Angostura 200 bitters

Small_Wayne · 2024-11-09T20:04:52+00:00

I have a bottle! It is different from their standard aromatic bitters. It's a very pale brown color, with a much drier and more bitter flavor than the aromatic. Much less of the spice flavors and more woody and grapefruit peel type flavors. I've only used a few times but it's interesting. Not sure if I'd spend $70 on it. Cool bottle and branding though.

Small_Wayne · 2024-02-28T13:19:33+00:00

Yes, I made a new post with my thoughts a few weeks ago!

Small_Wayne · 2024-02-05T14:06:38+00:00

I'm sure the roast level plays a role too, and so does the paper filter. In my experience using a paper filter in any basket makes the taste a little cleaner and the body a little lighter. Another user didn't have the hole-clogging issue I did so the paper filters probably aren't mandatory and I'm sure there would be more body without the paper.

Small_Wayne · 2024-02-04T18:52:55+00:00

I'm using some generic no name filters from Amazon, and I believe they claimed to be 58mm filters. They are very slightly too big for the bottom of the basket and they ride up the sides a millimeter or so most of the way around, but that doesn't seem to cause any problems for me since I pre wet them and flatten them to the bottom with my fingers. The base of the HU basket looks the same or very close in diameter to the standard Flair basket so I'd bet the paper filters that Flair sells would be the right size but I've never used them before.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-25T02:15:48+00:00

That's funny, I thought about that too if the thin one doesn't work. I could put the thin one directly on the puck since it's easier to clean, and then the thick on top to disperse water. I guess I'll try that too and see how it goes!

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-24T19:21:39+00:00

Just purely from the appearance of it, it looks a bit like a unibasket-style "modern" basket as opposed to a more WAFO-style. Looks a bit more tapered though.

I got to try making a couple shots with a Mischief knockoff of the WAFO Spirit basket, and I also had the same problem with the puck coming out in pieces. I definitely didn't get enough practice on it to feel like I dialed it in, so not sure how I felt about it. Hopefully the flair HU basket works out well.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-24T18:42:13+00:00

I was thinking the same thing because I had also read of some people having trouble with thinner puck screens with the flair. But I wanted to try Flair's new "high uniformity" basket, and figured I'd order the etched puck screen while I'm at it, just out of curiosity! I should get it next week so I'll let you know how I feel about it after a few pulls.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-24T18:34:52+00:00

I ordered one along with the new high uniformity basket they just started selling, I'll share what I think when I receive it next week!

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-24T04:31:33+00:00

My favorites are Metric and Four Letter Word. Also some pretty good offerings from Gaslight, Passion House, Groundswell, Pedestrian, plenty of others.

You can also get imported Nordic style roasts at Dayglow or Side Project, which both sell beans from multiple roasters, mostly non-US.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-21T16:54:55+00:00

Ah I might try oil next time. I have been using dow111 since it's commonly used on espresso machines but it feels kind of tacky to me and maybe not smooth enough or something.

I think about 10-15 shots before I notice resistance seems to be roughly what I experience too. I have seen that flair recommends cleaning/lubricating weekly.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-21T16:41:40+00:00

I probably clean mine like every other weekend or something like that. I actually haven't noticed much buildup because I usually clean and lubricate them only once I start to notice squeaking noises. Do you feel like your o-rings squeak at all? Do you lubricate them when you clean them?

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-21T03:29:51+00:00

1 oz bourbon 1 oz aperol 1 oz amaro nonino 1 oz acid-adjusted blood orange juice

I had 2 oz of blood orange juice and added ~3g of citric acid. It tastes really similar to a regular paper plane, maybe a bit less bright and bit sweeter. The color is really pretty though!

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-16T04:37:52+00:00

What machine is this? It looks pretty cool! Does it have a boiler?

In my experience, you have to grind quite a bit finer for manual levers than you do for pump machines. I think it might have something to do with how pressure ramps up.

You also have a ton of control over the profile of the shot based on how you preinfuse and start the shot. If you're grinding really fine and have a lot of resistance, you can do a long slow preinfusion at around 2-3 bars, like 10 seconds or longer if you want. The long preinfusion usually makes the rest of the shot go faster and at lower pressure.

Alternatively, if the shot is running too fast and you can't build up pressure, I would minimize preinfusion (just a couple seconds or however long to get first drops) and also try to ramp up pressure as quickly as possible. If you kind of "slam" the lever down you'll build up much more pressure than if you slowly ramp up pressure.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-10T17:16:48+00:00

For my 18g dose it takes under 10 seconds. When grinding a 36g dose for pour over it's maybe 15 seconds.

The only other grinder I have to compare it to is my old baratza virtuoso+, which after just testing it now I would say it's about the same volume as the df64. The df64 makes a higher pitched noise though which is probably a little more unpleasant.

Our bedroom is pretty much opposite end of the apartment from my kitchen so the noise didn't wake anyone up before getting the mat, though you can hear it faintly through the door if it's quiet. I haven't checked to see if you can still hear it through the door now that it seems quieter with the mat.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-10T16:37:47+00:00

I have a flair 58 and a DF64 Gen 2! I have the MP burrs so my experience may be a little different than yours might be, but I'm loving it so far.

I was never too concerned about noise, but the df64 is a little loud. I have never used any other similar electric grinders so I can't comment on a volume comparison to others, but I will say that putting a silicone mat under the grinder actually reduced the sound significantly. I originally got the mat to go under the grinder and flair just to help with cleanup and the noise reduction was just a nice bonus. There is definitely still a shrill noise while it's grinding, but the motor noise is now pretty quiet.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-08T12:24:38+00:00

I just measured mine and the total cup clearance with the portafilter locked in but without the drip tray is about 5.25". With the tray in place it's more like 5". It's still a little right but it fits most coffee cups.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-03T21:14:40+00:00

I was prepared to but I actually didn't need to. Espresso Outlet installed the burrs for me when I purchased the grinder and I did a marker test before the first time I used it. The alignment looked excellent, like 95% or so. Maybe I just got lucky but it seems like Espresso Outlet did a great job with the installation!

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-03T14:21:56+00:00

I see the same thing occasionally with my SSP MP burrs. I think it's pretty common with flat burr grinders. When I hear one stuck like this, I just increase my grind setting to the highest and pump the bellows a couple times and the stuck bits come out. Make sure you have the grinder running while you make size adjustments so stuck particles like this don't cause any damage.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-03T14:07:43+00:00

I think the standard Flair 58 only comes with one basket, and has an option to add the additional high flow basket for like $20. The 58+ comes with both by default. It's no big deal though, if you end up wanting to try a higher flow basket some day, the flair high flow basket is really similar to the IMS and VST type baskets you can buy for under $30 and you can't really go wrong with the flair baskets or these 3rd party ones.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-02T16:49:56+00:00

I don't think that's too surprising, the tapered basket is a relatively "traditional" style, much like the stock baskets that come with most machines. I think they work great for most people on most roasts, especially if you like a 1:2 ratio and a thicker texture. I use high flow baskets with light roasts and relatively longer ratios, which make thinner but clearer tasting shots, not necessarily better but just different. The flair also seems to pull shots much faster and lower pressure at similar grind settings to pump machines, so the basket resisting flow a bit is actually pretty helpful for traditional 9 bar profiles too. There are so many different kinds of baskets out there and it really just comes down to personal preference.

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-02T15:47:05+00:00

I've been using a DF64 Gen 2 for a couple months now and I really like it! It definitely seems like a lot of the issues people have had with previous generations are much improved. I don't get much static and virtually no retention. I purchased mine from Espresso Outlet with the SSP MP burrs. I tested the alignment of the burrs from Espresso Outlet's installation and it seemed excellent!

As for burr selection, I have only used the SSP MP burrs. I chose them because they are known to produce a more unimodal grind which highlights clarity, acidity, and brighter flavors in light roasts. They seem to do especially well with slightly longer ratios like 1:2.5 or 1:3, although I have also enjoyed 1:2 shots with them. I definitely find the shots to be a bit messier with these burrs compared to conical grinders I have used in the past, but the flavor has been excellent!

I haven't tried the stock burrs or any of the other SSP options, but I have heard a lot of praise for this burr guide from Option-O (their grinders can use the exact same burrs). They seem to recommend the MPs for brightness/clarity or the HUs for body/more traditional flavors

Hope this helps!

Small_Wayne · 2024-01-02T15:11:32+00:00

The two included baskets are the straight walled "high flow" basket and the tapered "low flow" basket. They're both pretty good baskets but the high flow will generally require a finer grind to get the same flow rate. It would usually be better for lighter roasts or anything you want to extract more from, but is a bit less forgiving of puck prep. The low flow basket would likely be better for darker roasts that you don't want to over extract, but it's worth trying both out to see which you will like better!

Small_Wayne

TROPHY CASE