Coffee

Finding good roasters or coffee shops, especially local, isn’t always easy, so I think it would be good to share the places we discover

Here’s my list of local and not-local favourite shops, hope it’s helpful.

Kicco Caffè Pieve di Cento, Bologna, Italy

This is my closest roaster, it’s a very small business working mainly with Italian-style blends and roasts, however it also sells a small but nice selection of monorigin beans, which changes during the year. They also sell a variety of tools for many brewing styles.

My favorite coffee there is the Ethiopian Sidamo

Forno Brisa Bologna, Italy

Forno Brisa is a local chain of bakeries that in recent years embraced the specialty coffee wave, becoming a roastery themselves. Even though baked products are their main activity, you can find very good roasts there. In the physical shop, the staff is well trained and they can explain you in detail the characteristics of the coffees on the shelf.

At Forno Brisa I’ve tasted one of my favourite coffees ever, the Colombian Campo Hermoso

La Libertaria - torrefazione autogestita Galbiate, Lecco, Italy

This store in particular was recommended by a Fediverse contact of mine. It’s a roastery that imports a variety of beans from small farmers, carefully selecting supply chains that ensure good working conditions for the farmers. They contribute to many projects focusing on cooperatives and specific areas facing various kinds of issues, such as the Chiapas state of Mexico.

Sprout Roasters Eindhoven, The Netherlands

I’ve found this roastery while looking for a shop selling good quality decaf coffee. This one in particular offers a wide selection of beans, decaf included, and also sells the decaf projects kit by James Hoffman.

It’s a shame that delivery costs from The Netherlands to Italy were so high because I really loved their coffee, especially the Colombian decaf one

If espresso is Italian for fast, why does it take me so long to pull a perfect shot? Checkmate coffee

-Turning point Hoffman

I'm talking end-to-end from "Hmm, maybe it's time for an espresso" to when your beverage is ready to drink. All setup/pull/milk steaming time included.

I have a basic machine with no boiler, so heat up time is negligible. I'd say it's about 5 minutes for me to unpack my equipment, prep a puck, and pull a shot. Add maybe 2 minutes for each additional shot that's pulled consecutively. I don't tend to make milk drinks, so there's no extra time spent.

This assumes that I've already dialed in the grind.

A couple of years ago I purchased a Melodrip to see what the fuss was about and experimented with it quite a bit to justify what I think is a fairly hefty price point for a simple device. I tried using it for all my pours, for the last two pours, and for just the last pour. I tried it on flat bottomed drippers, on immersion brewers, on conical brewers. Tried it with single cup brews and multi-cup brews. I lean towards a pretty fine grind typically, and I was enticed by claims that this device could push the grind size even finer without hitting bitter notes. While I think there is some truth to that, I always found that my brews came up a bit more “tea-like” than I preferred. If “tea-like” is your jam, I highly recommend this product! Me, I prefer more “coffee-like” body that comes from the gentle agitation of a good spiral gooseneck pour. I all but shelved the Melodrip, but it remained on a 3d printed stand staring at me daily on my countertop. There was one experiment I hadn’t tried. The Melodrip instructions recommended not using it for the bloom as did many of the recipes I came across online. I had not considered doing anything anti-dogmatic, but in an act of defiance a few months ago I cranked up my kettle (I always like to bloom on the hot side, and I had previously calculated that the aeration from the Melodrip device caused about an instant 7F drop in water temp) and wet my bed. I have been using the Melodrip now for almost all of my blooms and only the bloom! I think it’s perfect for this despite going against the grain of what has been recommended. For a good bloom you want a nice even rapid moisturization of the grounds. There is a high risk of compaction and channeling as a water stream hits the loose grounds with a conventional pour. A controlled, even sprinkle allows for CO2 to escape and minimizes channel formation. I’ve been very happy with the results and have been brewing more consistent cups since using this technique. If you have a Melodrip, and you are not already in love with how you’re using it – give this a shot! Would I buy one just for blooming? That’s a tough one. If you are feeling a bit frustrated with your brew consistency (there are so many factors that can cause this of course) and you like to tinker, I think I really might consider it.

Curious to hear your thoughts be they theoretical or practical.

TLDR;

• Consider trying the MeloDrip Device exclusively for a bloom pour. Crank your kettle temp up 6-7(F) for this.

Hi i was wondering where i could order a Baratza M2 Burr and that is reliable source now the baratza site does not have it anymore and what other upgrades like hopper or the seal replacement etc currently still use my french press / chemex sometimes a drip would love to have less fines in my coffee anyone done this to thiers before? how would i go about it thank you

Is there any chance of getting non-American Chemex-style coffee filters?

I'm trying my best to cut myself off from American dependencies, but I'm running out of Chemex filters and I can't seem to find any high quality third party offerings at all.

I want to use it in a (six cup) Chemex, and I'm looking for the same thick paper quality as what is in the official filters. Just not from an American company. Does anybody have any idea?

@coffeegeek @[email protected] @[email protected] @buyeuropean

Hi,

I've been using a Delonghi Dedica for years with the pressurised basket and found that it makes pretty good coffee (to my untrained taste buds).

Recently bought an unpressurised basket and handle for it, but having trouble getting good coffee out of it.

I'm grinding much, much finer that before (still using a cheap electric bur grinder). I've found this is the only way to get crema. If i go one step finer on the grinder, the coffee machine cant even pump water through the grounds.

Using about 10g of coffee and tamping hard to create pressure, but even with that little coffee I'm just getting very strong and very bitter coffee. Extraction time is about 30 secs.

If I grind coarser, there's not enough pressure and you get an acidic coffee with no crema. Adding more coffee doesn't appear to create more pressure. Tamping harder doesn't seem to make much difference.

I wonder if anyone here has mastered good coffee with this machine.

May try my hand grinder next time. Could be the grinder is too cheap.

Cheers

Since I live in the Bologna area, I was asked for some advices about coffee places in the city. I tried different places so I thought a post on it own could be helpful for other people loving and travelling here.

For me specialty coffee = pour over coffee, so in all of these places you can find good pour over coffee which is what I always order, alongside more traditional methods

The list doesn’t follow any particular order. Also note that the photos are not mine but found online instead

Burō Café

Via Sant’Isaia 17/D Mon - Fri 9:30 - 16:00 Tue 9:30 - 14:00 Sat - Sun 10:00 - 14:00 Wed closed

One of the first specialty coffee shops in Bologna, it is a very fancy-looking place. The two owners took the mission to promote the specialty coffee culture in a time where only espresso existed in Bologna, so they put a lot of care in serving coffee, choosing seasonal beans and most of all informing costumers about this world.

It is one of my favourite spot in Bologna and I always had great coffees there. They occasionally hold coffee workshops with coffee experts, which are totally worth it in my opinion

You can even rent a table for some hours or the entire day to work there with unlimited coffee servings, they also serve various pastries and brunch, although food it’s a bit expensive.

As a final note, alongside V60, Chemex and Aeropress coffee, they also serve cold brew coffee, especially during the hot season, which is a little rare for an Italian bar.

Aroma

Via Porta Nova, 12b Thu - Sun 9:00 - 14:00 Mon - Wed closed

A very small shop near the city center, they serve a wide variety of coffee preparations alongside their specialty coffee choices. As far as I know they have a fixed selection of beans but I don’t know if they offer seasonal varieties. Their activity goes beyond the very coffee shop, they hold master class courses, sell manuals and participate in international competitions, so you can expect to find well trained staff there

As I said the place is quite small with a vibe totally similar to any historical Bolognese bar, and they serve classic selection of Italian pastries

Forno Brisa

Via galleria 34D Via Castiglione 43 Via San Felice 41A Via L Bassi Veratti 29B Via Nicolò dall’Arca 16 Via Jussi 18 See the website for opening hours

Forno Brisa is firstly a bakery focuses on bread and baked goods, however they have inside tables so you can sit and order products like cakes, focacce, pizza, cookies and more, plus in the recent years they added specialty coffee to their menu

I went there just a couple of times, however both of the times the staff was very good in showing their beans variety, which changes frequently, and giving advices based on my tastes. I tasted two different and very good coffees, in particular they served me a seasonal Colombian variety which was so good that I had to buy a bag to bring home.

It’s a very good spot for a breakfast, a little brunch or a break, the food is a little expensive while the coffee prices are quite average (I mean, for a specialty coffee place)

Allegra

Via Galliera 11C Mon - Sat 8:00 - 16:00 | 18:00 - 00:00 Sun 9:00 - 16:00

This place is described as a bakery, specialty coffee and natural wine bistrot If get there in the morning you will find a variety of pastries, a product this place is well known for. I’ve been there just one time and I enjoyed a very good cup of specialty coffee. Their selection was very interesting and I supposed it changes during the year. Although the place’s vibe is a little too much Instagram/hipster oriented for my personal taste, I’d still recommend it, also for the pasties

Melée Café (This link opens the Facebook page, no actual website available)

Via Zanardi 9C Mon - Tue 6:30 - 17:00 Wed 6:30 - 14:30 Thu - Fri 6:30 - 17:00 Sat 7:00 - 13:00 Sun 8:00 - 13:00

This is a small bar, totally similar to a classical Italian bar, which also serves specialty coffee and a good variety of pasties. You won’t find the same variety of the shops I listed before, however it worth a stop for the joyful atmosphere: this is more a neighbourhood place with a strong LGBT identity, so you will feel totally welcome there, for sure

Mister coffee Bistro

Via Riva Reno 65M Mon - Fri 8:00 - 18:00 Sat - Sun 9:00 - 18:00

This place offers a wide variety of coffees, also specialty coffees, but it is more specialised in Campagna-style coffees, so you will find a lot of blends and robusta alongside the single-origin choices. Although the coffee I tasted there was not as good as the other places I listed, I still like this shop for the wide variety of coffees, coffee preparations and food, since you can stop there for a good breakfast or a brunch.

Hello!

Does anyone happen to know anything about this 'Brandani' branded gooseneck kettle? I'm hoping to find any original information about it and also to find out if it is stainless steel or some mixture with aluminum.

I've failed so far at finding anything online about it.

For context, it took me a few hours of nonconsecutive research to learn the term 'gooseneck'. So, I'm not the most learned person on the topic.

Any direction or advice is very highly appreciated.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my post!

As a specialty coffee apologist one of the most challenging yet most important parts of recruiting new brethren is convincing people that coffee is more than a solvent for cream and sugar. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve cringed once or twice watching a fine cup of coffee desecrated by “extra cream” or “extra sugar”. To clear the air sooner rather than later, there won’t be any follow up article by this author defending adding any sweetener to coffee. Coaxing out and appreciating the natural sweet notes inherent in well roasted coffee is one of the pleasures of specialty brewing. Modern diets are drowning in added sugars anyway; I just don’t see any place for this. As an aside, if you’re faced with a lousy brew and just need to make it drinkable, try a pinch of salt instead.

Alright, so when is a bit of cream/milk a benefit to specialty coffee? That’s ultimately for you to decide, but consider adding your cream in a metered fashion for the purposes of either weaning down how much you’re using or discovering just how little is really needed to change the body of the cup without washing out flavor notes. First, I would be weary of using any in more floral or acidic brews. It’s likely to curdle and those notes typically get best emphasized with less body, not more. I never add anything without tasting a brew as is first. Most of the time, I add nothing, but I don’t hesitate with cream for a medium or darker roast if I feel like I’ve missed the mark a bit on the body of the cup. I use whole milk, but choose whatever you prefer, just avoid things with flavor or sweeteners already added in. The key is adding very small amounts and doing it in reproducible way. If you already use milk and want to try backing down a bit, start at 5-10 mL and slowly wean your way down to 1-3mL per cup. You’ll notice some change in the body of the brew with as little as 1mL added, and you will not mask the flavor profile of the coffee with this small amount of milk added. I have tried doing this with a dropper, but the milk doesn’t last long in a dropper bottle, so I tried using a wine thief I had. Dipping this directly into the milk jug worked well, but it was far too large. I’ve switched to using a long glass pipette, and it’s worked very well for small amounts. I use it just like a wine thief (finger over the end of the glass pipet to siphon out a bit of milk directly from the carton). It is fragile, so be careful, but I’ve grown comfortable also using this as a stirring stick to mix the milk in after depositing it into the coffee. A hot water rinse out typically does the trick for the glass pipette and soapy water every once in a while keeps it pristine. You’ll need to find a good way to store it; I’ve been placing mine in a universal knife holder that consists of thousands of plastic strands that deform when you slide something in instead of conventional knife slots. Next time you have a jammy or chocolatey brew that tastes like it could use a bit more body, try playing with very small metered amounts of milk added in. It might be just the thing to salvage what might otherwise have been a mediocre cup.

Edit: TLDR - - consider adding a very small amount (1-5ml) of milk if your brew seems to lack body. If you use large amounts of milk/cream and are interested for health reasons or to better taste the flavor profiles of the beans you brew, using a precise measured wean can help tone down the amount you are using.

I've had a Gaggia Classic for a few years and over the last few months I've been having issues with the flow from the group head.

I think it might be an issue with the solenoid valve. There was some guidance I saw online about flicking rapidly from the group head to the steam wand, as this forces water through and clears any blockages. And yes this does seem to work - if I rapidly flick the switches the water suddenly flows a lot faster from the group head. But it's not a permanent fix.

I've descaled it several times. Is there something else I can do, or does the valve need replacing?

1. How much caffeine is in a double shot of espresso.
2. Are the effects of caffeine cumulative or concurrent

No, I don't own this one. I just love the interlocking handle design.

By Prodotti Stella. https://coffeecompanion.com/2011/10/stella-neapolitan/

Manufacturer's stamp somewhere on the handle

Unfortunately, Stella doesn't make these anymore. According to an Etsy listing for one of these, they stopped making them around the year 2000. A Wayback Machine search on their website prodottistella.com doesn't list any coffee makers as far back as the earliest capture in 2001.

How come there is no real "wacky experimentation" side of the coffee community? The only one I can identify is the "snobby" coffee community (you know the one), and the rest being mostly just a refrained version of that.

Compare that to the homebrewing community, you have the snobbs (the mead community is infamous), but then there are the "prison hoochers", turning anything containing sugar into alcohol.

Where are the mavericks who perform the important societal task of discerning if "is coffee and cheeto-spice a good combo?" and "what happens if you brew coffee with red bull?"

On a more serious note it would be great so more people try different ways to spice coffee, instead of just trying to brew the flatest, "perfect" brew. I've found adding some fruity black tea to my coffee in a French press to work really well.

Currently using an antique hand grinder for coffee beans and would like to know what fine coffee is supposed to look and feel like to see if the antique grinder is up to snuff

Having recently graduated from instant coffee and currently being stuck with using using tea infuser to make coffee I'd like to know what to look for when doing research on coffee machines

If location is relevant I'm in Queensland, Australia

Edit: got a breville barista express

The Mk4 and some other handheld grinders are meant to have some static charge to catch fines. I typically find that some fines are indeed stuck to the plastic capsule and that quite a bit of hull material tends to stick to the bottom of the grinder. There is also some appropriately sized grind material intermixed especially with the hull material and often a little that sticks to the plastic capsule. For this grinder or others with similar features, I'm curious how aggressive folks are with emptying? Just a gentle dump of the capsule leaving a solid gram or more of material stuck to the grinder (do you compensate recipes at all for this?)? Light tap to dislodge a bit? Multiple taps to get as much off as possible especially from metallic portion of grinder? Also, I've always been a fan of RDT, but that is supposed to reduce static and the Mk4 design is to utilize static to catch fines. Thoughts on whether it's a good idea or not for this grinder? Interested to hear your routine be it scientific/theoretical or just habitual. Thx.

https://i.postimg.cc/SRsqP621/manual-grinds.jpg

It was in pretty good shape to begin with, but I cleaned it and ground some coffee and it worked great! The top nut adjusts the granule size and made it pretty fine when I tightened it.

Any of you have an older grinder that you enjoy using or tips for using them?