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Bunghulio! · August 2011

^Thanks for the advice UNM

I'll will check out those clearance centres, thx. And Hello again everyone, Been very crook the last couple of days (hopefully just a touch of the flu) ... But I finally got to the shops on Tuesday and stocked up on supplies. Also got a basic Plunger as was the plan .. and noticed the cheap Sunbeam Electric "Coffee and Spice" Grinder (whizzer). It was only $30 so I grabbed it. Was cheaper than I saw it whilst looking online beforehand, so for a Plunger And a Whizzer for $50 I'm certainly not complaining.

I will no doubt follow the advice given here and eventually invest in a conical burr grinder ... but the whizzer, alongside the mortar and pestle will do just fine for now. The whizzer will come in useful anyway once it is retired from it's coffee duties. (I Don't think I'll use anything else in it as long as it is doing the coffee. It's stainless steel .. but still might hold some flavours). I'll be interested to see how much heat it really does create. It cannot be much surely, given the short running time and poor conductive qualities of thin stainless steel alloy? How sensative exactly are the beans/oils??

It will be vaaary convenient though ofc :D and that is it's main purpose for now. Well, unfortunatly the beans didn't make it in the mail by the end of the week

will have to remember to try and order them on the weekend next time, so they don't 'sit around' at a depot somewhere getting 'less fresh'. Hoping they will be there tomorrow as It's the last time I will want to go to town this coming week ... but I Will force myself in if I have to ... still very much looking forward to a ProperGoodCuppaCoffee! ;D Oh and I almost forgot, lol, uncanny luck ... Stopped into the little 'Op-Shop' I've never been to ... to see if there were any of those old "Spong" grinders I've seen talked about (and pictured) around here

Heheh, and as soon as I walked in, there it was right in front of me! :D Wow! , little bit corroded ... but didn't really expect to see one at all. It was in pretty good shape really. I didn't buy it ... but it is probably still there I'd say and he made me an offer. Is it worth it for $35? (Had $50 on it) ... How well do they actually work? Anyhoo, I've gotta go rest up some more ... will catch up soon. Cheers.

shape_shifter · August 2011

Hello On the Spong side of things, they go for more than $100 when they are complete. The circular trays to catch the grind goes missing all the time. I use one every day and don't have many problems, mainly just adjusting grind sometimes which is normal anyway.

RichardM · August 2011

Oooh, the famous KJM :D

hazbean · August 2011

Have been using a couple of Spongs regularly for the last few months (in fact, I was inspired by shape_shifter's enthusiasm to dig out one that had been lying in the dog box for ages

). They are easy to use and grind very nicely. $35? If it is a No 2 or 3, definitely a good price. Similarly if it a No 1 (the more common variety) and it has the black container for catching the grinds (we use a pate tin, bit of a letdown relative to the quality of the grinder). For an not-so-good condition No 1 without the dish, IMHO a bit borderline but still OK depending. If it is a No 0, buy it and send it to me and we will reach an amicable arrangement ...

Check that it has the locking nut at the back -- I've put some pics here: https://picasaweb.google.com/haazbean/SpongGrinderRenovation

mycuppa · August 2011

on 1312727022:

Well, unfortunatly the beans didn't make it in the mail by the end of the week will have to remember to try and order them on the weekend next time, so they don't 'sit around' at a depot somewhere getting 'less fresh'. Hoping they will be there tomorrow as It's the last time I will want to go to town this coming week ... but I Will force myself in if I have to ... still very much looking forward to a ProperGoodCuppaCoffee! ;D

Hi Luc - beans went out from us early on the 3rd and arrived at the Lismore DC late on the 5th. Today the AusPost merchant interface was showing scheduled for delivery today (8th) from the Lismore DC at 5:35am this morning (last entry). You can track using MXJ0001791 from the AusPost website. From our experiences, unfortunately the freight movements around your area are not always the most prompt/efficient - I regularly send stuff up near your area and sometimes amazed at how long it can take to get the parcel that final leg from the Lismore DC. It can't be very far away and I'd be surprised if they we not at your doorstep early tomorrow given they obviously missed their target today. Cheers Jeff

shape_shifter · August 2011

Yah I inspired someone :D I really do enjoy using mine, the smell is just divine when grinding, makes me look forward to what is coming up. I don't really understand the attitude that you must have an electric grinder to get the best out of your coffee, I'm still yet to buy a particle divider but I'm out to prove that I can get just as good a grind from the Spong as I can from an electric grinder (have to buy the electric grinder as well lol). I've just today hit the sweet spot with the Berry Apocalypse from Mycuppa, and I sat down to a very enjoyable coffee which I was determined to make last

Bunghulio! · August 2011

High Guyz! ;D ;D ;D Well, I've got my first brew in front of me ... Absolutely Delicious!

Yummers ... Didn't last long ... (Gulp Gulp) Heheh, Another thing I like about the plungers is that I always make 2 or 3 cups at once for the easy refill ... (Pours another) :D So I got the Mocha Roast pre-ground for me and that's what I'm trying for now ... May well grind up another portion of a different roast later tonight to try. Hey Jeff, Mate ... I'm rather impressed so far

Opened the box and the loverly smell wafted out, quality packaging and the grind seems to suit the plunger beautifully (I now realize that the grinds from the supermarket are too fine ... this size is much better for a plunger). And no worries about the delivery ... I know you were straight onto it. You're quite right about the 'Delivery times' around the parts ... It somehow always takes a couple of days to get from Lismore to the Bin

Some people are very prejudice about this area believe it or not (Maybe they are jealous lol) and this often causes basic services to be insufficient toward us. (I know people with online business who always have the same problems). It's unfortunate ... but I'd rather live here and be considered a 'Hippy' than be like those with prejudice against minority groups. Spiel Finishe. :D I should be able to avoid the weekend with future orders. No Worries. And Hiya Shape_Shifter, Yah, your Spong post 'n' pictures inspired me to look also

Thanks for the advice ... I'm not confident that the catching tray was present ... Nor the locking nut ... but now I know what to look for. From those pictures I'm 99% sure it was a Spong No.1 ... in similar condition although I don't tink the paint had as much luster as yours. (Quite impressive for paint that old actually). Burrs looked decent and possibly not quite as rusty as the one in those pics. I'd say I will pick it up if it is still there when I get back ... I've seen them before (never payed no mind) but you certainly don't see them as often you used to and they obviously have a 'collectability' factor to them aswell. Almost grabbed it that day thinking someone here might like it ... If I decide I can't be bothered cleaning it up after getting it I'll happily pass it on if anyone wants it.

And thankyou for your input too Haz, Very helpful. So your after a number 0? ... I'll certainly keep my eye out for you. Are they smaller again than the number 1? Rare? Got a picture of the whole set? too many questions? :D heheheh Also, just to check ... Is the 'locking nut' you mentioned that small "L" shaped screw doo-hickie? :o Man ... I should have done this ages ago ... I enjoyed thse 2 cups very much. Will have to go a bit stronger for my next brew ... never enjoyed really strong coffee, I think I actually prefer it much weaker than most. Considering the amount I drink though this is probably not a bad thing.

I'm sure it's a never ending education (like most hobbies) and I will no doubt continue to improve my methods in this further conquest of the 'Perfect Cup'. (ooh, how poetic lol) :D And on that note ... time to whack the kettle on again! ;D ;D ;D Cheers.

Koffee_Kosmo · August 2011

I have 6 hand grinders They are wood box type of various brands 9153.jpg&sa=X&ei=xXdCTu_vE8TorAfP2KXZBw&ved=0CAQQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNFI0JxYD8VaRN6OlPHsce4Rdhy5ow

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There are also some sprong types that have a ceramic bean feeder but the good thing is that they are wall mounted pede72k.jpg&sa=X&ei=PndCTvuvD4XUrQfY_PXHBw&ved=0CAUQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNEpoXyTzWZZ-lcbf7IFBycX-ABadg

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The steel sprong type that is fastened to the bench is easy to use if you have mobility problems 8130_photo_2-1.jpg&sa=X&ei=fndCTvjVMYTMrQeDwMnKBw&ved=0CAUQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNFpTmkcolqXygpPp6VMBzGd7fCvkg

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KK

Bunghulio! · August 2011

^ Thanks Kosmo, Yeh, good point about the Spong being fixed to the bench. Might be a little hard to hold the small box still while turning the handle? Not sure of the force needed. Obviously the Spong has an advantage here though. Not to mention it can be put somewhere semi-permanently. i.e. Will be able to clamp it to the part of a bench that is 'out-of-the-way' but still set-up and ready to go. Whereas the box grinder has to be put in place each time. Pretty obvious I realize but something I didn't think about before.

I can tell now that I'll probably end up with a collection of 'kit' too. :D heheh Won't be as expensive as some of the collections around here ofc but after doing my first grind with the whizzer and moving 1-step closer to 'The Complete Process' I can just tell. (I'm sure you guyz would have chuckled watching me do it.) :D So I cracked the pack of "Amazon" blend ... still smelt great but not as umm, 'Hearty' as the pre-ground 'Mocha' for obvious reasons. Sniffing every part of the process I filled up the Sunbeam WHizzer about 2/3 of the way with beans and pressed the button 4 times for about a second each. This only ground about half the mix to a practical size grind .. the rest was too big, almost upto 1/5th of a bean size. SO I made a brew from this ... to see how it went. I probably should have stirred it as the large chunks didn't sink for a couple of minutes and the water stayed a little more pale in colour than it could have been. It seemed to smell much more 'Earthy' while brewing and I wondered if I would prefer this blend based on that smell. But after a few minutes I made up a cup and I'm 1/2-way through that now. :o It's very nice. The earthy aroma is way less and it almost tastes a little 'Chocolaty' (<-- Technical term?) ;D Sipping on this reminds me very much of a small cafe in Mur-Bah I used to get a coffee at most mornings. Their Beans were from Byron Bay (Byrons land seems very suited to growing Decent Coffee) but I can't remember the Brand-name as that was almost 10 years ago now. And just another little thing I noticed before I go at the 'Stronger' 2nd Cup ... I am generally a Milk and Sugar man when It comes to enjoying Coffee ... I know this isn't acceptable in certain circles but I think that's just snobbery lol What I know is that over the years of Instant Coffee abuse (;)) ... The quality of milk, and sugar but mainly milk, makes a difference in the enjoyability of the Cuppa ... I can handle Powdered and UHT but don't like them ... 'HomeBrand' milk and the like are a little better than Pwdr and UHT but still not optimal ... Then there are the Local(ish) Milks which are nowhere near as good as they used to be (Watery comparitively) they still taste somewhat decent and are the only ones I would actually drink a straight glass of still, though not very often because it's just too pricey at ~$2 a L when you drink more than that a day in coffee's alone. ;D Well .. with that said ... I've run out of 'proper' milk and am now using refridged pwdr milk ... the Coffee taste is so good that the milk factor is almost non-existant ... I forgot until thinking and sipping just now that I even used Powdered milk.

For me ... that's pretty significant. Cool ... so I'm going to continue with just these 2 blends (Amazon and Mocha) for now whilst keeping the other 2 Fresh (Those variety packs are great, wonder if they will do other brands than what are listed on the myCuppa site? Will get back there soon to leave Feedback, I'll enquire more then too). Will just be experimenting with whatever aspects I have the capabilities atm to experiment with ... I have plenty of 'small detail' questions already. Might quiz a few of you here a little later on. I can post New Topics if preferred .. if anyone thinks I should. Or I can just keep nearly all discussion in this thread alone if that is preferred. Never sure on this ... Numerous Specific Threads on Numerous Specific Topics ... or a lesser number of Broader Ranging Threads that each cover Many Topics. Both ways have advantages in keeping an organized forum so I'm not sure.

Oh ... just remembered too ... will fill out that Feedback survey tonight if It's still open. Always a wize choice to ask people what they think of a site ... best way to improve that said site, without a doubt the best way. "Give The Customers What They Want!" is an apt phrase ... somewhat analogous.

Aaand that's all I got for now folks .. Hope your enjoying your night. [shadow=red,left][glow=red,2,300]Cheers.[/glow][/shadow]

Bunghulio! · August 2011

Hey Thanx AM

That means alot mate ... I get along with most anyone but ofc am always unsure about how I will be recieved due to my sense of humour and somewhat lengthy manic posting habits.

I'm also highly opinionated and not afraid of pushing the boundaries most are comfortable with, especially when it comes to 'the important issues ' which is a great way to get everyone onside against you lol. :D So I try and just stick to the hobbies and 'human interest' type stuff while steering clear of politics because it's much easier to make friends that way and I'd much rather exude Peace, Fun , Positivity and Happiness over the Negative realities ... and even over Intellect , logic and Reason (which while supremely important is simply not as conducive to Human Bonding, Unity and Social Morale)

I guess I am primarily a philosopher over all else .. concentrations ranging from pure logic and reason to an almost Shamanistic approach. Hmm, that's just a spur of the moment ponderance though of course. :D As for the more leisurely Interests of which there are so many I enjoy ... I still cannot help myself ... the creative mind is an awesome thing but it can also cause much difficulty for those of us who struggle to ever 'Switch Off'. And now it looks like Coffee is another thing that I'm curious to discover more about, (already idea's of Coffee and Hemp based Food/Medicine business's arise along with ideas of Organics and Free Trade as a way to help the Earths poorest nations - Not new ideas by any means but they are ideas that will be more and more prominent into the future if indeed we are able to climb out of the self-destructive metaphorical hole still being dug). Well I'll finish up for now ... I need to eat something (after another coffee) ... Above is a perfect example of what I've noticed recently in that I will utilize almost any 'specialist' forum to discuss my philosophical views and express my many opinions (usually multi-faceted & conflicting no doubt).

After the 'Coffee Bender' I had last night ... I cannot help wanting to discuss 'Coffee as a Drug' or Coffee as a key/tool/catalyst etc etc etc. Drugs are no doubt one of the earliest tools used by man ... Ancient hunters would consume Coffee/Cocao/Coca/Cannabis and many more (they don't all start with a "C" ;D) .. they would consume these plants and others in order to bee able to See Further, Hear Better, Run Longer, Climb higher, Create and Improvise more effectively and even to Divine Sacred Knowledge. I believe that there is a good chance that Humans actually evolved through the use of drugs ... just briefly: Monkey men first left the trees and started moving further out from their dwellings and eventually even turning nomadic , started foraging for foods away from the trees ... one of the first things they would have come across in abundance that looks as obvious food would be fungi, mushrooms. As we know not all mushrooms are edible ... some have 'magical powers'

I could only imagine how a primitive mind would have handled the insights given ... but I am sure they had at least a hand in the Evolution of man.*** as I believe they still can today. (SideNote: The US agency experimented on Soldiers with LSD and Psilocybin in MK Ultra projects trying to create super-soldiers (all declassified btw) .. but quickly stopped those tests as the soldiers became thoughtful and loving, giggly yet insightful. Heheheh , not at all what they were trying to achieve.)

Cheers.

Koffee_Kosmo · August 2011

And just another little thing I noticed before I go at the 'Stronger' 2nd Cup ... I am generally a Milk and Sugar man when It comes to enjoying Coffee ... I know this isn't acceptable in certain circles but I think that's just snobbery lol

I have sugar when I prepare Greek/Turkish coffee So its not a sin However I do like the sticky brown sugar :P and another tip is to use a little amount of real Maple Syrup to enhance the flavour of coffee KK

Bunghulio! · August 2011

on 1312967215:

I actually enjoy your posts :-) For the content and to share the path and journey. Would suggest a New Thread under " I am new Here.. etc etc " And maybe title it "My Journey by Bunghulio!" As it would make for interesting reading over time. You could even take a couple of your earlier posts and copy and paste into the new thread... A mod could then delete the ones no longer needed in the Im new here thread.. AM Edited: OPPS. Miss read these posts as it is in fact all about you. I was off thinking these posts were in another thread... [email protected] We could just change the name of the thread to "My Journey by Bunghulio!"

Thanks for the kind words AM

I am quite happy for you to change the thread name, seems appropriate.

I am positive I did actually hit 'reply' in the "I'm New Here" thread ... But for some reason it created a seperate Thread, just for lil' ol' me!? :o Always possible to make mistakes I suppose, but it is highly unlikely in this case ;D Probably good it worked out this way anyhow as I sometimes have a tendancy to write just a little more than most .. as you've well noticed by now. Anyhoo, "My Journey" sounds fine ... or what about ... "The Adventures of Bunghuio!" heheh ... ::) Though maybe it doesn't fit the relaxed but somewhat reserved atmosphere around here? (that's just first impressions, I need to yet read more, though already enjoying the great sense of humour :D) (If your aware of where my user-name came from it HAS to have an exclamation mark :D :D ;D ... Was never much of a 'fan' but I laughed so hard the first time I saw it and was actually drinking fresh coffee at the time with a person whom was to later become my most very favourite female (that I've ever met yet) , she is long gone now but it was a fantastic night I'll never forget. The name/phrase/exclamation! is also the very first thing I associate with a coffee reference, should say a little about me right there, heheheh. (There is a possibilty that only the younger members may have any idea of what I'm on about ... I'm early 30's and so I think maybe younger than most here? Not that that is any worry of course.

) So anyway ... that's the basic explanation (if you can call it that) .. for that! ;D Moving on ... So I've cut down my Instant Coffee intake by a very Looong measure ... From 20+ cups (Mugs) per day ... down to an average of 2 cups since my Beans arrived.

Of course I'm very happy about that aspect and it's something I should have been doing for the last 5 years ... well I'm am doing it now so that is what matters. (Yep, I so very much needed yet another hobby that makes a mess of the kitchen. Hahah! :D) Plunger is cheap but seems effective enough ... the mesh is very fine and without flaws and while the lid and handle/supports are only plastic they are sturdy enough and thankfully the filter slides down evenly (My last (more expensive) one used to slip easily and slip at the last inch disturbing the sediment too much) ... I think it should be acceptable for making a relatively quick but half-decent coffee.

The Electric Whizzer is actually pretty good, better than I expected it would be. I can actually get a pretty even grind without using much of the motor at all, 1-2 seconds at a time, upto about 10 times depending on amount ... It stays perfectly cool and would need a thermometer that measures in tenths of a degree to possibly see a difference I would think. 2 or 3 speeds would probably be handy but can't complain for $30. Can do 3/4 of a cup of beans easily and doesn't struggle with a whole cup (250gm). It has see-through lid which is convenient .. when taken off after grind some coffee falls away and some gathers on the rim but it doesn't spill out onto the bench, I really need a brush for it though. Really enjoying the smell wafting through the house in the morning ... often my first cuppa has to be Instant as I'm just too Ill to do up a brew ... but then once the medications have 'kicked in' I enjoy the manual process even though I'm always of the mind that there is never enough time in the day.

I'm not 'consistently' getting a decent cuppa with the plunger but that's more due to a lax user than malfunctioning equipment, I don't always take the effort to rinse everything 100%. :-[ STill great coffee but it certainly pays to put in the effort for something slightly better in quality. I just opened the 'Bronze Medal' - "Santosa" beans and am sipping on a cup now ... everything was perfectly clean and my measurements are a little more precise now ... It's very nice. 8) I could go this blend quite a bit stronger though and will test out how far I can go next time ... I am making them stronger and stronger as I go ... No good if they are too weak i'm finding ... drinking from a mug so I need to compensate for that too, which I wasn't doing at first but that has now been rectified. Still only guessing really. I'm drinking around 15-20 cups a day now so my overall average consumption has gone down ... but caffeine dosage-wize has probably risen dramatically ... I am noticing it in my dreams too, In a good way. ;D I am a Lucid dreamer more often than not and the last few days I've noticed a small element of extra 'control' whithin in the dream-realm which is of course very cool.

I need to read more about all the basics and wanted to ask a few questions if I may ... I'm sure you won't mind advising me ... Firstly : Is there a Glossary of terms here? (finding a few acronyms difficult to decipher) If not that's o.k. but maybe a good idea for people unfamiliar with the terminology.

Also, where should I start reading? ... what is essential reading here or elsewhere about coffee preperation that will get me started? (From Roasts and Grinds to Measures and Temps to Methods and Prep and Storage to Taste and Serving ... and everything From the Bean to the Ready to Drink cup.) Will get around to reading a good deal but would like a few links to start me off as my PC Processing power for the next small while is still sorely limited (sometimes won't even load a page) ... a few pointers would be much appreciated, thankyou.

And just to give me an idea could I ask a couple of quick Q's in point form plz : 1. How many beans (or scoops of ground) to how much water do You use? 2. I pour hot water over the grinds in plunger and place lid, should I stir them? 3. Does the amount of sediment in your cup more or less effect taste quality? 4. The little black scoop says "7gm/0.25oz per cup", does this mean it holds 7gms of grind (approx.)? and is a coffee "cup" size 250mls? 5. What is the cheapest Automatic 'Coffee Maker' machine worth getting? 6. These things and similar any good?:http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Coffee-Powered-Brewing-Technology/dp/B003XPHG06/ref=pd_cpm_top_B003XPHG06?pf_rd_p=1306502422&pf_rd_s=cp-merchandising-top&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000AQPMHA&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1QCYAEP3NG4NNKZTCPAW Can you use your own grinds in them in the refillable K-cups? 7. Is the Aeropress worth getting over standard Plunger/French Press? 8. Is 8 questions too many? ??? Well, that's about enough for now ... Thanks for reading. ;D Just made a very strong cup o' "Santosa" (2 1/2 scoops) and it's great ... :o Gotta go rest my Spine now as It's killing me, too long at the desk.

Cheers all ... Hope your weekend has been Excellent. 8) Bye for Now. P.s. Hey Kosmo, Will I presume that you mean the natural sugars in the Coffee Beans? .. and not the type of Brown Sugar that the classic band "The Rolling Stones" were referring to in their song of the same name? 8) Wild horses couldn't have dragged me away from mentioning that. Apologies. ;D

MinistryGrounds · August 2011

G'day everyone, Many familiar names here from a variety of places... ;-) I'm a 'newbie' because my original profile forgot me... I run Ministry Grounds with my wife, still very much as a spare/part time business. Would love to do it a few days a week one day. Rest of my time, I'm a full time pastor in a big evangelical Anglican church at Springwood in the Blue Mountains, just west of Sydney. Have done full time ministry for 35+ years, and coffee seriously for about 12 years. They make a great combination, as ministry is all about connecting people with Jesus, and there is no better way to 'lubricate' that process than over a fine cup of coffee. Looking forward to reaquainting myself with a number of you from previous time, and making some new friends along way. Cheers

shape_shifter · August 2011

Hi MG, I've had personal dealings with you and have never had an issue, glad to see you here

Brett H · August 2011

Hi Neil, great to see you here. Welcome to the friendly forum!

Muscles · August 2011

Hi Neil, good to see you here. I got my parcel today too - thanks

Marc

Koffee_Kosmo · August 2011

Welcome to Crema forum Ministry Grounds Glad to have you on board hope we learn from each other KK

MinistryGrounds · August 2011

Thanks for the welcome guys... looking forward to hanging out... Cheers

shortmaccc · August 2011

Hi, I'm from Melbourne and I'm interested in learning more about coffee...although I do drink it every day. I work in the suburbs, and the nearest OK coffee is the domestic espresso in my work kitchen. I have a stovetop at home, and I'm looking to upgrade both at work and at home. Open to suggestions and looking out for reviews on this site. Speak to you soon. SMC

Koffee_Kosmo · August 2011

Welcome to Crema shortmaccc Hope we can help you on your machine search You will probably need to start a new thread with your likes and budget KK

madpierre · August 2011

Hi all, nice to be aboard, thanks to a mutual friend for the recommendation. It's nice to find a place that looks like a comfortable one to grab-a-chat again. For those who don't know me, and those that do, I'll follow the lead of others and tell about me: Born: South west Qld. Migrated east at 19, then further east to Brissie four years later. Married a Brissie girl and have raised two kidlets who are now 16 & 17. Jobs: Public service until '88, a rarity in that I got sacked from the Qld. Public Service ;D ; Delivery driver; Storeman; Army reserves; Vending machine filler; Paver; currently work at a homeless men's hostel. Currently looking around (not overly seriously yet) for an alternative. Loves: fishing; golf; computer/console games; reading; downloading and listening to/watching tv, movies, doco's and music; most music; just started camping; most of the aforementioned in conjunction with my family these days; COFFEE; collecting (this obsession has waned a tad); going through the aforementioned collections and gradually feeding them off through ebay :D; and most of all, Christ. A quick life timeline: spent 17 or so years out of control, have covered the last 15 years overcoming two addictions and coming to a faith. Learning to actually give a damn about and include my family in my life, and as a result enjoying it all so much more. Learning to live with Aspergers. Something that is beneficial for my son who has ASD, it has taught me to be a little more understanding. Being a less freaked out dad for a 17 yr old daughter, who is growing up and finishes school this year. Study: started re-educating myself 5 1/2 years ago, and have completed a basic Cert III, as well as a Diploma in Alcohol & Drugs and a Cert IV in Mental Health. Currently in my first year (restarted it after a dodgy start) of a Counselling Degree through Christian Heritage College. Where that will take me is out of my hands. My coffee trip: just a few years ago, after starting with the infamous Krups machine :D (AM can tell you all about that one) which was soon replaced with the EM6910/0480 combo, I very quickly/obsessively graduated to roasting my own with the assistance of a trusty hottop. A 60kg stash of greens quickly eventuated, and just under 12 months ago my home was blinged up a tad through the addition of a Bezzera Galatea Domus/Mazzer Major outfit. Have moved from the 2.5kg white bags of greens to more from other sources such as the USA, Ministry Grounds, and local roasters who I have had the pleasure of getting to know. Sourcing some of the wonderful Hacienda La Esmerelda from the States was a highlight for me, an absolutely stunning coffee as a short black. Some disenchantment led me to spending less and less time in another forum, and a lunch over coffee today with a fellow coffee lover got me here. Have met some generous, friendly, and slightly odd( like myself) coffee lovers here in Brissie, a quick perusal of this thread has revealed a number are already here. In order to prolong life, started a training program 5 weeks ago, 7kg off and another 15 r so to go and things are looking good. Haven't felt so fit in years. Good to be here. Cheers

MinistryGrounds · August 2011

Hi Alan, Good to see you here! And good to hear something of your backstory... Looking forward to sharing more around here. ;-)

Brett H · August 2011

Welcome to another BrisVegan! Madpierre, I'm sure you'll enjoy the friendly open nature of this forum. Has AM beaten me to the welcome? Is that why I see a red warn.... Darn! Doubly welcomed MP!

Koffee_Kosmo · August 2011

Gday Alan (Madpierre) & welcome to Crema How is the Bezzera Galatea & Mazzer Major going for you? I hope you are treating them well & polish them often ;D Alan I lost all the coffee plants you gave me during the Brisbane January 2011 floods However I was lucky that I won 2 plants on the last Brisbane get together Again welcome & dont be a stranger

KK

madpierre · September 2011

Hey fellas (and fella-esses), thanks for the kind welcome. aleways nice to see old faces. The Bezzera goes well, and shines brightly. Nice to hear the plants are going well, I am having to start from scratch with mine again. I have suspicions 'twas someone close to those who came to fix plumbing, but I had mine in larger pots and growing well and they disappeared one weekend when we were down the coast. Along with my landing net. Had some yellow bean trees amongst them also. Seriously peeved abvout losing those. I actually do have one free growing plant, which seems to have grown from thrown away pulp etc from the backyard pulpery operations. So I'm going to go through my greens and germinate a few of the good ones. I think I do have one lot of yellows in amongst my stash. A catch up sounds like a very good idea.

GaryatGala · September 2011

Hello to everyone

Happened to stumble upon this forum by chance. I would like to admit i'm a coffeeholic. There. I feel better now. Decided to join since i noticed there are a number of familiar faces here. A bit of background. Currently working in the restaurant industry based in a restaurant that's currently in the top 5 of the fine dining category in WA. Have also worked in previous places that have earned numerous gold plate awards. Self motivated, wanting to get the best out of myself and others. Hence this coffee journey. Saw an overseas forum discussing popcorn makers as roasters. Happened to have one in the cupboard as well as a breadmaker!! Gave it a good go, i was hooked ever since, and the rest is history. Currently in a never ending quest for the perfect espresso and the perfect roast. Hampered from upgraditis in a blue worker industry in a big way. Current stable includes Miss Silvia V3 with Auber PID, Compak K3T, coretto and FZ-RR700 Baby Roaster. Thank you all for having me here. First round of coffees on me! Gary at Gala.

madpierre · September 2011

Welcome Gary, good to see you here. It's a pretty laid back joint considering all the caffeine coursing through various circulation systems.

GaryatGala · September 2011

Thanks for the welcome Pierre. Had to re-type my intro. Seem to have disappeared since last night, so i re-typed it. Had a coffee just now to keep the system happy hehe. Will spend a bit of time navigating around this forum so that i know where everything is. The act of posting pics is different here it seems. I guess it gets sent to the Gallery? Will read the appropriate thread on that. Have read the hoohaa about the Breville situation but it looks like definitely a laid back kind of scene, which i'm perfectly happy with. Looking forward to getting in touch with new and old friends. Gary at G

Brett H · September 2011

Welcome Gary to the friendly forum. Kudos for the pimped up Silvia and we look forward to your contributions! Get stuck in mate... lots of culinarily interested people here.

Koffee_Kosmo · September 2011

Welcome to the Crema forum Gary It takes consistency, dedication and hard work to achieve accolades in the restaurant industry Hope you can contribute often to everyone's benefit

The act of posting pics is different here it seems. I guess it gets sent to the Gallery? Will read the appropriate thread on that.

Gary on the link you will find the instructions to posting photos on the Crema Forum http://www.bestcafes.com.au/forum/index.php?topic=1653.0 KK

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