the only thing missing from the versalab grinder is valves:D

I've ordered mine with the hopper and the portafilter holder

Morning 2sheds,

I was in the mall and walked pass Gloria Jeans and bought 250g of the GJ Special Blend as I have run out of ground. Tried it and tasted like GJ. Just dark and lack of body. I also tried the 2 grounds that you left for me and they are really nice but on its own, one of them is very acidic. So, I did a bit of blending myself and put your 2 and the GJ together and the coffee this morning is quite good.

Since I don't have a grinder and not sure which to get yet. I have to decide where to get my supply of ground coffee, mail order or Annandale where I got my Pavoni from.

Morning 2sheds,

I was in the mall and walked pass Gloria Jeans and bought 250g of the GJ Special Blend as I have run out of ground. Tried it and tasted like GJ. Just dark and lack of body. I also tried the 2 grounds that you left for me and they are really nice but on its own, one of them is very acidic. So, I did a bit of blending myself and put your 2 and the GJ together and the coffee this morning is quite good.

Since I don't have a grinder and not sure which to get yet. I have to decide where to get my supply of ground coffee, mail order or Annandale where I got my Pavoni from.

Jack,

An excellent solution. A few days and already you are showing the signs of becoming a Master blender

I have tried the coffee from the store at Haberfield, and I thought it was pretty good.

Another option are these 2 stores which will do online mail order in air tight sealed bags :

Campos

Toby's Estate

Both places specialise in coffee and roast their own daily. They also sell a LOT of coffee, so the beans (and ground beans) are always very fresh.

They would both rate in my top 5 coffees around Sydney. Campos is generally rated one of the top (if not the top) in Sydney. And Toby's Estate is not far behind.

Try some of the blends for an all round balanced flavour. Or try some 'single origins' to get a better knowledge of how coffees vary, and how, with a little skill, each characteristic can be blended to make a good all round (and more complex) coffee. more balanced than the single origins. Many 'addicts' though, still prefer single origins...:o Me too, but I am still learning....

And a tip: don't order too much. Try and use up the coffee within 2 weeks. There will be very little flavour (and no crema) left after this time.:o

Choose whichever 'marketing waffle' sounds best to you, based on your taste and how you will use the coffee, or let me know if you need some suggestions.

cheers

2sheds

Hi Michael,

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately, the grinder that you ordered

..., should I? No, yes, no, yes...! I have been thinking,... still thinking...,

Which one? The answer is simple, but, no, yes, no...

Hey, that looks like my espresso machine in the background.... ECM Giotto...

No. I checked, mine is still here......pheww

cheers

2sheds

2sheds,

Thanks for the links and I will check them out. While browsing the choices, I saw this and thought, am I still in SNA or coffee place?

the Bunum Wo plantation is located next door to the famous Sigri. Full-bodied, sweet, and just as complex, but with less high notes and more bass.

I think I will order some single origins to try.

Thanks again for the tips.

Just ordered 3 single origins and 1 house blend from Campos.

Will report after I've tried them.

2sheds,

Thanks for the links and I will check them out. While browsing the choices, I saw this and thought, am I still in SNA or coffee place?

the Bunum Wo plantation is located next door to the famous Sigri. Full-bodied, sweet, and just as complex, but with less high notes and more bass.

I think I will order some single origins to try.

Thanks again for the tips.

:o

Sounds like hifi and coffee are very much entwined. And at Campos they treat their grinds a bit like cables... They actually have different espresso grinds depending on the machine i.e Pavoni (Lever), Pavoni (Electric),ECM , Sunbeam, Rancillio, Bezzera. And we thought we were extreme.....

I wonder whether they sell green pens for painting the tops of the expresso baskets.....?

cheers

2sheds

Just ordered 3 single origins and 1 house blend from Campos.

Will report after I've tried them.

Excellent work, Grasshopper I shall await your report.

cheers

2sheds

Sounds like hifi and coffee are very much entwined. And at Campos they treat their grinds a bit like cables... They actually have different espresso grinds depending on the machine i.e Pavoni (Lever), Pavoni (Electric),ECM , Sunbeam, Rancillio, Bezzera. And we thought we were extreme.....

cheers

2sheds

This is completely normal behaviour different pressure profiles during the shot with different machines responding to different grinds

Another mail order/courier option is http://www.morganscoffee.com/ . Dean Morgan was the roaster who helped to establish Toby's reputation and has been running his own business for some years - his wife is setting up a chocolate business at the moment.

I know I have linked to Dean before. I have absolutely no interest in the business except wishing to see it prosper as I think Dean is producing the best coffee in Sydney having tried the usual suspects. He has a single origin and fair trade bias and seems to be able to roast fairly small runs as well as the cafe side of the business. We often get his Yirgacheffe which I understand only my wife and a couple of other domestic users purchase from him.

Give them a call - you will speak to Dean or his wife Michelle. Very like a small audio business with the personal service, advice and suggestions that a principal run business can give you.

Kevin

a third mail order option is www,coffeeco.com.au

delivery Australia wide, Alan is my drug dealer of choice. The grind doesn't just vary by machine, but may also vary with single or double shot, by type of bean or blend, and does also vary with humidity as coffee is hygroscopic (more humid= finer grind)

Thanks guys, I will try them out one at a time and report on my experience.

Call me a snob but I only buy beans from places that have (and actually use) a roaster.

If you live in Melbourne I can highly recommend places like St Ali, Veneziano and my local cafe, Cafe Romeo. I have heard that some on-line stores and very good too.

Call me a snob but I only buy beans from places that have (and actually use) a roaster.

Snob..!! :o

Me too.... My roaster is very local, but a little unreliable...

cheers

2sheds

Makes sense to me to grind for machine but how do you get to drink it within three minutes?

Dunno about the green pen but a nordost vallhalla mains cable............??

Guys,

Thanks for all the inputs.

Don't forget, grasshopper is still so green he has been using iPod all the while, so green pen and Nordost are way above him.

Just give me a few more months and let me get all the names and origins right first. :o

Just tossing the idea of what grinder to get, still thinking...

Jack

Makes sense to me to grind for machine but how do you get to drink it within three minutes?

Dunno about the green pen but a nordost vallhalla mains cable............??

that's why you buy your own grinder

I use Campos (although it's quite a different Campos from when I started buying from Scottish Andy many years ago). I find their house "superior" a nice fruity all-rounder.

I don't drink enough at home to have my own grinder - I think the beans would probably go stale. My compromise is having Campos grind and then store in the freezer. But it's been real trial and error to get the right grind (10 yr old Krups, and I drink double ristretto)

I'd second Toby's too - I know a couple of ex-Tobys guys who have gone into retail, and they make me great coffees, sometimes exploring single origin.

Kent

I use Campos (although it's quite a different Campos from when I started buying from Scottish Andy many years ago). I find their house "superior" a nice fruity all-rounder.

I don't drink enough at home to have my own grinder - I think the beans would probably go stale. My compromise is having Campos grind and then store in the freezer. But it's been real trial and error to get the right grind (10 yr old Krups, and I drink double ristretto)

I'd second Toby's too - I know a couple of ex-Tobys guys who have gone into retail, and they make me great coffees, sometimes exploring single origin.

Kent

Hi inego,

Thanks for the info. Can't wait to get the delivery from Campos.

An option for people who would like to get an EXCELLENT grind but cannot justify the expense of a $1000 commercial grinder, is a manual grinder. Zassenhaus make some highly regarded conical burr grinders.

They do take a little biceps power but, as long as your don't need to grind for a party of 12, they are easy enough to use.

They cost between $90 and $165 and will last a lifetime. Consign it to spice grinding when your Mazzer Mini arrives

cheers

2sheds

An option for people who would like to get an EXCELLENT grind but cannot justify the expense of a $1000 commercial grinder, is a manual grinder. Zassenhaus make some highly regarded conical burr grinders.

They do take a little biceps power but, as long as your don't need to grind for a party of 12, they are easy enough to use.

They cost between $90 and $165 and will last a lifetime. Consign it to spice grinding when your Mazzer Mini arrives

cheers

2sheds

Adjustable???? I find i need to adjust my grind on the Rocky depending on how old the beans are and even what type!

Adjustable???? I find i need to adjust my grind on the Rocky depending on how old the beans are and even what type!

Absolutely agree. When you think about it, each bean and roast has a different moisture content. And since the flow of espresso through the machine depends on the dryness/saturation of the ground bean, it makes sense that this (and the grind required) will vary with bean, age and general humidity. In extremes, you may need to adjust the grind a couple of times a day - if you can be bothered (reminds me of VTA:rolleyes:)

cheers

2sheds

Excellent work, Grasshopper I shall await your report.

cheers

2sheds

Master 2sheds,

Got the delivery this morning just in time for my first coffee.

Tried the Superior House Blend and very good indeed.

Still need more practice and lecture from MASTER!

Grasshopper

Master 2sheds,

Got the delivery this morning just in time for my first coffee.

Tried the Superior House Blend and very good indeed.

Still need more practice and lecture from MASTER!

Grasshopper

Grasshopper,

Take the coffee bean from my hand... ooops, sorry, we've done that lesson, haven't we..? :o

Now that's a great looking crema. A very impressive shot. If it tasted half as good as it looks, you are doing very well indeed. And even the 'puck' looks perfect, probably due to the grind being specific to your La Pavoni. I think you will be a master in very short time....

Let me know when you are up for another lesson...

cheers

Master 2sheds

the only thing missing from the versalab grinder is valves:D

I've ordered mine with the hopper and the portafilter holder

Hi Michael,

Do you know if the PF holder will fit all models?

Again, if you are making a couple of coffee each time, is the hopper important?

Jack

Hi Michael,

Do you know if the PF holder will fit all models?

Again, if you are making a couple of coffee each time, is the hopper important?

Jack

I presume (without being sure) that the portafilter holder is designed to fit E61 groupsets. This is the most common set on commercial and 'kit machines' made from commercial parts. the hoper isn't strictly necessary but it's less work for me.