Hey Bryan! I found it pretty bitter at first if I remember correctly, it got better after more use and more trial and error, Usually I put it on at about medium heat (over gas flame) and then watch when the coffee starts to come out and pretty much when the bottom is covered I cut the heat in half so it doesn't start to overboil and spray out. It seems to give me a better crema on top this way, I fully cut the heat when it gets to a certain point when it's almost done and the last of it just kind of foams out. That's what I meant by kind of finicky with the heat...
If your really serious about your coffee like us Melbourne folk.... These are the shit! I don't trust any coffee shop that does not have the mother ship model Synesso Love to know how much the 1 group Cyncra machine is? You might have to go sell all your Goga's! http://www.synesso.com/index.shtml http://www.synesso.com/photos.shtml http://www.synesso.com/4.html Mmmmmmmm
The reasoning behind starting off with cold water is that it contains more dissolved oxygen than warm water, which supposedly extracts more flavor from the coffee grounds. Plenty of super coffee snobs in So. Cal. too.
