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Date: 19 Apr 2007 03:52:44
From:
Subject: Best Brands of Espresso
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What are the best brand(s) of espresso that you would recommend to a newbie espresso conesseur. I am looking for a espresso that has a fairly rich (thick) crema and is sweet tasting. So far I have tried Lavazza Gold, Starbucks and Van Houtte, as well as grocery store brand and have found only Lavazza being the more exceptional. Anyway, any suggestions?
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Date: 27 Apr 2007 03:41:53
From: ramboorider@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 26, 9:53 pm, Ken <k...@comcast.net > wrote: > ramboori...@gmail.com said the following on 4/26/2007 1:27 PM: > > > On Apr 26, 11:47 am, Espressopithecus (Java Man) > > <r...@letterectomyTELUS.net> wrote: > > >> I think there's still an AC "fatwa" on frozen beans unless they're > >> frozen IMMEDIATELY after roasting. That means you're still an infidel. > >> ;) > > > As I read the article/paper, whenever you froze it stalled the staling > > process at that point and then, thawing it restarts the process from > > the same point. In any case, I usually get the beans within 48 hours > > of roasting, enough time for de-gassing, cover the valve hole with > > tape, and freeze them at that point. I've been getting good shots from > > six week old coffee that way, as long as it's only been thawed for a > > few days. > > > If I'm wrong, please let me live with this set of illusions - they're > > working for me :) > > > -Ray > > Where can I find a copy of the paper about freezing roasted beans? > > Thanks > Ken http://www.home-barista.com/store-coffee-in-freezer.html
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Date: 26 Apr 2007 15:13:00
From: Flasherly
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 26, 7:15 am, "ramboori...@gmail.com" <ramboori...@gmail.com > wrote: > On Apr 23, 8:09 pm, Flasherly <gjerr...@ij.net> wrote: > > > Figure pushing $15 to ship a pound of IBC from > > Intelligentsia (Denver corporate structure?). > > Now that the Alt.Coffee powers that be have deemed freezing fresh > beans to be an acceptable method of keeping it real, I order six > pounds at a time, which spreads the shipping cost out and brings the > cost down to $13 per pound, shipping included. > > No need to get back into the whole to roast or not to roast debate - > some people should, some people shouldn't. > > -Ray Finishing off the last of 5# ordered roasted, vacuum sealed for months. Helps stretch out supplies as a mix for fresh green roasted and blend filler. Quick enough, as it is, my fresh roasts alone -- a couple days to finish off a 1/2# in a candy jar -- refilled three times from a bag in the freezer, and a roast is gone in short order. Might consider continuing both, and add some roasted, along with green on the next order. Three people would be another story -- a drum modified for an outdoor gas grill and rotisserie might be worthwhile investigating if sufficient for 5-10# within an hour. The coffee drum for making the modification appears reasonably priced, and the rest is commonplace.
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Date: 26 Apr 2007 13:27:55
From: ramboorider@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 26, 11:47 am, Espressopithecus (Java Man) <r...@letterectomyTELUS.net > wrote: > I think there's still an AC "fatwa" on frozen beans unless they're > frozen IMMEDIATELY after roasting. That means you're still an infidel. > ;) As I read the article/paper, whenever you froze it stalled the staling process at that point and then, thawing it restarts the process from the same point. In any case, I usually get the beans within 48 hours of roasting, enough time for de-gassing, cover the valve hole with tape, and freeze them at that point. I've been getting good shots from six week old coffee that way, as long as it's only been thawed for a few days. If I'm wrong, please let me live with this set of illusions - they're working for me :) -Ray
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Date: 26 Apr 2007 18:53:35
From: Ken
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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ramboorider@gmail.com said the following on 4/26/2007 1:27 PM: > On Apr 26, 11:47 am, Espressopithecus (Java Man) > <r...@letterectomyTELUS.net> wrote: > >> I think there's still an AC "fatwa" on frozen beans unless they're >> frozen IMMEDIATELY after roasting. That means you're still an infidel. >> ;) > > As I read the article/paper, whenever you froze it stalled the staling > process at that point and then, thawing it restarts the process from > the same point. In any case, I usually get the beans within 48 hours > of roasting, enough time for de-gassing, cover the valve hole with > tape, and freeze them at that point. I've been getting good shots from > six week old coffee that way, as long as it's only been thawed for a > few days. > > If I'm wrong, please let me live with this set of illusions - they're > working for me :) > > -Ray > > Where can I find a copy of the paper about freezing roasted beans? Thanks Ken
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Date: 26 Apr 2007 04:15:18
From: ramboorider@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 23, 8:09 pm, Flasherly <gjerr...@ij.net > wrote: > Figure pushing $15 to ship a pound of IBC from > Intelligentsia (Denver corporate structure?). Now that the Alt.Coffee powers that be have deemed freezing fresh beans to be an acceptable method of keeping it real, I order six pounds at a time, which spreads the shipping cost out and brings the cost down to $13 per pound, shipping included. No need to get back into the whole to roast or not to roast debate - some people should, some people shouldn't. -Ray
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Date: 26 Apr 2007 15:47:15
From: Espressopithecus (Java Man)
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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In article <1177586118.483702.118870@o40g2000prh.googlegroups.com >, ramboorider@gmail.com says... > On Apr 23, 8:09 pm, Flasherly <gjerr...@ij.net> wrote: > > Figure pushing $15 to ship a pound of IBC from > > Intelligentsia (Denver corporate structure?). > > Now that the Alt.Coffee powers that be have deemed freezing fresh > beans to be an acceptable method of keeping it real, I order six > pounds at a time, which spreads the shipping cost out and brings the > cost down to $13 per pound, shipping included. > I think there's still an AC "fatwa" on frozen beans unless they're frozen IMMEDIATELY after roasting. That means you're still an infidel. ;) Rick
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Date: 24 Apr 2007 03:57:22
From: chardinej
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 23, 5:50 pm, "Jack Denver" <nunuv...@netscape.net > wrote: > No it wasn't. Bustelo caters to the PR/ Cuban population in the US but > AFAIK it's roasted and packed in Florida and contains no coffee grown in PR. > And worse that that, I think it's absolutely terrible coffee - pre-ground > and mostly robusta. To each his own, but if you enjoyed Bustelo I have to > question your taste in coffee. Apologies in advance. > > "chardinej" <chard...@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message > > news:1177067221.400620.229590@l77g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > > > > > The Cafe Bustello I used to enjoy was from Puerto Rico. No apologies needed. I worked in Puerto Rico for many years and enjoyed cafe con leche made locally (strong drip coffee with scalded milk added). I never tried Bustelo or other PR coffees in an espresso machine. I'm sure cafe con leche hides all sorts of bad coffee just as a cappucinno will tend to even out the quality of the espresso shot contained within. Anyway, Bustelo was always my least favourite and I went for Yaucono if available. I'm pretty sure the Bustelo I purchased in Culebra was from PR but I could be mistaken.
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Date: 24 Apr 2007 23:12:54
From: Jack Denver
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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Yauco Select is quite good in an island coffee kind of way. Yaucuno is OK. Bustelo is like I said before - you're right that milk hides a lot of sins. So does sugar. IIRC PR has some kind of import restricitons to encourage the local coffee industry - maybe they sell a made in PR Bustelo only on the island - I dunno. The stuff we get here is rubber tire bad . "chardinej" <chardine@nbnet.nb.ca > wrote in message news:1177412242.034742.276050@n15g2000prd.googlegroups.com... > > No apologies needed. I worked in Puerto Rico for many years and > enjoyed cafe con leche made locally (strong drip coffee with scalded > milk added). I never tried Bustelo or other PR coffees in an espresso > machine. I'm sure cafe con leche hides all sorts of bad coffee just as > a cappucinno will tend to even out the quality of the espresso shot > contained within. Anyway, Bustelo was always my least favourite and I > went for Yaucono if available. I'm pretty sure the Bustelo I purchased > in Culebra was from PR but I could be mistaken. >
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Date: 23 Apr 2007 17:09:46
From: Flasherly
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 23, 8:25 am, "ramboori...@gmail.com" <ramboori...@gmail.com > wrote: > I'll give a third or fourth to Intelligencia Black Cat. It's not > necessarily the best blend in the world, but for a relative newbie, it > can't be beat. I can pretty much always get a fairly good shot out of > it and extremely good ones often enough. But the bottom line seems to > be that it's more forgiving than a lot of blends. I tried a few > others, including Vivace Dolce, which were good, but I'd get plenty of > poor shots to go along with the good ones. That pretty much never > happens with Black Cat. > > Good luck, > > -Ray Got a big gift can of LaVaZZa (unopened) in the refrigerator. Yea - as I recall, the guy who don't even roast.:) (Seems you've also a nearby Intelligentsia, very popular with the ladies and, etc. hm. . . ). Figure pushing $15 to ship a pound of IBC from Intelligentsia (Denver corporate structure?). I'm doing 5# green $15 -- Local Tampa docks, across the Gulf, from nearby southern equatorial regions -- USPS $5 or $8 on 15# (my last order). Get say 20-30 little 9oz. drinks from a 12oz. roasted pound. They're worth $2 a drink, which is pretty cool, because I sure like them. 5#*25*2=$250 for 1#*25*2=$50. That's 5* better than mine (mine's actually pretty good for a little on the light-roasted greenish side, ie, smokey hint of green-like (fresh brewed) tang, tons of flavor, Costa-Rican chocolate predominating. Plus, $250 is all I have in a Capresso grinder and bone-fide Italian espresso machine (not counting two earlier 2 espresso makers and 1 grinder I bought, learned, to summarily discard). After the Costa Rican is gone, I'm paid off on principle on $15 green outlay. Then, I've 5# ea. of Guatemala and Tanzania Peaberry, which when similarly extrapolated should theoretically pay off a $500 gourmet coffee grinder. Although, if somebody really wants to make me a gift of a can of Black Cat, who am I to say no.
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Date: 23 Apr 2007 05:25:10
From: ramboorider@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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I'll give a third or fourth to Intelligencia Black Cat. It's not necessarily the best blend in the world, but for a relative newbie, it can't be beat. I can pretty much always get a fairly good shot out of it and extremely good ones often enough. But the bottom line seems to be that it's more forgiving than a lot of blends. I tried a few others, including Vivace Dolce, which were good, but I'd get plenty of poor shots to go along with the good ones. That pretty much never happens with Black Cat. Good luck, -Ray
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Date: 22 Apr 2007 18:30:47
From: Flasherly
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 20, 7:12 am, chardinej <chard...@nbnet.nb.ca > wrote: > On Apr 20, 12:28 am, megatec45 <megate...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > On Apr 19, 3:52 am, cpp...@gmail.com wrote: > > > > What are the best brand(s) of espresso that you would recommend to a > > > newbie espresso conesseur. I am looking for a espresso that has a > > > fairly rich (thick) crema and is sweet tasting. So far I have tried > > > Lavazza Gold, Starbucks and Van Houtte, as well as grocery store brand > > > and have found only Lavazza being the more exceptional. Anyway, any > > > suggestions? > > > Before I purchased my grinder I was using Cafe Bustello from the Super > > Market it has a rich, sweet taste. It's marketed as Cuban coffee, and > > sometimes can be found in the Spanish goods isle. Ily Red is Ok, it's > > a lighter roast. It doesn't work well in my Sylvia, the grind isn't > > fine enough. > > Buying fresh beans and a good grinder makes a world of difference. Try > > Sweet Marias.com for online coffee, If you live near a Whole Foods > > market, they roast their beans onsite and have many different roasts. > > With your own grinder, you don't have to buy Expresso roasts > > exclusively, you can experiment with any type of roast, as long as you > > grind it to pull a 25 second shot. > > Espresso coffees are blends, not roasts. In my experience espresso > blends are usually superior to single type of bean because a lot of > work goes into designing the blend to work well in the particular > environment of an espresso machine. A blend or single bean not > designed for espresso machines may be fabulous in a vac pot but > terribly unbalanced as a shot from a machine. > > John Designer espresso coffee beans. And I'd been thinking machined espresso was about putting the screws and cogs to a row of beans. A precept and indicative to a course for beans, either for manufacturer and roaster, since tastes have probably changed in 100 or so years in expediting methods intended to not let essentially anything escape (except for substandard tastes suited admixtures a SO otherwise tends). Interesting.
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Date: 22 Apr 2007 17:01:30
From: Dave b
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 19, 6:52 am, cpp...@gmail.com wrote: > What are the best brand(s) of espresso that you would recommend to a > newbie espresso conesseur. I am looking for a espresso that has a > fairly rich (thick) crema and is sweet tasting. So far I have tried > Lavazza Gold, Starbucks and Van Houtte, as well as grocery store brand > and have found only Lavazza being the more exceptional. Anyway, any > suggestions? FWIW, Intelligentsia Black cat has my vote. Dave www.hitechespresso.com
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Date: 22 Apr 2007 11:21:38
From: Ken
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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cppgod@gmail.com said the following on 4/19/2007 3:52 AM: > What are the best brand(s) of espresso that you would recommend to a > newbie espresso conesseur. I am looking for a espresso that has a > fairly rich (thick) crema and is sweet tasting. So far I have tried > Lavazza Gold, Starbucks and Van Houtte, as well as grocery store brand > and have found only Lavazza being the more exceptional. Anyway, any > suggestions? > You might want to search coffeereview.com. I have found the site to be fairly reliable and even-handed, although when I have been disappointed in a few blends, I was not sure if it was because Ken's palate was off the day that he cupped the blend or whether the roaster blew it on the roast that was sent... I would say that 9/10 times, what he describes has been our experience.
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Date: 20 Apr 2007 04:12:27
From: chardinej
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 20, 12:28 am, megatec45 <megate...@gmail.com > wrote: > On Apr 19, 3:52 am, cpp...@gmail.com wrote: > > > What are the best brand(s) of espresso that you would recommend to a > > newbie espresso conesseur. I am looking for a espresso that has a > > fairly rich (thick) crema and is sweet tasting. So far I have tried > > Lavazza Gold, Starbucks and Van Houtte, as well as grocery store brand > > and have found only Lavazza being the more exceptional. Anyway, any > > suggestions? > > Before I purchased my grinder I was using Cafe Bustello from the Super > Market it has a rich, sweet taste. It's marketed as Cuban coffee, and > sometimes can be found in the Spanish goods isle. Ily Red is Ok, it's > a lighter roast. It doesn't work well in my Sylvia, the grind isn't > fine enough. > Buying fresh beans and a good grinder makes a world of difference. Try > Sweet Marias.com for online coffee, If you live near a Whole Foods > market, they roast their beans onsite and have many different roasts. > With your own grinder, you don't have to buy Expresso roasts > exclusively, you can experiment with any type of roast, as long as you > grind it to pull a 25 second shot. Espresso coffees are blends, not roasts. In my experience espresso blends are usually superior to single type of bean because a lot of work goes into designing the blend to work well in the particular environment of an espresso machine. A blend or single bean not designed for espresso machines may be fabulous in a vac pot but terribly unbalanced as a shot from a machine. John
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Date: 20 Apr 2007 04:07:01
From: chardinej
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 20, 12:28 am, megatec45 <megate...@gmail.com > wrote: > On Apr 19, 3:52 am, cpp...@gmail.com wrote: > > > What are the best brand(s) of espresso that you would recommend to a > > newbie espresso conesseur. I am looking for a espresso that has a > > fairly rich (thick) crema and is sweet tasting. So far I have tried > > Lavazza Gold, Starbucks and Van Houtte, as well as grocery store brand > > and have found only Lavazza being the more exceptional. Anyway, any > > suggestions? > > Before I purchased my grinder I was using Cafe Bustello from the Super > Market it has a rich, sweet taste. It's marketed as Cuban coffee, and > sometimes can be found in the Spanish goods isle. Ily Red is Ok, it's > a lighter roast. It doesn't work well in my Sylvia, the grind isn't > fine enough. > Buying fresh beans and a good grinder makes a world of difference. Try > Sweet Marias.com for online coffee, If you live near a Whole Foods > market, they roast their beans onsite and have many different roasts. > With your own grinder, you don't have to buy Expresso roasts > exclusively, you can experiment with any type of roast, as long as you > grind it to pull a 25 second shot. The Cafe Bustello I used to enjoy was from Puerto Rico.
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Date: 23 Apr 2007 16:50:42
From: Jack Denver
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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No it wasn't. Bustelo caters to the PR/ Cuban population in the US but AFAIK it's roasted and packed in Florida and contains no coffee grown in PR. And worse that that, I think it's absolutely terrible coffee - pre-ground and mostly robusta. To each his own, but if you enjoyed Bustelo I have to question your taste in coffee. Apologies in advance. "chardinej" <chardine@nbnet.nb.ca > wrote in message news:1177067221.400620.229590@l77g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > > The Cafe Bustello I used to enjoy was from Puerto Rico. >
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Date: 19 Apr 2007 20:28:36
From: megatec45
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 19, 3:52 am, cpp...@gmail.com wrote: > What are the best brand(s) of espresso that you would recommend to a > newbie espresso conesseur. I am looking for a espresso that has a > fairly rich (thick) crema and is sweet tasting. So far I have tried > Lavazza Gold, Starbucks and Van Houtte, as well as grocery store brand > and have found only Lavazza being the more exceptional. Anyway, any > suggestions? Before I purchased my grinder I was using Cafe Bustello from the Super Market it has a rich, sweet taste. It's marketed as Cuban coffee, and sometimes can be found in the Spanish goods isle. Ily Red is Ok, it's a lighter roast. It doesn't work well in my Sylvia, the grind isn't fine enough. Buying fresh beans and a good grinder makes a world of difference. Try Sweet Marias.com for online coffee, If you live near a Whole Foods market, they roast their beans onsite and have many different roasts. With your own grinder, you don't have to buy Expresso roasts exclusively, you can experiment with any type of roast, as long as you grind it to pull a 25 second shot.
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Date: 19 Apr 2007 18:07:27
From: Ken
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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cppgod@gmail.com wrote: > What are the best brand(s) of espresso that you would recommend to a > newbie espresso conesseur. I am looking for a espresso that has a > fairly rich (thick) crema and is sweet tasting. So far I have tried > Lavazza Gold, Starbucks and Van Houtte, as well as grocery store brand > and have found only Lavazza being the more exceptional. Anyway, any > suggestions? > I would add Code Brown from coffeeemergency.com to the list. Paradise Roasters, as noted, has two fine blends. Coffeegeek.com forums have many, many threads on this frequently-asked topic. Ken
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Date: 19 Apr 2007 15:50:12
From: Marshall
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On 19 Apr 2007 03:52:44 -0700, cppgod@gmail.com wrote: >What are the best brand(s) of espresso that you would recommend to a >newbie espresso conesseur. I am looking for a espresso that has a >fairly rich (thick) crema and is sweet tasting. So far I have tried >Lavazza Gold, Starbucks and Van Houtte, as well as grocery store brand >and have found only Lavazza being the more exceptional. Anyway, any >suggestions? There are dozens of possibilities, if you are willing to pay for shipping (check alt.coffee archives on Google, Home-barista.com and CoffeeGeek). If not, where do you live? Marshall
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Date: 19 Apr 2007 08:33:58
From: John S.
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 19, 6:52 am, cpp...@gmail.com wrote: > What are the best brand(s) of espresso that you would recommend to a > newbie espresso conesseur. I am looking for a espresso that has a > fairly rich (thick) crema and is sweet tasting. So far I have tried > Lavazza Gold, Starbucks and Van Houtte, as well as grocery store brand > and have found only Lavazza being the more exceptional. Anyway, any > suggestions? I've had good with what could be called off-brands. Local coffee shops that know their beans usually sell roasted coffee. It will take some experimentation to find a good local, and that can be fun too.
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Date: 19 Apr 2007 08:23:25
From: billm3
Subject: Re: Best Brands of Espresso
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On Apr 19, 4:52 am, cpp...@gmail.com wrote: > What are the best brand(s) of espresso that you would recommend to a > newbie espresso conesseur. I am looking for a espresso that has a > fairly rich (thick) crema and is sweet tasting. So far I have tried > Lavazza Gold, Starbucks and Van Houtte, as well as grocery store brand > and have found only Lavazza being the more exceptional. Anyway, any > suggestions? Try a LOCAL roaster. Ask for their espresso blend or Viennese roast, or just try something that the barista recommends. Here in Salt Lake, a place where coffee is generally shunned by the local population (LDS), there are still at least 5 different places that I know of that roast, from large commercial suppliers, to small by the pound roasters. Or try roasting your own if you have the curiosity and time. Bill
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Date: 19 Apr 2007 08:12:29
From: gscace
Subject: Re: C-Membership: "What's in it for me?"
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"the SCAA strives to be a > 'mutual benefit' organization, while > 'consumers' by nature are there for your own interests alone. Make no > mistake... there's NOTHING wrong with being a 'consumer.' We're all > consumers most of the time." > > That is not a slight against enthusiasts whatsoever. Clearly there's > an enthusiast community as well. However, the professional SCAA > members and enthusiasts are coming to the table for clearly different > reasons. One is not better or more important... just different. That > disparity has been (as I stated before), in my opinion, the key to the > 'underachievement' of the cMember program. > > There's clearly a point of intersection between these two distinct > communities where both find real value, which is the only way that a > program like the cMembers can be viable and sustainable. The point of intersection between these two worlds should be quite evident to the SCAA given that Marshall is providing legal counsel to the SCAA, Andy Schecter has pioneered a bunch of advancements in the technical side of espresso production, and I'm providing measurement / diagnostic tools for the industry. The fact that we came from the enthusiast side should be made very clear. It is to SCAA's direct and alomost immediate benefit that they foster "enthusiast" interest in their organization because the folks who are enthusiasts bring skill sets to the table that the SCAA can use and that the SCAA does not normally have within its ranks. In the three cases above, we are lawyers, experimentalists, engineers who choose to devote our expertise to coffee because we are interested in coffee. I think that the enthusiast community has a lot to offer the SCAA and the SCAA should be OK with the bulk of enthusiasts wanting something tangible from the SCAA. It ain't quite the same as everyone bringing something to the party, but I don't think everyone brings something to the party in the SCAA anyway, or other professional organizations with which I am familiar. There are folks who contribute and there are the rank and file. -Greg
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Date: 19 Apr 2007 15:47:05
From: Marshall
Subject: Re: C-Membership: "What's in it for me?"
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On 19 Apr 2007 08:12:29 -0700, gscace <gregory.scace@nist.gov > wrote: >The point of intersection between these two worlds should be quite >evident to the SCAA given that Marshall is providing legal counsel to >the SCAA, Andy Schecter has pioneered a bunch of advancements in the >technical side of espresso production, and I'm providing measurement / >diagnostic tools for the industry. There will be a dinner honoring Ted Lingle during the conference, where I have submitted a testimonial saying exactly that. BTW I'm counsel to CQI, not SCAA. Marshall
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Date: 20 Apr 2007 19:52:26
From: Johnny
Subject: Re: C-Membership: "What's in it for me?"
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"Marshall" <mrfuss@ihatespamearthlink.net > wrote in message news:4j3f23hv21so27d9nbeeqtoo1ljsrthh6d@4ax.com... > On 19 Apr 2007 08:12:29 -0700, gscace <gregory.scace@nist.gov> wrote: > > BTW I'm counsel to CQI, not SCAA. > > Marshall I guess that'd be http://www.coffeeinstitute.org/
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