Presso : Redux

Many of you must be interested in starting a coffee shop, but the first obstacle is usually buying the espresso machines, which can be relatively expensive, reaching up to thousands of dollars. Presso can be a good alternative to overcome this problem, since it only costs around two hundred dollars.

One coffee merchant even uses Presso as its main espresso maker and it’s doing well so far. As well as answering a couple of your emails regarding whether Presso can be an investment starter to open a coffee shop, here’s my answer to that question: Definitely yes.

Unfortunately I am not familiar with the maths of starting up a coffee shop; so make sure to find a reliable source of information to calculate the return of investment.

I can assure you that even only with Presso, the coffee you make can be as good as the one made with an espresso machine – with the same taste, aroma and abundant crema.

When compared with the price of a Moka Pot, it’s more expensive, but I’m quite satisfied with Presso’s performance, as well as having the benefit of exercising my biceps to press firmly while brewing coffee.

Now; the first thing you must buy is definitely a grinder, because without one of these little monsters, any coffee machines – no matter how expensive they might be – will be dysfunctional without it.

A Taiwanese coffee grinder as an alternative to those made by Presso – can be a good start, but most importantly, this grinder can also be used for many brewing purposes, from French Press brewing to Turkish brewing.

Grinder Setting is important

More detailed information about the making of Presso can be read on my previous article at Presso the key is not be afraid to make mistakes and be sure to try different settings on your grinder, different amounts of ground coffee and tamping pressures, because Presso will not talk behind your back.

Based on my personal experience, trying on different grinder settings that often result in failed extractions, if I grind it too fine, the Presso will refuse to work and it doesn’t want to be pressed even with force, and if I grind it too coarsely, the coffee comes out too watery minus the crema – exactly like a commercial espresso machine, isn’t it?

I tried setting on the grinder around 1.5 to 2.5, and found a sweet number between those that often succeeds, although this, of course, depends on the type of coffee you’re using.

Tamping.Presso suggests an 8-gram measurement, but it will not do any harm to try on different measurements and I put in 10 gram, even though this amount is not suitable for business purpose, as it is too extravagant.

The aluminum tamping definitely helps, compared to a plastic one from Presso, as it is more durable and just as good as the one baristas use with a pro machine.

Fresh. Keep it fresh. It’s the key ingredient to make a good cup of espresso, especially when using Presso. Coffee it at its best when its 3 to 4 days old after it’s roasted – the aroma and the taste is at its peak then.

Coincidentally, the Presso distributor (CV Berkas Mas) also sells freshly roasted coffee that you can try if you wish, and it can also be bought in retail price.

All you have to do is try it on the Presso, and who knows – perhaps the Presso can support your business in starting up a coffee shop. For those of you who have hands-on experience with Presso, please feel free to share your tips. You can also talk about its strengths and weaknesses, especially when using it on a long-term basis.

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Banyak pembaca yang tertarik untuk memulai bisnis warung kopi, tapi kendala utama selalu pada faktor pembelian mesin espresso yang harganya bisa mencapai puluhan juta rupiah.

Sebenarnya Presso adalah alternatif yang paling memungkinkan untuk mengatasi masalah ini karena bendrol harganya berkisar 2 jutaan. Sebuah waralaba kopi malah menggunakan Presso sebagai alat utamanya dan sampai sejauh ini bisnisnya masih berjalan lancar.

Jadi sekaligus menjawab beberapa email yang masuk mengenai apakah alat seperti Presso bisa dijadikan investasi untuk buka warung kopi ? Jawabannya tentu BISA.

Sayangnya saya tak paham tentang hitung-hitungan sebuah investasi untuk memulai bisnis warung kopi, jadi silakan mencari informasi yang lebih shahih untuk kalkulasi return of investment.

Di sini saya cuma mencoba meyakinkan Anda bahwa walaupun hanya menggunakan Presso, kopi yang dibuat sudah bisa sedemikian mirip dengan sebuah mesin espresso baik dari segi rasa, aroma, dan krema yang berlimpah.

Bagaimana dengan Moka Pot ? Harganya lebih murah, tapi sampai saat ini saya lebih puas dengan Presso sekaligus melatih otot bicep saat memberikan tekanan yang cukup berat pada proses menyeduh kopi.

Baiklah, alat pertama yang harus Anda miliki tentu saja penggiling kopi, karena tanpa “monster” yang satu ini, alat kopi apapun akan jadi lemah syahwat.

Penggiling kopi buatan Taiwan bisa Anda jadikan modal awal selain Presso, sudah banyak digunakan oleh para penggemar kopi karena handal, bekerja dengan cepat, tapi yang terpenting grinder ini bisa digunakan untuk banyak alat seduh, dari french press hingga Turkish.

Setting grinder itu penting. Detail pembuatan Presso bisa Anda lihat pada artikel terdahulu, di : http://www.cikopi.com/2011/03/presso/, kuncinya jangan takut salah dan mencoba berbagai setting grinder, takaran kopi, tekanan untuk tamping, karena Presso will not talk behind your back.

Berdasarkan pengalaman mencoba faktor setting grinder yang seringkali membuat ekstraksi gagal,  sedikit halus, Presso ngambek tidak mau ditekan walau dipaksa sekalipun, bubuk agak kasar dan hasilnya malah ngocor tanpa krema, persis mesin espresso komersial bukan ?

Saya mencoba setting grinder di 1.5 hingga 2.5, dan menemukan angka di antara nomor tersebut seringkali berhasil, walau bukan ukuran keberhasilan untuk jenis kopi yang lain.

Tamping. Presso menyarankan takaran 8 gram, tapi tak haram bila Anda mencoba berbagai ukuran lainnya dan saya memilih 10 gram walau angka ini tak cocok untuk yang berbisnis, terlalu boros, tamping alumunium tentu sangat membantu dibanding dengan tamper plastik dari Presso, kokoh dan tak kalah dnegan barista yang menggunakan mesin pro. 🙂

Fresh. Kopi harus selalu yang fresh adalah kunci utama membuat espresso yang bagus termasuk pada alat Presso, biasanya 3-4 hari sesudah roasting saat aroma dan rasa berada pada saat terbaik. Kebetulan penjual alat ini CV Berkas Mas juga menjual kopi fresh yang bisa dicoba sekiranya cocok, terlebih bisa dibeli secara eceran.

Anda tinggal mempraktekan dan siapa tahu bila alat Presso bisa jadi awal yang baik untuk bisnis warung kopinya. Bagi pembaca yang sudah punya pengalaman dengan alat ini ayo berbagi tips, terus apa saja kelemahan dan kelebihan Presso terutama bila digunakan dalam jangka waktu panjang.

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The Naked Portafilter. : This is the name given for this portafilter that has its spout cut off, and therefore it is named the Naked Portafilter. It’s good for practice if you want to be a barista, especially when making espresso, since the extraction result is visible. For operational features, you can request it from the distributor.

8-10 gram. : It’s advised to measure as much as 8 gram for 30-40 ml of espresso. But why not try it on a 9 or 10 gram measurement and see what happens? Set your coffee grinder around 1.5 to 2. and play around with it to see which setting is the best for you.

Image 5: 10 gram. : This is the 10 gram measurement – simply press and tidy up so the surface is all even. The distributor also provides an aluminum tamper for better results.

Tamper Presso. Forget about the plastic tamper that comes with it – use a special tamper that is more ergonomic and has better quality. The aluminum-based material is included in the package when you purchase this device.

Fresh Coffee : For a maximum result, it’s advised to use freshly roasted coffee to achieve brewing result similar to that made from espresso machines.

Ready to open a coffee shop? If you are, go ahead and buy a Presso to start your own coffee business. It’s a good idea starting with a small capital before you invest on an espresso machine that can be very costly.