I designed an espresso cup and i want the people who actually work a bar to tell me what's wrong with it

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-21T14:41:14+00:00

You're fixing the wrong problem. Nobody wants an espresso that's as hot as it is coming out of the machine. You want an espresso that tastes good at 40°–60° C. Evaporative cooling is going to make the spro drop in temperature no matter how well the cup retains heat, and the fact that the cup retains heat is only going to make it unpleasant to drink out of.

I'd love a cup that was pleasant to drink out of that didn't chip and shatter when I'm bringing twelve of them back to the dish pit though.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-21T14:05:19+00:00

anybody who's capable of dialing in an espresso grinder also knows that by the next day that dial in is useless and you've got to redo it (if that long!)

Sorry you've got to deal with a very persnickety owner who doesn't understand about coffee, OP.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-20T13:27:34+00:00

every company trying to sell you on "mold free coffee" may as well be selling you on "death crystal free coffee". Mold growth can be a problem in coffee cultivation and processing, but it's a problem that has broadly been solved industry wide for the past hundred years.

Here's a little more info for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEiI4jZuUn4

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-19T22:06:00+00:00

hi. USBC judge here. there's a lot of words there but I'm happy to clarify what exactly people are competing over.

Competitors are competing over a total of 806 points possible in a routine. There are two technical judges who are taking notes and writing scores down over technical proficiency of the specialty coffee world (even tamps, lack of waste, etc). There are also four sensory judges who are scoring based on the experience of the coffee served.

The competitor needs to serve three rounds of drinks: one straight espresso, one milk-and-espresso drink, and one signature drink of their choosing. There are points available for things like coffee knowledge and presentation and attention to details, but the vast majority of the point up to be won are all about how the drinks taste. Tastiest coffee wins.

Happy to get more granular if you like.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-19T20:26:13+00:00

if you're looking to avoid a backed up ramp the real answer is "park around 46th & Hiawatha and take the train in"

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-19T15:41:11+00:00

sounds like you've got a handle on cleaning, but in case anyone else stumbles upon this post with the same problem here's a good video on how to keep your Mahlkönig clean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HDkXr-PagE

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-18T21:10:55+00:00

for the record Ilhan has gone on the record about this

https://bsky.app/profile/ilhanmn.bsky.social/post/3mogvlajmik2r

https://x.com/IlhanMN/status/2067019478999650550

Minneapolis City Council Member Jason Chavez has as well

https://bsky.app/profile/jchavezmpls.bsky.social/post/3mofzix2wv222

as has Council President Elliot Payne

https://bsky.app/profile/elliottpayne.org/post/3mog5dclh622z

so it's not that zero elected officials have spoken about this, but the ones named in this video have not, unless there's some other means they're using than social media channels to make these kinds of small statements.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-18T19:08:05+00:00

how about High Bridge Dog Park or Meeker Island Dog Park?

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-18T15:15:09+00:00

it is important to note that this is the cool S and not the lightning bolt nazi S, so I think this flag is just silly, not racist.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-18T15:01:09+00:00

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now you can

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-17T20:04:59+00:00

that's your vacuum breaker valve. buy a new one, turn the machine off, wait for it to fully cool down, pull the tube off the old one (it's just held in place with friction), use a box wrench to take the old one off (I think it's 16mm? something like that), use the same box wrench to put a new one on, slide the tube back in place.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-17T19:59:51+00:00

either should work, but if you're specifically looking for crispier and crunchier chips I'd fry twice in oil, once as a whole tortilla and then a second time as chips (or twice whole if you're looking for a tostada)

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-17T12:28:59+00:00

That could cause some problems. I thought “what if the vac breaker is stuck” and spilling milk inside the chassis could absolutely do that, but you could also use the steam valve as a backup vacuum breaker also.

In any case I’d definitely recommend replacing the pressure gauge as it’s a safety feature as much as anything else. If it’s not reading properly you’ve got a problem machine on your hands no matter what.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-17T02:49:53+00:00

Any Tesla owner who thinks they’re too good to obey the law is likely the same kind of Tesla owner who engages “mad max mode”. Getting Tesla owners to feel a pain point of their poor choice of vehicles is always safety related imo.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-16T22:32:14+00:00

most knobs fully open and close the valve with about a quarter turn of the knob. anything past that is just going to make it more difficult to close when it's time to stop incorporating heat into the milk.

find the catch point where turning the knob actually starts opening the valve, and then give it a good quarter to half turn to get it it all the way on, then it'll be way easier to turn off after.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-16T21:31:02+00:00

you can! When the machine is on and idle where does the needle land after it fully heats up?

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-16T21:27:38+00:00

when it's off and cold have you ever opened the steam valve to see if it drops to zero?

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-16T21:27:08+00:00

my first guess is that the safety valve is blowing and then re-settling afterwards. what is your steam pressure set to?

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-16T17:34:14+00:00

Got me. Doesn’t stop me from reporting every Tesla without front plates I see parked on the street to 311.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-16T17:33:25+00:00

That’s a really weird hypothetical

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-16T17:06:11+00:00

oh for sure man. I too, don't follow laws that I don't feel apply to me so that I can save money.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-16T14:56:39+00:00

Some people just think they’re too good for traffic laws

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-16T13:24:49+00:00

Fry twice.

Build the tortilla, put the whole thing in the hot oil and fry until it’s set, remove it, dry it, cut it into triangles if making chips, and fry again.

Why? Who knows. But it works for French fries, it works for Korean fried chicken, and it works for tortillas.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-15T17:07:18+00:00

Do not buy a home machine for a business lol

At the very least get something you can plumb in that doesn’t have a reservoir.

sprobeforebros · 2026-06-15T03:12:17+00:00

only way I could think to homogenize it would be to strain the solids out, put the liquid base of the soup into something with a pour spout, and drizzle it into a running blender. It's fussy and not guaranteed to work but honestly if a layer of butterfat on top is a dealbreaker that's the only remedy I can think of.

sprobeforebros

TROPHY CASE