TIMEMORE C3 ESP PRO
BY TREMOR CHRIST
As a person who spends more than 10 months a year on the road, many people ask me how I manage my deep coffee addiction whilst changing hotel rooms every few days. In simple, the answer is through a lot of testing and changing and figuring out what does and doesn't work.
At first I began with an Aeropress Go and would go to local coffee shops, buy beans and ask the barista if they could grind them for me. This worked to a certain extent, although beans lose their magic quite quickly after being ground, and I found myself missing the taste of freshly ground beans.
The next step in my coffee journey was to purchase the
Timemore C3 EXP PRO for my Birthday. I waited patiently as the package transfered from China to my apartment in Chiang Mai, and in the meantime headed to the local coffee supply store and bought a cheap scale for 150 Baht ($4). My grinder arrived and I dove headfirst into videos on how to dial in the grind size for Aeropress, figuring out the perfect number and then rushing off to buy beans from local roasters I love.
Time More have managed what few coffee companies have in the past, combining entry-level coffee equipment for beginners with high-end quality products that barista champions around the world are proud to endorse. Their company makes stylish products that feel solid and quality-driven with packaging that evokes a minimalist Japanese or German aesthetic, and yet manage to keep the price within a range where anyone can find something that works for them.
My first hand grinder was the Time More C3 ESP Pro, something I bought on my birthday to begin an exploration of making coffee at home rather than spending all my money in expensive coffee shops. The journey was a steep learning curve of understanding grind size, how it affected the cups I brewed, and what method I used, whether that was AeroPress or filter, etc, etc. The journey was a sweet one, and I found over time that I managed to discover a sweet spot where the grind size was kept pretty consistent, and I changed other variables like water temperature or pouring technique. For a traveler, the size of the C3 was great, it felt very sturdy, and it fit into my backpack.
Grinding fresh beans was a game-changer and my Aeropress game got better and better. I loved the size of the Timemore hand-grinder but I suffer from a form of arthritis and found it problematic doing light-roast beans three to four times a day.
Luckily for me I managed to get in touch with them due to my coffee content, and they were amazing enough to send me their
Millab E01 electric grinder. This was something I had been eyeing up for a long time after watching reviews by
Patrick from APRIL and
Asser Christensen.
I would say my perfect coffee set up started the day I received the Millab, and below is my current set up:
The quintessential coffee brewer in terms of weight, space and quality of brew. An easy option to throw in your bag and make a dynamite cup of coffee anywhere you have access to hot water. I also use the main cup to brew into from my Tetra Drip.
An all-round must have gadget.
This cup made from coffee husks is great for travel. It's small enough to stow away in a side-pocket, and the heat retention is good. Also the ridges mean you can drink coffee without burning your fingers and I love the whole impact on the environment by using materials that are normally thrown away!
Kudos to
Huskee for doing that.
Using the Millab with the Bookoo travel scales, my Aeropress Go and also a Tetra Drip V60 style dripper I bought from Kurasu in Kyoto, has made me basically a travelling barista. I cannot believe how convenient the Millab grinder is, and after trying two different scales, the Bookoo is absolutely the best so far.
The only issue I'm left with now is what coffee beans to buy so that I can experiment with grind-size and water temperatures to find the perfect brew.
Happy adventures to all coffee nerds!
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