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Brian Fantana

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Everything posted by Brian Fantana

  1. Rest in peace Barry. I will always remember the words of welcome from Holy Roller when I joined the hub in 2008.
  2. I have to say that this grinder surprised me. It has very good ergonomics, you only use your thumb and index finger to grip the knob. It grinds at least 3 times faster than my porlex and loading/unloading is very easy. I paid the same price as a porlex mini when I backed the kickstarter project and this grinder gives you so much more in terms of ergonomics, speed, grind quality and looks. Having said all this, my Madebyknock grinder still grinds faster and smoother than the Handground but it costs three times as much!
  3. I backed this Kickstarter project in February 2015. I took delivery of this unit at end November 2016. I have not had a chance to try it yet due to a hectic travelling schedule. I will try it out later today. It looks very well manufactured! http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170104/a079af79d840e83b8d4f1d044857ec54.jpg
  4. My work can get intense at times and I started to feel sorry for my Seiko SKX007 as a daily beater. So I purchased a Casio G-Shock GA-201 to fill the daily beater role.
  5. Thank you gentlemen. I will pick a colour scheme I like and I will post the results here when the airbrush work is done.
  6. You probably could, but it will detract from machine's simplicity. The simplicity is what makes it such a great device.
  7. I am not saying that temperature is related to altitude. However boiling point is related to altitude. When you pour 96 degC water into a stainless steel tube that is at ambient temperature the temperature will drop very quickly and might even drop below your desired brewing temperature. Here at the coast I found that the machine works very well. I will test it on the farm (1500m asl)next weekend and see what effect the lower boiling point has. Most manual espresso devices share this low temperature problem because the water cools down very quickly once it enters the device.
  8. Hi guys, I have been lurking on this thread for a number of years now and I really appreciate the information shared on this thread. I am currently busy restoring a Deale and Huth (DHC) with 6-speed Campagnolo Nuovo Record derailleurs and shifters, Weinman brakes and Zeus hubs and crank. The frame has been repainted by the original owner. I would like to have it painted in original Deale and Huth colours. Does anyone have photos of original Deale and Huth frames of the 1965-1970 era? As far as I understand, it is a 1968 model frame.
  9. Yes it has a long basket. You dose the basket, press a shower screen on top to create a tamp, pour hot water up to the top edge of the basket, lift the levers (which lifts the piston) lock the portafilter and press down. The water cools down quite quickly in the basket which is why I suspect that it might make slightly sour shots at higher altitudes. It is quite ironic that such a simple device from the late 1950's and 1960's works so well and now in 2016 it is hard to find something similar that can match its performance.
  10. This is my setup for local travels, a Faema Baby Faemina and MadebyKnock grinder. This combination makes very good espresso. I suspect that this lever machine might brew at a lower temperature at higher altitudes which can cause some issues, but at sea level it has been brilliant so far.
  11. I follow a few collectors and enthusiasts on Instagram which is where I found this Riviera. I paid EUR200 for it. You will find many vintage lever machines on ebay as well. I purchased my Caravel on ebay. You can also find many lever machines on Francesco's website, he is a great guy and I have purchased parts from him last year without any issues: http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/onsale_eng.htm
  12. I purchased this Zacconni Riviera from a collector in Alfianello a few months ago. It was in bad shape, so I did a complete overhaul which involved a lot of cleaning, descaling, polishing, new pressure gauge and replacement of seals. After using it for two weeks I came to the conclusion that I prefer my Arrarex Caravel, and since I have limited storage space, I sold it. The new owner sounds very happy.
  13. What do you mean, when you say that the bald patches on the lawn is our fault?
  14. Ask your relative in the UK to bring you a Madebyknock Feldgrind, Feldwood, Hausgrind or Feldfarb for you. It should be easy to obtain, as it is made in Scotland. It is about 2.5+ times the price of a porlex, but will last 20 times longer. A porlex takes about 90+ seconds to grind 20grams for Aeropress. At the same setting my Madebyknock grinder takes less than 20 seconds. I grind for a 6 cup french press in less than 30 seconds. I don't even use my Porlex for travelling anymore, I just carry my heavy Madebyknock grinder in my hand luggage. Once you have used a steel burr hand grinder, you will wonder why you ever used ceramic burrs. http://www.madebyknock.com/handgrind-grinders.html
  15. Early morning espresso stops on the way to work in Ténès, Algeria:
  16. I did my 5th one, and it was definitely the hardest one for me. I did not train nearly enough as I was away on work travels and holiday for over 120 days during quarter 3&4. I made a note in my diary to start with Atta base training on 1 June 2016. I will rather miss it than suffer like that again.
  17. Taken on the family farm on a recent training ride:
  18. I had a few meetings in Europe last week, and I purchased very good beans and two very tasty espressos from this roaster/cafe in Amsterdam.
  19. Road trip coffee on Saturday morning with a view of False Bay: I have also found a very good roastery in George, called Root Coffee Roasters. This morning I made a few espressos with one of their single origins and they were great! They have date stamps on all their products. http://www.rootcoffee.co.za
  20. When you are at a braai and it's getting late, any flat surface can become a bed:
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