Comment start with green beans (or at least a grinder)! (Score 1) 592
My personal solution:
The biggest thing is the fresh grind. Pre-ground coffee is just awful.
Using green beans means you can buy in bulk and not worry about freshness; green beans last for a long time.
One day I'll buy a proper espresso machine, but I just don't have a spare $AU 2k+ to drop on that at the moment.
- I roast my own. I use a Hearthware Precision roaster. I buy my green beans from http://www.coffeeco.com.au/ (you have to go to the 'Orders' page to see the green bean options). I roast Mocha Harar, Brazil Cerrado, and New Guinea Peaberry separately, using smell and colour to judge when it is done rather than the timer, and then mix them together before grinding.
- I use a proper burr grinder; a Gaggia MDF. I only grind what I need immediately (which actually means I'd be better off with a doserless grinder compared to the MDF, but hey).
- I use a classic Bialetti Moka Express (those stovetop octagonal aluminium things).
The biggest thing is the fresh grind. Pre-ground coffee is just awful.
Using green beans means you can buy in bulk and not worry about freshness; green beans last for a long time.
One day I'll buy a proper espresso machine, but I just don't have a spare $AU 2k+ to drop on that at the moment.
