Thread: How to make Great coffee.

I bought a Bodum from the Starburnts here for $20. It is a 4 cup and works wonders. I am sure there are better, but the price was right.

Here's my technique. Some coffee purists may scoff, but I find it works well, and everyone who I've ever served it to has liked it as well.

I start out with one of those enamelware percolator pots you get for camping. You know, the blue with white speckles all over it. Take the percolator stuff out and put it in the recycling bin. It's worthless. The capacity of one of these pots is roughly three quarts, and you need about that much room to make this work.

Put one quart of water in the pot, set it on the stove and bring it to a boil. Grind your beans until they are about the consistancy of talcum powder ("weaponized", as my brother likes to call it) For one quart, you'll need four level scoops of this grind. Remember, it must be a fine as you can get it. It takes a while in a blade-style grinder, so stick with it. Once the water has come to a boil, remove it from the heat and let it cool a bit. Dump the coffee into the water and then put it back on the heat. It will begin to foam up. Once the foam gets to within about an inch of the top of the pot (you need to watch it the entire time, it happens pretty quickly), remove it from the heat. Wait for the foam to settle back down to the original water level (about 45 seconds), and then put it back on the heat. It will foam up again like the first time, but have your cup ready now. Once it get's to within an inch of the top, remove the pot from the heat and pour.

I find this to be the most satisfying cup of coffee ever. Some may say "This is no way to make a pot of coffee, but that's becausae they haven't tried it yet. It is some tasty stuff.

I like a well made cup of espresso, and I love french press (only I use a fine espresso grind), but my Turkish/cowboy coffee is how I prefer to start my days.

Originally Posted by joesixpack

Here's my technique. Some coffee purists may scoff, but I find it works well, and everyone who I've ever served it to has liked it as well.

I start out with one of those enamelware percolator pots you get for camping. You know, the blue with white speckles all over it. Take the percolator stuff out and put it in the recycling bin. It's worthless. The capacity of one of these pots is roughly three quarts, and you need about that much room to make this work.

Put one quart of water in the pot, set it on the stove and bring it to a boil. Grind your beans until they are about the consistancy of talcum powder ("weaponized", as my brother likes to call it) For one quart, you'll need four level scoops of this grind. Remember, it must be a fine as you can get it. It takes a while in a blade-style grinder, so stick with it. Once the water has come to a boil, remove it from the heat and let it cool a bit. Dump the coffee into the water and then put it back on the heat. It will begin to foam up. Once the foam gets to within about an inch of the top of the pot (you need to watch it the entire time, it happens pretty quickly), remove it from the heat. Wait for the foam to settle back down to the original water level (about 45 seconds), and then put it back on the heat. It will foam up again like the first time, but have your cup ready now. Once it get's to within an inch of the top, remove the pot from the heat and pour.

I find this to be the most satisfying cup of coffee ever. Some may say "This is no way to make a pot of coffee, but that's becausae they haven't tried it yet. It is some tasty stuff.

I like a well made cup of espresso, and I love french press (only I use a fine espresso grind), but my Turkish/cowboy coffee is how I prefer to start my days.

Interesting idea. Do you pour through a filter? Or do the grinds dissolve somehow?

Sounds like you're using it like a rather large Ibrik. Which means your cup capacity "shrinks" as you drink if you're not "straining" it. Beware that last sip!

I love my coffee in the morning or evening haha.. when I'm at home on the weekends with enough time I'll usually brew a pot to drink. I keep a Burr-mill grinder right next to my coffee maker and I grind about 5 mins before I put it in the filter for the coffee maker. since my coffee grinder has a setting for # cups of coffee I trust it for my measurements. It has never failed me

One thing I learned from a friend if you want a change from your everyday coffee is to put a teaspoon of ground cinnamon into your grind and mix it up. I've found that this is a great change to my everyday coffee an really does taste great!

Cheers,

- Tam -

I always suspected the smaller grinds were more consistent, but never tried it out. I'm going to have to try that in the future. When I get back from my "vacation."

Originally Posted by pjrage

Interesting idea. Do you pour through a filter? Or do the grinds dissolve somehow?

I filter it through my kidneys.

Actually, the grounds settle to the bottom of the cup (and the bottom of the pot as it sits). Elliette is correct that it's like a big ibrik. As you get to the botom of the pot, you end up with less and less room in your cup as the silty grounds layer deeper and deeper on the bottom. Sometimes the last sip is really quite solid. It's a bit of a shock.

Originally Posted by joesixpack

but my Turkish/cowboy coffee is how I prefer to start my days.

AS I was reading through your method, I was thinking "that sounds like (a pretty big) Turkish coffee. I have been told it is key, just to get to the foaming stage and not to get to a full boil, or it turns bitter. I have made turkish coffee but was always careful not to exceed the foaming stage.

FWIW I am told the Turks foam it 3 times before decanting.


If you worry about getting all the grounds out of your cup. A great alternative to the French press is the Vac Pot. There are a number of different kinds of vac pot. I think I have 4 different models.

They all use the principle that water boils at a temp close to the ideal brewing temp. They have a closed boiling chamber which when the water starts boiling forces the water through the filter into the chamber where the ground coffee is. The water is at the perfect temp as it mixes with the grounds. When the heat is removed, the gasses in the boiling chamber contract drawing what is now coffee back into the boiling chamber (which is no longer boiling) and you serve from there. I think the best cost conscious new vac pot is made by Yama. It comes in3, 5, and 8 cup sizes. It has heavier glass than the Bodum brewer and uses cloth filters which are reusable. Cloth removes less of the flavor oils than paper. I use a vintage glass filter made by Cory (purchased on ebay) which I think does a better job of filtering.

here is a pic of the yama stove top brewer:



I am saving up for one of the very best modern brewers. The Cona table top model is a beautiful retro type of vacuum brewer and comes with a glass filter.

There is a you tube video that explains the process:

YouTube - Vacuum Coffee Maker - How does it work? Demo