Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

[webby]

So, after gleening much info from this site I fnally bit the bullet and went out and bought a Rancilio Sylvia a few weeks ago. Already had a Sunbeam Grinder (EM480) so will use this combo until I can find a good reason to outlay the dosh for a Rocky.

All still a bit hit and miss and gone thru a lot of beans to get anywhere near some reasonable consistency - will keep plugging away.

First real question here; where in Sydneys Hills district (Castle Hill) can I get freshly roastered beans of good quality?

TIA for your help.

[Marnass]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

Welcome to CS webby,
im from Melbourne so not sure where you will find beans locally, but internet orders are fast, economic and easy these days. Try coffee alchemy Commercial non-sponsor link removed by Mods in Sydney they do some stella coffees and will deliver straight to your door. Hopefully a local can point you in the right direction for something closer, its always nice to have a face to face relationship with the people you buy your coffee from.
Good luck.

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

First real question here; where in Sydneys Hills district (Castle Hill) can I get freshly roastered beans of good quality?

TIA for your help.

Welcome to CS
On the left you will see our sponsor list
I am not sure which is the closest to you as I live in Brisbane

Try Cuppacoffee, Di Bartoli or find one close to your location

KK

[GregWormald]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

Welcome webby,

Do get some fresh beans--without them, any machine combo can only produce "reasonable" coffee.

Andys roasts are popular here, and delivered express! Oh! (See Roasted Coffee, above left.)

Greg

[fman1972]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

hi
im in much the same position as the op
many thanks to the posters ive gleened info from.   ive mnaged to get a good above avarage cup from my em5600  modded with the assistance from the clever posters here on cs , ive modded  the dbl basket and opened up the group handle new seals and o rings etc .
much happier now and very much looking forward to the upgradis trail ahead.
also props to coffee craft for helping with the right grind and beans blend

cheers
nathan
(never to open pre ground again ..)

[webby]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

Thanks for the welcome and general advice - much appreciated.

Maybe best to order roasted beans online with one of the site sponsors. Id only be buying half kilo quantities (2 weeks worth), so wondering what the general shipping/postal charges might be?

Also, is there any other way (apart from actually pouring a shot) of knowing if your beans are in fact fresh? (aroma, colour etc)

Anyone else here using a EM480 grinder with a Silvia - still wondering about margin for error and consistency with this combo.  :-/

FWIW I really did not realise just how exact a process making good coffee can be. Now, while my family are watching TV I am on my laptop watching youtube demos on using a Silvia - my wife and kids think Im barking crazy.  ;D

[Thundergod]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

Also, is there any other way (apart from actually pouring a shot) of knowing if your beans are in fact fresh?

Look for (or ask for) the "Roasted On" date.

[A_M]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

Maybe best to order roasted beans online with one of the site sponsors. Id only be buying half kilo quantities (2 weeks worth), so wondering what the general shipping/postal charges might be?

See the Bean bay - Up there top L/H side of teh forum...

Also, is there any other way (apart from actually pouring a shot) of knowing if your beans are in fact fresh? (aroma, colour etc)

You have:

1:

Look for (or ask for) the "Roasted On" date.

2: Feel/Smell/Taste/Visual By using a combination of these; an experienced coffee snob has a good chance of a ball park Stale VS Good to go :-? :-?

But an honest Roasted on date and good storage is the best way; next to home roasting 8-)

Anyone else here using a EM480 grinder with a Silvia - still wondering about margin for error and consistency with this combo.

Do some reading... It is YOU who is teh biggest problem in teh whole process; along with fresh beans of course.. But at the end of teh day the USER is by far the biggest inconsistency in teh whole process.

Now, while my family are watching TV I am on my laptop watching youtube demos on using a Silvia - my wife and kids think Im barking crazy.

Na... When the kids are out and there are other more personal things on offer (with no strings attached) and ya still prefer to do a home roast or hop on the forum; then ya a true CS ;D ;D

[webby]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

Also, is there any other way (apart from actually pouring a shot) of knowing if your beans are in fact fresh?  

Look for (or ask for) the "Roasted On" date.

Ha, the place where I have been buying my coffee pours beans from dirty big hoppers into a generic bag.

Q "are these beans freshly roasted"

A "oh yeah, pretty sure they are"

They do apparently roast on the premises but I am taking them on trust.

Beanbay is looking a very likely option.  

[Thundergod]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

pretty sure

apparently roast on the premises

Both of those quotes are vague responses.

My response to "pretty sure" would be "Can you check please?"

Every roaster I buy from can tell me what date any bean was roasted.

What makes you say "apparently"?

[A_M]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

Ha, the place where I have been buying my coffee pours beans from dirty big hoppers into a generic bag.

So depending on when the HOPPER was filled and how busy... You beans could be any thing from a few min to a day or two; just sitting around and not doing much in the hopper...

And they were stored / transported how ?  Prior to being dumped in the hopper....

BEANBAY  :-*   IS my call until you can confirm any number of issues..

[webby]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

What makes you say "apparently"?

Hmmm, not sure anyone on the premises could accurately state a roasting date of the beans that were falling out at the pointy end of the hopper. Spose I could have asked for beans from the top of the hopper.  ;D

[webby]

Re: Where to get fresh beans for my Silvia

Anyone else here using a EM480 grinder with a Silvia - still wondering about margin for error and consistency with this combo.  

Do some reading...  It is YOU who is the biggest problem in the whole process

WTF, perhaps my wife has been right all along?  

You are, of course, spot on. Ive been inconsistent with grind, dose, tamp etc etc. Introduced too many variables at every attempt, which hasnt helped me to get to where I wanna be.

Good news is that I got young Silvia to drip (well, pour) like honey this arvo  - now just gotta remember all the elements.