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Tips for making Cafe Mocha at home?
- Thread starter Cyborg21
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Abstract
macrumors Penryn
Sure, but you're trying to convince someone who wants to make a cafe mocha to buy a grinder....
That Sunbeam isn't the best on the market (obviously), but it pretty much redefines its segment, namely the Not-So-Expensive Grinders for People Who Like Coffee, But Aren't Fanatical Enough to Spend Real Money market. It beats anything at the same price or cheaper, and is probably better value than anything for less than $300. It may be the only grinder < $200 that's not made entirely out of plastic, and it grinds well (there's complaints of static).
The Rancilio Rocky grinder you recommended is roughly $400, but I see that I can buy it off the internet for $350. That's still a fair chunk of change for a guy who wants to put chocolate into his coffee. 😉
The Sunbeam is $200, but can be found on sale for $150 or so.
I think the Sunbeam would be awesome. If he has money to burn, then I suppose he can spend $400 on a grinder, and drink truly authentic cafe mochas, just like the Italians do.
Shrink
macrumors G3
I was making a suggestion on making the best coffee possible as the base for any drink.
But if it seemed that I was trying to convince someone of something, rather than offering suggestions and information...it was not my intention.
I'm sure your knowledge of the Sunbeam grinder trumps mine...
Abstract
macrumors Penryn
I'm not saying that a grinder wasn't a good suggestion, and I didn't mean to imply that the Sunbeam EMO480 is the best grinder in existence. He'd get better mochas by using better coffee as a base, and the Rancilio Rocky is definitely a better grinder than the Sunbeam.
However, for someone who's trying to put chocolate into his coffee, I'm pretty sure the Sunbeam is a better product considering vast difference in price. 😉
However, for someone who's trying to put chocolate into his coffee, I'm pretty sure the Sunbeam is a better product considering vast difference in price. 😉
mobilehaathi
macrumors G3
The Baratza Encore is cheap (~$129) and does quite well for its price. It has metal burrs too. I can't comment on the Sunbeam.
S.B.G
Moderator emeritus
That was my first grinder and it did well. Though for espresso and espresso-based drinks, you cannot pair it with a mid to high end espresso machine. The lower tier espresso machines, like the De'Longhi I had paired well together.
Wow, thank you for so many replies 😀 Firstly no I am not trying to copy another coffee 😀 but the mocha I make seems like a little bit tasteless to me. It feels like drinking mocha flavored hot water to me. I have a moka pot, a coffee machine and a coffee grinder but, eh... it's a cheap one, maybe it's the problem 😕 also I searched some recipes on internet and I found ''Sweetened cocoa powder'' in ingredients. So what's the difference between unsweetened cocoa powder and sweetened cocoa powder? And which coffee beans fit best for Cafe Mocha? I am new to making coffees 😀
mobilehaathi
macrumors G3
Shrink
macrumors G3
Unsweetened cocoa powder is somewhat bitter, and the recipes for mocha coffee I read said to use unsweetened cocoa powder and some sugar.
The simplest recipe I saw was....
1 cup of coffee
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (specifically not melted chocolate)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons milk
But if it tastes watery, that means your coffee base is lacking. Using the proper dose of freshly roasted, freshly ground coffee might make a difference. Something simple like increasing the dose might make a difference...perhaps you are under dosing. If that doesn't work, perhaps your machine is dying...but I'd just try improving the freshness of your beans and increasing the dose.
hahaha 😀, But in my country, there's only one cocoa powder 😕
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Probably I will try another coffee for making espresso because this one was simply tasteless.
Shrink
macrumors G3
I don't know where you live, and unless there is some law or something, I'd be amazed if you couldn't find unsweetened cocoa powder online.
Good idea to try a different SO bean or blend in a reasonably dark roast, if you are talking espresso. What size filter basket are you using, what is your dose weight, and what machine espresso are you using?
Abstract
macrumors Penryn
In my opinion, the quick and easy explanation is to:
1. Buy an espresso machine (doesn't need to be fancy) so that you can make espressos. That, or learn to better use your moka pot, which should let you produce something like an espresso.
2. Get some decent beans. If you live somewhere that roasts their own coffee and sells it to customers (no, not Starbucks or your grocery store), and you drink coffee somewhat frequently (i.e. you can finish a bag in 2 weeks), then ask them to grind the coffee for you. That way, you'll have reasonably fresh coffee to make your cafe mochas with. Tell them it's to grind it for espresso. To make espresso, they tend to grind your coffee a bit finer than they would for filtered coffee, so it's important to tell them that you want to make espresso.
That, or buy a cheap-o conical burr grinder and buy whole coffee beans. Grind it yourself so that it's fresher. I use a Hario Skerton manual grinder, which means I need to grind beans by hand. It takes more time and effort, but I don't drink coffee at home very often. I have an electric burr grinder at home, but I only use it to grind 1 week's worth of coffee beans to bring to work.
If you don't live near a decent source of coffee, then you can actually buy online. Many places will offer a service where they'll grind it for you, and then mail it to you. It's not the freshest coffee in existence, but it's 100x better than what you're doing now. 😛
Sometimes, they will advertise a coffee as an "espresso roast", which should make it easier for you to choose. Coffee meant for filtered coffee tends to be light or medium roast, whereas coffee to be used for espresso tends to be a medium or darker roast.
I'm not American, but I found a place called Blue Bottle Coffee that's supposed to be really good. The info also seems clear, but I don't think they'll grind your coffee for you!!
I believe Stumptown will grind coffee for you. They're also supposed to be good.
Again, I'm not American, but I found a list of coffee roasters here: Best Coffee Roasters in America.
3. I'm not sure how much this matters for you, but perhaps using Ghirardelli chocolate would give you great results. That, or Dutch-process cocoa powder like Guittard Cacao Rouge Cocoa Powder.
1. Buy an espresso machine (doesn't need to be fancy) so that you can make espressos. That, or learn to better use your moka pot, which should let you produce something like an espresso.
2. Get some decent beans. If you live somewhere that roasts their own coffee and sells it to customers (no, not Starbucks or your grocery store), and you drink coffee somewhat frequently (i.e. you can finish a bag in 2 weeks), then ask them to grind the coffee for you. That way, you'll have reasonably fresh coffee to make your cafe mochas with. Tell them it's to grind it for espresso. To make espresso, they tend to grind your coffee a bit finer than they would for filtered coffee, so it's important to tell them that you want to make espresso.
That, or buy a cheap-o conical burr grinder and buy whole coffee beans. Grind it yourself so that it's fresher. I use a Hario Skerton manual grinder, which means I need to grind beans by hand. It takes more time and effort, but I don't drink coffee at home very often. I have an electric burr grinder at home, but I only use it to grind 1 week's worth of coffee beans to bring to work.
If you don't live near a decent source of coffee, then you can actually buy online. Many places will offer a service where they'll grind it for you, and then mail it to you. It's not the freshest coffee in existence, but it's 100x better than what you're doing now. 😛
Sometimes, they will advertise a coffee as an "espresso roast", which should make it easier for you to choose. Coffee meant for filtered coffee tends to be light or medium roast, whereas coffee to be used for espresso tends to be a medium or darker roast.
I'm not American, but I found a place called Blue Bottle Coffee that's supposed to be really good. The info also seems clear, but I don't think they'll grind your coffee for you!!
I believe Stumptown will grind coffee for you. They're also supposed to be good.
Again, I'm not American, but I found a list of coffee roasters here: Best Coffee Roasters in America.
3. I'm not sure how much this matters for you, but perhaps using Ghirardelli chocolate would give you great results. That, or Dutch-process cocoa powder like Guittard Cacao Rouge Cocoa Powder.
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S.B.G
Moderator emeritus
mobilehaathi
macrumors G3
Abstract
macrumors Penryn
If you read my posts, I was clearly referring to automatic grinders, especially when you consider the fact that I replied to a post about the Rancilio Rocky.
I mean, my Hario is mostly metal and glass, and cost me $45 (not in the US). I don't know of any plastic hand grinders at all, especially not ones that I'd ever consider affordable at a price of ~$200 or $300.
You could have added to the conversation by adding a comment, but I guess your aim was to be pedantic.
I mean, my Hario is mostly metal and glass, and cost me $45 (not in the US). I don't know of any plastic hand grinders at all, especially not ones that I'd ever consider affordable at a price of ~$200 or $300.
You could have added to the conversation by adding a comment, but I guess your aim was to be pedantic.
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mobilehaathi
macrumors G3
Everybody calm down!
Coffee should bring people together, not beget animosity!😱
Yeah, yeah, I'm going...
Coffee should bring people together, not beget animosity!😱
Yeah, yeah, I'm going...
Kurwenal
macrumors 6502a
I have. It is incredible. Inspecting the grinds with my trusty magnifying glass shows an almost unbelievable uniformity for a $175 machine. The thing is built like a tank, and the burrs are very, very stable, which I think is what sets it apart from the Porlex and other higher end hand grinders. For now, I have decreed that the La Marzocco GS/3 may be used only with the Ledo........stay tuned on that front.
My aim was to carry on a long-running joke from another thread about the Ledo. I thought your posts about the Sunbeam were, to be honest, made in jest, and I was just continuing the frivolity. I did not realize you were serious in recommending the Sunbeam as a high quality grinder. My apologies. In re-reading your posts, I realize now that you were serious and not joking. No offense intended.
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Agree 100%. My fault. I misunderstood Abstract's posts, which I thought were made in jest. My apologies, everyone.
Abstract
macrumors Penryn
I know you're being facetious about my posts , but I wasn't kidding about the Sunbeam.
For someone who doesn't know much about coffee, I'd recommend that Sunbeam as a good value-for-money grinder. It's a quality, machine that will do a really good job.
There are a number of cheaper automatic grinders (e.g. the Baratza Encore that mobilehaathi mentioned) that will do a good job for even less money. The nice thing about the Sunbeam is that it has an all-metal construction (at least on the outside).
Of course, if he's on a budget, a good hand-grinder can be had for considerably less $$$. Me? I like my Hario. Apparently, it only costs around $30 on Amazon.
For someone who doesn't know much about coffee, I'd recommend that Sunbeam as a good value-for-money grinder. It's a quality, machine that will do a really good job.
There are a number of cheaper automatic grinders (e.g. the Baratza Encore that mobilehaathi mentioned) that will do a good job for even less money. The nice thing about the Sunbeam is that it has an all-metal construction (at least on the outside).
Of course, if he's on a budget, a good hand-grinder can be had for considerably less $$$. Me? I like my Hario. Apparently, it only costs around $30 on Amazon.
Kurwenal
macrumors 6502a
In truth, no. And if you knew me at all, you would realize the truth of what I just wrote. I don't attack people's opinions and never have on MR (well, except for 3 posts in PRSI a while back).
There is a long-running joke over in the other thread about Shrink's views on grinders, and my admittedly too-quick read through what you and he wrote today caused me to mistakenly believe that you were suggesting the Sunbeam merely to get a good-natured rise out of friend Shrink on the subject. My mistake on the subject was caused in part by my history that in 30 years of pulling shots, I have never seen anyone recommend the Sunbeam. But, hey, I learned something today. I am pretty sarcastic, sometimes to my detriment, and I think the other regular posters in the other thread can tell when my tongue is planted firmly in my cheek (or maybe not....hmmm, there's something to think about). The two posts immediately after mine, I think, got it, but, lacking the context, you did not. I regret that.
Either way, I hope you don't react as such every time someone on the Internet disagrees with you.......bad for your health. You want to recommend (or even use) the Sunbeam, hey, more power to you. Shrink's Law: if you like it, that's all that matters.
With that, I think I will tip toe quietly out of this thread.....good evening everyone.
Kurwenal
PS: you really drink espresso? It's complete crap, you know. Maybe one day you can step up to a proper ristretto...... 😉
Shrink
macrumors G3
Abstract
macrumors Penryn
D'oh.
I just googled about this Sunbeam model to figure how it's possible that you've never heard of anyone recommending this Sunbeam model before, and it turns out it isn't even available in the US (thanks CoffeeGeek, which explains a few things. 😱 Too bad. They love it at CoffeeSnobs.com.au
OK, fair enough.
I thought it was pretty obvious that I was trying to give actual mocha-making advice, but anyway....it's fine.
I don't think I actually over-reacted, so not sure what you mean.
I'm not secure enough in my sexuality to drink ristretto out of teeny-tiny cups. 😉 I actually don't drink espressos often --- only Aeropress or pour-over.
I live in Melbourne. There are 3 outstanding coffee roasters within 5 minute walk from where I live. Great city to live if you want a good coffee outside your own home.
I just googled about this Sunbeam model to figure how it's possible that you've never heard of anyone recommending this Sunbeam model before, and it turns out it isn't even available in the US (thanks CoffeeGeek, which explains a few things. 😱 Too bad. They love it at CoffeeSnobs.com.au
OK, fair enough.
I thought it was pretty obvious that I was trying to give actual mocha-making advice, but anyway....it's fine.
I don't think I actually over-reacted, so not sure what you mean.
I'm not secure enough in my sexuality to drink ristretto out of teeny-tiny cups. 😉 I actually don't drink espressos often --- only Aeropress or pour-over.
I live in Melbourne. There are 3 outstanding coffee roasters within 5 minute walk from where I live. Great city to live if you want a good coffee outside your own home.
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There are many different ways to make mocha cafe at home, it also depends on what are you using currently to make regular coffee?
Trick about cafe mocha... is adding chocolate syrup or cocoa mix into your mug before adding the coffee, Hot milk helps.
By brewers they provide special pods/k-cups from keurig, tassimo, mr.coffee etc which are mocha flavoured.
I have a Keurig at home, so make the process alot easier and faster.🙂
K-cup coconut mocha coffee MY FAV !!
If you do not have a brewer, then you can add coconut syrup inside.
Trick about cafe mocha... is adding chocolate syrup or cocoa mix into your mug before adding the coffee, Hot milk helps.
By brewers they provide special pods/k-cups from keurig, tassimo, mr.coffee etc which are mocha flavoured.
I have a Keurig at home, so make the process alot easier and faster.🙂
K-cup coconut mocha coffee MY FAV !!
If you do not have a brewer, then you can add coconut syrup inside.
