# My coffee corner - a journey into beans



## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Hey guys

Decided to start a little thread, documenting my journey and the vertical learning curve i seam to have been on.

Like most, i got furloughed in march and got bored so decided to get more into coffee.

One thing after another with lots of reading on here, YouTube tutorials and i bought a gaggia classic.









Along with that i decided to get a 1zpresso for my grinding as i have a wilfa svart for all my pour overs etc.

Well after wasting a good 500g of beans on the gaggia, i decided it wasn't for me, and promptly sold it.

Decided on the sage duo temp pro which i was initially going to buy in the first place 🤦🏻‍♀️ quick look and £249 later john lewis delivered my shiney new machine

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You'll note the new tamper also.

As my now obsession continued i bought more coffee parifanalia

This lead me to my coffee shelf 😁


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

My cups have come from coffeecups.co.uk and are great quality, better than my latte art 😂

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My latest editions have been a motta distribution tool









And then a new towel and ims basket
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So far so good, ive resisted the urge to go bottomless

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Always learning, always reading and enjoying a brew

Jake


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Must admit though im more into the v60/French press side of coffee, but the boss loves a milky coffee.









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## Wisey (May 17, 2020)

Looks really good mate!


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## JamesMac (Apr 7, 2020)

Looks spot on , love the shelf. Latte art looks decent too.


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## 24774 (Mar 8, 2020)

Nice pictures, I like those.

Do you think the IMS basket makes a difference? Does it go straight in or did you need to modify it?


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Thanks guys

You have to mod the lip of the basket to fit the group head. I used a dremel then file to smooth the burrs.

Ive been able to grind finer, only made 3 drinks since so still in the dialing in process.


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## Wisey (May 17, 2020)

Cuprajake said:


> My cups have come from coffeecups.co.uk and are great quality, better than my latte art 😂
> 
> View attachment 39717
> 
> ...


 Hi -

- what's an ims basket?

- on your bottom pic, you have the coffee running out like a bottomless one....have you just unscrewed the thing that normally makes the coffee come out to the left & right?


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Ims basket is just a better quality basket allowing for better extraction, however they are harder to work with.

Id say to start keep to the stock basket, and yes just unscrewed it for a try, tbh i normally make 2 coffee at a time so keep the spouts in place.


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## Wisey (May 17, 2020)

Cuprajake said:


> Ims basket is just a better quality basket allowing for better extraction, however they are harder to work with.
> 
> Id say to start keep to the stock basket, and yes just unscrewed it for a try, tbh i normally make 2 coffee at a time so keep the spouts in place.


 Great thanks!


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

So i believe an updated is in order.

I decided as much as i loved the 1zpresso, my shoulder doesnt so, that got sold in favour of an eureka mignon from @Black Cat Coffee

Next up the upgraditus got a hold of me as i wanted a fancy looking machine, and i got a bit of a dark horse off ebay

A la macatec elba one, e61 grouphead. Bice machine tbf

Few pics
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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

As it came with two portafilters, i decided to sacrifice one...

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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

I have a full service kit coming, aswell as ims basket and screen

I did have a go with the baked portafilter tonight

Happily impressed, could of probably gone a tad finer on the grind tbf


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## Wisey (May 17, 2020)

@Cuprajake

which grinder is that, facile?


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Yeah


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

so i ordered a new service kit for the machine, not much scale inside the group head which is nice

some parts appear different as was the mushroom gasket, so ive had a look in my o ring box at work today
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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

So i managed to redo all bar the cam seals, and found a gasket for the mushroom value too at work

Machine all back together, up to temp also. No leaks. Result!!!

Another goodie came today
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Magnetic to, and doesnt protrude into the bed.

Perfect for a little bit of wdt.

Im tempted to chop the metal grate down an inch to sit it in the drip tray, to allow a larger cup under the spout.

Actually liking the naked pf, do need to stop switching beans though 😂😂😂

Im actually in love with @BlackCatCoffee pineapple candy atm, works so well for pour over and americano too.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Little update,

Got a few bits towels etc.

New digital gauge from @MrShades

Also got some wood to make a top cup holder.

And wooden pf
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## ronan08 (Dec 21, 2019)

What is that thermometer is it the Mr shades? How does it work?


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Yeah mr shades. Very simple it goes directly into the flow of water for brewing.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

So Used the gauge this morning. After the machine being on for 30mins, did a 5 second flush then a 30s pull temp stayed between 93-92 the full pull.

Quite happy with that. Even temp checked my milk steaming and that was 52oC after using the hand thermometer, then a propper one. 😂


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## 24774 (Mar 8, 2020)

Wow, that is a journey! 3 machines and lots of interesting accessories. Seems like I might do something similar - I was half thinking about upgrading at Christmas but my girlfriend was not impressed with my budget (coupled with my new gaming PC + monitor + new main TV + sound system budget) as we're going to buy a house, apparently I'm 'spending too much' whatever that means. I thought money was for spending.

So I'll probably do what you've done, upgrade bits and pieces, get another grinder and see where that takes me. Your final set up looks great.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Yeah im happy in that it will be more than ill prob ever need.

Id love a lelit Elizabeth though

Were the same, need to move. Should i have any money left there may be a treat along the line haha


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

I'm just doing some maths,mmm🤪


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Sooooooo

I thought id update this as ive not for a bit,

In my quest to constantly waste money, ive done some up and down grading

I bought a niche grinder but really didnt like the way it groud, hastely sold it and am bow kicking myself, i then bought a zenith65 from the forum, ended up needing fresh burrs, its a beast. Turns out its not what i like so ive also bow moved this on, and gone back to a mignon from @BlackCatCoffee thats due shortly.

Machine wise ive gone from wood to ecm levers. Looks so much better, had a few ups and downs but plod along.

next up i fancy a lever machine, should my house sale ever go through thanks to covid!!!

few pics
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## Fleckers (Dec 27, 2015)

Wow, mega journey 😆thank you for sharing and inspiring set up

In process of moving up from MK1 Mignon / Silvia for soon to be new set up 👀

The Niche Vs MK2 Mignon ?? Would you explain the differences/experiences (pros n cons?)

Also love the black scales.. link would be fab??

Hope you can help

Be Lucky

Gaz


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

The black scales are timemore scales but out of stock atm. But watch this space they may be for sale shortly.

The niche i had, i dont know if it had an issuse or it was just me, but beans seemed to popcorn like crazy, the grinds seemed to be all over, wrongly o thought seeing alot of husk was a bad thing, when i was used to the mignons super clean grind.

Ive got a specialta coming tomorrow so more pics haha


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## Wisey (May 17, 2020)

@Cuprajake

is timemore a proper company like acacia or a cheaper Amazon company ?


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

cheaper company, but i dont have any acaia scales to compare to ....yet


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Need to stop using ebay

My 'new' acaia pearl scales came today, there used, they work but thats not the point, up to the back teeth with dishonest sellers. Negitive feedback left. Feck them


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## Wisey (May 17, 2020)

@Cuprajake

yeah I get ya - you want to receive what you've paid for.....it'll be part of the trade description act....

ah ok, I wondered if timemore were like the 'amir' £13 scales off Amazon


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

Timemore are a well established company that produce lots of different coffee products such as hand grinders, filter brewers and pour over kettles.


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## RobDGio (Jun 17, 2020)

are there a lot of "knock-off" ones on amazon? i seem to be able to find them in stock but if you look at the descriptions they often don't specifically say they are Timemore or when they do say that in the title the "brand" is then listed as something different???

eg

https://www.amazon.co.uk/mirror-electronic-espresso-Rechargeable-kitchen/dp/B08BFZXCQQ/ref=psdc_3538314031_t1_B085FV6LSZ

Wouldn't want people getting stung by counterfeit ones


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## John Yossarian (Feb 2, 2016)

Wow, the rate at which you have replaced grinders! It sounds as a upgraditis fever to me 😀 but the corner looks great.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

So id won some acaia pearl scales on ebay, listed as brand new, nevee used

They turned up used. No real surprise,

I sold the zenith65 on ebay, and picked up a brand new specillita off @BlackCatCoffee

Decided new was best as i always seem to get burnt buying used.....

also had a second illy art cup come.

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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Acaia vs bodum


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Acaia - pricey but if you can stand the pain - worth it every time.


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## Al Grandé (Nov 26, 2020)

Cuprajake said:


> Need to stop using ebay
> 
> My 'new' acaia pearl scales came today, there used, they work but thats not the point, up to the back teeth with dishonest sellers. Negitive feedback left. Feck them
> 
> ...


 You could raise a complaint with ebay, get your money back..!


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Id rather return them than just get paid out and keep them. As i wouldn't want to swindle someone.


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## Marocchino (May 1, 2019)

The Systemic Kid said:


> - worth it every time.


 Baulked at the cost of them for a good long while, but don't regret getting one and particularly like the extra clearance from the drip tray to the underside of the group the thinner lunar gives.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Id like something along the lines of a luna, but they are mega

I didn't pay full price for these, they were an accepted best offer, but id of not offered had i know theh weren't new, the rubber pads also not there.


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## Al Grandé (Nov 26, 2020)

Cuprajake said:


> Id rather return them than just get paid out and keep them. As i wouldn't want to swindle someone.


 Yes, that's what I'd do...tbh I've only ever bought books off ebay, had one last month, got to page 182, next page was 293.. got in touch with the seller, they gave me my money back, and I reordered again from them.


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## Al Grandé (Nov 26, 2020)

Cuprajake said:


> Sooooooo
> 
> I thought id update this as ive not for a bit,
> 
> ...


 Are the Timemore scales in the brown box and next to the Bodum scales? I need to get coffee scales...


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

They are but both sets sold on here today haha


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## Al Grandé (Nov 26, 2020)

Cuprajake said:


> They are but both sets sold on here today haha


 Always too late...😅😅


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

First try of square mile redbrick this morning, fisrt shot went to shit lol second much better.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Thought id update this thread.

So the journey continues, im now in a position to be able to spend a good chunk on a new machine.

Ive long lusted over a dual boiler, mainly the lelit Elizabeth, with its pre infusion, quick heat up times it really is a fantastic machine, but id also noted the acs minima, another machine along the more traditional looks, and the looks along with the bigger boilers swayed it for me.

So i present the minima
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So in the never ending revolving door of grinders with me, after having a eureak zenith 65, a niche and another mignon i saw a lightly used 2019 mazzer major on ebay, i added a Daniel wong doserless kit and im amazed the taste its brought out of the coffee,

Its a multitude of little steps, new machine with slow ramp up, better grinder and even new water.

I was going to used bottled water, either ashbeck or longhill, but then i spoke to a few in the know and did a bit of digging and settled on using ro water, remineralised with potassium bicarbonate, this will never scale the machine and makes for a tastey espresso to.

More pics
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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

And the final incarnation of my coffee corner
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I love the minima, its well made simple stupid to use. Im in love


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## Karka (Dec 20, 2020)

So how would you compare the grounds from the mazzer and the niche?


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

So comparing the grounds visually

Theres alot more husk in the niche, so when you look in the dosing container you see alot move variances in colour of grinds and different pieces, where the mazzer produces a more uniform grind.

Now i didn't like that about the niche, i also didn't like the popcorning, and the fact i got a bean stuck under the disc thing.

I believe now from reading though that the husk has not effect on the brew itself.

The niche i had i wasn't using a super light roast and i was way low on the numbers, and it was calibrated. Perhaps the one i had was just a well used model, as it was second hand.


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## Karka (Dec 20, 2020)

Cuprajake said:


> So comparing the grounds visually
> 
> Theres alot more husk in the niche, so when you look in the dosing container you see alot move variances in colour of grinds and different pieces, where the mazzer produces a more uniform grind.
> 
> ...


 You get popcorning with the mazzer too. Try it without the lid and beans will be flying out. I did that by accident once as I forgot to put the lid on. It's worth trying to grind whilst using a tamper to put some downward pressure on the beans with the mazzer.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

The mazzer has a solid 300g stainless steel machined lid


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

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## Karka (Dec 20, 2020)

Cuprajake said:


> The mazzer has a solid 300g stainless steel machined lid


 Yeah and the lid leaves a gap of around 2 inches from the burrs so the beans popcorn. I have the same setup.

The commercial machines which normally have a hopper produce better quality grounds with downward pressure on the beans going into the burrs. Not a problem without.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Yeah agree with that but the hoppers 4ft tall 😂


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

I think thats the downside to any single dose machine, no downward pressure.

Wether it makes a difference i dont know,

Youd have to do controlled back to back shots measuring stuff with refractometers n what not, and tbh once you get to that stage, im out 😂

All i know is im a fan of the large burrs and they make it easier for me to taste what i like 😁


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## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

@Cuprajake - Some single dose machines use an auger thread or bean impeller to handle the feed rate and make it more consistentz

Would a 3D printed cylinder that has a central hole help with the consistent weight on the beans or minimise the jumping room? Could be attached to the lid and still let you use the puffer etc.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

@Northern_Monkey

Probably but i dont have an issue with it tbh. I see very little effects of popcorn in the dosing cup, so that satifies me.

Ive never really looked at the high end grinders ????????????


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## Karka (Dec 20, 2020)

There was definitely a difference in extraction when I used a ramp to put some downward pressure on the beans. I didn't really do proper back to back tests as quite simply I couldn't be bothered 😂.

Im with you and couldn't be bothered with all the faff each time and still get great results without doing it. One thing I did find that helped was the RDT method of a light mist of water on the beans before placing into the mazzer.

I put a deposit down on a lagom p64 so will probably be selling my mazzer at the end of April. It's not that I don't like it, I'm just too messy with the blower etc. Think I'm just too heavy handed 😂.


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

i rdt with lighter stuff, my normal go to beans not too bad for that,


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

@Karka those p64 look very well made, im sure you will be over the moon, the mazzer are good but they aint small lol


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## Rincewind (Aug 25, 2020)

Karka said:


> ...It's not that I don't like it, I'm just too messy with the blower etc. Think I'm just too heavy handed 😂.


 aaahhh that explains your earlier post on here or another of Jake's posts....i couldn't work out why you was having a lot of mess whereas i'd not encountered hardly any (even with different beans)...it must be down to your "heavy handedness" as you state; i only use light puffs of the blower, just enough to do the job at hand 💨

I hope your Lagom when it arrives brings you much joy 👍


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

thank you


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