Lets talk about COFFEE

[indesertum]

how is it? i heard you can adjust the pressure while the shot pulls. do you really get better shots with it after tinkering around?

 

[rydenfan]

If that is in New Orleans please PM me the details so I can go next time I am down

 

[joshuadowen]

how is it? i heard you can adjust the pressure while the shot pulls. do you really get better shots with it after tinkering around?

The short answer is yes. Basically what makes the Slayer different is that it has a pre-infusion phase. You can adjust the flow-rate of the water during this phase. During the actual pulling phase, you have 9 bars of pressure. The main difference that this makes is that by pre-infusing the puck at low-pressure, you can use a much finer grind without freezing the puck while you pull the shot. It's this ability to use a finer grind that makes a big difference. Shots off the Slayer tend to have a higher oil content, which both gives the shot a more viscous body and also makes for a much less bitter shot.

TInkering with the flow-rate during the pre-infusion phase allows you to adjust the time of the pre-infusion. Playing with this can really change the flavor of a shot. You can up the acid extraction or dial it back. You can up the fruit or dial it back. It takes a lot of messing around to really get intuitive about it, but all in all it's an amazing machine.

 

[scottcw]



Hey guys, I'm pretty new(ish) to SF and the coffee game - so far have been using a French press, but a few weeks ago took the leap on a Chemex set up (gooseneck kettle and all). Any other Chemex fans here??

Chemex was my daily prep until I discovered the Hario Woodneck. Chemex can produce a great cup once you learn all the factors that come into play - grind size, extraction time, etc.

 

[ReversoLover]

Hmm hadn't heard of the Woodneck, but after a quick google it seems pretty cool. I usually do a medium-fineish grind (using the Hario hand-wound burr), about 30 grams of no more than 2 week old coffee, and bloom @ 185-190F for 30 seconds starting on initial contact. I usually have a 1:18 ratio and things have been tasting pretty well. How does the Woodneck compare?

 

[indesertum]

I'm surprised you can change so much in just the pre infusion phase. What do you mean by freezing the puck?

 

[b1os]



I'm surprised you can change so much in just the pre infusion phase. What do you mean by freezing the puck?

I think he means that if you grind too fine, the three-way-valve will trigger since too much pressure builds up too quickly. If you pre-infuse the puck slowly, it won't "freeze up" and you will get a slow, ristretto-like extraction.

 

[indesertum]

Oh

Ohhhhhhh. That's very nifty. That's what you meant by grinding finer. How did nobody think of this before? That's a great mechanism.

 

[joshuadowen]

Yeah it's pretty cool. Basically, coffee absorbs water and expands. With a too fine grind, it can expand so much it prevents or greatly slows water from flowing through the puck. By infusing the puck slowly, you can get away with a much finer grind before this happens.

 

[indesertum]

But why would you want an even finer grind?

 

[joshuadowen]

The finer grind seems to be what leads to the increased viscosity of the shot. The extra oils making it into the cup mean more flavor and less bitterness. At least, that's Slayer's theory. I can't pretend to fully understand the mechanics of what's happening, suffice it to say it's not hard to taste a difference. We are using 100 percent single origin espressos, and that's not something I'd do with any other machine.

 

[indesertum]

But won't the shot be too short at blonding?

 

[scottcw]



Hmm hadn't heard of the Woodneck, but after a quick google it seems pretty cool. I usually do a medium-fineish grind (using the Hario hand-wound burr), about 30 grams of no more than 2 week old coffee, and bloom @ 185-190F for 30 seconds starting on initial contact. I usually have a 1:18 ratio and things have been tasting pretty well. How does the Woodneck compare?

Woodneck produces a cleaner cup. I clean the cloth filter every month with some diluted JoeGlo and replace it every three months.

 

[AllieS]

Super strong coffee with some sugar and milk or creamer. I usually fill my 12 cup coffee pot with water and then use at least a cup of grounds.

 

[Gravitas]

I went to a Starbucks and tried the Yirgacheffe yesterday, definitely a tasty cup.

This thread has me excited to try my hand at roasting after I move next month.

Any coffeeshop recs for the next time I am in LA?