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Tag: Home Barista

Compound Chilling
EducationEspresso
March 10, 2023 Post a Comment

Coffee Science – Compound Chilling: Gimmick Or Genius?

I've seen a lot of espresso trends come and go... but one recent thing that seemed to make a quick re-emergence, and then subsequent disappearance, is the idea of compound chilling. The name itself may not ring a bell, but the image of syrupy espresso running over frozen steel whiskey ball seems to have made its...

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New ProductsReview
March 3, 2023 Post a Comment

Fellow Opus – Can They Get It Right First Try?

The grinder market seems to be rapidly expanding... but I'm happy to see that not all of the options are aimed at the hardcore home enthusiast looking to drop serious cash; the casual and early stage  rabbit-holers need a little love too. Which brings me to the topic of today's video, the new Fellow Opus. This...

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Dark Roast
CoffeeOpinion
February 24, 2023 Post a Comment

Coffee Opinion – In Defense Of The Dark Roast

There is one four letter word... that can get many modern-day, third wave baristas all up in their feelings, and that is dark. The lowly dark roast, although it has been the historical standard in coffee for decades, and considering there is a good chance it was the first kind of coffee you and most likely everyone...

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Baratza ESP
New ProductsReview
February 17, 2023 Post a Comment

Encore ESP – Baratza’s Entry Level Legend Upgraded

This one is a walk down memory lane... because the humble Baratza Encore was my very first home coffee grinder, and even as I progressed in my coffee career its blend of affordability and performance kept it at the top of my recommendation list. Literally anytime I was asked by someone considering taking the leap into...

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GS3MP Vs. Lelit Bianca
EspressoGear
February 10, 2023 Post a Comment

Side By Side – Lelit Bianca V3 Vs. La Marzocco GS3MP

Since the Lelit Bianca landed on my bar... I have had a lot of requests to put it up against my daily driver, the La Marzocco GS3MP.  On their face they appear to be two very different machines at two completely different price points; there's a $4,500 difference between them. But, going head-to-head, spec sheet to...

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Varia VS3
GearReview
February 3, 2023 Post a Comment

Varia VS3 – A Capable Grinder With A Possible Dealbreaker

Flat burr grinders get all the glory... and often are on top of many barista's wishlists. But the humble conical shouldn't be counted out, and one that's recently caught my eye is the new Varia VS3. On paper it's a lot like many of the other grinders that have hit the home coffee scene in recent...

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Flat Bottom Brewers
CoffeeGear
January 27, 2023 Post a Comment

Showdown – Five Flat Bottom Brewers Compared

When it comes to pour over drippers... there are a lot of options ranging in size, material, and shape, but when I sat down to do a quick inventory of my collection I realized I had more flat bottom options than any other style. And looking back over the last year or so, I've found myself...

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DF83
New ProductsReview
January 20, 2023 Post a Comment

DF83 – Big Burrs On A Budget

The DF line of grinders... have become pretty prolific over the past couple years, and it was only a matter of time before they progressed past the reasonably popular and priced 64mm burrs and dreamed bigger. Enter the new and highly anticipated DF83. Much like its fellow DF grinders this single dosing, low-retention all-round coffee grinder...

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La Marzocco GS3 MP
GearReview
December 23, 2022 Post a Comment

La Marzocco GS3 MP – A Classic With One Major Flaw

For many home baristas... the La Marzocco GS3 MP carries a lot of weight. It's been around for quite awhile, and has created a reputation for being one of the most sought after home espresso machines on the market. Packed with big dual boilers, a stable PID controlled temperature system, a commercial grade rotary pump, and...

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Flat Burr Niche Zero
New ProductsReview
December 16, 2022 Post a Comment

Niche Zero – The Flat Burr Mod Initial Impressions

For years the Niche Zero was the grinder to have... in the home coffee scene. It was so popular they would sell out in minutes, and their Instagram account grew past 100,000 followers. Which is kind of unheard of for a equipment brand with only one item and just a few years on the scene. Of...

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Lelit Bianca V3
EspressoNew Products
December 9, 2022 3 Comments

Lelit Bianca V3 – A Near Perfect Blend Of Technology & Tradition

After some time and a lot of requests... I finally got my hands on the Lelit Bianca. This popular prosumer espresso machine has been around for quite some time, and boasts a handful of features that puts it on the top many home barista's wishlists. Things like stainless steel dual boilers, PID temperature control, a rotary...

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Rancilio Stile
New ProductsReview
November 25, 2022 Post a Comment

Rancilio Stile – Can The Hopper Make A Comeback?

It's been a big year for grinders... and it's not over yet, because a brand new option just hit the market, the Rancilio Stile. Intended for both home and commercial applications, it appears to be made for some serious use. On the outside it shares their classic understated and straightforward design, and on the inside its sports...

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Linea Micra
EspressoNew Products
November 18, 2022 3 Comments

Linea Micra – La Marzocco Just Killed The Mini

Did you ever look at the Linea Mini... and say to yourself, "I really wish this was smaller"?  No? Me either, but just about a week ago the folks at La Marzocco Home dropped something brand new; the Linea Micra.  If it looks familiar, that's because its more or less the spitting image of the Linea...

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Superkop
EspressoNew Products
November 4, 2022 Post a Comment

Superkop – A Unique Twist On Manual Espresso

If there’s one thing in coffee... I’m always impressed by its the ingenuity of manual espresso machine design. I’ve used the press, I’ve used the twist, and now with the Superkop, I’ve used the ratchet. And if your first thought during that last sentence was "superwhat?" I was right there with you just a few months ago. I...

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Wet Weiss
CoffeeEducation
October 28, 2022 Post a Comment

The Wet Weiss – I Can’t Believe I Didn’t Think Of This

When brewing a pour over... there's really no debate about the benefits of agitation, especially during the all important bloom. Getting the entire bed of coffee thoroughly saturated with water and releasing any gases built up produces not only a better extraction, but a better cup of coffee. Much like many other techniques in coffee brewing...

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DF64P
EspressoNew Products
October 21, 2022 2 Comments

DF64P – The Budget Lagom

When it comes to espresso grinders... the options are seemingly endless. But there are a handful that seem to continuously garner praise among the home barista community, and one that really took off in 2020 was the DF64. It hit the market when single dosing, home grinders were in high demand, and the Niche Zero had...

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Blooming Espresso
EducationEspresso
September 30, 2022 Post a Comment

Espresso Anatomy – Blooming Espresso

After the latest espresso anatomy... episode featuring the Slayer shot there was quite a few comments asking for the next entry to be a deep dive into blooming espresso. So, ask and you shall receive. Of course, the concept of blooming coffee isn't brand new, but when it comes to doing it with espresso, that is...

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Lagom Mini
New ProductsReview
September 23, 2022 Post a Comment

Lagom Mini – Small Grinder, Big Expectations

Everyone loves an underdog... and living in the shadow of popular siblings can be a frustrating existence, but the Lagom Mini aims at bringing the premium feel and brewing experience of its bigger burred family members, the P64 and P100, to those not looking to drop a lot of money on a coffee grinder. But they still...

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Orea V3
CoffeeGear
September 16, 2022 1 Comment

Orea V3 – My Pour Over Daily Driver

A few keen observers... have been noticing a regular brewing cameo in some of my recent videos, so I figured now may be a good time to introduce my current daily driver pour over: the Orea V3. This incredibly simple and unassuming brewing device has been more or less the only one I reach for when...

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GearOpinion
September 2, 2022 Post a Comment

Side By Side – $2000 Silvia Pro X Vs. $8000 La Marzocco GS3 MP

Some of you might remember... that back in March I made a video that was a direct, side by side comparison of two espresso machines. The $500 Gaggia Classic, and the $5000 Linea Mini, Both of course, in the most basic terms, apply pressurized water onto ground coffee, essentially the fundamental definition of espresso. But like any hobby,...

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Mazzer Omega
New ProductsReview
August 26, 2022 Post a Comment

Mazzer Omega – The Most Anticipated Hand Grinder Of 2022

There are few brand names in coffee... that carry as much history and respect as Mazzer. They've been in the coffee grinder and burr business for nearly 75 years and have built a positive reputation across the entire industry. Their burrs have become synonymous with quality, and many other grinder companies build their products around Mazzer's...

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Iced Espresso Drinks
CoffeeTutorial
August 19, 2022 Post a Comment

Coffee Recipes – Making My Favorite Iced Espresso Drinks

It's hot out there... and these late summer days tends to be the perfect opportunity to enjoy some iced coffee drinks, so I figured I'd share a few of my favorites.  Of course they all feature my favorite form of coffee: espresso. Even though each recipe is intended to be used with espresso, those who don't...

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Kazak Rota
EspressoNew Products
August 12, 2022 1 Comment

Kazak Rota – The Best Manual Machine You’ve Never Heard Of

As much as I love a classic... pump driven machine, there is nothing quite like the manual espresso maker experience. Each unit is unique in its design, method, and manufacture, but all of them aim for the same outcome: a proper shot of espresso. Over the last few years I've had my hands on quite a...

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Rancilio Silvia Pro X
New ProductsReview
July 29, 2022 1 Comment

Silvia Pro X – Rancilio’s New Generation Of Home Espresso

Rancilio is no stranger to espresso... they've been building machines for 95 years, and put them on home counters in 1997. Over that time the Silvia has become synonymous in home barista circles and is now in its sixth generation.  From the humble single boiler, to today's dual boiler with PID and "soft infusion" the Silvia...

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Grinder Go
GearReview
July 22, 2022 Post a Comment

Grinder Go – Timemore’s Hands-Free Hand Grinder

There must be something in the water... because powered hand grinders seem to be all the rage, or at least I'm getting them in waves. Regardless, here we are, and today we're with Timemore's Grinder Go Advanced. Unlike its close relatives the Slim and Chestnut X this grinder contains a unique twist for a piece of...

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Slayer Shot
EducationEspresso
July 8, 2022 1 Comment

Espresso Anatomy – The Slayer Shot

It may sound intimidating... but the Slayer shot is actually surprisingly gentle since it utilizes a considerable amount of low-pressure pre-infusion, and when I say considerable I mean essentially half the shot time; but I'm getting ahead of myself. As you may already be aware there are many different forms of espresso, the classic double, the...

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Goat Story ARCO
New ProductsReview
July 1, 2022 Post a Comment

Goat Story ARCO – Is It Worth The Wait?

Crowdfunded coffee gear and I have a rocky relationship... there's been ups, downs, and everything in between. That same attitude also translates to hand grinders, which as I've said before aren't really my thing. But the Goat Story ARCO is a little different. It's a hand grinder, but also an electric grinder. It appeals to those...

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Coffee Subscription
CoffeeOpinion
June 24, 2022 1 Comment

Coffee Opinion – Is It Time To Cancel Your Coffee Subscription?

We are in the golden age of the subscription... and you can get nearly any item you want on one. There's pet toys, beard oil, yoga pants, pickles and of course coffee. In theory the idea of  a coffee subscription is great. You can stay stocked without thinking about it and try quality roasters from all...

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Pure Over
GearReview
June 17, 2022 Post a Comment

Pure Over – All Glass, No Filter

A filterless coffee brewer isn't unheard of... but I don't recall any of them using that particular aspect as their main marketing point, and that is where the Pure Over comes into the picture. This relatively new pour over dripper designed by Portland based glass artist Etai Rahmil was originally a Kickstarter that was fully funded...

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Coffee Bar Tour
CoffeeVlog
June 10, 2022 1 Comment

The End Of An Era – Goodbye Linea Mini & Coffee Bar Tour

As you can see, its here! After about four months of waiting only somewhat patiently my new espresso machine has arrived, and it's taken it's rightful place on my home coffee bar! With this brand new addition and future heart of my espresso focused content I thought it would be a good time to not only...

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ECM Synchronika
EspressoGear
June 3, 2022 Post a Comment

ECM Synchronika – German Built By Italian Heritage

Over my time as a home barista... there are a handful of machines that get brought up in nearly every espresso conversation, and one of them is the ECM Synchronika. This makes sense because on paper it's a needle in a haystack. It comes with dual boilers, PID for consistent temperature control, the legendary (but divisive)...

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Coffee Time
CoffeeVlog
May 27, 2022 2 Comments

Coffee Time – I’m Banned From Italy, YouTube Put Me In Therapy, Best Roasters & More

Those ride or die followers may remember... that way back when when I hit the milestone of 100 YouTube videos I did a coffee time question and answer (Q&A) video.  Well, recently I hit 100,000 subscribers and I'm quite a bit over video number 200 so I think I'm a little overdue for another one. To...

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Osma Pro
New ProductsReview
May 20, 2022 Post a Comment

Osma Pro – The Cold Brewed Espresso Machine

When it comes to brew methods... you can't find two as massively different than espresso and cold brew. One takes 24 hours and the other, 24 seconds. So when I saw the Osma I couldn't help but be intrigued. If you aren't familiar, the Osma is essentially a combination of an espresso machine and a cold...

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Lagom P64
GearReview
May 13, 2022 3 Comments

Lagom P64 – The Last Grinder I’ll Ever Buy (Hopefully)

If you're an eagle-eyed viewer... you've maybe noticed a new addition on my bar in some of my recent videos, and that is the Option-O Lagom P64. From a distance it looks like a microscope, but similarly it is intended to magnify the flavors of your coffee...see what I did there?  If you aren't familiar its...

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NextLevel Brewer
CoffeeNew Products
May 6, 2022 Post a Comment

NextLevel Brewer – Is No Bypass The Future Of Brewing?

A humble hand brew... will teach you a lot about brewing good coffee; consistency, grind size, brew time, and how they all correlate, building a solid foundation of knowledge. But one factor still remains more or less a mystery when it comes to traditional pour over designs, and that is water bypass. The term bypass refers to the...

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Gaggia Classic Pro
EspressoGear
April 15, 2022 Post a Comment

Gaggia Classic Pro – Small But Mighty Home Espresso

Getting into home espresso... can be an intimidating experience. There are thousands of options that range in everything from price to performance. Going online in search of answers can can only make the choice harder. Scrolling through forums and blog posts can give you an even mix of horror stories and happy endings, but there is...

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El Rocio Zarre V2
EspressoNew Products
April 1, 2022 Post a Comment

El Rocio Zarre V2 – Two Pump Chump Or Champ?

If you've never heard of... the El Rocio Zarre V2 you wouldn't be alone, its a brand and machine I've only recently been seeing over the past couple months. The main reason for this is El Rocio is a Korean made machine and up until their partnership with Prima Coffee Equipment wasn't available for the US...

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Goat Story Gina
CoffeeGear
March 25, 2022 Post a Comment

Goat Story Gina – Three Brewers In One

As a coffee lover... I've collected a whole grip of gear over the years. If you can brew on it I likely have it, or its on a long list I keep on my phone of future buys. But one thing most of them have in common is they tend to be hyper focused on one...

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Side By Side
GearReview
March 18, 2022 2 Comments

Side By Side – $500 Gaggia Classic Vs. $5,000 Linea Mini

If there is one question... I get asked on a very regular basis it's why a relatively simple espresso machine like the La Marzocco Linea Mini is worth $5,000, and to be honest it's not an easy question to just answer off the cuff. The response I often use is related to cars, because you can...

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Espresso Tools
EducationEspresso
March 11, 2022 Post a Comment

Top Three – Must Have Espresso Tools (2022)

If this title looks familiar... its not just your imagination, its not deja vu, I did a video of the exact same title almost exactly three years ago.  In that time not only has my espresso game evolved, but so has the whole industry along with most of baristas (home and cafe) use on a daily...

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Tamping
EducationEspresso
March 4, 2022 Post a Comment

Espresso Anatomy – Does Tamping Matter?

In the world of espresso... there are very few things that the majority of baristas agree is a necessity, but one of those things I thought we could was tamping, or at the very least adding pressure to your grinds in one way or another. But after a short video of mine exploring one of the...

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Weber Key Unboxing
New ProductsReview
February 11, 2022 Post a Comment

Weber Key – Part I: Unboxing & First Impressions

This may surprise you... but I'm actually very risk adverse. So of course crowd funding isn't really my thing, it feels a bit like a gamble, and when I saw the Weber Workshops Indigogo campaign for the new Key grinder I was a little apprehensive. But I found myself powerless, I had no idea how much...

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Mignon Single Dose
New ProductsReview
January 28, 2022 Post a Comment

Eureka Mignon Single Dose – The Real Niche Killer?

The home grinder market... has more or less exploded with options over the last couple years, many of them single dose, aimed at taking on the current king; the Niche Zero.  Some of them even touted as the "Niche killer", and now Eureka, a grinder company with over one hundred years experience, has entered the battle...

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Water For Espresso
EducationEspresso
January 21, 2022 Post a Comment

Coffee Science – The Best Water For Espresso

I'm sure you have heard... how important water quality can be to your coffee, and unless you're new here you've most likely you've heard it at least a few times from me. Now its something that I understood on a very surface level. For example, too many minerals can create a bitter cup, and too few...

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Kingrinder K3
GearReview
January 14, 2022 Post a Comment

Kingrinder K3 – Can This $100 Hand Grinder Do It All?

It takes a certain type of coffee person... to want to manually hand grind their coffee. It may or may not surprise you, but I'm not that type of coffee person. I've grown very accustomed to my daily ritual using an electric grinder, but the growing popularity of quality hand grinders is hard to ignore. There...

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Linea Mini Ownership
EspressoGear
January 7, 2022 2 Comments

La Marzocco – The Truth About Linea Mini Ownership

On a cold January day in 2017... much like this one, I brought home my brand new La Marzocco Linea Mini. This was almost exactly five years ago, and at the time I was just a new coffee enthusiast looking to learn the craft, but little did I know that it would take me where I...

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Moka Pot
CoffeeTutorial
December 17, 2021 1 Comment

The Moka Pot – The Perfect All-Round Brew Recipe

In a world full of drippers and espresso machines... the humble Moka pot feels like it's a forgotten brew method.  In the specialty coffee circles it's pretty much a four letter word, and you don't see it garnering lots of likes on Instagram or see coffee nerds debating bed preparation on the barista forums. Well, I...

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Americano
EspressoOpinion
December 3, 2021 Post a Comment

Coffee Opinion – The Americano Must Be Stopped

Espresso drinks aren't all that complicated... and even though there is so many you could fill a small book with them, they are made up of two ingredients, espresso and milk or water. In this case I'm talking about the latter, more specifically the Americano, and by association the long black. Now, these two have very...

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Instagram Coffee Trends
CoffeeOpinion
November 26, 2021 Post a Comment

Coffee Time – Testing Out Instagram Coffee Trends

Instagram and I have a love/hate relationship... Of course I see it as a great place to share my work, connect with viewers, and even find inspiration. Yet, on the flip side it has a lot of blatant attention grabs for likes and shares, and many things that are purely for the visual aesthetics and not...

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Latte Art Tips
EspressoTutorial
November 19, 2021 Post a Comment

Top Three – Latte Art Tips To Improve Instantly

Latte art was my first love... when it came to getting into coffee. There's something so appealing and calming to the process, but it is indeed a process. Learning how to consistently steam silky, wet paint-like textured milk was the first step, and that took me years to master. From there a barista's work isn't over....

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BoB Espresso Basket
EspressoNew Products
November 12, 2021 Post a Comment

BoB Espresso Basket – Can This Cheap Upgrade Make Sweeter Shots?

I think it's pretty clear... that there is no shortage of accessories on the espresso aftermarket. Each one claiming better taste here and more extraction there, and I've tried my fair share of these accessories and shared my tests and thoughts. It should be no surprise that not all of them can be winners, but that...

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Fellow Ode
GearReview
November 5, 2021 4 Comments

Fellow Ode – A Bargain Or A Bust?

I'll admit it, I'm late... to the Fellow Ode party, but its definitely not for lack a trying. I've been reaching out to Fellow on multiple avenues trying to get an Ode for review since late 2020. Unfortunately every lead led me to a non-response, a pass off, and one case being purely ignored (see the...

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