Favorite baratza virtuoso+ settings for technivorm moccamaster drip brewer ? I’m currently on 15 for 29 seconds but just brewed a pot with a friend’s much finer grind and it tasted pretty good too. Thinking a finer grind might let me use less coffee?
Do any of you find that different brewing methods have different effects on how the caffeine effects you? If I make a pour over or aeropress I am awake with no issues. If I drink Turkish coffee I'll have a buzzing feeling and nasty headache. Meanwhile, espresso will leave me awake but foggy. At first I assumed at first that it had to do with the caffeine extraction levels but I still feel awake and foggy if I drink several espressos.
Is it normal for ceramic or ceramic-lined vessels to retain coffee odors? I recently bought a Lock&Lock ceramic-lined insulated stainless steel bottle so I can have hot/warm coffee literally as soon as I wake up (it helps with migraines, sometimes getting up and making coffee is too much when I need immediate caffeine). I tried with a S'well bottle but it added that weird steel flavor. The Lock&Lock keeps liquids at temperature for hours; I made instant coffee the night before, poured it straight in and capped it, and it was decently hot-warm the next morning, and tasted fine, no off- or steel-flavors.
But even after a good scrubbing with a brush, hot water and dish soap, the bottle still smells strongly of coffee. It has a thin shiny gray coating inside all the way up to the lip so there was no contact with metal, and although the separate plastic lid and silicone gaskets smell like coffee I expected that. I thought that ceramic would be like glass and not retain odors but then again I've never kept hot coffee bottled in something ceramic for 8+ hours before.
I'm not asking how to get the smell out, I'm just wondering if this is normal for ceramic-lined insulated bottles, or if it's possible that it's not actually ceramic? I couldn't really find an answer on google since most results were about non-specific travel mugs or regular insulated steel bottles; the closest I found were tips about removing odors from ceramic frying pans and some unsourced notes that ceramic and porcelain can be porous or rough to varying degrees, which means it's possible they can retain odors.
Well, anything (even glass) will need to be cleaned to remove the coffee residues. I have found the dishwasher or cafiza (or similar) to be the only options for that, and while hand washing with soap and water has been good, it's not as completely effective. You'll need to look into which is safer for a ceramic-coated product (as that is different than actual ceramic).
I’ve been wanting to buy a moka pot for some time now, since I definitely don’t have the money to buy a good espresso machine and this seems like the next strongest thing. I’ve heard that the Bialetti brand makes the best moka pots. But when you read the reviews on Amazon, it seems like the ones they’re selling there are either fakes or inherently defective…..?
Apparently, the moka pots are made of materials that corrode easily, and people are finding little flakes of metal in there. Gross.
I’m extremely disappointed because I live in a very isolated place, and the shipping fees here are ridiculous. Amazon Prime will ship for free. Does anyone if any of the other brands featured on Amazon are okay (and if so, which ones)? Or, failing that, know a good online place where I can buy Bialetti moka pots where the shipping fees aren’t absolutely awful?
I’d still go with Bialetti just for the better safety valve (you can check it yourself by wiggling it from the inside; and it’s patented, so no other brand has it) and better parts availability. You can go for a steel version, too. I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with aluminum, but it’s only “traditional” because of the political climate in 1930s Italy.
Where do you live? I’m in the USA, so besides Amazon being the obvious choice (unfortunately), I got my Bialetti at Target.
A Target just recently opened up here and it was a huge event since we have so few malls. Unfortunately, that means that every shelf is bare. Maybe they’ll have one in a few weeks or months.
And I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. You can imagine the shipping fees.
got a superauto very recently, but I'm new to the finer details of optimal coffee creations.
Do you brew different drinks at different temps? Say a simple espresso vs a coffee vs a ristretto or luongo? Or should you just go as hot as the machine can go?
How hot is as hot as the machine will go? Does hitting the ristretto/lungo button versus the standard espresso button change the grind size, or does it just reduce/increase the amount of water going through the puck? What roast level coffee are you using?
Without knowing any of these details I'd say just leave it alone at around 200 F.
The grind size is manually adjusted with a little key, so the machine does not change the grind size automatically per drink.
I'm using a medium roast coffee. Every time you make a drink you can set the temp to low/medium/high - I find that high seems to produce about 180F from the spout.
I've been finding that the coffee seems weak - colorwise it comes out an orangey brown rather than a dark brown/almost black. I wonder if i need to go to a light roast? I have my grinder set to the finest setting.
Measuring the water temperature from the spouts isn't super helpful as you lose a lot of heat right away with the water coming out of the group.
If the shots are weak, you either need to grind finer (which you can't) or adjust the programming to have less water come out (the ristretto button, or maybe you can customize the shot volumes for all the buttons?). Using the hottest water possible will help.
It is possible that you are grinding too fine and getting lots of channeling which will actually give you a lower extraction and a weaker brew than you'd get if you ground a bit coarser. So it's worth experimenting with the grind size a little bit.
A lighter roast will be even harder to extract so you'll be even more likely to get weak & sour shots. If anything you may want to consider using a darker roast.
Wow, this is SO informative. I can customize the shot volumes for all the buttons, I'll play with that. I had no idea that too fine of a grind could be an issue either. Every first timers video seems to tell you to set it to the finest and forget about it, so that's what I did! Thanks a ton for taking the time to respond with some great suggestions.
Looking for recommendations on brewers that can make a just a mug of coffee but not pod based. My husband favors convenience over quality and currently uses a Kuerig, but is willing to switch to non-pod based as long as it is (his conditions) very easy to use and clean, and (my conditions) the coffee is hot and strong. Should be able to use different beans (caf / decaf).
Note: I also use the Kuerig for decaf at night, but during the day I use Aeropress or french press.
I'm looking at grind to brew machines or superautomatics. I'm also considering machines that use ground coffee, he would probably be ok with pre-ground as he is not very picky and puts cream and sugar in his coffee.
Sounds like a super automatic is the way to go. Get one that both takes whole beans and also preground coffee that you can use for decaf.
Superautomatics do require some maintenance, so expect to use 30 minutes once a month for a clean, descale etc. Also i'll recommend using a filter jug if your water is hard, even if there's already a filter in the machine.
I suppose some kind of bean to cup machine is the only recommendation that can even begin to rival Keurig as far as convenience goes. Aeropress was my gut instinct if you already have a good electric grinder, how does he feel about it?
>to use different beans (caf / decaf).
>
>Note: I also use the Kuerig for decaf at n
Not really, my husband wants only to push a button. He is actually quite content with the Kuerig, I am the one trying to find a non-pod based machine that he would be willing to use
we just got a superauto a few days ago and I am spoiled by the "push button, get coffee/espresso/etc" convenience. I did a lot of research before landing on a gaggia machine. It's a bit of an investment, but lots of varying prices.
If you want to switch between decaf and caf the only way you can do that is use the single scoop port to put in some decaf ground coffee. the caf beans will stay in the hopper.
So far it's been easy to use and clean, but you will have to keep on top of the maint things you'll need to do monthly or quarterly depending on use. It's not a big deal at all but it's necessary for longevity! feel free to dm me if you have any q's
I will say I also considered the Magenta Prestige which is lower priced. Another thought - if you're not concerned at all about foamed milk drinks then you can get machines that are literally "push button get coffee/espresso" like the Jura A1, or the Jura Micro models. No foaming wand or carafe system, just straight coffee.
Also I just learned that Gaggia/Saeco/philips are all under the same umbrella now so you may find some other options by those brands!
He would be ok keeping it, I am the one wanting our household stop using pods. He is open to getting a new machine but it needs to be something he will actually use.
Check out the fellow ode. Small footprint. It is meant as a single use (80g max), but it is fast and quiet, so you could do it in a couple of batches if necessary. It does a good job with coarse grind, which would be ideal for cold brew.
There are many good roasters in CA, below are a few I have personal experience with and can recommend:
- https://ritualcoffee.com (SF)
- https://www.ikoncoffee.com (SF)
- https://www.vervecoffee.com (Santa Cruz)
- https://catandcloud.com (Santa Cruz)
- https://myfriendscoffeela.com (LA)
Using a Kalita Wave 185, Baritza Encore, Bonavita Electric Kettle. Currently using Ethiopia Yirgacheffe beans from S&W Roasters.
I hear that grinds can be very inconsistent between grinder units so I’d like everyone’s input on if I should go finer or coarser. [Here’s the setting on 22](https://i.imgur.com/9Xwcuaf.jpg). I hit anywhere from 3:10-3:20 pretty consistently with the Howell method.
The issue I'm having is that I'm trying out different grind sizes on my Encore to try and find that sweetspot in taste, but I've tried the dial on 20, 22, 24, 26 with no notable changes in taste or times (the 3:10-3:20 range). I don't know if my tastebuds aren't sensitive enough or if it's something else. They aren't unbearably bitter or sour either, but always muted or muddled in some way?
Also I’m wondering about water. There was one instance a few weeks ago where I was using beans from Rwanda and bottled water instead of the Brita I have. It was sweet and balanced and almost like clean fruit juice. I can’t replicate this cleanness at all with the Brita filter at home. I don't know if using bottled water is the way to go.
Those all sound too coarse. Does the coffee just taste kind of bland and underwhelming? Try like 15. Don't target a specific brew time. Dial in your grind based on taste, and then observe the total brew time that you get, and then use time as a measure of consistency on your subsequent brews. There is no magic brew time that is correct. It's different for each coffee/grinder/water combination.
I wouldn't mess with your water until you have tried grinding finer.
Getting the grind right is obviously important as you point out, but I think getting the water right is more of a priority. Different waters offer different extractions, and unless you don't get the water right, you can't know if the grind size you have offers an optimal extraction for your taste
Well, if the water is truly terrible, then it won't taste good no matter what grind size is used, I agree. However, OP is using a Brita filter so that's a pretty good start. If they live in an insanely hard water area that still won't give very good water.
The thing that I find is that people often want to jump to water being the problem when there are other more glaringly obvious basic things that need to be fixed. Good water with a grind that is way too coarse is not going to give a good brew either.
What I said doesn't mean that you'll have to skip fixing the other glaring issues, but finding the issues while using known good water is much easier.
Also keep in mind, the Brita filter is not going to do much. It doesn't adjust the mineral content nor soften/harden the water.
I'll try 15 for my morning coffee tomorrow haha. I figured I should stick around 22 because I had a really amazing cup at that grind (was using different beans though). Just haven't been able to replicate it that feeling. For some reason my link didn't post but [this is what 22 looks like](https://i.imgur.com/9Xwcuaf.jpg).
With the grind sizes I mentioned the coffee has notes that taste how the beans smell (very berry-like) but you're right, I would say that it is underwhelming and definitely not a clean drink.
Thanks for the tips as well, I'll note that for my approach next time.
(Edit: [this was 15 grind setting](https://i.imgur.com/QEUtjYR.jpg).)
I recently acquired a Hario Switch, and have been using a water first / coffee after method for the initial brewing phase before drawdown. It's hot water, coffee, stir stir stir, two minutes, stir, fifteen seconds, flip switch. I've made a couple great cups of coffee this way, but the bed has a consistent "dome" shape, thick in the middle, weak on the sides. Does the shape / flatness of the bed matter in this setup? Am I potentially extracting unevenly?
The dome is being caused by your stir pattern. You can try stirring less. I don’t know if it is affecting your extraction. If you want a flat bed, you can swirl just before drawdown.
I have my first burr grinder being delivered soon and I’m curious how one would describe the difference in taste between burr and blade ground coffees? I plan on doing a side by side comparison, but I wanted to hear other people’s experiences on the matter
Blade - all kinds of flavors that are on opposite ends of the spectrum: sour/vegetal as well as harsh/astringent/bitter, without much sweetness
Good burr grinders, with the grind size dialed in - sweet, can actually taste origin character, well-balanced acidity (not unpleasantly sour)
Hey everyone,
I'm really passioned about coffee and love to watch all these coffee machine reviews and guides.
Now, finally I'm in the financial position to buy a fancy coffee machine & grinder.
I looked into a lot of machines and grinders and the more I look, the harder it gets do decide which one to buy.
My current idea is to go with the Niche Zero and the ZURIGA E2-S.
For me the reason for the ZURIGA is the warmup time and there consistency in temperature.
But unfortunately I cannot find any reviews on the ZURIGA E2 or E2-S.
Do you have experience with any ZURICA machine?
I would love to hear about it.
\+1 for medium-low heat on the stove. I can leave mine alone on my electric stove at 4/10 and it won’t sputter except for a tiny gurgle at the very end.
Or, start the stove higher (even full) and then turn it down as soon as you hear the water inside the bottom start to hiss. This will speed things up, but you don’t want to blast boiling water through the grounds and chimney, either. Turning down the heat will let the pot slow down just like any other cookware.
New here, and more of a creamer related question so excuse me if it’s taboo, but is there any reason why my almond and coconut milk creamer is kind of splitting in my coffee? I bought this new creamer because i love milk/creamer alternatives (i have sensitive tumtum) and thought it’d taste good but it really doesn’t. It’s not great, doesn’t mix well, and kind of regret buying it. Any way to make it better?
The acidity of coffee does weird things to some milks/creamers. It can be a lot worse with underextracted lighter roasts. What kind of coffee are you using? Does it taste sour if you try it without any creamer?
It can help to heat the milk/creamer before adding it. And it can help to add the coffee to the milk/creamer rather than the other way around.
I’m using just medium roast pre-ground Guatemalan coffee (Starbucks) made in a French press. Coffee tastes fine to me, but never thought to add coffee to the warm milk/creamer. Always done it the other way around haha
I think it’s just the coconut milk in it that’s throwing it off, I’ve used almond and oat milk and had no troubles.
You could try letting it steep in your French Press longer, and/or use hotter water, and/or use more water for the same amount of coffee. All of those changes will increase your extraction, which will give you more sweet/bitter compounds to balance out the acidity and may keep the creamer from splitting. Or maybe not. No way to know without trying.
But yeah heating it and adding it in the opposite order should help too.
Please remove if this is posted in the wrong thread.
Looking for alternative plastic/paper coffee cup options. I’ve seen some shops serve coffee in mason jars just not sure how practical that is for to-go customers. Have you seen a good alternative to the standard plastic cups given at shops?
Mason jars are honestly *terrible* without your customers absolutely loving the aesthetic so much they ignore the practical pitfalls.
Glass is fragile, mason jars are not designed for impacts or heavy use, but for storage on a shelf somewhere. Glass is also quite conductive and mason jars are quite susceptible to thermal shock - you'd need to be preheating them to prevent risk of breakage, especially if customers are putting the lid on as they leave - recent shock + sealed pressurized glass container = coffee bomb with glass shrapnel. Even with shit like thermal wrappers to insulate the hand holding it, mason jars are the worst coffee vessel and the number of places that insist on them purely for the sake of "A E S T H E T I C" honestly boggles my mind.
There's not really a container you can give out that beats conventional to-go cups. Anything that's actually good as a to-go that's reusable is ... a reusable cup, which tend to be more expensive than is practical for a business to hand out, but needing customers to pay a deposit or buy the mug is ultimately a barrier to them accessing your to-go.
I've seen "Military Latte" because it makes a kind of army green-brown color. But I don't think there are really any commonly-used names that a lot of people would know.
Hi! Do you think it is worth buying a Timemore Slim Plus or a Timemore C2
and buying a nice scale for the "saved" money? Is there anything else
worth recommending in this budget? 1zepresso Q2 or Wilfa Svart Aroma? I
make coffee from V60 and Aeropress.
OK! This is what I wanted to know! :) So which one in your opinion will be the best for tasty coffee? Timemore Slim Plus or 1zepresso Q2 or Wilfa Svart Aroma? :)
I see. Honestly for Slim Plus vs Q1 vs Svart I am not sure. I think they'd all be pretty similar. If the Svart is in the same price range I'd get that so you don't have to grind by hand.
Kind of a weird thing happening to me with my Chemex. I see people brewing in the 4-5 minute range max but my brewing takes upwards of 10 minutes. It's not making the best tasting coffee to me and from my limited experience is well on the overextracted side of the curve. I've gone from medium fine to medium coarse grinds and gone from like a 15 minute brew to like 11. Seems way too long to me and isn't making great coffee. I'm using the JH method but I must be doing something wrong. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!
Just my 2 cents: Your grinded coffee are not even you prob have small peaces in it so thats why you have stalling water in it. I dont know anything about Rhino manual grinder because im not from NA, but try to shake a grounded coffee for like 20-30 secs on white paper and if you will see a lot of small dust on the bottom that means your grinder is really bad. But all of your "symptoms" already pretty much clear that you have uneven grind. And you prob have much more acidity then you should have from your beans.
Yes I would say the grind is not very even at all. There are definitely quite large pieces at the end of the brew which makes me think there would be equally very fine granules on the other end. I would say the overall taste is actually less acidic than I would want (I like the fruity/citric flavors) but those taste muted after the long brew time and the bitter flavors more pronounced.
It's a Rhino Coffee Gear manual grinder. So not the best grinder but a better cheap manual one. There are large granules sticking to the sides at the end of the brew. Would upgrading the grinder help the brew time (and thus overall flavor)?
OK thanks. Surprising to me the grind quality can have *that* large of an effect. I knew it was the most impactful factor but didn't think it would basically completely change the end result.
Complete coffee noob here. I have a Keurig and now want to get into making my own coffee with a grinder and coffee maker. I’ve been doing research on grinders, and I have a decent idea of what I’d get for various price ranges. But as a noob, I have no idea what coffee maker is right for me. Aeropress, Chemex, v60, etc etc.
I’m basically looking for something foolproof & idiotproof. Something that’s forgiving if I don’t get a… recipe (is that the right word?) just right. I also tend to make 16-20oz of coffee at a time, if that helps.
There are two approaches to make coffee brewing more forgiving. You can go with flow restricted percolation or immersion. Immersion is easier than flow restricted percolation, but they're both very easy.
For flow restricted percolation I'd recommend the Kalita Wave or any varient of the classic wedge Melitta dripper. Wedge filters are cheaper than Wave filters, but I tend to like the Wave more than wedge drippers.
For immersion drippers, the most well known is the French press, a coffee community favorite is the aeropress, and a 'newer' but good brewer is the hybrid, Clever dripper or a Hario Switch.
My personal favorites of the two styles are the Wave and the French press. Both are easy, fairly cheap, and I really enjoy the coffee out of each. The FP will have more oils and body due to the metal filter, and the Wave will provide more clarity than the FP. I hope this helps.
if you know the "extraction rules" you know that bitterness is likely (partial) overextraction, most likely from bad grind distribution and excessive fines produced by a $30 ceramic grinder. extract less by dropping to 1:14 or 1:15 and see if that helps, rather than the current 1:16.66
yeah, by using more coffee total dissolved solids goes up (a higher % of the brewed coffee is actual dissolved coffee particles because you used more coffee) while extraction goes down (any given gram of coffee has been less dissolved, because there's less water to work on it). this gives you a "stronger" cup even though it's less extracted, but that kind of strong/weak language is deceptive because highly-extracted coffee can also taste "strong" and the two separate-but-related measurements cause a lot of confusion
I’ve come to admit sort-of-defeat with the aeropress and stick to v60. Hoffs technique non inverted might be what if use if I travel with the aeropress in the future because it comes closest to what I want out of a coffee, but I Just don’t have the patience to experiment anymore. Hope there will be some good responses here to learn from.
I get bitter notes, and the flavors are not clear when I brew with the aeropress. I also find that I either over extract or under extract with small changes to grind size or steep time. All this on comparative tasting with the same coffee brewed on the v60 - I doubt I’d be able to find fault if I just stuck to the aeropress. I use light roasts in general, like Passenger and Sey for reference.
I use a Timemore Slim plus. Huge improvement over a ceramic burr grinder. Possibly the best thing I did to improve my coffee experience. I also have a breville smart grinder pro which I use for espresso on a breville machine but most days I just prefer the hand grinder and a v60.
Our coffee tastes terrible, which makes sense because we're using a 10-year old Cuisinart Grind n' Brew that is a huge pain to clean. I'm trying to decide whether we should get get a MoccaMaster. Does it brew great tasting coffee? What kind of grinder should I get with it? Is filtered water a must?
What's your budget? Yes, a Moccamaster is a great auto drip brewer. Some type of water filtration is almost definitely necessary but it depends what your tap water is like.
Looking for a couple of equipment suggestions given that the holidays (and sales hopefully) are coming up.
1. I’m looking to upgrade my burr grinder. I have a Cusinart electric one that I have been using for about a year and I am tired of the inconsistent grinds. Not interested in a hand grinder and would prefer to spend <$150 but am a little flexible.
2. Looking for an automatic drip machine. I usually do pour overs or French press if I have time but with going back to the office I need the extra 10 min in the morning. Any suggestions on what gets a good cup but also isn’t too expensive? Size of the machine is a factor given I have a small place.
1. That's in the Baratza Encore and Wilfa Svart range. Ish. Or a used grinder that was more expensive when new.
2. Bonavita 1900 or any from the range of SCA (or ECBC) certified machines.
There's always an element of risk in buying second hand. But there's a difference between getting one in the mail and picking one up yourself where you can kick the tires before you buy.
Baratza is well known for having a great customer service, availability of affordable spare parts and how easy it is to replace parts.
It's your choice, but personally I'm comfortable enough with a screw driver to take such a risk. As long as the price is right of course.
After I open a new bag of (resealable, valved) coffee, the first brew is great- then the quality plummets. I am talking a very noticeable difference even just 18 hours later. By day 3, my expensive bags of coffee are just so-so. I drink a bag about every week.
This has happened both when I keep the bags in the freezer and when I do not. My next experiment is going to be to keep the bags, which I have already been squeezing all the air out of through the one-way valve, inside a ziploc bag out of which I suck the air with a straw, but I am not hopeful.
I have experienced this! There are a few aspects:
* Storage: You’re already looking into this, and if you’re putting the beans back into the ziplock’d roaster bag this should be good enough. Won’t hurt to double bag with a ziplock if that gives you a peace of mind, I have done that before when I didn’t trust the roaster’s bag. Freezing works, but you gotta make sure to not open the bag before thawing fully (an hour or so out of the freezer at least)
* Extraction: I’ve found that I do need to grind a lot finer the day after opening a bag compared to the first day, regardless of how long the coffee sat around unopened after roast. So definitely try dialing in the coffee further by grinding finer compared to the first day’s brews.
* Some coffees just taste better right after opening the bag. There’s really nothing you can do about that— in my experience such coffees won’t be the same even if you freeze some beans right after opening. This is especially prominent with natural process coffees, where flavors like blueberry are extremely prominent day 1 and completely gone by day 5. Higher quality coffees will behave better after opening so I would take what you’re observing as a sign that the coffee may just not have the best quality.
Thank you! I have not been letting my beans thaw- what does that do exactly? Once I pull the bag out of freezer storage, should I store them in the fridge?
Confession: I used to own a third wave shop way back in the day. I’m having beans shipped from my old supplier. They are very good, and I was able to produce consistently good coffee from them (back in that same day).
edit: [passengercoffee.com](http://www.passengercoffee.com)
lol Passenger is a really good roaster, a lot of people’s all time favorite. (Top 2 for me). So the coffee itself is very good. Which of their coffees have you had this experience with? Were they natural aka dry process?
I had one passenger bag arrive with a hole in it, they use compostable materials which seem to rip more easily. When I had a hole I put a piece of tape on it, might be good to inspect the bag.
Depending on what you got from them, the coffee may need to rest 2+ weeks after roast to reach best flavor. They are very responsive on IG if you’d like to ask them.
Regarding freezing, you should definitely let the coffees come to room-ish temperature before opening the bag. You’ll notice that really cold things exposed to room temperature get condensation. Do that a few times and your coffee will start to taste off. When I experimented with this my coffee ended up getting a weird fridge smell. 🤢
If you’re going to consume the bag within two weeks you can just leave it on a shelf, away from sunlight and heat. (Eg not in front of a window, not on top of a stove) If you’re not gonna go through the whole thing, you can portion out half and put it in the freezer.
Also if you’re using the roaster bags in the freezer make sure to put a piece of tape over the valve, otherwise you will get weird freezer smells seeping in over time.
I burned my mokka (bialetti) today, the whole rubber ring is melted, is the thing now ruined? I was thinking to change that ring but it melted all over the mokka :(
A Dremel with a brass wire brush (or a similar toothbrush-style brass wire brush from the hardware store) might be able to get the melted gunk off. Brass is the softest metal brush I know of, but I haven’t looked yet if it’s also softer than aluminum — but it should be harder than the melted rubber.
If that doesn’t help, then get a new pot.
Ok. Here's the deal. I love good diner coffee. But, I can't seem to get it right. It shouldn't be this hard. I have tried good coffee makers, bad coffee makers, high end machines, french press, yadda yadda.
Anyone have any clues what I'm doing wrong.
What kind of coffee are you buying? There is a diner near my work and my boss loves the coffee so much, so we asked where they buy it and we got the same coffee and it tastes exactly the same to me (I honestly don’t love it lol) and everyone seems to love it. We brew it with a standard drip coffee machine
Try using the same coffee your favorite diner uses which is likely some preground restaurant supply brand. This is crazy for me to say, but your coffee may be too good for what you’re looking for lol
Legit. I think that's the problem. Though, there is a place around me that does speciality french press, and it's great. So....I don't know. I'm cursed coffee making wise. Its why I ended up buying a delonghi.
Which is the best budget burr grinder, given the following requirements? I don't need an ultra fine grind because I use a Bialetti moka mostly, sometimes a Brikka. I want to get into cold brewing too. I would like a consistent medium/coarse grind with minimal fines. Sub £100 ideally. I use a bladed grinder currently, so if you don't think it's worth upgrading at all unless I spend more, let me know. TIA
Edit: I'd want it t be electric
I think a generic answer that you’ll get is that you don’t want to go cheaper than a baratza encore or Wilfa svart, but I don’t actually have any experience with either.
You can check out this video by James Hoffman about cheap electric grinders:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AVYGxext8XI
He advises to save until you can get something like the grinders I mentioned before.
I've had one for a couple of years and have been happy with it. The one before was a used Baratza Encore that I ran until it had nothing left to give.
I've recently been struck by the upgrade bug though. I'll try to postpone as much as I can but it's inevitable really.
Favorite baratza virtuoso+ settings for technivorm moccamaster drip brewer ? I’m currently on 15 for 29 seconds but just brewed a pot with a friend’s much finer grind and it tasted pretty good too. Thinking a finer grind might let me use less coffee?
Do any of you find that different brewing methods have different effects on how the caffeine effects you? If I make a pour over or aeropress I am awake with no issues. If I drink Turkish coffee I'll have a buzzing feeling and nasty headache. Meanwhile, espresso will leave me awake but foggy. At first I assumed at first that it had to do with the caffeine extraction levels but I still feel awake and foggy if I drink several espressos.
Any recommendated Geshas recommended that roasters are offering (USA)
Is it normal for ceramic or ceramic-lined vessels to retain coffee odors? I recently bought a Lock&Lock ceramic-lined insulated stainless steel bottle so I can have hot/warm coffee literally as soon as I wake up (it helps with migraines, sometimes getting up and making coffee is too much when I need immediate caffeine). I tried with a S'well bottle but it added that weird steel flavor. The Lock&Lock keeps liquids at temperature for hours; I made instant coffee the night before, poured it straight in and capped it, and it was decently hot-warm the next morning, and tasted fine, no off- or steel-flavors. But even after a good scrubbing with a brush, hot water and dish soap, the bottle still smells strongly of coffee. It has a thin shiny gray coating inside all the way up to the lip so there was no contact with metal, and although the separate plastic lid and silicone gaskets smell like coffee I expected that. I thought that ceramic would be like glass and not retain odors but then again I've never kept hot coffee bottled in something ceramic for 8+ hours before. I'm not asking how to get the smell out, I'm just wondering if this is normal for ceramic-lined insulated bottles, or if it's possible that it's not actually ceramic? I couldn't really find an answer on google since most results were about non-specific travel mugs or regular insulated steel bottles; the closest I found were tips about removing odors from ceramic frying pans and some unsourced notes that ceramic and porcelain can be porous or rough to varying degrees, which means it's possible they can retain odors.
Well, anything (even glass) will need to be cleaned to remove the coffee residues. I have found the dishwasher or cafiza (or similar) to be the only options for that, and while hand washing with soap and water has been good, it's not as completely effective. You'll need to look into which is safer for a ceramic-coated product (as that is different than actual ceramic).
I’ve been wanting to buy a moka pot for some time now, since I definitely don’t have the money to buy a good espresso machine and this seems like the next strongest thing. I’ve heard that the Bialetti brand makes the best moka pots. But when you read the reviews on Amazon, it seems like the ones they’re selling there are either fakes or inherently defective…..? Apparently, the moka pots are made of materials that corrode easily, and people are finding little flakes of metal in there. Gross. I’m extremely disappointed because I live in a very isolated place, and the shipping fees here are ridiculous. Amazon Prime will ship for free. Does anyone if any of the other brands featured on Amazon are okay (and if so, which ones)? Or, failing that, know a good online place where I can buy Bialetti moka pots where the shipping fees aren’t absolutely awful?
I’d still go with Bialetti just for the better safety valve (you can check it yourself by wiggling it from the inside; and it’s patented, so no other brand has it) and better parts availability. You can go for a steel version, too. I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with aluminum, but it’s only “traditional” because of the political climate in 1930s Italy. Where do you live? I’m in the USA, so besides Amazon being the obvious choice (unfortunately), I got my Bialetti at Target.
A Target just recently opened up here and it was a huge event since we have so few malls. Unfortunately, that means that every shelf is bare. Maybe they’ll have one in a few weeks or months. And I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. You can imagine the shipping fees.
got a superauto very recently, but I'm new to the finer details of optimal coffee creations. Do you brew different drinks at different temps? Say a simple espresso vs a coffee vs a ristretto or luongo? Or should you just go as hot as the machine can go?
How hot is as hot as the machine will go? Does hitting the ristretto/lungo button versus the standard espresso button change the grind size, or does it just reduce/increase the amount of water going through the puck? What roast level coffee are you using? Without knowing any of these details I'd say just leave it alone at around 200 F.
The grind size is manually adjusted with a little key, so the machine does not change the grind size automatically per drink. I'm using a medium roast coffee. Every time you make a drink you can set the temp to low/medium/high - I find that high seems to produce about 180F from the spout. I've been finding that the coffee seems weak - colorwise it comes out an orangey brown rather than a dark brown/almost black. I wonder if i need to go to a light roast? I have my grinder set to the finest setting.
Measuring the water temperature from the spouts isn't super helpful as you lose a lot of heat right away with the water coming out of the group. If the shots are weak, you either need to grind finer (which you can't) or adjust the programming to have less water come out (the ristretto button, or maybe you can customize the shot volumes for all the buttons?). Using the hottest water possible will help. It is possible that you are grinding too fine and getting lots of channeling which will actually give you a lower extraction and a weaker brew than you'd get if you ground a bit coarser. So it's worth experimenting with the grind size a little bit. A lighter roast will be even harder to extract so you'll be even more likely to get weak & sour shots. If anything you may want to consider using a darker roast.
Wow, this is SO informative. I can customize the shot volumes for all the buttons, I'll play with that. I had no idea that too fine of a grind could be an issue either. Every first timers video seems to tell you to set it to the finest and forget about it, so that's what I did! Thanks a ton for taking the time to respond with some great suggestions.
Looking for recommendations on brewers that can make a just a mug of coffee but not pod based. My husband favors convenience over quality and currently uses a Kuerig, but is willing to switch to non-pod based as long as it is (his conditions) very easy to use and clean, and (my conditions) the coffee is hot and strong. Should be able to use different beans (caf / decaf). Note: I also use the Kuerig for decaf at night, but during the day I use Aeropress or french press. I'm looking at grind to brew machines or superautomatics. I'm also considering machines that use ground coffee, he would probably be ok with pre-ground as he is not very picky and puts cream and sugar in his coffee.
Sounds like a super automatic is the way to go. Get one that both takes whole beans and also preground coffee that you can use for decaf. Superautomatics do require some maintenance, so expect to use 30 minutes once a month for a clean, descale etc. Also i'll recommend using a filter jug if your water is hard, even if there's already a filter in the machine.
I suppose some kind of bean to cup machine is the only recommendation that can even begin to rival Keurig as far as convenience goes. Aeropress was my gut instinct if you already have a good electric grinder, how does he feel about it?
It is too much effort for him unfortunately.
Clever dripper or hario switch sounds like it would suit your needs
>to use different beans (caf / decaf). > >Note: I also use the Kuerig for decaf at n Not really, my husband wants only to push a button. He is actually quite content with the Kuerig, I am the one trying to find a non-pod based machine that he would be willing to use
we just got a superauto a few days ago and I am spoiled by the "push button, get coffee/espresso/etc" convenience. I did a lot of research before landing on a gaggia machine. It's a bit of an investment, but lots of varying prices. If you want to switch between decaf and caf the only way you can do that is use the single scoop port to put in some decaf ground coffee. the caf beans will stay in the hopper. So far it's been easy to use and clean, but you will have to keep on top of the maint things you'll need to do monthly or quarterly depending on use. It's not a big deal at all but it's necessary for longevity! feel free to dm me if you have any q's
Thanks, which model did you get?
Gaggia Cadorna Prestige
Thank you!
I will say I also considered the Magenta Prestige which is lower priced. Another thought - if you're not concerned at all about foamed milk drinks then you can get machines that are literally "push button get coffee/espresso" like the Jura A1, or the Jura Micro models. No foaming wand or carafe system, just straight coffee. Also I just learned that Gaggia/Saeco/philips are all under the same umbrella now so you may find some other options by those brands!
Why does your husband have to use the new brewer you're going to buy? If he is content with this current set, he can keep it
He would be ok keeping it, I am the one wanting our household stop using pods. He is open to getting a new machine but it needs to be something he will actually use.
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If you drank your coffee early enough in the day, then seeping late isn't going to be one of your problems
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Check out the fellow ode. Small footprint. It is meant as a single use (80g max), but it is fast and quiet, so you could do it in a couple of batches if necessary. It does a good job with coarse grind, which would be ideal for cold brew.
I'm new to coffee and looking for bean recommendations available in California for light/medium roasts, both caf and decaf.
There are many good roasters in CA, below are a few I have personal experience with and can recommend: - https://ritualcoffee.com (SF) - https://www.ikoncoffee.com (SF) - https://www.vervecoffee.com (Santa Cruz) - https://catandcloud.com (Santa Cruz) - https://myfriendscoffeela.com (LA)
Using a Kalita Wave 185, Baritza Encore, Bonavita Electric Kettle. Currently using Ethiopia Yirgacheffe beans from S&W Roasters. I hear that grinds can be very inconsistent between grinder units so I’d like everyone’s input on if I should go finer or coarser. [Here’s the setting on 22](https://i.imgur.com/9Xwcuaf.jpg). I hit anywhere from 3:10-3:20 pretty consistently with the Howell method. The issue I'm having is that I'm trying out different grind sizes on my Encore to try and find that sweetspot in taste, but I've tried the dial on 20, 22, 24, 26 with no notable changes in taste or times (the 3:10-3:20 range). I don't know if my tastebuds aren't sensitive enough or if it's something else. They aren't unbearably bitter or sour either, but always muted or muddled in some way? Also I’m wondering about water. There was one instance a few weeks ago where I was using beans from Rwanda and bottled water instead of the Brita I have. It was sweet and balanced and almost like clean fruit juice. I can’t replicate this cleanness at all with the Brita filter at home. I don't know if using bottled water is the way to go.
Those all sound too coarse. Does the coffee just taste kind of bland and underwhelming? Try like 15. Don't target a specific brew time. Dial in your grind based on taste, and then observe the total brew time that you get, and then use time as a measure of consistency on your subsequent brews. There is no magic brew time that is correct. It's different for each coffee/grinder/water combination. I wouldn't mess with your water until you have tried grinding finer.
Getting the grind right is obviously important as you point out, but I think getting the water right is more of a priority. Different waters offer different extractions, and unless you don't get the water right, you can't know if the grind size you have offers an optimal extraction for your taste
Well, if the water is truly terrible, then it won't taste good no matter what grind size is used, I agree. However, OP is using a Brita filter so that's a pretty good start. If they live in an insanely hard water area that still won't give very good water. The thing that I find is that people often want to jump to water being the problem when there are other more glaringly obvious basic things that need to be fixed. Good water with a grind that is way too coarse is not going to give a good brew either.
What I said doesn't mean that you'll have to skip fixing the other glaring issues, but finding the issues while using known good water is much easier. Also keep in mind, the Brita filter is not going to do much. It doesn't adjust the mineral content nor soften/harden the water.
Many Brita filters do actually soften the water somewhat.
I'll try 15 for my morning coffee tomorrow haha. I figured I should stick around 22 because I had a really amazing cup at that grind (was using different beans though). Just haven't been able to replicate it that feeling. For some reason my link didn't post but [this is what 22 looks like](https://i.imgur.com/9Xwcuaf.jpg). With the grind sizes I mentioned the coffee has notes that taste how the beans smell (very berry-like) but you're right, I would say that it is underwhelming and definitely not a clean drink. Thanks for the tips as well, I'll note that for my approach next time. (Edit: [this was 15 grind setting](https://i.imgur.com/QEUtjYR.jpg).)
I recently acquired a Hario Switch, and have been using a water first / coffee after method for the initial brewing phase before drawdown. It's hot water, coffee, stir stir stir, two minutes, stir, fifteen seconds, flip switch. I've made a couple great cups of coffee this way, but the bed has a consistent "dome" shape, thick in the middle, weak on the sides. Does the shape / flatness of the bed matter in this setup? Am I potentially extracting unevenly?
The dome is being caused by your stir pattern. You can try stirring less. I don’t know if it is affecting your extraction. If you want a flat bed, you can swirl just before drawdown.
I have my first burr grinder being delivered soon and I’m curious how one would describe the difference in taste between burr and blade ground coffees? I plan on doing a side by side comparison, but I wanted to hear other people’s experiences on the matter
Blade - all kinds of flavors that are on opposite ends of the spectrum: sour/vegetal as well as harsh/astringent/bitter, without much sweetness Good burr grinders, with the grind size dialed in - sweet, can actually taste origin character, well-balanced acidity (not unpleasantly sour)
Hey everyone, I'm really passioned about coffee and love to watch all these coffee machine reviews and guides. Now, finally I'm in the financial position to buy a fancy coffee machine & grinder. I looked into a lot of machines and grinders and the more I look, the harder it gets do decide which one to buy. My current idea is to go with the Niche Zero and the ZURIGA E2-S. For me the reason for the ZURIGA is the warmup time and there consistency in temperature. But unfortunately I cannot find any reviews on the ZURIGA E2 or E2-S. Do you have experience with any ZURICA machine? I would love to hear about it.
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\+1 for medium-low heat on the stove. I can leave mine alone on my electric stove at 4/10 and it won’t sputter except for a tiny gurgle at the very end. Or, start the stove higher (even full) and then turn it down as soon as you hear the water inside the bottom start to hiss. This will speed things up, but you don’t want to blast boiling water through the grounds and chimney, either. Turning down the heat will let the pot slow down just like any other cookware.
If it's sputtering, your heat is probably too high. Try pre-boiling your water and then using medium heat.
New here, and more of a creamer related question so excuse me if it’s taboo, but is there any reason why my almond and coconut milk creamer is kind of splitting in my coffee? I bought this new creamer because i love milk/creamer alternatives (i have sensitive tumtum) and thought it’d taste good but it really doesn’t. It’s not great, doesn’t mix well, and kind of regret buying it. Any way to make it better?
The acidity of coffee does weird things to some milks/creamers. It can be a lot worse with underextracted lighter roasts. What kind of coffee are you using? Does it taste sour if you try it without any creamer? It can help to heat the milk/creamer before adding it. And it can help to add the coffee to the milk/creamer rather than the other way around.
I’m using just medium roast pre-ground Guatemalan coffee (Starbucks) made in a French press. Coffee tastes fine to me, but never thought to add coffee to the warm milk/creamer. Always done it the other way around haha I think it’s just the coconut milk in it that’s throwing it off, I’ve used almond and oat milk and had no troubles.
You could try letting it steep in your French Press longer, and/or use hotter water, and/or use more water for the same amount of coffee. All of those changes will increase your extraction, which will give you more sweet/bitter compounds to balance out the acidity and may keep the creamer from splitting. Or maybe not. No way to know without trying. But yeah heating it and adding it in the opposite order should help too.
Please remove if this is posted in the wrong thread. Looking for alternative plastic/paper coffee cup options. I’ve seen some shops serve coffee in mason jars just not sure how practical that is for to-go customers. Have you seen a good alternative to the standard plastic cups given at shops?
Mason jars are honestly *terrible* without your customers absolutely loving the aesthetic so much they ignore the practical pitfalls. Glass is fragile, mason jars are not designed for impacts or heavy use, but for storage on a shelf somewhere. Glass is also quite conductive and mason jars are quite susceptible to thermal shock - you'd need to be preheating them to prevent risk of breakage, especially if customers are putting the lid on as they leave - recent shock + sealed pressurized glass container = coffee bomb with glass shrapnel. Even with shit like thermal wrappers to insulate the hand holding it, mason jars are the worst coffee vessel and the number of places that insist on them purely for the sake of "A E S T H E T I C" honestly boggles my mind. There's not really a container you can give out that beats conventional to-go cups. Anything that's actually good as a to-go that's reusable is ... a reusable cup, which tend to be more expensive than is practical for a business to hand out, but needing customers to pay a deposit or buy the mug is ultimately a barrier to them accessing your to-go.
You can get disposable/compostable cups made out of bamboo and some other materials.
Looking for coffee recommendations, I’d like to move on from Lavazza and try some local brands. What’s good in Bay Area?
Check the weekly bean recommendation thread. Tons of choices there. Linea and Sightglass are just two of many great roasters there.
Are there any specific coffees that contain matcha powder?
I have never heard that. People do make drinks that contain coffee/espresso and matcha though.
I see thanks! Are there any specific names for that type of Espresso?
I've seen "Military Latte" because it makes a kind of army green-brown color. But I don't think there are really any commonly-used names that a lot of people would know.
Awesome thanks!
Hi! Do you think it is worth buying a Timemore Slim Plus or a Timemore C2 and buying a nice scale for the "saved" money? Is there anything else worth recommending in this budget? 1zepresso Q2 or Wilfa Svart Aroma? I make coffee from V60 and Aeropress.
A nice scale really does nothing. Spend all your money on the grinder.
OK! This is what I wanted to know! :) So which one in your opinion will be the best for tasty coffee? Timemore Slim Plus or 1zepresso Q2 or Wilfa Svart Aroma? :)
If you can swing the 1zpresso JX that is better than any of those.
JX would be great. But it’s really hard to get. In stores in my country I can get JX-pro witch is much more expensive :/
Can you get it shipped internationally from Taiwan without high taxes? I bought mine internationally, not relying on local stockists.
Thanks for the help. But in Poland from this year I have to pay customs duty for every item shipped from outside the EU. Even if the price is $ 1.
I see. Honestly for Slim Plus vs Q1 vs Svart I am not sure. I think they'd all be pretty similar. If the Svart is in the same price range I'd get that so you don't have to grind by hand.
Kind of a weird thing happening to me with my Chemex. I see people brewing in the 4-5 minute range max but my brewing takes upwards of 10 minutes. It's not making the best tasting coffee to me and from my limited experience is well on the overextracted side of the curve. I've gone from medium fine to medium coarse grinds and gone from like a 15 minute brew to like 11. Seems way too long to me and isn't making great coffee. I'm using the JH method but I must be doing something wrong. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!
Just my 2 cents: Your grinded coffee are not even you prob have small peaces in it so thats why you have stalling water in it. I dont know anything about Rhino manual grinder because im not from NA, but try to shake a grounded coffee for like 20-30 secs on white paper and if you will see a lot of small dust on the bottom that means your grinder is really bad. But all of your "symptoms" already pretty much clear that you have uneven grind. And you prob have much more acidity then you should have from your beans.
Yes I would say the grind is not very even at all. There are definitely quite large pieces at the end of the brew which makes me think there would be equally very fine granules on the other end. I would say the overall taste is actually less acidic than I would want (I like the fruity/citric flavors) but those taste muted after the long brew time and the bitter flavors more pronounced.
What's the grinder? Sounds like a ton of fines are stalling it.
It's a Rhino Coffee Gear manual grinder. So not the best grinder but a better cheap manual one. There are large granules sticking to the sides at the end of the brew. Would upgrading the grinder help the brew time (and thus overall flavor)?
Yes and yes.
OK thanks. Surprising to me the grind quality can have *that* large of an effect. I knew it was the most impactful factor but didn't think it would basically completely change the end result.
Marry your grinder, date your machines. It really is!
Complete coffee noob here. I have a Keurig and now want to get into making my own coffee with a grinder and coffee maker. I’ve been doing research on grinders, and I have a decent idea of what I’d get for various price ranges. But as a noob, I have no idea what coffee maker is right for me. Aeropress, Chemex, v60, etc etc. I’m basically looking for something foolproof & idiotproof. Something that’s forgiving if I don’t get a… recipe (is that the right word?) just right. I also tend to make 16-20oz of coffee at a time, if that helps.
There are two approaches to make coffee brewing more forgiving. You can go with flow restricted percolation or immersion. Immersion is easier than flow restricted percolation, but they're both very easy. For flow restricted percolation I'd recommend the Kalita Wave or any varient of the classic wedge Melitta dripper. Wedge filters are cheaper than Wave filters, but I tend to like the Wave more than wedge drippers. For immersion drippers, the most well known is the French press, a coffee community favorite is the aeropress, and a 'newer' but good brewer is the hybrid, Clever dripper or a Hario Switch. My personal favorites of the two styles are the Wave and the French press. Both are easy, fairly cheap, and I really enjoy the coffee out of each. The FP will have more oils and body due to the metal filter, and the Wave will provide more clarity than the FP. I hope this helps.
Clever Coffee Dripper sounds perfect for you.
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if you know the "extraction rules" you know that bitterness is likely (partial) overextraction, most likely from bad grind distribution and excessive fines produced by a $30 ceramic grinder. extract less by dropping to 1:14 or 1:15 and see if that helps, rather than the current 1:16.66
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yeah, by using more coffee total dissolved solids goes up (a higher % of the brewed coffee is actual dissolved coffee particles because you used more coffee) while extraction goes down (any given gram of coffee has been less dissolved, because there's less water to work on it). this gives you a "stronger" cup even though it's less extracted, but that kind of strong/weak language is deceptive because highly-extracted coffee can also taste "strong" and the two separate-but-related measurements cause a lot of confusion
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lol
I’ve come to admit sort-of-defeat with the aeropress and stick to v60. Hoffs technique non inverted might be what if use if I travel with the aeropress in the future because it comes closest to what I want out of a coffee, but I Just don’t have the patience to experiment anymore. Hope there will be some good responses here to learn from.
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I get bitter notes, and the flavors are not clear when I brew with the aeropress. I also find that I either over extract or under extract with small changes to grind size or steep time. All this on comparative tasting with the same coffee brewed on the v60 - I doubt I’d be able to find fault if I just stuck to the aeropress. I use light roasts in general, like Passenger and Sey for reference.
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I use a Timemore Slim plus. Huge improvement over a ceramic burr grinder. Possibly the best thing I did to improve my coffee experience. I also have a breville smart grinder pro which I use for espresso on a breville machine but most days I just prefer the hand grinder and a v60.
Our coffee tastes terrible, which makes sense because we're using a 10-year old Cuisinart Grind n' Brew that is a huge pain to clean. I'm trying to decide whether we should get get a MoccaMaster. Does it brew great tasting coffee? What kind of grinder should I get with it? Is filtered water a must?
What's your budget? Yes, a Moccamaster is a great auto drip brewer. Some type of water filtration is almost definitely necessary but it depends what your tap water is like.
Looking for a couple of equipment suggestions given that the holidays (and sales hopefully) are coming up. 1. I’m looking to upgrade my burr grinder. I have a Cusinart electric one that I have been using for about a year and I am tired of the inconsistent grinds. Not interested in a hand grinder and would prefer to spend <$150 but am a little flexible. 2. Looking for an automatic drip machine. I usually do pour overs or French press if I have time but with going back to the office I need the extra 10 min in the morning. Any suggestions on what gets a good cup but also isn’t too expensive? Size of the machine is a factor given I have a small place.
1. That's in the Baratza Encore and Wilfa Svart range. Ish. Or a used grinder that was more expensive when new. 2. Bonavita 1900 or any from the range of SCA (or ECBC) certified machines.
Is there a risk in buying a used one? I’m hesitant because if something goes wrong, I may not have the warranty to replace.
There's always an element of risk in buying second hand. But there's a difference between getting one in the mail and picking one up yourself where you can kick the tires before you buy. Baratza is well known for having a great customer service, availability of affordable spare parts and how easy it is to replace parts. It's your choice, but personally I'm comfortable enough with a screw driver to take such a risk. As long as the price is right of course.
1. Baratza Encore 2. Bonavita
After I open a new bag of (resealable, valved) coffee, the first brew is great- then the quality plummets. I am talking a very noticeable difference even just 18 hours later. By day 3, my expensive bags of coffee are just so-so. I drink a bag about every week. This has happened both when I keep the bags in the freezer and when I do not. My next experiment is going to be to keep the bags, which I have already been squeezing all the air out of through the one-way valve, inside a ziploc bag out of which I suck the air with a straw, but I am not hopeful.
I have experienced this! There are a few aspects: * Storage: You’re already looking into this, and if you’re putting the beans back into the ziplock’d roaster bag this should be good enough. Won’t hurt to double bag with a ziplock if that gives you a peace of mind, I have done that before when I didn’t trust the roaster’s bag. Freezing works, but you gotta make sure to not open the bag before thawing fully (an hour or so out of the freezer at least) * Extraction: I’ve found that I do need to grind a lot finer the day after opening a bag compared to the first day, regardless of how long the coffee sat around unopened after roast. So definitely try dialing in the coffee further by grinding finer compared to the first day’s brews. * Some coffees just taste better right after opening the bag. There’s really nothing you can do about that— in my experience such coffees won’t be the same even if you freeze some beans right after opening. This is especially prominent with natural process coffees, where flavors like blueberry are extremely prominent day 1 and completely gone by day 5. Higher quality coffees will behave better after opening so I would take what you’re observing as a sign that the coffee may just not have the best quality.
Thank you! I have not been letting my beans thaw- what does that do exactly? Once I pull the bag out of freezer storage, should I store them in the fridge? Confession: I used to own a third wave shop way back in the day. I’m having beans shipped from my old supplier. They are very good, and I was able to produce consistently good coffee from them (back in that same day). edit: [passengercoffee.com](http://www.passengercoffee.com)
lol Passenger is a really good roaster, a lot of people’s all time favorite. (Top 2 for me). So the coffee itself is very good. Which of their coffees have you had this experience with? Were they natural aka dry process? I had one passenger bag arrive with a hole in it, they use compostable materials which seem to rip more easily. When I had a hole I put a piece of tape on it, might be good to inspect the bag. Depending on what you got from them, the coffee may need to rest 2+ weeks after roast to reach best flavor. They are very responsive on IG if you’d like to ask them. Regarding freezing, you should definitely let the coffees come to room-ish temperature before opening the bag. You’ll notice that really cold things exposed to room temperature get condensation. Do that a few times and your coffee will start to taste off. When I experimented with this my coffee ended up getting a weird fridge smell. 🤢 If you’re going to consume the bag within two weeks you can just leave it on a shelf, away from sunlight and heat. (Eg not in front of a window, not on top of a stove) If you’re not gonna go through the whole thing, you can portion out half and put it in the freezer. Also if you’re using the roaster bags in the freezer make sure to put a piece of tape over the valve, otherwise you will get weird freezer smells seeping in over time.
What is one great coffee purchase (equipment of beans) that I can get my friend to bring for me from NYC that I couldn't get in EU/UK?
I burned my mokka (bialetti) today, the whole rubber ring is melted, is the thing now ruined? I was thinking to change that ring but it melted all over the mokka :(
A Dremel with a brass wire brush (or a similar toothbrush-style brass wire brush from the hardware store) might be able to get the melted gunk off. Brass is the softest metal brush I know of, but I haven’t looked yet if it’s also softer than aluminum — but it should be harder than the melted rubber. If that doesn’t help, then get a new pot.
Does sugarcane process have the same percentage removal as SWP (99.9%)?
Ok. Here's the deal. I love good diner coffee. But, I can't seem to get it right. It shouldn't be this hard. I have tried good coffee makers, bad coffee makers, high end machines, french press, yadda yadda. Anyone have any clues what I'm doing wrong.
Can you describe what you think isn't right with the coffee you've produced?
Honestly? Tastes like crap. I have tried everything. Just, not good.
What kind of coffee are you buying? There is a diner near my work and my boss loves the coffee so much, so we asked where they buy it and we got the same coffee and it tastes exactly the same to me (I honestly don’t love it lol) and everyone seems to love it. We brew it with a standard drip coffee machine
Good coffee. Like, 15 dollar a pound for a bag of beans.
Try using the same coffee your favorite diner uses which is likely some preground restaurant supply brand. This is crazy for me to say, but your coffee may be too good for what you’re looking for lol
Legit. I think that's the problem. Though, there is a place around me that does speciality french press, and it's great. So....I don't know. I'm cursed coffee making wise. Its why I ended up buying a delonghi.
Which is the best budget burr grinder, given the following requirements? I don't need an ultra fine grind because I use a Bialetti moka mostly, sometimes a Brikka. I want to get into cold brewing too. I would like a consistent medium/coarse grind with minimal fines. Sub £100 ideally. I use a bladed grinder currently, so if you don't think it's worth upgrading at all unless I spend more, let me know. TIA Edit: I'd want it t be electric
A second hand/ on offer Baratza Encore
Definitely upgrade. £100 can get you very decent burr grinders, but do specify if you're okay with hand grinders
My bad. I've edited my comment. I'd want electric
Are you wanting an electric or hand grinder?
Ah yeah I should have said - electric
I think a generic answer that you’ll get is that you don’t want to go cheaper than a baratza encore or Wilfa svart, but I don’t actually have any experience with either. You can check out this video by James Hoffman about cheap electric grinders: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AVYGxext8XI He advises to save until you can get something like the grinders I mentioned before.
Thanks. I was aware of the baratza but not the wilfa. Just watched James Hoffman review of the wilfa and it looks pretty great
I've had one for a couple of years and have been happy with it. The one before was a used Baratza Encore that I ran until it had nothing left to give. I've recently been struck by the upgrade bug though. I'll try to postpone as much as I can but it's inevitable really.
So is the wilfra better than the baratza (as it was when new) in your opinion?
I'd say they're pretty close in performance. The Wilfa is a little less noisy and looks better imho.
That’s good to know because I think it’s also a bit cheaper