# Am I in a rut?



## No big name! (Oct 25, 2012)

Folks,

Having trodden a well-worn path starting from a Gaggia Classic, eventually arriving at a Rocket Giotto Evo 2 (paired with a Mazzer SJ), I'm finding myself a bit unimpressed with my brews...

It wasn't always like this. I really enjoyed what I produced with the Classic, until I bettered it with the Rocket. I even had a Fracino commercial inbetween, which could knock out consistently good espresso and steam all day, but it was too big for the home.

I have tried various beans, but tend to drink with milk and so avoid the citrus/fruit favour notes and settled on Rave's Italian Job.

Now this is a good priced bean, but I'm becoming a bit dissatisfied with my drink. Dunno if the 'wow' factor of ever increasing quality has plateau'd out.... Or perhaps my method has become a bit sloppy....

Anyone else experienced this?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Change coffee , there are tons of great ones out there , that could satisfy your non citrus tasting preference.....re you drinking italian job - is it coz its good value , or coz at one point you thought it was amazing ?


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

italian job didnt do it for me, does for loads of others, but not for everyone, like boots says try something else, a while world of great coffee to try out there.

What are you looking for in your drinks, milky ones only, what do you want to cut through the milk?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

froggystyle said:


> italian job didnt do it for me, does for loads of others, but not for everyone, like boots says try something else, a while world of great coffee to try out there.
> 
> What are you looking for in your drinks, milky ones only, what do you want to cut through the milk?


Didnt do it for me either , robusta blend









Change coffees

then look at how your brewing it ( scales , extractions , etc )


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

This has done great things in milk for me, said it before on here, bean of the year for me in milk, really cuts through, nice and creamy, no robusta *acckkyyness to it!

http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/america/products/bolivia-uchumachi-washed

*acckkyyness is not a true word, i made it up.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

@froggystyle

Added to my ever growing list of beans I plan to try, based on your high praise of them.

Thanks.


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## No big name! (Oct 25, 2012)

Mrboots2u said:


> Change coffee , there are tons of great ones out there , that could satisfy your non citrus tasting preference.....re you drinking italian job - is it coz its good value , or coz at one point you thought it was amazing ?


Both really.... I happened upon it because a few people recommended it and it was cheap. When I first tried it I thought it was great, but my enthusiasm is lessening.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Robusta indeed : My tasting notes included tinned tuna and ashtrays


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Stick with the same bean and you will get bored of it, just like food, beer, wine...ect ect... i did 1.5kg of the one i linked, that will beit for me now for a good while as i dont want to get bored of it.

Mix it up, plenty of the decent roaster have tasting notes on the sites.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

froggystyle said:


> This has done great things in milk for me, said it before on here, bean of the year for me in milk, really cuts through, nice and creamy, no robusta *acckkyyness to it!
> 
> http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/america/products/bolivia-uchumachi-washed
> 
> *acckkyyness is not a true word, i made it up.


This is a good shout but perhaps a touch bright for such a transition. Id recommend Brasil - Passeo Rubi Pulped Natural or Cachoeira Yellow Bourbon PN


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## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

garydyke1 said:


> ?...My tasting notes included tinned tuna and ashtrays


Yeewwwwwwww! Eughch! That's a thought I'm never going to get rid of.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I originally started out with the intention of finding 'my perfect bean' and sticking to it. Then the journey became the destination and, like Bono, I still haven't found what I'm looking forrrrrrrrr, but enjoying all the different tastes along the way. If you are starting to maybe get bored of IJ, maybe it's worth getting your name in early for next quarters DSOL?


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## No big name! (Oct 25, 2012)

froggystyle said:


> This has done great things in milk for me, said it before on here, bean of the year for me in milk, really cuts through, nice and creamy, no robusta *acckkyyness to it!
> 
> http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/america/products/bolivia-uchumachi-washed
> 
> *acckkyyness is not a true word, i made it up.


That seems to tick my boxes, thanks for the recommendation - I'll put it on my shortlist


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## No big name! (Oct 25, 2012)

garydyke1 said:


> This is a good shout but perhaps a touch bright for such a transition. Id recommend Brasil - Passeo Rubi Pulped Natural or Cachoeira Yellow Bourbon PN


Point taken - will add to shortlist also, and compare tasting notes etc.


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

I totally feel the same as OP - but just switched coffees - so in spite of using 100g dialling in I hope things improve in the excitement stakes.

Otherwise I'm going to offer the rocket and mythos for swap (for an ashtray and tin of tuna...)


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

jonc said:


> I totally feel the same as OP - but just switched coffees - so in spite of using 100g dialling in I hope things improve in the excitement stakes.
> 
> Otherwise I'm going to offer the rocket and mythos for swap (for an ashtray and tin of tuna...)


100g = what £3.00 of coffee max?

Versus what you spend in gear is insignificant


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

garydyke1 said:


> This is a good shout but perhaps a touch bright for such a transition. Id recommend Brasil - Passeo Rubi Pulped Natural or Cachoeira Yellow Bourbon PN


i think he will benefit from something a touch bright, not full on boots bright, but a little more than the usual coffee/nuts/caramel stuff..


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Mrboots2u said:


> 100g = what £3.00 of coffee max?
> 
> Versus what you spend in gear is insignificant


You think I'm a £30/kilo man. No no no. Probably £1.50 worth.

P.s my kit was very cheap.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

froggystyle said:


> i think he will benefit from something a touch bright, not full on boots bright, but a little more than the usual coffee/nuts/caramel stuff..


Yeah i only drink third wave orange juice


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

Mrboots2u said:


> Yeah i only drink third wave orange juice


No kale?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

jonc said:


> You think I'm a £30/kilo man. No no no. Probably £1.50 worth.
> 
> P.s my kit was very cheap.


Should have more to spend on coffee then ......


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Two kids. One income. Self employment. Donations are welcome.


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## No big name! (Oct 25, 2012)

In response to a PM received, as well as replies on the thread:

Thanks for the recommendations. I've tried one of these (Signature) and didn't think much of it. That said, I wasn't very good at making coffee back then, so may not have had the best trial of it.

Universal advice so far seems to be try some different beans, so I will have a crack at a few and report back.

Cheers,

NBN


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Mrboots2u said:


> Yeah i only drink third wave orange juice


Dont you will start DFK off with another idea!!


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Yeah. I'm actually drinking third wave orange juice mixed with jasmine infused tonic right now. You think I'm joking... (no coffee involved this time).


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Must say I wasnt overly impressed with Italian Job either, it was nice dont get me wrong, but didnt seem much if any an improvement over the laVazza we usually drink. I did think their Signature blend was slightly better and their Columbian Suarez much better which proved the point of you get what you pay for for us. We both like milk and sweetener in our coffee.

But budget doesnt allow for the continued consumption of these more expensive beans.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> Must say I wasnt overly impressed with Italian Job either, it was nice dont get me wrong, but didnt seem much if any an improvement over the laVazza we usually drink. I did think their Signature blend was slightly better and their Columbian Suarez much better which proved the point of you get what you pay for for us. We both like milk and sweetener in our coffee.
> 
> But budget doesnt allow for the continued consumption of these more expensive beans.


Suarez is £4.20?


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## Mr O (Jan 14, 2015)

froggystyle said:


> This has done great things in milk for me, said it before on here, bean of the year for me in milk, really cuts through, nice and creamy, no robusta *acckkyyness to it!
> 
> http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/america/products/bolivia-uchumachi-washed
> 
> *acckkyyness is not a true word, i made it up.


These are great as espresso too.

Regarding the Rave IJ, i used to like it, but that's not the case anymore....


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## No big name! (Oct 25, 2012)

Just placed small order with Hasbean for some Brazil Fazenda da Grama blah blah blah etc....

Picked at random from the 3 or 4 suggestions above. If I detect any objective improvement in my cup, I'll work my way through the other suggested beans..

Kinda like my own little DSOL...

Cheers,

NBN


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## Mr O (Jan 14, 2015)

I'm drinking:

Has Bean

BRAZIL

Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama

Natural

Yellow Burbon

at the mo and that too is very good....


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## Pompeyexile (Dec 2, 2013)

I have the solution!

You obviously need to get back to your roots, you're missing the challenge, uncertainty and sheer hard work needed to produce a good shot that comes with owning a more basic setup.

In other words 'Youve got it too easy!

So what I suggest is you swap your setup with mine, a Gaggia Classic and Brasilia Grinder.

I know, I know, please......there really is no need to thank me. True that's the kind of unselfish thoroughly decent sort of chap I am. But hey! You're a Coffee Forum's UK member, you're one of us after all. It's the least I could do.


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Mrboots2u said:


> Suarez is £4.20?


Correct.

I would never just buy 250g of coffee because of the postage cost involved so have to make a purchase of £25.

Suarez cost £3.50 more per kilo than italian job so I would only have 2 kilos of suarez compared 3 kilos of italian job for £3.5 more spent, for us, its simple economics, and we didnt think it was worth that much more.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> Correct.
> 
> I would never just buy 250g of coffee because of the postage cost involved so have to make a purchase of £25.
> 
> Suarez cost £3.50 more per kilo than italian job so I would only have 2 kilos of suarez compared 3 kilos of italian job for £3.5 more spent, for us, its simple economics, and we didnt think it was worth that much more.


Instant would be cheaper still


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