Goodbye and Hello

 I have never owned anything that I care about as much as my vintage La Marzocco GS.

And frankly, that's kind of underselling how I feel about the machine. It's a rare piece of coffee history -- but it's also an incredibly important part of my personal story.

I loved my time working in coffee. I loved the people I worked with. I loved (and love) coffee. But sadly, I don't have a ton of connection to that part of my life anymore. When I left Stumptown there were very few co-workers who remained friends with me. And when I left the coffee business, there were very few business colleagues and acquaintances who remained friends. Over time, many of those who remained have drifted away. But a few, a small few, stayed with me. One of them is a guy named Terry Ziniewicz. Terry and I met while I was at Stumptown, and became close after I'd left. Over time I became tight with not just Terry, but also his amazing partner Kelly and his entire family. When Terry sold his company Espresso Parts NW, he gifted me the espresso machine that had been his long-time booth machine. The GS.

Terry knew that I loved the La Marzocco GS and dreamed of one day owning one. So he made my dream come true. And that's how the vintage GS became my most treasured possession. It was my connection to Terry and Kelly. It was my connection to coffee (and my time in coffee). And it was an incredibly kind, thoughtful, and meaningful gift.

Of course, none of this would matter if the thing produced Nespresso caliber espresso. But that machine? That machine was not only special, and meaningful, and historical, and (frankly) sexy AF.... In the hands of a skilled barista it also produced amazing espresso.

And for roughly two decades, I used it most every day to make drinks for myself and for Valerie. I used it to make drinks for friends. I used it. Pretty much daily.

But using a 1970s vintage Italian commercial espresso machine as your daily source of coffee is a bit like using a 1970s vintage Italian sports car as your daily driver. The joke about actually driving vintage Italian sports cars is that you need a mechanic small enough to fit into the trunk (with all their tools). And that joke became some painful foreshadowing for me over time. 

At first, the issues were small. The brew button's actuator broke and it turned out that the company that made the part went out of business back in the 1980s or something. And these small issues were always things I could work around. Sure, I couldn't brew and steam at the same time as I had to manually hold down the brew button to brew. Other small things failed like the steam wand gasket, but we figured shit out.

But then the leaks started.

For context, early La Marzocco GSs are notorious for the leaks. They did not have groups that were welded onto the boiler. Instead, the groups were bolted on using a janky "cage" set up and a big old gasket. Needless to say, these gaskets would start to leak as they aged. And replacing the gasket was a huge challenge due to the way the cage was used to bold the group on. So every once in a while, the machine would be out of service for a while for repair (often by Terry of course). This was non-optimal, but was something I could manage.

But then the leaks got worse.

You see, as that boiler and that group and those gaskets heat cycled, things stop fitting. Metal deformed. Things stopped aligning and most of all, things stopped sealing. Last year, Terry flew over to Kauai and brought parts and tools and crazy ideas for how to fix the leaks. And it worked.

For a little while.

But then there was a small leak - and this time it shorted out a switch. So the machine had to be shut down, a part sourced and replaced, and then (with fingers crossed) the machine was fired up while we all watched to see if there would be leaking. And there was no leaking!

At first.

But then the leaking started again, and soon after that, there was another short. But this time it was the controller for the machine. And most of all, it had become clear that there was no stopping the leaks anymore. Perhaps the boiler is too warped now. Perhaps the group attachment is deformed. Or maybe the machine is just simply old and tired.

Regardless, I realized it was time to let it go. It was time to say goodbye.

The only thing that makes this moment okay for me is that the GS is heading back to Terry. I'd left the machine to his son in my will anyway - and it was time for it to return. I hope that Terry is able to do something amazing with it. He's talking about interesting resto-mod ideas, and he's the kind of mad scientist who probably will be able to pull something amazing off. And that will be great. It will be amazing to see that machine functional again.

It breaks my heart to say goodbye. But it's time.

And it definitely makes it easier to say farewell when I've just taken delivery of a brand new Slayer Single Group. Sure... it's not a piece of coffee history. Yeah... it doesn't have the same personal meaning. And OK... it's nowhere near as sexy. But it's a very, very nice espresso machine. And it's brand new. And it's under warranty. All the parts are currently being made (and are available). It runs on standard household power. And everything works.

I will never stop missing the GS. But I'm one week into owning the Slayer, and it's really good. The shots are good. Steaming milk is 1,000,000 times easier than on the GS. Most of all... it's just low stress.

Goodbye GS. I've loved you - and I always will love you.

Hello Slayer. You are the first espresso machine I've ever actually purchased - and I think you're going to be great.

Living with a vintage espresso machine

 

"It's just like owning a vintage Ferrari."

I love my espresso machine. It's gorgeous. It's truly special. And it produces incredible espresso.

But the machine has been out-of-duty since June due to a gasket failure. I briefly thought that I could take on the repairs myself, but when I told Terry Z from Caffewerks that it looked like I was going to need to bend the sheet metal to do the work, he told me to stop right there. 

In retrospect, he was right and having to live without espresso for a half year was, in fact, the correct choice. 

This is the reality of living with a vintage espresso machine. Either you are one of the rare number of people in the world who are mechanical engineers with a deep background in vintage Italian espresso machines and a garage full of no-longer-in-production parts -- or you know one of those people and they are willing to help you fix your machine every time a part fails.

The good news is that it only took Terry a day and a half to replace the damaged cage and put the correct gasket in place. The good news is that Terry is a genius and a good friend. The good news is that now I can make and drink great espresso again. The good news is that the Waiakalua Espresso Garage is back in business!

Huge mahalos to Terry. And to those considering purchasing or running a vintage espresso machine, caveat emptor. 

Some nice espresso options from Maquina

Well... that was quick. I asked for some suggestions on coffees to try, and specified what I was looking for in espresso.

Despite a bit of a faltering start - I quickly got a few nice ones from Maquina Coffee Roasters, and thought I'd share my thoughts on them.

First... their Parts & Labor blend.

This is a unique and interesting espresso, and one that should please a wide range of coffee drinkers.

A relatively light roast blend that combines high grown Latin coffees with a sweet and fruity Ethiopian coffee, Parts & Labor gives you a range of potential extraction sweet spots which should satisfy many palates.

In the cup, the espresso is dominated by layers of sweetness. Depending on the sweet spot chosen these can range from honey and berry sweetness to cocoa and red fruit sweetness to a combination of all the above.

With my set-up I found two optimal sweet spots - both at a brew temp of 202.3f.

The first sweet spot yielded a "modern" style shot - representing a sort of highly concentrated version of a brewed version of the coffee. With a neutral dose, fine grind, and more full extraction, the result was a shot dominated by berry and jam flavors and soaring floral notes. A mild sweet cocoa base and hints of raw honey brought it all together. Mouthfeel was thin, and the flavor was very clean - leaving the palate quickly. Best as a straight shot or as a short americano and largely lost in milk drinks.

The second sweet spot yielded a more "traditional" style shot - where the espresso isn't just a method of brewing but rather a style of beverage as well. With a larger dose, coarser grind, and more restricted shot, the result was an extraordinarily concentrated shot with deep layers of sweetness ranging from red fruit to berry compote to fruit liqueur and sweet cocoa - all wrapped in layers of honey. The chocolate became more present, giving the shot a muscular base and balance. Mouthfeel was coating and creamy - and as a result the shot was optimal consumed in a single sip (and then savored for 20-30 minutes). Great as a straight shot or a cappuccino, but best in a macchiato.

I can recommend this one highly to anyone who is comfortable working with lighter roasted espresso.

And saving the best for, well, second... the Brazil Fazenda Baioka.

In general, when I think "single origin medium roast espresso from Brazil" I think of a very specific flavor profile. What Duane Sorenson once called "Reese's Peanut Butter Cups." When good, these coffees are usually dominated by light milk chocolate, hints of cocoa, and tons and tons of almond butter and peanut butter and cashew butter. There are, in many ways, the prototypical "comfort food espresso."

This is not that single origin espresso from Brazil.

In the cup, this espresso is all about the cherry flavors - with strong cherry liqueur notes, some nice chocolate covered dark cherry, and Rainier cherry acidity on top - all riding on a solid base of muscular chocolate syrup. This is a very nice single origin espresso and is something I could drink regularly.

With my set-up there was one clear optimal sweet spot. This was at 199.7f brew temp, a neutral dose, and a more full extraction. The one warning here is that brew temps over 200f result in strongly bitter shots with noticeable astringency. So you need to be able to control your brew temp well.

Best as a straight shot but also good in a short milk drink. Definitely recommended for anyone looking for a medium roast, super tasty espresso.

My Search for Espresso

Well... so far my search for a new "House Espresso" has had mixed results.

I'll start with the good... I've tried coffees from three roasters that were good to excellent coffees, and which produced interesting to good espresso. None really matched my needs for a go-to espresso, but they were all worth drinking, and a few are decent stop-gap options for me long term. 

Now the bad... I've had a lot of bad espresso, and unfortunately a lot of mediocre to not good coffee - and most of these coffees have been premium priced. I've been trying all these coffees as espresso, but I've also been cupping them. Other than the coffees from the three roasters I mention below, none of the coffees I've cupped would have graded out over 84 points. That would be fine - if they were priced accordingly. But I've been selecting "special" coffees, and they've been priced based on their specialness. 

On the good side - I've had a couple really nice coffees from Maquina Coffee.  Both their Parts & Labor blend and their Brazil Fazenda Baioka were very nice coffees and resulted in good to very good espresso. The coffees from Puff Coffee consistently performed very well on the cupping table, and their Spirit Lifter was workable as espresso. And I had two coffees from my old employer Stumptown Coffee Roasters that were very nice indeed. Both the Guatemala Finca El Injerto Bourbon and the Honduras El Puente Natural were standouts on the cupping table and produced interesting espresso. 

Back to the bad - I tried coffees from roasters ranging from some of America's hottest and trendiest micro-roasters to rejuvenated larger established roasters to cutting edge roasters to what many call the best roaster in Hawai'i. As noted above - none of these coffees would score over 84 points on the table. Most were in the 82-83 point range. In addition, none had any relationship to their tasting notes. As an example, there was one coffee that was described with flavor notes including cocoa, dry spice, and butterscotch. On the table the cup was dominated by fish oil and burnt toast notes. Another was described as having layered citrus and sweet berry notes, but in the cup was dominated by lemongrass, hay, and lime extract. Neither was drinkable as espresso. Frustratingly, all of these coffees had some degree of roast defect. From par-baked coffees to tipped ones; from coffees that lacked any expansion to ones with visible charred spots; from beans covered in chaff to ones still green in the center - it feels like a lot of folks out there are simply failing at roasting coffee. And all of these coffees were moderately to significantly more expensive that the Puff or Maquina coffees. All were marketed as being very special and unique. Instead, all were marginally better than commodity green that was noticeably mis-roasted. 

I will continue the quest.

I hope to find my dream espresso.

Wish me luck.

Looking for a 'house espresso'

I love experimenting with new coffees - but I also appreciate having a standard, go-to espresso for everyday use. Something I've got really dialed in so that on those 4:45am mornings I don't have to fuck about and can just pull a shot and go to work.

I've had a number of standard 'house espresso" options over the years - but it's time for something new. And I've been trying to find the right coffee - but have been failing.

So I'd love your suggestions.

Now... of course... I have some requirements and I'm more than a little bit picky. So let me first lay out the requirements and criteria and if any of you have ideas for a coffee that might be a good fit, please let me know. Please keep in mind that these are requirements. None are optional.

Requirements

1. It must produce good tasting espresso. I know, this seems obvious but a huge percentage of coffees I've had in the last 10 years produce at best "interesting" tasting espresso. 
2. The espresso must be balanced. And this is where most "interesting" espresso falls down for me. I want an espresso that has a balanced profile - where the acidity is balanced with sweetness and (yes) bitterness. 
3. It must have great mouthfeel. I don't want an espresso that has the mouthfeel of concentrated brewed coffee. It should be slightly viscous. It should be coating. It should linger in the mouth for a half hour.
4. It must give one the experience of espresso. This sums up the prior three points. I am not at all interested in an espresso that is merely a very concentrated brewed coffee in flavor, texture, or experience. I am looking for espresso (the drink) in its classic form.
5. It must be well roasted. I'm less concerned about roast degree (although, given some of the points above, a medium roast is probably the most likely fit). But it cannot be poorly roasted. The beans must be fully developed. They cannot be scorched or tipped. No roast defects... please. They make me sad.
6. It must be a quality green or a blend of quality green coffee. Nothing makes me more depressed that tasting defect in my espresso. I'm tired of baggy, flat, coffee that tastes of damp cardboard. I cannot take any more funky ferment that combines over-ripe blueberry and baby diaper. I don't want commodity coffee that's being "disposed of" in your blend.
7. It must be consistent. I'm perfectly happy tweaking the brew temp 0.3f batch to batch. I'm perfectly happy tweaking dose a few percentage points. But if each batch is like a brand new voyage of discovery, then it's not what I'm looking for. I need the sort of thing a former barista like myself would find easy to work with.
8. It must work well as straight espresso, and in short milk drinks. I make an espresso and a cappuccino every morning. The coffee must work for both. I don't need it to work for a latte, or an americano. But it has to work for an espresso, a cappuccino, and ideally a macchiato as well.

And... ideally, it won't cost an absurd amount of money to have it shipped to Hawai'i. Big shout out to the roasters who ship flat-rate USPS Priority Mail. 

If you read this and think, "Oh I have the espresso for you!" please drop me a comment or send me an email or text message with your suggestion. I would really appreciate it!

Wrenching

Owning a 60 year old hand made espresso machine is a bit like owning a vintage sports car. It's brilliantly engaging, endlessly intriguing, absolutely gorgeous, audience impressing... And requires a fair amount of tinkering. Thankfully, today the legendary Terry Z from Caffewerks was able to talk us through some standard steam wand and steam boiler fiddling.

I'm Baaaaack!

Espresso has been a huge part of my life for more than four decades. From being an avid consumer as a visiting youth in Pisa and Parma, to my time as a newbie professional at Spellbinder. From training with Aaron de Lazzer and then with David Schomer in the early 2000s. From working bar shifts at the Downtown Stumptown with the legendary Lizz Hudson to the early era of The Barista Guild of America. From the professional days to my casual home days pulling shots for, and cupping coffee with, everyone from Drew Cattlin to Tonx; from Duane Sorenson to Andrew Barnett; from Gabe Boscana to Bronwen Serna and Kyle Larson and Sarah Allen and Scott Callender and on and on to all the other wonderful amazing people I got to know in coffee... espresso has been a part of who I am for a very long time.

Back in the late 2000s, I received the gift of all gifts. The incredible Terry Ziniewicz gave me an amazing vintage late '70s La Marzocco GS. And not just any old GS (as if there could be such a thing). This was the customized La Marzocco GS that for years had been the show booth machine for Terry and his company. I've posted about it many times - but suffice it to say that it's one of my absolute favorite espresso machines, and is my most prized possession.

In 2021 we bought a place in Hawai'i and in early 2022 we made the move permanent. Before we left, however, I decided to send the GS off to be refurbished, cleaned, and brought back to spec. This ended up being the beginning of a long and winding journey which eventually took the machine back to Terry at his new company Caffewerks before finally, just a few weeks back and a year and a half later, it showed up here on the north shore of Kauai.

Then Terry arrived along with the lovely Kelly Ziniewicz, and yesterday he (assisted by our friend Texas Billy Zietz) installed the GS in its new home.

And today, at long last, I was able to pull shots again.

Today, at long last, I was able to share espresso with people who love it.

It felt so very good.

Mahalo nui loa to everyone who has been a part of this process - to every hand who helped along the way. I kind of feel like I've regained a missing limb or something.

nice view from the Waiakalua Espresso Bar

Rise Up blend from Outpost Coffee

GS group head and cups

The first shot

One of a kind

Terry and Tex doing their thing