OT: PSA - Pour over coffee improvements

[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

Her coffee comes via Keurig...not that there is anything wrong with that...there is, but I'm not going there.

Fine, I'll go there. Putting something that is fantastic compost into a container that won't degrade for decades is the height of stupidity. Right up there with putting feces into a plastic bag.

[zzy]

uh oh just wait till you go down the coffee grinder rabbithole..

[crankles]

as a once chemist...I haven't been in a wet lab in ages...I can tell you that temperature plays a huge factor in component extraction. 190 is way different than 210 for a given coffee at a given grind. It's a multi-dimensional optimazation between coffee:grind:temp (and maybe a few other variables depending...)

However, the weighting factor of each variable differs for each given method.

...and therein lies the fun! Enjoy!

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by cgolvin

Fine, I'll go there. Putting something that is fantastic compost into a container that won't degrade for decades is the height of stupidity. Right up there with putting feces into a plastic bag.

+1

good thing they make biodegradable ones!

[crankles]

Originally Posted by zzy

uh oh just wait till you go down the coffee grinder rabbithole..

...or just avoid the rabbit hole and go Kafatek Monolith Flat Max!. and no I don't own one... but truth be told I am contemplating upgrading the Niche to a Lagom. ;-)

[flying]

Originally Posted by brewsmith

I'd be interested in your process with the Aeropress. It's definitely my favorite method when traveling or for making a quick cup of iced coffee

Hiya...Nothing out of the ordinary & similar to pour over...

I use the inverted method with the aeropress because I don't want it running while pouring/blooming initially...

So I start inverted...I add 19.3-20gr of coffee
(which btw is a heaping of the aeropress supplied scoop)

Water is just off boil so approx 180-200 degrees

Then I add enough water to just wet all the grounds...
Let sit/bloom approx 20-30 seconds
Slowly add water till full & add metal filter & screw on strainer cap
EDIT: Forgot I also give it a stir at this point before replacing cap

Invert onto mug & remove plunger...That will cause water to drop 1-2 inches
Refill & replace plunger
Then plunge slowly as usual

That will give you a nice 280-300gr of coffee in your mug

Of course if you like you can also skip the remove plunger & adding that bit of water which will result in roughly 8.5oz instead of 10oz coffee

[b3pkay]

Second plug for James Hoffman -- the Aeropress content you need.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aidv...i9DH8NUKAz4nvl

He's so good. Great video on electric gooseneck kettles recently too. I've had the Bonavita variable temp kettle for 5 years and am very happy with it. Typically keep my brew temp at 205* for better extraction of the lighter roasts I prefer. God, can't wait till morning for a cup of coffee...

[flying]

I also remembered years ago I used Matt Perger example for pour over & it was also quite good

[Road Fan]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

So...last fall I switched from french press to pour over. Interestingly, I went from two cups a day to one...just didn't want another cup after the first.

This week I added a pour over kettle into the mix. I had been using a regular kettle, waiting for it to boil, and then adding the water to the funnel. I *was* starting with a small amount of water and then adding the rest for the full cup.

With the pour over kettle, I'm now adding the water at a lower temperature and have much more control over the amount poured. My coffee is smoother as a result, and I may be back to two cups a day...

Here's a version of the Soulhand kettle I bought. Pretty straightforward, has a temp gauge on the top. Now I'm just heating enough water for coffee, and heating my oatmeal water in a pot, from cold, with oatmeal already in. (Steel cut, of course). Oatmeal may also be coming out smoother...

That pot is fantastic! My dad, at the time a certified industrial chemist, bought a 2 cup Chemex way back in the 1950's, and I took it when he passed away. He was a freak for chemical glassware! Of course the Chemex design is an Erlenmeyer flask with a vented funnel formed on the top, where the vent doubles as a pouring spout. Meanwhile I had bought a 10 cup Chemex for my new apartment. I used a Pyrex measuring cup to get a slow initial pour, strengthening my right arm in the process. At some point I saw Chemex had a glass pourer with a narrow bottom spout, but it was rare as hens' teeth and way more than the coffee making flasks. We hadn't figured on temperature control and variation, but ... I think he just didn't have a good way to measure it and control it.

No conflicts with wife's coffee wants, since she is decaf only, and has a separate machine and grinder for hers.

But this one looks like it might fill the bill!

Now I use an Oxo regularly, and occasionally the Chemex.

I still ride tubulars from time to time and I quit smoking a large number of years ago, so I find a good cup of dark city roast is a good substitute for lighting a Gauloise when fixin' to repair a sew-up! Lol!

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by cgolvin

Fine, I'll go there. Putting something that is fantastic compost into a container that won't degrade for decades is the height of stupidity. Right up there with putting feces into a plastic bag.

I'm a composting fool...everything that *can* go into the compost heap does go into the compost heap. Then we use that black gold when we plant flowers in my wife's ever-expanding garden.

After a particularly yummy load, I do get a hand written note every now and then from the Stinky the skunk or one of the raccoons. Stinky didn't like the trail cam I had by the compost heap for a while and headbutted it...it was very cute.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by zzy

uh oh just wait till you go down the coffee grinder rabbithole..

Been there...

My Capresso burr grinder shares counter space with the compost bucket.

[unterhausen]

Originally Posted by Ozz

+1

good thing they make biodegradable ones[/URL]!

We buy compostable keurig cups. They only degrade in commercial compost setups at high temperatures, not in the typical home pile. Fortunately I convinced my daughter that the amount of coffee she was drinking was still ruining the planet and she went to ground coffee in a reusable keurig cup. I never liked the coffee made that way, but she likes it so far.

I'm curious about a specialized teapot for Aeropress use.

[eippo1]

Don't mean to hijack, but I assume that most of you were french pressers before pour over. What temp did you use for french press? I have been using 180 degrees, but have been wondering if I need to vary it for different blends.

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[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by eippo1

Don't mean to hijack, but I assume that most of you were french pressers before pour over. What temp did you use for french press? I have been using 180 degrees, but have been wondering if I need to vary it for different blends.

It's just like nominal clincher tire widths and different rims...you really need to try it. Keep good notes and report back.

[crankles]

Originally Posted by eippo1

Don't mean to hijack, but I assume that most of you were french pressers before pour over. What temp did you use for french press? I have been using 180 degrees, but have been wondering if I need to vary it for different blends.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Ballpark: 185 for lighter, 195 for darker. But as C40 noted. Take notes....vary only the temp. note the bean origins. A light roasted ethiopian is not the same as a light roast comprised of central and south american.

It helps later when trying different roasters if that's your thing. For whatever reason I have to avoid indonesians. They turn my stomach, but I'm good with anything from africa or the americas. weird.