Illy Espresso coffee - how it works?

RichardJW1

Someone has just given me a tin of this Illy Espresso coffee, question is (and you're probably think how dull is this) can I make it (without the froth) just by chucking a spoonful in a cup or do I need a machine of some description to make it - don't know the dilution rate, you see

matt_boro

you need an espresso machine... stovetop or electric one

CKdesigner

Hi, We use Illy coffee all the time, infact we won't touch anything else, as we feel it is the best by far. I assume you have ground coffee rather than the beans. The simplest and probably cheapest way for you to make coffee using this would be to purchase a Cafetiere it is a glass jug with a filter plunger fitted to the lid, you put a couple of spoons of the ground coffee in then fill with just off the boil hot water, once brewed for a min. or 2 push the plunger down to trap the coffee grounds in the bottom. That's it, much better coffee than instant. Enjoy.

WobblyGoblin

Richard, the coffee isn't really suitable for just mixing with water in a cup. It is ground up beans rather than water soluble granules (like instant coffee).

Using a cafetiere probably isn't a great idea if it is espresso coffee - the reason being the grind will be finer than normal for a cafetiere and you will get silt at the bottom of your cup (and the coffee will taste a bit over-extracted and bitter). If you have a cafetiere you could try it though as a mass produced coffee like Illy may not be as fine a grind for their espresso coffee.

A stove-top espresso machine is the simplest way. They're not all that expensive (try Robert Dyas or a kitchen shop). They are the ones that look like a metal jug that separates in the middle, with a lid on top.

p.s.
CKdesigner, if you like Illy's coffee then you should definitely try some fresh stuff from an online retailer like Hasbean. Not sure how they compare on price but I'm pretty sure you'll find it is cheaper and 10 times better.

adouglasmhor

You cna get a stovetop esspress maker from our local Asian cash and carry for about £8, if you have a cash and carry area near you it may be worth seeking one out there.

Shimmyhill

WobblyGoblin wrote: »

Richard, the coffee isn't really suitable for just mixing with water in a cup. It is ground up beans rather than water soluble granules (like instant coffee).

Using a cafetiere probably isn't a great idea if it is espresso coffee - the reason being the grind will be finer than normal for a cafetiere and you will get silt at the bottom of your cup (and the coffee will taste a bit over-extracted and bitter). If you have a cafetiere you could try it though as a mass produced coffee like Illy may not be as fine a grind for their espresso coffee.

A stove-top espresso machine is the simplest way. They're not all that expensive (try Robert Dyas or a kitchen shop). They are the ones that look like a metal jug that separates in the middle, with a lid on top.

p.s.
CKdesigner, if you like Illy's coffee then you should definitely try some fresh stuff from an online retailer like Hasbean. Not sure how they compare on price but I'm pretty sure you'll find it is cheaper and 10 times better.

I use illy espresso in my cafetiere and it turns out fine - just remember to not drink the last sip if you like relly strong coffee i find it makes a decent normal cup this way. I also have a Gaggia and find illy to sometimes be a little weak but still makes a nice cup.

I must condition this, i don't drink straight espresso - i am a cafe au lait man so neat espresso drinkers may have a diff opinion of illy grind !

CKdesigner

Dear Wobblygoblin,

Thankyou - but we have tried meny different coffees and have always found without exception that other makes don't have the consistency of taste - you may buy a bag and it tastes great then buy another the following week and its terrible. There is never this problem with Illy, it is always consistently good.

Thanks.

anthonykeates

Lavazza for me (esp the Gold version if funds permit!)

LittleMissAspie

If you don't want to buy a coffeemaker you could make it by putting some in a jug with hot (not boiling) water, leave for 4 minutes and strain through something fine.

Use about 1 tablespoon per 200ml of water. I think. I use whole beans and a coffee spoon thing I got free so I'm not quite sure, but if it's not strong enough just use more next time.

WobblyGoblin

CKdesigner wrote: »

Dear Wobblygoblin,

Thankyou - but we have tried meny different coffees and have always found without exception that other makes don't have the consistency of taste - you may buy a bag and it tastes great then buy another the following week and its terrible. There is never this problem with Illy, it is always consistently good.

Thanks.

Not a problem - just trying to help. I used to use stuff off the supermarket shelves but found a vast improvement from buying from an online retailer who roasts and grinds the stuff fresh (tried a few and the one I mentioned above has been the best so far). It was also far cheaper. However, I should point out that I'm using a pump machine to make espresso (and lattes etc) so it may be that the grind just doesn't tend to be right from off-the-shelf brands or the inconsistency in how fresh the coffee is causes the problems.

You can't get a completely consistent product from a small independent retailer though as the beans and blends they use change from time to time. I've always enjoyed trying new blends and beans but can understand you sticking to something you like.

Back on topic, the previous poster's comments about using boiling water gave me an idea - you could try turkish/greek coffee if the coffee is ground fine enough. That is boiling the coffee in water over a flame (usually with plenty of sugar and some spices such as cardamon). If you're interested then you could google that and it would tell you how. However, this makes a strong cup (with lots of sludge at the bottom) so it certainly isn't to everyone's taste.

RichardJW1

thanks for the informative replies!!!


Richard