James Hoffmann Teaches Dan How to Brew and Drink Espresso | What's Eating Dan?

[@internetshaquille]

two absolute titans of their industries what a time to be alive

[@tommy2capa]

OMFG NOW YOU'RE HERE TOO! I'M OVERWHELMED

[@Yopperpo]

I love you dad

[@AsianBM55]

I know I could not believe the thumbnail this morning. It’s like Dan and British Dan, or vice versa.

[@Robinzorz]

Dude with you here it's like my holy Trinity of Food related KZbinrs!

[@marvinloya5039]

Absolutely loving that net shaq showed up

[@Hoss1492]

When considering getting an espresso machine you must ask yourself, "do I want a cup of coffee or a new hobby"!?

[@STEVEARABIA1]

Exactly. It’s crazy how complicated it could get. I went with the more idiot proof auto type.

[@lenabreijer1311]

And how much counter space do I want to sacrifice? After my espresso maker died after 6 months I went for a moka pot instead and claimed my counter back.

[@derkaiserzen]

The one wisdom that James teach me. I do LOVE coffee, But I'm too poor to have a new hobby right now

[@TuliTheUnruly]

Thank you for the reminder. I want to save money at the cafe, but not sure if I want to get so obsessive about another food.

[@bolerkai]

This, which is why I stick to our over, which is a bit less of a hobby - thanks to James.

[@jacobprince6602]

America’s test kitchen and James Hoffman combined… I have a feeling 2022 is gonna be my year.

[@parker4544]

Same

[@JohnCWannamaker]

I mean depending on the kinda person you are... but I assume that since you like both these things (ATK and James Hoffman).. I am going to guess that this comment has aged poorly.

[@robsmith5434]

Hope you had a great year!

[@breinich2]

What a morning treat: Dan, espresso, and James. Perfection

[@kylecronin8737]

Isn't it "expresso"? lol

[@WhatsInAName222]

A match made in heaven. I love Dan and James’ videos and together they provide the perfect nerdgasm. Thanks guys!

[@cookwithroomi8034]

I need support

[@SchadenNZ]

When you talked about loving crema I was surprised James didn't have anything to add. Then when we got to the final tip I smiled at his very British (diplomatic) "Crema is amazing, but try scooping it off" 😆 ☕

[@bryanherr1093]

A double dose of James this morning. Nice.

[@joconnell]

One thing of note in Dans process is that using a cake tester or something as thick, may end up causing more channels than it’s going to fix. If you go finer with the tool you use, you’ll get better results. Most folks are finding that 0.3mm needles are giving the best results, you can buy a cheap set of acupuncture needles and push them through a wine cork, or even just tie them to a wine cork so they’re spaced out, it’ll work really nicely! For anyone who hasn’t heard of this, it’s called “wdt” and some kinda thingy with needles is known as a wdt tool.

[@SuZiKaT22]

Fascinating! Thanks, good tip!

[@adamb.4585]

These two dudes have contributed to my nerdy inhibitions for years its nice to see them together. Also, for the group $900 is how much the espresso machine costs the grinder is a little less.

[@Kmaaq]

James wants to flat out say that espresso without crema tastes better but is afraid of getting banished from the coffee community. 😂

[@sirlord001]

Oh goodness.... the collab I wanted is finally here!

[@winanderson4143]

James Hoffman is a rock star!!! Still the best. His style, explanations, and common-sense statements perfectly fit this format. I watch almost all videos with James.

[@igglewiggle6649]

Hi Dan, thanks for inviting James Hoffmann …he always has knowledge to impart. La Pavoni, is a sight to behold!! What a beauty!!

[@STEVEARABIA1]

The very first coffee drink I had that I liked was made by a coworker on a pavoni just like that. Before that I thought I hated coffee. I bought a Gaggia Berra after that and still use it daily. Changing this many variables might still be a bit overwhelming for me, but I found this video fascinating. Great work guys as always.

[@angelal4285]

My husband loves watching you both and when I told him there’s a KZbin video with Dan and James about espresso, he said, oh they finally got together… I got to see this one!

[@simonsavelyev7399]

Two giants at the top of their game! Love this episode

[@CUDA1970Terry]

I went to a new espresso shop near where I worked and asked for an espresso, straight. I was handed a cup of liquid that was quite bitter. I mentioned to the woman that pulled the shot that it was bitter and she glared at me, put her hands on her hips and proclaimed that it was espresso, it was supposed to taste bitter. No one can argue with an expert, but I never returned to that coffee shop. One thing I have learned by watching James is that espresso Should taste sweet, not bitter. Thanks James.

[@TuliTheUnruly]

That's the quality that made me love espresso when I first tried it. It was sweeter and smoother than drip coffee. No coffee should only have bitter flavors.

[@Ghorda9]

espresso also needs a light or medium roast, dark is too much.

[@axem.8338]

Dan and James, two of my favorites on KZbin! Thanks for making this happen.

[@shashwatasamanta7358]

The collab we all wanted!

[@ruthgrovecleaningwithwater]

This video accomplished three purposes: answered many of my questions, showed me how much I don’t know, and made me really want to have some RIGHT NOW!

[@alejandrorequena7836]

My two favorite food people. This deserves a coffee

[@petersarubbi]

Biggest takeaway and why I love James... enjoy what you enjoy... there shouldn't be rules around food and drink... what tastes good to you is subjective... if you like black coffee then that's great... but if your best friend or spouse likes coffee with half a cup of cream and 5 sugars then that's what they like... you can still enjoy coffee together... that's what it's about... the shared experience 😊💙 That being said... as a Chef if you order your prime steak well done with A-1 on the side I'll make sure my team prepares it exactly to your liking but we will talk about you in the kitchen and question your reasoning 😆

[@waelkambris6188]

Watching you and James together is the real treat. You guys are amazing.

[@mickreynolds3065]

Finally! I've been waiting for "foodies" to embrace 3rd wave coffee for what seems like forever, instead of treating it like a complete afterthought. What a great synergy!

[@Naegimaggu]

18:12 ”Lost in the variables dream” Love it! I can so relate with that way of enjoying my coffee, it’s like half-hedonism half-diagnostics, even if it’s a perfectly good cup. :D

[@brujamalvada]

I can't believe this video is real! Dan and James together is THE dream :)

[@MrCthur]

Thank you for collab'ing with James!

[@karenconger2224]

Two all time favorites together at last!

[@AmericasTestKitchen]

😊 ☕️

[@heididukes394]

This way of discussing between 2 highly intelligent talented experts is very much appreciated. Thanks.

[@thermalegoogle]

That tiny strand of hair standing up on the back of James' head is ADORABLE

[@masstwitter4748]

Once I noticed it, I couldn’t not notice it!

[@AndyMelton]

DAN! AND JAMES! IN A SINGLE VIDEO! OH. MY. GOD! This is a dream come true! Fantastic video! I watched this last night and this morning I was tempted to scrape off the crema before turning my espresso into an Americano, but I couldn't bring myself to do it! Maybe tomorrow!

[@beyproctor7673]

Awesome video. I love coffee and espresso but it took me 50 years to get an espresso machine in my house. Of all the ways to enjoy coffee I love espresso the most. SO rewarding making a cappuccino at home! Thank you for this overview video to remind me how to easily balance the variables and spend as much energy enjoying a shot as I do brewing one.

[@SpencerDonahue]

James is taking over youtube

[@Tenelia]

FINALLY. OUR FAV GEEKS OMG

[@_DMW]

O.M.G. When my two worlds come together! Holy Ish!!!!!!!! Two of my favorite dudes!

[@jonathanromo2305]

There’s an added benefit to a lever style machine that adds a new variable. By increasing or decreasing the pressure you exert you can “profile” your espresso, essentially you can extract different flavors by pushing hard then letting the pressure decline at the end or starting slow and ramping up the pressure. It’s a feature that’s done with a small paddle on my Profitec and pricey slayer machines. It’s not necessary by any means but it opens you up to very different flavors with a simple pull of a lever c:

[@lyledal]

The collab I've been waiting for!!!

[@heathers.6424]

James Hoffman , I clicked so fast. I love him. Thrilled to see him working with ATK

[@bogiesan]

Terrific. Nice to see Mr Hoffman.

[@mendonesiac]

I'm impressed with James's knowledge, and his hair

[@aritrabanerjee6186]

Sipping an instant coffee mixed with hot water and wondering where my beloved tea is. Good work Dan.

[@ellwitz9838]

First the new York Times, now ATK. 2022 is The Year of James Hoffman, even more people will be nerding out on their coffee

[@1gaurav001]

I binge watch both these KZbinrs religiously. Had to rub my eyes when I saw this thumbnail. 😂 MCU step aside, the greatest crossover ever is here.

[@dadegroot]

I have a small tip for the La Pavoni. Raise the lever most of the way before you lock in the portafilter. This way you're not sucking air through the puck as you raise the lever and potentially creating channels before you've even started. (yes, it is entirely possible to not get channels while raising the lever, but this method takes that variable out of the equation).

[@lesliedausey]

I just started applying the temp principle discussed for my French press coffee. It's amazing that a few degrees can make such a difference!

[@TheMrbonkers115]

I have never clicked a video faster

[@jeffr7558]

Just wanna say this was great! Love the collaboration between 2 such highly revered voices. Keep em coming!

[@heidicooper7912]

Love James. His channel is so informative.

[@losergrad]

I love what's eating Dan. Do one on Szechuan peppercorns, please.

[@elizabethshaw734]

When I lived in England I met James a couple of times. He cares about coffee as much as America and Italy combined! :-)

[@shanewilson2152]

Really enjoyed your video

[@mich8261]

I love when two KZbinrs I follow have a collab. I get excited like when Mork showed up on Happy Days

[@redoorn]

it is this video that introduced me to James. he has upped my coffee game by orders of magnitude

[@lissyniña]

Cuban here, you've never had great espresso until you Make some through What I call the sock method.. Boiling the coffee sugar and water together until it almost boils and straining it through a cloth strainer nothing like it!

[@CanadianLumber]

Seriously, I love James and the fact you brought him into your show amazballz!

[@sarahdeschene3152]

A dream video, ATK’s Dan meets James Hoffmann. Thank you Dan and James!

[@Margo5050]

Two guys who are enjoyable and logical. Thank you.

[@newmennium]

World's are colliding!! Love James Hoffman and his channel

[@Starnoxiar]

Great video! I liked the conversation style to deliver information.

[@HTMLguruLady2]

I love james. He's awesome. I've been watching his channel for a long long time.

[@michaelarighi5268]

As a long-time (nearly 60 years) eSpresso drinker and fairly-recent La Pavoni owner and James Hoffman fan, I've spent quite a bit of time trolling the Internet for hints on improving my shots with the La Pavoni. One easy tweak I've found, which I noticed you didn't do, Dan, is to only gently insert my portafilter before raising the handle, then locking it in place only when the lever is about to the point where water is released into the grouphead. The reason for doing this is that you're creating some vacuum as you raise the piston in the cylinder with the lever. If you're locked down when you do that, the pressure will have to equalize by pulling air up through the portafilter, disrupting your carefully-prepared puck and increasing the likelihood of channeling. I've had more consistent success since doing this. However, be SURE to lock in the portafilter before water is released into the grouphead, or you'll have a bit of a mess to clean up (speaking from experience).😂

[@Ghorda9]

you also have the risk of damaging the seal around the edge of the puck when you knock it.

[@PhaTs00p]

Biggest improvement in preventing channeling has actually been a very cheap puck screen over the bed. I use a relatively cheap machine and basket and all the puck preparation in the world couldn't get rid of channeling reliably. The puck screen really made a difference and only cost a couple bucks unlike most other coffee gadgets.

[@gloriouslyimperfect]

The collab of two legends I didn’t even know I needed

[@mitchellhilbert8874]

So happy to see this collaboration!!

[@espressosensei]

Thanks for sharing this trove of actionable advice! Sadly the review linked hasn't been updated since 2017. There's been a tremendous amount of innovation in the under $500 category these past 5 yrs, and your viewers just getting into home brewing would benefit greatly to know about. Keep up the great work, and please more coffee!!

[@vraymond108]

Great video!

[@hoilst265]

BEST. CROSSOVER. EPISODE. EVER.

[@Khristafer]

The collab that I didn't know I needed.

[@JessOlsonANSChomework]

Where did James get his Sweater? It's gorgeous!

[@brendanleadbeater9400]

I gave this a try and was pleasantly surprised. I will be doing this from now on as it indeed does have a massive effect on the taste. After removing the crema, I throw in some MCT oil to increase the thickness/body/creaminess you lose when removing the crema... it's worth giving it a try.

[@user-ty5fp7vx1u]

I was absolutely salivating from beginning to end. Can't wait to make my next 'spresso!

[@microtasker]

James God-ing things up as usual. I watch as many of his videos as I do of you guys. Standards are good to have.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Such fun to see a new episode from ‘What’s Eating Dan?’ 👏🏽

[@ellagreen4336]

Holy cow! THANK YOU James & Dan! ♥♥♥

[@joseorjuela6897]

I showed this to a Cuban grandma and she said it was nice that Americans like coffee.

[@Djpauly_bobo]

Haven't watched yet but this is a collab the world deserves.

[@seroun17]

Best episode yet. I learned so much. Thank you both.

[@brendashope9242]

This was bliss to watch. Two of my favorites

[@adriandelatorre2263]

Magnificent!

[@igottmituns]

Great video. I'll add that James' videos on espresso dialing are a great next step for anyone interested to go from here. Nice collab! Subbed!

[@scottydoggymama]

Now this was a video worth making, love Dan and James is my coffee god, he makes me wanna up my coffee game after every video I watch

[@just1sheep]

Love seeing the La Pavoni on here. I'm a 3-times-a-day la pavoni person. It's truly the best item in my kitchen

[@Space-O-2001]

Great video, good starter pointers presented clearly and succinctly!

[@make_me7459]

I’m Cuban, we don’t use pressure to get crema. We whip a little bit of espresso with sugar until it becomes caramel like, then pour the rest of the espresso, and whala! Crema!

[@novanorman1091]

Very helpful collaboration! Thanks ☕️

[@jvallas]

Honest to goodness, I watchEd what you went through just to make that dinky little cup of espresso, and my first thought was, ‘I’d rather spend the time learning bookbinding.” Not sure what about that machine made me think of bookbinding, but I definitely think I’m sticking to coffee. However, what a thorough and fascinating video from you both.

[@TexelGuy]

FYI: Levelers are actually pretty useless (and can sometimes make things worse), and you're better off not using them. Optimal workflow: de-clumping the grounds with WDT or a needle, giving the portafilter a gentle tap on a table to settle the grounds, then tamp.

[@221b-l3t]

Yes and go 0.4 mm or thinner. Either 3D printer nozzle cleaning needles or acupuncture needles. 10 bucks for ten and drilling 4-6 holes in a wine cork makes the perfect holder.

[@maryjanekolesar8325]

Best explanation ever! Thank you.

[@dianeneigebauer1036]

Wow, James Hoffmann on ATK, what a pleasant surprise!

[@ThisThingGoesFaster]

Barrington Coffee is top notch, I first got wind of them because of coffee stouts from Trillium, but Exhibit A Brewing's Sunday Paper is is my favorite coffee stout out there, and the Barrington Coffee is a major contributor to this awesome brew. Great video, and James is the best, as always.

[@m3tek44]

Wow!!! You have explained espresso grind/over extraction very well!!! thank you!

[@gitsini]

I love how the fewer the ingredients, the more you the technique can totally change the result. I really enjoyed how systematically you went through them all. So good! p.s. is this how metric creep starts?

[@ItumelengS]

Mmm yes that's how the metric wormhole is opened up, the need to get more reproducible results and maybe even refine the last cup

[@killneel]

Lol Dan starts the episode by calling his coffee expresso and ends it by saying "I'm going to be brewing on my personal machine" and pulls out a pretty advanced looking manual espresso machine 😃

[@ortiz73caify]

Great video

[@etpe4830]

love this, everything I learned and forgot over years of James' videos is all summed up in here.

[@homeworld1031tx]

Really great video, glad it came out as I'm about to get a machine!

[@clericneokun]

Good choice in picking a direct lever machine. Contrary to popular belief, a direct lever machine in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing is actually way more versatile and forgiving than a semi auto. The amount of pressure control you have in a lever machine gives you so much more options to avoid channeling and also achieve optimal extraction.

[@Pandaliciousness]

I think I love Dan …

[@BobMacNeal]

James is the go-to expert amongst aficionados. I've got a signed copy his World Atlas of Coffee sitting on my coffee table.☕

[@sallieannwestbrook9769]

I love coffee