EdipisReks1

They have been talking about a V2 burr for ages. Yet to see any real progress made public. What they really need to do is make a V2 version of the grinder to fix the issues. It’s close, but it feels like it’s about 80 percent baked. Better than half-baked, I guess. Having said that, I’m very happy with the grounds and workflow and process I get for pour over, and the grounds it makes for espresso are really quite nice, but it’s hardly ideal for that workflow (and the retention is much higher with the burrs that close, but of course it wasn’t designed to do it). I imagine a V2 will be step less, lower retention, and with in house burrs that resemble the SSP multipurpose, and a dosing cup that is suited for espresso (I bought a cheap doser and glued a magnet to the bottom; not perfect but it works). It would be a great home grinder for $500 like that. I won a bag of Coffee in Hoffman’s 1 Million Bean Giveaway! I never win anything in contests, so I’m excited. I’ll report tasting notes once I have it.

It would also be straight forward to turn the Ode into a step less grinder, I think, but I’m going to use it for a while before I disassemble it again and attempt what I have in mind for that.

The Ode with SSP is much better if you completely disassemble the front end and re-calibrate the calibration mechanism. Shouldn’t drift now, and I can grind Turkish to French press. Even better, there now isn’t any room in the mechanism for coffee to get into, so I can adjust the setting smoothly without having to run the grinder while doing so (apparently a common issue). The thing has some of what I can only describe as “baffling design choices,” internally. Those choices mean that it is very sensitive to being assembled carefully. It works fine if it has been. Clearly this one was not. The issue I fixed is likely what causes some people to complain about the auto shut-off not working: there was enough slack that, if there was any more slack in this example, the motor would have difficulty detecting whether or not resistance has been applied. Shouldn’t have to do all of that, but here we are. I’m happy with it now. Edit: in Fellow’s defense, the issues I was fixing wouldn’t have been a problem with the stock burrs, as they just weren’t consistent enough for the small variation to be a factor. Fellow sells these burrs, though.

Container ship with Flair 58s finally was released for delivery to the warehouse. They then have to do QC and box up and then ship, and who knows how long that will take, but it’s at least progress.

I have an older version of that machine (I think it’s essentially the same heating and flow equipment, but with an older version of the electronics): it’s what I use when I don’t use my Flair Pro2 (someday the cargo ship the Flair 58 is on will dock and I’ll get it), so it’s what I mostly use. I’ve had the Breville for nearly 10 years and am not going to replace it anytime real soon. It makes delicious espresso. Much better than what the neighborhood coffee shop, which is pretentious but otherwise doesn’t really seem to care about quality, puts out on tens of thousands of dollars of equipment. I had my first coffee from Malawi today, thanks to Covered_ears. It’s delicious. Quite mellow, with a very pronounced citrus flavor (but not a lot of acidity, per se) and a lingering undertone of barley malt. Pour over 16:1. Delicious.

That is my expectation! Hopefully I’ll get it at the same time the Flair 58 arrives (it’s still off the port of LA in a container ship).

Finally listening to Let It Be Superdeluxe. I’ve obviously heard the Glyn Johns bootleg, but boy this is the album I wanted Let It Be Naked to be, in full quality. Warts and all, and there are plenty. It’s glorious.

I sort of feel silly having bought it, when I ended up just ordering a Niche like a week later, but Ode with SSP isn’t going anywhere: it’s an incredible grinder for filter in this configuration. It doesn’t taste like an espresso-focused grinder. I also hate it, but that’s not the point: I love a lot of things I hate.* It’s just so close to being good. But boy is this a good cup of coffee (Rwandan misozi, in this case). *this is eye-rollingly obvious to anybody who has met me. It’s probably a big part of why I’m a weird shut in.

Keeping things you don’t use is indeed that. That is the conclusion I’ve come to as well.

It took about half an hour. It is not difficult, but you have to make sure you have the fixed burr TIGHT. That is where I was getting drift, I think. Given the lack of adjustment you have to have baseline setting absolutely set. Having said alI of that: it will not work for French press, Nate: the SSP burrs go finer. This grinder will no longer grind for French Press. The burrs are a couple hundred bucks. It will grind amazing French with the stock burrs, but it doesn’t go very fine with those, even with the 1.1 set. This grinder can do espresso or it can do French press, but not both, and it can’t *really* do espresso, regardless of the burr set. I mean it can, and does, but it also can’t and won’t. I honestly don’t know what electric grinder to suggest that isn’t ridiculously expensive. I’ll happily send you a hand grinder that will do both; I have spares. But it would be a hand grinder. I really don’t know. The new Vario+ by Baratza maybe? For $500-ish that might he the sweet spot if you do espresso or French, but nothing in between. I know you have a Bambino, which is a better electric machine than what I’m using. Sorry I’m not helpful here, but short story long this isn’t the grinder you should have in mind. I like it VERY much, but my use case isn’t the same as yours as I mostly do pour over, and this is amazing for that and frustrating for anything else. 😕

I may or may not be fucking with Sam. but I’ll report back.

I bet it’s significantly inferior to the Ode with SSP for filter. I’ll be sure to compare.

I bought a Niche. It will supposedly ship in December. We’ll see.

Well, I just beat that cup, going from one bean to Gesha. I think I’m going to go back to bed; what is the point of staying awake when you have peaked at 7 AM?

I’m repeating myself here. This grinder should have the SSP burrs stock. The pour over is absolutely effortless and wonderful. Espresso with it is… frustrating. They could calibrate it with espresso grind not being possible with these burrs and they would have the best pour over grinder in the world under $1,000. Yeah, you can make amazing espresso with it. I won’t use anything else again, if I have a choice, for filter, and I mostly drink filter. I just had the best filter cup I’ve ever had.

The conclusion I have come to is that the Ode with SSP can grind for espresso. It can make delicious espresso. It’s a reach though. But it effortlessly makes the most wonderful pour-over you have ever had.

One big difference between, say, an EK43 and the SSP burrs in the Ode is that the Ode gets bound up. EK43 doesn’t notice. Hand grinders get bound up, but you expect it. I wish I could share this coffee I made using the Ode, though.

Primarily scooping coffee beans, because I’m a poseur, but I like the spoon. It wasn’t the first time I hot blued something, but it’s the best one.

I do want to brag about how well my hot blued cupping spoon turned out. The handle has changed, but I’ve also touched it and my fingers are acidic.

I went a bit finer than in that pic. Using a local roaster’s “espresso blend,” which is pretty light. Ground from frozen. Into my workaday Breville: better basket and a puck screen. Perfect fluffy grinds. The Ode can pull delicious espresso with the SSP burrs. This shot is just delicious. Thick, textured, tastes of the coffees (this is a blend, but it’s a distinct blend, and you can taste the beans), acidic and bitter, but in balance. Sweet on the back of the palate. Lots of malic acid, but like sweet lime. 16.5 in, 40 out in 28 seconds, no pre-infusion. The puck popped out clean before I even tapped. Could have gone finer. A wonderful shot. I wish I had more steps, but I can go quite a bit finer if I needed to. I would go a little finer with a single origin light roast, as opposed to this blend. Can’t argue with the results, though I would in no way, shape, nor form, recommend the Ode with SSP burrs for espresso unless you are a crazy like me. God I love coffee.

Plus now I have room for something else! I’ve decided it’s time for a gold watch again, I think. Now I just have to decide on what and start saving. It may very well be nothing more than trading in my Santos for a two-tone model (which is what I should have gotten to begin with, in hindsight), as that watch is essentially perfect for me, and stays on my wrist for weeks, sometimes months at a time.

Calibration is correct: I think I just wasn’t brave enough. This is what you get well above the “1” mark (though also below 2) with the SSP burrs properly calibrated: about as fluffy and uniform as you would want, with room to go. Passes the pinch test with flying colors.

First use of the Ode with SSP burrs on espresso is not positive. I’ll recalibrate and try again tomorrow. I overreached and used good beans since the pour over results were so good. My fault. The puck came out as clean as you want, but it’s sour and ran fast and long. I could go finer, but I think there is something up. This is drinkable (well, the second one is), and I’ve had worse from fancy coffee bars, but no thanks.

Well, I dunno about the karma points, and I certainly don’t know about the “good man” part, but I bet she buys the beers next time! But yes: what is the point of keeping stuff until we are dead?

I was at my partner’s great-uncle’s funeral this past weekend. He was the patriarch of the clan. Heather’s family is Scottish: he came over after Korea, with his wife from Jersey (a story in and of itself). He was bigger than life in some ways, and kind and decent, and everything I’ve heard says to me that I’m sad I didn’t get to meet him. It was sorrowful, and happy in remembrance, and I got to see her family again (they have absolutely welcomed me, and I appreciate them so much). I wore my Drive Extra Flat. I wore it because I thought “boy, this watch is beautiful on my dresser, but leaves me cold on the wrist, but selling a watch is such a pain in the ass so I never have done so, so I should probably wear it.” At the wake, after, the youngest adult grand-daughter of the decedent, whom I adore (vibrant, smart, fun as hell, striking out on her own at the end of her college career in secondary education and the first openly gay member of the family) kept looking at my wrist (jacket off and sleeves rolled up). I of course noticed. She finally got around to asking what the watch was, because she just was fascinated and loved it. I took it off and handed it to her and told her what it was and said “try it on.” There have been a few times where I have seen somebody’s life just shift a little by an object. I of course immediately said it was hers. Sending the box and papers off to her tomorrow. I’m sure she’ll wear it for the rest of her life, and she’ll remember me every time she puts it on, when I’m long gone. I have a form of “seller’s remorse” now, of course: it was so damned pretty on my dresser! Thought the ‘case watch people would like the little story. Watches aren’t worth anything if they aren’t worn. [Edits because I got some of the family details wrong as I thought about it.]