The Reading Room

Getting Started With Specialty Coffee: 5 First Steps

New to specialty coffee? You do not need expensive equipment to start. These 5 steps take you from grocery store grounds to genuinely great coffee at home.

Coffee Shops Inspire Artist To Create Massive Sculptures
Jonathan Brilliant is a sculptor of massive art installations who has found inspiration in the culture of the coffee shop. No mere finger painter in the medium of coffee stains is he, but a creator of visuals from ordinary aspects...
Thanksgiving, looking for a good blend.
We have just gone through Halloween, so that means we are fast approaching the season when people are coming into our homes on a regular basis that we don't normally see. It also means for those of use in the...
Caffe Driade, worth the trip
In another blog post someone asked what my favorite coffee shop was.  In different contexts I have slightly different favorites, but it inspired me to write about a few of my favorites.  This is about one of my favorites in...
The twist – my parting shots.
The twist – my parting shots. I am quite pleased with this machine.  It is amazing if you want to judge it by the quality of the shot, which is the most important criteria.  I will be sad to see...
Grinder troubles
I am the most indecisive consumer ever. I research compulsively, go back and forth between purchases repeatedly, and then I'll buy something months later. Coffee grinders are my latest arch-nemesis. I bought my Gaggia Classic six months ago for $300 and...
How to Make French Press Coffee: A Complete Brewing Guide

French press coffee produces a rich, full-bodied cup with more oils and depth than any filter method. Here is exactly how to brew it right every time in 7 steps.

What I’m Drinking (Captain’s Cold Brew)
Ok after a hectic week at school I’m back to posting blogs, and it’s about time for another review post. This time I’m discussing a pre-brewed bottled coffee, Captain’s Cold Brew. I have to admit, I was a little skeptical...
occasional frappucino indulgent
Despite my almost exclusive enjoyment of espresso and drinks that contain relatively small amount of milk such as machiato and cappucino, I do occasionally indulge on frappucino. When I first got started drinking espresso, I frequently get these drink from...
Cold Weather Rumblings - Klatch Belle Espresso
Well it has finally happened here out in California, winter has come! I think for a lot of people our winter would characterized as nice mild weather, lows in the 40s and highs in 60s, but when you are use...
Master Barista, How Does Your Coffee Brew Best?
It seems as if in every continent, we see interviews with baristas in which each is asked his or her secrets of good coffee. This week, India Today wants to know, so writer Angad B. Sodhi asked Master Barista Fritz...
Crema is rubbish - or is it?
My recent adventure in stirring coffee was launched by looking for a blog post by james Hoffman where he declared “Crema is Rubbish.”  I had heard about this declaration and perhaps even read his blog about it before, but I...
When is a micro roaster no longer a micro roaster?
When is a micro roaster no longer a micro roaster?  I have  a friend who used to work for a micro roaster/ coffee shop.  They trained their baristas extensively and taught them a lot about coffee.  One of the things...
Americano
I've been doing a lot of writing lately and writing requires a significant amount of coffee. I drink espressi from time to time while writing, but I really like a sippable (made up word alert) drink so I've been making...
Making Coffee at Home Does Save Money
Even with all of the variables involved in estimating the price per cup of home brewed coffee, it’s pretty much a sure thing that whatever brand of coffee you buy, even high-end, brewing your own at home is cheaper than...
Keep on experimenting!
I have been blogging about my experience with very light roast of coffee in espresso machine recently and I have said that despite all the attempts I made in changing doses and grind setting, I was not successful in making...
How Long Coffee Lasts: Shelf Life for 5 Coffee Types

 How long does coffee last depends on the form. Whole beans, grounds, brewed coffee, cold brew, and instant all have different freshness windows.

The Super Jolly Grinder
This is to me the ultimate bargain in espresso gear.  The Super Jolly is a grinder that was never intended to be used in a home environment.  It is one of the most common commercial grinders in the world.  It...
Bigger is not necessarily better!
Several days ago, I decided to fire up the La Marzocco Linea three groupo some of the lightly roasted beans that I have. I have wired my Marzocco so that by turning the switch to position number 1, it would...
Time to say good bye, la Pavoni ?
http://www.galesgifts.com/images/_products/galesgifts/PBB-16_La_Pavoni_Professional_Black_Base_16_Cup.jpg" width="384" height="400" />  My La Pavoni Profesional lever espresso machine right now is carefully packed away in a box. I'm thinking of putting this machine on Ebay because simply it is not being used enough and quiet frankly, I...
How to Adjust the OPV on a Gaggia Classic: 9 Bar Guide

Gaggia Classic machines ship set to 12 bar or higher. Adjusting the over pressure valve to 9 bar produces better espresso and reduces channeling. Here is how to do it step by step.