Coffee gear and discussion thread

[Craig]

This isn't terribly new for me, but here's my coffee gear.

Grinder (Hario ceramic burr grinder):

Maker (Bodum vacuum):

Next step is a roaster, I suppose. One of these days.

 

[Jim]

I love my Vac pot!
You really must start to roast your own, nothing like it!

 

[Pensacola Tiger]

You have a roaster you recommend? I've seen some that aren't practical for me, my counters are just too cluttered as it is.

The Behmor roaster is the size of a large toaster oven, and is the best home roaster available, in my experience.

 

[Craig]

The Behmor roaster is the size of a large toaster oven, and is the best home roaster available, in my experience.

Yeah, I want something smaller than that.

Well, I really just want a bigger kitchen with one of those in it. But you know.

 

[Jim]

Roasting in a kitchen without a serious range hood can be very smokey

 

[Kyle]

We really need a coffee/gear thread. I'm not a huge coffee nerd, but I certainly appreciate a good cup of coffee. I can still stomach some office Folgers, so I'm not quite to snobbery levels yet. Right now I'm just buying bulk coffee and coarse grinding at the store and then brewing in a French press.

I know, I need a grinder but I haven't been ready to plunk down the money. I'll probably go with a manual burr grinder, I don't have the budget for a good automatic. Plus I usually only make coffee on the weekends, so the extra effort doesn't bother me.

I've also been thinking of replacing the French press, it's just a cheapy I bought for $10 at Bed Bath & Beyond. I've heard really good things about the AeroPress but I don't know much else about it. Maybe I'll look into the vacuum pot that Craig posted. Is there anything else I should look into? One of the things that draws me to the AeroPress is I've heard it's good for brewing ahead of time and then serving as iced coffee later, which I do like to drink during the summer, but I don't know much about that.

 

[Pensacola Tiger]

Think of the AeroPress as a one-cup French press with a really good filter. No sediment at all.

For iced coffee, I'd look into cold-brewing.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006H0JVW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[WildBoar]

eBay is good for finding a smaller commercial-grade burr grinder at a substantial discount from new. Depending on your local, CraigsList can be pretty good as well. Always lots of small shops going out of business or owners retiring.

 

[so_sleepy]

The Aeropress makes coffee concentrate, I use it to make iced coffee drinks. I use a Chemex for my drip coffee and prefer the results.

 

[Andrew H]

I use a Chemex for my drip coffee and prefer the results.

IMHO chemex is the only way to go for drip. I've never tried roasting my own - mainly because I've been spoiled with intelligentsia coffee. Family friend works there, he gets to travel to all of their farms and "check" on the beans, lucky bastard.

 

[Lars]

The Aeropress is very versatile - I just had a very nice cup of light roasted Kieni from Kenya.

Here is the recipe(the Aeropress is used upside down):
17g of coffee ground just a little coarser than a traditional filter brew.
200g of water @ 95 celsius.
30 sec steep time, turn it over and press.
Turned out a very clean, well balanced cup of coffee.

For espresso and milk based drinks I use a Dalla Corte mini and a Ditting KE640 grinder.

 

[rahimlee54]

Is there something I can look for at a store that tells me if they brew good coffee. I have never been a fan of coffee as of yet, but I want to give it a good try before I write it off completely. So any suggestions as to what to look for and try would be helpful.

Thanks
Jared

 

[Lars]

Is there something I can look for at a store that tells me if they brew good coffee.

Look for a place that serves black coffee brewed to order. No pour over machine allowed..

Good coffee should taste great, with lots of flavours and not be served too hot.

Espresso can be great but is kind of an acquired taste.

Milk based drinks are more like cocktails, they taste great, but you don't taste the coffee so much..

 

[StephanFowler]

there's a place local here that only serves french press, you order a coffee and press it yourself at the table.

 

[so_sleepy]

Is there something I can look for at a store that tells me if they brew good coffee.

Ask if they roast their own coffee or get it from a local roaster. Coffee is getting past its prime about a week after roasting. If the menu has a selection of single-origin coffees, it is an indication they take it more seriously (or take themselves too seriously).

That said, coffee has a variety of flavors based on origin and the roast. I like coffee a lot, but that doesn't mean i automatically enjoy every product no matter how exotic or expensive.

 

[Craig]

there's a place local here that only serves french press, you order a coffee and press it yourself at the table.

I'm not sure I like that setup, though it's obviously better than most places. Do they pour the water for you? If so, do they do it at the table? I would worry that they pour the water then let it sit for an unknown amount of time before it gets to you, so you don't know how long to steep for. For similar reasons, I'm not much of a fan of French Press' in general. I prefer to have my coffee and tea removed from the liquid entirely.

Ask if they roast their own coffee or get it from a local roaster. Coffee is getting past its prime about a week after roasting. If the menu has a selection of single-origin coffees, it is an indication they take it more seriously (or take themselves too seriously).

That said, coffee has a variety of flavors based on origin and the roast. I like coffee a lot, but that doesn't mean i automatically enjoy every product no matter how exotic or expensive.

When people who really don't know coffee ask me that question, I usually just tell them to look for a place with the illy sign in the window and to ask for an Americano instead of just a coffee. The above steps only make sense for people who are already into decent coffee, imo.

 

[l r harner]

The Aeropress makes coffee concentrate, I use it to make iced coffee drinks. I use a Chemex for my drip coffee and prefer the results.

funny i thought it jsut made a nice strong cup
i use 2 scoops of grounds fill the press to the top swish the mix let settle out and then press i do top off the cup cause its not all the way full
love the cup of coffee it makes (tho no one lieks to drink coffee like this at the house sept for me )

 

[StephanFowler]

I'm not sure I like that setup, though it's obviously better than most places. Do they pour the water for you? If so, do they do it at the table? I would worry that they pour the water then let it sit for an unknown amount of time before it gets to you, so you don't know how long to steep for. For similar reasons, I'm not much of a fan of French Press' in general. I prefer to have my coffee and tea removed from the liquid entirely.

They roast their own beans daily, and they pour each order immediately when you ask for it and your handed your mug and the french press to go to your table..




http://www.drinkcoffeedogood.com/ <--- this place


it's funny because the building their in used to be a luthier's shop that my dad would take his '64 Martin to for tune up work, they had a beautiful assortment of very very nice guitars. I'd been going there since I was a young teenager. so it's a weird memory lane type thing for me to go there.

 

[so_sleepy]

funny i thought it jsut made a nice strong cup
i use 2 scoops of grounds fill the press to the top swish the mix let settle out and then press i do top off the cup cause its not all the way full
love the cup of coffee it makes (tho no one lieks to drink coffee like this at the house sept for me )

yep, that is exactly how to do it. two scoops should be right for around 10 ounces of coffee once you top it off. It's just right for a good sized mug of coffee. Sweet Maria's directions are better than the manufacturer:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/aeropress/aeropress_instructions.php

 

[Craig]

They roast their own beans daily, and they pour each order immediately when you ask for it and your handed your mug and the french press to go to your table..




http://www.drinkcoffeedogood.com/ <--- this place


it's funny because the building their in used to be a luthier's shop that my dad would take his '64 Martin to for tune up work, they had a beautiful assortment of very very nice guitars. I'd been going there since I was a young teenager. so it's a weird memory lane type thing for me to go there.

Oh, that's fine then. I've been some places where you order from the table and they eventually bring you a press, which annoys me.

 

[obtuse]

My favorite brew methods include the Bonmac no.2 single hole dripper, the Hario V60 no.2 dripper and the Aeropress. For the drippers I use a grind between filter and espresso, medium fine. I use about 22-26 grams of coffee per 10oz cup; I like the added strength and body. I use a Hario Bueno kettle and ride the bloom for a 3:30-4:30 minute pour; cooler water temperature is key for this, 190°F to 180°F. I can't stand the taste of astringent or overly bitter coffee. I'm still playing with the Aeropress, but I usually use the inverted method and let it steep for 2-3 minutes&#8212;I also can't stand the taste of overdosed, underextracted coffee. I'm getting ride of my Chemex because the Hario V60 has a design I like better. I seldom use a french press, but when I do I use a 6 min steep time and insulate my press. Going to finally order my Behmor today! Cheers

 

[wenus2]

I haven't hardly touched my Aeropress since I picked up a Clever Coffee dripper about a year ago. I only use it on the go with a hand grinder or on lazy days where I don't feel up to washing the vac pot, otherwise I use a Yama TCA-5 vacuum brewer about 90% of the time. I don't feel like anything else touches that brewing method for a straight cup, but it can be a PITA some days.

Cold brew is great, whoever said they wanted iced coffee. I love cold brew all summer, it's actually one of the few things I'll splash an inch of milk into. You can brew it up thick like tar Ice dripped is also fantastic stuff, a whole different experience in coffee. The equipment is kinda spendy, but if you ever happen in a place that offers it, don't pass it by.

Congrats on the Behmor Obtuse, don't forget to download the "behmorthing." It goes a long way to helping keep track of what/how you are roasting.

 

[SpikeC]

I start my day with an americano from my La Pavoni Strativari. I souped up a Kitchenaid Proline grinder with Mazzer Mini burrs, and it does a very nice job of grinding.
When I need to make a pot for some reason I use a Technivorm Mocca Master. It is a very simple machine and does a great job of temperature control of the water.
I get my beans from Stumptown Roasters, they roast the beans a mile from my house and date the bags with the roasting date, so you know how fresh it is and whether you need to let it rest before brewing.

 

[obtuse]

One day I want to add a syphon to my brew lineup! wensus2, what do you use for cold brewing? I have not tried a cold brewed coffee. I remember working for a place that sold the Toddy.

 

[Jim]

Fun with COFFEE

 

[Rotary]

Jim,

Do you like your Technivorm? I've been toying with the idea of getting one for my wife, who's a total coffee nut.

 

[Jim]

Jim,

Do you like your Technivorm? I've been toying with the idea of getting one for my wife, who's a total coffee nut.

I never regreted buying it. Works well.

 

[Eamon Burke]

I grind my beans with a cheap grinder, and a mortar and pestal before that. I put the ground up beans in a saucepan of 200F water, let it sit, stir it, let it sit, and strain it into a cup.

 

[obtuse]

I grind my beans with a cheap grinder, and a mortar and pestal before that. I put the ground up beans in a saucepan of 200F water, let it sit, stir it, let it sit, and strain it into a cup.

I played around with a version of that. Total immersion brewing in a vacuum carafe, for 3-4 minutes, then poured through a chemex filter. I found it takes as much tweaking as any other brew method. I prefer pouring water out of a fancy kettle.

 

[SpikeC]

The Appaloosa horse club used to do a version of that on the annual trail ride, butt they put the coffee in a pair of panty hose and the water was 212º!