Down the Espresso Rabbit Hole

There's a point in every hobby where you realize you've gone too far. For me, that moment was somewhere between researching grinder burr sets at midnight and ordering a second portafilter. This video is what that rabbit hole looks like :

I started where most people do: a Breville Bambino Plus. It's a great machine, approachable, affordable, automatic and forgiving. It made good espresso and I was happy with it, until I wasn't. Once you start understanding what's actually happening inside a shot, the limitations start to show. I wanted more control over temperature, more feedback from the process, more intention behind every pull. So I upgraded to the Profitec Go paired with a Eureka Mignon Single Dose Pro grinder, and the difference was immediately noticeable. Not just in the cup, but in how much more deliberate the whole process became.

For this video I wanted to capture that process honestly. The voiceover was intentional, I recorded each section separately so the narration could guide the viewer through what they were seeing without feeling rushed. Talking through the puck prep while showing it happen made the technical stuff feel accessible rather than intimidating, and it let the visuals carry the sections where words would have gotten in the way.

The beans I'm currently pulling are the Colombia Yessica Parra Papayo from Portrait Coffee out of Atlanta , a Caturra varietal, washed process with a 60 hour fermentation. The tasting notes are mandarin, pineapple, papaya, and you can actually taste it in the cup. Named after the farmer who grows and processes it in Huila, it's the kind of coffee that makes you want to slow down and pay attention.

The three drinks in the video : an orange oleo saccharum espresso, a Parea, and a rum espresso cocktail which were chosen to show range. The same shot of espresso can go in completely different directions depending on what you build around it.