Post: #51

(05-06-2015 05:04 AM)The_CEO Wrote:  I am confused as to why the Aeropress would be luke warm?
The inventor (an Engineer and Stanford professor) says he's done tests and if I recall correctly recommends 185 degree water (it might be a bit less than this) for optimum results.

That's still 10-20 deg F less than an espresso shot. Also, I tried it back when it was marketed on a lot of espresso making websites (almost 10 years ago) so I'm not exactly sure whether they've changed the marketing strategy since then.

On another site I read "Aeropress recommends low temperature brewing with 165 to 175 f water. They say "professional coffee tasters" preferred low temperatures"

Post: #52

^^^^
I was wrong then re: 185.
What you said is what I must've read.

Basically I am anti-French Press. It's an elegant looking device and the simplicity is appealing.
But I don't think it makes good coffee, unless you like cholesterol-elevating, chemical-laden coffee.

Post: #53

I love coffee but because of digestive issues, I've had to search for ones that my body can accept.

For anyone with acid reflux or sensitive stomachs that may have steered clear of coffee in the past, there's a great one I get off Amazon.

Rich Rewards acid free coffee. No heartburn. Decent taste. And seems to have the same amount of caffeine as any other cup of Joe:

http://www.amazon.com/Rewards-Breakfast-...rds+coffee

Post: #54

Some French Press technique:

Post: #55

I buy green beans from https://www.sweetmarias.com/store/

Roast em, grind em, then french press. Might try that aeropress thing, looks dope.

Post: #56

Post: #57

^^^ That's moka, not espresso, but the Brits have a funny way with renaming things. Espresso is hot water forced under pressure through tightly compacted ground beans. The extra dissolved solids and oils are what give espresso its viscosity.

Post: #58

Good call.
And not to be confused with "Mocha".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot

Post: #59

Just watched that Moka vid again.

There's something about her prissy, Brit-educated voice that makes me want to blast my cappuccino foam down her throat.

Edit:

Now here's something interesting. Bialetti has a maker called the Brikka that allows pressure to build up before passing through the grounds, recreating an espresso machine effect:





Still not at the level of an espresso maker (and no steaming wand) but for $45 it could be worth a shot. I'll pick one up and report back.

Post: #60

I always heat my water in my electric kettle first and finish it in the moka pot. I find when I heat the water from cold in my moka pot, it gets a metallic taste.

Post: #61

Quote:Still not at the level of an espresso maker (and no steaming wand) but for $45 it could be worth a shot.

Look at that crema. I'm already sold.

Post: #62

I love espresso.

I do not want to buy an espresso machine.

Will one of those stovetop percolators achieve similar coffee?

I know nothing about coffee.

Post: #63

Coffee is further proof God loves us and wants us to be happy.

Got a Nespresso machine last year for home as a present, got one for work for the crew shortly after and pretty much stopped buying take away coffee since then, unless somewhere else.

Drank instant a home for years after my previous espresso machine exploded (over packed it) . Now with Nespresso I no longer bother with milk because the blends and brew are damned near perfect.

Just awesome!

Post: #64

The perc is very time consuming though, directions on mine says 15 minutes minimum, and that's AFTER the water is hot and it's "perking" in the top.

I usually start it and then go for a walk around the park.

Post: #65

Moka and Aeropress compared:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Coffee/comments/...aeropress/

Post: #66

Solid thread topic, I just saw this. As coffee is a big passion of mine and new career choice, I wanted to share a little.

The fact of the matter is that a vast majority (probably 99%) of people in the world who drink coffee actually drink shitty, stale coffee produced from unripe cherries and lackluster processing/roasting methods. As a result, the general lack of flavor found in such ubiquitous subpar coffee is normally compensated by over-roasting in order to produce a "consistent" (read: burnt) taste. The consumers (general masses) of this vile nectar - in order to make such a brutal beverage palatable - must compensate for this by the addition of copious cream, sugar, spices, and flavorings to mask the truly horrid taste of your standard gas station coffee in it's natural "black" state.

To avoid this unnecessary misery, do yourself a favor and either: 1) make friends with a hipster (somehow hipsters know good coffee) and ask him/her to show you where to find a micro-roastery selling freshly roasted single-origin coffee beans/drinks with various manual as well as espresso machine brewing methods with talented baristas. You're typically wanting to look for places that don't have pumpkin spiced soy lattes on the menu or have those hazelnut and vanilla flavor syrups lying around; or 2) google third-wave café or coffee roastery in your area (if you're so lucky to have one near) and buy beans from them that clearly state the roast date and origin of your bean, and it is preferred to have some tasting notes as well, if possible. The deal with specialty coffee is that it's expensive, because it is rare yet highly sought after. A good 12 oz. bag of specialty coffee beans will cost you in the neighborhood of $13-18, which should last a normal person roughly 14 days give or take.

In Australia, you can use the Beanhunter app or website to find an extensive list of café rankings and reviews...nowadays the site even has listings in Japan, New Zealand, and parts of USA like California and New York.

As a general rule, the bigger macro-roasteries (in the United States) are still leaps and bounds better than say Starbucks. These include: Intelligentsia, Blue Bottle, Counter Culture, and Stumptown just to name a few of the respectable ones.

A few words of caution: the labels of organic, free-trade, rainforest alliance, etc. do not guarantee whatsoever coffee quality or freshness.

Ideally - for you home-brewers - you should be buying AND CONSUMING ALL of your coffee within 3 weeks of the roast date (although 2 is better), and always buy whole bean. Once you grind coffee, the oils and flavonoids in the bean rapidly degrade within 15-20 minutes of exposure to atmosphere which means that flavor and body rapidly degrades as well. Also, invest in a decent burr grinder - this is important because burr grinders typically excel at grind size consistency which is important for even extraction of coffee. You can buy manual hand crank ones like the porlex mini which is a decent grinder that I use for travel. Or you can buy one of these for the slightly more serious and discerning home fanatic. Both of these create above-average results for manual brewing methods.

Find a roaster that has different roast profiles depending on the brew method and origin of bean. Typically, for manual brew methods like V60, aeropress, Chemex, or even drip coffee maker, etc., you're going to want a medium to lighter roast. With an espresso, you are going to want a medium to medium-dark roast, typically. But as with everything, taste is somewhat subjective on the roast profile. Generally speaking, if the beans are black or have an oily sheen to them, chances are the only flavor you're going to taste is ash, charcoal, or a mix of really bitter, unpleasant flavors.

A truly balanced coffee should taste sweet, possibly fruity, possibly caramelly, nutty, chocolaty, etc. with a nice body and overall balance of subtle flavors with a smooth finish. Typically the presence of overpowering acidic or bitter flavors is an indication of poor quality beans or improper grind/brewing techniques resulting from under/over-extraction. Although, many Italian espresso coffee blends seem to be mixed with a bit of robusta beans to add a slight bitter tone to their espresso, as bitter seems to be a preferred flavor in Italy. So, taste preferences can of course vary by region as well. Australians love milky coffees (flat whites), but in general, as a country, they have espresso (specifically, the short/long black) drinks figured out better than anywhere else in the world I've been to - specifically Melbournians.

Check a forum like coffee geek for more in-depth coffee-nerd discussions.

Post: #67

Also, check this out. These guys actually make what appears to be passable espresso in an aeropress:

Post: #68

(05-04-2015 09:06 AM)slubu Wrote:  Yeah, I got this off Amazon for $40 or so about 1.5 years ago, use it almost daily. The best part is you can use it for tea leaves too, so I do that as well. I recall I did a bunch of research on French Presses and chose this one though now I can't tell you why that is. Works wonderfully however.

I picked this French Press up off your recommendation (for some reason I wrote Veloce in my previous post), and it's great.

I had never used a French Press before, but it's very versatile. Aside from the typical hot coffee, it's very easy to make a batch of cold brew overnight, or steep tea hot or cold. It's very easy to clean as well, which surprised me quite a bit.

Anyone get their coffee from places that have the beans in barrels as opposed to sealed packages? I'd imagine you would lose some quality the longer the beans are left out in contact with the air.

Post: #69

Does anyone here use a vietnamese style Phin?

Post: #70

I like my coffee black. At home, I pour boiling water over finely milled coffee. At cafes I usually order turkish/arabic style coffee since Americano is too watery. Its hit or miss...sometimes they heat it for too long and the flavor is off. Definately better to brew it at home, 1/10 the price and always consistent.

I've tried cold brew coffee and found it unpleasant and acidic in flavor. Cold brewing works better for tea.

Post: #71

(06-15-2015 11:58 PM)storm Wrote:  Does anyone here use a vietnamese style Phin?

I do.

Even on mornings when I skip the condensed milk, it turns out better than any cup I get at any of the high-end coffee shops here. Of course, I'm using legit Vietnamese coffee too.

Post: #72

Speaking of Vietnamese coffee, I just ordered some on Amazon for french press. (http://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Fool-Fools-...450&sr=8-3 ) No idea how it compares to Vietnamese coffee in Vietnam, but am giving it a try.

Post: #73

I'm thinking of buying this just for the aesthetics. Kind of interesting, not needed but it will be a conversation piece in my place.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/...fee-maker/

Post: #74

I have three main ways I make coffee. They are:

1. Arabic coffee. I use this old brass ibriq that I got from my grandmother a long time ago. I like to make is sweet, and I add cardamom seeds.




2. Italian espresso. I got a classic Italian espresso maker that looks cool and makes good espresso.




3. My favorite method: a variation of the French press. I put the coarse grounds in this cream pitcher and then pour in boiling water. Let the grinds soak for about 2 minutes, then strain through the strainer. Perfect every time. This is my trusted writing companion...

Post: #75

I like to put a splash or two of this in my coffee, especially the iced coffee I drink in warm weather. It's my favorite coffee liqueur.