I can't explain my angle here, but I can tell you that is an Expobar and Jeff Wikstrom in the background looks very worried about something.
I was impressed with the Expobar - nice heavy build. It's a bit primitive but so is the Miss Silvia. Jeffrey Pawlin looks on...
FrankenGaggia Classic with a PID
Mike McKoffee's Portable Power Conditioner- I can't remember all this does. It's like a Variac, a Timer, and an Electric Chair all in one...
Alchemist John (Right) and Mike McKoffee discuss the finer points of
roasting. Actually, this is when John is about to show us some cocoa
roasting in a Poppery 1.
All I can says is "Wow!"
Is Mike obsessed? Does the icon on his espresso machine answer that?
A Hearthware Precision with 2 types of cocoa beans.
John roasts cocoa - check out his web site www.chocolatealchemy.com
John breaks a cocoa nib for tasting and John Kangas looks on...
We cupped the Panama Auction Lot coffees but it didn't go to well. I thought it might be low water temperature but in fact I think it was too many espressos for me, and for a few, too many espresso AND too many beers.... Here's me and John setting up the coffees for the cupping
Ditto
Oh lordy ... I don't know what's going on here. I think I was sniffing the dry fragrance. Maria took the picture.
John's farm is beautiful! I woke up early Sunday and walked all over with the dogs. It was so quiet and there was that neat early morning fog hovering over the low areas - just great. Oakland Oregon was a nice break from Oakland California.
Look at those wisps of early morning fog ...
John's goats. Maria and I stayed outside, slept in a tent with the dogs. It was great, a 1 day camping vacation for us. The goats started up pretty early though - seems there was a piece of corrugated metal in their barn and they liked to step on it a lot, making a very loud sound.
The dogs had fun too . Here is Francy - he thinks I have a treat or something - he has that crazed begging look.
... and here is the other one - Judy. They are both 100% pure Oakland Pound Mutts! Oakland California that is.
Back to coffee.....
Lot's of hacked machines but this Cimbali commercial mill was probably
the most hacked of all!
The Cimbali grinder went this commercial 1 group machine, both bought off eBay. It's a great machine - but I think it was running a bit too high because the Brazil shots I pulled had an overextracted character.
Thanks so much to Alchemist John and Penelope for being the hosts, and to all who came. Can't wait to do it again!
