro model next!!!
Mike
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Posted by Mikelev on 2005-03-10 17:30:33 Post Subject: Re: MikeLev also mention messy brewgroup
Mikelev sez: "And the Brew Group gets a lot messier than the Vienna's did with coffee smeared all up and down the shaft (even beyond the rubber seal)..."
JerseyGuy..... Is the brewgroup typically messy when you pull it out? I wonder if there's a difference in procedure between the way you and MikeLev use your machines?
PS-I spoke with a gentleman who runs another website and he said that 'none of the superautomatic machines brew espresso, they brew swiss coffee.' Any opinions on his take on things? He's used the Solis 5000 and prefers its taste to the Sirius but I'm certain he still brews using more traditional machines. He also said 'temperature and pressure mean everything when brewing.' He doesn't believe that the superautos really make the 15 bar that they advertise.
Please throw your two cents in everyone. I'm collecting data, doing research and crunching numbers before I shell out the big bucks. The Sirius looks great to me but I'm a gadget guy and I may be unfairly swayed by the hitech display. What's a coffee geek to do?
The brew group is a little messier than the Vienna ever was. By this I simply mean that there is dried up coffee all over the brew shaft (even above the rubber gasket) and a lot of other places. I can tell you this now...it seem that the Incanto does indeed make a stronger cup of coffee, though the crema is not nearly as intense. But, my biggest gripe with this machine (and in fact the reason I may even sell it) is because I absolutely HATE that permanent Panarello device!!!! I don't know why Saeco ruined this model with thing! When I used the nozzle on the Vienna, it made the most perfect froth you could ever imagine...with this Panarello, you only get a layer of dry froth on top and hot milk underneath. I think I'm going to get the Royal Pro model next!!!
Mike
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