Plumbed her in (FINALLY!)

So, I hardly ever post here - need to fix that! I actually let my machine sit dormant for about a month or so (GASP!). I was doing lots of drip coffee as I wasn't at home as much in the morning and I could set the timer to be ready when I got up in the morning. Well, I've recently switched jobs (back to my old company) and so I spend some mornings around the house so I'm back to pullin' shots and roastin' coffee!

I actually was fortunate enough to get the direct plumb in kit from Chris' Coffee for Christmas and it has sat in my office for the last 6-7 months. Last night I decided enough was enough, it was going to happen!

The directions are pretty clear although if there was a link to it on Chris' webpage, it would be helpful (with bigger, clearer pictures). Even without that, I managed to do the job in just a few hours. Chris SHOULD provide a disclaimer though; I cut my damn hands TWICE on the sharp edges of the machine. . . NOT a happy camper!

So you start by putting a solenoid valve on the back panel. It attaches very easily and then you just have to reroute some tubing, disconnect some wires and jump a few others. After that, you are 1/2 way home!

The source for water going into the machine:

My work area:

The solenoid valve, some jumped wires and the water tubing (no more tank!):


So, that is finished, now just to move the fridge and add a "splitter" from the wall to the ice maker. . .right?

WRONG!

Thought that would be the easiest way, but the fittings Chris sent were not the same size so I have to go to option #2 - plumb in from under the sink (Grrrr! Hoping to avoid that!).

Because of the set up of my kitchen, I will have to run the water from under the sink, through two cabinets, out the side of one and on up. None of this will be visible, so it won't be an eye sore - but it makes for a lot of work. Also, because the cabinets are on an angle - it is gonna be tricky to get it "threaded".

I started by moving a dozen or so empty or almost empty Glass Plus containers from under the sink to make room. After that, I started drilling through the sides of the cabinets:


I THEN spend the next 10+ minutes trying to stick a coat hanger through two of the holes to get the tubing through.



Once through, I used what eles? DUCK TAPE! (You can add this to the 1,000,001 uses list!).

A little tug and:


After that I disconnected the cold water supply to my faucet, added the splitter, reconnected, checked for leakage, and plugged the tube into the John Guest fittings (which work wonderfully!) and I was good to go!

The finished product:


What took me so long?

I've taken too much time off lately and will get back on the horse. I've got lots of catchin up' to do, so be patient with me. . .

I lied, new tamper makes it's way in.

Okay, okay, I lied. . . sorry!

If you read on my blog entry about the Espro, it was supposed to be my one and only. There was simply no reason to look any futher than the Espro tamper. Solid, feels good in my hand, tells me when I hit 30 pounds, what else could a guy ask for? Well, I’ve been reading CoffeeGeek.com and Home-Barista.com quite a bit and there is endless debate as to if a flat bottom or a convex bottom is the way to go. It got me thinking (and that is saying a LOT!).

So, welcome home to my Deluxe Lava Tamp with a CONVEX base. I doubt I'll use this new tamper much for when I use my spouts, but for a naked extraction, I think it might make them more 'porn worthy'. So far, the results have been hit or miss (more hits though. . .).

The Lava Tamp also feels good in my hand. Slightly lighter than the Espro, but still substantial. The height too is very close to the Espro tamper. You can see how they stack up below:

The convex base versus the flat of the Espro.


Now that I have a flat and a convex, we'll see if I can hold off from adding to my ever growing collection of espresso gadgets. With this order, I added two new frothing pitchers and a Pallo group head brush (still en route).


I'm hoping not to run out of room or even more so - the wife not running out of patience!

YIKES!

HAIR BENDER!

Okay, I got my first order of Stumptown’s Hair Bender Blend in. Fresh roasted and rested a few days, just right for pulling! This blend is fantastic. I will gladly re-order and I like the fact that it doesn’t become sickly sweet after it’s first week. Thick, rich and gooey! A whole latte yum (har-har)!

I pulled shots for sippin’, I pulled shots for iced lattes, I pulled shots for macchiatos, I pulled shots for cappuccinos. . . I pulled all kinds of shots and they were all FANTASTIC!

A naked pull early on in the week:


Another, goopey, gloppy shot:



The start of a beautiful naked pull.



My overstretched milk, I like to coin this one the 'Plumber's Crack' ;)


I’ve also got a pound of their Ethiopian Sidamo to pulls as Single Origin espresso and I can’t wait to get into it!

Honey'ed Espresso

Based on an idea from Mark Prince's CoffeeKid.com, I decided to try a honey'ed espresso.

Granted I just used some Publix honey - I think I might search out what he used and give 'er a try.

Pre-heated my cup (inside and out) to help the honey melt. Used the hot water wand on my machine:

Dump the water in the Demitasse and let the honey sit for a while to melt:

Ready for brewin'!

And the shot:


Although pretty good, I think I needed more honey. It sweetened it just a tad but I thought the honey flavors would come through more. I'll try again by the end of the weekend!

Macchiato Madness!

During the last week or so I’ve been pulling the Red Sea Blend from Intelligentsia. As an espresso shot, it wasn’t doing it for me. Had a bit of a bite, a harshness I didn’t care for. I did however LOVE it in milk drinks. My morning routine is to make a HUGE latte for the Mrs. and then use the ‘scraps’ in my steaming pitcher for my drink. I should maybe pour mine first and then I could maybe get a little art in my cup – but I put off my drinks until I’m finished with hers. I’ve just started drinking macchiatos and a have been loving them. The dollop of milk cuts the bite just enough to make the Red Sea Blend wonderful. After my morning macchiato – a little Splenda in the cup makes it palatable as a shot. Maybe I’m brewing this at the wrong temp, maybe it’s the blend. I don’t know, but I do know if I order more – it’s getting cut with milk each and every time. . .

I love the Espresso Monkey cups from SweetMarias!






Not pretty, but they do the job!

Intelligentsia’s Yemen Sanani

Because of JonR’s posts on CoffeeGeek.com, I decided to pull the trigger on this coffee to pull as espresso. Ordered on a Monday or Tuesday and delivered freshly roasted on Friday, it was degassed and ready to go.

I will say, this coffee was the gooiest, gloppiest espresso I’ve ever pulled. The pictures don’t do it justice and my ‘trigger finger’ was always a split second behind in snapping the big gooey glops that landed in my cup.

This produces my favorite shots to date through the Andreja. As straight espresso, it is spicy, potent and it absolutely coats the palate and lingers for what seems like days.

I pulled shots for my wife’s lattes and used the left over steamed milk for a few macchiatos, they were incredible and now I’m hooked! The Yemen Sanani also does incredibly well in milk drinks and makes a great cappuccino. I think this is a must have and I’m going to be sad when it’s gone!

Also, I know I don’t have the pictures to prove it, but after this thread on frothing, my microfoam has improved immensely and I poured a perfect heart for my wife’s latte on Thursday morning. Soon, I’m going to attempt some other pours. . .

Double in my Gaggia Demitasse Cup:


It’s ‘go time’!




In da cup:












It does seem like it’s starting to really come together.

Cuban Caracolillo Rested

I revisited this morning. The espresso really came around and became fuller flavored. I wouldn't say the flavors changed at all, only they intensified and it became less boring. I'm drinking this on day four and as one of the rules with espresso, days 3-4 onward really help the coffee shine.

Distribution really improved, yet I have that one 'spot'. The striping is improved too!

Near the end of the shot, before it went thin and started to blonde. THICK and GOOEY!

My microfoam continues to improve, I am not even trying to pour art. I am going to look into a new pitcher as mine is beaten, ragged, and the spout is all mangled.

A little Splenda, a stir and it was good to go!

Cuban Caracolillo Single Origin

I wanted to continue my experiments with single origin coffee pulled as espresso. This Cuban Caracolillo (Caracolillo means little snail as these beans resemble snail shells, they are a peaberry), was roasted City+ and should be roasted darker as the coffee takes dark roasts really well. It is rich, earthy, and nutty. I don't find it overly complex when brewed into coffee and it wasn't overly complex as an espresso. It was only 2 days old, so I'll see if it comes into it's own over the next 2-3 days - but I'm not holding my breath. A great 'plain Jane' coffee, but it has never been spectacular to me.

I started with a double pulled into seperate shot glasses. It poured a little over an ounce in each right at 25 seconds - the grinder is close. . .



The finished shots:


Both were very smooth and didn't require any sweetner as they weren't the least bit bitter.

Next I pulled a double through my naked PF, again - my shots look blond and thin - but they really aren't. I can't get the beautiful Tiger Striping I was getting near the end of my relationship with the Gaggia. I'm not certain why - but practice will hopefully make perfect.




This double was for a cappuccino. It did well in milk, but didn't blow my mind. Again, it needs more rest or it needs to go futher in the roast.

Last of all I was sick and tired of the "blonde" looking shots. I opened all the windows, turned on the lights and turned off the flash. The pictures are not pretty at all as they are out of focus due to the shutter being open for a titch longer than with the flash. If I pulled out the tri-pod it might help. The next pictures are from two doubles that I pulled for an iced coffee. 1/2 espresso, 1/2 milk with 2 Splendas. 8 shots so far today, I'm wired. . .











I'm having fun with the single origins and think my experiments may take me to Mexico next. . .