I went with my buddy to their shop three years ago. Had a tantalizing pour over and a good espresso. I’ve only had one bag from them and that was years ago from a fellow drop.
Enjoy! I'd try the Aviary recipe linked here as a starting point for your own coffee and tweak it from there (assuming you're using lighter roast coffee) https://share-h5.xbloom.com/?id=tEjl/gRLYd14xA1LvmAkxA==
For a non-snob would this be worth the investment: https://www.amazon.com/Ninja-Integrated-Hands-Free-Cappuccinos-ES601/dp/B0D45PK5V4 Coffee quality and longevity the machine seem to be questionable.
It’s so relatively new I don’t know what to think. I just want a machine for idiots like myself that won’t break down in 2 years.
Got a new hand grinder and it came with this little reference card of visual grind sizes to it's measured size (microns, maybe)? That $.50 addition has me enamoured
If it came wth the grinder, those micron readings are the burr gap most likely and not grind size so you may want to confirm that. Each grinder's going to have their own wya to mount burrs & the burr gap won't translate as a result.
Think this one's actually a reference chart, but let's talk about it. It's actually a neat little pour over grinder - little known here, but apparently popular in asia as something very similar to the popular comandante c40 Pretty shitty pic, but had to do it discreetly. Couldn't risk my wife seeing me take pics of coffee cards on sexin' Saturday®
pratyk tell me about the 3d printed melodrip holder. You printed or bought it. You use it with any/all of the xbloom pour patterns?
I used Craft Cloud to print the files & used some 3m tape + zip tie to secure the square base in - the melodrip holder itself slides out. I tinkered around a bit but i don't think i've taken it off for the last few months. https://www.printables.com/model/937649-xbloom-studio-modular-shower-screen-holder
Dialed this one in on the Aviary recipe today and it’s great. I’m enjoying the different pods and seeing the recipes the roasters use too. Can’t stock them long term due to cost but something to try every once in a while.
Pulled espresso shots for the first time in 3-4 months and I had a senior moment trying to remember my typical grind setting range and shot pressure / volume. I had to dig up bean explorer to jog my memory. Now waiting for the part to fix my steam boiler and I’m complete.
Since I’ve gone away from daily espresso, I don’t know how I kept up with where I was with different beans. Not sure where you got this Aviary xbloom recipe, but it’s nice. I’ve tried prob half a dozen other light roast recipes, including from the xbloom specialty roast guy, and this is the one so far. Didn’t know much about them before that but saw Christopher Feran had another recipe that looks like it’s for a 3rd party dripper, maybe v60 but no sure. https://share-h5.xbloom.com/?id=9EvH9mTldI3NaCM1NJX/Cw== Have you tried beans from Aviary?
I got the recipe from Feran himself :) He usually (or used to?) posts on the Espresso Afficianos Discord but he had shared the link with me when i hit him up on instagram after seeing him post about it. Yes - i've tried 2 or 3 Aviary beans and they were pretty good to great, inc. the first batch he had roasted for the backers. The pricing and scarcity doesn't help them get into my regular rotation.
Grabbed this set https://littlewaves.coffee/collections/peakcollection/products/quindio-paradise-set-colombia Also changed my LW sub to roasters choice, and started the same for Black & White. Botz is dropping beans on Sun.
You may have a different experience, but I stopped using B&W's roaster's choice because it seemed like every month, I had one banger and one bag that was boring. I also got the same shipment twice in a row once. Now I just pay a little more and pick my own bags.
I agree. In general, there are only a few roasters whom Id rely on to do a good job across multiple bags. I’ve had good experience with H&S and September in terms of consistent picks. Sey, etc. were always a bit of a gamble.
I’m just doing one bag from each. Every 4 weeks for LW and every 6 for BW. Then filling in with other purchases from wherever.
Here's hoping that he can start roasting in bigger batches (whenever he figures out his new roaster) & more consistently in terms of output and stops trying to get into green buying.
I tend to mostly buy light roasts with some kind of funky element to it. Hoping buying those direct and then doing two local roasters choice at max frequency will introduce me to some surprises I wouldn’t usually buy.
That's what bugged me about b&w. I probably got 16-20 bags with the roaster select, and maybe 1 or 2 were on the high funk list.
What else do I need to buy in addition to the Bambino Plus? I basically want to make iced lattes and espresso martinis.
You'll want to get a good tamper (I like normcore) and a wdt tool. Other nice to haves are a tamper mat and a portafilter funnel. If you find that you get channelling (coffee sprays everywhere), I've found that a paper filter on the bottom fixes it completely. I use good brothers as the supplier
Perc may have overtaken SW as my favorite bang for buck roaster. They do 31% off every month (can't remember if it's the 13th or 14th).
I’ve been better at saving some of the beans to try later. This one already sat about 2 weeks or so before I opened it this week. Might try like a cup or two a week since the xbloom is so consistent
I wouldn’t touch his light roasts for more than three weeks and his ultra-lights for four to five weeks. However, I do pop them on the earlier side to observe how they change.. If they look like they need more rest, I go a bit coarser for pour-over. But for espresso, before tamping and pulling a shot, I grind the beans and let them sit for a bit.
The resting idea has been a real revelation in my coffee buying. I used to only get a bag or two at a time to avoid something going stale, but now it's easy to add an anaerobic/ultralight or two to an order knowing that they'll be peaking after I finish something more traditional m
You all taught me that. I’ve blown through bags before without being patient enough. This is good stuff. I need to use my espresso stuff more often, and have never let anything rest after grinding. How long do you let them rest before tamping?
I've seen people say that it's best to degas a sealed bag, but in practice I personally haven't noticed any difference. I usually wait 2 weeks sealed and then open and have a cup here and there as it gets better
If it feels too fresh on the shot, maybe 5 mins the next time I grind them. I don’t have to do it often but every now and then, I end up with no pre-rested bags. But that’s more on the ultralights
I have the issue of too many bags arriving. I paused one subscription and may do that with another. Then I’ll get tempted by one of those text daily deals and I still add to my stock lol
I'm working on 3 open bags, not including my single dose vials of espresso beans in the freezer. And recently the thought of getting into decaf has been creeping in like the george clooney peeking gif