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Coffee Roasters

spent more on coffee beans and hardware than i could imagine spending on shaving equipment.

Yeah, and if you really get into Cigars, it'll make the coffee stuff look cheap. I have more money wrapped up in high grade humidors (and their contents) than I could possibly spend in a lifetime of shaving AD's.

-- John Gehman
 

ouch

Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd
Yeah, and if you really get into Cigars, it'll make the coffee stuff look cheap. I have more money wrapped up in high grade humidors (and their contents) than I could possibly spend in a lifetime of shaving AD's.

-- John Gehman

Sounds as if someone needs to take up pipes. Then again, have you priced S. Bangs lately?:blink:
 
I pulled the trigger and ordered myself a Gene Cafe Roaster. It's scheduled to arrive on Friday. I figure that since I have absolutely no will power when it comes to xAD's, why not. It was either conquer the world of home roasting or buy another Maestro.......

I justified this one to the SWMBO by telling her it will be a Christmas present to me from whomever. This way I won't need to use the 30 rule and I can jump right into a roast Christmas morning prior to taking my sons to see the premiere of Rocky VI later in the day.

Hello GCB(Green Coffee Bean)AD. I have 27#'s of various beans in transit to me already.......D'OH......
 
Here you go.

http://www.burmancoffee.com/equipment/gene-cafe-roaster.html

The price is set by the manufacturer so there is very little wiggle room on it. I chose these guys because of the solid reviews on their service and the free shipping. Sweet Maries shipping would have been almost $25 to our part of the world. The 5#'s of free coffee included seems to be pretty standard give or take a pound between dealers but the free shipping is nice. This is 20+ pounds.

I had a 15+ minute conversation with Jon, one of the brothers, about the pluses and minuses of the various roasters. The Gene Cafe really had the upper hand I felt based on features and functionality. I liked the Bravi, but the window on the GC and other features really sealed the deal for me.

-Scott-
 

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Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd
Thanks, Scott. Looks like a lot of fun.

I was hoping you'd get the Aeropress- I really wanted to read a review of that.:lol:
 
I thought about the Aeropress briefly, but I asked my inlaws to get me a Bodum Santos Vacuum Press Maker (stovetop) for Christmas. There would be no way the SWMBO would sanction 2 new things on the counter so I went with the beans.

I'll send you some once I roast a few batches that pass muster.

-Scott-
 
I thought about the Aeropress briefly, but I asked my inlaws to get me a Bodum Santos Vacuum Press Maker (stovetop) for Christmas. There would be no way the SWMBO would sanction 2 new things on the counter so I went with the beans.

I'll send you some once I roast a few batches that pass muster.

-Scott-

Scott, congrats on the new roaster! Please keep us posted, I would love to hear your opinion of this machine. I must say that the Aeropress makes a pretty darn good cup of coffee..probably 90% as good as the $8000.00 automated Clover machine. Enjoy that vac pot, they make great coffee.
Cheers, DJ.
 
I have had a lot of first-hand experience with the Clover...

All I have to say is WOW!!! I knew it was expensive - but still, it was damned amazing. :eek: :tongue_sm
 

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Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd
Scott, congrats on the new roaster! Please keep us posted, I would love to hear your opinion of this machine. I must say that the Aeropress makes a pretty darn good cup of coffee..probably 90% as good as the $8000.00 automated Clover machine. Enjoy that vac pot, they make great coffee.
Cheers, DJ.

Well, that's all I had to hear. I will go directly to Zabar's this afternoon.:lol:
 
ouch said:
Does anyone use a vacuum brewer for their coffee? I'm interesting in trying one out.

I do sometimes. I have a one-cup Hario DA-1 brewer that I bought during a trip to Japan. I should say it is the best non-espresso coffee method. The ritual is also nice with those brewers using fuel burners.
 
I use a heat gun (they look like an oversized hair dryer and are usually used for stripping paint--cost about $30 at your local Home Depot-type place) and a big stainless steel bowl. I can do a good pound at a time in about 20 minutes.

I put the bowl on a gas grill side burner (to add some bottom heat), point the heat gun at the beans, and stir like mad.

You get covered with chaff and smell like your pants are on fire, but it is quick, easy, and very hands on. Go to coffeegeek.com and search for "heat gun" and you will have more information than you ever thought possible.

There are several internet green coffee co-ops and I get fabulously good beans for less than $5 a pound shipped. Green beans last for a year or two with no problems but roasted coffee is good for about 10 days maximum.

Once you have fresh coffee you will never be satisfied with store or Starbucks or 99% of coffeeshop coffee ever again.

If I needed more than a pound a week I'd probably upgrade to a drum roaster made from a gas grill.

Then of course there is home espresso machine acquisition disorder. There is some seriously big money to be spent there!

Just what you needed--another obsessive hobby!
 
Then of course there is home espresso machine acquisition disorder. There is some seriously big money to be spent there!

Fortunately espresso machines are big, and building a collection (like brushes or razors) sounds to me like something having extremely low WAF :). In coffee world people much more suffer from upgraditis than RAD :).
 
Well.........I sit here sipping a Single Origin Rwanda Migongo Bourbon that I roasted into one fine batch that I used for my first espresso attempt. I am almost through the 1/2# of the beans already. YUM!!! The crema is outstanding and the taste stays in the mouth for about 15 minutes. I roasted it to a maximum temp of about 455 (about 20 minutes total time for roast) and would categorize it as a fine Italian Roast. (But what do I know...Total noob here).

I have now roasted 7 batches and I am loving every minute of it. I will take some pictures soon once the thrill wears off (but that could take a few more weeks). I find myself mesmerized watching the drum turn and seeing the beans transform from these blah little green pea sized things to real coffee beans in front of my eyes. I am also amazed that by varying the time of the roast, I get the beans to finish off differently. Pretty cool indeed though I am definitely keeping good notes and experimenting with the published guides.

So far: Roast #1 - Bolivian Cumbre AA, City Roast +. Roast #2 - El Salvador Blue Bell, Full City Roast+. Roast #3 - Rwanda Migongo Bourbon, Italian Roast. Roast #4 - Mexican Malinal, Full City Roast. Roast #5 - El Salvador Blue Bell, City + Roast. Roast #6 - Bolivian Cumbre AA, Full City Roast. Roast #7 - El Salvador Blue Bell, Full City Roast.

I still have beans to try out for the first time yet. I am down under 25#'s of green stock......I have been doing 227 g (8 ounces) @ a time for batch control and accurate notes on results. It looks like roasting twice a week will keep me supplied with fresh coffee all the time for the espresso machine, the drip maker and the vacuum pot.

Ouch - pm me your thoughts on what you like.

-Scott-
 

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Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd
+1 on posting pics. I've just got to see this in action.

The only thing keeping from turning into a full fledged coffee junkie is the over the top, pseudo-scientific, pedantic techno speak. I know I'll wind up spending a fortune on this stuff in the near future, but I can assure you I'll never order a drink that takes longer to pronounce than to make.
 
first, for the espresso on a budget crowd, go for a moka pot like one of these. Terrific espresso machine for about $20 bucks, and very authentic in terms of use in Italy.... You will get back your investment in a month vs. years.

I am fortunate enough to live in the coffee capital of the Philippines. I get all kinds of great coffee, and have access to the civet coffee (cat poop coffee) locally called Alamid. Haven't tried it yet, going to go buy some tomorrow. I will post my results and pics this weekend, stay tuned!!!:biggrin1:
 
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