EdipisReks1

Just bought a lightly used and recently serviced Izzo Vivi HX E61 PID on eBay. Finally got an E61! I love my Flair 58. As Greg said, the learning curve is steep, but once you got it… Niche is my preferred grinder for it (I use the SSP burr’ed ode for filter). The Niche is wonderful for things down to about “regular” AeroPress grind (which I do coarser than moka). It’s perfectly fine for coarser. The NZ will perform better for pour over (this is “coarser”) than you or your papers or your coffee. It’s brilliant for espresso, of course My pour over of choice is the Brewista Tornado with CAFEC light, for one cup. I like Chemex for larger brews.

A weird cat, but I kinda like it. Neither Silver nor Oatmeal Johnny agree.

I think this cat was genetically engineered to be cute. I just wish he didn’t spend 14 hours a day asleep under my couch.

New coffee supervisor has settled into the job.

Silver and Oatmeal Johnny are coexisting. He has figured out that Silver is mostly bark and little bite. She produces very resigned-sounding hisses, especially when they are both on the bed with me at night. Oatmeal Johnny is a wonderful cat. I got lucky.

I knew this cat had strong Maine Coon characteristics, but I’m fairly certain that Oatmeal Johnny is a purebred cat. He conforms perfectly. Except he’s a little too small (he’s a big cat, but not a big Maine Coon). What a dork, too! Not that it matters (Silver was feral, and Dunhill was more tumor than man at the end), but I don’t quite know why you would surrender a pedigreed juvenile (he isn’t quite fully grown, I do think). If he doesn’t gain another pound he will be a runt. That could very well be why. He’s easily the largest cat I’ve ever had. And maybe the sweetest. I like cats.

Good looking cup of coffee, Sam! My new cat supervisor takes his job very seriously.

Somebody is acclimating. Hopefully Silver follows suit (they are currently segregated but are aware the other exists: Oatmeal Johnny just wants to be friends! Silver… does not).

Meet Oatmeal Johnny.

Deposit accepted on future Oatmeal Johnny. The deposit is $5. Heather’s new puppy’s deposit was $600. Cats, man.

Oatmeal Johnny is mine. $5 deposit put down. I had a big opossum scratching at my door about a week ago. I think it smelled cat food. It ambled off when it saw me, when I opened the door, but not quickly. I like opossums a lot.

Tommy Ten-Toes was adopted, but there is a 1 year old Tux who just came into the SPCA, and I think we are ready for a new cat now. I have been working with Silver on new stimulation. Heather just got a puppy, who will be here soon anyway. I will rename him “Oatmeal Johnny” if I can get him (I think I will be able to). I had a dream once in which I had a cat named “Oatmeal Johnny.” This cat feels like an “Oatmeal Johnny.” If somebody else called dibs already, so be it, but I have a good feeling.

Spending my first night at home in a few days. My mother was okay today and yesterday (at least what passes for her after surgery), but there was a bad reaction to tramadol the day before which ended in agitated hallucinatory delusions for about 18 hours. It was rough.

Oh, I’ve made plenty of kimchi. What kind do you like best?

Happy tamper arrived (wish engagement ring would be so quick, but it routed through the awful Chicago facility so I’ll probably be married before it does). The Happy is very well made. It’s very clever. Its well designed. It has great packaging. It’s easy to use. It’s comfortable. It’s… sort of happy. Is it worth the money? Of course not; it’s espresso dork equipment: it should be $50, not $125. Is it worth it over the Normcore, which is half the price? No, of course not. But the Happy is easy to adjust and the Normcore is a bit of a pain. And I honestly prefer a palm tamper, though the Normcore is an excellent tamper. Was the Happy a waste of money? Yes; it’s home espresso. My container garden is a waste of money. Having a cat is a waste of money. It’s a hobby. Would I recommend it? Yes. It’s very clever. But not if you care about wasting money, which is a completely reasonable thing to care about. But I don’t think not wasting money on espresso gear is the target audience. Plus it’s happy!

Absolutely well said, Nate! I couldn’t have said it better, other than just to say that my preference is for lighter roasts. Once I get the Happy (it’s an easily adjustable calibrated palm tamper for far too much money) I’ll compare the Normcore, which is half the price.

Just ordered a Happy Tamper. I don’t know why, I have plenty of tampers, but it’s something to do I guess.

I have more than a dozen varieties of bean in my freezer.

The Flair 58 is *brutally* honest. I can’t imagine a more transparent espresso device, except for my Pro2* I mean, it is “what you put in is what you get out” at every single stage. Of course that is a double-edged sword; when it comes together, though, it’s magic. I really love mine, and I’m glad you are getting it dialed in! *The Pro2 not having a heating element and all. Actually the standard brewheads are even more brutal than that because they don’t have the same thermal mass as the Pro2 brewhead. But you get out what you put in: no more, no less.

Blind shaker to cup. It’s pretty at least. I don’t think this particular coffee, a light sidamo, lends itself to espresso though. 1:2 37 seconds 18.5 dose. It’s great in pour overs.

Nestle purposefully reduced protein in fucking baby formula sent to Africa. They have been on my shit list for a while. I didn’t know Blue Bottle was Nestle.

Just saw this, Greg; your grind is definitely too fine, as everybody else said. My basic recipe is a 1:2.5 at 4-6 bar in about 35-40 seconds, not including pre infusion. My recipe varies, but I almost always pull the lever gently, with no pressure indicated, until I see the first signs of coffee in my shot mirror (pre infusion), and then I pull with pressure. I’m somewhere around a 15 on the Niche (mine is calibrated just a smidge past the calibration marking). I’ve done the “too many variables at once” plenty. It’s easy to do. If you find that you are getting sour shots with the coarser grind I would updose a little. I try to not make tamp pressure part of the dial in (It’s why I switched to a calibrated tamper), but if it’s sour at the new grind setting you could try tamping just a little harder.

I brought a broth for Silver. Chicken broth. “100% human grade ingredients.” Good thing, because if this is going to be consumed it’s going to have to be by me, cuz she don’t like it.

Is this the long-rumored “CatBear?”

Brazil nuts, chocolate, vanilla. Malic acid. Sweet cream. Something interesting on the back end… a little funk; pomelo?