Coffee Makers

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Wormius

I am just going to use vinegar from now. I was using it regularly, but I removed the steam valve and looked inside the boiler and it had a pretty thick coat of calcium, even using filtered water it still looked like a cave when I disassembled the boiler again to look inside.

Lemon juice/citric acid powder works better than vinegar.

I started using a Hario pour over in between aeropress uses. I quite enjoy it.

[spetch]

Is there a place online you guys order espresso beans from? This thread helped me make the dive into a super automatic but I know I am going to have issues finding good whole beans in town. My options are Sobeys, No Frills and Walmart so everything is going to be oily and hard on the machine.

[aaronck]

I like this one, and it goes on sale often

https://www.amazon.ca/Ethical-Bean-O...6-bee5153e81cb

Not oily at all, but I cut it with about 20% Starbucks French Roast (which is really strong and oily) for a great Americano in my Brevelle

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by spetch

Is there a place online you guys order espresso beans from?

I ordered a grinder from these guys, considering beans as well.

https://eightouncecoffee.ca/

[arcfyr]

Lots of great local roasters - I would recommend Devil's Head Coffee - good price and free delivery in Calgary. Everything I've ordered so far came to me roasted no more than 7 days in the past, usually 3-5.

https://devilsheadcoffee.ca/

[spetch]

Thanks for the recommendations. How do I tell if a bean is going to be oily? I assume the darker the roast the more apt it to be oily.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by spetch

Is there a place online you guys order espresso beans from? This thread helped me make the dive into a super automatic but I know I am going to have issues finding good whole beans in town. My options are Sobeys, No Frills and Walmart so everything is going to be oily and hard on the machine.

It’s too bad you’re not able to get to Co-op, as they have a good selection from local roasters. I like Analog’s Godfather Espresso. Not oily at all. Cappuccino King is okay, but pretty oily.

If you make it out to Costco and want something reasonable, the Lavazza is good if you’re making milk-based drinks.

[gasman]

Originally Posted by Wormius

It’s too bad you’re not able to get to Co-op, as they have a good selection from local roasters. I like Analog’s Godfather Espresso. Not oily at all. Cappuccino King is okay, but pretty oily.

If you make it out to Costco and want something reasonable, the Lavazza is good if you’re making milk-based drinks.

No way, why pay a premium for locally roasted coffee at the supermarket it's already old by the time it hits the shelf.

Go direct to the roasters, analog, rosso, my fav is devils head, but most offer free delivery with just a couple pounds.

[DownhillGoat]

Oooh good call forgot about Rosso

[Sutter_in_law]

Monogram is hands down my favorite place for whole beans.
I’m lucky too as I get wholesale pricing from them through my work.

[DoubleF]

I buy Lavazza pre-ground bricks as an inexpensive baseline coffee for guests who aren't huge into coffee. It still turns out something quite nice between good and great.

https://www.amazon.ca/Lavazza-Espres...JNFRHD75HNS6E9

Rosso is something I regularly stocked for something to slowly sip as I used to live a block away from the Centre Street location. I tried Analog before and it was nice, but it was a little out of the way for me to nab it.

Something I really wanted to try was nabbing some raw beans and roasting them in a popcorn popper.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

I buy Lavazza pre-ground bricks as an inexpensive baseline coffee for guests who aren't huge into coffee. It still turns out something quite nice between good and great.

https://www.amazon.ca/Lavazza-Espres...JNFRHD75HNS6E9

Rosso is something I regularly stocked for something to slowly sip as I used to live a block away from the Centre Street location. I tried Analog before and it was nice, but it was a little out of the way for me to nab it.

Something I really wanted to try was nabbing some raw beans and roasting them in a popcorn popper.

I have seen green beans at the Italian Store. Have been thinking about throwing them in the Whirly Pop to see what happens. I don’t know if it’s possible to do a better job than a roaster would, but it would be interesting to try once.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Wormius

I have seen green beans at the Italian Store. Have been thinking about throwing them in the Whirly Pop to see what happens. I don’t know if it’s possible to do a better job than a roaster would, but it would be interesting to try once.

I met a guy in Vancouver who was roasting his own beans. He was saying that he liked roasting his own stuff in a hot air popper in small batches as needed as it was quite a bit better than the average stuff. But what he was making was no match for a good quality bean roasted by a pro.

TBH, I'm interested in roasting beans more for the experience than for replacing my normal supplies of coffee beans. If it turns out well, I would treat it like a supplement rather than a replacement.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Wormius

I have seen green beans at the Italian Store. Have been thinking about throwing them in the Whirly Pop to see what happens. I don’t know if it’s possible to do a better job than a roaster would, but it would be interesting to try once.

I saw a guy do this on a BBQ once and always wanted to try. Like Double F, just to see how it goes and not to do it to replace my usual beans. I get mine through Five21 which is a local roaster. They're excellent, IMO. I am far from an expert though, and just know I like these.

[Wormius]

It looks like Calgary Heritage Roasters has a good selection of green coffee. $16 for 2lbs would be a pretty decent savings if home roasting experience worked out. We’re going through that much every month with our 2 morning lattes.

Also - why are coffee beans advertised for sale in pounds, despite every measurement related to coffee being in grams.

[ryeguy252]

Kirkland expresso from costco is my favorite. Great price and its roasted by Starbucks. Even better when it's a few bucks off

[marsplasticeraser]

Originally Posted by spetch

Is there a place online you guys order espresso beans from? This thread helped me make the dive into a super automatic but I know I am going to have issues finding good whole beans in town. My options are Sobeys, No Frills and Walmart so everything is going to be oily and hard on the machine.

Bows and arrows in Victoria has great beans, like people go “wow, this is incredible”. Monogram and Rosso in Calgary also pretty good. Set up a monthly subscription and life is good.

[Firebot]

Working from home and the hectic work has gotten me into the quest for the best drip coffee at home but with moderate effort (have aeropress, french press, pour over etc, espresso machine, but if it takes me 10 minutes to make a coffee, it eventually just goes in storage, gotta be make it and drink 5 cups of it, and no to pod systems)

Best coffee grounds

My favourite grounds is likely from 49th Parallel from Vancouver (all of them are winners). Kawa in the beltline serves it if you want to try it. Harder to find, get it shipped.

https://49thcoffee.com/collections/all?

Deville (specifically this linked beans) is seriously my go to coffee whenever I have the chance. I usually buy a new bag when I get a coffee in store (your drink is free with the purchase of a bag).

https://store.devillecoffee.ca/produ...t-direct-trade

I also really like Analog's Godfather and a few others, I think we have some pretty great roasters. I will try some like Devil's Head I haven't tried before.

For the holy grail of 'cheap' coffee grounds, after hunting and some spectacular failures (never ever buy anything coffee related from Homesense), I find Save on Foods espresso beans the best. The big bags in the coffee section specifically (not the grab and go ones though they are ok)

https://www.saveonfoods.com/sm/picku...00062639341930

I make 2 pots a day of this stuff.

I got this moderately priced burr grinder and its quite good, much less then a similar brand name. You do have to put a drop of water here and there to avoid static issues.

https://www.amazon.ca/Stainless-Adju...d_i=6647350011

Coffee maker is my next upgrade. Currently have this cuisinart one

https://www.amazon.ca/Cuisinart-DCC-...n%2C219&sr=1-1

Thoughts on the Ninja one? likely my upgrade.

https://www.amazon.ca/Ninja-Specialt...kitchen&sr=1-2

[Fuzz]

I had the Cuisinart, was never a fan of it, didn't get hot enough. I've got this now:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01EA5ZHIA/

It's great, other than the lid drips if you pour to fast when full. Piping hot though.

I don't know what a Sboly grinder is, but I highly recommend a Baratza Encore for an entry burr grinder that is upgradable, has parts available, and works really well.

[DoubleF]

I prefer stove top percolators to the coffee makers. I even converted my office to it and now the Zojirushi coffee maker at our office is only used intermittently. The Zojirushi is pretty damn good TBH, but we get way stronger java with a stove top perc. This is the one we use at the office.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We like our coffee stronger at the office (don't even bother with a pinch of salt), so we usually leave ours on the stove at max for around 20 minutes but that's from cold water to finish. You might be able to finish percolating it in 10 minutes if you have hot water in the pot from the get go (ie: a water boiler on a schedule via smart plug).

At home, I have one of those old school corning ceramic stove top percolators. I find volume wise, it better for larger volumes, so I generally prefer to do aeropress or pour over at home instead unless I have guests over.