I fancy myself a pretty experienced espresso guy... so you can imagine my surprise when a machine landed on my bar that had not once popped up on my radar. The Crossland CC1 is a home-focused, feature dense, and affordable prosumer espresso machine that at a glance looks like a lovechild of two of the biggest...
Making coffee is cathartic. Some people do yoga, some people meditate, I just like to make espresso. There is just something so soothing about the entire process. The meticulous nature of weighing your coffee to the nearest gram and grinding it at a specific RPM. The magical transition from grinds in a portafilter, to syrupy espresso...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
As the year wraps up... it seems like a good time to do a good old fashioned 'ask me anything' video. A lot has gone on since the last one, where I responded to many questions, and even talked about how angry my moka pot recipe has made many Italians. This year's topics appear to be...
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...
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...
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...
The perfect espresso brew pressure... doesn't exist. That's just the truth, but if you search for it that online, you'll quickly find a lot of opinions. Many of those opinions are based on the tradition of a 9 bar extraction, but the source of this number is widely debated. Some say it dates back to some...
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...
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...
After four full weeks of in-depth... coffee content, reviews, and data I was in need of a reset. Plus, I haven't done coffee routine video featuring my morning workflow for some time now, so it felt like the perfect way to get me back into the mindset needed to delve into the last weeks of 2022....
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...
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...
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...
There are endless rabbit holes in coffee... and roasting is one that's been growing in popularity, especially in enthusiast circles. Over the last few years there have been a handful of coffee roasters hitting the market, like the humble Hive, and the mini workhouse the Aillio Bullet, but there's another option that has been finding its way...
On my journey to expand my coffee content... I'm once again trying something new that I lovingly call the Barista Challenge. The game is simple, roll the latte art dice, pour the design, and win some cash. Of course there are some additional multipliers in the mix. For example, if you roll a basic heart, that's...
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...
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...
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...
Coffee people are a fickle bunch... when a hot new piece of gear drops everyone and their cousin's brother's uncle are going on and on about it, but as soon as something else hits the market it's gone as fast as it came. Yet, there's one piece of coffee gear that tends to always maintain a...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
When it comes to brewing coffee... there are a handful of standard variables that all baristas spend their time working within, but one has been relatively untouchable until recently: grinder speed. Over the last few years more and more grinders have hit the market with adjustable speed capabilities. So when I was in the market for...
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...
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...
Do you remember... the days before? The days before March 2020? I do, and it's wild being nostalgic for a time just a few short years ago. Yet, as things began to open up again I wanted to relive one of my favorite experiences of the pre-pandemic days, a coffee crawl. By that I mean, grabbing...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Specialty coffee is already a niche interest... but once you hit a certain level not one coffee enthusiast or hobbyist hasn’t considered roasting their own. Of course the options out there for home roasting are as broad as they are for everything else in coffee, and you can spend as much or as little as you’d...
Getting a new coffee grinder... is often a joyous and exciting experience for every coffee lover, but one thing tends to always hang over our heads as we prepare to grind our first batch; burr seasoning. If you haven't heard of seasoning your grinder burrs you wouldn't be alone, as its not something that everyone has...
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...
When it comes to espresso... there is one variable that I think is undeniable in its importance, and that is an even distribution. Having a puck of coffee grinds that is not only uniform in depth but also in density ensures that when the water pressure is applied the flow rate is equal as it travels...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
