Review: ECM Tamper Station, the Espresso Accessory You Didn’t Know You Needed

Check out the ECM Tamper Station, an espresso accessory I had no idea I needed until I saw it (on IG Reels, FWIW). It is my second favorite espresso accessory after the Asso Dosing Funnel I reviewed last week because it makes every tamped puck easier and faster to do. I’ll tell you why! I Love my ECM Tamper Station This device, made in Germany, is an aluminum cylinder with a notch for your portafilter handle. It’s designed to hold your portafilter, giving you a stable and level platform on which to level and tamp your puck. And, it’s the Continue Reading →

Review: Asso Dosing Funnel, Your Magnetic Espresso Grinder Savior

The Asso Dosing Funnel sitting on a bottomless portafilter

I have a favorite accessory for my espresso setup, and I’m here to apologize for not telling you about it earlier. It’s official name is the Asso Dosing Funnel (Asso being the brand), but in case that doesn’t mean anything to you, it’s a collar that fits on your portafilter to keep your ground espresso beans from going all of the places. And, it’s held on by magnets. This thing works well, is easy to use, washable, and it has made a major difference in keeping my espresso station tidy. It’s US$55 from iDrinkCoffee.com, which is where I got it. Continue Reading →

Bryan’s Tips for Making a Tasty Iced Latte

Espresso pull

My Death Wish Coffee review was fairly popular, and I thought it would be nifty to follow it up with some tips on making coffee espresso lattes iced lattes. At its heart, all forms of coffee are chemistry-in-action, and while I won’t pretend to understand that chemistry, trial and error has helped me optimize my favorite beverage. Flavor Is Everything First things first: I like my lattes iced and flavored with syrups. I don’t like the flavor of espresso, I like the flavor of espresso when it has been combined with a sugar-based, flavored sweetener and drowned in ice and Continue Reading →

Death Wish Coffee Quick Look

Rancilio Heaven

I Instagrammed a photograph of the Death Wish Coffee Dave Hamilton sent to me, and several people asked me to review it. Accordingly, I pulled a couple of espresso shots with it this morning, and I’m delighted to report that Death Wish Coffee is good. What could go wrong? Thanks @davehamilton!