Coffee Catch-All

I just put in regular milk. Like a caveman.

I just put in coffee.

Coffee.

wordsmythe wrote:

I just put in coffee.

Coffee.

That's right. This is not a milkshake thread!

But what will I use to entice boys to enter my yard?

A coquettish look?

My steamed milk entices landed gentry to my abode, and verily gentlmen, it is far superior to yours.

I would be inclined to instruct you, but at a certain expense.

Squee9 wrote:

My steamed milk entices landed gentry to my abode, and verily gentlmen, it is far superior to yours.

I would be inclined to instruct you, but at a certain expense.

That seems harder to clap my ass along with.

wordsmythe wrote:

I just put in coffee.

Coffee.

My wife doesn't seem to grasp the value of coffee-flavored coffee quite as well. Though I've developed enough of a fondness for good espresso + sweetened, condensed milk that I'm trying to get a Moka pot. I think I'll try making some with a whisk this weekend, since I don't have a french press.

LM -
I've read that people have issues with their french presses getting roughed up/broken by that process (intended for a single, slow press rather than the more vigorous foaming action). I take it you've not had that issue?

Kraint wrote:

LM -
I've read that people have issues with their french presses getting roughed up/broken by that process (intended for a single, slow press rather than the more vigorous foaming action). I take it you've not had that issue?

I do that sort of thing when mine need a good cleaning, and they haven't had problems.

Kraint wrote:

LM -
I've read that people have issues with their french presses getting roughed up/broken by that process (intended for a single, slow press rather than the more vigorous foaming action). I take it you've not had that issue?

I honestly have only done it a handful of times. My wife is lactose intolerant and I avoid liquid calories. But I haven't had any issues at all in my limited usage.

I am not a big fan of coffee. I drink it but I would much rather be drinking tea. I am one of those people that love love love flavored coffee or coffee with those tasty creamers. The kuring+ekobrew has been my go too at home and the office drip coffee is just acid and nasty too me. I always get stomach aches from it.

Then I found someone French press in the office and decided to give it a go. I watched a video of how to do it and gave it a shot. I must say the coffee actually tasted really good! I don't know if I put too little coffee but it did not upset my stomach and I enjoyed it much more than the nasty office drip coffee. What is the rule of thumb with coffee per ounce using a french press?

Avoid the dark roasts if coffee bothers your stomach. This is typically from the oils in coffee beans, which are brought out more the longer the coffee roasts. The lighter roasts tend to have more flavor as well. They're harder to find though. Even the Starbucks "blond" roast is dark, in my opinion.

The proportion for French press is pretty much the same as drip. Somewhere between one scoop per cup to one scoop per two cups. You'll want a coarse grind with a French press so the coffee doesn't end up in your cup though.

Regarding French press vs. filter, paper filters will remove more of the oils from coffee than a French press. The taste is definitely different though, so people prefer different methods. And really, the best method varies based on the beans and roast. A lot of people swear by cold brewing. It's one approach I've never tried.

I suggest finding a source of good coffee. It will make the biggest difference in taste and how your stomach feels. Forget everything in the grocery store. Coffee loses flavor fairly quickly after roasting (whole beans are good for a few weeks, pre-ground for maybe one week), and who knows how long the beans have been there. Instead hit up a coffee shop and get something they've roasted recently. Really good shops will have a roasting date on their coffee so you won't have to ask.

Acidity could also cause stomach discomfort.
I would suggest trying a simple pour over and aeropress in addition to the french press to really try some different coffee making methods.

I've done some cold brew using a nifty hario unit I picked up off amazon. Due to the longer extraction at lower temperatures you end up with a very smooth, low acidity cup that you might find pretty good as well.

Drip coffee will contain a lot more nasty acidic oils than french press coffee simply because the grounds are being exposed to the water for too long. When you french press coffee, you are only exposing the grounds to the water for 4 minutes or so. This is why you pour all of the coffee out of the press pot immediately after 4 minutes and don't keep it in there with the grounds. If you leave the leftover coffee in there for later, it will have been exposed to the grounds for too long and will have picked up lots of bad oils and flavors. Also, drip coffee tends to get left on a burner to keep it warm. This changes the coffee a great deal, and I have found that it will be much harder on your stomach. Definitely don't use dark roasts, either, as complexmath mentioned earlier. They do have lots more oils than lighter roasts.

As mentioned before, the standard ratio is 1T to 1 Cup (4 oz). You have to note that this isn't a normal cup, though. For some reason, coffee making equipment tends to show a cup as being 4 oz instead of the standard 8 oz.

So, to make it easier, just use 2T of grounds for every standard 8 oz cup of hot water.

The Toddy coffee maker is my go-to for low-acid, easier-on-the-stomach coffee that still packs a punch. As TB recommended, put some light roast in one of those for best results.

Thanks all. I will looks around for some light roast beans in combination with the french press. I will go to the Trader Joe's near me and see what they have.

Enix wrote:

Any suggestions on a retail store that sells an espresso tamper? I've got an old machine that has all its parts except for that. Or can I MacGuyer a substitute?

First time poster, long time lurker in this thread. Thanks for your help!

Not sure where you are in NC, but World Market sells them. I haven't checked Target or Macy's, but they may sell tampers, too.

Enix wrote:

Any suggestions on a retail store that sells an espresso tamper? I've got an old machine that has all its parts except for that. Or can I MacGuyer a substitute?

First time poster, long time lurker in this thread. Thanks for your help!

Id say just go to amazon, lots of types available. Just pay attention to the size of it.

I got a burr grinder for christmas, and I've been quite impressed by the improvement in flavour compared to the old blade grinder.

It's a hand powered one, too, which adds an extra step to the coffee preparation ritual. I'm quite enjoying that aspect too.

Was gifted an AeroPress for Christmas, and I'm somewhat perplexed by the fact that letting the grounds steep for ~10 seconds means around half of the coffee has already dripped through the filter into my mug before I even start the pressing process. I watched one of the AeroPress "how to" videos and yes, that appears to be how it works. What exactly is the pressing part of it accomplishing here? By the time I start plunging, there's not much coffee left. I'm mostly pressing air through the grounds.

Hence the Aeropress part of it:)

What i do is to put the plunger on top after i add the water and stir the grounds, to keep water from leaving the chamber. Then plunge after 20 secs or so.

I'm close to buying a Hario cold brew coffee maker - any tips or other equipment I should know about?

Scaphism wrote:

I'm close to buying a Hario cold brew coffee maker - any tips or other equipment I should know about?

There should be a cold brew guide up soon on Stumptown's new site. I know they are selling some cold brew kits now in their stores. Keep an eye on it. They know how to make great cold brew.

You probably don't need the best beans to do it because a lot of the flavors are lost using this method. Just make sure the beans are a nice full-city roast rather than a dark roast I would think. I have yet to make cold brew on my own but have thought about it.

Any suggestions on a retail store that sells an espresso tamper? I've got an old machine that has all its parts except for that. Or can I MacGyver a substitute?

First time poster, long time lurker in this thread. Thanks for your help!

Edit: corrected spelling of MacGyver; I obviously needed more coffee before I posted this.

I use this system for cold brewing, and it works really well.

jonfentyler wrote:

Not sure where you are in NC, but World Market sells them. I haven't checked Target or Macy's, but they may sell tampers, too.

I'm in Gso, and there's a World Market a couple of miles from my house. Thanks for the tip.

(What I discovered later on last night is that my machine has a pressurized portafilter. But that's a discussion for another time. Apparently there's some dispute in the espresso-making world on whether this is a handy improvement or the mark of the beast.)

MikeSands wrote:

I got a burr grinder for christmas, and I've been quite impressed by the improvement in flavour compared to the old blade grinder.

It's a hand powered one, too ...

What exactly did you get? And do you have a link?

There are some ways around the dripping

1. Use a finer grind of coffee.
2. Do a quick stir then put the plunger into the cylinder just a little. This should slow down the dripping.
3. Do it upside down: google: aeropress inverted.

Personally, I use the inverted method. Makes a more consistent cup.

BreechLoad wrote:

There are some ways around the dripping

1. Use a finer grind of coffee.
2. Do a quick stir then put the plunger into the cylinder just a little. This should slow down the dripping.
3. Do it upside down: google: aeropress inverted.

Personally, I use the inverted method. Makes a more consistent cup.

This. The inverted method is best.

Anyone tried teechino's caffeine free "herbal coffees" or any other caffeine free (rather than merely decaf) coffees?

Enix wrote:
MikeSands wrote:

I got a burr grinder for christmas, and I've been quite impressed by the improvement in flavour compared to the old blade grinder.

It's a hand powered one, too ...

What exactly did you get? And do you have a link?

It's this one: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Coffee-Hand-Grinder-Skerton/dp/B001802PIQ. Very good design and build quality.