The twist – how does it taste?

The twist – how does it taste?


This was the burning question in my mind when I got it in my hands.  I took a bite and it tasted rather like metal.  Okay just kidding I was really interested in how the coffee would taste.

I was pulling vivace dolce this week so that is what was going in the twist.  I was a little worried that it might not shine in this context because it is a blend that needs a high temperature and I was not sure that the twist would operate at the higher end of the temperature spectrum.  You certainly give up some control on a device like this.

I should point out that I was grinding the coffee on a Mazzer Super Jolly, which is a heck of a grinder.  I think it is very forgiving and is better than what most twist users will be using.  So I definitely had an advantage over the average user.  On the other hand, if I wanted to compare it to my other machines it was only fair to use the same grinder as I use on them.  

I dialed it in to the grind I had been using on my Elektra machine.  This was just a guess and I had no idea if it would be a good one.  I also just guessed at the dose.  I updosed a bit because that is what Dolce usually is recommended to be pulled like.

I went through the ritual of getting it ready to pull a shot.  I pulled the trigger and after a dramatic moment of suspense the shot fizzled out with just a few drops.

I hoped the issue was that the gas cartridge was too low and I replaced it.  I had, however, wasted some coffee, which made me unhappy even if it was only 20 grams and even though I had quite a bit more.

I replaced the cartridge and I tried again.  Sure enough this time the shot pulled like an espresso shot should. It looked quite good.

I tasted it and I was amazed.  It was great.  It did not have the body of the shots I had been pulling on my Elektra pump or my Pavoni lever from the Dolce, but the clarity and complexity were actually better.  The previous shots had been a little unbalanced with too much body relative to the rest of the taste and this one was not.  It was a shot I’d be thrilled to be served at a coffee shop.

Perhaps I just got lucky and the rest of the shots will not measure up, but so far I would say the twist is a winner in a big way.  Now I think I hear a shot calling my name – where did I put that twist?