What's your opinion on Nespresso?

[JPDyson]

I get confused. Because what some people say is a "real" capp sounds a lot like a cortado.

[StillShaving]

A cappuccino is defined by a shot of espresso topped with lightly frothed milk, to total a volume at roughly, and not to exceed ~5.5oz.

Modify to taste.

p.s. - the "tons 'o' foam" picture is inaccurate. The "rule of thirds" is inaccurate. However, if you like, I would be happy to explain how those got started.

Interesting...how did those rules get started? I could believe that different groups of people have different definitions/variations for these different coffee cocktails. I am interested in your perspective.

[Jasonian]

Interesting...how did those rules get started? I could believe that different groups of people have different definitions/variations for these different coffee cocktails. I am interested in your perspective.

Italians enacted some laws defining some of their cultural items.. espresso being one such category. The cappuccino was also defined so as to keep what is Italian.. Italian. I guess they were afraid that Starbucks might actually succeed in watering down their tradition.

I don't write the rules.. I just share them. Somehow, though, I can never seem to find the link to the official page whenever I need to cite it. It does exist.

[Jasonian]

I get confused. Because what some people say is a "real" capp sounds a lot like a cortado.

I get confused when I'm served a macchiato with latte art. I feel your pain.

[verdict]

Ok I went so far as to visit my local appliance store and checked out the french press. was pretty close to buying it...but I didn't because it looked like I was making drip coffee in a different way.

Instead of letting the machine make drip coffee for you, it seems like I'm doing it myself...letting it steep and pushing it myself.

I'm mainly interested in making cappuccinos, and as you know I need espresso for it.

So a better question I have for you guys is...what kind of coffee is the french press intended for? americano?

[petr]

I don't hate Nespresso - the convenience is nice when time is short, but it is a trade off. here is what I pulled from AJ Coffee Co.'s Black Torpedo blend:

Attachment 249445

This shot is complex - the kind you still taste a long while after it is gone - I got hazelnut, caramel and cocoa in the aroma and cherry and cream in the taste. This was a tight pull - over 50% extraction of weight of the shot to beans - closer to 70% by my scale. The texture is like mousse - fluffy and light with that lovely desert taste that turns more like orange and cream as it cools.

Nespresso will not give this type of shot even on it's best day. Nespresso in addition, maybe. In place of a traditional espresso machine? Not a chance.

ok AJ. what equipment did you use to create this? Looks great. translated = what would it take for me to do the same? thanks

[EricBNC]

ok AJ. what equipment did you use to create this? Looks great. translated = what would it take for me to do the same? thanks

That was definitely AJ Coffee Co.'s Black Torpedo Espresso Blend coffee beans but the machines used to process them to make the shot in the photo are my Quick Mill Silvano and OE Pharos grinder:

[Jasonian]

You would need a capable espresso machine and a capable espresso grinder. What's your budget? :)

[petr]

Capable. Under 500?

[StillShaving]

Ok I went so far as to visit my local appliance store and checked out the french press. was pretty close to buying it...but I didn't because it looked like I was making drip coffee in a different way.

Instead of letting the machine make drip coffee for you, it seems like I'm doing it myself...letting it steep and pushing it myself.

I'm mainly interested in making cappuccinos, and as you know I need espresso for it.

So a better question I have for you guys is...what kind of coffee is the french press intended for? americano?

I encourage you to try a french press, the flavor will be different than you get from your drip machine. If you like americanos, then you should like the press. You get all the oils and extra fine coffee particles that a drip filter would remove. So in that sense it will resemble an americano, but instead of brewing a concentrate and adding water, you would brew more coarsely ground coffee at similar water ratios as drip.

[EricBNC]

I consider the taste of an Americano and the taste of a pressed cup to be two completely different animals...

[JPDyson]

I get confused when I'm served a macchiato with latte art. I feel your pain.

A Cortado with latte art, I'm impressed. A Macchiato with latte art, I silently thank them for the Cortado.

[StillShaving]

I consider the taste of an Americano and the taste of a pressed cup to be two completely different animals...

There are differences between brewing methods, and variations within. The larger question is how to describe the spectrum of flavors or expectations about a particular brewing method. How to simply describe when the expectation is that a french press is just like drip (filtered) coffee.

[EricBNC]

There are differences between brewing methods, and variations within. The larger question is how to describe the spectrum of flavors or expectations about a particular brewing method. How to simply describe when the expectation is that a french press is just like drip (filtered) coffee.

The Americano is lighter in body than a press pot cup - the acidity is more pronounced as well. I like them both...

[Jasonian]

Capable. Under 500?

It can be done. :)

Find a used Gaggia (make of machine), and clean it up just a bit. Search!

Take the rest of your money (should be quite a bit) and buy the best damned burr grinder you can find. Sometimes, you can even find a Mazzer SJ in that range on E-Bay.

When I started on home espresso, I was in college on a college student's budget. I'm pretty handy when it comes to putting together a budget home espresso set up.

I hope that helps.

[EricBNC]

I encourage you to try a french press, the flavor will be different than you get from your drip machine. If you like americanos, then you should like the press. You get all the oils and extra fine coffee particles that a drip filter would remove. So in that sense it will resemble an americano, but instead of brewing a concentrate and adding water, you would brew more coarsely ground coffee at similar water ratios as drip.

A huge difference for me is the amount of sediment left over in the cup when comparing the two methods - this photo shows the remaining sediment from a cup made using two 18g double shots. The coffee, Reunion Island's Ngoro Ngoro Medium roast from Tanzania, was ground finer than usual since the beans are showing some age (yes, you can pull a 25 second double shot with "past espresso prime" beans and a decent grinder). I have never made a press pot cup let alone a 36g pot that left so little sediment in the bottom of the cup...

[Ilnones]

Buy a Rancilio Silvia--about $700--and you'll be a very happy espresso addict.

[WickedSwde]

I tried nespresso once. I rather stay without coffe for a week.

[Judge Dredd]

=0 on the Nespresso.

We have one - SWMBO made me get one when she popped out our second bun because she said she was going to be afflicted with "mummy brain" and wouldn't have the wherewithall to deal with group heads and knobs and wands (minds out of the gutters, PLEASE!). She wasn't going to wait around while I researched plumbing-in an Expobar or La Marzocco and planting a crop of Arabica in the back yard.

Like the power of a Rolls Royce engine, I'd describe the Nespresso coffee as adequate. It's not great, but it's passable. I think they cut a lot of corners by using really poor quality ingredients (Robusta fer pete's sake) and most punters probably wouldn't care.

Having said that, despite Melbourne sometimes being called "the coffee capital of the world", the coffee here is sometimes good, rarely great, and often downright revolting. Really skilled and knowledgeable baristas are few and far between (although that's slowly changing), but given that the price of a cup of coffee hasn't kept up with inflation (about $A3.50 in the CBD v a CPI-adjusted price which is estimated to be about $A7 or $A8 per cup), I guess we should be thankful for small mercies.

Nespresso customer service here in Au is, like the coffee, ordinary. They have screwed up orders a few times, they continue to charge postage on large orders, and they seem incapable of applying credits to accounts without 2 e-mails and 4 phone calls (and even then they still can't do it). Stock supply on limited editions is laughable and they often run out by the time the e-mail has cleared my virus scanner.

My personal preference is Greek/Turkish style in a briki with a Peruvian/Mocha blend, sometimes with a bit of Minas thrown in for tradition. But you have to watch it like a hawk, otherwise it will explode all over the stove.

[doug1066]

Not to be trite, but I find the name Neopresso sounds like a beverage found in the Matrix. Seriously, I have never found any capsule or pod coffee maker that can compete with freshly ground beans and a french press or even an automatic drip machine. Espresso machines are on another level.