Making a good espresso does not have to be hard

If you don't read any other post on the Breville Barista Touch, please read this one.

Today, I stumbled upon a New York Times article entitled, “Making Espresso at Home Is Kind of a Nightmare—But If You Insist, Here’s How to Do It Well.”  The article opened, “No one should make espresso at home, leave it to the shops; it’s a multi-thousand-dollar rabbit hole you might never find your way out of.”

 

For me, the advice was a little late. I gave Judy, my wife, a Breville Barista Touch for Christmas. Why? I had read a NYT Wirecutter review assuring me, "The Barista Touch lets beginners make a variety of café-quality espresso drinks at home with very little learning curve."

 

Taking those words to heart, I bought Judy a Breville. I got it on sale but I still spent big bucks. I had jumped blindly into the rabbit hole. Wisely, Judy did not follow. After Christmas, I discovered another NYT article. This time the NYT was warning readers, "Of all the ways to make coffee, the espresso machine is the most intimidating." Intimidating: good word even if it is a little late.

 

For the past six months I have been tumbling down the rabbit hole. Today, I think I have stopped falling. I have a freezer full of good coffee beans bought on sale. Hey, I have to to cut costs somewhere. I have learned to measure, to time, to weigh, to preheat and post-clean – in short, I have learned how to make a very good latte. As for good espresso, espresso is something else all together. Don't confuse the two.

 

I have grudgingly developed a love-hate relationship with the Breville latte-maker. If you are thinking of getting into the latte-making game, take the time to read “Making Espresso at Home Is Kind of a Nightmare . . . ”

Try to avoid the very common mistake I made. I bought a machine that did not match my wife's lifestyle (nor mine). Many folk who make this mistake enjoy their purchase for a few weeks and, when the novelty wears off, when the coffee-making ritual begins to feel like work, the machine is abandoned. It sits on the counter-top looking imposing and gathering dust.

Do not buy more machine than you need. I did. I bought a very beautiful, café-quality espresso machine at a price that was also a beaut. I should have looked for a  simpler, less expensive machine. I had lots of options. I turned to ChatGPT.

Let's cut to the chase. When it comes to brewing espresso, my café-quality espresso machine falls short. If I brew two shots, one right after the other, one may weight 34g and the other 54g. There is no way these two shots can taste the same.

I have taken to brewing two shots, one after the other, and brewing both in the same insulated glass or cup. I add the sugar for both drinks as my wife and I agree on sweetness . I stir until the sugar is dissolved. Then, I spoon half the espresso into the empty cup. In this example, both cups will contain 44g of espresso.

Ideally, a dose of 19g should result in a pull of 38g. In this example, I have about 15% more espresso than I should have. If you were a pure espresso drinker, this would be a problem. But, if you are making a latte, you are off the hook. There is three times more milk than espresso in a traditional latte. All that milk can hide a lot and it does. 

I have now accepted the fact that my lattes owe more of their good taste to the steamed and frothed milk than to the not so perfectly brewed espresso.

Before buying a state-of-the-art espresso machine, complete with coffee grinder and milk steamer/frother, I would look at cheaper alternatives. My wife's cousin makes his espresso in a Bialetti moka pot. He uses a good, medium-fine grind, coffee and he heats his whole milk in the microwave taking care not to make it too hot. 150 degrees Fahrenheit is about perfect. Not more. He froths the milk in his French press.

Does the moka pot deliver true espresso. No! It is rich, highly-concentrated coffee. It is not espresso but if you are making a latte, does it really matter? Not to a lot of people.

Frothing the whole milk using a French press can be done in such a way that it will please the average latte drinker: Submerge the plunger halfway into the warm milk (140°F–150°F), raise it slightly above the surface of the milk and pump four to five times. Now, push the mesh screen to the bottom and pump rapidly for 20 seconds without breaking the surface. Tap the French press on the counter to pop any large bubbles, swirl the milk, add the frothed milk immediately to the espresso.

Most folk are quite happy with the resulting latte. Everyone is happy with the price. A moka pot and a French press can be purchased with spare change. A bank loan is not necessary.

Enjoy.

Steaming & Frothing Wand Tool is Fragile

The Breville Barista Touch wand cleaning tool is fragile. Made from brittle plastic, users have reported, if dropped, it breaks where the cap attaches to the tool. The tool can also break in use. The tool is used when taking the tip apart for cleaning. A little dried milk in the wand tip has been known to cause the tool to break.

Note: When buying a replacement, be aware that there are a number of variations on this tool. Different espresso machines may require a tool with a differently shaped centre hole.

Breville sells replacement tools at $10 when ordered straight from the company. Save shipping charges by adding other maintenance supplies to the order. The price from Breville for the ClaroSwiss Water Filters bests the competition. I added filters to my order.

If bought from another source, other than Breville, the price fort the little tool can climb to more than $30. That's nuts! 

Insulated, Double-walled, Glass Cups Are Best

What is the best cup for a flat white or any other espresso-based drink, such as a latte or a cappuccino? 

 

For me, the answer is easy: an insulated, double-walled, glass cup. Beautiful to the eye with a good feel in the hand.

 

Serve your espresso-based milk drinks in a heavy ceramic mug and your drinks immediately begin to cool.

 

Insulated, double-walled, glass cups—with or without handles—prevent rapid cooling. Another plus, these cups stay cool to the touch even when preheated. I like to fill my cups with water and then heat the water in the microwave while I grind and tamp the beans.

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The only downside to these cups is durability. Light glass cups are fragile. I know. Both my wife and I have already broken one. I tipped one over but my wife only tapped the rim and a small crack appeared. I have heard others complain about the cost but I find stores like Homesense, Marshalls and Winners offer a good selection at excellent prices.

 

Insulated glass cups are practical and nice looking. The coffee appears to almost float in a clear cup. The espresso and the thin layers of crema and foamed milk are clearly visible. Unlike some plastic mugs, glass cups do not impart off flavours.

 

For me, preheated, double-walled glass cups are the best. Love 'em.  

Making good latte on the cheap.

It just occurred to me: I have never met a latte I didn't like. Strong coffee smoothed out with lots of heated milk, what could go wrong. Café connoisseurs would say "lots". Me -- a simple espresso drinker -- I would say "very little".

My ignorance encourages a broad tolerance range. For instance, if the coffee is too bitter, I am quick to add a little sugar. I expect to make adjustments. Hey, that's why there is half and half on the table. I see flexibility as a strength.

The connoisseur has more refined expectations. Connoisseurs are more attuned to noticing subtle defects -- subtle to me but not to them. Vary the bean quality, extraction and milk texturing and risk offending the delicate palate of the connoisseur.

When I bought my wife an espresso machine for Christmas, I over bought. I knew nothing about espresso, latte, flat whites or cappuccinos. I turned to the experts. This was a big mistake. The Breville Barista Touch espresso machine was frequently suggested, accompanied by the claim that the approximate price of $1500 was a bargain.

I decided to consult ChatGPT. Wow! The AI program made complete sense and if I had followed its advice I could have saved more than a thousand dollars! Let me quote ChatGPT.

The simplest beginner setup for making excellent espresso drinks is:

• Bialetti Moka Pot ($50 at Canadian Tire)
• Baratza Encore Black Coffee Grinder ($200) or OXO Brew Conical Burr Coffee Grinder ($150) - Both available at Crate and Barrel
• Handheld Milk Frother (approximately $25 - $35)
• Good Whole Beans ($20)

Total cost: roughly $250 - $300 with espresso quality rivaling many cafés.

 

For brewing simply great coffee, substitute the AeroPress, $53 at Canadian Tire, for the Bialetti Moka Pot.

 

As a senior couple with more time on our hands than money, going the moka pot route is truly appealing.

Breville Barista Touch: more machine than I need?

I gave my wife a Breville Barista Touch for Christmas. I had read The New York Times Wirecutter review which said "the Barista Touch lets beginners make a variety of café-quality espresso drinks at home with very little learning curve."  

I should have read an earlier NYT article. It warned readers, "Of all the ways to make coffee, the espresso machine is the most intimidating." My wife was intimidated. After three full months, she has yet to pull one shot of espresso. That said, the Touch still gets lots of use. I am now my wife's personal barista.

I made a very common mistake, I bought a machine that did not match my wife's lifestyle. Many who make this mistake will enjoy their purchase for a few weeks and, when the novelty wears off, the coffee-making ritual will begin to feel like work and the machine is abandoned. It is left to sit on the counter-top looking imposing and gathering dust.

The Touch is more machine than I need. Clearly, it is more machine than my wife needs. I bought a very beautiful, café-quality espresso machine at a price that was also a beaut. I should have looked for a  simpler, less expensive machine. I had lots of options. I turned to ChatGPT.

I learned of the Airmsen 7.9'' Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine With Grinder was on sale at Walmart for $249.99. The reviews were mixed and, although most buyers seemed happy, those who were not happy had some excellent reasons for giving the Airmsen only one star. I found all the low priced units had similarly mixed reviews. I asked ChatGPT to loosen the purse strings and move upscale a little.

One of its suggestions found a lot of support, the Breville Bambino Plus at $500. Online espresso experts spoke highly of it and, even more importantly, a very sophisticated friend bought one.

There is also a non-plus Bambino at $360 but my advice is spend the extra $140 for the Plus.

It has a better steam wand. It has four-holes in the tip rather than just a single-hole and it auto-purges and self-cleans. There are some other perks but I believe the improved milk heating/frothing wand is the decider.

Worth a mention is the three-way solenoid. It releases the pressure after drawing a shot, making for a drier puck and less dripping after extraction. 

Now, what about a coffee grinder? I stayed with the Breville brand. I believe a Breville Smart Grinder Pro at $240 paired with a Breville Bambino Plus would make a fine team. They work well together, and just as importantly, they look good together. Looking good on the kitchen counter is important to a lot of people. My wife being one of them.

When comparing the two Bambino models, the actual espresso brewing systems are the same. Therefore, the shot quality is essentially the same.

Still, depending upon your skill level, lattes and other milk drinks from the Plus might be a notch up in quality compared to its less expensive soulmate. The Plus offers multiple milk temperature options and different foam levels. The Plus may make your inner barista shine.

Rather than spending $1280 for the all-in-one Breville Barista Touch, now I believe it would have been wiser to buy a grinder separate from the brewing machine. Not only would I have saved money but it would simplify doing repairs in the future.

I found a good review comparing the Breville Barista Touch, my machine, to the Breville Bambino Plus, my friend's choice. Here is the link: Breville Barista Touch vs Breville Bambino Plus reviewed by Eli for Coffee Drinker Net.

I found one error in the review. The Bambino Plus milk frothing wand has a four hole tip and not a single hole tip, as I pointed out earlier.

If you do not value matching looks, there are other coffee grinders you can consider. Here are two: MiiCoffee DF54 and Baratza Encore ESP. Use ChatGPT to compare grinders. Each has its own pluses and minuses. 

As for which espresso machine to buy, I have switched my vote to the Breville Bambino Plus. For home use it holds its own quite nicely and my oh-so-bright, never-makes-a-mistake friend bought a Plus. Now, that's a solid endorsement.

Breville Barista Touch Espresso machine: Should a novice use the dual-wall or the single-wall filter basket?

Let me get right to the point: I find it counter-intuitive that the dual-wall filter basket is the basket for beginners. I expected to see holes, lots of holes, in the filter basket bottom. It just seemed reasonable.

 

The dual-wall filter basket, the one with only one, small, exit hole in the bottom, looks strange. What advantage could there possibly be? Answer: the one hole raises the extraction pressure. Think of it as placing a thumb over the end of a hose. And why is this good?

 

The high pressure created by forcing the espresso through one, final, small hole smooths over flavour imperfections while producing a thick and stable crema. Critics see this as a cheat: ample crema created without perfect extraction.

 

Puck channelling happens less frequently when the dual-wall filter basket is used. Grind size, dose weight and tamping consistency all have less influence on the resulting brew. On the down side, pucks are often somewhat wet when the dual-wall filter basket is used. Many folk just ignore the wet puck if the espresso is good. 

 

On the other hand, the single-walled filter basket, with rows and rows of small perforations in the stainless steel bottom, depends on proper grind size, dose weight and consistent tamping to control extraction pressure. Controlling the variables calls for more skill on the part of the barista.

 

Dual-walled filter baskets are often called "training wheels" for budding baristas. Despite uneven tamping, incorrect grind size or dose weight errors one still pulls consistently acceptable espresso shots with no fuss, no muss. Note the word acceptable. Sadly, the dual-walled filter baskets also mutes the unique flavour notes found in different coffee beans. But, not to worry, most novice espresso makers do not notice. Acceptable is acceptable.

Breville Barista Touch Espresso machine: Extraction

Portafilter and filter basket

Making a flat white for my wife and me, the espresso started flowing in less than seven seconds. The extraction was too fast, the grind was too coarse.

To adjust the grinder, turn the dial on the side of the machine in the direction indicated. Change the size one unit at a time. Two is the limit. I understand the grinder should be operating while making adjustment.

Our goal here is to increase resistance slowing flow of espresso through filter basket. The result: a drier, more compact puck.

How to Adjust the Grinder for a Slower Flow

1. Adjust Using Side Dial: Turn the grind dial on the side of the machine to set a lower number. This results in a finer grind. Breville does not mention this but most experts agree that the grind size should only be adjusted with the grinder running.

2. Adjust in Increments: Change the grind size by small increments (about 1–2 units at most). 

3. Increase Dose: If the dose is underweight and the razor does not touch the surface of the grounds in the portafilter with filter cup inserted, increase the amount of coffee grounds by increasing the grinding time. Again, do this one second at at time.

4.  Adjust Internal Burrs: This is really a last ditch effort. I have never tried this but I did find this recommendation on the Internet in a couple of places. 

   If the side dial is already at its finest setting and the shot is still too fast, you may need to adjust the inner top burr. Remove the hopper, take out the top burr, and adjust the metal wire handle to a lower number (e.g., from 6 to 4 or 3).

Puck Condition

• Drier Puck: Because a finer grind requires higher pressure to pass through, the machine, the extraction will be more efficient, resulting in a drier, firmer, and more compact puck.

• Faster Flow Equals Damp/Muddy Puck: If the coffee is too coarse (flowing too fast), the puck will often be damp and muddy, as water passes through without being properly trapped.  

The goal is to aim for an extraction that begins in roughly 8–10 seconds and finishes around 25–30 seconds. If all goes as planned, you now have an espresso with nicely balanced flavour.

And, if the puck, while still in the portafilter, looks quite wet with a centre hole running right through the entire puck from top to bottom, you have forgotten the filter basket. Oops! The coffee streams will have started quite early and there will be coffee grounds in your drink. Toss the drink and start over.