# My first ever coffee bar, by Neil age 58 1/4



## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Hi all newbie coffee drinker/maker here with first attempt at a home espresso station lodged in a corner of the kitchen, nothing particularly new and exciting for all you experts who know what you're doing with posh Italian-named machines and stuff but we love it and it's way more sophisticated than anything we've ever had before and gives us loads of things to play with as we learn









It's all about a week old and I have some ideas for organising it a bit better especially coffee storage, glassware and the barista cloths (not really cool hanging on the cupboards knobs really) as well as making room for the inevitable upgrade to Niche grinder and who-knows-what shiny classic espresso machine in future







I can tell I'm now addicted because I've got a real hankering for a shiny ECM Tamper Station to sit on our tamping mat, which has got to be the most expensive lump of metal adornment I've ever come across but for some reason I'm irrationally attracted to it...


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Congratulations on your setup, you have made a good start on your coffee journey. You are obviously in the right place as most forum members are OCD. and have this compulsion to collect bright shiny coffee paraphernalia .


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Thanks! Must be some sort of collective magpie syndrome


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

I need a set of scales that doesn't cost as much as that grinder in the photo, any suggestions?


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## Rogue_Coffee (Mar 23, 2015)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coffee-Gear-Portafilter-Bench-Scale/dp/B01C568TT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519770066&sr=8-1&keywords=coffee+gear+scales

These work well, used them for espresso before, and they don't break the bank. Might be able to get them cheaper if you look around.


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## Dumnorix (Dec 29, 2017)

Great set up- I too have the Sage dual boiler- now I know that there are at least 2 in Somerset (I like your spelling!)

I too have used Beanshot in the past- do you have a favourite?

All the best with the DB- I am certainly enjoying mine!


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Dumnorix said:


> Great set up- I too have the Sage dual boiler- now I know that there are at least 2 in Somerset (I like your spelling!)
> 
> I too have used Beanshot in the past- do you have a favourite?
> 
> All the best with the DB- I am certainly enjoying mine!


DB's are gert lush!







Glad you're happy with yours that's very reassuring no need for spanner's and suchlike to make a coffee then?

Too new to it all to have a favourite Beanshot blend yet, we have their current taster 3-pack to try out, roasted 21/02 so just ready to grind from tomorrow (in the nick of time too because we're nearly out of the Exe(cellent) Coffee Neighbourhood blend which we've both found delicious). We'll work through the Beanshot packs and let you know what we think, although I'm inclined to follow Reiss' advice and buy a kilo or two of one bean/s and refine my latent but soon-to-be-awesome shot-pulling skills


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## Dumnorix (Dec 29, 2017)

Great, will look forward to hear how the Beanshot is- I had some good Ethiopian from there a while back. Have just ordered some coffee from Clifton Roasters in Bristol- they have a Chinese single origin which looks quite interesting...

I've got reasonable at shots but am still rubbish at milk, so when I have a bit more time I will buy a massive vat of milk and practise that!


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Dumnorix said:


> Great, will look forward to hear how the Beanshot is- I had some good Ethiopian from there a while back. Have just ordered some coffee from Clifton Roasters in Bristol- they have a Chinese single origin which looks quite interesting...
> 
> I've got reasonable at shots but am still rubbish at milk, so when I have a bit more time I will buy a massive vat of milk and practise that!


Had the Fuyan (from a different roaster) recently & it's a tasty bean.

You can practice frothing with water & a drop of washing up liquid if you don't want to waste milk.


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

I can make lots of foam but that seems to be the problem no subtlety just bang huge globs of it more like whipped cream which makes the latte art a formidable challenge unless I resort to a trowel.

I also have a low pain threshold so when they say stop the steam when it's too hot to hold the jug I do but then Wifey complains it's only luke warm.

So my milk challenges are - think latte not Mr Whippy and buy some welding gloves from the barista store.


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

Look up temptags which stick on the outside of the jug, can't go wrong with them. Bella Barista sell them and @Glenn is the importer if that helps

John


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Thanks John I thought there must be something like that around


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## Banjoman (Apr 18, 2017)

Love your coffee corner and this bit of your story particularly: "... the most expensive lump of metal adornment I've ever come across but for some reason I'm irrationally attracted to it..." - speaks for many of us I'm sure!

I used to live in lovely Somerset (apologies for the foreign spelling) and missing it!

By the way, in case you didn't know - THE SNOW'S ON THE WAY!!!


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Snow, pah!, believe it when I see it - there were gert big flakes floating around yesterday but none had the nerve to stick around.

Coffee corner will evolve a bit methinks I feel the grinder should be to the left of the DB as it more naturally follows a process flow however there is a great pile of unsightly recycling in the way conveniently out of camera shot that will need to be dealt with by the teenage eco-fairies once I've ripped their earbuds out and beaten them with their smartphones for a suitable duration


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Greydad said:


> I can make lots of foam but that seems to be the problem no subtlety just bang huge globs of it more like whipped cream which makes the latte art a formidable challenge unless I resort to a trowel.


A piping bag may be called in to action.



> I also have a low pain threshold so when they say stop the steam when it's too hot to hold the jug I do but then Wifey complains it's only luke warm.


Ah-ha! Blaming ones partner . . . I wondered how long it would take











> So my milk challenges are - think latte not Mr Whippy and buy some welding gloves from the barista store.


Yes, and it saves getting fingerprints all over your lovely, shiny new machine


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

MildredM said:


> A piping bag may be called in to action.


Great idea MM! They sometimes come with shiny bits too so time for a quick google..



> Ah-ha! Blaming ones partner . . . I wondered how long it would take


No idea who else I should blame it's entirely due to my selfless efforts to satisfy her insatiable coffee habit that I'm having to deal with all these challenges and agonies



> Yes, and it saves getting fingerprints all over your lovely, shiny new machine


It's a win-win!


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## Tube Screamer (Feb 20, 2018)

Love the Sage!!


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Like it the more I use it, settling in now.

Heats up really quickly, the dual boiler is great I'm really glad I was able to get one. I like the timer so it's on and hot and ready when we get up in the morning.

It's easy to clean, the shower head removal is a doddle so no excuses for not doing that bit of cleaning every few days (I used the steam wand to clean the bits, not sure if I'm supposed to or not). Not done enough for a full clean and descale yet (maybe this weekend) but that all looks straightforward as well.

Seem to be getting nice coffee from a variety of beans now and that's also a useful feature in an espresso machine, it's also got enough controls so you can make it not make a good coffee as well I discovered.

Great piece of kit.


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## xpresso (Jan 16, 2018)

Yes the milk foaming is a bit of a 'Bu&ger' to get consistent results, I'm still trying to get my grind and extraction tuned in.

That said I'm enjoying road which is currently bordering a mystery tour.

Jon.


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

I enjoy foaming the milk and can make the foam it's just that it's not useful foam, if you know what I mean. It is an interesting journey to coin an overused cliche so much to learn so much coffee to drink on the way


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

Steam cleaning sounds interesting, I'd be worried of burning myself









Descaling is usually scheduled once in 6 months (depends on the water you use)

I fully understand the attraction of the ECM tamping base


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Stanic said:


> Steam cleaning sounds interesting, I'd be worried of burning myself
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hi @Stanic - it was very quick and effective... and you learn quickly which are the hot bits







I've got my eye on a steam extension brush which fits on the steam wand and lets you clean the shower head etc. Whether it's worth it or not I don't know but I like the idea.

I finally got a water hardness test kit today and it said 4/5, which is higher than the default set in the Sage DB for rescaling every 3 months, so it looks like a descale probably every 8 weeks unless I do something drastic and expensive like install a water softener.

I don't know what it is about that ECM tamping base but I just know, one day...


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

yeah I've seen that gadget, it looks cool

perhaps you could use bottled water? plenty of water-related discussions here on the forum


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## sanadsaad (Feb 24, 2018)

Sweet setup! How are you liking the dual boiler?


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

sanadsaad said:


> Sweet setup! How are you liking the dual boiler?


love it to bits, heats up really really quickly which is not to be underestimated, is easy to clean and seems to be very consistent. Lots of control over what it does so when I know what I'm doing I can tinker with it more. Discovered the other day that when it goes into standby mode it keeps the boilers at a lowish temperature but doesn't let them cool completely and if you do anything that causes a hot water demand such as turn the steam wand on or open the hot water tap it wakes up and heats up to full in about 30-40secs. It's really good.


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Stanic said:


> yeah I've seen that gadget, it looks cool
> 
> perhaps you could use bottled water? plenty of water-related discussions here on the forum


I've read some of the discussions about water, using bottled water is one option (done carefully) but goes against my dislike of single-use plastics. An installed water filter is probably the sensible option but this is not a plumbed-in machine so I'll have to put a separate tap in. I'm sure I saw years ago that you can buy three-way taps to support hot, cold and softened water so this might be an option as I wouldn't have to drill new holes in the granite!


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## xpresso (Jan 16, 2018)

Greydad said:


> I've read some of the discussions about water, using bottled water is one option (done carefully) but goes against my dislike of single-use plastics. An installed water filter is probably the sensible option but this is not a plumbed-in machine so I'll have to put a separate tap in. I'm sure I saw years ago that you can buy three-way taps to support hot, cold and softened water so this might be an option as I wouldn't have to drill new holes in the granite!


I had a very good browse to sort out bottled water and it all seemed to boil !! down to either a Waitrose product (we don't have a Waitrose near) or Tesco's Ashbeck or Volvic.

I Plumbed !! for the Ashbeck in 5ltr bottles but at the same time working on another idea without plumbing into the mains and installing replaceable filters.

Jon.


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## sanadsaad (Feb 24, 2018)

Greydad said:


> love it to bits, heats up really really quickly which is not to be underestimated, is easy to clean and seems to be very consistent. Lots of control over what it does so when I know what I'm doing I can tinker with it more. Discovered the other day that when it goes into standby mode it keeps the boilers at a lowish temperature but doesn't let them cool completely and if you do anything that causes a hot water demand such as turn the steam wand on or open the hot water tap it wakes up and heats up to full in about 30-40secs. It's really good.


I almost bought the display model at John Lewis Birmingham for 900 pounds but they couldn't find the accessories and I was only there for a day. Been obsessed with it ever since. I usually do pour overs but now am looking into getting into espresso making.


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

sanadsaad said:


> I almost bought the display model at John Lewis Birmingham for 900 pounds but they couldn't find the accessories and I was only there for a day. Been obsessed with it ever since. I usually do pour overs but now am looking into getting into espresso making.


You could have haggled them down more with no accessories, they're easy to replace anyway from Sage and elsewhere.

You just missed a DB from @iulanato for sale on the forum, for £450 - keep an eye out there I bet more will come up. It seems like a very good machine to me certainly for domestic use


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Koffee Korner Update: Son No. 1 did an excellent job tidying up near the Coffee Corner last night so I now feel less embarrassed about posting the current State Of The Art:









I was planning on selling those bar stools and moved them there to take some photos to post in the for sale bit but I rather like them there now. It's sort of asking for a narrow bar/counter along the wall. I'm still humming and hawing about putting shelves/rails/hooks on the wall for stuff, I've spent an age going through Ikeas website for bits. Really need to sort the towels out, Son No.1 was tutting about those.

Now have all the bits in place including the new Sage knock box which is amazingly good really like it. I tried swapping the SGP grinder with the kettle (which is seeing hardly any use now) on the left of the DB but you know I didn't like it didn't feel right so I've left things as they are:









Kitchen has been an untidy mess for ages and ages but the arrival of the DB and a new-found coffee-based OCD has prompted a massive clear out and tidy up starting from Coffee Corner and spreading outwards like a nuclear blast radius. Cooker area has been done and last night 5 hours on the island meant that for the first time in months I was able to have my breakfast (and a coffee of course) at the breakfast bar:









Kitchen is 20 years old, don't really want to change it (can't afford to) but it seems to respond well to a general clean and tidy up. Thank you, coffee.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Kitchen is nice, cupboards seem unusual, was it handbuilt? Looks like proper wood?

It's easy enough to get units repainted, not that I think you need to.

Our house is rented so kitchen cupboards are rather cheap and nasty (and as the bloke who serviced the boiler commented) it's like nobody has ever removed any fixture or fitting, just in case, eg we have an obsolete boiler control panel, various phone sockets etc that don't connect to anything!


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## xpresso (Jan 16, 2018)

Greydad said:


> Koffee Korner Update: Son No. 1 did an excellent job tidying up near the Coffee Corner last night so I now feel less embarrassed about posting the current State Of The Art:
> 
> View attachment 32767
> 
> ...


Looking good & cosy but where is the till going







.

Jon.


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## sanadsaad (Feb 24, 2018)

sanadsaad said:


> I almost bought the display model at John Lewis Birmingham for 900 pounds but they couldn't find the accessories and I was only there for a day. Been obsessed with it ever since. I usually do pour overs but now am looking into getting into espresso making.


I tried but they kept saying they'll look for em and try finding over the weekend! Looked like a solid performer though.


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Missy said:


> Kitchen is nice, cupboards seem unusual, was it handbuilt? Looks like proper wood?
> 
> It's easy enough to get units repainted, not that I think you need to.
> 
> Our house is rented so kitchen cupboards are rather cheap and nasty (and as the bloke who serviced the boiler commented) it's like nobody has ever removed any fixture or fitting, just in case, eg we have an obsolete boiler control panel, various phone sockets etc that don't connect to anything!


Thank you, yes it's solid wood/MDF (usual stuff), framed and custom built by a kitchen manufacturer a couple of miles away. Very pleased with it, they did an excellent job and served us well, worked very hard to keep everything within our tight budget including selling us ex-display sinks and taps and stuff like that. I'm pleased to say they are still going strong and in fact are expanding.

It is painted, chosen deliberately so we could do just that if we fancied a change







So far, can't be arsed









Being in rented doesn't stop you from doing something yourself, you ask for permission and unless you're knocking walls down there shouldn't be a problem. There's usually a restitution clause so you may have put right and make good any works done when you leave but for something like your coffee corner cupboard fr'instance that's only a few holes in the wall and some polyfilla


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

xpresso said:


> Looking good & cosy but where is the till going
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wife's sister popping in tomorrow from Kent for some coffee - first paying customer so don't worry the till will be in place


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

sanadsaad said:


> I tried but they kept saying they'll look for em and try finding over the weekend! Looked like a solid performer though.


Are you buying it?


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Greydad said:


> Being in rented doesn't stop you from doing something yourself...


Well yes but... It's not quite that straightforward, as it's not quite rented (no we aren't squatters!) And I'd rather spend the cash on the cottage we do own, or coffee


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## xpresso (Jan 16, 2018)

Missy said:


> Well yes but... It's not quite that straightforward, as it's not quite rented (no we aren't squatters!) And I'd rather spend the cash on the cottage we do own, or coffee


Sounds like a project in the making and already swallowing cash.

I love projects and always on the lookout.

Jon.


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Missy said:


> Well yes but... It's not quite that straightforward, as it's not quite rented (no we aren't squatters!) And I'd rather spend the cash on the cottage we do own, or coffee


Too complicated for a simple bloke to understand - I was only thinking of a single cupboard on the wall for all your coffee-bits, not a full £20k kitchen remodelling


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## xpresso (Jan 16, 2018)

You could of course go down this route and it will not interfere with your renting situation, the big plus is you can take it with you, I'm not overly impressed with the description......

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/222800057790?chn=ps&adgroupid=49958639014&rlsatarget=pla-404564264295&abcId=1130196&adtype=pla&merchantid=6995734&poi=&googleloc=9046272&device=c&campaignid=1039020142&crdt=0

Jon.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

xpresso said:


> You could of course go down this route and it will not interfere with your renting situation, the big plus is you can take it with you, I'm not overly impressed with the description......
> 
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/222800057790?chn=ps&adgroupid=49958639014&rlsatarget=pla-404564264295&abcId=1130196&adtype=pla&merchantid=6995734&poi=&googleloc=9046272&device=c&campaignid=1039020142&crdt=0
> 
> Jon.


Where do I sign? I did consider kitting out the boot of the berlingo...


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## xpresso (Jan 16, 2018)

Missy said:


> Where do I sign? I did consider kitting out the boot of the berlingo...


Just look at your options and you just thought it was .................

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=berlingo+camper+conversion+plans&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi8xPKyleLZAhXpKcAKHaVqDR4QsAQIKA

Jon.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

xpresso said:


> Just look at your options and you just thought it was .................
> 
> https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=berlingo+camper+conversion+plans&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi8xPKyleLZAhXpKcAKHaVqDR4QsAQIKA
> 
> Jon.


#lovebus I'm thinking black crushed velvet seats, Swarovski detailing, silver glitter flock wallpapered ceiling.


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## xpresso (Jan 16, 2018)

Missy said:


> #lovebus I'm thinking black crushed velvet seats, Swarovski detailing, silver glitter flock wallpapered ceiling.


Not a mirrored ceiling then







purely on the basis it gives the illusion of a space looking bigger than it is







really.

Jon.


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

I don't know honestly I turn my back and my coffee corner thread is being turned into a how-to on mobile soft-porn love nests


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## xpresso (Jan 16, 2018)

Greydad said:


> I don't know honestly I turn my back and my coffee corner thread is being turned into a how-to on mobile soft-porn love nests


It's a test, bit like initiation as in knitting circle.

I don't mind you slumming and nipping over to my OK Folks at long last ........

Jon.


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## Greydad (Feb 25, 2018)

Missy said:


> #lovebus I'm thinking black crushed velvet seats, Swarovski detailing, silver glitter flock wallpapered ceiling.


Where is the "wtf?" emoji when you need it?


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## xpresso (Jan 16, 2018)

Greydad said:


> Where is the "wtf?" emoji when you need it?


That's American aint it ----- Wait Till Fall....

Jon.


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