We all lead busy lives. Weekday AMs are generally too busy for espresso, so I do v60 or Hario Switch. Weekends offer some time for espresso but never enough time for more than 4 shots a day, including time for notes. Other priorities (including the proverbial “honey do” list) always seems to intervene. Atleast until I semi-retire. In the interim … what do you do to make time for coffee experimentation? Where/how you find time?

Have children - plenty hours in a day Having a machine with quick warm up does help But I make 2 in the morning then one when home after work Some evening can be play time, but once you know your grinder and machine I find it pretty quick to try stuff

Coffee drinking for me has always been partly convenience. I still very much enjoy trying different coffee and various methods but it has to fit into my daily life. Not that I lead a particularly busy life but I find if I’m having to structure my day around coffee then I lose enjoyment. Working from home mainly has certainly made it easier. This also influences my equipment choices (simple machine, on-demand grinder). I do a jug of filter in the Moccamaster in the morning and a couple of flat whites in the afternoon. Sometimes an espresso after dinner. I have the machine on a WiFi plug so can switch it on from another room in the house if I’m planning to make a coffee shortly. I tend to run a bag through the hopper before moving onto the next and will make a note of the region/variety if we enjoy it. Roasting has definitely become more of a hobby. I’ve found myself reading up on it, sourcing beans, roasting sample batches with slightly different curves and cupping them etc. generally spending more time on it.

Had few issues earlier on in year, so machine had to go shame. But I still prefer V60 and it takes twice as long but just very good flavours. Hours seem to go I only now drink 6 am brews 2/3 220ml cups. I do mossa flat white might ride up to Bacup 😂

> @"JHCCoffee"#p58702 Weekday AMs are generally too busy for espresso, so I do v60 or Hario Switch. Surely it take longer to make a V60 or Switch brew than an espresso (at least 10min vs 3min including clean up?). I save experimentation for times when I can indulge it (afternoons/weekends). Most of the time I make my brews using a 'known good' grind setting & method.

> @"MWJB"#p58714 Surely it take longer to make a V60 or Switch brew than an espresso (at least 10min vs 3min including clean up?). Unfortunately we don’t have counter space, so to keep the peace with my wife, I have to store all but my espresso machine and grinder on a shelf and so must reset up every time I use it. Even the espresso machine and grinder must be repositioned. And then put all back up on the shelf. But atleast I am near the sink. :)

> @"Cuprajake"#p58703 Have children - plenty hours in a day Our kids must be wired differently 😂

Working from home helps. Get up at 6. SSS and dressed by 7. Leaves atleast 1 hour for breakfast and espresso. If under work pressure, start work at 8. If not, or you just want abit more time to make coffee, then enjoy coffee until 8:45 and sign in at 9. But if you have kids, no time for adult coffee play in the AM.

Filter is always on the auto mode - fixed ratio, grind size and V60/Switch. They don’t go wrong. When a new bag is opened, the espresso doesn’t require any experimentation, although I mainly drink light roasts. I am mostly dialled-in on the first try, and defo within 2-3 tries if required. I neither find time to experiment coffee nor can deal with the coffee made in the process. If I am not happy with a shot, the tweaks — if that’s what you call as experimentation — will have to wait for the next time / day. 😁 Finally, it doesn’t really bother us much. We have gone without coffee for months / years in the past and weeks together even after getting these expensive gadgets. :-)

I have read previously people having no time for espresso Still can't comprehend how other methods other than instant are quicker. And I only drink latte. 3 minutes max start to finish. How much quicker can any other method be. Machine is plumbed both sides I admit. Machine comes on with my Google alarm. More than ready by time I get to it. Put preweighed Coffee in grinder. Pour Milk in cup. Grind coffee and steam milk. Chuck in pf. 15s or so wdt. Tamp Pull lever. Brew. Stir Drink. Knock out puck and purge to clean pf. I've tried and do not like pour over or the time it takes to prepare and clean up. Why do others say espresso is time consuming . I just don't get it!!

@"JHCCoffee"#p58702 if you still get called honey are you younger than your avatar ? 😘

How/When Do You Find Time for your Coffee Hobby

Adrianmsmith

MWJB
But…..
….. What if……
You make coffee because you love drinking it.
….. and have enough analytics in your day job that you…..
…………need a hobby that has great taste rewards. Regardless of the lack of data.
☕

Perhaps there’s more than one hobby going on here. Or perhaps I’m in the wrong group after all.

MWJB

Adrianmsmith I do love drinking it. Because I love drinking it, I want it to be consistent and I want to be able to identify why there might be a problem if I’m not loving it (is it the brew process, grind setting, or the roast?). Not all coffee tastes great after all.

The taste of the coffee is a function of the coffee you have chosen to brew and how well you have carried out that brew, Whether/how much you liked it is also ‘data’.

It also helps to quantify aspects of a brew method, so hopefully if someone else is struggling, we can then troubleshoot.

You said that you have ‘post it’ notes on the back of the kitchen cupboard, I’m basically doing the same, with a couple more data points, that I can sort to identify trends…that’s all.

Meldrew

I just want to make a good cup of coffee. I might one day. How deep one wishes to delve into a hobby is up to them, if that makes them happy so be it.

JHCCoffee

It’s whatever in coffee you have fun doing and enjoy drinking as a result. Call it a hobby or an interest or call it whatever you want. For me, the process of getting there is as enjoyable as the end result. Everyone has a different approach to getting there, some focus more on the art and some focus more on the science. Some take more time to prepare and pour a cup (when they want to); some less. There is no right or wrong.

However I do sense that we all are interested in making a good tasting cup of coffee, and are prepared to invest abit more time and effort in getting there than most.

The good thing about this friendly forum is that most folks are not dogmatic or lecturing about their vs other people’s approach to coffee.

Pompeyexile

Being retired, then I have all the time in the world to make my coffee. But having said that, with my coffee making prowess never knowing how it is going to turn out, every day I make a coffee is an experimental day😁

dfk41

I also have all the time in the world being retired for several years now. The days are long gone now where I ‘play’ around. I prefer to settle into a routine. I have an americano at breakfast. A cappa at 11 am and then a decaf cappa around 2.30 and thats usually it for the day. I have thought about upgrading my Evo to the new model but I would not use the features so what is the point. I do not use plug timers although I did at one point, in the days of having an L1 but that was because working temp took 40 minutes unless you were willing to flush through or use towels to wrap around the group.

drdre89

dfk41 The days are long gone now where I ‘play’ around

What are you insinuating

dfk41

drdre89 )Thats for me to know 😜

DavecUK

JHCCoffee Might you have a moment to change the time of this thread to: “How/When Do You Find Time for your Coffee Hobby ”, which better expresses the intent of this thread. The app doesn’t seem to let me do it, probably due to multiple posts.

Done, sorry it took a while, I missed this comment first time round.

DavecUK

For me making coffee….when I’m not testing stuff, is simply about getting a nice drink, be it espresso, cap, americano, filter etc..this is of prime importance.

Secondary to that is that the process be simple but pleasurable. I often find gadgets get in the way of this.

Puckpress type devices
special tampers
distributors
etc..

The main tools I use are my:

Reg Barber Tamper,
Small knock box
Portafilter ring

That’s about it….

So although I have reviewed many complex machines, for me nothing beats the simplicity of the lever. I want to be able to pull it down and watch is it does the shot…and now (well when I get it), auto vents.

Cuprajake

i messed when testing the duo, ive also bought gadgets etc, but for me kiss works best

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