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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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My trusty ol' Rancilio Silvia espresso machine now has a new friend -- a Rancilio Rocky grinder! One of my flatmates purchased it, and the two machines make a lovely couple. (I bet we're the biggest coffee nerds on the block.)
Also, this weekend I added a special type of controller called a PID to my Silvia in order to achieve a more stable brewing temperature. This prevents the espresso from having a burnt taste due to water that's too hot, or from coming out sour due to water that's too cold. I'm getting much more flavor out of my espresso with the PID, and a significantly more consistently colored crema. It's very spiffy!
Also: I added a new FAQ section, About the Espresso Guy (that's me!) If you have any questions not answered in the
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EspressoGuy.com has moved to a new server, and a fancy new backend system that lets me update more easily. Yay! And you can now see when this site is updated through a newsfeed, easily addable to any newsfeed client (including My Yahoo or My MSN) with the little buttons near the bottom of the page.
A warning though: some bookmarks may not work, and a few features here and there work a bit differently now. I hope this doesn't throw you off.
Hopefully there will be many future updates with this little blog I have now. I'll be posting links and photos to new coffee technology, espresso news, and a few things here and there about my own espresso adventures. Hope to see you back soon!
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