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Coffee - do you and how do you consume it?

WSJ article titled: "How to FallBack Into Better Sleep Habits"
"Take your morning coffee outside
Getting bright light in the morning— ideally outdoors and within the first hour after waking—helps set your circadian rhythm, the 24-hour cycle of physical and mental changes that are part of the body’s internal clock, Abbasi-Feinberg says.
Light affects the production of hormones like melatonin and cortisol that are involved in wakefulness and sleepiness. Morning sunlight in particular contains light frequencies that “impact your level of alertness during the day and set you up for quality sleep the next night,” she says.
Abbasi-Feinberg encourages her patients to incorporate morning outdoor time into their existing routines. So, if you normally read while drinking a cup of coffee, do it outside on your porch."
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I think this writer was spying on my morning ritual w/quad-shots + WSJ + Adirondack chair + backyard.;)
Could this be the reason that I can fall asleep anywhere, as long as there is a pole I can lean on?
[My only exception is being able to get 'good' sleep in an airline.]
 
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My morning ritual was interrupted few days ago.:mad:
So, I ended up going to our local brewery StarBucks for my quad-shot dependency.
It was a rare visit, since I went DIY, some years ago:
It turns out 'they' finally started selling premium beans (at reasonable prices) that are now 'medium' roasted (not dark/burnt) and they package them for sale in 16ounces bags (re: normal 8oz bags).:oops:

While chatting with the local manager about 'their' bigger bean selections, I scored a pound of "Casi Cielo" (Guatemalan, single origin, specialty, etc. beans) for FREE ($16).:)
'Their' baristas get few pounds to give-away every month; so, it pays to schmooz with them even if you're no longer a daily patron......
 
Pourover (one of those funnel thingies over a huge mug). Peet's Sumatra Dark Roast (earthy, smoky dark roast). Bring water to near-boil from cold before pouring into grounds in filter. A bit of sweet cream to taste (1 tbsp. in my case).
 
Just made a huge step upward in home brewing quality. I retired a 9-year-old Baratza Virtuoso grinder and replaced it with a Fellow Ode 2 and am absolutely thrilled with the results. Much better ergonomics, quieter grinder, better size consistency and stellar cups of filter coffee. It was an expensive option but has absolutely been worth it. Highly recommend!
 
ryanosaur said:
How is it working out for you thus far?
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Love it! I really like the look, Lelit promotional photos do not do it justice, it is standing proundly and shinny in my kitchen and a beauty to behold. Performance wise nothing to complain about. Very fast start up. Tactile feedback of lever is great. Steam is powerful. I have not played with the paddle yet, quite busy since I got it, but it has so much potential.
My only complaint is the sharp edges of of side panel. Could have been better, but that is known before hand.
 
delta76 said:
I enjoy making espresso than drinking it. In a way, I am an espressophile
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You are not espressing yourself well.
The way it is written, I read it as you like making the stuff but don't enjoy drinking it as much.
Espressing your feelings with words is complicated: An A instead of an E can lead to wars!....:cool:
 
delta76 said:
So it is decided, my next machine would be a Lelit Bianca v3. where time is right (good sale + favorable exchange rate). hopefully will get this before my birthday

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My Elizabeth has been fine, and I can't blame it for almost anything (except for the difficulties with water refilling, but not exactly its fault), but I need something new, something exciting to keep me happy, keep me going.

I initially intrigued by the Profitec Pro 800, which is at good discount from a local retailer (they've been on sale for 1 year now)
profitec.pro800.png

but it is too big to fit anywhere in my apartment. And I am a bit afraid of the level (risk of injuries)
the next contender was ECM Synchronika - I like how durable it is, every body says it's built like a tank, can't fault it.

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But it is a bit boring to think about it, you dial in and you're done. it will serve you for like next 30 days with great espresso but that is about it.

I was thinking about Bianca for quite a while, even before I decided to upgrade, I like the features but was a bit turned away with build quality and quirks from "Made in Italy" machines. But in the end the community won me over.

Frankly, I have been visiting ASR almost exclusively to this thread. My interest in audio is fading, and interest for espresso is coming back :)


Have a good day, friends. I wish I had...
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"... build quality and quirks from 'made in Italy' machines"? The Italian made La Marzocco machines are far and away the most common machines in coffee shops here in the USA. They select Italian LaMarzicco machines because they are extremely well built and reliable. I've had my GS3 for years with no problems. Please reconsider your
generalization.
Going to make a shot now...
 
rubinken said:
"... build quality and quirks from 'made in Italy' machines"? The Italian made La Marzocco machines are far and away the most common machines in coffee shops here in the USA. They select Italian LaMarzicco machines because they are extremely well built and reliable. I've had my GS3 for years with no problems. Please reconsider your
generalization.
Going to make a shot now...
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I hear ya. I did a complete re-think about Italian made machinery maybe 15 years ago when a large local company sourced their new CNC sheet metal machines for very precise work from an Italian manufacturer. A primary deciding factor for them was the extreme reliability and longevity of Italian machines, which surprised me. So based on that I bought a tank of a BCS rototiller made in Italy. At least at the homeowner level rototillers do some of the toughest work demanded of any machine, but that BCS has been a stellar performer for more than a decade of brutal usage. Almost unbelievably so. Those experiences not only boosted my confidence in buying an Italian-made coffee machine, but actually steered me in that directon, resulting in an Izzo Alex Duetto IV Plus. Like the BCS, the manufacture of that Izzo is amazingly solid and I couldn't be happier with it.
 
rubinken said:
"... build quality and quirks from 'made in Italy' machines"? The Italian made La Marzocco machines are far and away the most common machines in coffee shops here in the USA. They select Italian LaMarzicco machines because they are extremely well built and reliable. I've had my GS3 for years with no problems. Please reconsider your
generalization.
Going to make a shot now...
Click to expand...
True, I consider LM as an exception, as they are the leading manufacturer, especially in commercial setting. My statement was regarding prosumer segment, and it is between Italy and German. Not that Italy made is bad, just in general fit and finish is not as good as German made.
I would still pick Italy made over, say, China made, any day. 2 out of 3 machines I own/owned are Italy made :)
 
Anyone try Paper plane coffee? I have a bag and it's different. I'm not used to brewing light roasted beans.
 
I used to sell (and use every day) both Rocket and LM machines, and I’ll vouch for LM being a notch or two above and beyond Rocket. There’s better engineering decisions under the hood, it’s “overbuilt” in the right areas…makes for a much nicer-feeling machine to use and maintain.

I also feel much better about LM’s post-purchase support. I asked their head tech in Seattle how long I could conceivably keep a Linea Mini running…he said that, if any machine is discontinued, they will maintain a stock of parts for at least 10 years. In the case of the Linea Mini, they intend to keep it as-is (instead of retrofitting new features over time) because hey wanted a stock model that doesn’t change much, and they feel they got the Linea Mini “nearly perfect” for what it is.

Rocket? There’s only one “official” source in the states for genuine parts, and that source routinely has many problems getting parts for their own techs. They’re also a bit cagey at selling raw parts to the DIY type (but they are getting a bit better).

LM is a bit pricier, but worth it over Rocket. All that said, I’d go with a Decent…best value in multi-thousand $$ machines, and it does all the tricks. ;)
 
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