Thread: The Way of the Bean

I'm a black & strong kind of guy.

Chemex brewer myself. Lately I've been enjoying a single cup
(8oz) rather than the usual two. Makes things more about the
quality of the cup, rather than quantity

- Scott

Caffe' Vita Del Sol roast in a French Press. 4 minutes on the clock, half & half with brown sugar. The only way to start my day!

I roast my own so I usually order 20lbs of beans at a time and roast them as I need them. I'll vary the beans I get according to whats available. I use a Technovorm to brew. I'll put a little 1/2 and 1/2 in. That's about it.

I use a filter drip machine, both at work and at home. I probably drink too much of the hot black stuff.
In the weekend I enjoy my coffee like one of my ex-SWMBOs, strong, sweet and Irish.

I like my coffee like my women. full of booze....

But seriously, the best thing you can do to improve you coffee, use freshly roasted beans. Grind them just before brewing and use the proper amount of coffee.

The package coffees like Illy are, well, garbage. Coffee has a shelf life of around 7 days once it comes out of the roaster. Market coffee has sat around for weeks if not months. Even Illy's nitrogen flushing prior to packing does little. Never buy coffee that does not have a 'roasted on' date. Watch out for the popular 'scooped on' dating. The beans could have been roasted a month ago and sat until someone scooped them into bags.

Ground coffee has about one minute before it goes flat, get yourself a real burr grinder not a whirly blade of death grinder or a bean crusher (fake burrs). Sorry, you are not going to get a serviceable burr grinder for under $150. My espresso grinders are are around $1600. A good hand mill will work but they take a loooong time to crank and the good ones are still $100'ish.

Then use the proper amount of coffee for your brew method, along with the proper temperature. Most people go light on the coffee which will lead to a bitter over extracted cup. Most brewers do dont get hot enough either, 195-205 depending on the blend or origin. Most home drip pots do not go over 180. Dont under estimate the good old manual filter cone and a pot of water off the stove. It will make a better cup than that Wallmart $50 coffee brewer.

That looks most excellent

Originally Posted by Otto

I use a filter drip machine, both at work and at home. I probably drink too much of the hot black stuff.
In the weekend I enjoy my coffee like one of my ex-SWMBOs, strong, sweet and Irish.

Cannonfodder, I both disagree, and agree with you.

To call Illy and other higher end coffee "garbage" is a diservice and misleading. Are they as good as freshyly roasted and freshly ground? Of course not! But we cant all have that luxury, and if you must deal with store bought, they are the best option.

If you want to be a true coffe snob, you had best be getting your beans within 14 days of them being harvested, and I hear that the best ones are proccessed through a rats ass. (not really joking here)

I also disagree with your numbers. home brews tend to OVERHEAT the coffee. the best flavors are extracted at around 185 degrees. the higher temps will bring out the more bitter oils. But then again, some people equate bitter with "good" proof of that is in any cup of Staryucks...
The coffee cone with poured water does indeed provide a fine fine cup. and half of that is because the water has cooled down from boiling during the trip from pot to cone, and during the trickle down process!
So there..Meh!

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

I like my coffee like my women. full of booze....

But seriously, the best thing you can do to improve you coffee, use freshly roasted beans. Grind them just before brewing and use the proper amount of coffee.

Agreed. Freshly roasted beans are available in most cities,
and if not, you can always roast your own.

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

Ground coffee has about one minute before it goes flat, get yourself a real burr grinder not a whirly blade of death grinder or a bean crusher (fake burrs). Sorry, you are not going to get a serviceable burr grinder for under $150. My espresso grinders are are around $1600.

Baratza make a decent burr grinder for around $150 --
the Maestro. It's probably the only one in that price range,
and does a decent job for pour-overs. French press is a
bit of a stretch and you wouldn't even try espresso with it.

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

Then use the proper amount of coffee for your brew method, along with the proper temperature. Most people go light on the coffee which will lead to a bitter over extracted cup. Most brewers do dont get hot enough either, 195-205 depending on the blend or origin. Most home drip pots do not go over 180. Dont under estimate the good old manual filter cone and a pot of water off the stove. It will make a better cup than that Wallmart $50 coffee brewer.

Completely agreed. The one exception, if you want more
of an automatic brewer, is the Technivorm.

- Scott

Originally Posted by Magpie

Cannonfodder, I both disagree, and agree with you.

To call Illy and other higher end coffee "garbage" is a diservice and misleading. Are they as good as freshyly roasted and freshly ground? Of course not! But we cant all have that luxury, and if you must deal with store bought, they are the best option.

If you want to be a true coffe snob, you had best be getting your beans within 14 days of them being harvested, and I hear that the best ones are proccessed through a rats ass. (not really joking here)

I also disagree with your numbers. home brews tend to OVERHEAT the coffee. the best flavors are extracted at around 185 degrees. the higher temps will bring out the more bitter oils. But then again, some people equate bitter with "good" proof of that is in any cup of Staryucks...
The coffee cone with poured water does indeed provide a fine fine cup. and half of that is because the water has cooled down from boiling during the trip from pot to cone, and during the trickle down process!
So there..Meh!

Once beans are harvested they easily last 6 months or more without any degradation. As a matter of fact if you check it out most professional coffee guys will tell you that green beans properly stored at 1 year old have the slightest degradation to none at all.

As far as home brewing 185 is way too low. Cannonfodder is right on with the temps. If you check the specialty coffee guys they will confirm this. That's why machines like the technivorm make a superior brew. It's all in the temperature.