Hi I am new, need some ideas

Jimmy B · March 2012

Hi All,

Very first post on here and was hoping to get some ideas on what I should be doing to get make the best coffee from the equipment I have. Here is what i have at present.

Sunbeam em4800c machine (I know not great but you have to start some where)
Sunbeam em0480 grinder
have a stainless steel 51mm tamper
Have located and purchased a unpressurised single floor 51mm filter basket
I have also new krups ms-620342 Brew Head Seal which i here a a better seal to reduce blow off

Now I know there are much better machines but have received this coffee machine as a present and figure I am no professional so while i am learning that this machine will be ok. Will I be able to make good coffee from this machine and are there any other recommendations for mods I could do to improve it slightly.

Koffee_Kosmo · March 2012

Hi and welcome to Crema Jimmy Nonsense you can produce good coffee on your machine Its mainly persistence and understanding of the process That understanding comes by practice and learning from your mistakes The most important and easy things that you have full control over are Use fresh beans Dose and tamp the coffee in the basket to the correct depth KK

Lacehim · March 2012

Hi JimmyB, I totally agree with the above... beans! Find a local roaster, and buy beans with a roasted on date. Avoid the stupidomarket beans like the plague. If your interested you can roast your own beans at home too, great fun, and an additional learning experience in the coffee journey. I'm not sure if the plastic thing comes off on the steam wand on the 4800c but removing it from my neighbours BES800 improved his milk heaps (and he was shocked how disgusting it was under the cover!!!).

Jimmy B · March 2012

Thanks everyone, I definitely have access to some good local roasters in Geelong vic through Coffeecartel and coffeesnobs. Will have no problem sourcing or getting the essential fresh beans. Is there anything else i should purchase re modifications or equipment for my machine?? I hoping with some minor mods (and lots of practice) i will be able to produce good coffee. Any ideas or just leave the machine as is? AM what Mods did you do to your machine? Looking for ideas to improve the base model, anything minor is appreciated. Dont mind spending a little extra money on mods to improve the machine as I received it as a present so am yet to spend to much on accessories. Any suggestions? Fresh Beans - Check Coffee grinder - Check unpressurised basket - Check Tamper - Check Am I missing anything else boys and girls???

askthecoffeeguy · March 2012

sounds good jimmy all I would add to that is to start with one variable at a time such as grind or dose - and keep experimenting around that - once you have that variable sorted and that aspect of your coffee routine is consistent and is producing good results, then move onto the next variable - that way you dont end up with too much on your plate and you are able to measure your results with a fair amount of accuracy!

Seeya Latte · March 2012

Welcome JB Invest in a stopwatch / timer - to help you build familiarity with the 30ml in 30sec guide (and use different sized cups too) Seeya

Jimmy B · March 2012

I drink Milk based mainly but one of the reasons for getting the machine was to experiment, try and enjoy a whole spectrum of coffee. I spend enough money on good coffee at work. Very lucky to have a fantastic barrista, Marc from Mr Hydes, and his shipping container setup out the back of work. Some of the best coffee I have ever experienced (free plug) and got me keen to learn and practice myself. Thanks all, your advice is much appreciated for a coffee rookie like myself.

derrilex · March 2012

G'day Jimmy & welcome. Milk based with a sunbeam - I smell a upgrade already :rofl: :rofl:. Only joking, enjoy the ride :thumb:

UNM · March 2012

One thing that often gets overlooked. Many providers of quality roasted coffee will sell it fresh out the roaster. You don't actually want to use freshly roasted coffee to make espresso. It needs some time after roasting to rest and let the flavours develop. Opinions and tastes vary, but a lot of commercially roasted coffee is not at its best until a week after roasting. Coffee that is TOO fresh can be hard to get a decent pour - massive amounts of crema that almost fizzes (due to excess CO2 gas). So check the roast date - if it is really fresh, just keep it a couple of days before opening the pack. Practice makes perfect. At least one of our sponsors sells great roasted coffee for $25/KG. You could buy a KG (either from them or any good local roaster) and a 4l container of milk then just practice until you get drinks that are consistently looking and smelling good, then taste a few as you improve - trouble with an intensive practice session is that you shouldn't drink all the coffee - after 6 or 7 double espressos you will be fully caffeinated. The cash outlay on this might save you quite a bit of wastage later on.