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Topic: espresso or regular (15 msgs / 299 lines)
1) From: Steve
Maybe it's just recent postings, but it appears there are a lot of you who
create espresso.
I am curious how many create a cup of espresso more often than a cup of
regular coffee?
Personally I prefer to make a pot of coffee, I don't even own an espresso
machine.
Why do you find one better then the other?
Thanks,
steve
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2) From: jim gundlach
on 4/30/01 10:08 AM, Steve at steve wrote:
<Snip>
 > cut some text<
I tried my first espresso back in 1963, when I was in the army stationed in
Germany, in a kind of "beat generation" coffee house.  I will never forget
the taste even if I did not know what it was at the time.  It was only after
the current coffee revival that I was able to determine that that great
little drink in the past was an espresso.  I tried *$ but it was not
impressed.  We used a couple of the little steam pressure driven "espressso
machines" for a while but I was still unhappy with the results, but even
then I consided it better than drip.  When the web became available, I
searched for coffee and came across alt.coffee and Sweet Maria's.  I ordered
some coffee from Tom and bought a Gaggia Coffee machine off eBay.  I was
getting close to what I rememberd form 63.  I kept working at roasting, got
a better grinder, a Solis 166,  and this past Christmas I got a Solis SL-90
and I now consistently turn out shots that are as good, if not better than
that great introduction back in 63.
    That may have been somewhat off track but I have only drank about three
cups of regularly brewed coffee in the past year and all of those were when
I needed to stay awake and espresso was not available.
   Jim Gundlach
   Roasting of wood fires
   In Shorter, Alabama
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3) From: David Holets
Fresh coffee is tastier.  Espresso is made one cup at a time. 
Consequently, we always make espresso at home.  We also froth milk, so
making espresso is just a step on the way to a cup of cappuccino.  We have
a regular coffee pot that we pull out when we are dealing with more than
five or six people.  
		Dave
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4) From: Gloria Hoover
We seem to be the opposite. Have an espresso machine that sits in the cupboard
- not used for four or five years. We only drink drip, vac pot. But we also
drink a lot of coffee per day and like to sit and sip. I have a cup by the PC
most of the time. Even when I had a "normal" job. Would always have a cup of
coffee by my coding forms or keyboard.
Shhhh we have a vac pot and three drip pots in the kitchen as I type.
Gloriahttp://natures-emporium.com/Jewelry, jade, quartz, decor items, bookends
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5) From: John
On Behalf Of Steve
Personally I prefer to make a pot of coffee, I don't even own an espresso
machine.Why do you find one better then the other?
Steve,
	IMHO they are different classes of the same drink - like grape juice and
wine. I wouldn't want wine with my breakfast and grape juice just may not
hit the spot with roast beef.   Some folks like a quick hit in the morning -
but are actually getting less caffeine, but most see it in the same light as
a cocktail.  Hope that helps.
John - Still wandering around deep southern Texas
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6) From: cationic

7) From: Monty Harris
Which method is best for IV tube ingestion?  I think the convenience of a
constant drip would enhance the "buzz"!
;0)
Monty
At 12:52 PM 4/30/01 -0400, you wrote:
<Snip>
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8) From: Erlich Phua
I've been drinking mainly espresso and capucino for the past year or so.  I
use a pump driven espresso machine.  The moka pot is in the cupboard
(somewhere).  I use the french press once in a long while.
A week ago I bought an unused Hario vac pot at a garage sale for a steal,
US$6.  Tried it twice and I'm very happy with the results, so I'll probably
be drinking more vac pot brews.
I prefer making espresso out of the darker roasts and vac pot the lighter
roasts.  From my limited experience, I find that I need a proper blend to
get a decent cup of espresso but you can probably get a decent cup out of
any fresh well roasted bean with the vac pot.  For example, I don't like
espresso made from (city roast) Colombian, but it tastes good in a vac pot.
..Erlich

9) From: Spencer W. Thomas
Well, the office where I work has a pair of drip coffee makers (one for regular,
one for decaf).  We order coffee from Peets, and they roast and ship the next
day.  So the "raw material" is reasonably good.
BUT...
1. Coffee is preground (much more convenient) so it ages fairly quickly.  The
unopened bags are kept in the freezer (I know of the debate on whether this is
good or not, but that's what we do.)
2. Coffee maker is not cleaned regularly.  I ran a pot of Urnex through it
recently and it came through kind of brownish.
3. (WORST THING from my perspective) Even though we have thermos bottles, most
people when they make coffee, just let it sit on the burner of the coffee maker.
Unless I get to it right away, it ends up tasting "burnt" to me.  I can hardly
stand to SMELL burnt coffee, let alond drink it.
SO...
I bought a small pump espresso machine from an auction web site (under $50
including shipping for a $200+ machine). Yes, it takes a little longer to make a
"cuppa" than just pouring it from the pot or thermos.  But...
1. I can use my homeroasted coffee (preground, but only for a few days at a time).
2. The cup is guaranteed to be as freshly brewed as possible.
3. If I want a quick hit, I drink the espresso. If I want my morning "capp" I can
do that. If I want a "cup of coffee" I make an Americano. If I want iced coffee, I
add ice and a little water, and it is "full strength" even after some of the ice
melts.
=Spencer
Gloria Hoover wrote:
<Snip>
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10) From: Steve
John,
So what is your preference? When  do you drink one or the other?
steve
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11) From: Steve
These are great responses! Thanks!
It is very interesting indeed. One reason I like to brew a pot is I can
enjoy it longer than just a shot and I prefer not to get a quick jolt of
caffeine but more of a slow buildup...
steve
PS I use more than one computer so please forgive me if I sometimes forget
to check the HTML setting.
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12) From: Hammonds, Derek
Hey, why choose one or the other?  I love 'em both!  I love trying straight
coffee's from all over the world.  But pulling a shot of espresso and
enjoying that powerful taste is fantastic.  Many mornings I'll start with an
espresso and then have a french-pressed cup o' coffee.
Derek
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13) From: Thom Underwood
I most often use my espresso machine to make an Americano.  That way I get
the brightest coffee taste in a regular sized cup of coffee (I had a great
Kenya just this morning).  Also I can make one cup easily (instead of a
bigger pot).  I love straight espresso - but my digestive tract can't always
handle the effects.
Regards - Thom
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14) From: Jeffrey A. Bertoia
 
Steve wrote:
<Snip>
My preference is espresso.  In fact when we
moved into the new house the drip coffee
maker never made the counter top.
A typical day will be a latte followed by an
americano then an espresso after lunch and dinner.
When company comes (that won't drink espresso) I
either get out the press or the swiss gold.
jeff
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15) From: Ryuji Suzuki -- JF7WEX
I have been missing this discussion... (and many others)
From: "Erlich Phua" 
Subject: Re: +espresso or regular
Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 01:07:55 +0800
<Snip>
I completely agree. However, I also enjoy dark roasted beans filter
extracted and
<Snip>
I find it difficult to make a decent cup out of anything beyond full
city using siphon. Perhaps, it depends on which siphon I use, but I
somehow suspect that timing, grinding and temperature (which I can't
really control that well) should be very tricky.
Incidentally, I became to use more and more of decaf beans for espresso.
Nothing more than my guess, but I think many decafs are processed out
of "second-class" or lesser beans. If the beans are purely classified
based on the screen size, then the flavor is not necessarily inferior. 
However, I got some sample of Mandheling decaf that I needed to hand
pick for the defect seeds for a very long time before roasting.  (I
accidentally found that exposing the beans wide open in the room
environment for a couple of days reduced some of the excessively
earthy character of Mandheling, which was certainly a good thing for
this decaf example.) Taste? It's excellent for espresso straight. I'll
think about blending when I get bored with this one.
I am looking forward to seeing more decafs of highest quality,
preferably of well identified origins.
--
Ryuji Suzuki
"All goods worth price charged." (Jack Daniel Distillery)
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