# Finally, it's here



## m4lcs67 (Mar 16, 2014)

After much deliberating my new grinder has landed. Detailed pics and review to follow once my beans have arrived.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Nice one malc.

Get grinding son!


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Brilliant - I'm still in mignon envy but getting closer to resolving the envy.


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## m4lcs67 (Mar 16, 2014)

Oh yeahhhh

What initially struck me was how quiet it is. Well that is without any beans in. I'm pretty sure the volume will go up once it has some beans in it. The gloss black looks great against my Classic.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Have you not got any beans to season the burrs?


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Malc, are you going to keep us updated with progress - it might only be me that's interested but interested I am.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

froggystyle said:


> Have you not got any beans to season the burrs?


 What do you have to do to season the burrs and will cheap beans do?


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Have read you can use uncooked rice, but i am sure someone else can comment further on that?

Iagine any beans will do, you could buy a shed load of robusta beans as they tend to be cheaper than decent beans, or put up a wanted ad for stale beans on here!

I have about 1kg of stale beans, but i am saving these for when i need to do the same!


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Phil104 said:


> Malc, are you going to keep us updated with progress - it might only be me that's interested but interested I am.


I would very interested in your review also Malc, i need to pick up a new grinder soon and really like the design on this one, plus the price!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I always liked the gloss black (my wife likes the red of course). Don't put rice through the grinder, it was never designed to grind rice and rice should never be put through any grinder.


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## m4lcs67 (Mar 16, 2014)

Yeah. I will certainly keep you posted as to how it progresses. My local supermarket it only a five minute drive away, so I might see what they have as a cheap way of running it in. No point in using good ones when all you are doing is throwing them away. On average how many beans do you need to put through a new grinder to season it??? I always wondered


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

I wouldnt do supermarket beans, will cost a bomb.

Try bulk beans online, say http://www.discountcoffee.co.uk/collections/coffee-bean-case-deals


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

How many kgs are required to season the burrs?


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## Gangstarrrrr (Mar 4, 2013)

I'd simply season as you go along, in that the burrs will bed down with normal day to day use. You will get spritzers and a bit of inconsistency at the start but it's bearable IMO.


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## m4lcs67 (Mar 16, 2014)

Well I couldn't curb my enthusiasm. Have been out to my local supermarket and bough a couple of bags of their own brand beans to get things going. Initially I sat down with the manual and absorbed it. Pretty unusual for me as I get stuck straight in most times. Firstly I put half a bag in the hopper and set it going to see where the dial setting was left from the factory. That does seem to be a bit of an irritant with the Mignon. There are numbers on the dial, but there isn't a stop line on the grinder body to set the dial to so I have decided to use the corner angle of the grinder body as my reference point. Well I pumped out some coffee into a plastic cup and had a look at it's consistency and it was rather coarse. Would have done for a cafetiere, but certainly not for espresso, so I moved it along a couple more notches and we were getting somewhere. I actually decided to brew with this coffee, so I weighed it out into the portafilter, tamped it in then made some coffee. It did come out pretty fast, so I discarded the coffee and adjusted the machine again. (this time one more notch to the finer setting) and made a couple of coffees. Cappuccinos to be precise. One for me and one for my wife. Well the timing was pretty much spot on and it looked good. Steamed some milk for the cappos and put everything together. Remarkably they did taste pretty good actually and that surely must be down to the fact that I was making the coffee with freshly ground beans.

I am looking forward to the imminent arrival of my first batch from Rave. That is where my whole coffee experience should go into the stratosphere. Will keep you posted. Until next time...........


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## Mouse (Feb 28, 2014)

Great news Malc - Fingers crossed your Rave order turns up tomorrow!!


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Malc, I think your experiments with the Mignon will deserve its own blog but failing that - it's fascinating to read on this thread how you're approaching it and the results that you're getting. Thank you.


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## m4lcs67 (Mar 16, 2014)

No worries, Phil. I am finding it really enjoyable. No sign of the postie yet. Not only am I waiting on the Rave beans, but I ordered a couple of Bodum double walled glasses off Amazon after some recommendations on the forum. They should be here any day as well.

I have had a play this morning and have had a play with the on-board timer on the grinder. I pretty much had to work things out for myself though as the instructions are pretty poor, but also the starting position for the dial is in a strange spot. Well after a few minutes tinkering I have fathomed it out. There are no numbers on it either so you don't have a reference point. Ultimately it is down to you to work it out. Well I have now, so no drama.

For this batch of beans I am using at the mo, I have the grinder setting pretty much bang on at the mo. 15g in, 26g out in 24-25 seconds. Will have a bit more of a play around later.

Coming away from the grinder for a moment, I made the best texturised milk I have done so far, this morning. Silky, glossy, lush and rich. Even though I say it myself It was sublime. I only wish I could do it every time. I'll keep practicing.

The Cappuccinos that I made this morning were well received from my wife, so I must be doing something right.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Good on ya Malc, don't forget to rest those rave beans though, if they were roasted yesterday you should leave them till Sunday at least, Tuesday next week would be better.

Sit on your hands if you have to!


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## m4lcs67 (Mar 16, 2014)

Will do, buddy. Gonna be tough though. The place where I have had my coffee ground over the past few weeks sell whole bean Coopers Louie Mio which is very nice. They use it in their coffee shop and it is the same as I have had ground. I might see how much a 1kg bag is and see when it was roasted. May go for one of those for the time being. We'll see.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

May aswell mate, ask if they have anything roasted last week, should keep you going till the rave are ready.

How many kgs did you get from rave?


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## m4lcs67 (Mar 16, 2014)

Yeah, definitely. I only ordered 500g off Rave. Pretty sure I dropped a clanger with that one. Should have been 1kg at least, but I suppose by getting small quantities of different beans I get to try lots of different ones without spending a fortune to begin with. I'll then get to know what I like and get bigger amounts then.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Suggest you get another order on now, given that 500g will not last long with a new toy to play with!


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

Malc, have you thought of checking out Limini, only in Bradford, with the feeling that if you like Rave signature you should consider Monsooned Malabar or even Limini blend as they have similar characteristics.

Ian


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## m4lcs67 (Mar 16, 2014)

Thanks Ian. Limini are only 6-7 miles from where I live, so I could call down and see them in person. My Rave has arrived along with my Bodum Pavina thermal glasses, so Now my set-up is now complete. all that remains now is to work my way through all the different varieties of beans and roasters. Let the tasting commence!!!!!!


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## m4lcs67 (Mar 16, 2014)

The beans were roasted on the 19th May (two days ago), so what would be the recommended rest period?


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## EWCC (Mar 27, 2014)

10 days best, 7 days at least if you can't wait that long.


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