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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    WAKE UP AND COFFEE

    General Chat
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    • ChapC
      Chap
      見習いボス
      Joined:

      @goosehd:

      @Alex Do you put the sugar directly on your tamp/grounds?  The lighting makes it look lighter in your second picture.

      Yes… need some more info about how you did it as well

      God has blessed you richly, so get down on your knees and thank him. Don’t forget the less fortunate or God will personally kick your ass. I’d love to do it for him, but I can’t be everywhere. Willie Nelson

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • AlexA
        Alex
        IHUK Crew
        Joined:

        @Chap I'm still working it out, but getting better…

        This one was 15g coffee, into the basket and distributed then very lightly tamped. 4g sugar on top, distributed then tamped fully. Shot pulled as normal

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • AlexA
          Alex
          IHUK Crew
          Joined:

          @Alex:

          I'll stick a pack in your next order.

          Filter or Espresso, @Matt ?

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • ChapC
            Chap
            見習いボス
            Joined:

            @Alex:

            First pic is coffee, second pic is coffee with sugar on top, Dennis

            Can’t the sugar caramelize and plug the holes?

            God has blessed you richly, so get down on your knees and thank him. Don’t forget the less fortunate or God will personally kick your ass. I’d love to do it for him, but I can’t be everywhere. Willie Nelson

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • goosehdG
              goosehd
              Mod Squad
              Joined:

              My thought as well.

              "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • goosehdG
                goosehd
                Mod Squad
                Joined:

                …and followup.  How do you like using a naked portafilter?  Is it easier to use?

                "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • AlexA
                  Alex
                  IHUK Crew
                  Joined:

                  @goosehd:

                  Is it easier to use?

                  No, but you can see how badly you fucked up the last shot..

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • AlexA
                    Alex
                    IHUK Crew
                    Joined:

                    @Chap:

                    @Alex:

                    First pic is coffee, second pic is coffee with sugar on top, Dennis

                    Can’t the sugar caramelize and plug the holes?

                    Doesn't seem to in my experience thus far, but I'm no barista

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • ChapC
                      Chap
                      見習いボス
                      Joined:

                      @Alex:

                      @goosehd:

                      Is it easier to use?

                      No, but you can see how badly you fucked up the last shot..

                      Thought about getting one for my Olympia…

                      @Alex:

                      @Chap:

                      @Alex:

                      First pic is coffee, second pic is coffee with sugar on top, Dennis

                      Can’t the sugar caramelize and plug the holes?

                      Doesn't seem to in my experience thus far, but I'm no barista

                      OK will have to give it a try…

                      God has blessed you richly, so get down on your knees and thank him. Don’t forget the less fortunate or God will personally kick your ass. I’d love to do it for him, but I can’t be everywhere. Willie Nelson

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • goosehdG
                        goosehd
                        Mod Squad
                        Joined:

                        Thanks Alex!  Something to try as I get better at this.

                        "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • weftyarnW
                          weftyarn
                          啓蒙家
                          Joined:

                          That sugar in the basket shot is something I have to try just because I’m curious how it’ll turn out 😃

                          Bottomless portafilters are incredibly helpful to learn about tamping, channeling, etc…
                          Aaaand, I always use the bottomless when friends stop by to pretend I actually know what I’m doing 😂

                          For everyday use I find them less versatile, as you can’t split shots
                          and a bad tamp coffee squirt is something I don’t want to have on my white tees

                          Use it or lose it.

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • J
                            Jens
                            Haraki san Student
                            Joined:

                            @Chap  and @goosehd - did you go for the Cremina original or the SL model? I think I am about to pull the trigger also  😎

                            /Jens

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • goosehdG
                              goosehd
                              Mod Squad
                              Joined:

                              @Jens I went for the Cremina Original.  It’s beautiful, very easy to use, and I like the feel of “pulling” my shot.  I don’t know if I would get the pressure gauge though as I pay more attention to the flow coming out of it than the pressure I’m pulling at.

                              I’m still very new with this machine so you should take the pressure thing cautiously as it may become more useful with time and experience.

                              "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • weftyarnW
                                weftyarn
                                啓蒙家
                                Joined:

                                Speaking of bottomless and learning from it:

                                Tamp looking good, but let’s see what the bottomless tells us…

                                Almost perfectly even extraction, BUT

                                • slightly right-shifted extraction in the center
                                • probably too densely packed puck in the left center
                                • extraction on the sides looks perfect -> indicating the tamp was level

                                Looking good after a few seconds, no squirting etc…
                                Still slightly right-shifted center though

                                10 seconds into the shot: One stream of coffee, still no squirts, still slightly right-shifted
                                The tamp was not perfect, but absolutely doable and not „bad for the extraction“.
                                I could have done better with distributing the grind in the center of the puck.

                                Final result: 17.5g in, 40g out, 33sec
                                Full body, well balanced, chocolaty
                                Maybe a tad bitter / overextracted

                                Options: Reduce time / brew ratio, Grind coarser, Reduce temp

                                What I would do: Reduce temp (by 1deg), because I was absolutely happy with the body of the shot and don’t want to change anything with the grind / brew ratio.

                                Use it or lose it.

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • goosehdG
                                  goosehd
                                  Mod Squad
                                  Joined:

                                  @weftyarn My hat is off to you!!  Very useful information and approach to the results.  I see that your ratio is 1: 2.3 and often hear that 1:2 is ideal.  Do you find that the ratio is dependent on the beans used and your overall desired taste that you're looking for?

                                  Fantastic pictures and information!! Thank you  🙂

                                  "I don't give a shit what anyone else is doing, we will do what is best for us and our customers" - Giles P. :)

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • J
                                    Jens
                                    Haraki san Student
                                    Joined:

                                    @goosehd:

                                    @Jens I went for the Cremina Original.  It’s beautiful, very easy to use, and I like the feel of “pulling” my shot.  I don’t know if I would get the pressure gauge though as I pay more attention to the flow coming out of it than the pressure I’m pulling at.

                                    I’m still very new with this machine so you should take the pressure thing cautiously as it may become more useful with time and experience.

                                    Great - I think I will also choose the "old" model. The hole thing about more or less no changes for 50 yrs is appealing. Thank you @goosehd

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • weftyarnW
                                      weftyarn
                                      啓蒙家
                                      Joined:

                                      @goosehd:

                                      @weftyarn My hat is off to you!!  Very useful information and approach to the results.
                                      Fantastic pictures and information!! Thank you  🙂

                                      Much appreciated! I always love to share knowledge where I can. I wouldn't be where I am without others sharing their knowledge. 🙂

                                      @goosehd:

                                      @weftyarn I see that your ratio is 1: 2.3 and often hear that 1:2 is ideal.  Do you find that the ratio is dependent on the beans used and your overall desired taste that you're looking for?

                                      Absolutely! It's hard to find a "general" rule, but from what I've learned and tasted thus far,
                                      light / fruity / complex roasts profit by more room in the cup / less compact brew ratios.
                                      The different notes can be better separated then. They can also live with longer extractions, because the solids are harder to extract out of the bean.

                                      Darker, more traditional "Italian" roasts work better if they're extracted compactly / with less room in the cup. In my opinion they profit from heaviness and shorter, more intense extractions.

                                      But independent from the bean, I would really always go by the taste of the the first extraction,
                                      without focussing too much on "external rules". What tastes good, is good.

                                      Use it or lose it.

                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • ChapC
                                        Chap
                                        見習いボス
                                        Joined:

                                        Yes normal Cremina here as well… no nothing about the SL sorry

                                        God has blessed you richly, so get down on your knees and thank him. Don’t forget the less fortunate or God will personally kick your ass. I’d love to do it for him, but I can’t be everywhere. Willie Nelson

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • J
                                          Jens
                                          Haraki san Student
                                          Joined:

                                          @Chap:

                                          Yes normal Cremina here as well… no nothing about the SL sorry

                                          Cool @Chap
                                          I will go order the normal Cremina and pair it with the Niche grinder. Did not know about Olympia Cremina until you guys mentioned it in this thread - thank you!
                                          /Jens

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • AlexA
                                            Alex
                                            IHUK Crew
                                            Joined:

                                            @weftyarn if you get some squirting on the bottomless, what are your go to things to try and fix this

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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