OT: How do you make coffee?

[greg928gts]

I'm telling you guys. I know the Aeropress isn't the end-all of coffee makers, and it is not making espresso, but for thirty bucks, it doesn't take up much room in the kitchen, you don't need to get too involved, it's quick and easy to clean, and it makes great coffee. And I'm only using a cheap blade grinder right now, someday I'll upgrade. Try it.

Greg

[colterphoto1]

So then you'd recommend the Aeropress would you Greg? LOL []

[fini]

I'm a-gonna try the Aeropress. So, you're not supposed to use boiled water, right? What kind of kettle heats the water to the right temp, but stops short of boiling?

I saw a Cuisinart burr grinder yesterday at Costco for $30. Any good?

[greg928gts]

I'm a-gonna try the Aeropress. So, you're not supposed to use boiled water, right? What kind of kettle heats the water to the right temp, but stops short of boiling?

I heat bottled water in the Aeropress plunger/measuring cup right in the microwave. Took me a couple of times with a temperature guage to know how many seconds to heat it. I shoot for 185 degrees.

Greg

[fini]

Ah, that makes sense. I'll use the water I filter with my reverse osmosis unit (as I do now).

[Daddy Dee]

I think I'm getting inspired by the Aeropress.

[fini]

Dee, it's $25.99 at Amazon.

[MD1032]

I actually just got a grinder for Christmas as well as one of those glass jars with the clamp to keep the beans fresh. I was finding that the coffee was just not quite as good by the end of being stored and used as when fresh-ground while using the tupperware.

Anyway, I use the cheap Black and Decker $18.00 coffeemaker with the paper filter you can find at Wal-Mart, because it's basically the same as any other drip-brewer you can buy. It's still 975 watts, still boils the water, and it makes some killer coffee.

I use Starbucks. My favorite coffee is their latest Anniversary roast, but man, that stuff's expensive, and hard to find. It's easily the best coffee I've ever had in my life, though. With the right amount of half-and-half and sugar it just downright tastes like drinking really good dark chocolate. Mmmmm!!

My regular favorites are their Sumatra and Italian Roast. I tried the Gold Coast blend and thought it was too dark. I also tried the Ethiopia and that stuff was pretty crappy and just not strong enough despite bearing the "Bold" label. I'm really not a fan of their darker-roasted coffees like French Roast... to me it just tastes like they outright burn the coffee. The Sumatra, though, is definitely their best non-seasonal coffee. In general, wherever I go, I find that the Sumatra is just the best. It really has just a nice, rich, complex flavor. I like the Italian Roast because it's the opposite, being very sweet and smooth while still being very powerful in the flavor department. Switching off between those two keeps me happy.

[Rockets]

A few years ago I bought my wife one of these http://salestores.com/saeco305.html

though, I didn't pay that much for it... It's really a pretty sweet machine.

All I know is the same beans run through a drip pot vs. the espresso maker above and the taste is totally different. I'm not saying the drip made is bad, but the flavors are enhanced w/ a crema head to boot. Kind of like going to larger horns...

[kelA]

Just bought my parents for Christmas the same model that Picky has, Cuisinart DCC1200 Brew Central, and they love and swear by it. I never got into hot coffee. On occassion I will do a Vietnamese iced coffee.

[greg928gts]

Anyone have any experience with the Chemex coffee makers?

http://chemexcoffeemaker.com/

I have a friend who just pours hot water over grinds in a filter right into his cup. This coffee maker seems like the same idea.

Greg

[Daddy Dee]

Greg,

Thanks for the link. Chemex is a new one on me, but boy do they have some lovely hand blown glassware. I really like the glass kettle/boiler. That is an exceptionally creative design, IMO.

Don't know about all the claims on their filters. But if it works like they say it does, it should be excellent coffee indeed.

[boom3]

This thread won't die...must be all the coffee we are drinking!

Here is what I use. It's the Jubilee of Coffemakers:

http://www.amazon.com/Capresso-CoffeeTEAM-S-Coffee-Grinder-Combination/dp/B000ELFZNM/ref=pd_bbs_sr_6?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1230470647&sr=8-6

Ignore the reviews that talk about the coffee not being hot enough. That was fixed in production a long time ago. I had both Melitta and Cuisnart grinder/brewer combos...both made good coffee but were fragile junk. It is a bit embarressing, not mention frustrating pre-coffee, to have to duct tape the lid down so the machine will work.. That's what the Cuisinart required after the lid latch broke after 6 months.

Like most grinder/brewer combos, there is a bit of sediment left in the cup. I can live with that. Other coffee hounds have raved about the coffee I make with it. I have had grinder/brewer combos for years and I just can't go back, too spoiled to fresh-ground coffee every day (at least when I'm home). The Capresso's bean silo holds enougfh for at least a week. Grinding is far from silent, and it makes a good alarm clock.

The Capresso does require a little of cleaning to keep the ground coffee conduit clean, but that is easy and a small chore considering the results.The Capreso has two controls to fine-tune the strength of the coffee, although I find the default settings OK for me. It comes with a DVD instruction "book" as well a good hard-copy manual. Made in Portugal.

[Audible Nectar]

I use Bunn - what I consider to be the Klipsch of coffeemakers. I think of "presses" and "espresso" to be B&W - nice, but not necessarily worth the hassle or my taste.

I use a standard Krups coffee grinder. Who says you cannot use one of these to get good coffee? I don't subscribe to the idea that coffee grinders must grind coffee to powder - just don't run it as long :-) I don't care for pre-ground coffee - that ruins things quicker than any other "poor" process, IMO, especially if one grinds longer in advance or buys it ground. I grind it when I use it.

I typically use 8 O'Clock French roast coffee, occasionally splurging on better brands/fair trade stuff when I want a change of pace.

Good water does help....if you have crappy water supply a Brita can be of assistance here.

If one does go the Bunn route, I HIGHLY recommend the newer version with the thermal carafe (NO heat pad). Wanna know the fastest way to kill a pot of coffee? Leave it on a hot pad for an hour after brewing. If you use a Bunn filter, NO SEDIMENT. In fact, if you have a typical coffeemaker that uses the 10-12 cup fluted round filters, use Bunn filters even if your maker isn't a Bunn.

Coffee should be served HOT. I have as much use for cold coffee as hot beer - which isn't much, except for soaking brats in beer, I suppose....

"High end coffee on a budget" is why I consider Bunn the Klipsch of coffeemakers. While I am well aware of other "high end" options, I have yet to try one that made me want to change from what I'm doing now. Fifteen years of the "Seattle-ization" of the coffee biz hasn't changed my tastes or approaches too much......

[J.4knee]

Well as it turns out it is mystical forces that make my coffee. I visited my Brother and Mother this past week and there was fresh brewed coffee there as well when I woke up. [Y]

[Daddy Dee]

You and Bob Crites!

FWIW I've been browsing for a gold filter for my Bunn. There are a few out there, but none of the appropriate size. I did order one from Target, only to find when it arrived that the item description and misstated the dimensions. Now I need to return it. :-(

Looks like the only robustly sized gold coffee filters are for the Melitta type drip outfits. Used to use one with paper filters. It was OK, not any better than the Bunn I'm using now. I'm sort of curious to see if the gold filter would derive a brew something closer to the French press, w/o the paper filter to absorb the oils.

I'm pretty lazy when it comes to making coffee.

[J.4knee]

The advantage of the gold filter is that it does not absorb coffee oils. The mystical machine(s) that produces my coffee has been using a gold filter for the past 15 years.

[Bill H.]

Well I open the lid to my Black and Decker coffee maker, add three spoon fulls of Portorico coffee, 12 cups of water and close the lid. Then I hit start.

It also has this unique feature on it where if I made it up the night before, and program it, Wheeeeeeeeee fresh coffee when I wake up

PORTO RICO IMPORTING
CO.

201 BLEECKER ST.

NEW YORK, N.Y. 10012

212-GR7-5421

1-800-453-5908

FAX:212-979-2303

Our
Coffees Are Roasted Daily

[kelA]

I have read MANY reviews about thermal carafes not being that great. The biggest problem I read about is that the carafe is cold in the morning if you do programmed start times, which leaves luke warm brewed coffee in the carafe. Many people told of needing to temper the carafe before brewing to ensure a HOT cup of coffee. YMMV.

[oldtimer]

I use Bunn - what I consider to be the Klipsch of coffeemakers. I think of "presses" and "espresso" to be B&W - nice, but not necessarily worth the hassle or my taste.

I use a standard Krups coffee grinder. Who says you cannot use one of these to get good coffee? I don't subscribe to the idea that coffee grinders must grind coffee to powder - just don't run it as long :-) I don't care for pre-ground coffee - that ruins things quicker than any other "poor" process, IMO, especially if one grinds longer in advance or buys it ground. I grind it when I use it.

I typically use 8 O'Clock French roast coffee, occasionally splurging on better brands/fair trade stuff when I want a change of pace.

Good water does help....if you have crappy water supply a Brita can be of assistance here.

If one does go the Bunn route, I HIGHLY recommend the newer version with the thermal carafe (NO heat pad). Wanna know the fastest way to kill a pot of coffee? Leave it on a hot pad for an hour after brewing. If you use a Bunn filter, NO SEDIMENT. In fact, if you have a typical coffeemaker that uses the 10-12 cup fluted round filters, use Bunn filters even if your maker isn't a Bunn.

Coffee should be served HOT. I have as much use for cold coffee as hot beer - which isn't much, except for soaking brats in beer, I suppose....

"High end coffee on a budget" is why I consider Bunn the Klipsch of coffeemakers. While I am well aware of other "high end" options, I have yet to try one that made me want to change from what I'm doing now. Fifteen years of the "Seattle-ization" of the coffee biz hasn't changed my tastes or approaches too much......

Right there with you. I use a Bunn from circa 1998. Repaired it once. The customer service of good ole USA Bunn does bring comparisons to Klipsch. After reading Cal's post I measured the temp of the water. He is right, it only makes 175f on the candy thermometer which is close to ideal but not perfect. I love how manual it is though, much like a turntable, lol. Grind your beans for 15 seconds, that's what I do and what Alton Brown, the king of geek scientist celebrity chefs recommends. Bunn filters are found at Ace hardware stores around these parts. The other rule in my house is 30 minutes or less for freshness, or it's down the drain. If I ever build my dream house I might try Bunn commercial grade.