# Manchester coffee



## mrmike1

Hi everyone

Looks like a great forum and am happy to be here.

About my coffee history-

I had my first espresso in Arizona as an accident after walking into a cafe and not knowing what I was ordering. After that my coffee journey began. I went to Poland for Uni where I had a few machines that broke and ended up getting a Saeco Barista (it was the best home machine you could have bought in Poland at that time). I started off with the pre-ground stuff and went whole bean after finding a cheap burr grinder. At that time, I ditched the pressure porta-filter and modding the grinder to make an "espresso" grind. It was more powder that espresso grind.

I joined coffeegeek and learned more about espresso. At that time, I managed to get an Innova (before they changed to Ascaso) I2 grinder with a power converter that my dad got for me from State side. It was on offer and as a poor student, it was a nice treat. It was a monster and it was perfect timing as the mod on the cheap burr grinder burned it out. Going from 60hz to 50hz meant that the motor ran slower on the I2, but it worked out.

I became fed up with the pre-bagged beans avaiable at the time and ventured into coffee roasting. I had my first green beans mailed to me from the States. I experimented with a popcorn machine and it worked until that burned out. Than I switched to the dog bowl method and coffee was good. I had to stop roasting in view of living in a small flat and had to be considerate to others.

Nonetheless, I wanted a better latte. I learned about PID'ing the Saeco and managed to order everything abroad and it came. With the great guys at coffeegeek, I was set until I realized my SSR was a dud. One member mailed me a new SSR and I always remember his good gesture.

I finished Uni and had the choice of going back to the States or the UK. I ended up in the Northwest and first order of business was to buy a Gaggia Classic with the new Ascaso I-mini (all I could afford at that time). Time went buy and I PID'ed the Gaggia with an Auberins, changed the I-mini to an Eureka (thanks Bella Barista for a great deal). I switched to a naked porta-filter and just recently changed my basket.

A hx-machine is in the future but need to save up. For now, I'm planning on changing the dispersion screen to brass.

I enjoy coffee!

Now that I reflect and write this, it's crazy that I can summarize my coffee journey (15 years) in a few lines. Maybe its the latte talking, as I sip and enjoy on a beautiful Manchester day, but life is too short to let things pass by. Avoid crap and enjoy everything on this ride









I'm happy to be here. I've given up on coffeegeek as it is focused on the American market, I don't live there anymore. I've lived in the UK since 2008 and its time I join a UK coffee forum.

Looking forward to meeting some great people on this site.

Take care for now!


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## Mrboots2u

Hello and welcome to the forum.....

A few of us living around the North . Some in Manchester, Preston, I'm in Lancaster myself.

Few good cafes in Manchester to choose from , which ones do you go to ?


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## Kyle548

Welcome.

Hopefully soon we will have enough members for a NW coffee day.


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## Mrboots2u

Kyle548 said:


> Welcome.
> 
> Hopefully soon we will have enough members for a NW coffee day.


Got enough already ,manchester cafe crawl and beers are needed.......


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## Kyle548

Now you have got me wondering what alcohol made from fermented coffee would be like.

I guess you would need to distil it....


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## Mrboots2u

Some of you Mancs need to organise something ..... Lancaster doesn't have enough cafes to keep us occupied....


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## ronsil

Welcome to the Forum. I hope you will enjoy being here.

Some good coffee spots around Manchester now. Have you found a favourite. What part of Manchester do you live?


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## mrmike1

Mrboots2u said:


> Hello and welcome to the forum.....
> 
> A few of us living around the North . Some in Manchester, Preston, I'm in Lancaster myself.
> 
> Few good cafes in Manchester to choose from , which ones do you go to ?


Mostly Northern Quarter. Vivid Lounge, Fig and Sparrow, and Revolution are some decent cafes that my wife and I visit occasionally.


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## Kyle548

Mrboots2u said:


> Some of you Mancs need to organise something ..... Lancaster doesn't have enough cafes to keep us occupied....


You threatening a raid?


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## mrmike1

Kyle548 said:


> Welcome.
> 
> Hopefully soon we will have enough members for a NW coffee day.


That would be cool. Coffee and later a meal!


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## Mrboots2u

Kyle548 said:


> You threatening a raid?


Im sure i could be convinced to attend a Manc meeting if it fitted in with work and childcare.......

I dont know Machester in the slightest though , so I'm not putting my hand up to organise one....


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## mrmike1

Mrboots2u said:


> Got enough already ,manchester cafe crawl and beers are needed.......


There's alot in the Northern Quarter. Heard Fringe is good and my favourite, the Micro Brewery in the Arndale Market! (We drink mostly ciders!)


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## mrmike1

I live in Ancoats, errr New Islington lol


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## Kyle548

I don't really know, as I don't get out to the city centre much.


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## mrmike1

Kyle548 said:


> Now you have got me wondering what alcohol made from fermented coffee would be like.
> 
> I guess you would need to distil it....


Last year around this time, there was a Kahlua Pop-up bar/ restaurant where the Market Street Restaurant was. All their drinks were with Kahlua and/ or espresso. Afterwards, they took us upstairs and had a Kahlua/ coffee presentation. It was very cool! Buzzed all night though


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## Kyle548

Ancoats, I live up in Newton Heath.


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## mrmike1

Newton Heath is quite close- What cafes do you enjoy?


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## mrmike1

Wow, you guys make me feel right at home! Thanks for all the support so far


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## Kyle548

I don't really get out to cafés.

I don't see the point, mostly.


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## Mrboots2u

Kyle548 said:


> I don't really get out to cafés.
> 
> I don't see the point, mostly.


To see other people and try other drinks ......


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## aaronb

mrmike1 said:


> Mostly Northern Quarter. Vivid Lounge, Fig and Sparrow, and Revolution are some decent cafes that my wife and I visit occasionally.


Try North Tea Power, amazing coffee.


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## mrmike1

Exactly, to see other people! But you are right, most cafes don't dial in their grinds resulting in not so great coffee. But the atmosphere and buzz makes it worth while.


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## Kyle548

Mrboots2u said:


> To see other people and try other drinks ......


Other.....people?

Other........drinks?...???......

You so silly boots.



aaronb said:


> Try North Tea Power, amazing coffee.


Yea, their v60 is good.

Espresso is hit and miss - but not awful.


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## mrmike1

Havn't been to NTP yet- might hit it up sometime


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## Mrboots2u

I occasionally talk to people face to face, and sometimes on the phone rather then on the internet ...

I would recommend it Kyle....you do have to go out to places to do this though, unless you want to talk to Jehovahs witnesses and the postman ...


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## aaronb

mrmike1 said:


> Havn't been to NTP yet- might hit it up sometime


You should, really high quality of coffee.


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## Kyle548

Mrboots2u said:


> I occasionally talk to people face to face, and sometimes on the phone rather then on the internet ...
> 
> I would recommend it Kyle....you do have to go out to places to do this though, unless you want to talk to Jehovahs witnesses and the postman ...


I'm outside right now.

My garden counts as outside.

I mean, I went though a door and everything.

Totally counts.

Yea.

Eat it boots.


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## Mrboots2u

Kyle548 said:


> I'm outside right now.
> 
> My garden counts as outside.
> 
> I mean, I went though a door and everything.
> 
> Totally counts.
> 
> Yea.
> 
> Eat it boots.


Are you in your outfit.....







Talking to your smaller friends....

View attachment 6662


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## Kyle548

Mrboots2u said:


> Are you in your outfit.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Talking to your smaller friends....
> 
> View attachment 6662


Sadly, like the witnesses, the gnomes stopped coming too.

....

.......

..........

I order things, just so I can see the post man.


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## Charliej

Hey Bootsy leave Kyle alone I met up with him a few weeks ago at NTP after my solo Mancunian Cafe Crawl, so he does get out sometimes lol. Now if you lived in a coffee desert like Chorley I could understand the not going out for a coffee occasionally but as Central Manchester has at least 4 cafes I know of and would say are as good as the ones we visited in Brum.


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## The Systemic Kid

aaronb said:


> Try North Tea Power, amazing coffee.


Plus one for Caffeine and Co and Takk.


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## Kyle548

I was thinking of going to caffeine and co today to check it out, but ended up cleaning instead.


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## The Systemic Kid

Kyle548 said:


> I was thinking of going to caffeine and co today to check it out, but ended up cleaning instead.


That's perverse - no - it's masochistic!......actually, it's both. Get a grip man


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## Kyle548

The Systemic Kid said:


> That's perverse - no - it's masochistic!......actually, it's both. Get a grip man


I'm actually afraid to go outside.

Now that my house is tidy, I don't have to.


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## The Systemic Kid

Oh dear, you need help. How about putting together a Manchester crawl?

Do you know the pop place somewhere near the Cathedral? Olly at Caffeine and Co told me about it.


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## Kyle548

The Systemic Kid said:


> Oh dear, you need help. How about putting together a Manchester crawl?
> 
> Do you know the pop place somewhere near the Cathedral? Olly at Caffeine and Co told me about it.


Pop place?

Will need to be a little more specific if I'm to google that.


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## mrmike1

Food and drink?


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## Kyle548

If you mean the pop cafe (fab cafe? Or is that a different place?) that sells a bunch of "retro" stuff near Piccadilly, then I know it.

Never had a coffee there though.


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## trebor127

Manchester day would be good...


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## Charliej

It's some pop up place over near the cathedral CC mentioned on my day out in Manchester thread. It's in a specially constructed wooden cabin/pod I believe.


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## Kyle548

Charliej said:


> It's some pop up place over near the cathedral CC mentioned on my day out in Manchester thread. It's in a specially constructed wooden cabin/pod I believe.


Oh, that place.

Yea, I've heard of it.


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## The Systemic Kid

Must check it out next time Im in Madchester.


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## rmcgandara

Charliej said:


> It's some pop up place over near the cathedral CC mentioned on my day out in Manchester thread. It's in a specially constructed wooden cabin/pod I believe.


you talking about Grindsmiths (http://www.grindsmith.com/). don't think they are a "pop up place". Great guys, they bought their grinder from CC. They serve The Coffee Circle beans with some guests from Atkinsons, They are also doing v60 drip and shyphon (they bought the old atkinsons shyphon bar). As you can see in their website they do espresso on a single group GS3.


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## rmcgandara

as for Manchester coffee apart from the usual suspects: North Tea Power, Takk, Caffeine and Co and Grindsmiths, there are not many more places that put coffee up their in their USP. There is a new place in the green quarter - Redbank co (https://twitter.com/RedbankCo). If you venture outside the city centre you can you might find a couple of other places. my favorite goes to Coffee Fix in Gatley, also there is a Mono in chorlton (fancy new marzocco and serving coffee from new kids on the roasting block - PassionFruit Coffee Roasters)..


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## Kyle548

The roaster mancoco doesn't serve coffee, but if your going to buy beans he will do cuppings. It's quite close to c&c I think, right outside no 1 first street.


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## The Systemic Kid

rmcgandara said:


> you talking about Grindsmiths (http://www.grindsmith.com/). don't think they are a "pop up place". Great guys, they bought their grinder from CC. They serve The Coffee Circle beans with some guests from Atkinsons, They are also doing v60 drip and shyphon (they bought the old atkinsons shyphon bar). As you can see in their website they do espresso on a single group GS3.


Will check out Grindsmith next time I'm over.


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