Espresso Guy blogs

New poll: wifi or not?

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 02:16:10 +0000

The newest poll was inspired by a recent New York times article about cafes without wifi. There are those who prefer to socialize at a cafe rather than watch YouTube videos. Who knew!

Another trend is small cafes with little or no seating. These cafes rarely offer wifi or much of anything else (bathrooms, for example!) but as a side effect, people tend to socialize more.

Of course, these days wifi isn't always necessary to access the internet. Smartphones offer internet just about anywhere.

Personally I enjoy both wifi and non-wifi cafes. I built much of this very website while sipping espresso at Ritual Roasters in San Francisco. But bringing my laptop to a cafe isn't something I find myself doing on a regular basis.

New poll: your favorite cafe beverage

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 04:50:21 +0000

I know, finally! Now you can vote on your favorite cafe beverage. What do you normally get when you go to a cafe? Personally I usually get an espresso (surprise, surprise) but occasionally I get an iced coffee if it's too hot out for espresso.

And don't worry, if you missed the previous polls, they're still online.

The gift guide is back!

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:36:22 +0000

I'm pleased to say that the coffee and espresso Holiday Gift Guide is back! This is the first year in some time that I've had this feature. We've got gift suggestions for every price range for the coffee lover in your life.

Side note: I've gotten a lot of e-mail lately from readers. I try to respond to every single mail as soon as I can. I apologize if your message slipped through the cracks (it happens) so if you don't get a response within the week, contact me again. I'll respond to every message (even if it's to say "I don't know.")

Long overdue updates to the site

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:32:34 +0000

No my dear readers, I have not forgotten about you. I've just been... busy. But now the site has finally had some updates in the form of fixing some broken links. Plus I've added this little news post you're reading, but you know that already!

I'm still doing my best to answer the mail I've been getting. I get anywhere from two to ten e-mails a week. If I can't answer your question directly, I'll always do my best to redirect you to where you could find the information.

I may add some new content in the near future. However, don't get your hopes up about a home coffee roasting page. I've moved into an apartment that makes roasting nearly impossible due to the smoke and the smell. Too bad! If I find a place where I can do some roasting again I will definintely get that article up.

Illustrated guide to espresso drinks

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 23:52:40 +0000

If you like espresso drinks but aren't sure exactly what's in them, check out this blog post by Lokesh Dhakar for an illustrated guide.

The page also contains pronunciations.

Link

Sexpresso

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:36:26 +0000

What do you get when you combine espresso and Hooters? The "sexpresso" craze is taking over the American Northwest, according to this article.

As one customer puts it, "If I'm going to pay $4 for a cup of coffee, I'm not going to get served by a guy."

Link to Seatle Times article

Aeropress

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 04:47:44 +0000

The Aeropress is a new and extremely cheap way of making espresso. It's from the folks who brought you the Aerobie flying disk and I'd like to get my hands on one and try it out.

My guess is these sorts of little gadgets won't be replacing full-size espresso machines anytime soon, but if I were going camping I'd totally get an Aeropress.

FREE (lousy) coffee!

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 03:21:41 +0000

On March 15th from 10am to noon you can get a free cup of coffee from any Starbucks in the US. FREE. For the asking.

Good coffee comes from good beans and careful technique. Starbucks offers the exact opposite. So go get your free coffee -- it's the perfect chance to experience what coffee SHOULDN'T taste like.

How caffeine works

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 04:45:28 +0000

Want to know how caffeine keeps you awake? Marshall Brain of HowStuffWorks put up a short film on Google Video explaining how caffeine works in your brain.

Link to video (requires Flash)

All in all it's just another espresso in-wall

Fri, 03 Feb 2006 03:34:03 +0000

Espresso machines can take up valuable counter space in a cramped kitchen. Fortunately you can now buy an espresso machine that fits into the wall from Zanussi.

However, the product page offers virtually no details -- a bad sign. If this was intended for serious espresso drinkers they should offer basic specs (such as the boiler type and material and what kind of device controls the temperature.)

But according to Gizmodo the price is $775 (USD), so it had better make some good espresso!

The importance of a good grinder

Fri, 20 Jan 2006 22:47:27 +0000

A recent NY Times article discuses the importance of a good coffee grinder (registration required.) And it's true -- you won't get good espresso without a good grinder.

At this point I couldn't tell you how many grinders I've been through. Most of them were terrible. But when I first got a Rocky Rancillio grinder, I was amazed at how much better my espresso tasted. With a better grinder, I was finally able to adjust the grind to level of perfection that otherwise would have been impossible.

Sound crazy? It's not. Cheaper grinders hide -- and in some cases destroy -- the flavor of the coffee. In addition, semi-commercial and commercial grinders let you set the grind to perfectly match your espresso machine's needs.

Site reorganization

Sat, 10 Sep 2005 09:39:12 +0000

I'm mixin' it up around here. Don't worry, your favorite pages are still on the site, but they may have moved, or even changed names. I'm trying to make the site extra friendly for people who haven't been here yet.

And speaking of which, there's a brand new guide to getting started making espresso. I've tried to make it a better place to start than the old guide, which was understandably too schizophrenic for most folks.

Also brand new is the tamper FAQ, which answers some common questions about tamping.

As always, please send any suggestions to me.

Naked portafilters

Tue, 09 Aug 2005 23:51:20 +0000

Sometimes when you make espresso, unbeknownst to you, the water will find an easy escape through the coffee instead of taking its time and going through evenly like it should. When this happens the water "channels" very quickly, hardly touching the coffee at all, and you're left with a cup of weak, watery coffee. Ick.

Today BoingBoing linked to EspressoPorn.com (safe for work), a site about using a portafilter which has had the bottom removed. This allows you to see if the espresso is pouring out evenly from the filter basket as opposed to channeling through in one spot. Plus it looks really cool.

If you're interested in learning how to use a bottomless or "naked" portafilter, check out this page on diagnosing your shots using a naked portafilter. You can purchase one from EspressoParts.com.

Homemade espresso machines

Sun, 07 Aug 2005 23:26:10 +0000

Occasionally people ask me if there's a way to build an espresso machine from scratch. My answer until now was "probably not." Even if your own labor is worthless, by the time you buy all the parts it'd come out cheaper simply to buy a machine someone else made.

Still, some people are not put off so easily. These people hear the calling, and that calling says "build an espresso machine." So let's take a look at what two folks have built in their spare time.

Turns out it's possible to build a very simple espresso-making device for about $30. Sure, you could just buy a moka pot for your stove, but this is more creative. And it looks sort of like a large gun.

Another guy took homemade espresso machines to the next level, building a very professional machine from scratch. He's even got a PID temperature controller and pressure gage on that thing.

So there you go, folks. Yes, you can build an espresso machine at home. It's possible.

Now stop asking.

Tamping

Wed, 03 Aug 2005 06:33:37 +0000

Lately I've been pulling more consistent shots, thanks to advice in David Schomer's book, Espresso Coffee Professional Techniques. He suggests leveling the coffee with your fingers, then tamping with thirty pounds of pressure, and finishing by twisting the tamper while applying a slight pressure. I've found this not only produces better shots, but also prevents coffee from sticking to the tamper.

As was pointed out in the CoffeeGeek forums, consistency is more important than achieving exactly 30 pounds of pressure. This is because the fineness of your coffee grounds must match your tamp pressure. You'll know if you got it right, because the espresso will be oh-so yummy.

If you're interested, you can practice tamping consistently on a bathroom scale. Just remember to wash your tamper when you're done or all your coffee will taste like feet.