change bikes alot, but not coffee making stuff -> Aeropress

[eddief]

Have been using simple plastic Melitta cone, filters, caraffe for many years. Boil water, pour, drink...forever.

Neighbor sang the praises of Aeropress, he went on vaca, and let me do a trial run with his kit for 3 days. I was a doubter...just as in many things bike. But just as in many things bike, you gotta test the hype to figure out if it is hype of it might just be individual taste, or what?

I ordered one. The coffee, even with the same beans I always use, tasted different and, in the end, I think it tasted better.

Old dog, new tricks.

[woolly]

The Aeropress is great! Inexpensive too.

[GScot]

It's all I use. Mr. Coffee now lives in the garage.

Makes a great fast cup of coffee.

[mvrider]

I don't drink coffee, but I like the fact that the Aeropress was designed by the same guy who designed the Aerobie. So a coffee maker designed by a rocket scientist. Cool in a geekie kind of way.

[reggiebaseball]

Though not invented by a rocket scientist or inherently aerodynamic,

there is something called a "French Press" that does the same thing (I suspect), with less consumable parts.

Regardless, if you like "Mr. Coffee" then anything will be a revelation.

[zetroc]

Aeropress coffee beats french press coffee any day of the week. It's all I use now. Highly recommended.

[jdhansen63]

I got an aeropress for christmas and prefer it to my french presh. It's easy to use and clean, and IMHO the coffee tastes better. I have worn through a plunger though.
Though not invented by a rocket scientist or inherently aerodynamic,

there is something called a "French Press" that does the same thing (I suspect), with less consumable parts.

Regardless, if you like "Mr. Coffee" then anything will be a revelation.

[ColonelJLloyd]

I wasn't aware of the Aeropress before now. It looks cool, but I doubt it would make a better cup than the Clever, which I use now, and certainly doesn't look any easier/faster. But it's cheap enough I may just have to try one.

[jh_on_the_cape]

Try a 'moka' if you don't want something you plug in such as a proper espresso machine.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beverage/MokaPot2.jpg

[fuzzalow]

Regardless, if you like "Mr. Coffee" then anything will be a revelation.

LOL, how true.

Allow me to counter in defense of and in fairness to the Mr. Coffee contingent (slightly misquoting Thoreau): "Richest is the man whose pleasures come cheapest."

[christian]

Try a 'moka' if you don't want something you plug in such as a proper espresso machine.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beverage/MokaPot2.jpg

As Michael Scott would say, "Explain it to me like a nine year-old." How does one use a moka pot? Is it quick and simple? Is it easy to clean up? Can my four year-old do it while I sleep in?

[christian]

Yeah, nvm. I read the Stumptown coffee page. If I had that kind of time, I'd make waffles.

[d_douglas]

Aeropress are great ! I use one at work.

As I chatted with a barista in our coffee crazy city abou how to make a great coffee, he stated that there is only one way to make proper espresso, and that is with a machine that you see in a good coffee shop. He reminded me that stovetop makers and aeropress are not espresso makers, but coffee makers.

However, he said that short of spending $3000 to $20000 on a real espresso machine, aero press makes the next best cuppa joe in his opinion. His opinion was then confirmed by three other baristas in unrelated cafes throughout the city.

It takes a bit of precision, but if you are that type of person, you can make a mean cup of 'near-espresso' with this machine. Highly recommended!

[thirdgenbird]

As Michael Scott would say, "Explain it to me like a nine year-old." How does one use a moka pot? Is it quick and simple? Is it easy to clean up? Can my four year-old do it while I sleep in?



It really doesn't take that long. No longer than a plug in coffee pot.

[neiltron]

Aeropress rocks. I used it on job sites where no running water was available and cleaning a french press was difficult. With the Aeropress, the coffee grounds get compressed into a little hockey puck that's really easy to clean up.

Plus you can always joke about it being your coffee syringe / WELL ITS TOO BIG TO FIT INTO MY VEINS

[Puget Pounder]

I'll try this aeropress you speak of.

I have 6 different contraptions to make coffee in my house. One of them looks like a crackpipe (The Japanese made it). MY favorite is the Moka Pot though. Coffee, the European way.

[d_douglas]

Aeropress rocks. I used it on job sites where no running water was available and cleaning a french press was difficult. With the Aeropress, the coffee grounds get compressed into a little hockey puck that's really easy to clean up.

Plus you can always joke about it being your coffee syringe / WELL ITS TOO BIG TO FIT INTO MY VEINS



I refer to it as my coffee bong - awkward moment at new job when I put it up to my mouth to simulate taking a hit :)

I had to ensure a few people that it was, in fact, a coffee maker :) :)

[professerr]

Though not invented by a rocket scientist or inherently aerodynamic,

there is something called a "French Press" that does the same thing (I suspect), with less consumable parts.

Regardless, if you like "Mr. Coffee" then anything will be a revelation.

No, no -- try it. Aeropress is quite different. The paper filter and higher pressure allow a much finer ground, shorter brew time (as little thirty seconds), a smaller quantity of water and no fins. The end result is a fairly different brew than French press.

Big downside is that it only makes one cup at a time.

[ptourkin]

I got an aeropress for christmas and prefer it to my french presh. It's easy to use and clean, and IMHO the coffee tastes better. I have worn through a plunger though.

Love mine. Bike tourists the Path Less Pedalled are also fans.
I wore out my first plunger too then realized that it needs to be put away with the rubber outside of the chamber. Simple fix.

[mike p]

99% of my coffee needs are satisfied with a French press and moka java pot.

Mike

[slidey]

I've only ever used the Aeropress, but from my extensive survey before purchasing one it is as close to my idea of perfection as possible. Requires very little maintenance, minimal amount of time to make the coffee, portable (wherever hot water may be available), takes very little away from the quality of the coffee itself, option of espresso or just a hot cup of coffee, and some helpful folks at my local coffee shop (the French Press) also highly recommended it, saying depending on user's experience or precision, the coffee could actually be made better than from a french press; they would know.

Also, I've been informed by the same folks that this metallic disk filter (http://coava.myshopify.com/products/disk-coffee-filter) makes for a richer flavour of the coffee.

[GScot]

It does make near espresso. And it makes the best fake americano that I know of. Heating water in the microwave I'm typically 6 minutes from getting out of bed to drinking coffee with all the tools clean and drying on a rack. Makes it easy to get that strong cup of coffee in before an early ride.

[reggiebaseball]

cool,
when they make one that makes 60 ounces at a time like my French Press, I'm in.

Until then I would need to smoke the japanese crack pipe and the coffee bong while using 5 Aeropresses to get my morning jolt.

It certainly looks easier than the last "it" coffee thing, Chemex, which looks like lab equipment too.

[rwsaunders]

As Michael Scott would say, "Explain it to me like a nine year-old." How does one use a moka pot? Is it quick and simple? Is it easy to clean up? Can my four year-old do it while I sleep in?

The Moka pot takes about 4-5 minutes to brew on a gas burner at low-medium heat. Grounds go in the garden when I'm done...3 parts to the machine.

[Peter B]

Aeropress works great for brewing one or two quick, simple, delicious cups. I use the perforated metal filter disc so compostable waste is all that remains. Water to 170* in 3 minutes, stout espresso in under 4, cleaned up 30 seconds after that. Do remember to store the plunger outside the cylinder for seal longevity.

I did the Melitta cone pour over for years. The Aerobie makes better coffee to my taste.

[CDollarsign]

Aeropress is not espresso. Not even close. The volume, extraction time, extraction method, and dose are different. That being said I've never been a fan. I feel like it over complicates the brew process for a muddled cup. I prefer V60 or Kalita Wave for brewing clean bright cups.

[ptourkin]

Aeropress works great for brewing one or two quick, simple, delicious cups. I use the perforated metal filter disc so compostable waste is all that remains. Water to 170* in 3 minutes, stout espresso in under 4, cleaned up 30 seconds after that. Do remember to store the plunger outside the cylinder for seal longevity.

I did the Melitta cone pour over for years. The Aerobie makes better coffee to my taste.

+1 on the metal filter. You can get it on Amazon.

[moose8]

Also, supposedly it makes lower acidity coffee so if you suffer from heartburn it is supposed to be better for you if you still want to drink coffee. Knowing this makes me feel old.

[avalonracing]

I think that people who are getting "bitter coffee" from fine grounds of coffee sneaking through the strainer of the French press are just drinking crap coffee.

I use a FP and I use a lot of grounds and I grind them finely. And my coffee is known to be, should I say "strong". And very, very dark. Just because you can have single drop of my coffee on the end of a dropper and hold it in front of the sun and have it stop all light from passing through doesn't mean my coffee is bitter. Because I use good coffee. Then again maybe I'm just drinking 12 oz of strong espresso in the morning.

[woolly]

I think that people who are getting "bitter coffee" from fine grounds of coffee sneaking through the strainer of the French press are just drinking crap coffee.

I use a FP and I use a lot of grounds and I grind them finely. And my coffee is known to be, should I say "strong". And very, very dark. Just because you can have single drop of my coffee on the end of a dropper and hold it in front of the sun and have it stop all light from passing through doesn't mean my coffee is bitter. Because I use good coffee. Then again maybe I'm just drinking 12 oz of strong espresso in the morning.

"Like" ^^^

[jh_on_the_cape]

The Moka pot takes about 4-5 minutes to brew on a gas burner at low-medium heat. Grounds go in the garden when I'm done...3 parts to the machine.

The Moka does not take long, but yes it takes longer than a microwave.
If I am going to be in a rush, I prepare it the night before and leave it on the stove, then just come turn it on in the morning.

It does not make espresso. It makes strong coffee.

I feel that there is no best or perfect coffee. Everyone has their habit and likes what they have become accustomed to.
Personally, I think coffee is usually too hot to be enjoyed. So much hotter in the USA than Italy.
I do find that cheap coffee is bitter-er.

I love Illy, but it's expensive. We bring back a suitcase of Kimbo from Italy every year. We ordered online in the USA 'Kimbo export' one time and it was not the same.

[CDollarsign]

I think everyone would enjoy coffee a lot more if they would buy fresh whole beans from local roasters. Roasted coffee looses its characteristics after about 9 days. Even faster if ground. This makes the biggest difference regardless of brew method.

'Fines' make coffee bitter. They extract quickest and will leave a bitter flavor in the cup -> over extraction. If you really want to taste amazing coffee, I'd suggest a 250 micron sieve and sift your fines before brewing. Also proper dose is important. Just because you use a lot of coffee and it is 'strong' doesn't mean its good. You probably don't taste the nuance of bean varietal, origin, or terroir...

[tch]

I think everyone would enjoy coffee a lot more if they would buy fresh whole beans from local roasters. Roasted coffee looses its characteristics after about 9 days. Even faster if ground. This makes the biggest difference regardless of brew method.

'Fines' make coffee bitter. They extract quickest and will leave a bitter flavor in the cup -> over extraction. If you really want to taste amazing coffee, I'd suggest a 250 micron sieve and sift your fines before brewing. Also proper dose is important. Just because you use a lot of coffee and it is 'strong' doesn't mean its good. You probably don't taste the nuance of bean varietal, origin, or terroir...

This.
Plus, it's important in any discussion of coffee to determine what you like in a cup. Some folks want a clean, bright cup; others (like me) love a heavier, thicker brew with some crema if possible. Drips and pour-overs will generally yield the lightest cup, all things equal, while french press and moka pot will go darker and thicker. Then, there's the coffee itself to consider, and then the roast. And...espresso is really a whole other gig: it depends on pressure and very high heat. Just because you have a strong cup does not mean you have espresso.

BTW, overdosing or overbrewing are not really good ways to "strengthen" coffee; the right amount is the right amount (generally 7 grams/4 oz of water). More coffee or more time will simply result in bitterness (which is NOT a requisite part of a good, strong cup of coffee). Unless you're really under-dosing (and BTW, many American restaurants and "coffee houses" do), the way to make coffee richer is to 1)use a richer coffee, 2)brew it in a different way, or 3)get your coffee in a darker roast.

My son is fairly high up in the 3rd wave coffee industry, and, now that I know, I can't believe how little most Americans understand coffee. It's as if the only beer they've ever drunk is Coors light, or the only wine they've ever tasted is an $8 bottle of pink zinfandel. Coffee isn't hard, but we've been drinking quickly-produced swill so long, we discount the fact that it might take a little time to get it right.

[William]

I've been roasting my own for a few years now and I finally have my roasting profile dialed in to where I hit the sweet spot just about every time. What I roast at home is so much better than what I can get locally. After that a good grind figuring out how to get the most out of my espresso machine and I'm doing fine! I love you Sweet Maria!:)





William