Where Do You Buy Your Coffee Beans

[Steve williams]

Forgive my ignorance, but what's PID?

Well in Ob/Gyn terms it means pelvic inflammatory disease

or as we say "pus in der"

 

[RUR]

Forget my ignorance, but what's PID?

Um, sorry Peter. A Proportional–Integral–Derivative controller, in this context, is a very accurate temp control. Theory here, espresso-related example here. This guy did my Alexia pre-sale and will modify any machine in which the PID will fit, or there are plenty of PID kits to be found.

 

[Steve williams]

Ken, which unit are you using to brew your espresso.

 

[RUR]

Ken, which unit are you using to brew your espresso.

Steve, it's a Quickmill Alexia, modified to incorporate the PID.

From the embedded link, here's the boiler temp variation stock i.e. sans PID:

This is pretty typical and the 30 deg swings mean that one must "temp surf" in order to get good espresso. Temp surfing typical discussion here. It's generally a PITA.

and here it is with the add-on PID:

Temp is now controlled within a degree (I've read that it's within half-a-degree).

 

[RBFC]

We use the Technivorm, and it's spec'ed to produce 200 degree F water. My wife loves it.

That said, we just got a Frieling French Press. It's solid stainless steel, double-wall for insulation, and 35 oz. capacity. After seeing a lot of cheesy plastic models around town, I found this on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009ADDS

Absolutely top-notch quality.

Lee

 

[ack]

Steve, it's a Quickmill Alexia, modified to incorporate the PID.

From the embedded link, here's the boiler temp variation stock i.e. sans PID:

This is pretty typical and the 30 deg swings mean that one must "temp surf" in order to get good espresso. Temp surfing typical discussion here. It's generally a PITA.

and here it is with the add-on PID:

Temp is now controlled within a degree (I've read that it's within half-a-degree).

Very impressive Ken... How does one go about obtaining this machine modified - and I can't help but to ask this, as I sit here laughing already! - does it benefit from an after-market power cord?

Seriously though, I've learned so much from just a couple of your postings... Impressive... how does one get to this state of nirvana?

Thanks

 

[ack]

Oh never mind - they install the PID themselves...

 

[RUR]

Very impressive Ken... How does one go about obtaining this machine modified - and I can't help but to ask this, as I sit here laughing already! - does it benefit from an after-market power cord?

Seriously though, I've learned so much from just a couple of your postings... Impressive... how does one get to this state of nirvana?

Thanks

Peter, I tried a well-recommended $5K power cord, but I found that it made my wife bitter. ;-)

For which machine are you contemplating the mod - your Krups? If so, which model? It all boils down to (heh) "Will the PID unit fit"? If you're considering Dave's (hitechesspresso) handiwork, just give him a call and he can tell you if he's able to retrofit your machine.

That's the temp variable. As for the rest, here's a good primer. Keep your equipment clean using Cafiza or similar, experiment with the variables in the link and be consistent, consistent, consistent!

Beans are entirely subjective. I get great results using the local It's a Grind blend, but I'll buy Zokas mail order from time to time as a treat.

 

[muralman1]

For a while, Costco was carrying 1 lb. bags of coffee beans from Jamaica. "Outrageously expensive" at $30/lb., my wife swears it was the best coffee she ever had. Of course, they stopped carrying it shortly thereafter.....

Canpt quite remember the name, "St. ...... Farms" or something similar.

Lee

The guy who grows it is a friend of mine. It's name is, "Blue Mountain coffee." New Yorkers can get the real thing at McNultys in Soho.

 

[RUR]

Heh, I have a McNultys bean pot coffee mug from a visit long ago. NYC is wonderful for coffee lovers because small roasters, like McNultys, may be found everywhere.

Nowhere near so many in SoCal. :-(

 

[ack]

Peter, I tried a well-recommended $5K power cord, but I found that it made my wife bitter. ;-)

Ah, wife bitter, life bitter

For which machine are you contemplating the mod - your Krups? If so, which model? It all boils down to (heh) "Will the PID unit fit"? If you're considering Dave's (hitechesspresso) handiwork, just give him a call and he can tell you if he's able to retrofit your machine.

I'll call him, but I doubt this machine [5240] is worth the mod; I am going to look at other options... Thanks

 

[ack]

OK - yet another question... when to consume beans... What's the rule? Four days after roasting and not more than 10 thereafter?

Thanks

 

[mep]

OK - yet another question... when to consume beans... What's the rule? Four days after roasting and not more than 10 thereafter?

Thanks

My advice is to consume the beans until they are gone. And I thought I was a coffee conney-sewer until I started reading this thread. What's next? Traveling the world and picking your own beans?

 

[RUR]

OK - yet another question... when to consume beans... What's the rule? Four days after roasting and not more than 10 thereafter?

Thanks

Beans begin to oxidize immediately after roasting. Once ground, they oxidize much faster due to the larger surface area.

In theory, you would use the beans within a day or two of roasting. That's really not practical unless McNultys is next door or you roast your own so, in practice, I use them up within a week.

 

[garylkoh]

My advice is to consume the beans until they are gone. And I thought I was a coffee conney-sewer until I started reading this thread. What's next? Traveling the world and picking your own beans?

Haha! I drank Folger's and listened to Bose until I discovered What's Best Forum and was found

 

[caesar]

Beans begin to oxidize immediately after roasting. Once ground, they oxidize much faster due to the larger surface area.

In theory, you would use the beans within a day or two of roasting. That's really not practical unless McNultys is next door or you roast your own so, in practice, I use them up within a week.

I have heard of a 2 day wait after roasting the beans and a "7 minute rule" for brewing after grinding. But I'm not sure if it's an urban legend.

 

[Steve williams]

Beans begin to oxidize immediately after roasting. Once ground, they oxidize much faster due to the larger surface area.

In theory, you would use the beans within a day or two of roasting. That's really not practical unless McNultys is next door or you roast your own so, in practice, I use them up within a week.

Ken

a pound per week just for you?

 

[RBFC]

I have heard of a 2 day wait after roasting the beans and a "7 minute rule" for brewing after grinding. But I'm not sure if it's an urban legend.

Supposedly, beans contain a large amount of CO2 after roasting and need two days for the CO2 to leech out somewhat. Otherwise, you get too much foam on top of the brew. That foam can lift some of the ground coffee out of the water and change the flavor. This is mostly when using a french press.

The "7 minute rule" probably refers to what Ken stated. Grounds begin to oxidize quickly upon exposure to air, and the general thought is that if you can smell the aroma of the ground beans, they are beginning to degrade. So, hurry up after grinding!

Lee

 

[Steve williams]

I'm a bean aroma junky

 

[mep]

I buy Starbucks whole beans because that is the highest quality of beans we have around here. I know many of you turn up your nose at Starbucks, but I like it. I have a burr grinder and a Krupps coffee maker that uses #4 cone filters. As soon as the beans are finished grinding, they go straight into the Krupps and the brewing process starts. My water for the coffee comes from our RO system so the water quality is very high. I think the quality of the coffee is pretty damn good.