Frozen Balls
They came from same source
Systemic I used to have a few but goodness knows where they are now! If you want a spare or spares you are welcome!
Systemic how did you get on?
I am wondering if there’s really something to it. Tried two espressos to frozen cup yesterday and just now. Two different coffees and both seemed to have matched the flavour profile quite closely.
mailto:kafar@btinternet.com
prezes Better/ closer to the taste profile than with a room temp/ heated cup?
Do you have any concerns about pouring directly into frozen cups?
PortafilterProcrastinator yes, initial impressions are exactly that.
Normally I would drink it from a cup preheated on the machine.
I intend to test it on my wife tomorrow!
I used one of the thick cups to minimise the risk.
mailto:kafar@btinternet.com
- Edited
Not fully replicating Hugh Kelly’s WBC routine. There, he only ran the first 12 grms of extraction over the frozen block.
Also trialling a puck screen to aid better water distribution across the puck which seems to be doing its job.
Shot was 17grms with a 1:2.5 ratio in around 33 secs total.
Espresso cup was pre-warmed and the shot was 50c.
Taste was very interesting. Huge silky mouthfeel akin to using a conical grinder but mine is a flat. Nicely balanced flavour - very fruit forward but not acidic. Definitely worth the effort.
Will try with other beans and try emulating Kelly’s routine of removing the frozen block around 12 grms.
I find this hack seems to bring out the flavours of the coffee more clearly and it doesn’t drop the temperature by that much that the coffee becomes cold. My own theory is that it brings the temperature of rhe coffee down to a level where our taste buds can better differentiate between the different flavour notes and that apart from that it doesn’t really do anything to the coffee itself. I rarely employ this hack however as it does involve a little more fussing wirh the preparation.
chlorox If it was solely about drinking temp, then you could just wait.
My understanding is that drinking temp is a secondary concern. The main idea behind this and the Paragon for drip coffee is that volatile aromatics are very quickly lost from the brew (dissolved solids are not - an issue recognised at least 65 years ago) and the temperature drop as the liquid leaves the puck/bed is theorised help to retain otherwise lost volatiles.
Ideally, a comparison should be made between ‘frozen ball’ shots & those left to naturally cool to the same drinking temp, to identify a difference. Or, if you feel/taste that ‘frozen ball’ shots are preferable, just do it & enjoy.
Not sure, but I’m sure I recall some interest in retaining volatiles through temperature after Christian Klatt had some shots analysed after grinding from frozen, following his involvement in the Colonna-Dashwood, Hendon, Leighton, Perger et all paper on grinding from frozen.
I would theorize that the volatiles are helping to bring out the flavour notes but becsuse the temperature is still too high for our taste buds to differentiate between them optimally, we dont get the best possible experience. It’s a catch 22 situation because if we wait for the coffee to cool then we lose the volatiles and the flavour notes with them. However by using the frozen balls, we get to have our cake and eat it too, so to speak.
Intriguing 🤔 What happens to this apparent taste change if you use the shot in a milk drink? Like a cappuccino. And what happens if you stir the cappuccino?
When I lay my hands on the double spout portafilter (recent house move), will try that.
Systemic I’ve just ordered a 40mm SS ball which wasn’t expensive so I won’t be hacked off if there’s no appreciable difference in the cup.
I’ve just been looking and saw a 40mm stainless steel ball but they wanted £29 not including delivery. Is that about what you paid and if not where did you get yours from?
Simply Bearings - £8.99 delivered and very quickly too.
- Edited
Ahh got it. So, the hardened chrome steel ball not the stainless steel one that costs over £25.
Ordered and a couple of sink strainers too.
Cheers!
Pompeyexile Ahh got it. So, the hardened chrome steel ball not the stainless steel one that costs over £25.
Ordered and a couple of sink strainers too.
Cheers!
Might give it a whirl if it’s relatively low cost. Where did you buy yours?
Got a set of paragon for espresso coming next week from a local supplier. Will post impressions. Thanks for the inspiration.
Not outrageously priced at around AU$85 shipped (~ £44) wholesale.
https://bomborasupplies.com.au/nucleus-paragon-espresso.html