Diadema Junior Extra PID Dual Boiler

Brett_H

My next 10 Christmas' came today.

Thank you so much Attilio and your wonderful team for so efficiently and adeptly bringing this dream to fruition.

I will run lots of side by sides with Mr Splendor before preparing him for life with a new family.

I was shaking with child-like excitment as I unwrapped the new beast (or perhaps that was the wonderful Kalistat roast Mr Splendor triumphantly oozed in admiration).

More to follow....

THANK YOU FRESH COFFEE (Cosmorex)

Koffee_Kosmo

Oooh Santa was early & did not stay for a coffee KK

shape_shifter

ooo lala doesn't that look swanky ;D

Kelsey

Lucky bugger! That looks great!

Muscles

oh cool, I think someone has a few sleepless nights ahead of him! Enjoy it mate and keep us updated along your journey 😉

Brett_H

Thanks everyone!!! I am soooo excited...! First coffee was a Double Piccolo Latte made on Kalistat at 90 on the PID... Unbelievable! My wife who likes her coffee weak and sweet almost didn't give it back... Pregnancy and the small potential star-jumper inside her tummy thankfully caused her to return the beverage. I can't wait to get a run on side by sides... but perhaps not until after nap-time.

Muscles

I'd be interested in your side-by-side findings esp. with the Kalistat - love that bean. Will also be interested to see what temp you prefer to extract it at... actually, think I will roast some Kalistat tonight and have a play myself - thanks for inspiring me Brett!! Make sure you take plenty of pics while playing for us. Have you already found a home for Mr Splendor?

Kelsey

Yes, he's sending it up to me for a few weeks. ;D

Brett_H

Hey Marc... Mr Splendor will eventually find his way onto the Bay or the Trading Post. I hadn't figured in a sabatical to Kelsey but who knows. While I have the luxury of side by sides I'm going to take advantage. The Kalistat was awesome today and the temp was lower I think than the Splendor. The Opus 1 Daterra just now was another great pour (this is nothing new) but a not as sweet as I'm used to. I've bumped the temp up from 90 to 91 and I'll give it another go (seems counter-intuitive but I'm new at this). The operation of the machine seems a little more refined (Splendor is now 3 yrs old). I love the second gauge... on the whole the beast has a less elegant aesthetic appeal than the Splendor, but fortunately I grew up with Battlestar Galactica and Cylons. I am in love with this new machine!

FreshCoffee2

Hey Brett enjoy your new toy, and we very much appreciate the kind words 🙂 Rgdz A.

Seeya_Latte

Very nice Brett. I wish you both many years of happiness together. I'm interested to know what changes you've had to make to your routine if any. Seeya

Brett_H

Yep AM... You guessed right. I don't see how the Diadema is any different to your Minore apart from perhaps being a little newer and perhaps al little more refined. Someone with your expertise would have that Minore producing liquid gold so it's kinda a sideways step surely. Attilio, I paid via internet banking on Tuesday and two days later TaDa... That is remarkable service in anyone's book so the kind words are the truth of the matter! Thanks for the good wishes Seeya. My routine is exactly the same only I have to be careful not to blow the milk foam onto the window behind. The microfoam from the new machine is better than the old because the steam is more powerful and the steam tip easier to use IMHO. I was thinking that there would be a steep learning curve for milk frothing but once again KK's technique is the goods. I made an Opus1 Daterra double piccolo with the temp adjusted to 91. The flavours were completely I mean completely different. The sweetness was gone and a burned caramel flavour was very prominent. I didn't like what the change in temp had done to the flavours so tomorrow I'll try 89. I loved it at 90 but what serious fun. Now I know what all the fuss is about. When the novelty wears off and im not on holidays I imagine that I will roast a weeks worth of coffee, find my prefered temp and leave it there for the week. Until then... :coffee2:

Ronin

Awesome Brett I, like AM, would be looking at this machine if not for the Minore. Better looking IMOP too but as both are E61 DB with the same PID I'll be sticking with the Minore. Oh and the GS 8) Congrats on joining the DB club, enjoy the learning curve and wishing you many happy god shots.

Brett_H

Hello... I've been very quiet due to playing with coffee machines. Steam first: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlRcAPFXk2I&feature=youtube_gdata_player At the end I tip the cups to ethos just how dry these machines steam. The obvious winner is the dual boiler with numbers from 7-66 degrees at: Splendor: 150: 28sec 250: 40sec DB 150: 19sec 250: 40sec These numbers are once only runs so are more indicative than fact but it's an interesting difference. Microfoam quality and control-ability is excellent for both.

shape_shifter

Welcome to the world of fiddlers Brett :rofl:

Brett_H

shape_shifter wrote:

Welcome to the world of fiddlers Brett :rofl:

Thanks Nic. Here is dueling espresso machines with 5days post Java Kalistat. both full doubles were really special with the DB being a little more understated and subtle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf_yMmRwzHo

Kelsey

I just can't believe how awesome that naked pour looks.

Brett_H

Kelsey wrote:

I just can't believe how awesome that naked pour looks.

And that's the old machine!!!! :-)

Brett_H

Okay... living with this machine during the busy season where guests and lodgers are plentiful and the coffee needs to flow faster than the beer and wine!!! I know that the Unico Splendor was never really challenged by a large number of guests so it is no surprise to see it's refined larger sibling coping magnificently. The extra steam from the DB PID was most appreciated as was the ball-jointed well positioned steam wand. This new machine is just a bit more refined than the last especially when pulling the 8th double in a row there seems to be much more "forgiveness" for the home barista. Every shot just seems to look great where as the Splendor could get a little finicky with grind when doing big runs... perhaps it is just me looking through rose coloured glasses? Do I use the PID or is it a fancy 'bragging rights' party trick? YES I DO... not every day, but every batch. As a home roaster I am not Mr Consistent and neither do I wish to be. I want variety and experiences of tastes and flavours that surprise and delight me. This machine is just the ticket to enable this. I also adjust the temp when I change to Decaf in the evening unless my last shot has been at my Decaf prefered temperature. I don't miss the cooling flush required for the last machine. I do sometimes flush after a long idle but if I don't the subsequent shot isn't ashy or burned. Could this machine be really that stable? All up, I have enjoyed the upgrade process becasue I dealt with an excellent retailer (Cosmorex) and chose the machine that though pricey, fulfilled all of my needs but most importantly my desires. I would have saved a lot of money if I'd have had Cosmorex's phone number in 1997 and gone from Krups straight to this but the journey has been awesome and in 1997 this machine was naught but a twinkle in my bank account! I love this machine and every time I make a coffee I feel spoiled rotten!

Brett_H

Okay, update time. I love this machine! It is so quiet yet so capable. It just couldn't get any better... or could it... Introducing the Ringtail Resin pimped Diadema DB: Alex's work is so classy, bespoke and eye-catching but there is something else. My wife rocknwrap.com articulated it so much better than me. She said: "the work is good, really good, just beautiful but his real genius is in the way that it feels, the toggles (her word... impressive eh) and handles just fit in your hand so beautifully." She's spot on, you can't help smiling when you use this machine anyway but this is just an exciting tactile ONE OF A KIND indulgence that just feels as good as it looks. BH P.s you may see this post later on Penthouse forum... don't judge me, it's how I'm paying for these exciting upgrades...NOT :rofl:??