Hey all! If you enjoyed the video, please don't forget to "like and subscribe." Hate saying that, but only about 25% of viewers have subbed, and I'd love to be able to get more sponsorships through growth to help me buy more equipment for videos. Thanks!
@@LanceHedrick thanks for the video, beside the portability and other features, how does flair 58 compare to pro 2, just in terms of esspresso body and taste ? Does it worth the extra money ? I'm looking forward to upgrade my pro2 to 58 if the difference worth it.
Can I just say I really appreciate your “long windedness “ haha that’s EXACTLY how my brain processes things and the way you explain things has made my learning so much quicker and more fun! Thank you Lance, keep it up!
My daily drivers are the 58 and a nanofoamer, and I couldn't be happier. It makes great drinks, but the whole manual process, and being 'connected' to what you're brewing is so much more intuitive than pushing a button on a semi-auto machine. I think this is the best video so far I've seen that catches the joy of manual espresso brewing. Great job Lance!
I'm new to this coffee culture but I became an instant fan of yours the moment you made a cinematic reference. Thanks for that. ☺️ In my house we stan for Federico Fellini.
Brilliant video. Nobody else has yet explained how profiling manually can be done by feel this way and I’m really looking forward to getting to grips with it. I can only echo what others have commented; your presentation style hit a lovely balance between information, consideration and positivity. Thanks again
This is hands down the best video out there on manual machine technique. It’s scenically driven and so clearly explained. I’ve been using a lever machine (pavoni) for over 2 years now and this has both confirmed many of the things I’ve discovered in that time through trial and error, and equally made me reassess things anew. I just wish I had seen it at the beginning of my journey into the world of manual coffee! It Would have saved me a lot of time in getting consistently tasting shots and making the most of a manual machine’s potential.
I don't know why but I just recently stumbled upon your channel. Really enjoy the way you explain and talk in your videos. Been basically binge watching your channel in the past few days. Keep them coming!
Very clear description of pressure profiling and it matches my experience. Using a lever machine makes me understand the espresso extraction theory and learn from every day practice. Really like lever machines and they have become my daily drivers. Great video and Thank you.
I think paying the $550 for the press and $100 for the scale is the easy part. I think watching this video 99 more times and remembering over 1000 details will be the challenge! Life is tough with A.D.D.! Thank God I have the Nespresso machine and rip off capsules for the meantime! Load, lock, push idiot button! None the less, thanks for the detailed video!
currently am a Flair Pro user, so I've been watching vids on the 58. Don't even mind that 8 minutes were spent before getting to the product, incredibly informative, little segway into films, take my subscribe!
Haha! Film lover? I've got the Fellini collection, so I was so stoked to see one of his films as a cornerstone in the revitalization of lever espresso. So cool
Very cool! Everyone's raving about the Flair 58. I've been using my Flair 2 Signature for a half a year now and absolutely loving it. I've been leaning hard into the manual side of things all over, as I also picked up a stovetop steamer and a Kinu M43 Classic!
Love that! Doing things manually can be so rewarding, for sure. It's really fun feeling the puck erode and changing pressure to account for the weakened resistance.
Thank you for that informative video. I love manual coffee making, it's like an afternoon ritual for me that I really cherish. I had my eye on the flair for a long time, so thank you for that review. 🙂
As an addict of lever machine (first la pavoni, now olympia cremina), it's a steep learning curve, but worth the time! Thx for your videos they are really interesting
Stoked to have a lever addict enjoy the vid! And yeah, sadly what once was a ubiquitous and understood style of pulling has become difficult because the luxury of semi autos.
@@LanceHedrick Wow, stoke to have a response from you! I actually never had any semi-auto, I just fell in love of the la pavoni design, and spent veeeery long time without a good grinder and proper technique (and therefor a good espresso neither... ) I'm really glad to see so many skilled people (you, James Hoffman, a lot of people in social network) giving their time to educate and share experience. It would have save me a lot of time 15 years ago! ;)
do either of you have thoughts about which is the best lever machine to start with? I'm happy to learn the fine details of pulling from a flare 58 or a la pavoni (looking to spend under 1k) machine. Do either render blatantly superior espresso?
Awesome video Lance! Your videos feel really fresh and I really get excited whenever you release a video! I have a Flair 58 on pre-order and I can't explain how quickly I opened your video the moment it came out. I wonder though, will you release a workflow video soon on the Flair 58 with..say maybe a Nanofoamer combo soon? Seeing as you are a latte art master, it'll be really cool to see you go fully manual to show how easy it can be to achieve a really great latte that was fully manual!
You better believe I will! I was going to do that first but thought it more important to do an overview of manual espresso featuring the 58 first. To dip people's toes a bit
Fascinating way to see espresso brewing, especially as my only perspective is from behind big commercial machines, and having to make everything work around them. To know a manual espresso machine can even help prevent wasting coffee, that is a HUGE deal to me. Great video, tons of insight!
I was born in 1951 in a small Spanish town. The so called “Fellini shot” was routine in all bars in my hometown since as far back as I can remember. And I am sure it was routine anywhere where there was an Italian comercial espresso machine since well before it appeared in a Fellini movie.
Really well thought and well made ….. i was hesitating if I should get the Flair 58 and now I am certainly getting one. Thank you so much for this the machine looks like a lot of fun
@@LanceHedrick just a quick update, 58 is super hard to find in Bangkok but I finally got it last week with the SE Profiler along with the Acaia Luna …. and now I’m having so much fun making espresso.!!! Thank you again very much Lance. 🙏🏻❤️
Forgot to mention my previous setup is the EG1 with the Linea Mini … and i hardly touched them this week 😂 playing 58 with pressure profiling like u taught is super cool!
@@LanceHedrick A whole new world indeed Lance 😊 Back to basic with the Kinu Classic grinder too! I’m glad I get to share this with you … you’ve been my inspiration and source of wisdom. Wishing you and your family a wonderful happy healthy successful 2022 Lance 🎉
Very nice deepdive. These learnings are applicable for other espresso machines like flair classic as well. You should do more of these videos. (Also the turbo shot)
Yup, totally agree with that. The way you can salvage bad grind size ( so call dial in process ) during the shots really helps a lot. It might not be a great shot, but it certainly helps a lot which is still drinkable unlike the shots that you get on semi automachine ( Too fine - more than 40 sec, way over extract / Too Coarse - Watery ) . Besides, able to manually control the pressure Right On the Spot is something that even Decent cant do it since it's a preprogram machine ( unless you can adjust the pressure during the shots, which I'm not sure mechanically how harmful it will be towards the machine itself ), so a little bit of pressure control during the shots can make your dialing process WAYYYY faster. Well, you still need a good grinder to get consistent grind coffee, but not much adjustment is needed. So in fact, manual espresso maker is the real king of king if you are looking for perfection in the world of Espresso.
Depending on which tools you're buying, because you don't need the lunar and fellow kettle, you could do it as low as $900 or you could spend upwards of $3000 or more. Really depends. I always recommend investing most into a grinder. My setup from the video Flair- $529 or so Baratza sette 270- $399 or so Acaia lunar- $220 or so Fellow EKG- $149 or so I wouldn't recommend a cheaper grinder for espresso..this is as cheap as I recommend, and why I use it in videos. The scale, you can get a $60 brewista no problem. The kettle could be a $60 bona Vita
Thank you! If I'm spending $3k, I think it'd be on a breville oracle touch or similar, but I can definitely see where a manual enthusiast would want that level of control.
For sure! To be honest, if you have a $3,000 budget, I'd highly recommend spending $1.5k on a Lynn Weber HG2 grinder or Lagom 64 and the other $1.5k on a Breville dual boiler. You can mod the BDB and have flow control just like a lever machine.
got a 58 for my first espresso machine. Was concerned about it looking like it was extracting off center. Knew it was probably the machine leaning forward, but wasn't confident that was it. Thx for the confirmation.
So is the SE Profiler not as important, since we're mainly seeking to keep a constant 1.5 gram/second extraction rate? The main thing that seems to be important is having the lunar scale and connecting to your phone to view that graph?
Thanks for doing a lever video, owning a lever machine, I know how incredible these machines can perform. I believe flair hit the nail on the head with a 58mm portafilter. The app is a great idea, will try this out to follow my flow. Was eyeballing pressure, this will help I’m sure!
There is a crucial component of this geeky setup missing. And that is smart espresso profiler. Hardware made by the same people that made the app you presented.
@@LanceHedrick You lucky b#__$d. Regarding Decent. Do you think it will be possible to program it to simulate what you describe? I mean compensation for puck degradation and pressure decrease to be more dynamic about the extraction process. Right now it's programmable but completely static right? I saved my extraction many many times like that. Using my lever machine. I guess what I'm asking is can you program the flow rate curve not the pressure.
I believe that is something being worked on now- the ability to save shots by sensing the pressure based off grind size and adapting flow accordingly. We will see! I think Gagne already proposed a hack to emulate this
@@FlairEspresso hahaha you know I would never complain, Flair has my heart forever! Like we say about cheese back home: the more you wait the better it gets, right!?
Been avoiding to buy expensive machines for years and I was using my mokka pot for decades now and I have been making good coffees .... no crema no fancy stuff but it was a good coffee. Once these lever machines started to emerge, I somehow feel that, yes it deserves the money as indeed "you - and not a machine - make the coffee". Nice video
aye sweet haircut. ur videos might just be the best thing to happen to the home barista community. good stuff. the haters wont get good coffee. sounds like a win in my books
I apparently love this guy so much... RUclips brings me back to his videos again and again..... and again... and guess what? Its still mesmerized me...still hilarious.... just like watching friends. Can't get enough with his OCD+ADHD+xFactor humor.
Great explanation on why to taper off pressure later on! I’ve got a robot so the lunar or pearl won’t fit well, I’d love to have that data graph too! I’m going to mess with leaving the water in for longer timings before going to 2 or 3 bars and see what it does to the flavor!
Once again a great video. Speaking of pressure profiling, I can't wait to see what you do with your new machine. (I saw you on a certain forum so I know you have a new machine being delivered soon!) I can not express how much I enjoy your videos. Your delivery, humor and amount of information you present is amazing. If it were espresso it would be a god shot!
Hey! I'm not sure, to be honest, but it probably wouldn't help unless you have double shimmed your sette haha! I have put two shims behind the burr and use the grinder exclusively for espresso.
i don't even own a coffee pot or one of those neat looking pour-over do-dads...but somehow i landed on this channel and am seriously intrigued with making expressos now at work (that machine would blend in nicely in my work office)...very informative video!
Another great video. After watching this, I can understand how people could be hooked on manual machines. It's really about controlling every aspect of it to get the best end result. I get it, but I also know I don't have the time for a set up like that. Plus, I really like steaming milk and making halfway decent latte art. Anyway, keep up the good work! And that part with the princess bride was too funny!
Yeah! I, too, never understood the fascination. Until now, that is! I absolutely love doing it, though perhaps not daily haha. It's really enlightening to feel the speed with which the puck degrades.
1. Great and informative video 2. That shot looked so awesome that it made me a bit sad that you didn't take a sip 3. you are killing me here man, stop forcing me to buy coffee apparatuses because my wife says that our emergency funds aren't meant to be used every Friday :(
Absolutely. Especially if you're willing to use the app mentioned and if you are willing to buy the Smart Espresso Profiler, which allows you to graph your pressure profile.
@Lancehedrick , I am looking to get a manual espresso machine like the flair, but can you clear up something for me? Do you not have to measure the amount of water that you put into the brew head? Just fill it up and then measure output? Or is it a measured amount of water going into it at the beginning?
Love the video lance. Awaiting my flair 58 with great anticipation. Had a pro for the longest time, but not a huge fan of the preheat process. Very happy about the electric piece myself.
Thank you! Is it possible to put a 1 cup basket in the Flair (for example the IMS convex 8-10g that I stuff with 11g of coffee on the Rocket ... for information I also own the Cafelat Robot)?
Hey Lance, great video. You are the first I see that points out that detail about the showerscreen. The puck screen probably resolves the problem of water diffusion and also helps to have an overall better extraction but I'm pretty sure it's not included with the Flair 58 as you mention in the video. Anyway, regarding the La Pavonis there is a big group on Facebook that is very passionate about those machines (facebook.com/groups/LaPavoniLeverOwners/?ref=share). I do also own one but I live in Europe, however if you want to get in touch I can probably help you with finding one in the US for some videos 😉
I'm pretty eager to try your recipe/technique with my Pro 2. I added an electric preheat mod to mine and I've been trying to figure out how best to use it. So far I haven't pulled better shots. I'm able to control thermal stability but haven't figured out how to take advantage of it. I think your tips will be very helpful in this regard. Thanks!
Awesome! A mcgyver in the comments haha. Love that you made your own heating element! Will certainly help keep temp with those long shots, which I think are absolutely tasty
@@pantac4493 I did this mod pretty recently. You can see a video of it on my channel. Also I highly recommend checking out the Brew with Flair Facebook group. So much great info. I did post some detailed notes there of the build by the way.
@@LanceHedrick Try searching "brew with flair", should be top result or close to it. It's a private group, so it will ask you to join. The moderators are pretty quick and usually respond within hours (likely much quicker). By the way, that's how I found your channel. Someone posted your 58 video. Definitely glad they did!
Can you pre-heat the chamber without the electronics plugged in? i.e. if I wanted to take this camping, could I pre-heat it with water before pulling a shot? But then also use the electronic pre-heat element when at home?
Love the NASHVILLE shirt!!! Considering the Flair 58 very seriously. Also wondering how much better my Gaggia Classic espresso shots would be, if I started doing manual preinfusion of maybe 30-60ml with my Fellow Stagg EKG kettle. 🤔
How do you go about dialing in grind size if they’re always the perfect weight to time ratio? Would you just use the taste of the shot and adjust based on that?
Yep, he has a whole series on dialing in, but you nailed it. The tl;dr: if it's too sour, grind finer. If it's too bitter and astringent, grind coarser.
Why did you bring up the Fallaini move? To my knowledge it's used to get more water into the brew chamber. In the video you can see the barista holding it down (which is the preinfusion phase) then letting it go up 50% and pressing it down again to fill the water chamber. Then he lets it go completely, so then the normal extraction starts. It's spring lever so the directions are reversed to the flair. Would love to hear more about the fallaini move and also about spring lever machines
I brought it up because it is part of the history of the lever machine AND Fellini is one of my favorite directors. I wanted to do a quick lever history and, considering the move was an important step in the evolution of lever profiles, I found it important to discuss very briefly. And i'll do more in the future with spring machines.
Hey lance amazing video… it sold me on the flair 58. Ordered one yesterday. Watching this video a second time to see the shot profiling. I have a question. It seems like you don’t need the little gadget that replaces the pressure gage but only a smart scale compatible with the app correct? You just used the scale only but their site seems to hint that you need both which is a bigger investment. Can you clarify for me?
You only need the pressure gauge bluetooth attachment if you want to do pressure profiling. You can be totally fine with just flow profiling, which is what he's doing in this video.
Hello Lance, I watch the videos again and again, and I come with new questions😂 With a lever machine like this, for light roasts, it's better to: Make a longer preinfussion and then a declining pressure profile, or a normal 4-5" preinfussion and then maintain 8-9 bar till the end? Question no.2 Seeing mottling on crema is sexy and "sign of good extraction", or this we knew until now As you said, these are fines escaped from the basket, but at the end, for taste, is it better or makes the cup with less clarity and less clean mouthfeel?
Loved the video and just subscribed after watching all your vids! Keep up the great work! As many people begin looking into manual espresso machines, I would love to see a comparison of the various external milk frothing options that you could pair with a machine like this. Nanofoamer, Bellman, French press, auto milk frothers, etc. Could be a really insightful and helpful video from someone with your expertise! Keep up the great work!
@@LanceHedrick can’t please everyone in the espresso community. No matter what you suggest, someone will always find a reason why you’re wrong 🤷🏽♂️ But what you do have is credibility and a proven career, so I know who I’m going to listen to 👀
Yeah it's a silly divide. All tests show that deep is slightly better than puck raking/shallow. But more issues arise from deep if done poorly than with shallow. Shallow is probably just as effective with good grinders. I just prefer deep
Always so informative. Question: What target Flow Rate / sec should you be targeting? This vid you were targeting 1.5 g/sec. My 40 sec shot on the Flair 2 is delivering 2.4 g/sec on an 18 g in 50 g out shot.
I don’t own an espresso machine yet. I’m a newbie and an enthusiast at the same time. I want great result and will not be satisfied with less. Most people suggest Gaggia Classic Pro as the first machine to buy. But from watching a lot of videos it seems to be a lot of hassle to get the Gaggie pulling good great shots. You need mods to get down to 9 bars pressure, workflow workarounds to get good temp, steam, etc. A lot of work. This manual Flair 58 seems much easier to handle really. But I read some people say it’s a steep learning curve with a lever? Is it? Which one do you suggest? Gaggia Classic Pro or Flair 58? I know the Flair can’t steam milk but I intend to combine it with a microfoamer if I buy one.
This is a hard question. You are correct in that mods must be made to the gaggia. And the learning curve can be steep with levers. But I don't think it's that difficult, to be honest. There are many forums you can join, videos, etc, to rely on. Really depends on what you're looking for. 10/10 this will make better espresso.
Literally in the same boat. 1200$ budget. Researching and researching to realize I’m gonna have to spend so much more than I want for features that are pretty much essential. Pid, flow control, etc. I went ahead and ordered this flair 58 after watching this. I paired it with a sette 270 to start. I don’t wanna drop 1200$ and almost instantly wish I could upgrade. You really can’t go wrong with this even if it takes time to master. Compare it to the decent espresso machine, 3k+ $$$ machine. Does all of this for you but it has sensors and parts that can go bad and probably require much more maintenance. If anything you know for sure you’ll be able to make great espresso with the flair 58 in the way 3k+ machines do for a fraction and not worry about maintenance as much or parts going bad.
@Lance Hedrick thanks for the video, beside the portability and other features, how does flair 58 compare to pro 2, just in terms of esspresso body and taste ? Does it worth the extra money ? I'm looking forward to upgrade my pro2 to 58 if the difference worth it.
Hey all! If you enjoyed the video, please don't forget to "like and subscribe." Hate saying that, but only about 25% of viewers have subbed, and I'd love to be able to get more sponsorships through growth to help me buy more equipment for videos. Thanks!
I'm a fan!
Thank you!
I subscribed at get go. You are truly a champion 🏆much thanks 😊
Thank you so much!
@@LanceHedrick thanks for the video, beside the portability and other features, how does flair 58 compare to pro 2, just in terms of esspresso body and taste ? Does it worth the extra money ? I'm looking forward to upgrade my pro2 to 58 if the difference worth it.
Can I just say I really appreciate your “long windedness “ haha that’s EXACTLY how my brain processes things and the way you explain things has made my learning so much quicker and more fun! Thank you Lance, keep it up!
Fantastic! So glad there is a kindred spirit 🤣🤣 thanks for the love!
You and James Hoffman are my favourite coffee experts. Love your knowledge and energy
It's been 8 months since this video has been released. Could you do a updated review with extra tips or tricks you have learned along the way?
My daily drivers are the 58 and a nanofoamer, and I couldn't be happier. It makes great drinks, but the whole manual process, and being 'connected' to what you're brewing is so much more intuitive than pushing a button on a semi-auto machine. I think this is the best video so far I've seen that catches the joy of manual espresso brewing. Great job Lance!
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it, friend.
I'm new to this coffee culture but I became an instant fan of yours the moment you made a cinematic reference. Thanks for that. ☺️ In my house we stan for Federico Fellini.
Same! Fellini is a favorite here.
Brilliant video. Nobody else has yet explained how profiling manually can be done by feel this way and I’m really looking forward to getting to grips with it. I can only echo what others have commented; your presentation style hit a lovely balance between information, consideration and positivity. Thanks again
Thank you kindly for the words! Appreciate it.
This is hands down the best video out there on manual machine technique. It’s scenically driven and so clearly explained. I’ve been using a lever machine (pavoni) for over 2 years now and this has both confirmed many of the things I’ve discovered in that time through trial and error, and equally made me reassess things anew. I just wish I had seen it at the beginning of my journey into the world of manual coffee! It Would have saved me a lot of time in getting consistently tasting shots and making the most of a manual machine’s potential.
Really explicative video, but the better is that u take the time to reply all the comments. Thanks
Haha! I try to. Thanks for noticing!
Excellent...I just bought one and will be watching all your other Flair 58 videos! Thanks.
I don't know why but I just recently stumbled upon your channel. Really enjoy the way you explain and talk in your videos. Been basically binge watching your channel in the past few days.
Keep them coming!
You definitely just said “butt dialed in” 😂 17:38
I enjoy your single-shot videos, it makes it feel genuine. I can't wait to use your tips on my '58 when it arrives.
Thank you so much! You'll love the 58. Definitely download the SEP app
2 years later, how are you liking your Flair 58?
Do you still use it?
Have you moved on to something else?
Very clear description of pressure profiling and it matches my experience. Using a lever machine makes me understand the espresso extraction theory and learn from every day practice. Really like lever machines and they have become my daily drivers. Great video and Thank you.
Awesome! Thanks for the kind words. And the support
Love the videos. Sooooooo much content and background and detail in such a condensed timeframe.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it, friend!
I think paying the $550 for the press and $100 for the scale is the easy part. I think watching this video 99 more times and remembering over 1000 details will be the challenge! Life is tough with A.D.D.! Thank God I have the Nespresso machine and rip off capsules for the meantime! Load, lock, push idiot button! None the less, thanks for the detailed video!
What a great video. I enjoy the history, the thoughts, the technical details and your banter.
Thank you so much! I'm stoked you enjoyed it. Appreciate the kind words.
Well I never saw any attraction to manual lever machines before this. Interesting!
That's how I was until the last few months to be honest!
Then you should also have a look at the la pavoni europiccola or when it’s about entering the upperclass the Olympia Express Cremina ☺️
If I can get those sent to me, I'd happily check them out hahaha!
Really really interesting. Always so much fun to watch your video Lance!!!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it
Really great video. After this vid I bought flair. It’s great and now I am watching your other films. Really appreciate the work. All the best.
Dannnng, I did not realize there was a heating element. Now I want one! Great video!
Haha! Yes the heating element is a game changer
currently am a Flair Pro user, so I've been watching vids on the 58. Don't even mind that 8 minutes were spent before getting to the product, incredibly informative, little segway into films, take my subscribe!
Haha! Film lover? I've got the Fellini collection, so I was so stoked to see one of his films as a cornerstone in the revitalization of lever espresso. So cool
Thank you so much for an awesome video, Lance!! I’ve been trying to share your channel to as many friends as I can. Awesome content man.
Thank you so much! That's the best support I could ask for. Appreciate you
Thank you for all the amazing videos Lance!
Thank you so much for watching, friend! Hope they're helpful
Very cool! Everyone's raving about the Flair 58. I've been using my Flair 2 Signature for a half a year now and absolutely loving it. I've been leaning hard into the manual side of things all over, as I also picked up a stovetop steamer and a Kinu M43 Classic!
Love that! Doing things manually can be so rewarding, for sure. It's really fun feeling the puck erode and changing pressure to account for the weakened resistance.
The 58 is sold out in New Zealand and I just picked up the pro 2. So good to see you’ve done a video on this. So knowledgeable
Thank you for that informative video. I love manual coffee making, it's like an afternoon ritual for me that I really cherish. I had my eye on the flair for a long time, so thank you for that review. 🙂
Absolutely! I truly enjoy it. Very happy it was my initiation into manual espresso
As an addict of lever machine (first la pavoni, now olympia cremina), it's a steep learning curve, but worth the time! Thx for your videos they are really interesting
Stoked to have a lever addict enjoy the vid! And yeah, sadly what once was a ubiquitous and understood style of pulling has become difficult because the luxury of semi autos.
@@LanceHedrick Wow, stoke to have a response from you!
I actually never had any semi-auto, I just fell in love of the la pavoni design, and spent veeeery long time without a good grinder and proper technique (and therefor a good espresso neither... )
I'm really glad to see so many skilled people (you, James Hoffman, a lot of people in social network) giving their time to educate and share experience. It would have save me a lot of time 15 years ago! ;)
Haha! So happy you're finding the videos helpful. Thanks for commenting!
do either of you have thoughts about which is the best lever machine to start with? I'm happy to learn the fine details of pulling from a flare 58 or a la pavoni (looking to spend under 1k) machine. Do either render blatantly superior espresso?
@@ilovegrumpybear1 Thermal management on a La Pavoni is... a pain. You'll be less frustrated with the Flair, imo.
Awesome video Lance! Your videos feel really fresh and I really get excited whenever you release a video!
I have a Flair 58 on pre-order and I can't explain how quickly I opened your video the moment it came out.
I wonder though, will you release a workflow video soon on the Flair 58 with..say maybe a Nanofoamer combo soon?
Seeing as you are a latte art master, it'll be really cool to see you go fully manual to show how easy it can be to achieve a really great latte that was fully manual!
You better believe I will! I was going to do that first but thought it more important to do an overview of manual espresso featuring the 58 first. To dip people's toes a bit
@@LanceHedrick half my body is already in, let alone my toes! Really excited to see that video soon! Thanks for the amazing videos !!
Haha love it! Stoked to get it made
Always a good day when Lance uploads
Haha! Thank you! Hope you enjoy it
Been waiting for this one. Thank you!
Heck yeah! Hope you enjoy it!
Fascinating way to see espresso brewing, especially as my only perspective is from behind big commercial machines, and having to make everything work around them. To know a manual espresso machine can even help prevent wasting coffee, that is a HUGE deal to me. Great video, tons of insight!
For sure! It's so much fun. And incredibly rewarding.
I was born in 1951 in a small Spanish town. The so called “Fellini shot” was routine in all bars in my hometown since as far back as I can remember. And I am sure it was routine anywhere where there was an Italian comercial espresso machine since well before it appeared in a Fellini movie.
oh of course! The name just comes from the movie.
Really well thought and well made ….. i was hesitating if I should get the Flair 58 and now I am certainly getting one. Thank you so much for this the machine looks like a lot of fun
Fantastic! So stoked you enjoyed the video, friend.
@@LanceHedrick just a quick update, 58 is super hard to find in Bangkok but I finally got it last week with the SE Profiler along with the Acaia Luna …. and now I’m having so much fun making espresso.!!! Thank you again very much Lance. 🙏🏻❤️
Forgot to mention my previous setup is the EG1 with the Linea Mini … and i hardly touched them this week 😂 playing 58 with pressure profiling like u taught is super cool!
It's incredible! I'm so happy you're having fun with profiling. It opens up a whole new world.
@@LanceHedrick A whole new world indeed Lance 😊 Back to basic with the Kinu Classic grinder too! I’m glad I get to share this with you … you’ve been my inspiration and source of wisdom. Wishing you and your family a wonderful happy healthy successful 2022 Lance 🎉
Great video, just got my 58 and now I know which accessories I need to improve my coffee 😊
Yes you can bloom, Lance! You showed us how to add a dimmer knob to control flow for a machine
Damn! You just got a shoutout from James Hoffmann for this video! Nice!
I saw! Very cool! Daddy Hoff never disappoints
Very nice deepdive. These learnings are applicable for other espresso machines like flair classic as well. You should do more of these videos. (Also the turbo shot)
Thank you! I have a flair series coming up where I dial in other flow profiles 🤫🤫🤫
I love the detail and length. Love the history and explanations.
Thanks for the content!
Heck yeah! Thanks for watching. Stoked you enjoyed it!
Loved this review - great to see someone hands on with this machine.
Thank you my friend! Appreciate you
Wow... Had no idea manual espresso is so deep! Thank you as always sir! 👍👍👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️
It absolutely is! I love it. Fell into a hole
@@LanceHedrick and you're evil... Now I want yet another coffee toy because of you 😂😂😂😂😂
Evil? Me? For suggesting you get a...toy? Come on. It's innocent 😇
@@LanceHedrick guess I'd have to have my fingers crossed that I win Flair Espress's lottery next month in Japan :p
Yes! Fingers crossed for you!
Yup, totally agree with that. The way you can salvage bad grind size ( so call dial in process ) during the shots really helps a lot. It might not be a great shot, but it certainly helps a lot which is still drinkable unlike the shots that you get on semi automachine ( Too fine - more than 40 sec, way over extract / Too Coarse - Watery ) . Besides, able to manually control the pressure Right On the Spot is something that even Decent cant do it since it's a preprogram machine ( unless you can adjust the pressure during the shots, which I'm not sure mechanically how harmful it will be towards the machine itself ), so a little bit of pressure control during the shots can make your dialing process WAYYYY faster.
Well, you still need a good grinder to get consistent grind coffee, but not much adjustment is needed. So in fact, manual espresso maker is the real king of king if you are looking for perfection in the world of Espresso.
Hooray, a new Lance video!
Haha! I hope you enjoy it!
With the flair, grinder, scale, and gooseneck kettle, what's the retail price of this setup?
Depending on which tools you're buying, because you don't need the lunar and fellow kettle, you could do it as low as $900 or you could spend upwards of $3000 or more. Really depends. I always recommend investing most into a grinder.
My setup from the video
Flair- $529 or so
Baratza sette 270- $399 or so
Acaia lunar- $220 or so
Fellow EKG- $149 or so
I wouldn't recommend a cheaper grinder for espresso..this is as cheap as I recommend, and why I use it in videos.
The scale, you can get a $60 brewista no problem.
The kettle could be a $60 bona Vita
Thank you! If I'm spending $3k, I think it'd be on a breville oracle touch or similar, but I can definitely see where a manual enthusiast would want that level of control.
For sure! To be honest, if you have a $3,000 budget, I'd highly recommend spending $1.5k on a Lynn Weber HG2 grinder or Lagom 64 and the other $1.5k on a Breville dual boiler. You can mod the BDB and have flow control just like a lever machine.
got a 58 for my first espresso machine. Was concerned about it looking like it was extracting off center. Knew it was probably the machine leaning forward, but wasn't confident that was it. Thx for the confirmation.
Absolutely. Thanks for watching !
So is the SE Profiler not as important, since we're mainly seeking to keep a constant 1.5 gram/second extraction rate? The main thing that seems to be important is having the lunar scale and connecting to your phone to view that graph?
Yeah! The SE profiler isn't 100% needed, but it does allow you to replicate other profiles more exactly and to graph the data
Thanks for doing a lever video, owning a lever machine, I know how incredible these machines can perform. I believe flair hit the nail on the head with a 58mm portafilter. The app is a great idea, will try this out to follow my flow. Was eyeballing pressure, this will help I’m sure!
Absolutely! And depending on your lever machine, that same company might just make a physical attachment to measure pressure and add to the graph!
@@LanceHedrick i have a CT1 which already has the Naked profiler... would be cool to have the graph... but not that cool 😂😂😂
Haha! For sure. Not cheap.
There is a crucial component of this geeky setup missing. And that is smart espresso profiler. Hardware made by the same people that made the app you presented.
Yup! Arrives Tuesday from Hungary
@@LanceHedrick Nice :D. Can't wait for the review!
I can't wait to play with it. That and my decent arrive on Tuesday I believe
@@LanceHedrick You lucky b#__$d. Regarding Decent. Do you think it will be possible to program it to simulate what you describe? I mean compensation for puck degradation and pressure decrease to be more dynamic about the extraction process. Right now it's programmable but completely static right? I saved my extraction many many times like that. Using my lever machine. I guess what I'm asking is can you program the flow rate curve not the pressure.
I believe that is something being worked on now- the ability to save shots by sensing the pressure based off grind size and adapting flow accordingly. We will see! I think Gagne already proposed a hack to emulate this
thank you lance for the free lesson that you have provided for us here, you got a new subscriber 🥳
Absolutely! Thank you for the support
Another dope video! Come on Flair ship these out already 😂😂
Hahaha! Thanks for the kind words. Once yours is in, you'll love it
shipping for US fulfillment starts next week! 🤜🤛
Woo!!
@@FlairEspresso hahaha you know I would never complain, Flair has my heart forever! Like we say about cheese back home: the more you wait the better it gets, right!?
Been avoiding to buy expensive machines for years and I was using my mokka pot for decades now and I have been making good coffees .... no crema no fancy stuff but it was a good coffee. Once these lever machines started to emerge, I somehow feel that, yes it deserves the money as indeed "you - and not a machine - make the coffee". Nice video
Thank you, Christos! Really appreciate it. Happy brewing!
aye sweet haircut. ur videos might just be the best thing to happen to the home barista community. good stuff. the haters wont get good coffee. sounds like a win in my books
Haha thank you! Really appreciate that, friend.
1:35 and then again 4:58
Neo, get out of there, they're coming for you!
Hahaha! Yes!
Wow haha I thought the same freakin' thing 😅😂
Haha so good!
@@LanceHedrick Yeah haha!
🤣🤣🤣
this was recommended to me by youtube, I am glad I clicked. really good stuff you're doing here, I learned a lot. liked and subscribed
Thank you! So glad you found it valuable. Appreciate you joining along!
I apparently love this guy so much... RUclips brings me back to his videos again and again..... and again... and guess what? Its still mesmerized me...still hilarious.... just like watching friends. Can't get enough with his OCD+ADHD+xFactor humor.
Great explanation, great movie reference, great video. Thanks!
Great explanation on why to taper off pressure later on! I’ve got a robot so the lunar or pearl won’t fit well, I’d love to have that data graph too! I’m going to mess with leaving the water in for longer timings before going to 2 or 3 bars and see what it does to the flavor!
You'll need some pressure to force it through the grounds. Not shown in the video. Push a bit and then just let it sit to emulate a bloom
@@LanceHedrick Gotcha, you reckon like or or two bars and then just let it sit for a while?
Yep! Can even go to 4 bars. Just play with it!
I love my Flair Pro, this seems like a worthwhile upgrade. Certainly worth thinking about.
Absolutely is! The heating mechanism and wider basket are huge game changers
Great video and information. That´s a lot of research and thanks for share!
Love the review and the tons of info. Love the dog too. 😁
Haha thank you! Appreciate the love. Will pass it on the Onyx, the pup
Once again a great video. Speaking of pressure profiling, I can't wait to see what you do with your new machine. (I saw you on a certain forum so I know you have a new machine being delivered soon!) I can not express how much I enjoy your videos. Your delivery, humor and amount of information you present is amazing. If it were espresso it would be a god shot!
Thank you! Excited to really delve into those forums. So many of them 🤣
This is the best brewer I've ever had.
Great video, Lance!
What setting do you use for a dark roast on the Baratza Sette when you grind for Flair 58?
Hey! I'm not sure, to be honest, but it probably wouldn't help unless you have double shimmed your sette haha! I have put two shims behind the burr and use the grinder exclusively for espresso.
@@LanceHedrick Thanks for your reply! I use my Baratza Sette for filtered as well, so I haven't shimmed it yet.
Ahhhh well, I'd recommend getting another grinder for filter. The sette is the worst haha! Great for espresso, terrible for filter.
i don't even own a coffee pot or one of those neat looking pour-over do-dads...but somehow i landed on this channel and am seriously intrigued with making expressos now at work (that machine would blend in nicely in my work office)...very informative video!
Love this video! Thanks for creating this Lance. :)
Thanks so much for the support, friend!
Another great video. After watching this, I can understand how people could be hooked on manual machines. It's really about controlling every aspect of it to get the best end result. I get it, but I also know I don't have the time for a set up like that. Plus, I really like steaming milk and making halfway decent latte art. Anyway, keep up the good work! And that part with the princess bride was too funny!
Yeah! I, too, never understood the fascination. Until now, that is! I absolutely love doing it, though perhaps not daily haha. It's really enlightening to feel the speed with which the puck degrades.
Awesome. And it wasn't a long video as I'm into learning the at home espresso skills using a manual setup. Thanks ☕🙋♂️📖
Love it! Glad you enjoyed it
That’s what happens when you enjoy what you’re learning. Good luck!
15:20 Tamping over mesh?
Awesome!
Thanks Lance!
Thank YOU! You rock
Excellent video. Love the explanation on how manual espresso allows you to correct for grind size. Solid princess bride ref to! 😂
Haha love me some princess bride! Thanks for watching
1. Great and informative video 2. That shot looked so awesome that it made me a bit sad that you didn't take a sip 3. you are killing me here man, stop forcing me to buy coffee apparatuses because my wife says that our emergency funds aren't meant to be used every Friday :(
Haha! Buy the fun toysssss. And I did drink it, after cut lol
Enjoyed the history, well done.
Such a great video. But is it hard to get a good result with the flair ? And can you really get a result close to a slayer ?
Absolutely. Especially if you're willing to use the app mentioned and if you are willing to buy the Smart Espresso Profiler, which allows you to graph your pressure profile.
@Lancehedrick , I am looking to get a manual espresso machine like the flair, but can you clear up something for me? Do you not have to measure the amount of water that you put into the brew head? Just fill it up and then measure output? Or is it a measured amount of water going into it at the beginning?
Love the video lance. Awaiting my flair 58 with great anticipation. Had a pro for the longest time, but not a huge fan of the preheat process. Very happy about the electric piece myself.
Yeah the electric piece is nice. Heats in like 5 min. I love it
Thank you! Is it possible to put a 1 cup basket in the Flair (for example the IMS convex 8-10g that I stuff with 11g of coffee on the Rocket ... for information I also own the Cafelat Robot)?
Hey Lance, can you recommend a e61 flow control kit? I’m trying to improve my shots on my Rocket Apartamento.
Well this was excellent. I'd love to see a la pavoni video for comparison
Oh for sure! (If you have a connection and can get one sent, I'd happily do a side by side haha!)
Hey Lance, great video. You are the first I see that points out that detail about the showerscreen. The puck screen probably resolves the problem of water diffusion and also helps to have an overall better extraction but I'm pretty sure it's not included with the Flair 58 as you mention in the video.
Anyway, regarding the La Pavonis there is a big group on Facebook that is very passionate about those machines (facebook.com/groups/LaPavoniLeverOwners/?ref=share). I do also own one but I live in Europe, however if you want to get in touch I can probably help you with finding one in the US for some videos 😉
I'm pretty eager to try your recipe/technique with my Pro 2. I added an electric preheat mod to mine and I've been trying to figure out how best to use it. So far I haven't pulled better shots. I'm able to control thermal stability but haven't figured out how to take advantage of it. I think your tips will be very helpful in this regard. Thanks!
Awesome! A mcgyver in the comments haha. Love that you made your own heating element! Will certainly help keep temp with those long shots, which I think are absolutely tasty
Wow I was trying to think of how that could be done. You have any pictures?
@@pantac4493 I did this mod pretty recently. You can see a video of it on my channel. Also I highly recommend checking out the Brew with Flair Facebook group. So much great info. I did post some detailed notes there of the build by the way.
How do I find this group? Open for anyone? Just type in flair espresso?
@@LanceHedrick Try searching "brew with flair", should be top result or close to it. It's a private group, so it will ask you to join. The moderators are pretty quick and usually respond within hours (likely much quicker). By the way, that's how I found your channel. Someone posted your 58 video. Definitely glad they did!
Will standard 58mm baskets, portafilters, tampers, etc. be compatible with this? Some after market fun toys would truly make this machine your own.
Absolutely! Other portafilters fit. My pesado split shot fits like a glove. Tampers, baskets, all of it. Compatible
Can you pre-heat the chamber without the electronics plugged in? i.e. if I wanted to take this camping, could I pre-heat it with water before pulling a shot? But then also use the electronic pre-heat element when at home?
Already ordered it and can’t wait to try your recipe
Love the NASHVILLE shirt!!! Considering the Flair 58 very seriously. Also wondering how much better my Gaggia Classic espresso shots would be, if I started doing manual preinfusion of maybe 30-60ml with my Fellow Stagg EKG kettle. 🤔
How do you go about dialing in grind size if they’re always the perfect weight to time ratio? Would you just use the taste of the shot and adjust based on that?
Yep, he has a whole series on dialing in, but you nailed it. The tl;dr: if it's too sour, grind finer. If it's too bitter and astringent, grind coarser.
Why did you bring up the Fallaini move? To my knowledge it's used to get more water into the brew chamber. In the video you can see the barista holding it down (which is the preinfusion phase) then letting it go up 50% and pressing it down again to fill the water chamber. Then he lets it go completely, so then the normal extraction starts. It's spring lever so the directions are reversed to the flair. Would love to hear more about the fallaini move and also about spring lever machines
I brought it up because it is part of the history of the lever machine AND Fellini is one of my favorite directors. I wanted to do a quick lever history and, considering the move was an important step in the evolution of lever profiles, I found it important to discuss very briefly.
And i'll do more in the future with spring machines.
Can't wait for those videos. I loved that bit about Fellini and I would love to hear more about it. Peace and love
I'm assuming that when you pull the lever back up it wont suck coffee fines and bits up into the group head and water chamber and stuff?
Love the thorough review! Great job 😁
Thank you so much!
Hey lance amazing video… it sold me on the flair 58. Ordered one yesterday. Watching this video a second time to see the shot profiling. I have a question. It seems like you don’t need the little gadget that replaces the pressure gage but only a smart scale compatible with the app correct? You just used the scale only but their site seems to hint that you need both which is a bigger investment. Can you clarify for me?
You only need the pressure gauge bluetooth attachment if you want to do pressure profiling. You can be totally fine with just flow profiling, which is what he's doing in this video.
I love your content Lance ❤️ bringing the heat with a beat ♂️ also didn't know you were quite blessed
Blessed? What's this in reference to? Regardless, thanks!
@@LanceHedrick it's a compliment to your content
Haha thank you!
@@LanceHedrick 🤤♂️😍
Hey Lance awesome video! Great context! Can I get an ID on the tamper!? I didn’t hear it. Maybe I missed it?
The tamper? I used my own tamper instead of the stock one. The one used in the video is from Artpresso
Such a great presentation! Well done!
Thank you! Much appreciated
Hello Lance, I watch the videos again and again, and I come with new questions😂
With a lever machine like this, for light roasts, it's better to:
Make a longer preinfussion and then a declining pressure profile, or a normal 4-5" preinfussion and then maintain 8-9 bar till the end?
Question no.2
Seeing mottling on crema is sexy and "sign of good extraction", or this we knew until now
As you said, these are fines escaped from the basket, but at the end, for taste, is it better or makes the cup with less clarity and less clean mouthfeel?
Loved the video and just subscribed after watching all your vids! Keep up the great work!
As many people begin looking into manual espresso machines, I would love to see a comparison of the various external milk frothing options that you could pair with a machine like this. Nanofoamer, Bellman, French press, auto milk frothers, etc. Could be a really insightful and helpful video from someone with your expertise! Keep up the great work!
Planning on a nanofoamer video soon!
So far, this is the best and most detailed video review about flair 58. But, you missed one thing, what is the temperature of the water you used.
I always use it off the boil. I could've sworn I said that. Sorry if I didn't!
Thanks a lot Lance, the machine looks neat!
Thanks for watching! Hope you enjoyed it
Nice! Props.
I want those pottery cups!
Sarah Kaye out of Seattle
Damn, now I want a manual espresso machine 😭
Also, very keen for the WDT video. I have found even with WDT, my shots can still have inconsistencies.
For sure! I will probably get some back lash from the wdt video but that's life haha. Excited to release it
@@LanceHedrick can’t please everyone in the espresso community. No matter what you suggest, someone will always find a reason why you’re wrong 🤷🏽♂️
But what you do have is credibility and a proven career, so I know who I’m going to listen to 👀
Hahaha! Thank you! And just to kill any suspicion, I am pro WDT. Just...what I think is *proper* lol
@@LanceHedrick looking forward to hearing your take on it.
There seems to be a divide between deep vs shallow only
Yeah it's a silly divide. All tests show that deep is slightly better than puck raking/shallow. But more issues arise from deep if done poorly than with shallow. Shallow is probably just as effective with good grinders. I just prefer deep
I have a Lelit Bianca which has flow control. Would it make sense for me to get this? Never tried levers and I’m intrigued
Always so informative. Question: What target Flow Rate / sec should you be targeting? This vid you were targeting 1.5 g/sec. My 40 sec shot on the Flair 2 is delivering 2.4 g/sec on an 18 g in 50 g out shot.
I don’t own an espresso machine yet. I’m a newbie and an enthusiast at the same time. I want great result and will not be satisfied with less.
Most people suggest Gaggia Classic Pro as the first machine to buy. But from watching a lot of videos it seems to be a lot of hassle to get the Gaggie pulling good great shots. You need mods to get down to 9 bars pressure, workflow workarounds to get good temp, steam, etc. A lot of work.
This manual Flair 58 seems much easier to handle really. But I read some people say it’s a steep learning curve with a lever? Is it?
Which one do you suggest? Gaggia Classic Pro or Flair 58?
I know the Flair can’t steam milk but I intend to combine it with a microfoamer if I buy one.
This is a hard question. You are correct in that mods must be made to the gaggia. And the learning curve can be steep with levers. But I don't think it's that difficult, to be honest. There are many forums you can join, videos, etc, to rely on.
Really depends on what you're looking for. 10/10 this will make better espresso.
Literally in the same boat. 1200$ budget. Researching and researching to realize I’m gonna have to spend so much more than I want for features that are pretty much essential. Pid, flow control, etc. I went ahead and ordered this flair 58 after watching this. I paired it with a sette 270 to start. I don’t wanna drop 1200$ and almost instantly wish I could upgrade. You really can’t go wrong with this even if it takes time to master. Compare it to the decent espresso machine, 3k+ $$$ machine. Does all of this for you but it has sensors and parts that can go bad and probably require much more maintenance. If anything you know for sure you’ll be able to make great espresso with the flair 58 in the way 3k+ machines do for a fraction and not worry about maintenance as much or parts going bad.
@Lance Hedrick thanks for the video, beside the portability and other features, how does flair 58 compare to pro 2, just in terms of esspresso body and taste ? Does it worth the extra money ? I'm looking forward to upgrade my pro2 to 58 if the difference worth it.