An article I wrote some time ago...
http://people.timezone.com/pchong/coffeemaking.htm
For my own coffee, I use the same roaster, but as my consumption is lower thant Prof.Thanet, I roast in batches of 150g (enough for about 10 cups of espresso doppio). I use a Mazzer Mini grinder, and an Elektra Leva Micro Casa lever machine.
Comments appreciated.
How about bespoke coffee?
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le.gentleman
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really interesting!!!
. Much work for nothing -
Guest
PChong, that looks like a great espresso machine! And explain why standard machines are not good: the difference is in the water pressure.
Giona.
Giona.
Thanks for the comments.
I am currently drinking some Ethopian Sidamo. Quite excellent beans, with a heavy body, accented by a slight winey flavour, and some hint of vanilla. The aftertaste is excellent, and wonderfully long.
Good espresso comes from a machine which is able to do only one thing correctly - the pressure must be even and controllable tp exactly 9 bar atmospheric. At sea level, this is sufficient to produce water of sufficient hot-ness and pressure. At higher altitudes, you will need a higher pressure.
If the machine produces too little pressure, and not enough of the essential oils are extracted (poor crema). And too high...be careful of some home machines which boast of 15 bar pressure...I am not sure if it actually can produce such pressure, but if the machine does make that pressure, it will scald the coffee, and will make it bitter.
To be able to consistently deliver 9 bar pressure, the machine must be a pump machine - usually a rotary pump. These are common in large commercial machines in cafes...Stay clear from vibration pumps, they are not able to consistently provide sufficient and constant pressure. The purist would prefer the hand lever machine. The La Pavoni shown in the article uses arm power for both the loading and pull through, and requires your arm to produce the pressure to force the high pressure water through the beans. My Elektra Casa a Leva, uses your arm to load a spring, and the spring discharges to provide a nice even pressure. I prefer the spring, but the Pavoni is a classic, and will produce excellent coffee if used properly.
But more important than the espresso machine is the grinder. The grinder must consistently grind the coffee well, and not make large and small bits...all of the coffee must be evenly ground. Coffee is very fragile...the best coffee is 24 hours after roasting, and not more than 5 days after roasting. I personally prefer coffee from 36 hours to about 48 hours, but am able to enjoy anything from 24 to 60. It must only be ground not more than 2 minutes before preparing espresso. The grinder must have burr grinding bits, and should run as slowly as possible. My Mazzer runs at 1000 rpm - this is considered slow for a home machine, and reasonable for a high end coffee shop machine...some of the larger Mazzers run at 800 rpm. Faster grinders (typically in coffee factories - run from 2000rpm up) tend to heat the beans, and kill the flavour. The beans must be ground to a fine-ness such that it takes 23s to 28s to produce a double espresso, with 14 to 15g of coffee grinds. BTW, never...I repeat never use the blade grinders found in blenders or home coffee grinders...they work by breaking the beans and rupturing them, causing irreparable damage, and premature release of the flavours. A burr grinder works by "shaving" small consistently sized bits off each bean to produce the powder.
Regards,
Pete
I am currently drinking some Ethopian Sidamo. Quite excellent beans, with a heavy body, accented by a slight winey flavour, and some hint of vanilla. The aftertaste is excellent, and wonderfully long.
Good espresso comes from a machine which is able to do only one thing correctly - the pressure must be even and controllable tp exactly 9 bar atmospheric. At sea level, this is sufficient to produce water of sufficient hot-ness and pressure. At higher altitudes, you will need a higher pressure.
If the machine produces too little pressure, and not enough of the essential oils are extracted (poor crema). And too high...be careful of some home machines which boast of 15 bar pressure...I am not sure if it actually can produce such pressure, but if the machine does make that pressure, it will scald the coffee, and will make it bitter.
To be able to consistently deliver 9 bar pressure, the machine must be a pump machine - usually a rotary pump. These are common in large commercial machines in cafes...Stay clear from vibration pumps, they are not able to consistently provide sufficient and constant pressure. The purist would prefer the hand lever machine. The La Pavoni shown in the article uses arm power for both the loading and pull through, and requires your arm to produce the pressure to force the high pressure water through the beans. My Elektra Casa a Leva, uses your arm to load a spring, and the spring discharges to provide a nice even pressure. I prefer the spring, but the Pavoni is a classic, and will produce excellent coffee if used properly.
But more important than the espresso machine is the grinder. The grinder must consistently grind the coffee well, and not make large and small bits...all of the coffee must be evenly ground. Coffee is very fragile...the best coffee is 24 hours after roasting, and not more than 5 days after roasting. I personally prefer coffee from 36 hours to about 48 hours, but am able to enjoy anything from 24 to 60. It must only be ground not more than 2 minutes before preparing espresso. The grinder must have burr grinding bits, and should run as slowly as possible. My Mazzer runs at 1000 rpm - this is considered slow for a home machine, and reasonable for a high end coffee shop machine...some of the larger Mazzers run at 800 rpm. Faster grinders (typically in coffee factories - run from 2000rpm up) tend to heat the beans, and kill the flavour. The beans must be ground to a fine-ness such that it takes 23s to 28s to produce a double espresso, with 14 to 15g of coffee grinds. BTW, never...I repeat never use the blade grinders found in blenders or home coffee grinders...they work by breaking the beans and rupturing them, causing irreparable damage, and premature release of the flavours. A burr grinder works by "shaving" small consistently sized bits off each bean to produce the powder.
Regards,
Pete
This is the best "how to" article I have seen on making an espresso! The photos add alot to the content.
Many thanks.
I find making a good espresso a fascinating subject.
Do you recommend the Pavoni Professional for home use?
And what would be your dream list of machines needed for home use?
Many thanks.
I find making a good espresso a fascinating subject.
Do you recommend the Pavoni Professional for home use?
And what would be your dream list of machines needed for home use?
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Guest
Uppercase question are just right;
can I add:
do you suggest any automatic one? For example, the automatic ones from La Pavoni how are?
I think I will try to taste one as soon as I can.
Giona.
can I add:
do you suggest any automatic one? For example, the automatic ones from La Pavoni how are?
I think I will try to taste one as soon as I can.
Giona.
Jona, greetings!
I enjoyed our espresso together in Milano!
I don't think that we will be able to make such a good one at home.
Hope all is well and your projects (both bespoke and otherwise) are coming along well.
Let's plan another visit to some of the Milano tailors soon!
I enjoyed our espresso together in Milano!
I don't think that we will be able to make such a good one at home.
Hope all is well and your projects (both bespoke and otherwise) are coming along well.
Let's plan another visit to some of the Milano tailors soon!
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Guest
Uppercase,
it will be a pleasure, as always! I look forward!
Well, there's plenty of nice bars where we can have a good espresso ... sometimes I would like to wake up in the morning and drink one.
La Pavoni is one of the most famous espresso company in Italy, with Gaggia and Cimbali.
That piece is famous and exposed at the Metropolitan in NY:
http://www.lapavoni.com/new/prodotti_sc ... 3&lang=ita
but I would like if a model like this could be a substitute:
http://www.lapavoni.com/new/prodotti_sc ... 4&lang=ita
it will be a pleasure, as always! I look forward!
Well, there's plenty of nice bars where we can have a good espresso ... sometimes I would like to wake up in the morning and drink one.
La Pavoni is one of the most famous espresso company in Italy, with Gaggia and Cimbali.
That piece is famous and exposed at the Metropolitan in NY:
http://www.lapavoni.com/new/prodotti_sc ... 3&lang=ita
but I would like if a model like this could be a substitute:
http://www.lapavoni.com/new/prodotti_sc ... 4&lang=ita
La Pavoni makes excellent machines. Their lever machines are classic home espresso machines. Making good espresso is an art much as making a fine suit is. There are many variations one can adjust, usually by hand and guided by an experienced eye to coax and cajole a good cup. My second cup made on the same machine is usually better than the first.
As a purist, I stay clear from automatic machines, as most of them would not have burr grinders spinning at the right speed. I would opt for a good grinder like the Mazzer (btw, is used by Starbucks...which amongst the coffee aficianados is like Marks and Spencers suits are to Saville Row under another name as Starbucks purchases in bulk. Starbucks also uses an excellent machine - La Marzocco...but still manages to make junk coffee...sigh!)
My recommendation is a nice grinder...and a semi automatic. La Pavoni makes a nice one, Elektra makes nice machines, so do a couple of others including the chic Francis! Francis!
Jona...living in Milan, or anywhere in Italy gives you access to fantastic espresso in the cafe...I think most Italian households have a Moka cafe "machine" isn't that true? The Moka stovetop pot makes decent coffee...but not espresso.
p.s. as a sidenote, Prof Thanet, who taught me to home roast and the finer points of brewing, comes from a family who is involved in bespoke clothing. His father owns a bespoke tailoring outfit in Bangkok...though he teaches Economics in a Bangkok University.
As a purist, I stay clear from automatic machines, as most of them would not have burr grinders spinning at the right speed. I would opt for a good grinder like the Mazzer (btw, is used by Starbucks...which amongst the coffee aficianados is like Marks and Spencers suits are to Saville Row under another name as Starbucks purchases in bulk. Starbucks also uses an excellent machine - La Marzocco...but still manages to make junk coffee...sigh!)
My recommendation is a nice grinder...and a semi automatic. La Pavoni makes a nice one, Elektra makes nice machines, so do a couple of others including the chic Francis! Francis!
Jona...living in Milan, or anywhere in Italy gives you access to fantastic espresso in the cafe...I think most Italian households have a Moka cafe "machine" isn't that true? The Moka stovetop pot makes decent coffee...but not espresso.
p.s. as a sidenote, Prof Thanet, who taught me to home roast and the finer points of brewing, comes from a family who is involved in bespoke clothing. His father owns a bespoke tailoring outfit in Bangkok...though he teaches Economics in a Bangkok University.
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Guest
PChong,
of course living in Milano I get every day excellent espressos in Bars. As any italian family, we have 4 or 5 Mokka's at home, and I use it daily; it makes an excellent coffee, while as you note, different from espresso. I was curious to understand if an automatic machine can make a good espresso bar-like at home, while I read on italian coffee forums they say it's not possible.
Anyway La Pavoni is a beatiful object to have at home, too.
of course living in Milano I get every day excellent espressos in Bars. As any italian family, we have 4 or 5 Mokka's at home, and I use it daily; it makes an excellent coffee, while as you note, different from espresso. I was curious to understand if an automatic machine can make a good espresso bar-like at home, while I read on italian coffee forums they say it's not possible.
Anyway La Pavoni is a beatiful object to have at home, too.
Is that La Traviata playing on the La Pavoni site?
Only in Italy can you get culture while browsing for a coffee machine whose design is showcased in museums!.
And I wondered why I can only get good espresso, and design, in Italy!
It's in the heritage, in blood!
http://www.lapavoni.com/new/home.asp?lang=ita
Only in Italy can you get culture while browsing for a coffee machine whose design is showcased in museums!.
And I wondered why I can only get good espresso, and design, in Italy!
It's in the heritage, in blood!
http://www.lapavoni.com/new/home.asp?lang=ita
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