[thortum]

Originally Posted by spence

I love coffee but for some reason don't drink all that much of it, perhaps 1-2 cups a day.

For a while I was into espresso, had a 400 dollar commercial grinder and fancy machine. Beans were always fresh roasted (used 3-7 days from roasting) and not too dark, the proper mix of arabica and robusto.

The neat thing about espresso is the blending of science and art. There are many variables to control. Water quality, water temperature, the coffee, humidity, grind size, tamping pressure etc...

A proper barista will do everything the same every time, only adjusting the grind to compensate for other variables in the system.

The result when everything is perfect is the extraction of all the coffee goodness without the bitterness. It's the essence of the coffee bean in a one ounce cup. The GOD shot...

-spence

You made that sound soooo goooood! When are we all going to be invited over to test it? I'll bring the doughnuts.