3 ms·

Extraction yield differences at the levels shown in the paper is no small thing (8.2% to 8.9% TDS). And I am sure an experienced coffee taster will spot the dif

by GuB-42 3y ago

Extraction yield differences at the levels shown in the paper is no small thing (8.2% to 8.9% TDS). And I am sure an experienced coffee taster will spot the difference instantly. There is also the practical aspect of making less of a mess out of your grinder, as charged coffee particles tend to go where you don't want when to go and stick there. But you can think of it differently and see it as a way to have a cup that is just as good but using less coffee, because it is better extracted. Less waste is a good thing, for the environment, for the coffee brewing industry, and for you.

akira2501 3y ago
> There is also the practical aspect of making less of a mess out of your grinder, as charged coffee particles tend to go where you don't want when to go and stick there. I tried the RDT once. I find absolutely nothing practical about it. The mistake is trying to grind straight into the basket. I started grinding into a separate large cylindrical receptacle (a.k.a. a Tall Cup) that I can fit directly under the spout and catch all the grindings with. Wait 10 seconds for the static to settle.. bang the cup three times on the counter... then pour the grindings into the basket. Manages most of the static, nearly all of the mess, and makes the whole operation so much easier and efficient. The espresso space is filled with people who are _content_ to spend 95% of the effort chasing the last 5% of quality. I cannot truck with those people.
- GuB-42 3y ago
  - According to James Hoffmann video on the subject, when he tried to replicate the results, the choice of grinder had a big impact. In the paper, they used a Mahlkönig EK43, a very popular grinder in cafés, less so at home. - Your routine with the cup can count as "high effort", and if spraying a bit of water on the beans lets you avoid that extra step, it may actually be an improvement in terms of effort. In the end, I think it all comes down to your grinder and tolerance for effort. Some people have espresso as a ritual, and as far as rituals go, that one is harmless and results in a good cup of coffee, so I am all for it. Not my thing either though, and while I like playing a bit from time to time just to see what can be done with some effort, my routine is as simple as it can get. Note that I happen to have a doser grinder, which is usually not ideal in a home setting, but it does a good job with the static, essentially what you are doing but as built-in feature of the grinder.
  - akira2501 3y ago
    I have the Bezzera BB005 grinder. It's a reasonable choice for someone unwilling to spend $3000 on a grinder for home. I actually like to use the bean hopper, and to use the RDT, you have to keep the hopper empty and fill on each use so you can actually spray the beans that are about to be ground. With the cup, I can load up the hopper for the entire day, then just grind. It's significantly less effort. Particularly when it comes to weighing the shot into the basket, I can just tare out the weight of the cup, and I don't have to mess around trying to balance a basket on a scale. When I watch most of these "youtube experts" push out a cup of espresso it drives me up the wall how much effort they waste. In particular, because to them, it seems like the more effort wasted the "better" the routine is. It needlessly scares amateurs away from learning how to make their own espresso.

by GuB-42 3y ago

akira2501 3y ago

> There is also the practical aspect of making less of a mess out of your grinder, as charged coffee particles tend to go where you don't want when to go and stick there. I tried the RDT once. I find absolutely nothing practical about it. The mistake is trying to grind straight into the basket. I started grinding into a separate large cylindrical receptacle (a.k.a. a Tall Cup) that I can fit directly under the spout and catch all the grindings with. Wait 10 seconds for the static to settle.. bang the cup three times on the counter... then pour the grindings into the basket. Manages most of the static, nearly all of the mess, and makes the whole operation so much easier and efficient. The espresso space is filled with people who are _content_ to spend 95% of the effort chasing the last 5% of quality. I cannot truck with those people.

GuB-42 3y ago
- According to James Hoffmann video on the subject, when he tried to replicate the results, the choice of grinder had a big impact. In the paper, they used a Mahlkönig EK43, a very popular grinder in cafés, less so at home. - Your routine with the cup can count as "high effort", and if spraying a bit of water on the beans lets you avoid that extra step, it may actually be an improvement in terms of effort. In the end, I think it all comes down to your grinder and tolerance for effort. Some people have espresso as a ritual, and as far as rituals go, that one is harmless and results in a good cup of coffee, so I am all for it. Not my thing either though, and while I like playing a bit from time to time just to see what can be done with some effort, my routine is as simple as it can get. Note that I happen to have a doser grinder, which is usually not ideal in a home setting, but it does a good job with the static, essentially what you are doing but as built-in feature of the grinder.
- akira2501 3y ago
  I have the Bezzera BB005 grinder. It's a reasonable choice for someone unwilling to spend $3000 on a grinder for home. I actually like to use the bean hopper, and to use the RDT, you have to keep the hopper empty and fill on each use so you can actually spray the beans that are about to be ground. With the cup, I can load up the hopper for the entire day, then just grind. It's significantly less effort. Particularly when it comes to weighing the shot into the basket, I can just tare out the weight of the cup, and I don't have to mess around trying to balance a basket on a scale. When I watch most of these "youtube experts" push out a cup of espresso it drives me up the wall how much effort they waste. In particular, because to them, it seems like the more effort wasted the "better" the routine is. It needlessly scares amateurs away from learning how to make their own espresso.