What’s on your coffee bench?

[AngryScientist]

For the last couple of years, for the daily brew, pour-over has been my jam. Espresso is saved for "special" times.

Anyway, I have experimented quite a bit. Anyone who really loves pour over - would you care to comment on grind size? A micro photo of the grounds would be marvelous.

How do you feel about the relationship to grind size for pour over vs french press?

Interested in thoughts.

[jkbrwn]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

For the last couple of years, for the daily brew, pour-over has been my jam. Espresso is saved for "special" times.

Anyway, I have experimented quite a bit. Anyone who really loves pour over - would you care to comment on grind size? A micro photo of the grounds would be marvelous.

How do you feel about the relationship to grind size for pour over vs french press?

Interested in thoughts.

I've posted about this before I think. Lemme dig it out from a coffee related thread. French press definitely requires a coarser grind size. Pour over is finer as the water is in contact with the grounds for less time, generally, so a proper extraction requires finer coffee grounds than the long steep time of a French Press.

Edit - found it, but it was actually about a proper espresso grind versus something inappropriate from an electric-non-espresso grinder, so not quite relevant to your question:

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showp...&postcount=189

[froze]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

For the last couple of years, for the daily brew, pour-over has been my jam. Espresso is saved for "special" times.

Anyway, I have experimented quite a bit. Anyone who really loves pour over - would you care to comment on grind size? A micro photo of the grounds would be marvelous.

How do you feel about the relationship to grind size for pour over vs french press?

Interested in thoughts.

There is more to the grinding then just a pour over typical grind.

First off lighter roasted coffee tends to be idea for pour over because the method is slower than say an espresso, and the lighter roast are less porous than darker roasts. Also, with a lighter roast you will need to grind it a bit finer then with a darker roast which needs a courser grind so the contact time with the water is shorter reducing bitterness of a dark roast.

But you're not done yet because the water temp is crucial too with light vs dark roast. A dark roast should have a lower temp so as to prevent over extraction leading to bitterness.

So, you have to play around with the type of roast you prefer to use for a pour over, but generally a pour over is more suited for lighter roasted coffee which will mean using a finer grind with hotter water. Having said that, I have used dark roasted coffee in a pour over, but I simply used a coarser grind and water that has been off boil for 30 seconds.

[tanghy]

pourover is usually slightly finer than FP, but the key is using fresh coffee and grinding fresh, so that it blooms out during the first 30s or so. then with that, there is a good resistance to the water flowing thru the bed.

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

For the last couple of years, for the daily brew, pour-over has been my jam. Espresso is saved for "special" times.

Anyway, I have experimented quite a bit. Anyone who really loves pour over - would you care to comment on grind size? A micro photo of the grounds would be marvelous.

How do you feel about the relationship to grind size for pour over vs french press?

Interested in thoughts.

[Bici-Sonora]

Originally Posted by jkbrwn

That coffee sounds delightful.

I generally like Ethiopian coffee and especially gujis — But this one might be my all-time favorite. As a bonus EXO sponsors a cycling club that I’m a part of.


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[Bici-Sonora]

In this discussion of high end grinders, with my hand crank Peugeot and refurbished Aeropress, I’m feeling a little like the guy who shows up for the club ride with down tube shifters (guilty as charged). Y’all did get me curious and to look up the MC4 to see *** all the fuss was about. Looks like medical equipment to me—but I see that it does use SKF bearings


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[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by Bici-Sonora

In this discussion of high end grinders, with my hand crank Peugeot and refurbished Aeropress, I’m feeling a little like the guy who shows up for the club ride with down tube shifters (guilty as charged). Y’all did get me curious and to look up the MC4 to see *** all the fuss was about. Looks like medical equipment to me—but I see that it does use SKF bearings


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I am sure your AeroPress makes a great cup of coffee. These grinders are very specific tools doing very specific jobs. Along with these grinders, special beans are used as well as specific water and other tools along with an espresso machine. When done correctly, there is nothing like the taste of a ristretto pulled perfectly.

[scoobydrew]

Originally Posted by SoCalSteve

Both will be stock. Figured I spent enough on 2 grinders, don’t need to spend more on anodizing. Denis said the anodizing takes a whole bunch of time, I wonder if I’ll get mine sooner since there is minimum anodizing…

Did you do the online 30 second or you lose out for another 4 months or did Denis give you the preorder?

I was able to get my online order through within that 30 second window, making sure I was logged in and had my payment method set up beforehand.

Originally Posted by Bici-Sonora

In this discussion of high end grinders, with my hand crank Peugeot and refurbished Aeropress, I’m feeling a little like the guy who shows up for the club ride with down tube shifters (guilty as charged). Y’all did get me curious and to look up the MC4 to see *** all the fuss was about. Looks like medical equipment to me—but I see that it does use SKF bearings

It's definitely very niche - for those who want to geek out on coffee as Steve mentioned.

Most of the components are manufactured in Seattle, including the burrs and the machined body. Other parts like the motor and bearings are sourced from established manufacturers (SKF for the bearings as mentioned).

In terms of the craftsmanship and niche-ness, I see it as somewhat analogous to a custom frame builder.

[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by scoobydrew

I was able to get my online order through within that 30 second window, making sure I was logged in and had my payment method set up beforehand.



It's definitely very niche - for those who want to geek out on coffee as Steve mentioned.

Most of the components are manufactured in Seattle, including the burrs and the machined body. Other parts like the motor and bearings are sourced from established manufacturers (SKF for the bearings as mentioned).

In terms of the craftsmanship and niche-ness, I see it as somewhat analogous to a custom frame builder.

Absolutely!!! Think Dave Kirk meets Craig Calfee meets Richard Sachs meets Bob Parlee. Anyway, one of the many parts of this process is the fact that it’s an American product. Designed, built and mostly all American parts. Hard to find these days…

The Versalab doesn’t get the joy that many other high end grinders get, but it was the first single dose all American made grinder on the market, it’s still a beast of a grinder!

[goonster]

Originally Posted by SoCalSteve

Along with these grinders, special beans are used as well as specific water and other tools along with an espresso machine.

Legit cannot tell if this tongue-in-cheek, or not.

[ripvanrando]

I am pretty sure Steve is serious. I'm an espresso "Fred" with grease on my calf. Water is critical and so are the beans. It took me three tampers before I found one that I like, sort of like handlebars. Then, there are the cleaning supplies. And glassware.

[sg8357]

Originally Posted by goonster

Legit cannot tell if this tongue-in-cheek, or not.

Does the grinder plane ?, is the water stiff yet compliant ?
Alloy tamper or Depleted Uranium tamper ?

[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by sg8357

Does the grinder plane ?, is the water stiff yet compliant ?
Alloy tamper or Depleted Uranium tamper ?

None of these things happen, but when you pull a god shot, it’s all worth it!!!

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by SoCalSteve

None of these things happen, but when you pull a god shot, it’s all worth it!!!

Question on shot timing, how consistent is it and do you credit the grinder for that? Mine is too variable, in spite of weighing the grounds and the shot, WDT and puck raking and level tamping to reduce channeling... I'm blaming the grinder.

[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by MikeD

Question on shot timing, how consistent is it and do you credit the grinder for that? Mine is too variable, in spite of weighing the grounds and the shot, WDT and puck raking and level tamping to reduce channeling... I'm blaming the grinder.

Excellent question!!!

Others please correct me if I am wrong/off on this. In level of importance:

Beans
Grinder
Puck prep
Water
Scale-timer
Espresso machine


They say ( not sure who they are ) that even a lowly espresso machine can pull a great shot given all the other factors. So yes, if you have a coffee budget, spend big on the grinder. Single dosing grinders are the best for home use so you don’t waste beans or leave the beans sitting in a hopper.

Also, there are many ways of achieving soft(er) water. I don’t have the ability to plumb my machine ( and use an inline filter ) so I purchased a Peak pitcher https://prima-coffee.com/equipment/p...wj001-pe-wa-sp
because I have pretty hard water where I live.

The puck prep tools you use are important as well as knowing how to use them, but having a good grinder makes this easier.

Whenever I try a new bean, I reach out to the roaster to ask what they feel the best parameters are. Temperature, time, dose and output are the factors I want to know, hence having a scale and timer.

Tons of videos on YouTube regarding all aspects of coffee. James Hoffman and Lance Hendricks are 2 of my favorite.

Good luck!!!