Salty in espresso means underextracted coffee. Many factors play there: such as grind size, pull time, tamping method, and water temp. A good espresso taste balance, you got the acidity and bitterness in sync, and give you sweet creamy taste.
Note: pourover methods usually more forgiving and give you better taste. I suggest you try those methods for your black coffee.
I'm using clever dripper for my manual brew, enjoying coffee bean from West Java, Indonesia. Still pulling a double shot once awhile, just when I need a (stronger) quick fix.
Do you mean coffee bean from the US? I live in Indonesia, and I do have a lot of recommendations. But I don't know whether they can ship it to US.
Manual brew? V60 and flat bottom if at home (use them alternately), Aeropress if on the road.
None that I know, at least not in this instance. Maybe other instances? Or you can make one if you like.
Yes, Mugen is fantastic brewer. It's a "low by-pass" type, producing smooth brew. And the pour can be continuous. Here's a picture of it.
I'm using 60g/L, the best ratio in my opinion. I grind it using Timemore C2 and brew it using Hario Switch.
