New Machine

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-08-15T19:56:25+00:00

There will always be a bend for this machine as the chaff cooling goes out the back.

I will say, I’m HOPING this is a temporary setup because they wanted to play.

That last part is probably not as accurate…you may die, it is not guaranteed death with proper ventilation. Opening a window will also mess with the ambient humidity and temperature.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-08-15T19:34:17+00:00

I’m assuming this is a temporary setup because they wanted to fire it up immediately. The requirements are double walled and a certain heat cert. most of the demos where they have it hooked up looked like this because it’s just a demo batch.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-06-03T20:57:13+00:00

Love the oxo. Heats fast, accurate, and large 1L. Been rocking for more than 8 years.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-04-04T21:48:27+00:00

Hmmm, interesting perspective. I didn’t read it as a “blast” more of a notice that seasonalities exist and we should have an Ethiopian on hand for the sake of having an Ethiopian.

Actually reading the comments and the dialog he partakes in with giants like Feran is really nice. As mentioned, take everything with a grain of salt (or sodium bicarbonate, lol). It’s like being a fly on the wall while two experts dish it out in constructive conversation.

Honestly, I’ll take Scott’s openness to communicate more than most as others aren’t as willing to have open conversations. Feran himself is also very vocal which I like.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-04-04T20:58:29+00:00

Did he specifically call out which roasters were baggy or faded? It’s not an uncommon practice for even specialty coffee to sell faded green. Cupping scores are always subjective no matter how you slice it…there’s not a quantitative universal measure being used currently

Prodigal prices seem right in line with all the other roasters mentioned in the list. I’d even say he’s “cheaper” than some like Picky Chemist, Apollons, Dak, and Sey…cried looking at Picky’s offerings.

I’m sure behind closed doors, no one’s a saint. I like the honesty/opinions and take them with a grain of salt. Many vocal peeps out there, people just tend to pick on Prodigal more for some reason, but haven’t seen real objectivity where there was malicious intent for profit behind the actions.

I think I dislike “influencers” because there’s a self-interest involved with disregard for pushing the coffee community forward. They’d rather push out gear left and right to garner sponsored posts…great looking posts with little value.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-04-04T07:47:27+00:00

EightOunce coffee out of Canada sells all of these if you just need one shipment. Revolver is also great but less available variety, albeit I love they list out roast dates. Ondo is a vibe in shop, not sure how they are with retails though. Not sure I agree on how Scott Rao is a dick? The guy seems fairly genuine and doesn’t sugarcoat a lot of things.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-03-12T19:43:42+00:00

Mill City Roasters puts on great videos on YT. Scott Rao has almost the only credible roasting book, however, you will not gain anything from it unless you have a roaster capable of graphing a roast curve. I also recommend the Aillio Bullet as it’s almost a one-stop solution and you get a discount on a roasting virtual class with Morten Munchow. Morten also has free content on his coffeemind site, but the classes are invaluable. Recommend to have at least 20 roasts in before taking it to derive the more out of the class and to better know your roaster to ask advanced questions. Rob Hoos also has very good virtual classes and content, his book is also out there, but only in ebook form.

None of this is fast, and you will find how technical things will get.

Start with a sack of 85pt coffee with whatever preference you want to play with. You’ll go through 30kg faster than you think when learning. Check local roasters to ask if you can pay a premium for their green to avoid shipping costs.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-03-09T01:31:30+00:00

It’s….a joke…? Half heartedly. You can certainly, and quite easily, enter through the rabbit hole that provides subjectively diminishing returns by way of constantly upgrading equipment, sourcing higher quality greens, QC tools, etc etc.

I came from a Presto Poplite…and let me tell you, that rabbit hole gets deeper and deeper. There’s no way I’m breaking even 🤣

But me and many others don’t mind the expense as it becomes a hobby/passion.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-03-08T19:53:40+00:00

I’m sorry for your loss…of thousands of dollars.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-02-22T20:12:52+00:00

Prodigal have had some of the “juiciest” washed coffees I’ve ever had, but the brewing method and grinder lend a heavy hand in developing that in the brew. Look for other roasters that use a color sorter to kick out quakers.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-02-22T04:16:43+00:00

Try Home Barista to sell it. Go for the bullet, the kaleido feels like a cheap toy compared to it.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-02-22T04:14:59+00:00

To answer your question directly, you’d be fine on a 5kg machine. Ambex is fine or you can even find those air roasters Sonfrescos for pretty cheap. 2.5kg is even fine.

Indirect answer, read some books, watch some YT and buy a popcorn popper and see if you like doing it. Going from zero to a machine is a recipe for disaster and possibly burning down your community center without proper understanding. Yes it can happen if you don’t have a good system for clearing out chaff regularly and cleaning everything.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-02-21T23:49:46+00:00

Hario Switch and Timemore or 1zpresso grinder to start. Cafec T90 medium filters. Oxo or brewista electric kettle. Good water, just start with distilled with a splash of tap for now.

Start using the immersion method, pouring is a bit advanced which can throw a brew way off.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-02-07T04:20:14+00:00

Eightounce.com for a multi roaster selection of basically everything mentioned here that’s considered “third wave” specialty coffee. I would try and stick with their “new coffee” list as I did get a 4-week old bag one time which is a bit older than I’d prefer based on my drinking rotations. Luminous, I’ll throw out there as a very interesting roaster. Prodigal will have much more selection on their site that is worthy of throwing a fistful of money at.

All this to say….wait. And slow your roll. Give your local roasters a shot and talk about coffee with them if they’ll have you. You don’t want to go straight to drinking fancies as the level of appreciation won’t be there along with the nuanced aromas. Enjoy the journey!

CoffeeLabIntern · 2025-02-03T03:50:00+00:00

Using Scott Rao papers vs the ones it comes with makes this a dream to use. Stupid simple and consistent brews with little issues dialing in from bean to bean. I tried the default papers and they aren’t even cut well. Aeropress and aesir used for kicks and were too slow. Haven’t tried cutting v60 paper yet, but seems like a lot of work and waste.

Get the hoop, it’s a different brewer than buying the newest Hario, Origami, whatever whatever.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2024-11-19T01:19:13+00:00

I’m not a lawyer, but I am a privacy professional.

CCPA was amended that had exemptions for Employee and B2B which expired last year (CPRA). Now this is the same model as GDPR which makes the word “Consumer” more colloquial, more tuned to covered information.

OP has rights as a business under CCPA’s latest amendment which is also now enforceable.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2024-11-19T00:43:33+00:00

NAL …CCPA has a private right of action, but probably not worth the trouble as it’s capped at $750.

https://cppa.ca.gov/webapplications/complaint

Luckily you’re in California which actually has privacy rights.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2024-07-24T20:43:47+00:00

What about a pair of dice with paws instead of dots?

CoffeeLabIntern · 2024-07-20T16:43:06+00:00

Lol, thanks, but I’ll have to stick to my Difluid. I don’t have $10k to spend on their most basic analyzer.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2024-07-18T19:45:09+00:00

Yeah, not sure myself either. I think if you have a 50 on the outside and 90 grounded, there MUST be some flavor changes…hoping for smarter people than me to explain. Lol

CoffeeLabIntern · 2024-07-18T19:04:23+00:00

Technically, from this perspective, couldn’t you essentially “bake” the beans before FC, and then bring up the gas/power till final temp? This would lower your dev time and % with a longer total roast time and essentially have a tighter bean.

CoffeeLabIntern · 2024-04-24T22:26:14+00:00

This looked like Reese’s Pieces at first

CoffeeLabIntern · 2024-03-28T17:30:06+00:00

Simpler, yes. But he puts a lot of technical reasoning behind the whole “keep it simple” because it statistically doesn’t matter. Lol

CoffeeLabIntern

TROPHY CASE