# Help me find a good bean.



## Lythy (Nov 5, 2015)

So I'm waiting for Christmas Day for my shiney new sage barista express my wife's just ordered me,

i have been drinking (don't laugh) tassimo pods. Americano and Colombian. I like Starbucks but favour costa. This world of espressos is new to me and I'm keen to find a great place and bean to get here in Northern Ireland.

Can anyone link me a few good beans. Mainly drinking americanos

my wife's telling me to go to tesco and get some but I want fresh. Can anything good come from tesco and if so what ones.

Thanks for helping, like I said this is all new too me. Exiting times.


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

Welcome. Nothing good will come from Tesco. Have a search for coffee roasters in your area and then see if there is any cafes nearby doing them? Otherwise just take the plunge and order fresh beans. It's not 100% agreed by everybody but most people agree you need to let them rest for around 5 days after roasting and then use them within a month of roasting.

If it doesn't have a roasted on date then be wary, I'd say


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

https://www.3fe.com/


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## Doozerless (Apr 3, 2015)

Bailies.


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

Where are you based Lythy


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Norn Iron is mentioned in the op. ?

I'm sure you'll find plenty of locally fresh roasted options to beat Costa, *bux and for sure Tezzies!


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

Oh yeah... Doh!!


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

I would recommend starting with a good espresso blend. They are more forgiving on beginners. Has bean do an espresso starter pack which might be a good place to start. Have you got yourself a Jewelry scales?


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## series530 (Jan 4, 2013)

Indeed, virtually anything at a supermarket should be avoided.

I agree that blends are a good idea.

I've been directed to Compass Coffee recently and am really enjoying The Brighton Lanes

http://www.coffeecompass.co.uk/shop/espresso-range/espresso-selection.html

Basically, pick three 500g packs from what is available in the list and see what you like.

They will deliver to NI as well.


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## Lythy (Nov 5, 2015)

I found a roaster with a coffee shop near by. They sell all sorts of beans.

I was however very disappointed with the drinks I was given. My americano and espresso had coffee granules in.

It was watery with very little crema. No tamp was used and it took 6-7 seconds it was still nicer than instant coffee


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## series530 (Jan 4, 2013)

OK- a few things to be aware of:

Most of us buy coffee in bean form and grind it down just before we use it. You need a decent grinder to do this, either a powered one or done decently with a hand grinder. The coffee is then put into a porta filter, tamped down and then espressed.

Why all these steps and what's important about them? :

1. In whole bean form it lasts for longer. By then grinding it you expose the internal surface and can extract the coffee prior to oxidation from the atmosphere. You can buy pre ground coffee but you need to be very careful to not let it be exposed to the air. Pre ground often comes in a nitrogen container or vacuum packed. If you buy pre ground make sure it is ground for an espresso machine and not for, say, a caffetierre. The grinding is very different.

2. If you grind coffee it is very important to grind it to the correct consistency. Not enough and it will espress too quickly and the flavour wont come through. Too much and you wont get any coffee because no liquid will get through. Typically, a double espresso will fill a pair of shot glasses in about 25 seconds or so. Much more or much less and it becomes a big compromise.

3. You really must tamp the coffee down. If you simply pour some coffee into the porta filter it will leave loads of air pockets. These allow what is called channelling and allows the water to quickly pass through the coffee in certain areas without extraction of the flavour - 6-7 seconds is way too quick and is probably because the tamping was not done.

If you got your coffee in 6-7 seconds and it was nicer than instant then prepared to have your socks blown off when you get it precisely right!


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

Hey Lythy

I can't see any roast dates on that coffee - so I would avoid.

Also, clear bags are not good for coffee beans which should be kept in a dark cool place.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

That sounds very disappointing. No wonder many members here comment on being able to produce better coffee at home than some coffee shops!


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## Lythy (Nov 5, 2015)

Thank you for the reply's, I will be getting my sage barista express machine for Christmas.

I asked the lady when the coffee was roasted and its only been a few days. I watched her fill the bag and seal it.

It's weird because 1 of the bags has expanded like its getting ready to pop. I'm hoping this is a good sign.

I have watched the process on youtube how to make a good espresso and I'm itching to make my own









I will update you all on my first espresso I make...


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

Lythy said:


> Thank you for the reply's, I will be getting my sage barista express machine for Christmas.
> 
> I asked the lady when the coffee was roasted and its only been a few days. I watched her fill the bag and seal it.
> 
> ...


The bag expanding is probably the beans degassing. After they're roasted the let off gas and so this is a good sign for them being pretty recently roasted as it slows down or stops over time.

I think some people would open the bag then try and squeeze as much air out and reseal but I'm not sure about that side.


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

Most bags have a one way de-gassing valve to let the CO2 out.

My biggest piece of advice for anyone starting out, is start with a bean you can get hold of easily.

This is a good idea because while you are practising you will likley burn through coffee, testing all of your variables and learning.

It is good if you can use a coffee that is reliable and easy to get hold out so you can rule this variable out. If you change beans constantly it is harder to perfect the other sides of espresso.

Hope this makes sense









Only 4 more sleeps


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## PeterF (Aug 25, 2014)

For great beans you cannot go wrong with Rave http://ravecoffee.co.uk/

I would start with their Blends first eg. Signature Blend, Mocca Java Blend. Both superb & very consistent. All the bags are date stamped & will be roasted on the day you order.


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## Vieux Clou (Oct 22, 2014)

S.D.Bell's have had a good reputation since I was a nipper. I used to cycle past their place on my way to school in the early 60s, and the smell of roasting coffee was wonderful. I wouldn't worry too much about quality, I should think it'll be fine. If the swollen bag looks like bursting you could either make a tiny hole in it and rely on internal pressure to keep air out, or simply open it, squeeze out the gas, then fold down the top without letting any air in and fasten it with a clothes peg. Either was, the smell when you open it will be great.

Interesting: I looked them up on Google Maps. They used to be on the opposite side of the road, on the left as you went into Belfast. The shopfronts were set further back from the road and there was a sort of corral-cum-hitching rail out front where they used to park their delivery bikes. They had one of those enormous coffee-mills in the window, like a Grecian urn with paddle-wheels either side. Things change.


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## PeteHr (Nov 18, 2015)

I'll second Rave coffee. They also give you 20% off your first order if you subscribe to their mailing list.

I've tried the Signature blend, Chatswood blend and the Mocca Java blend. I really like them all but of the three I think the Mocca Java blend suits my taste buds the best. My wife prefers the Chatswood blend though.

One thing I really did like was I hardly had to touch the grinder settings for the different coffees - just some very fine tuning and little wasted coffee.


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

Hey Lythy! How did you get on with the machine and whatever beans you picked


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