How about bespoke coffee?

[uppercase]

I want this one with the eagle on top!

[pchong]

Hi Giorno...sorry for late reply...I was travelling in Poland - Krakow, Warsaw till yesterday when I got into Germany and good wireless LAN access..

I think a home espresso machine, especially if you roast your own beans can beat a cafe...but of course it is so much more convenient to just walk out to your cafe, and have the barista pull a cup. So I think if you want the final bit of quality, and are prepared to work for it...roast, grind, learn the espresso art...then the home machine will be better...not to mention the satisfaction of pulling your own cup. But if you just want good espresso, and live in Italy, then your local barista is almost as good...and better if you are not prepared to roast every 4 days, and take great care with your own machine.

Of course, if you live near a barista-"god"...then forget your home machine, drink at his shop, and tip him well...he is worth his weitght in gold. For the rest of us who don't live in Italy, finding such a skilled craftsman is extremely difficult, if not impossible...but in Italy, I think there are a few of these creatures lurking in cafes.

[jekarwoski]

Not only do I not live in Italy, I do not live in a city, and so do not have daily access to a good cafe for espresso and espresso-based drinks. I use a Gaggia Classic and Rancilio grinder, and get results far superior to Starbucks (*$). I don't roast my own beans, but use "Nizza", the espresso blend from a good local roaster (La Colombe Torrefaction). I buy the beans directly from the roasting house, rather than at their cafes/retail establishments, to help ensure freshness. I've tried others, too, but just can't bring myself to roasting my own beans. Kudos to those that do.

Also, not all *$ use the good machines Peter mentioned, some now use "push button" models that, well, never mind.

Peter, I am curious about your experience with the lever machines vs semi-automatic - how difficult to learn the proper pull, how difficult to maintain consistent pressure during the pull of the shot (assuming that's what is required). Also, how about the steaming capability of the La Pavoni lever machine?

While I like the look of some of the Francis! Francis! machines, I cannot bring myself to purchase a machine that could potentially harm you - pressure, steam, heat - with unlabeled switches. At least all the F!F! I've seen in the US are like that. I'm sure in my usual groggy state in the morning I'd forget what switch did what...

Finally for a comprehensive site, including reviews and of course a forum try
Coffeegeek at http://www.coffeegeek.com/[/url]

[pchong]

thanks jerawoski for your comments.

Re: learning time for lever machines...well it depends on how fast one learns. To get to a stage where I can consistently pull shots which are better than any local cafe in Singapore where I live, about the level of a good cafe in Italy, took me about 3 months of practice.

The Pavoni machine does have good steaming ability, as does my Elektra...but I am not much of a cappucinno man, and prefer espresso.

Yes, the coffeegeek site is probably the best with its in depth reviews. I posted the same article several years ago when I wrote it at the site's forum as well.

[Sir Royston]

For years I have mixed my own beans to make my perfect blend..

And the best coffee in the world.. It comes from Supreme coffee in NZ.

[Luca]

A bit off-topic, I know, but I thought this might be useful to readers who live in or frequent London.
When I first moved here, the state of coffee was lamentable. Bar Italia, in Soho, had some cahrm and almost decent espresso and that was almost it.
Fast forward 18-19 years, and I can honestly say that within walking distance of my office there are 3 places that make coffee that is out of this world and far superior to the already admirable average that might be available in one of the better city-centre caffé in Italy.
I think the secret is taht tehy roast their own, carefully selcted, beans.

http://www.nudeespresso.com/cafes/
http://libertyofnortonfolgate.co.uk/
http://www.taylor-st.com/

[Gido]

I own two espresso machines (La Pavoni Eurobar manual level machine, Brewtus IV pid-controlled dual boiler machine) and a good grinder (Mazzer mini), and started roasting my own beans about a year and a half ago. While I have done a few blends, exploring high quality single origin coffees has been the most fun and interesting. I am a fan of African coffees (Yemen, Kenya, and so on) in particular but I've also enjoyed many others. Some Central-American coffees where particularly good (some only for filter coffee) and I should also mention Geisha coffee, as well as Kopi Luwak, some Indonesian types are very interesting, as well as Monsooned Malabar from India (I've yet to try the Indonesian equivalent).

Besides espresso I like coffee from my Kinto Faro (somewhere in between a press-pot and filter-coffee, really excellent method) my Cona siphon and my Hario "Woodneck".

I currently roast with an I-roast 2. It's a nice machine, very easy to use, but unfortunately not made to last that many years. I am considering to buy a Hottop when the I-roast finally gives up.

Best,
Gido.

[Twain2]

Hi Gido,

Before you buy the Hot Top, do take a look at the Gene Cafe home coffee roaster. I've had one for 8 years or so and I am very happy with it. Simple, easy to clean and gives you a great view of the roasting process. It does produce some smoke but I just put mine under the kitchen fan.