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Gwilym
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
 Posted: Jun 07, 2009 - 06:04 PM
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Joined: May 02, 2006
Posts: 191
Location: East London
Status: Offline
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Jimmy will not let anyone near his FB80 until they have done the dishes for 3 weeks, even World Champs so I put to use my only other skill - chatting to customers.
I was hoping he was still serving Black Cat but I was held up at the SQM Roastery by some over caffeinated coffee nerds and the Black Cat ran out! The coffee from Hasbean was not until monday so I had to resort to the free beer |
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 07, 2009 - 06:12 PM
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Joined: Oct 22, 2004
Posts: 4171
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Gwilym mate, you just outed yourself! 
I could have been referring to anyone  You were doing the "chatting to customers" bit with great authority though! Nice machine though, and well set up, so you can't blame him!
I did like the way they varied the beans they have. It's great now that London has a few good roasters to call upon, but I do like the curiosity/excitement of trying beans from other well known roasters from across the pond. Pity we had to walk so bloomin far to get there... we even missed you competing in the bike race, sadly. Next time! |
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Beanie
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 09, 2009 - 04:42 AM
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Joined: Nov 08, 2004
Posts: 2769
Location: GMT-5
Status: Offline
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My turn! My turn! London coffee crawl!!! 2.5 weeks!!!
Consistency is a difficult thing, I find... especially when there are 4 seasons in one day & the doors are open or even open & shut constantly. Also, it's hard to stop the line to hit the "perfect" shot with every single shot when there's a constant flow of drinks to be made and you know 10-15 more are about to come through in the next 5 minutes. If we 'see' a change in flow rate, volume, colour, etc, we'll repull the shot and if it's still 'wonky', we'll make "intuitive" changes and taste or if only a minor adjustment, taste at the next possible chance (usually, when a single shot is ordered). That said, flow rate/vol/colour, etc isn't ALWAYS the same... but we expect it to be similar 'looking' from the last adjustment (usually adjusted 3-8 x per day). In order to get it right, all the time, every time, we'd need to be slugging back shots every XX pulls... and it's just not possible  With straight shots or maccs though, I always try to get feedback. Straight shots tend to be regulars though and they know that if it's me behind the machine, they'll send me a signal (nod, face-scrunch, thumb up/dn) to let me know. I'd say maybe 1 out of 30-35ish shots per straight-shot-regular, I have to re-do for them  |
_________________
This week, I'm mainly recovering  All I've got is my Aerobie AeroPress | 70's Aurora/Brugnetti HX Spring Lever | Mazzer Mini E & SJ (on loan) | Hottop | Nestor Martin (Toto) Gas Roaster | Eva Solo | Moka Pots
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Steve
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 09, 2009 - 07:46 AM
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Founder Member
Joined: Aug 22, 2003
Posts: 3365
Location: Stafford UK
Status: Offline
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I think the quality of London coffee since my last coffee crawl 6 months ago has changed quite dramatically, I didn't have a bad coffee all day, and as the day on my expectations went up more than down which had been the norm.
London's cafe scene is really improving. |
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kingseven
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 09, 2009 - 10:43 AM
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Joined: Feb 24, 2004
Posts: 2118
Location: London
Status: Offline
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| I should just add that you guys guessed right on the machine front. Their front boiler tripped out the next day, and had been running hot. |
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http://www.jimseven.com
I'll never own too many items with which to enjoy coffee.
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triptogenetica
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 09, 2009 - 03:14 PM
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Joined: Jul 27, 2008
Posts: 395
Location: Oxford, UK
Status: Offline
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Quote:
My turn! My turn! London coffee crawl!!! 2.5 weeks!!!
I know how you feel - I've just received confirmation that i have a place on a week-long course at Imperial College, London, for the week 22nd-26th June.
So my mind turns to, "which coffee places can i visit, that are in reach of Marble Arch / Paddington"? It'll mean commuting from Oxford daily, so I'll deserve a coffee at the end of each day...
Do any TMCers work in that area? |
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Bezzera BZ35 (ex Gaggia Carezza)
Grinders - Iberital MC2, Bezzera BB105, Hario Skerton
Aeropress, Cona C, Hario MCA-5 and TCA-5 vacpots
Beans - Behmor homeroast
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Beanie
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Post subject: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 09, 2009 - 08:07 PM
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Joined: Nov 08, 2004
Posts: 2769
Location: GMT-5
Status: Offline
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triptogenetica wrote:
...I have a place on a week-long course at Imperial College, London, for the week 22nd-26th June.
Oh that's right around the time I'm visiting!!
Was thinking of a crawl 26th and/or 27th  |
_________________
This week, I'm mainly recovering All I've got is my Aerobie AeroPress | 70's Aurora/Brugnetti HX Spring Lever | Mazzer Mini E & SJ (on loan) | Hottop | Nestor Martin (Toto) Gas Roaster | Eva Solo | Moka Pots
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Post subject: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 14, 2009 - 12:08 AM
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Joined: Oct 22, 2004
Posts: 4171
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kingseven wrote:
I should just add that you guys guessed right on the machine front. Their front boiler tripped out the next day, and had been running hot.
Yeah, Gwilym mentioned this to me and it definitely explains what we experienced (for the record, we're not referring to Gwil's cart or Dose here, but another cafe we visited).
I definitely intend to visit the place in question again to get a better idea of what they are capable of!
It did make me wonder whether we should have said something at the time...?
I'm not a fan of making a fuss, so I tend to say nothing. I've been on crawls with a large number of members from here, and seen people all make comments on the coffee amongst the group, but say nothing to the baristas.
I'd never judge a place on just one visit though.
We didn't have a "bad" coffee all day. I was a little underwhelmed in some places though. Which is why it was nice to finish on a high chatting with Gwilym and the guys from Dose, whilst drinking an ace shot of SQM. Oh and Mark was there too, but I was trying to ignore him! |
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Carl
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 15, 2009 - 01:24 PM
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Joined: Jan 26, 2009
Posts: 85
Location: Middlesex, UK
Status: Offline
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Quote:
on a week-long course at Imperial College, London, for the week 22nd-26th June.
I recommend you check your insurance before you attempt to drink any espresso type drinks being sold on campus - the worst coffee I recall having was from the SCR at Imperial recently. They have recently refurbished the coffee bar with a load of fancy kit, but the beans seem to be Pirelli-Goodyear hybrid variety roasted past 3rd crack. (It's why I now have JohnYossarian's old machine in my office.) |
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triptogenetica
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 15, 2009 - 04:15 PM
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Joined: Jul 27, 2008
Posts: 395
Location: Oxford, UK
Status: Offline
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Quote:
Pirelli-Goodyear hybrid variety roasted past 3rd crack.
Thanks for the warning! From the Good Coffee Map, I think i'll find better places near imperial than their SCR... |
_________________
Bezzera BZ35 (ex Gaggia Carezza)
Grinders - Iberital MC2, Bezzera BB105, Hario Skerton
Aeropress, Cona C, Hario MCA-5 and TCA-5 vacpots
Beans - Behmor homeroast
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triptogenetica
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 22, 2009 - 08:17 AM
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Joined: Jul 27, 2008
Posts: 395
Location: Oxford, UK
Status: Offline
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Ok - i'm just on my way into London now (the Oxford Tube has wi-fi, which is fantastic), and I'm penning a few cafes into my A-Z. Hopefully I'll have a little time to explore Soho this evening...
Seriously, though, if any TMCers are in this part of London this week, and feel like meeting up, then I'd be up for it! Beanie, still around on the 26th? I'm busy in Imperial/St Mary's most days until 5pm, but after that should be free... |
_________________
Bezzera BZ35 (ex Gaggia Carezza)
Grinders - Iberital MC2, Bezzera BB105, Hario Skerton
Aeropress, Cona C, Hario MCA-5 and TCA-5 vacpots
Beans - Behmor homeroast
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 22, 2009 - 04:48 PM
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Joined: May 01, 2008
Posts: 54
Location: East London
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| Hi I work at St Mary's, and usually have a French Press and a bag of Square Mile in the office, along with a turkish grinder that wont grind coarse enough... PM me if you want my office details for a sneaky cup, or if you want me to bring you any retail Square Mile beans from our shop. |
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Linea
Anfim
Anfim
Santos
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Beanie
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 23, 2009 - 04:55 PM
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Joined: Nov 08, 2004
Posts: 2769
Location: GMT-5
Status: Offline
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| I am, trip You going to the Taste of Canada event tomorrow @ SQM? |
_________________
This week, I'm mainly recovering All I've got is my Aerobie AeroPress | 70's Aurora/Brugnetti HX Spring Lever | Mazzer Mini E & SJ (on loan) | Hottop | Nestor Martin (Toto) Gas Roaster | Eva Solo | Moka Pots
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Jules
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 25, 2009 - 07:49 PM
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Joined: Feb 23, 2008
Posts: 63
Status: Offline
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I'm finding this thread quite useful as I am planning a cafe crawl in the coming weeks.
What's the best time of the week for this? I'm planning to hit Flat White/Milk Bar, Fernandez and Wells, Nude and Gwilyms cart if I can find it. Any more than 5 coffees in a few hours and I think I'll pass out.
Thanks. |
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: my london coffee trip
Posted: Jun 25, 2009 - 09:17 PM
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Joined: Oct 22, 2004
Posts: 4171
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Jules,
If you want to catch Mr Gwilym, it may be best to send him a PM to make sure he'll be there (and not off travelling the world preaching the good word of "Speciality" Coffee... or moving his boat )
One place that is not on your list, and that I reckon is definitely worth visiting for the coffee alone, is Dose. It's hard to rank cafe's, as it sometimes depends who's working that day, but Dose served me the best shot (out of 7 or 8 doubles I had that day) last time we did a mini-crawl. |
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This week I are still feeling radioactive and somewhat lacking in patience... not that I had much to start with!
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