Well, it's not in hand yet. I still have to go collect it, but I finally made a purchase of a grinder, the MACAP M4 stepless in chrome.
Didn't go doserless in the end because my reading leads me to believe that the doser may be easier to clear than the doserless snout. (Niko, please don't hurt me!)
This has been a long path, and there are still a few steps to go. Moscow has no such grinder available, although Cimbalis are common--but at twice the price. I had to leave Russia to renew my visa registration anyway. (Visas are available with a one-year duration, but registration can't exceed six months. So you have to leave Russia periodically in order to stay there. Ten hotdogs and eight hotdog rolls to the pack. Go figure.)
So, browsing the coffee websites, I hit on Amsterdam as the place to go. And I have friends in the sticks to visit too. The grinder I bought is reserved for me in the Hague, a one-hour trip by rail from Amsterdam. So I'm going to make a long weekend of this compulsory trip and come back with a grinder upgrade.
Thrilling!
At last, an MACAP M4 stepless!
-
Niko
Re: At last, an MACAP M4 stepless!
Indeed!Weska wrote: Thrilling!
I can't wait to hear about it.
I want to hear every little detail....the trip, the packaging and the unveiling.
And of the course the quality in the cup.
-
Weska
The ladies on display always looked to me as if they are aunties hired by the city to sit there in order to maintain its reputation as a swinging town. I never saw their doors swing.
I will provide all the details, but you'll have to wait a month. I take possession at Espresso Service West in the Hague on August 13th. I'll get back home with it on the 14th (if customs doesn't object).
I will provide all the details, but you'll have to wait a month. I take possession at Espresso Service West in the Hague on August 13th. I'll get back home with it on the 14th (if customs doesn't object).
-
Weska
Coffee, as such, will not be neglected. I do have my favorite coffee shop, and that will not be neglected either.
I think I'll go over to toomuchcoffee.com and seek their advice on the former.
I heard last time I was there that coffee shops that had liquor licenses would be compelled to choose one or the other from the start of 2007. They were bars that chose to become coffee shops in the early days, and now the combination of vices seems to somebody just a little too much. A definite pity because my favorite coffee shop also offered my favorite beer.
Still, cheese will not be neglected, herring stands will not be neglected. It's a lot to do in just a long weekend, but I'll try to keep my mind on all this business.
I think I'll go over to toomuchcoffee.com and seek their advice on the former.
I heard last time I was there that coffee shops that had liquor licenses would be compelled to choose one or the other from the start of 2007. They were bars that chose to become coffee shops in the early days, and now the combination of vices seems to somebody just a little too much. A definite pity because my favorite coffee shop also offered my favorite beer.
Still, cheese will not be neglected, herring stands will not be neglected. It's a lot to do in just a long weekend, but I'll try to keep my mind on all this business.
-
Niko
So much to do, so little time.
Are you sure you're coming back with a grinder?
I'd probably go nuts in Amsterdam, my mission would start off with a grinder purchase and end up selling the grinder on the way through partying and mayhem!
This is an exciting journey, it's already starting to feel like a documentary of a man's obsession with coffee and what he'll go through to fulfill his needs for the ultimate pour.
Congratulations on your 100th post and your new rank.
Are you sure you're coming back with a grinder?
I'd probably go nuts in Amsterdam, my mission would start off with a grinder purchase and end up selling the grinder on the way through partying and mayhem!
This is an exciting journey, it's already starting to feel like a documentary of a man's obsession with coffee and what he'll go through to fulfill his needs for the ultimate pour.
Congratulations on your 100th post and your new rank.
-
Weska
-
Weska
And not only that...a Gene roaster
OK. The deal is done. I went to the Netherlands, I visited my friends where, more or less at the last minute, I had arranged for a Gene roaster to arrive from Austria. I dragged that back to my Amsterdam hotel room, and next day I dragged the MACAP M4 stepless back from the Hague.
I paid a lot of overweight charges but got them home safely. Tonight I tried my first Gene roast. Compared to my stove-top arrangement, it is an incredible pleasure to just turn on the machine and have it happen. It's also lovely to see the beans change color. However, it is hard to hear the cracks. The machine is not loud; softer sounding than the rattling around in the Whirley-pop. But the nearly sealed roasting flask doesn't allow much sound to escape. I'll have to try listening at the exit of the (very effective) chaff catcher.
The machine looks nice and capable, and very controllable once I know what I am doing with it. (My first batch was a bit overdone, an Italian roast from mid-Sicily.)
I'll probably leave the grinder for the weekend to dial in. I want to roast anther batch before then to support that process to completion.
I paid a lot of overweight charges but got them home safely. Tonight I tried my first Gene roast. Compared to my stove-top arrangement, it is an incredible pleasure to just turn on the machine and have it happen. It's also lovely to see the beans change color. However, it is hard to hear the cracks. The machine is not loud; softer sounding than the rattling around in the Whirley-pop. But the nearly sealed roasting flask doesn't allow much sound to escape. I'll have to try listening at the exit of the (very effective) chaff catcher.
The machine looks nice and capable, and very controllable once I know what I am doing with it. (My first batch was a bit overdone, an Italian roast from mid-Sicily.)
I'll probably leave the grinder for the weekend to dial in. I want to roast anther batch before then to support that process to completion.
-
Weska
MACAP and Gene: the travelogue
OK. Weekend is here, and I've had a chance to work with everything a bit. Niko has requested a full account, and those of you not interested in a travelogue approach should read other threads that I will soon start to describe the equipment and dialing in.
Came into Amsterdam's airport and immediately hopped on the train to Oss, a small town in the south not far from Belgium. This section is called Brabant and is pretty agricultural with a lot of animals around. One of the striking things about the Netherlands is how the domesticated animals are always around somewhere. If there is a little park square in a town, it is likely to have some sheep grazing. If there is pond, almost certainly there will be ducks in it, maybe some geese and a swan.
My friends in Oss had been kind enough to receive packages for me in advance of my arrival. They were very worried about how I would get the Gene roaster back. So was I to a degree, but I had brought two suitcases, and the whole carton as shipped just fit inside the larger one.
The carton the Gene ships is indeed huge. It is far longer than the machine plus the generous styrofoam blocks that keep it floating in the center of the carton. The extra length takes the chaff collector and stand for the roasting flask, which have to be supplemented by large blisters to keep them from rattling around. Looks as if the carton was designed to handle something bigger.
Anyhow after a night in my friends' favorite pub--darts and pints were on offer--we went on Sunday afternoon to a series of demonstration gardens. It was almost like a trade show where, instead of booths, you had small gardens. There were all kinds--traditional, post-modern, formal. There were a lot of ponds surrounded by metal frames or walkways. All pretty interesting.
After that, back to the train with my booty. Checked in at my hotel, which was just a 10-minute walk from the central station, and went out on the town. This meant many a Duvel and Indian food (chicken vindaloo). But the first thing it meant was a stop at my favorite coffee shop, the Dampkring. True to prior information, it no longer served Duvel nor any other alcohol. The rules had changed.
(They will soon change again. In 2008 indoor smoking--of anything--in bars, restaurants, and cafes will be forbidden. We'll all be buying inside and hanging around outside to smoke.)
Next morning, off again by train to the Hague. The main business was to pick up my grinder, but first I wanted to see the sights. The Hague is not a town that is immediately attractive. I had been there before to go to the Russian embassy for a visa and saw nothing whatever that would encourage me to linger. The guide books and my friends, however, did keep on about many attractions. And this time, I found them.
Chief among them was the exhibition of paintings in the Maruitshuis. There are not so many paintings but a high number of knockouts. My socks flew off for Vermeer's "View of Delft" and there were some Rembrandts and still lifes by painters whose names didn't stick with me that were none too shabby.
In general, the Hague suffers from having nice buildings from the past, but they are sprinkled around among more recent, non-descript things. There isn't a whole nicely preserved square or street. At least, I couldn't locate one in the time allotted.
One thing I did locate was a herring stand. These are in Amsterdam as well, and they serve delightful lightly pickled herring. For lunch I had some on a soft bun with chopped onions. Call it Dutch sushi.
By early afternoon, I had to set out for Espresso Service West. They have their only showroom a bit to the west of the town center. I walked there and found them in a little strip of business-to-business shops.
They looked quite serious. Right at the front door were a triplet of old Faema machines for the sake of history. There were lots of impressive multi-group machines and huge grinders on display. I had thought I might find a knockbox or a tamper stand, but nothing struck my fancy.
After browsing, I made my name known and claimed my MACAP M4. The fellow I had dealt with, Sander, was available and spoke excellent English. He hadn't charged me VAT, and I wanted to verify that it was OK for me just to leave with the machine. I had expected that he would want to record my passport number and flight information, but he seemed not to be worried. Mostly, he was concerned with what duty I would have to pay coming into Russia. All very friendly and agreeable.
We agreed on what tram I would use to return to the train station, and I walked off with another bulky 10 kilo purchase. And so back by rail to my hotel in Amsterdam. This purchase would have to go either in its own carton or in my remaining suitcase. In the suitcase seemed to work out because the outer carton wouldn't fit inside my second, smaller suitcase.
The grinder is floated in its carton with polyurethane foam blocks. I transferred that whole arrangement to my suitcase and wrapped the exposed sides with my clothing. The hopper had to serve as the shim that kept the rest from jostling around in my suitcase. I padded it with a few socks and such, but it was a little bit at risk. All the same, I felt that I had things worked out pretty well for survival. The hopper I expected not to use in any case.
Another evening out in Amsterdam. More Duvel, but a more modest meal. I was interested in trying the pancakes with not sweet but savory toppings. These are said to be a big deal for Dutch restaurant cooking. I chose one with cheese, bacon and onions, sort of like a quiche Lorraine. Not very interesting. Sort of like a soft pizza. I've not given up on these, because maybe I chose the wrong place, but I'm becoming skeptical.
Another coffeeshop, the Bulldog, was my source for the evening. This one is a big operation that also used to have alcohol but now is reduced to being a juice bar.
And next morning I dragged my suitcases on their wheels to the central station in Amsterdam and took the train to the airport. The Dutch have all this nicely worked out to be maximally convenient. Check-in was a nightmarish long wait, as it had been on the way in. And my overweight charge was huge--but about the same as I would have paid to have the same items shipped to me from where I bought them. And duty on arrival never happened. I just walked through the "nothing to declare" lane without so much as a glance from the customs people. And everything came home completely intact.
Regrets? Sure. I didn't get to a single place for drinking decent coffee. And I didn't get to shop for accessories (and much else) at the shops in Amsterdam because I was always otherwise occupied during their rather restricted hours of operation.
Was fun had? Yes, immense. If you read this far, thanks for being interested.
Came into Amsterdam's airport and immediately hopped on the train to Oss, a small town in the south not far from Belgium. This section is called Brabant and is pretty agricultural with a lot of animals around. One of the striking things about the Netherlands is how the domesticated animals are always around somewhere. If there is a little park square in a town, it is likely to have some sheep grazing. If there is pond, almost certainly there will be ducks in it, maybe some geese and a swan.
My friends in Oss had been kind enough to receive packages for me in advance of my arrival. They were very worried about how I would get the Gene roaster back. So was I to a degree, but I had brought two suitcases, and the whole carton as shipped just fit inside the larger one.
The carton the Gene ships is indeed huge. It is far longer than the machine plus the generous styrofoam blocks that keep it floating in the center of the carton. The extra length takes the chaff collector and stand for the roasting flask, which have to be supplemented by large blisters to keep them from rattling around. Looks as if the carton was designed to handle something bigger.
Anyhow after a night in my friends' favorite pub--darts and pints were on offer--we went on Sunday afternoon to a series of demonstration gardens. It was almost like a trade show where, instead of booths, you had small gardens. There were all kinds--traditional, post-modern, formal. There were a lot of ponds surrounded by metal frames or walkways. All pretty interesting.
After that, back to the train with my booty. Checked in at my hotel, which was just a 10-minute walk from the central station, and went out on the town. This meant many a Duvel and Indian food (chicken vindaloo). But the first thing it meant was a stop at my favorite coffee shop, the Dampkring. True to prior information, it no longer served Duvel nor any other alcohol. The rules had changed.
(They will soon change again. In 2008 indoor smoking--of anything--in bars, restaurants, and cafes will be forbidden. We'll all be buying inside and hanging around outside to smoke.)
Next morning, off again by train to the Hague. The main business was to pick up my grinder, but first I wanted to see the sights. The Hague is not a town that is immediately attractive. I had been there before to go to the Russian embassy for a visa and saw nothing whatever that would encourage me to linger. The guide books and my friends, however, did keep on about many attractions. And this time, I found them.
Chief among them was the exhibition of paintings in the Maruitshuis. There are not so many paintings but a high number of knockouts. My socks flew off for Vermeer's "View of Delft" and there were some Rembrandts and still lifes by painters whose names didn't stick with me that were none too shabby.
In general, the Hague suffers from having nice buildings from the past, but they are sprinkled around among more recent, non-descript things. There isn't a whole nicely preserved square or street. At least, I couldn't locate one in the time allotted.
One thing I did locate was a herring stand. These are in Amsterdam as well, and they serve delightful lightly pickled herring. For lunch I had some on a soft bun with chopped onions. Call it Dutch sushi.
By early afternoon, I had to set out for Espresso Service West. They have their only showroom a bit to the west of the town center. I walked there and found them in a little strip of business-to-business shops.
They looked quite serious. Right at the front door were a triplet of old Faema machines for the sake of history. There were lots of impressive multi-group machines and huge grinders on display. I had thought I might find a knockbox or a tamper stand, but nothing struck my fancy.
After browsing, I made my name known and claimed my MACAP M4. The fellow I had dealt with, Sander, was available and spoke excellent English. He hadn't charged me VAT, and I wanted to verify that it was OK for me just to leave with the machine. I had expected that he would want to record my passport number and flight information, but he seemed not to be worried. Mostly, he was concerned with what duty I would have to pay coming into Russia. All very friendly and agreeable.
We agreed on what tram I would use to return to the train station, and I walked off with another bulky 10 kilo purchase. And so back by rail to my hotel in Amsterdam. This purchase would have to go either in its own carton or in my remaining suitcase. In the suitcase seemed to work out because the outer carton wouldn't fit inside my second, smaller suitcase.
The grinder is floated in its carton with polyurethane foam blocks. I transferred that whole arrangement to my suitcase and wrapped the exposed sides with my clothing. The hopper had to serve as the shim that kept the rest from jostling around in my suitcase. I padded it with a few socks and such, but it was a little bit at risk. All the same, I felt that I had things worked out pretty well for survival. The hopper I expected not to use in any case.
Another evening out in Amsterdam. More Duvel, but a more modest meal. I was interested in trying the pancakes with not sweet but savory toppings. These are said to be a big deal for Dutch restaurant cooking. I chose one with cheese, bacon and onions, sort of like a quiche Lorraine. Not very interesting. Sort of like a soft pizza. I've not given up on these, because maybe I chose the wrong place, but I'm becoming skeptical.
Another coffeeshop, the Bulldog, was my source for the evening. This one is a big operation that also used to have alcohol but now is reduced to being a juice bar.
And next morning I dragged my suitcases on their wheels to the central station in Amsterdam and took the train to the airport. The Dutch have all this nicely worked out to be maximally convenient. Check-in was a nightmarish long wait, as it had been on the way in. And my overweight charge was huge--but about the same as I would have paid to have the same items shipped to me from where I bought them. And duty on arrival never happened. I just walked through the "nothing to declare" lane without so much as a glance from the customs people. And everything came home completely intact.
Regrets? Sure. I didn't get to a single place for drinking decent coffee. And I didn't get to shop for accessories (and much else) at the shops in Amsterdam because I was always otherwise occupied during their rather restricted hours of operation.
Was fun had? Yes, immense. If you read this far, thanks for being interested.
-
Niko
That is an amazing story!
It felt like I was there, making a long travel through far off lands for the love of espresso. Most of us are just mouse clicks away from purchasing anything and take this granted but after reading what you went through just makes me appreciate the equipment sitting on my counters.
Thank you for the wonderful details, now I long to visit Europe. Not sure about Amsterdam since they're changing the (ahem)...smoking (thingys) indoors in 2008
...and traveling abroad with 20 kilos of packages in your luggage
Glad to hear you didn't declare anything :D
It felt like I was there, making a long travel through far off lands for the love of espresso. Most of us are just mouse clicks away from purchasing anything and take this granted but after reading what you went through just makes me appreciate the equipment sitting on my counters.
Thank you for the wonderful details, now I long to visit Europe. Not sure about Amsterdam since they're changing the (ahem)...smoking (thingys) indoors in 2008
...and traveling abroad with 20 kilos of packages in your luggage
Glad to hear you didn't declare anything :D
-
Consty
-
Weska
I'm a habitual visitor to your homeland, Consty. My wife and I have a lot of favorite places and hope to add to them. We want to explore the coastal areas more.
And one of the most memorable meals of my life was in a fancy hotel in Sandpoort. Six courses, other refreshing morsels between, with as many wines as courses, each one chosen for its fit to the food.
The Dutch know a lot about how to enjoy life, and I'm ready to learn.
And one of the most memorable meals of my life was in a fancy hotel in Sandpoort. Six courses, other refreshing morsels between, with as many wines as courses, each one chosen for its fit to the food.
The Dutch know a lot about how to enjoy life, and I'm ready to learn.
-
Niko
-
Weska
Provocateur!
It would be a distinct letdown to go back to my MDF Gaggia. May this one never need a repair I can't handle in a week or less.
To give a quick comparison:
1) Static would plague the MDF with fly-away clouds of grounds, often after exiting the doser as well as from the top if the lid was not in place. This wouldn't happen always, but there would be seasons of it. The MACAP never has static issues beyond a fine film of dust clinging to the inside of the doser.
2) The doser is not the weakling that the MDF had. The handle on the doser for the latter broke on me twice, and I gave up after the first replacement and spun the doser blades with a chop stick.
I expect the MACAP one to last pretty much like the rest of the machine, a long, long time. It feels well built, maybe overbuilt, and works very smoothly with great emptying of the chamber. To be fair, the Gaggia left very little behind in the doser.
3) The chute from the burrs is more visible and accessible than in the Gaggia. Well, once you remove the finger guard it is.
This is important to me because I grind for the shot and clear everything by pulsing afterward and blowing out any remainders in the chute with an ear syringe.
One of these days I might try to devise a doserless snout with a flap for convenient cleanout, but I'm content with the doser and its access to the chute.
4) The grind adjustment is continuous on the MACAP. I had done the stepless mod with wrappings of teflon tape on the burr thread with my Gaggia, and this overcame the far too gappy stops on the Gaggia's official adjusting clicks. Still, the MACAP makes it easy and keeps up your confidence that nothing has drifted from where you set it.
5) Adjustment is seldom needed with the MACAP. Weather here is pretty stable with just a few humid days during a summer, and the MACAP rarely needs that kind of adjustment. It sometimes likes to be opened up just a little as a roast (I homeroast) ages, but even this is not always the case. Tweaking the grind had been part of almost every sequence of shots with the Gaggia. Now, I don't always even check the timing I'm getting. I can be nonchalant and still get some pretty good drinks.
6) The MACAP is very silent. With the Vivaldi pump's quiet operation, lack of a cooling fan (because I'm running on 220v with a machine intended for that because purchased from Europe) and the MACAP's rather modest humming along as it grinds, the loudest part of my process is now the doser thwack!
That's all I can think of for the moment--all that would make me very reluctant to go back to the old grinder.
It would be a distinct letdown to go back to my MDF Gaggia. May this one never need a repair I can't handle in a week or less.
To give a quick comparison:
1) Static would plague the MDF with fly-away clouds of grounds, often after exiting the doser as well as from the top if the lid was not in place. This wouldn't happen always, but there would be seasons of it. The MACAP never has static issues beyond a fine film of dust clinging to the inside of the doser.
2) The doser is not the weakling that the MDF had. The handle on the doser for the latter broke on me twice, and I gave up after the first replacement and spun the doser blades with a chop stick.
I expect the MACAP one to last pretty much like the rest of the machine, a long, long time. It feels well built, maybe overbuilt, and works very smoothly with great emptying of the chamber. To be fair, the Gaggia left very little behind in the doser.
3) The chute from the burrs is more visible and accessible than in the Gaggia. Well, once you remove the finger guard it is.
This is important to me because I grind for the shot and clear everything by pulsing afterward and blowing out any remainders in the chute with an ear syringe.
One of these days I might try to devise a doserless snout with a flap for convenient cleanout, but I'm content with the doser and its access to the chute.
4) The grind adjustment is continuous on the MACAP. I had done the stepless mod with wrappings of teflon tape on the burr thread with my Gaggia, and this overcame the far too gappy stops on the Gaggia's official adjusting clicks. Still, the MACAP makes it easy and keeps up your confidence that nothing has drifted from where you set it.
5) Adjustment is seldom needed with the MACAP. Weather here is pretty stable with just a few humid days during a summer, and the MACAP rarely needs that kind of adjustment. It sometimes likes to be opened up just a little as a roast (I homeroast) ages, but even this is not always the case. Tweaking the grind had been part of almost every sequence of shots with the Gaggia. Now, I don't always even check the timing I'm getting. I can be nonchalant and still get some pretty good drinks.
6) The MACAP is very silent. With the Vivaldi pump's quiet operation, lack of a cooling fan (because I'm running on 220v with a machine intended for that because purchased from Europe) and the MACAP's rather modest humming along as it grinds, the loudest part of my process is now the doser thwack!
That's all I can think of for the moment--all that would make me very reluctant to go back to the old grinder.