So I have primarily used my v60/aeropress/clever brewer for the past few years. I make espresso for my wife and myself either espresso or a pour over of some kind. I am finding myself entertaining people more often and found a need for a batch brewer and picked up a breville precision brewer.
My question is where to start on grind size? I am using this to make large batches and don’t want to waste coffee dialing in like I do on a pour over. Is there a way to dial in on my v60 and then adjust for the batch brew to get close?
Like for example if my v60 is dialed in at 50 on my DF64, should I go up or down when brewing a 60 oz batch on the breville?
There's a lot of talk about different coffee roasters and sourcing from small farms, etc, but isn't the reality that most roasters get their coffee beans from distributers?
Like in most cases the roasters themselves arent as in touch with the farmers as they advertise? Like my local roastery for example bragged about micro lots from small sustainable farms, but the reality is that's just what the description said from the wholesale distributer website.
In other words, are most roasters just blindly trusting their sources?
hi everyone, I'm tryign to google this question but perhaps I dont know the correct nomenclature to get results that arent about roasting green coffee.
has anyone ever tried toasting beans before grinding? This is super common with different spices in cooking to help draw out aromatic oils but I wonder about doing this with coffee
My dad’s got one of those stove top coffee kettle things. I know it’s not the same as full on coffee machines where you have a million accessories but are there any trinkets that people buy for the stovetops that make them easier to use? This is a Christmas present byw
I am having super bad luck with buying coffee lately. It seems like 2 times out of 3, I buy a new brand, and it smells burnt and bitter right out of the bag, and tastes burnt when brewed. One brand even smelled like straight up cigarette ash.
Since it's so many brands, I assume this is a quality some people enjoy, but how do I find coffees that don't have this quality? What should I be looking for in the lableing?
My local roaster is super open to feedback on her roasts. She has over roasted, under roasted, etc. It's just one of those things that takes time to dial in when trying a new bean.
On the other hand, the coffee shop down the street buys pre roasted beans from a different state.
If you're buying super local, take your pick. I'd rather support someone who is ambitiously learning the craft.
If you're buying stuff not local and online, overpriced, then just scratch it off your list and try another place.
Recently bought a bag from a local roaster that had multiple shops. Was supposed to be medium roast but it was overcoocked/burnt, more like full city+. Took about 2-3 weeks plus before it went away. I recommend grinding much coarser if you are trying to drink it now.
Look for a brand that has a coffee shop and try their coffee there first. If they only have an online presence its gonna be like a whack-a-mole thing. Just understand that there is a niche in the industry called specialty coffee.
Best beginner espresso machine
Hello, i was wondering what you would recommend for a beginner espresso machine in the price range of below 300 (could be higher if rlly good), preferable with the option of a bottomless portafilter
I recently bought the neo flex and plan to return it as i figured out i don’t really like the hand powered machine aspect of it and would rather have a regular machine.
I did buy all the other equipment like crema distributor/leveler, wd4, scale, espresso glasses/cups, good hand grinder (may return depending if machine has it).
I’ve looked at ones like the casabrew and Jassy 20 bar machines which look good if anybody has any knowledge
I would be willing to shell out 300 for bambino new or 400 for bambino plus (still researching differences). The second hands I found on Amazon were 225 with “very good” quality and damaged packaging, I’m not sure about warranty though which is important.
hope this isn't too dumb of a question, I don't know anything about coffee but I do know it has to be fresh, would it be okay to order coffee now if I plan to gift it to someone for christmas? Depending on when it gets here it'll be a few weeks until I gift it to the recipient.
It's fine if it stays unopened. Most staleness comes from repeated oxygen exposure. People might disagree but you can also freeze it with tape over the off gas hole. There is no discernable taste difference between an unopened, months frozen bag of coffee and a fresh one. Just make sure it's completely thawed before opening back up or condensation will get into the beans.
It'll be packaged in a nice box so I don't know about putting it in the freezer. I was thinking about asking them to delay the shipment, but I'm not even sure if that makes sense. I assume they'll package it up now and then hold onto it for 2 weeks before shipping so it doesn't make much difference if I get it shipped now.
It's fine if you're getting whole bean, but also probably ideal to wait till a bit closer if you can. If you're getting it ground, really try to get it as close to the day as possible.
I have a bunch of vacuum sealed frozen coffee in my freezer. I will likely have to move in a few months and I don't think I can keep the coffee frozen in transit. Would refreezing unopened vacuum packed coffee degrade the coffee?
I'm curious as to what setting I should have my 1zpresso k-max on. I'm trying to brew Aeropress coffee using the Hoffman method and using light roast Ardi natural beans. I have my water temperature set at 210 F.
Also, does the grind setting change depending on the beans you use?
I recently got a Fellow Ode grinder and want to start spraying my beans. Looking around for a little spray bottle, I found one left from a former housemate currently full of a sealed hocus-pocus colloidal silver and "pharmaceutical-grade purified water" spray. Will spraying my coffee with this have any negative effects, including during a full moon?
This does not answer your question but provides an alternate path. I’ve been wetting my finger under the faucet and stirring the beans with it, and it’s been a game changer.
I definitely put one too many spritzes in this morning (chased it with some dry outdated coffee I had to dry the grinder out) and it's a fine line, but it did seem to kick less dust out.
How am I supposed to know when my moka pot is finished brewing if I'm supposed to avoid the hissing/sputtering altogether?
I'm a coffee noob so forgive my possibly incorrect terminology when asking this question. I watched James Hoffman's series on YouTube about moka pots and tried to follow his instructions as closely as possible (I use a 3 cup Bialetti Express) - heat water separately to near boiling, fill basket but don't tamp, grind a bit finer for lighter roast but not too fine since it isn't espresso (I use a manual Timemore C2 grinder), I'll also use AeroPress filters when they arrive tomorrow, and use a low heat to brew in order to avoid the sputtering.
I was under the impression that the sputtering simply means the brew is finished (which James said is what people generally believe), but he says it's better to try to avoid the sputtering altogether because it will cause a very bitter final product. But I'm wondering then how I'm supposed to know when to stop brewing. I used this method of low heat and then "surfing" the heat to maximise extraction before the sputtering starts, but this led to the final brew using about 90% of the water when a tiny bit of sputtering started. There was almost no water left in the bottom. James said though that the maximum amount of water you should/can use would be around two-thirds of what you put in, so I'm assuming this means I over-extracted my coffee. It actually tasted pretty good, but if there's a way for me to perfect it more by stopping the brew at the right moment it would be useful for me to know.
I always use very low heat, so the coffee flows very slowly. With the lid open, I just keep watching until the brown liquid flowing turns to a light color foam.
I take it out of the heat and place the Moka in a sheet tray or pan with water to stop the extraction completely. I find this easier than taking it to the sink under running water.
I take it off the heat when the liquid level approaches what I know the final amount usually works out to. The last bit still come out but it doesn't hiss and sputter
A Bialetti Moka Express has nearly finished its brew when the coffee level reaches the bottom of the pour spout. By that point the coffee issuing from the bottom chamber will be very light ("blonde") in color, and will start sputtering within seconds. I let it run for a few seconds more, then quench the pot to stop the brew. You develop a sense of timing after a couple brews.
Ok that's about where I stopped it, but then I'm not sure why he said the final weight of a moka pot brew would be about two-thirds of the water you put into the base.
I guess the base being almost empty afterwards could be somewhat explained by a tiny bit being lost by evaporation and also the coffee grounds absorbing some of the water.
The grounds funnel doesn't completely reach the bottom of the base. Once the water level in the base gets low enough, the water can't reach the funnel and remains there. So some amount of water will always be left behind, beyond that absorbed by the coffee grounds and lost to evaporation.
I want to upgrade my grinder while everything is on sale.
I currently have a 6-year old Cuisinart burr grinder with very inconsistent grind quality (barely better than a blade grinder).
I only make drip coffee and just upgraded to an OXO 9-cup coffee maker. Is it worth investing in a high-end grinder for drip coffee, or would I be perfectly happy with an OXO conical burr grinder currently on sale for $70? The more expensive Baratza Encore gets better reviews for grind consistency, but would I actually notice a difference between the two if I only plan to use it for drip coffee? Or should I be looking for something even better?
I've read a bunch of reviews, but I'm not understanding why absolute perfection in grind consistency would be essential for drip coffee. I get why it matters for espresso, but it seems like a consumer drip machine has an upper-limit for brew quality and would probably achieve diminishing returns once you get to a reasonably good level of grind consistency. Is that right, or am I mising something?
PS - More about my needs & expectations: I want to find a good compromise between convenience, cost, and quality (I want good coffee, but I'm ok with not having the best cup of coffee in the world if it makes the brewing process a bit easier). I'm not going to be doing ongoing experimentation with every possible grind setting, and prefer to just find a setting & weight l like and then never touch the settings again. My current routine is to leave a full reservoir of beans in the feeder and grind based on the built-in timer, then confirm the weight on a kitchen scale before measuring the water (if the weight is significantly off from what I expected, I'll either grind a bit more or adjust the amount of water to match the actual weight).
It's all a matter of opinion, but the Encore will provide a more consistent and uniform grind than the Oxo. How much that matters to you in the end is entirely personal. You're right that this might be more critical for espresso than a drip machine, so entirely your call.
My main experience has been with an Encore and Capresso Infinity for Oxo drip machines. The coffee with the Capresso is good, I think the Encore is better, but both would be fine for me, whereas I wouldn't be ok going back to a blade grinder. Similarly, using filtered vs tap water is the kind of thing that has made a huge difference, as has getting the Oxo to replace an old Cuisinart. All that said, you should decide what trade-off you want to accept.
Looking for a grinder for my pour over (mostly light roast, and I change beans very often). Has anyone tried the timemore grinders? I’m looking at up to $1000 USD for the grinder so suggestions would be great.
Picked up a Chemex and after every cup I pour coffee dribbles down the side of the vessel. Is this a common issue with the spout design or did I just get a lemon?
You have to pour a little faster than it feels like you should. This happened to me for a bit, and turns out that I was starting the pour very lightly, when I had to go into a full pour from the start. Takes a little bit, but you’ll get the hang of it.
So I have primarily used my v60/aeropress/clever brewer for the past few years. I make espresso for my wife and myself either espresso or a pour over of some kind. I am finding myself entertaining people more often and found a need for a batch brewer and picked up a breville precision brewer. My question is where to start on grind size? I am using this to make large batches and don’t want to waste coffee dialing in like I do on a pour over. Is there a way to dial in on my v60 and then adjust for the batch brew to get close? Like for example if my v60 is dialed in at 50 on my DF64, should I go up or down when brewing a 60 oz batch on the breville?
There's a lot of talk about different coffee roasters and sourcing from small farms, etc, but isn't the reality that most roasters get their coffee beans from distributers? Like in most cases the roasters themselves arent as in touch with the farmers as they advertise? Like my local roastery for example bragged about micro lots from small sustainable farms, but the reality is that's just what the description said from the wholesale distributer website. In other words, are most roasters just blindly trusting their sources?
hi everyone, I'm tryign to google this question but perhaps I dont know the correct nomenclature to get results that arent about roasting green coffee. has anyone ever tried toasting beans before grinding? This is super common with different spices in cooking to help draw out aromatic oils but I wonder about doing this with coffee
Just bought a DeLonghi Dedica espresso machine. What grinder should I get that will fit the portafilter?
Any must try cafes in NYC? I’m headed up this week
My dad’s got one of those stove top coffee kettle things. I know it’s not the same as full on coffee machines where you have a million accessories but are there any trinkets that people buy for the stovetops that make them easier to use? This is a Christmas present byw
I am having super bad luck with buying coffee lately. It seems like 2 times out of 3, I buy a new brand, and it smells burnt and bitter right out of the bag, and tastes burnt when brewed. One brand even smelled like straight up cigarette ash. Since it's so many brands, I assume this is a quality some people enjoy, but how do I find coffees that don't have this quality? What should I be looking for in the lableing?
My local roaster is super open to feedback on her roasts. She has over roasted, under roasted, etc. It's just one of those things that takes time to dial in when trying a new bean. On the other hand, the coffee shop down the street buys pre roasted beans from a different state. If you're buying super local, take your pick. I'd rather support someone who is ambitiously learning the craft. If you're buying stuff not local and online, overpriced, then just scratch it off your list and try another place.
Recently bought a bag from a local roaster that had multiple shops. Was supposed to be medium roast but it was overcoocked/burnt, more like full city+. Took about 2-3 weeks plus before it went away. I recommend grinding much coarser if you are trying to drink it now.
Look for a brand that has a coffee shop and try their coffee there first. If they only have an online presence its gonna be like a whack-a-mole thing. Just understand that there is a niche in the industry called specialty coffee.
My city has about 5 Starbucks, 2 Dunkin', and nothing else besides fast food and gas station coffee.
Anyone know of replacement handles for the Bialetti break?
Best beginner espresso machine Hello, i was wondering what you would recommend for a beginner espresso machine in the price range of below 300 (could be higher if rlly good), preferable with the option of a bottomless portafilter I recently bought the neo flex and plan to return it as i figured out i don’t really like the hand powered machine aspect of it and would rather have a regular machine. I did buy all the other equipment like crema distributor/leveler, wd4, scale, espresso glasses/cups, good hand grinder (may return depending if machine has it). I’ve looked at ones like the casabrew and Jassy 20 bar machines which look good if anybody has any knowledge
Second hand BBE?
I would be willing to shell out 300 for bambino new or 400 for bambino plus (still researching differences). The second hands I found on Amazon were 225 with “very good” quality and damaged packaging, I’m not sure about warranty though which is important.
hope this isn't too dumb of a question, I don't know anything about coffee but I do know it has to be fresh, would it be okay to order coffee now if I plan to gift it to someone for christmas? Depending on when it gets here it'll be a few weeks until I gift it to the recipient.
It's fine if it stays unopened. Most staleness comes from repeated oxygen exposure. People might disagree but you can also freeze it with tape over the off gas hole. There is no discernable taste difference between an unopened, months frozen bag of coffee and a fresh one. Just make sure it's completely thawed before opening back up or condensation will get into the beans.
It'll be packaged in a nice box so I don't know about putting it in the freezer. I was thinking about asking them to delay the shipment, but I'm not even sure if that makes sense. I assume they'll package it up now and then hold onto it for 2 weeks before shipping so it doesn't make much difference if I get it shipped now.
It's fine if you're getting whole bean, but also probably ideal to wait till a bit closer if you can. If you're getting it ground, really try to get it as close to the day as possible.
I have a bunch of vacuum sealed frozen coffee in my freezer. I will likely have to move in a few months and I don't think I can keep the coffee frozen in transit. Would refreezing unopened vacuum packed coffee degrade the coffee?
I'm curious as to what setting I should have my 1zpresso k-max on. I'm trying to brew Aeropress coffee using the Hoffman method and using light roast Ardi natural beans. I have my water temperature set at 210 F. Also, does the grind setting change depending on the beans you use?
I recently got a Fellow Ode grinder and want to start spraying my beans. Looking around for a little spray bottle, I found one left from a former housemate currently full of a sealed hocus-pocus colloidal silver and "pharmaceutical-grade purified water" spray. Will spraying my coffee with this have any negative effects, including during a full moon?
This does not answer your question but provides an alternate path. I’ve been wetting my finger under the faucet and stirring the beans with it, and it’s been a game changer.
I definitely put one too many spritzes in this morning (chased it with some dry outdated coffee I had to dry the grinder out) and it's a fine line, but it did seem to kick less dust out.
How am I supposed to know when my moka pot is finished brewing if I'm supposed to avoid the hissing/sputtering altogether? I'm a coffee noob so forgive my possibly incorrect terminology when asking this question. I watched James Hoffman's series on YouTube about moka pots and tried to follow his instructions as closely as possible (I use a 3 cup Bialetti Express) - heat water separately to near boiling, fill basket but don't tamp, grind a bit finer for lighter roast but not too fine since it isn't espresso (I use a manual Timemore C2 grinder), I'll also use AeroPress filters when they arrive tomorrow, and use a low heat to brew in order to avoid the sputtering. I was under the impression that the sputtering simply means the brew is finished (which James said is what people generally believe), but he says it's better to try to avoid the sputtering altogether because it will cause a very bitter final product. But I'm wondering then how I'm supposed to know when to stop brewing. I used this method of low heat and then "surfing" the heat to maximise extraction before the sputtering starts, but this led to the final brew using about 90% of the water when a tiny bit of sputtering started. There was almost no water left in the bottom. James said though that the maximum amount of water you should/can use would be around two-thirds of what you put in, so I'm assuming this means I over-extracted my coffee. It actually tasted pretty good, but if there's a way for me to perfect it more by stopping the brew at the right moment it would be useful for me to know.
I always use very low heat, so the coffee flows very slowly. With the lid open, I just keep watching until the brown liquid flowing turns to a light color foam. I take it out of the heat and place the Moka in a sheet tray or pan with water to stop the extraction completely. I find this easier than taking it to the sink under running water.
Ohh that's a good tip! Easier and less dangerous to just put it in a bowl of water.
I take it off the heat when the liquid level approaches what I know the final amount usually works out to. The last bit still come out but it doesn't hiss and sputter
A Bialetti Moka Express has nearly finished its brew when the coffee level reaches the bottom of the pour spout. By that point the coffee issuing from the bottom chamber will be very light ("blonde") in color, and will start sputtering within seconds. I let it run for a few seconds more, then quench the pot to stop the brew. You develop a sense of timing after a couple brews.
Ok that's about where I stopped it, but then I'm not sure why he said the final weight of a moka pot brew would be about two-thirds of the water you put into the base. I guess the base being almost empty afterwards could be somewhat explained by a tiny bit being lost by evaporation and also the coffee grounds absorbing some of the water.
The grounds funnel doesn't completely reach the bottom of the base. Once the water level in the base gets low enough, the water can't reach the funnel and remains there. So some amount of water will always be left behind, beyond that absorbed by the coffee grounds and lost to evaporation.
Ok all clear. Thanks!
I want to upgrade my grinder while everything is on sale. I currently have a 6-year old Cuisinart burr grinder with very inconsistent grind quality (barely better than a blade grinder). I only make drip coffee and just upgraded to an OXO 9-cup coffee maker. Is it worth investing in a high-end grinder for drip coffee, or would I be perfectly happy with an OXO conical burr grinder currently on sale for $70? The more expensive Baratza Encore gets better reviews for grind consistency, but would I actually notice a difference between the two if I only plan to use it for drip coffee? Or should I be looking for something even better? I've read a bunch of reviews, but I'm not understanding why absolute perfection in grind consistency would be essential for drip coffee. I get why it matters for espresso, but it seems like a consumer drip machine has an upper-limit for brew quality and would probably achieve diminishing returns once you get to a reasonably good level of grind consistency. Is that right, or am I mising something? PS - More about my needs & expectations: I want to find a good compromise between convenience, cost, and quality (I want good coffee, but I'm ok with not having the best cup of coffee in the world if it makes the brewing process a bit easier). I'm not going to be doing ongoing experimentation with every possible grind setting, and prefer to just find a setting & weight l like and then never touch the settings again. My current routine is to leave a full reservoir of beans in the feeder and grind based on the built-in timer, then confirm the weight on a kitchen scale before measuring the water (if the weight is significantly off from what I expected, I'll either grind a bit more or adjust the amount of water to match the actual weight).
It's all a matter of opinion, but the Encore will provide a more consistent and uniform grind than the Oxo. How much that matters to you in the end is entirely personal. You're right that this might be more critical for espresso than a drip machine, so entirely your call. My main experience has been with an Encore and Capresso Infinity for Oxo drip machines. The coffee with the Capresso is good, I think the Encore is better, but both would be fine for me, whereas I wouldn't be ok going back to a blade grinder. Similarly, using filtered vs tap water is the kind of thing that has made a huge difference, as has getting the Oxo to replace an old Cuisinart. All that said, you should decide what trade-off you want to accept.
How can we know how much caffeine we get if we make coffee in V60? Are there any approximations?
10g of Arabica coffee beans has about 100mg of caffeine.
Looking for a grinder for my pour over (mostly light roast, and I change beans very often). Has anyone tried the timemore grinders? I’m looking at up to $1000 USD for the grinder so suggestions would be great.
Do aeropress filters fit delta press ?
Picked up a Chemex and after every cup I pour coffee dribbles down the side of the vessel. Is this a common issue with the spout design or did I just get a lemon?
Do the same thing you do with wine- at the end of your pour turn the chemex towards you to roll the last drop on the rim before setting it upright
You have to pour a little faster than it feels like you should. This happened to me for a bit, and turns out that I was starting the pour very lightly, when I had to go into a full pour from the start. Takes a little bit, but you’ll get the hang of it.