[narvin]

I've heard differing things about the freezer.  Since I only get local coffee (nose in air), I just keep the extras in the fridge and we try to use it fast.

Owning a roaster... that's not in the cards    Too much beer stuff taking up space for that.

[majorvices]

I only use whole beans from a local roaster and have a top of the line burr grinder. I'm probably a bigger coffee snob than I am beer snob.

Same here. I hope single origin coffee, relatively lightly roasted, and you use filtered water?

Yes and yes and yes. The guy that roasts my coffee hands roasts every batch. He is a true craftsman. Excellent coffee.

I have have heard both good and bad about storing coffee in freezer. Now, most recently, there is some science that says that grinding frozen coffee makes the best coffee because of the mire uniform way in which the beans are crushed.

[homoeccentricus]

And Italy or no Italy, I always take my own coffee with me whenever I travel

[Delo]

The guy that roasts my coffee hands roasts every batch. He is a true craftsman. Excellent coffee.

I have have heard both good and bad about storing coffee in freezer. Now, most recently, there is some science that says that grinding frozen coffee makes the best coffee because of the mire uniform way in which the beans are crushed.

You are lucky. I can't say that I am a big coffee snob, but I am pretty picky, and my wife is worse.  Especially when it comes to espresso.  I would love to have a local roaster, but we have tried a number of espresso beans from local places and most of it has been pretty terrible. It took a while before we found beans that we liked. I have also pretty much given up on finding a good espresso at coffee shops. 

On a coffee related note, I have been using a Vietnamese phin to brew my normal coffee.  It takes a while but IMO it makes a very flavorful cup of coffee.

[homoeccentricus]

I'm sure there are good roasters that can mail you fresh beans? Order a couple of pounds and store the beans in the freezer (not fridge). Works perfectly.

On a side note, I was in a convent in the Ardennes last year where my girlfriend was giving taiji classes. One evening during supper a nun came to me when she saw me pour my own coffee and asked me whether she could have a cup. She literally had a figurative orgasm when she tasted my coffee. She told me she had had only lousy convent coffee since she had joined the monastery in the early sixties. This was the only good cup she had had in all that time. So every night after that I offered her coffee, but she always refused. Not sure why because Jesus nowhere in the bible says that drinking a nice cuppa joe is  sinful

[chezteth]

I don't keep coffee in the freezer for a few reasons. First, I only roast enough for a few days. Secondly, as the coffee rests and degasses the flavor changes. Coffees like Ethiopian can develop some awesome blueberry / berry notes if allowed to rest a few days. Lastly, I'm concerned about any off flavors the beans could pick up from being in the freezer. Although, everyone has their own methods just like homebrewing.
I currently have the Saeco espresso machine that I purchased several years ago. It's decent for the money. Lately, I've been considering finding an older hand pump espresso machine. They look awesome and it takes some additional skill to pull a great shot.

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[reverseapachemaster]

I'm not a big espresso fan but my wife likes it from time to time. In her head she wants an espresso machine but I strongly suspect it will suffer the same fate as most espresso machines. She'll use it a few times and get tired of the level of detail involved in making espresso and the amount of cleaning necessary each time it is used.

Last week I ordered a moka pot. It's not true espresso in a modern, machine-produced sense but will get close enough to satisfy her occasional desire for espresso while giving me another option to make a great cup of coffee. I only paid $15 for a stainless steel 4 cup Bialetti, far less than a good $1000 pump-driven espresso machine.

[chezteth]

I'm not a big espresso fan but my wife likes it from time to time. In her head she wants an espresso machine but I strongly suspect it will suffer the same fate as most espresso machines. She'll use it a few times and get tired of the level of detail involved in making espresso and the amount of cleaning necessary each time it is used.

Last week I ordered a moka pot. It's not true espresso in a modern, machine-produced sense but will get close enough to satisfy her occasional desire for espresso while giving me another option to make a great cup of coffee. I only paid $15 for a stainless steel 4 cup Bialetti, far less than a good $1000 pump-driven espresso machine.

That's one coffee brewing device I haven't purchased yet. I use an Aeropress on a daily basis. Definitely further from true espresso than a Moka pot produces but still makes really good, strong coffee.

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[majorvices]

I guess for me I love the art involved so I'm not going to stop using it. In fact, I'll probably finally buy a roaster later this year. I have used it every day since I bought it. It is a ton of fun to use but I certainly could see it becoming only a weekend operation (though, honestly, it doesn't take that much time to make or clean.)

I have 2 different size mocha pots that I bring car camping sometimes.

[majorvices]

That's one coffee brewing device I haven't purchased yet. I use an Aeropress on a daily basis. Definitely further from true espresso than a Moka pot produces but still makes really good, strong coffee.

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Aeropress is closer to espresso than a mocha pot.

[homoeccentricus]

Just get the freshest and best coffee beans on the planet, and a very good grinder. Then you can make fabulous coffee with your grandmother's stockings.

[homoeccentricus]

Ouch. AND good water. No RO or sh#t like that.

[majorvices]

Just get the freshest and best coffee beans on the planet, and a very good grinder. Then you can make fabulous coffee with your grandmother's stockings.

I agree the coffee makes all the difference. However the preparation is also important. I like espresso but it hasn't replaced my simple single cup hand pour. That makes the best coffee for my tastes. I like the Aeropress but think the hand pour is still better. I'm not a big fan of the flavor of press pot coffee but will drink it that way from to time (used to be my go to preference.)

Anything is better than preground nasty hotel coffee.

[theoman]

Just get the freshest and best coffee beans on the planet, and a very good grinder. Then you can make fabulous coffee with your grandmother's stockings.

I agree the coffee makes all the difference. However the preparation is also important. I like espresso but it hasn't replaced my simple single cup hand pour. That makes the best coffee for my tastes. I like the Aeropress but think the hand pour is still better. I'm not a big fan of the flavor of press pot coffee but will drink it that way from to time (used to be my go to preference.)

Anything is better than preground nasty hotel coffee.

I might have more in common with homoeccentricus than I care to admit.

I agree that process is also important. Since my espresso machine died (Gaggia Baby Class), I've been using an Aeropress. I think I've found a good balance between simplicity and flavor, the key being temperature. I think the same goes with press pot coffee. As homebrewers, we have cool tools on hand like a Thermapen. My Thermapen gets more use with coffee than beer these days. 

Oh, and on roasters... I've been doing the hot air popcorn popper method for years. The volume is too low for hardcore drinkers, but it works.

[homoeccentricus]

I might have more in common with homoeccentricus than I care to admit.

I agree that process is also important. Since my espresso machine died (Gaggia Baby Class), I've been using an Aeropress. I think I've found a good balance between simplicity and flavor, the key being temperature. I think the same goes with press pot coffee. As homebrewers, we have cool tools on hand like a Thermapen. My Thermapen gets more use with coffee than beer these days. 

Oh, and on roasters... I've been doing the hot air popcorn popper method for years. The volume is too low for hardcore drinkers, but it works.

I almost take that as an almost-compliment!

Other than that, on a side note, I'm planning to roast some coffee myself to add to a robust porter (bag of beans in the keg for 24h or so, until desired mild coffee flavor has been reached). Light roast for sure, have to check what beans I still have. In last year's AHA presentation, Modern Times says they combine Ethiopian with Mandheling, which is one of the classic espresso blends.