What did you learn from your coffee brewing method today?

[JohnG]

This morning I used the "low and slow" method to increase extraction. Definite improvement, but now I have to compensate with a lower temperature as I was using maximum temperature to increase extraction inadvertently.

My first cup in the morning is Decaf, so it's probably important to manage expectations.

 

[steelwindmachine]

@JohnG - i don't understand what you're doing, but you don't typically use water temperature to effectuate change to extraction. You use grind size, brew time and/or water:coffee ratio.

As for temperatures, darker roasts should be brewed at a lower water temp than lighter roasts with specialty light roast getting water just off boiling.

 

[steelwindmachine]

@JohnG I don't know if you're using a V60, but here's the technique I use:

 

[JohnG]

@JohnG - i don't understand what you're doing, but you don't typically use water temperature to effectuate change to extraction. You use grind size, brew time and/or water:coffee ratio.

As for temperatures, darker roasts should be brewed at a lower water temp than lighter roasts with specialty light roast getting water just off boiling.

Thanks, that's the mistake I was making. I was making the mistake of using hotter water when I should have been using a slower flow instead.

I just got done making a second cup and used a slower flow combined with a lower temperature (200F) and it came out bolder but less bitter at the same time.

 

[JohnG]

@JohnG I don't know if you're using a V60, but here's the technique I use:

Thanks, I've watched James' video and they're all great.

I'm using a Chemex.

I think now I'll focus on my pour timing, but I'm not really sure if there's an ideal method.

 

[steelwindmachine]

@JohnG - for yours and others' reference, this is the Coffee Compass I use:

 

[steelwindmachine]

someday I'll have a Chemex. It's certainly a more beautiful version of a V60 with a built in carafe - there is one in the MOMA

 

[mikhou]

I learned that my blade grinder has finally given up the ghost. So I need to figure out if I am going to replace it with a blade grinder, an electrical burr grinder, or a manual grinder. I only ever grind enough for once cup at a time as I'm the only one in my house who drinks coffee so I am tempted to go with a manual grinder. But disposable income is at a premium in our house right now so I don't want to spend a lot. We'll see.

 

[steelwindmachine]

if you're using or considering a blade grinder, save yourself the money and just throw the beans in a bag and smash them with a hammer = similar results.

Be patient and save your cash for a good quality burr grinder. At least the $150 Baratza Encore or a $349 Fellow Ode v2 - or find a good used one of either on ebay or Facebook Marketplace to save some coin.

The grinder is not the thing in the coffee making gear paraphernalia realm to go cheap on. Having a quality grinder will ensure you can control and get the best out of the money you spent for the beans. You can get brewers for cheap, but don't phone it in on the grinder.

OR, don't bother with a grinder at all and get pre-ground from the grocery store or a local roastery - either of these would be better options than using a blade grinder even at the expense of potentially stale coffee.

Or, don't bother with beans and get a Cometeer subscription and get flash frozen specialty coffee that tastes amazing and you only have to add hot water.

 

[jaro 101969]

I learned that my blade grinder has finally given up the ghost. So I need to figure out if I am going to replace it with a blade grinder, an electrical burr grinder, or a manual grinder. I only ever grind enough for once cup at a time as I'm the only one in my house who drinks coffee so I am tempted to go with a manual grinder. But disposable income is at a premium in our house right now so I don't want to spend a lot. We'll see.

You may want to look in you local goodwill type stores , I have found several in the past that were basically brand new for less than 10 dollars... People will get them and decide they are not for them and then donate them to those stores..... I have found Capresso brands for less than 5 bucks before..... I have saw burr grinders of very high quality and mid range ones for cheap there.....

 

[mikhou]

You may want to look in you local goodwill type stores , I have found several in the past that were basically brand new for less than 10 dollars... People will get them and decide they are not for them and then donate them to those stores..... I have found Capresso brands for less than 5 bucks before..... I have saw burr grinders of very high quality and mid range ones for cheap there.....

Yeah, I went and checked a local thrift store today. I might try some others as well. Thanks!

 

[steelwindmachine]

blade grinders are for spices, not coffee!

if you can afford to buy beans, then why can’t you be patient, save up your money for an appropriate tool for the task instead of trying to make a tool that wasn’t designed for the task to make a subpar beverage?

it’s like trying to fry a ribeye steak in a tinfoil pan.

seriously, you want good coffee and don’t want to wait and save your money for the right tools, then just find a good coffee shop and get your coffee there or buy pre-ground from them and use that to brew at home.

put away the blade grinders for the love of the coffee gods!

 

[GoodShave]

I learned that my blade grinder has finally given up the ghost. So I need to figure out if I am going to replace it with a blade grinder, an electrical burr grinder, or a manual grinder. I only ever grind enough for once cup at a time as I'm the only one in my house who drinks coffee so I am tempted to go with a manual grinder. But disposable income is at a premium in our house right now so I don't want to spend a lot. We'll see.

I also only grind one cup of coffee a day. Take a look at the 1Zpresso manual burr grinders. A good manual burr grinder can perform as well an electric burr grinder several times the price according to James Hoffmann (see his book 'How to Make the Best Coffee at Home', page 60). I have the 1Zpresso JX model and have enjoyed it. No waking up the family to make coffee early in the morning and it doesn't take up much space on the counter. It travels well too. I picked mine up on Amazon, but here is the 1Zpresso site with their full line up.

 

[jaro 101969]

All the grinders I was mentioning about are BURR grinders.. I was NOT recommending blade grinders... There are Plenty of shops that sell pre-owned Burr grinders and there are very good deals to be found if you look....

 

[steelwindmachine]

sorry jaro, i misread. thank you for your great suggestions! hopefully it’ll help someone

 

[GoodShave]

Today I tried the Jonathan Gagné long AeroPress recipe. The recipe can be used with or without the Fellow Prismo Attachment for AeroPress. I don't have the Prismo but I do have both the AeroPress Flow Control Filter Cap and the AeroPress Stainless Steel filter, so I thought I would try the recipe using those items instead.

The video on that page said to use a grind size finer than for pour over. I was not sure I wanted to go that fine off the start and instead went with the finest setting I had ever used for the beans I was using. It was the same setting that I like for the April coffee recipe for the Hario Mugen.
The recipe uses the original size AeroPress in the standard brew position.

I put my stainless steel filter in the flow control filter cap (since the Prismo has a metal filter) and then put a AeroPress paper filter on top of that (per the recipe) followed by tightening the cap to the AeroPress chamber as tight as I could. The stainless steel filter gave an even surface for the paper filter (and coffee) to rest. Following the recipe as if I had a Prismo, I added half the water, started the timer, mixed in the coffee, added the rest of the water, stirred back and forth, bottom to top with the stir paddle. I removed the AeroPress (and mug) from the scale. I then inserted the plunger to keep in the heat in, then I then gave the AeroPress a swirl. At five minutes, I gave the AeroPress another swirl. At nine minutes, I slowly and gently pressed the coffee until I heard gurgling as the air was going through the filter cap.

I was amazed at how good the coffee tasted (once I let it cool a little). I am not sure I would bother changing the grind size or anything else. It was a great cup of coffee. Definitely give the recipe a try if you have 10 minutes to make a cup of coffee. You don't need the Prismo or the Flow Control Filter Cap to do this recipe (just follow the guidelines for not using the Prismo).

Enjoy!

 

[APBinNCA]

At five minutes, I gave the AeroPress another swirl. At nine minutes, I slowly and gently pressed the coffee until I heard gurgling as the air was going through the filter cap.

I was amazed at how good the coffee tasted (once I let it cool a little).

Awesome!

I have a Prismo and my Aeropress has been a little lonely lately, thanks for bringing this to my attention.

 

[APBinNCA]

I learned was reminded that brewing purely based on time doesn’t always produce the best results. I have been brewing two coffees lately, from the same roaster, that are very different. What I discovered is that they both need the same grind setting in spite of a 30+ second difference in brew time. I initially adjusted the second coffee’s grind for time, but it never tasted right so I went back to the previous setting and… perfect!

 

[AndyPanda]

I roasted a new (to me) coffee a few days ago and it's had 4-5 days post roast to settle down. But it is still tasting a little too "bright" like it needs another few days. Probably because I've never roasted this particular coffee before and I still need to find the best roast profile. It shows great potential - plenty of wonderful flavors are present (hazelnut, dark chocolate - yum) it just has an annoying edge on top.

To get to the point (what I learned today) --- as an experiment, I increased the water temp one degree C hotter and I reduced the size of the grind a little and reduced the amount of coffee from 18g to 17g (using an espresso machine and making the grind smaller, I needed to reduce the dose a little to get the same extraction time). What a difference those small adjustments made! The results in the cup was so much richer and without that bright edge up front that had bothered me on the first brew attempt.

 

[JohnG]

In the past I was using a too high temperature (200-205F) and dropped the temp down to about 195F.

Today though, I over cooled the kettle down to about 185F and the coffee came out a little watery and weak.

Looks like the 190-195 temp is the sweet spot for me.

I'm switching between medium and dark roasts so it's a little tricky.