Coffee

[remember arthur mann]

You for coffee?

 

[somapop]

Yellowhammer is a great place. Their pastries and sandwiches are top notch as well.

If you’re in the Stockport area I encourage you to make a detour to Kobean in Heaton Moor. A brilliant little roastery that unsurprisingly serves excellent coffee. I buy most of our beans from there.

Stomping Ground round the corner is very good too.

Yeah - it's a brilliant spot Yellowhammer. Lovely crew there and that area is turning into something special.

Love Kobean! I've bougght a few of their beans (they also sell them in the insane La Choqutte in Didsbury).

Heaton Moor has some v decent coffee shops now. Know of Stomping ground but haven't been in yet.
Mouro looks good too (I've been to their other spot in Altrincham).

I've just recently moved into the SK borough actually, a slight jump over the Manchester border.

Siphon is the first decent coffee shop in Cheadle (Essy's is pretty decent too) as is Coffee Fix in Gatley.

 

[Palerider]

We bought a second hand De Longhi Bean to Cup machine off ebay about 4 years ago and it's been used every day since. You can try different beans, strengths, volume etc and also has a milk frother where you set the froth level yourself if into Capuccinos and Lattes. Brilliant.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

As someone who’s also into photography, the saying goes that the camera is the accessory and the lens should be the bigger purchase.

The same is true of grinders and coffee machines.

100%.

An inconsistent grind will kill a brew, however much you spend on beans or coffee machines.

 

[chris85mcfc]

Yeah - it's a brilliant spot Yellowhammer. Lovely crew there and that area is turning into something special.

Love Kobean! I've bougght a few of their beans (they also sell them in the insane La Choqutte in Didsbury).

Heaton Moor has some v decent coffee shops now. Know of Stomping ground but haven't been in yet.
Mouro looks good too (I've been to their other spot in Altrincham).

I've just recently moved into the SK borough actually, a slight jump over the Manchester border.

Siphon is the first decent coffee shop in Cheadle (Essy's is pretty decent too) as is Coffee Fix in Gatley.

Will have to give those beans a whirl, as we have a La Choquette just down the road in Poynton; pastries are unreal and are becoming a staple at the weekend when we are walking our dog!

Will have a wander into Yellowhammer on my lunch one day next week, as Stockport centre really struggles for a decent coffee, and that's a place I haven't actually tried.

 

[somapop]

Will have to give those beans a whirl, as we have a La Choquette just down the road in Poynton; pastries are unreal and are becoming a staple at the weekend when we are walking our dog!

Will have a wander into Yellowhammer on my lunch one day next week, as Stockport centre really struggles for a decent coffee, and that's a place I haven't actually tried.

La Choquette is sublime.
It used to bemuse me all the people queuing around the corner at the weekend. But this isn’t a viral ‘place to be seen’ bakery, it’s genuinely incredible.

I’m one of those queuers now and it’s one of the highlights of my week every Saturday
morning.

The Poynton branch should stock decent beans.

Surprised there’s not a new coffee spot in Stockport given what happening around the market and underbanks, but Yellowhammer will see you right!

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

La Choquette is sublime.
It used to bemuse me all the people queuing around the corner at the weekend. But this isn’t a viral ‘place to be seen’ bakery, it’s genuinely incredible.

I’m one of those queuers now and it’s one of the highlights of my week every Saturday
morning.

The Poynton branch should stock decent beans.

Surprised there’s not a new coffee spot in Stockport given what happening around the market and underbanks, but Yellowhammer will see you right!

@chris85mcfc Sticky Fingers in the market hall do good coffee and absurdly brilliant donuts and other baked goods including fresh home made Polish bread. Run by a lovely Polish lady.

They’re expanding into a proper cafe on the underbanks soon.

Coffee Block had potential but it’s unfortunately a bit disappointing isn’t it.

 

[Blue Mist]

As a coffee lover, I always buy beans that show a roasted date.
I freeze the beans after the bag is open to preserve the flavour. (I buy a kilo bag that is posted to me)
I will grind about a weeks worth and seal in a plastic tub.

2 questions, without spending hundreds of pounds, is there a small grinder that would do perhaps a day's worth at a time to ensure it is really fresh ?
2nd, if not and I continue grinding a weeks worth, should I put it in the fridge or cupboard.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

As a coffee lover, I always buy beans that show a roasted date.
I freeze the beans after the bag is open to preserve the flavour. (I buy a kilo bag that is posted to me)
I will grind about a weeks worth and seal in a plastic tub.

2 questions, without spending hundreds of pounds, is there a small grinder that would do perhaps a day's worth at a time to ensure it is really fresh ?
2nd, if not and I continue grinding a weeks worth, should I put it in the fridge or cupboard.

It is always best to grind each dose as you brew - as soon as you grind coffee its quality starts to deteriorate rapidly. There is no benefit to grinding in bulk.

I've got a Sage Smart Grinder - it's by no means the best on the market but it's a decent grinder that's good enough for espresso, which is mostly what it gets used for. I bought it mainly because I had some John Lewis vouchers to use and that is the only proper grinder they sell. I just weigh out my beans and throw them into the hopper. Retention isn't too bad and I tend to get the full 18g out. The mrs laughs at me for using them but some decent coffee scales are an essential piece of kit.

The Sage has a large cafe style hopper - quite old school and redundant really - but most modern grinders are actually designed specifically for single dosing. Though you can of course use it as a single dose grinder as I do.

I think the Sage was about £200. You'll struggle to get a decent grinder for less than that, and given it's now a fairly old design, it represents good value. It's not as sexy as something like a Niche Zero but it is a good workhorse.

 

[billie_sni]

As a coffee lover, I always buy beans that show a roasted date.
I freeze the beans after the bag is open to preserve the flavour. (I buy a kilo bag that is posted to me)
I will grind about a weeks worth and seal in a plastic tub.

2 questions, without spending hundreds of pounds, is there a small grinder that would do perhaps a day's worth at a time to ensure it is really fresh ?
2nd, if not and I continue grinding a weeks worth, should I put it in the fridge or cupboard.

I use a small Bosch electric coffee grinder, and it works great for grinding just a day's worth at a time — quick, consistent, and compact. It didn’t cost much either, definitely under £30. Regarding storing ground coffee for a week, I've heard that it's generally best to keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard rather than the fridge. I've tried storing it in the fridge before, and I felt like it sometimes introduced a bit of moisture or other odors, which seemed to impact the flavor over time. Ultimately, for preserving that fresh taste, I've found that grinding right before brewing is ideal. There's a lot of great info out there if one wants to dive deeper into the nuances of grinding coffee beans to really benefit the palate!

 

[Blue Mist]

It is always best to grind each dose as you brew - as soon as you grind coffee its quality starts to deteriorate rapidly. There is no benefit to grinding in bulk.

I've got a Sage Smart Grinder - it's by no means the best on the market but it's a decent grinder that's good enough for espresso, which is mostly what it gets used for. I bought it mainly because I had some John Lewis vouchers to use and that is the only proper grinder they sell. I just weigh out my beans and throw them into the hopper. Retention isn't too bad and I tend to get the full 18g out. The mrs laughs at me for using them but some decent coffee scales are an essential piece of kit.

The Sage has a large cafe style hopper - quite old school and redundant really - but most modern grinders are actually designed specifically for single dosing. Though you can of course use it as a single dose grinder as I do.

I think the Sage was about £200. You'll struggle to get a decent grinder for less than that, and given it's now a fairly old design, it represents good value. It's not as sexy as something like a Niche Zero but it is a good workhorse.

Apogies Mr Mars Bar,I missed your reply.
Many thanks

 

[Blue Mist]

I use a small Bosch electric coffee grinder, and it works great for grinding just a day's worth at a time — quick, consistent, and compact. It didn’t cost much either, definitely under £30.

I've just a look online as I've always liked anything Bosch do. At £30 it seems very good value.
I generally have 3 of 4 mugs in the morning so it should do the trick.

 

[anyoldblu]

Using a blade grinder for espresso is a bad idea because it doesn't produce coffee grounds of uniform size. For espresso, you need very fine, even coffee grounds so that the hot water can extract the flavour just right. Blade grinders simply chop the beans, resulting in some parts being super fine and others being chunky. This means your espresso will taste unusual, possibly too sour or too bitter, because some of the coffee becomes over-cooked while some remains under-cooked. You won't get that nice, rich taste that espresso should have.

Best budget grinders are the Sage mentioned above, also the Gaggia MD15 when modified for a finer grind.

Additionally, freezing coffee beans without sealing them tightly first is not beneficial for them. Coffee beans absorb smells and moisture easily. When you take them out and put them back in the freezer, tiny water drops can form on them. This causes the coffee to go stale faster and can result in "freezer burn," making it taste dull and smell less appealing. But if you use a vacuum sealer, it sucks out the air and keeps the beans safe from these problems.

 

[Blue Mist]

Using a blade grinder for espresso is a bad idea because it doesn't produce coffee grounds of uniform size. For espresso, you need very fine, even coffee grounds so that the hot water can extract the flavour just right. Blade grinders simply chop the beans, resulting in some parts being super fine and others being chunky. This means your espresso will taste unusual, possibly too sour or too bitter, because some of the coffee becomes over-cooked while some remains under-cooked. You won't get that nice, rich taste that espresso should have.

Best budget grinders are the Sage mentioned above, also the Gaggia MD15 when modified for a finer grind.

Additionally, freezing coffee beans without sealing them tightly first is not beneficial for them. Coffee beans absorb smells and moisture easily. When you take them out and put them back in the freezer, tiny water drops can form on them. This causes the coffee to go stale faster and can result in "freezer burn," making it taste dull and smell less appealing. But if you use a vacuum sealer, it sucks out the air and keeps the beans safe from these problems.

Bugger, thanks for that. I will have to reconsider the whole thing. Kilo bags may not be the way forward but the place i get them from do great coffee beans from around the world, Sumatra and an Ethiopian are my 2 favourites.
The bag is out the freezer for a couple of minutes max but not vacuum sealed.
This coffee malarkey is hard work.

 

[anyoldblu]

Break your 1Kg bags down into 250g portions, vacuum pack and freeze. Most people won't notice the degradation of beans over a week, especially if they are kept in an airtight container.

You can get a serviceable vac-pack machine from Amazon for less than £30, and it's great for sealing other stuff before freezing.

 

[Bill Walker]

I've often wondered how cowboys made coffee sat round a campfire.
Surely they didn't have Nescafe instant :)

 

[Blue Mist]

Break your 1Kg bags down into 250g portions, vacuum pack and freeze. Most people won't notice the degradation of beans over a week, especially if they are kept in an airtight container.

You can get a serviceable vac-pack machine from Amazon for less than £30, and it's great for sealing other stuff before freezing.

The simple ideas are often the ones you don't think of........
Or I'm just thick.
That will work nicely. It's posted out from a small supplier in Wales, (I like the idea of supporting small businesses ) which is why I get the kilo bag. Your way makes it workable, cheers.

 

[flook]

The simple ideas are often the ones you don't think of........
Or I'm just thick.
That will work nicely. It's posted out from a small supplier in Wales, (I like the idea of supporting small businesses ) which is why I get the kilo bag. Your way makes it workable, cheers.

I just use ziplock bags, 250g into a tin, 3x250g bags, air squeezed out as far as practical, then bung in the freezer. Unless you have a very well developed palate I'm of the belief you'll never notice the difference between that way and a proper vacuum seal.....

 

[TonyM]

Tea!!!!!

 

[anyoldblu]

I just use ziplock bags, 250g into a tin, 3x250g bags, air squeezed out as far as practical, then bung in the freezer. Unless you have a very well developed palate I'm of the belief you'll never notice the difference between that way and a proper vacuum seal.....

That's it - the key is not to open them again until you need to use them. 250g typically lasts 4 days in our house. I don't notice the fall off in quality in that time, and leave the beans in the grinder hopper. Pureists will be fuming at that.

You can remove most of the air by using a bowl of water, but be very careful not to let any water enter the bag.