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Purpose of Hole in Moka Funnel I recently switched from a Bialetti Moka Express 3-cup stovetop espresso maker to a Cloer 5928 espresso maker. It has an integrated heating unit, just like an electric kettle, so making a coffee is now much more energy-efficient. The coffee from the Bialetti was flawless (using a medium-fine grind of Starbucks espresso roast beans). Now I have a difficult time producing coffee that is not both overly thin (underextracted) and has an odd taste that I can't even describe (perhaps from overheating the ground coffee?). The new espresso maker takes some time to heat up (365 Watts of electric power), and then the coffee is pressed through relatively quickly in short bursts. Having a look at the funnel, it has a hole, unlike the funnel of the Bialetti. My questions are: Can the hole in the funnel have anything to do with the underextracted coffee? What could be the purpose of the hole anyway? <Q> Just guessing here, but the hole could keep the water from going up until it reaches a certain temperature. <S> The amount of pressure from the steam varies on the temperature of the water, and if there weren't enough pressure, the water would recycle. <S> However, if the pressure were greater, the velocity of the water would prevent it from dripping out of the hole. <S> This could explain the bursts, since the pressure would rise and fall depending on the amount of water it pushed out. <S> The more water that escapes, the more room there is left behind for pressure to fill. <S> Also, you mentioned a weird taste. <S> Could it be metallic? <S> If so, you could try letting the base sit in a strong coffee/water mixture for a couple days. <S> The moka pot needs to be seasoned to prevent this taste, so I would recommend not washing it with soap - just rinse. <S> My grandmother has never washed hers. <A> My guess is that this particular machine might be defective. <S> No such hole can be appreciated on the amazon page or in the manual , and should that be actually a hole, physics may make it hard for such a machine to brew coffee properly (edited) . <S> Therefore <S> Can the hole in the funnel have anything to do with the underextracted coffee? <S> Absolutely <S> yes <S> Most likely What could be the purpose of the hole anyway? <S> Either it is a defect, or is (part of) <S> a valve meant to stop the water from circulating until a pressure threshold is reached. <S> A bit more in detail: A Bialetti/Moka pot brews when the vapor pushes hot boiling water through the ground coffee, and stops brewing when the water level decreases down to the funnel tip and vapor <S> finds his way out making that sound. <S> A hole in the funnel is like a hole in a drinking straw. <S> Liquid won't be pushed upwards once the hole is not submerged anymore. <S> I guess any coffee you are brewing is from vapor that has condensed in the upper vessel instead of escaping. <S> Some pots are designed to only brew above some pressure. <S> For example they might have a pressure valve which is like a hole with a spring that keeps a cap pressed until the pressure is reached. <S> In this case we see a spring, but it looks it is just intended to facilitate the funnel extraction. <S> Also such valve would operate in the opposite direction: At the pressure threshold it would close instead of opening. <S> P.D. <S> I found http://www.ebay.de/itm/DEFEKT-Cloer-5928-Espresso-Kocher-/331539918656 <S> but it is a bit unclear <S> if such item is defective as well (disclaimer at description). <S> Also hole seems to be a bit higher and a bit more narrow. <A> the intention of the hole at the funnel is to avoid water coming up to early and to increase the mocca temperature. <S> The hole has nothing to do with the safety valve which you can see below the thread at the lower body. <S> With the hole the mocca is even a little stronger, boiling time is a little longer. <S> Question: <S> Did you use the same coffee amount at the Cloer and Bialetti and weight it? <S> Can you increase the coffee amount (but do not press it)? <S> Best regards V. Andres from Cloer Quality Control
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Some water will come back through the hole and give the water more time to boiling. From the taste there is not big difference having the hole or not. The OP noted he found images through google where such hole could be found.
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What large batch cold brewing methods are available? It seems that there are very few large batch options. There are obviously the consumer products, then there are a couple "commercial" 5 gallon type systems. I'm looking to fill multiple 5 gallons kegs for consumption and distribution. I understand that I could do a heavy batch of concentrate in a 5 gallon batch and dilute it with water when I put it into the kegs, but are there any methods available that don't involve the extra step? If I want to go bigger am I going to have to do something custom? <Q> Goals <S> It sounds like you're starting a small business, in which case, you will quickly outgrow 5 gallon batch sizes as you begin distribution. <S> Use of Conical Fermenter <S> The conical fermenter would allow you to long brew a batch, bubble nitrogen or CO2 up from the bottom for agitation (increasing extraction and preventing oxidation), and will let the grinds settle into the bottom shoulder of the tank when the brewing process is complete. <S> Use of Brite Tanks <S> Brite tanks come in a range of sizes from ~1 gallon up to tens of thousands of gallons. <S> They are primarily used as a glycol jacketed pressure rated storage vessel for keeping beer (and similar beverages) in optimial conditions before storage. <S> They may also be used as part of the forced carbonation of the liquid in the tank. <S> A brite tank will be useful for your cold brew business as you scale up because it will give you an intermediary vessel to blend out and store batches before packaging. <S> Scaling up your production <S> Depending on your business plans and packaging / distribution ability, you will probably want to start with a slightly larger setup that gives you 1) room to grow and 2) the ability to expand without changing process or systems. <S> Beer equiptment is well suited to meet these goals. <S> Quality, consistency, and some notes on process: <S> The majority of consumers demand a consistent product with an interesting flavor-profile that they can enjoy every time they purchase your product. <S> Flavor-profile deviations will cause you to loose consumers to a more consistent product in the long run. <S> The following points will help ensure a more consistent product: blend out batches of cold brew from the fermenters into a single brite tank use CO2 or nitrogen to prevent oxidation manual agitation is inconsistent - use a bubbler with CO2 or nitrogrn instead. <S> This will also help with goal 2. <S> Packaging lines make a huge difference. <S> Invest for growth in a rotary topper, not a 4 or 6 head. <S> Don't attempt to use the same blend of beans for cold brew, draft cold brew, and nitro. <A> If you're going bigger than 5 gallons for commercial reasons, you'd probably want to start looking at small fermentation tanks ( https://conical-fermenter.com/40-Gallon-Conical-Fermenter.html ). <S> However, an incredibly cheaper option would be to buy a Rubbermaid Brute trash can. <S> It might sound bad, but it's actually USDA approved for storing food. <S> And rather than cutting any holes, you could just siphon the coffee out afterwards with a siphon pump. <S> I wouldn't be so concerned about the freshness of cold-brew. <S> The nature of cold-brew just isn't as fresh as more traditional methods. <S> Of course, if you want to be extreme about it, you could figure out a way to seal it off, and even purge the oxygen from the container before brewing. <A> If you are looking "to fill multiple 5 gallons kegs for consumption and distribution" and want to step up in volume from multiple 5 gal commercial units, take a look at the Toddy Pro Series . <S> There is a 10 and 20 gal stainless model that might work well for you.
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Depending on your needs, I would suggest purchasing industrial beer brewing equipment, such as conical fermenters and brite tanks.
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Should coffee be regulated? A couple of questions/answers on this site make it clear that many people feel that coffee is addictive, at least for some fraction of consumers. My question, for those who believe coffee is addictive, is whether and how it should be regulated? I am leaving the notion of "regulated" open. It could mean banning sales of coffee to minors, collecting a surtax to fund treatment, printing warnings on containers, and so on. Given the emerging addiction-lore on the web I think it would be naive to assume that coffee would never be regulated. So I am interested in the extent to which people entertain or support regulatory ideas we currently associate with more potent drugs. If one really believes that coffee is harmful and addictive, wouldn't one at least support a warning label on cups? Restricted sales to minors? The dangers listed in this well-received answer, if one accepts them, seem to commend at least mild warnings. Edited 11/13 to link earlier question/answer. <Q> While I will neither support or attack this kind of reasoning, when you think about children born addicted to heroin or methamphetamine, the property crimes generally associated with addiction, and the additional strain on our health care system, you can begin to at least understand it. <S> The coffee industry generates plenty of revenue for government as is. <S> Starbucks is paying their taxes just like every other corporation. <S> Creating an additional branch of government employees to regulate or adding additional employees to an existing administration (FDA perhaps?) are all expenses to regulate something that isn't currently a problem. <S> So it's an expense without any appreciable benefit. <S> TL;DR <S> Since coffee is a low impact and highly supportable dependence, government has little or nothing to gain by regulating it's use. <A> I would be opposed to any form of restrictive regulation. <S> In truth I'm not in favour of it for most drugs anyway as I am all for personal freedoms. <S> Except in the case of cigarettes, where public use of the product directly and negatively impacts on others. <S> However, I can see no harm to labeling warnings. <S> The argument that the societal ills of other illegal drugs (such as associated property crime and violence) seems to me inconsistent. <S> The crime occurs with those drugs precisely because they are illegal and restricted, so the costs are able to inflate. <S> Naturally it is more complicated than that and there is a difference of degree with addiction to consider. <S> I merely point out the need to be cautious in making parallels with illegal drugs. <A> First of all, you have to realize that coffee is not the only way to get caffeine, the addictive substance in coffee. <S> Coca-Cola, tea and chocolate also have caffeine. <S> So, the question is not about regulating coffee, but products that roughly 75% of human race consumes. <S> Second, you have a little sip of cynicism and realize that regulations rarely ate about health. <S> Marijuana was banned mostly to have a legal way to persecute coloured people in USA and to create a market reserve for synthetic fibres against hemp fibres. <S> The UK even fought a war against China for opium. <S> All the regulations we have today on tobacco and alcohol needed to be earned in rough disputes against rich and powerful industrial lobbies. <S> So, even if coffee does some harm to health any restriction is very implausible. <S> But we don't have any strong evidence that coffee cause any harm to health. <S> Caffeine is addictive, fact, but the addiction per si is not a problem. <S> There are no social drawbacks, like alcoholism and strong drug addiction (lost of work productivity, domestic violence) and no big social health cost, like tobacco and alcohol. <S> So any regulation should be based only in the moral aspect that a addiction, even a without social consequences, should be avoided and our social resources should be used by the state to prevent this. <S> But anything can be addictive. <S> MMORPGS, Netflix, coffee... <S> Should we regulate all things based in this moral argument? <S> TL:DR NO. <S> There is no social consequence of addiction of caffeine to justify the use of social resources by the government regulating it. <A> One thing is clear is that caffeine is addictive there are withdrawals when it is cut abruptly from the diet; however, in saying that coffee itself should not be regulated. <S> Regulation on coffee would be like regulating tea, a drink that has been used for thousands of years will no ill effects. <S> In the US coffee is the number one source of antioxidants therefore being a positive force for national health.
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Coffee addiction is far less financially taxing (my dependence costs me roughly $10/week or less), less likely to disturb my health in any appreciable way, and socially acceptable at all levels of society. Generally, governments find it necessary to regulate addictive substances due to quality of life or health issues that stem from abuse/addiction. Anything that promotes knowledge amongst consumers is a positive, in my view.
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If I'm in a rush, can I simply use raw ground coffee like instant coffee? I've been thinking about this for a while, and was wondering if it was safe. Nowadays, we're sometimes ina big rush and there's not enough time. Can I simply drop a spoonful of my favorite cheap coffee, i.e Maxwell, in a cup of water (should be boiled ) ; and then get started with my day? I realize they make instant coffee, but which is slightly more pricy. Also, I feel that instant coffee has a somewhat artificial taste. I am wondering about the safety aspect of this, though. Is there any potential harm to ingesting some raw coffee grounds? <Q> It boils down to taste - some people even chew whole beans. <S> Safety-wise there are no concerns 1 and <S> the method you propose is not unheard of, it goes by the term "Cowboy coffee" and others. <S> Some preparation methods even quickly boil the grounds and water (Turkish coffee), other sources warn against pouring boiling water over your grounds and suggest letting the water cool a few degrees first. <S> So, go ahead and do a taste test. <S> You can always pour your coffee through a sieve or use the leftovers for drip coffee. <S> 1 <S> There is some discussion whether the slightly higher content of coffee oils compared to filtered matters healthwise, but that's a very vague subject, IMHO. <S> Other brewing methods bring more oils as well. <A> Seems like a bad way to start a day to me. <S> This method will over brew the coffee and give it a gritty texture (especially at the bottom) but as the other poster have mentioned it really just boils down to taste. <S> Experimentation is the only way to find out what you like. <S> To what I think is the deeper point of the question. <S> How can I drink coffee without time to prepare it? <S> Many people use a coffee maker and with a timer. <S> If you prepare the machine the night before it would actually take less time in the morning then your proposed method. <S> Also consider structuring you morning differently. <S> You could use a french press or coffee sock, and perform a morning task like brushing your teeth and washing your face while the coffee steeps for 3-4 mins. <S> Then you could remove the grounds and eliminate the over brewing and grittiness issues. <A> For reference, what you are describing actually was THE method of brewing coffee before the invention of filters! <S> (See for example the wikipedia article, especially the part about "Boiling" .) <S> Also this is basically equivalent to a preparation with the french press, with the only difference being that gravity moves the coffee grounds to the bottom instead of a filter/mesh. <S> And obviously, you can't easily stop the brewing process, which might or might not lead to a worse taste (I don't have experience with that). <A> As others have said in the short term there is no issue. <S> In the long term (if you did this daily) there is potential that it could raise your cholesterol. <S> Coffee has a chemical called cafestol in it that is mostly removed by filters when it goes through a normal brewing process (although it may have other neuroprotective benefits). <S> Cafestol would be present in any coffee that didn't go through a filter (french press, turkish coffee, etc.). <S> I don't let this stop me if I'm in a hurry though. <S> Wikipedia entry for Cafestol
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The only disadvantages might be that you likely will have some coffee grounds in the last sip(s), which is why they are often discarded with that preparation method. It is up to you to decide whether you like the grainy residue you might taste if you don't let the grounds settle enough before drinking. There are absolutely no safety problems here.
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What do producers usually mix ground coffee with to make it cheaper? I will not go into details, or reasons (political, economic, logistic or otherwise), but in my country, coffee has been scarce and expensive in the last couple of years. I've been suspecting that some coffee producers have been cutting it (mixing it) with cheaper things. The unmistakable aroma of coffee is now mixed with some bitter tones sometimes, fishy tones some other times. The flavor is not quite coffee also. It's been so long since I've smelled the unmistakable aroma of real, honest to God coffee. I'm almost 100% convinced that they are mixing it with roasted black beans or something. My questions is, what other grains, nuts or whatever do coffee produces usually mix ground coffee with in order to make it cheaper? How can I check whether or not the ground coffee has been mixed up? <Q> I will not go into any political discussion, theory or similar, but I can give you a few historical facts. <S> There have always been times in the last few centuries when coffee was a rare commodity. <S> And it has always been expensive to some degree, making it "something for special occasions" in the poorer parts of European societies. <S> People used and still use various " substitutes " from grains (barley, spelt, rice), roots (chiccory, dandelion), fruit (acorns, dates), typically roasted, ground and prepared like coffee beans, resulting in a somewhat bitter, dark drink more or less resembling genuine coffee. <S> (For a more extensive list, see the link above.) <S> Instead of replacing coffee, they can also be mixed with coffee, "stretching" the yield of the coffee beans. <S> If you want to check your coffee for "fillers", buy whole beans - none of the coffee substitutes look even remotely like coffee beans. <A> An easy (but unscrupulous) way to lower the seller's cost of coffee is to add coffee that is cheaper, older, or unfit for consumption because spoiled or contaminated. <S> The frequency and severity of this problem is almost impossible to quantify because the resale of such coffee is by definition illegal and, when discovered, probably not front-page news. <S> Commodity coffee may be especially susceptible to this sort of chicanery because, although it is highly regulated, it may be stored in large quantities and even a slight delay in delivery (perhaps to influence the market) can result in spoilage. <S> Penicillium mold is present in most unroasted beans as an endophyte --normally benign but capable of causing damage under the right conditions, and other mold pathogens can ruin coffee if a narrow range of storage climate is exceeded. <S> All these (and more) can affect the taste and aroma of the retail product. <S> If coffee smells or tastes bad, spoilage due to storage <S> /handling is a possibility. <S> The seller may have blended marketable coffee with marginally marketable coffee. <A> On the less conspiratorial side of things, the problems you are describing can also be explained by less sinister circumstances. <S> Coffee that has been roasted too dark is often bitter and somewhat fishy (depending on the varietal of beans and other factors). <S> Robusta beans may also be blended with the more widely accepted Arabica coffee to lower cost and increase caffeine levels in the final blend, but it generally has poorer taste and is bitter. <S> It's possible that you just don't like darkly roasted coffee, which is what is generally available at the overwhelming number of chain shops. <A> One method to stretch coffee is to grind it finer. <S> This leads to over extraction and a bitter taste. <S> There isn't much of a saving. <S> In the plant I managed, we produced 2.5 oz. pouches for coffee service companies. <S> A coarser grind in 2.75 oz. <S> pouches was produced for hotels and restaurants. <A> In Spain, it's common to find "Torrefacto", where the beans are glazed with sugar during the roasting process, historically to increase shelf life and mask the taste of low-quality coffee: <S> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torrefacto <S> From the Article: <S> According to Sagi Cohen, the Torrefacto process allows coffee to be kept fresh for longer; lowers its price, as it is mixed with much cheaper sugar; and imparts it with flavors which he variously describes as "burnt sugar", "diluted asphalt" and "liquefied coal". <S> The Spanish article stresses the aspect of "masking the bad quality" even more: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_torrado From the article: <S> Enmascaramiento de la baja calidad y <S> bajada de precio <S> El torrado enmascaraba el sabor por lo que podían utilizarse granos de baja calidad. <S> Además, al tener un alto porcentaje de azúcar <S> -más barato que el café- se conseguía un coste final menor.
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Many mass producers of coffee roast their beans dark because the roast flavors become more pronounced and the origin favors fade, producing a more standardized product, but generally also a more bitter one.
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How should I order an espresso to get a less sour shot? I often find that standard espresso shots at many high-end coffeeshops to be more sour than I prefer. I tend to order straight espresso, or Americanos with only a little water, or maybe a macchiatto, so there's not much fat to cut the tartness. What should I say to get a less acidic shot? <Q> Here's a few thoughts based on what causes sourness/acidity in coffee and ways to temper it. <S> Order an espresso lungo . <S> Sourness (acidity) is characteristic of the "stuff" that is extracted relatively early in the brewing process. <S> In other brewing methods that take longer to perform (e.g., coffee press, drip, or pour-over) <S> this can be balanced by the more bitter notes that take somewhat longer to fully extract. <S> For this reason, you might get a result that is more appealing to you by ordering an espresso that takes longer to pull, i.e., espresso lungo . <S> Not everyone behind every coffee counter will be immediately familiar with this, but at good cafes with good machines an espresso lungo should be no problem. <S> Try a darker roast . <S> Darker roast coffees tend to be less acidic than lighter roasts, at the expense of losing more of the varietal/regional notes. <S> Many cafes have really only one bean/roast that they use for every espresso (often because of the practical considerations of having several grinder hoppers full of beans), but if you have an option, try a darker-roasted bean. <S> Try beans from a different region . <S> To my taste, Indonesian coffees tend to have less pronounced acidic notes than African or American coffees. <S> Again, if multiple coffees are available for espresso, pick a coffee that you like (or find less sour) for any other preparation. <S> Pick beans further off of the roast. <S> This is really only for completeness, but beans that were very freshly/recently roasted (i.e., less than a few days) can have accentuated acidity because some undesirable volatiles haven't yet had a chance to leach out. <S> This is more toward what @daniel noted; this is the kind of thing <S> you shouldn't need to be concerned about at a cafe -- they should! <S> A cafe affiliated with a local roaster (or any specialty cafe) should be able to tell you lots of things about the coffee when asked, such as region, varietal, roast level, and roast date. <S> Here's a Serious Eats article about "problems" and related solutions that touch on some of the things I talked about above. <S> Here's another link from Coffee Cuppers about regional and roast considerations in general. <A> Old coffee, poorly roasted coffee, and inferior grade coffee are the main culprits. <S> The following is a pet theory, not science: cafes that charge a lot for coffee to cover overhead--or just because they think they can--sometimes have a low regard for the customer. <S> Sometimes the best cup of espresso comes from a smaller cafe that depends on loyal customers for survival or is in business because the owner takes pride in serving good stuff. <S> You shouldn't have to say anything to get a less acidic shot. <S> If you are paying for good espresso you should get it--with the qualification that any cafe has a cycle of re-stocking and so some variation in quality is normal. <A> As it was already mentioned some of the main parameters determining coffee taste are: <S> Coffee related: beans origin and quality. <S> beans roasting and time passed. <S> beans grounding and time passed. <S> Machine related: water quality. <S> water desalination frequency. <S> general cleanliness of the machine and the environment. <S> lower water temperature of extraction. <S> If the machine temperature is lower due lack of periodical calibration, the coffee tastes sour and flat. <S> Preparation related: <S> extracted coffee exposure to the atmosphere. <S> The longer is stays exposed, the more it reacts with the atmospheric oxygen and oxidizes, thus becoming more sour. <S> This is true especially for all the coffees with added water ( Americano, lungo ) that breaks the thin layer covering and preserving the coffee's nice taste qualities. <S> Consumption of additional beverage or/and snack together with the coffee. <S> if the additional food or/and drink consumed together with the coffee contains more sugar, then your coffee will always taste sour. <S> (The effect is similar to when you eat chocolate first and then eat an apple, the apple tastes much sour.) <S> smoking affects taste receptors as well and it should be taken into consideration, i.e. you receptors are less sensitive and there is no point in buying coffee from high-end shops, as you are unable to feel the taste. <S> Generally, if you want to experience the best quality of a given espresso, you should order it ristretto . <S> The ordinary espresso extraction time is around 25 seconds (1ml / sec) <S> and you get a full shot. <S> Ristretto reduces the extraction time, usually by half, and cuts the last drops of water that contain lower concentration of coffee extract, thus keeping the strong aroma and different taste balance . <S> In the ideal case it should be consumed as fast as possible, just like a gourmé meal.
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Taste is subjective but a high-end espresso should not taste sour.
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Does instant coffee give a lesser buzz/high than conventional filter/french press coffee? I have felt that percolated/french pressed coffee keeps me awake more than instant coffee brew. EDIT: Since it was (validly) pointed out it will depend on the amount, so the amount, that I am comparing is basically what is mentioned on the packet of instant or ground coffee (whichever is the case). As in if my instant coffee sachet says it makes 2 cups of coffee, I use half of it. And if the ground coffee says to use the filtrate of 2 tablespoons for each cup, I do the same. <Q> Caffeine content varies greatly by preparation and brew method. <S> Instant coffee is generally designed to produce something close to a cup of drip coffee. <S> "Cups" is unfortunately not well defined and may vary based on it's usage. <S> Beyond that, percolated and french press coffee is generally prepared stronger (more concentrated) that regular drip coffee (and probably much stronger than the watered down concentration instant is designed for). <S> It's also very likely that some amount of caffeine is lost during the freeze dry process since it is so water soluble. <S> TL;DR <S> Yes. <S> Real brewed coffee will generally have a higher caffeine concentration than coffee that has been brewed, dehydrated, then re-hydrated. <A> This is a bit more complex than it seems at first blush. <S> The reason why instant coffee may have more caffeine than your typical brewed coffee is that it's usually Robusta instead of Arabica coffee. <S> Or some blend of the two. <S> http://www.barkingdogcoffee.com/our-coffee/arabica-vs-robusta/ <S> A cup of joe at Peets, Starbucks, etc, will be made with Arabica beans exclusively, and therefore have a lot less caffeine than the Robusta instant coffee. <S> It also depends on how finely you grind your french press grounds. <S> You may be getting more solids in your cup of coffee with a french press (and it's hard to compare french press vs instant coffee by weight since instant is so processed). <S> Also, some Arabica beans have more caffeine content than others. <S> There are a lot of variables to consider, and the answer is unclear. <A> I may be wrong <S> but I think it's because instant has already been processed. <S> If you're using ground coffee <S> it's much more likely that any substances that coffee would normally come with would be better retained in the grounds. <S> Whereas with instant coffee, the process of creating these easily dissolving granules would have most likely caused shedding of a lot of the original substance content, which includes caffeine. <S> Of course in this process manufacturers can add their own extras which might include extra caffeine but assuming that they don't, you would have lost some of the chemicals that keep you awake.
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Thus, you may well be getting more caffeine from the dosage of french press coffee than your instant coffee.
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How to properly use the Bialetti Brikka The Brikka, like many stovetop espresso makers, has a lot of parameters that affect how the espresso turns out. What are the best parameters for using the Brikka correctly? Which of these are more vital to getting the crema to stick around once you pour the espresso into the cup? My current list is: Ground coffee particle size (compared to espresso machine fine or coarser) Amount of water filled in the bottom part Amount of coffee you put in the basket and compression - this one is supposed to be easy, fill it up without a hump and without pressing it down The fire size and strength under the Brikka - I use the smallest flame base, but using the smallish 2-cup Brikka it is a bit bigger than the base when on maximal burn. When exactly to turn off the fire under the Brikka When exactly to pour the coffee (it says right after the coffee comes out, but there is coffee still coming out of the nozzle if I pour it too soon). <Q> I understand that the crema created by the Brikka is an approximated crema using the gasket's small opening. <S> Sure, purists may not consider this tan, smooth film of microbubbles as authentic crema (akin to espresso makers), but it does do a good job creating it for a close mouthfeel. <S> I use my Brikka every day, and it creates the "Brikkrema" (as I'd like to call it) <S> just fine [see the photo]. <S> If you aren't achieving proper results, it could be the water, or the bean you're using. <S> I've had instances where some beans wouldn't generate a great crema, as compared to other varieties. <S> Factors could be the age, the containers their kept in, and all basically relating to the oils and the CO2 trapped in the bean shortly after roasting. <S> The last photo shows a comparison between pours. <S> The first pour (left) often providing the most crema from a brew, while the subsequent pours (right) may not have as much. <S> It helps to spread the first pour over each shot if you have more than one shot to serve, and then pour the rest of the coffee along the side of the cup as not to disturb the cream on top. <S> Sometimes, a brand new Brikka needs 3-4 brews before it begins creating its magic. <S> But even so, if you aren't achieving your preferred result, try these tips: <S> Try to lessen the water below the water line start with a shot's worth of water then see what you get <S> , then just increase to get a proportion you're happy with). <S> Try filtered water <S> you'd be surprised how big a difference water quality can make. <S> Change the bean you're using, until you get your desired results. <S> Some beans offer varying levels of crema, whether it's because of the CO2 content from the roast or just the overall nature of the bean. <S> Good luck! <S> And don't worry, at the end of the day it boils (or brews) down to personal preference. <A> I think you gave a good overview of everything. <S> Here's a few comments on your list that I find is most important from my own personal experience, and from this Bialetti guide . <S> "Moka" grind is imperative. <S> Most guidelines that I have seen recommend somewhere coarser than espresso and finer than drip ( <S> e.g., illy , Blue Bottle , and a bunch of blogs when searching "best grind for moka" or so). <S> Finer and you might overextract and result in a bitter brew; too-coarse and the machine won't extract properly or develop any pressure in the bottom chamber. <S> Fill nearly (but not quite) up to the over-pressure relief valve; looks a bit like a button. <S> The moka pot is made to brew exactly that amount of coffee; no more, no less. <S> (exactly as you said). <S> Amount of coffee: filled to the top of the funnel, but not tamped. <S> Heat: for a gas-flame-burner, as with any pot, matched to pot size is best. <S> The flame being completely under and within the base is best. <S> It should heat quickly, but the flame should not creep around the sides; you want the bottom to be heated only, not the sides and certainly not the top vessel! <S> This is the reason for the shape of this and a cezve having a wide bottom. <S> Turn off as soon as the machine starts coughing or sputtering. <S> At this point the water level is below the bottom of the funnel straw, and no more (desirable) extraction will occur. <S> Serve as soon as safe! <S> Soon after the fire is off, it should stop sputtering. <S> Best to pour and serve immediately thereafter. <S> and... <S> One thing you didn't mention: it's best to fill the bottom chamber (carefully!) <S> with already-boiling water <S> (as in Blue Bottle guide, linked above.) <S> This ensures that the water boils quickly and evenly, and minimizes the amount of (undesirable) "steaming" and heat prior to brewing to which the grounds will be subjected. <S> As for the crema, I've never been able to create crema with anything other than a proper espresso machine, as noted in this moka question I had linked . <A> This is for users of a induction version: <S> Don't use boiling water, but sufficiently hot. <S> This prevents premature 'boil-up' which soaks the coffee. <S> It is also easier to close the base without getting burned. <S> Use setting 12 but reduce heat to 11 as soon as the coffee starts poring out. <S> It should take 35-38 seconds until 'sputtering'. <S> Close the heat as soon as the 'sputtering' diminishes. <S> Stir gently with a chopstick to mix the layers. <S> Wait until completely quiet and then pour and enjoy.
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The amount of water is almost completely determined by the size of the moka pot .
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Portafilter difficult to turn I have a saeco espresso machine. When I place the porta filter into the machine, it is very difficult to turn. Any suggestions <Q> As your question is very open I will try to answer two common roots of your problem. <S> 1) Too much coffee. <S> Per cup of espresso it should be 7g of ground beans. <S> 2) <S> No "tamping". <S> This is what it looks like: <S> So maybe you compressed it when you tried to place it in the machine. <A> There should be two things you'll notice: a) a shower screen and b) threads that seal the portafilter onto a rubber washer. <S> The following things might make the portafilter hard to turn Shower screen is grimed up and has protruding caked coffee on it. <S> There are coffee grinds in the threads. <S> There are coffee grinds caked onto the rubber washer. <S> The rubber seal is crumbly and has cracked or expanded, protruding lower than it should (this is unusual) <A> I had this issue, and when I lifted the portafilter higher into the group head it was easier to turn to the right
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In addition to Damian's answer (too much coffee or insufficient tamping), have a look at how the portafilter seals onto the group head. You probably did not compress the powder in the porta filter (called tamping).
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What are the reasons to roast coffee yourself? Based on some common sense and on (not very numerous) articles online, I could think of the following advantages of roasting at home: you get the freshest possible coffee as you need it green beans are significantly cheaper than roasted ones, and keep longer you get finer control over the result (?) than just guided by labels on coffee bags But there are also downsides: there's smoke during the roasting that you need to handle (see also Home roasting and ventilation ) you need some specialized (and more or less expensive) equipment, or else invent tricks with a popcorn popper or a cast iron pan (which may not be too bad in fact) in order to obtain the finer control over the result you need to know what you're doing (which probably means you may not get a better-than-shop result in a number of initial trials) (e.g., this question ) All of that is my armchair coffee science though, and I hope that the practitioners here can say what of that is real and what is fictional, and what other reasons there are pro and contra homeroasting. <Q> You have already listed most of the main points and hit them correctly, but I'll add some additional. <S> Pros:You can get things not available commercially, and generally a much wider variety of coffee. <S> For instance, almost all Sumatran coffee is traditionally dark roasted by companies. <S> However, light roasted Sumatran coffee has a truly unique set of flavors that is fairly distinct from anything else, without light roasting some yourself, you'd be hard pressed (or French pressed if you are into that) to ever find it fresh. <S> Tastes are remarkably individual and it's highly likely <S> that you like may really like some random type of coffee that either isn't a big seller and available, or isn't traditionally roasted how you prefer. <S> Cons:Time. <S> Roasting takes some amount of your time. <S> It takes far more when you start (I can now roast a pound of coffee in roughly 5 minutes of my time, because the machine does most of the work and I have a system). <S> Depending on your equipment and learning curve, this can vary widely. <S> With the equipment I started with and my initial knowledge, a pound of coffee would have taken me a full hour to roast. <S> Snobbery. <S> You will likely get to the point <S> were most other coffee that's commercially produced will be unthinkable to you. <S> I can't drink coffee at any restaurant without cream (I normally drink it black). <S> I have a few friends who roast and their coffee <S> is the exception. <S> But, more or less, home roasting may ruin "other" coffee for you. <S> Along these lines, you may get to the point where you don't enjoy roasting as much anymore, you just want the coffee. <S> If your time curve is fine, then it works out. <S> If it's not you might be left with the terrible choice between doing something you don't love or buying less good coffee. <A> I've been home roasting for about a year now and you've pretty much got it right. <S> The bottom line is that home roasting allows much more control over the roasting variables. <S> But home roasting takes time too, about an hour per pound for my SR500. <S> It's not high volume by any means <S> but I've found a system that allows me to get consistently really good coffee. <S> It took awhile <S> but I'm enjoying really fresh quality coffee that exceeds anything I could buy, even "fresh" roasted beans. <S> My former non-coffee drinking wife has also become a recent convert, forcing me to double my roasting output. <S> I expect that if I went with a larger roaster, I would have to go through a whole new learning curve though. <S> I probably ruined a pound of beans before I started getting drinkable coffee, and another pound after that before I hit the sweet spot. <S> It all really depends on how much you value really top quality taste. <A> been roasting for at least 5months <S> now,,and <S> is the chills hearing that :first crack! <A> The only reason for me is flavor. <S> I was never that big a coffee fan until I got turned onto home roasting. <S> I know it's not just vanity, because all the hardcore coffee drinkers I know go absolutely crazy for the stuff. <A> One reason to roast coffee yourself that I didn't see mentioned is to be able to drink it without cream and sugar. <S> Neither are good for your health. <S> (Whether or not coffee is good for your health changes from year to year, unfortunately.) <S> Only now that I roast my own coffee do I enjoy my coffee black!
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I'd say the reasons in roasting your own coffee is that you get to experiment which and what kind of roast that specific bean is, you'd be able to go deep and understand what coffee is,what the beans go through , and also for what i consider the best part besides smelling those aromas while beans are in that roaster
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Will my tap water work for brewing espresso? I just picked up a Gaggia Classic and I am wondering if my delicious Denver tap water will do the trick or if I should go with something bottled. I am looking here for the espresso standards and here for the Denver water report. Nearest I can tell, it's pretty close to the sweet spot for total dissolved solids but I don't know how to decipher the other values like pH. I plan to descale every now and again so mostly I am just curious if this H 2 O will cause any serious pain. <Q> Provided that you descale your machine whenever needed, your machine should not take damage from using tap water. <S> Since your tap water is also safe to drink, this leaves taste as the only reason for concern. <S> Dealing with this question is simple: just make a direct comparison between bottled-water espresso and tap water espresso. <S> Check if you taste any noticeable differences. <S> If this is not the case, the tap water should be fine. <S> While there may be "guidelines for taste" as far as the tap water vs. bottled water question is concerned (e.g., softer water is typically better), what tastes good and what does not is a very complex question - so the tasting is the only way to be sure. <S> Note that you will need to descale your machine from time to time in both cases - so using bottled water to avoid descaling is probably not cost-effective (nor environmental friendly). <A> I remember that I have read a 80 pages long report on the bottled waters in US for brewing coffee in an home type espresso machine. <S> The answer is simply, there is no easy answer if you want to go into the details. <S> There are at least one hundred ions in drinkable water and each one affects the extraction process during brewing (chemically). <S> So, the answer is the taste. <S> More importantly, in my opinion, you should take care about your gadgets. <S> Please notice that tap water may cause calcification. <A> Expanding a bit more on my comment on another answer... <S> Besides taste of the water itself , the very nature of the water (e.g. minerals and other water factors like <S> pH that was cited by OP) will have an effect on extraction also. <S> That is, different "water" will actually extract differently . <S> This is a marginally distinct from a simple sum-of tastes; i.e., taste-of-water plus taste-of-coffee is not necessarily the whole story. <S> As I suggested before, try the extreme of bottled water as your comparison: distilled water. <S> Though not always recommended (for a variety of reasonable and/or dubious reasons; more below) it will be the most stark comparison you can make that is reasonably easy. <S> See if you can taste any difference; I (personally) don't think I could, but I'll certainly try this also! <S> Play around with it, and enjoy the delicious coffee you make while you experiment. <S> :) <S> There's interesting (to me) debate about the use of distilled water (and, <S> more broadly, "what is the best water to use for brewing coffee?"). <S> To your original question, any water will work for brewing coffee , but there is debate about what is best . <S> Some warn of "dangers" of using distilled water (e.g., metals leaching from the machine, such as in this discussion on Home-Barista ) or some quasi-scientific stuff about partial pressures and minerals in this article from The Coffee Brewers . <A> Mineral water always works best you can't compare it to tap water, but it's really depends on the quality of the tap water there if it's good most likly you won't notice the difference.
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Holding all other factors as constant as possible, brew with your tap water and with distilled water.
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Will cold water result in cooler coffee with drip coffeemaker? In electric drip coffeemakers, water is pushed up by boiling a portion of it at a time, right? My friend told me that unless he uses warm of hot water in the coffeemaker tank, the resulting coffee will be much cooler. I find this very hard to believe as I always use cold water and the coffee comes out hot. All the water will travel past a heating element, and steam "bubbles" will push the water on the top where it will "drip". BUT is it possible that in cheaper coffeemakers the cold water can slip past the heating element un-heated and travel up with the following bubble, cooling down the outcome? Is this where the watts will really come into play? I am not asking if cold water should be used, but rather if such a scenario is possible. I do not have a precise thermometer or a cheap coffeemaker to test this. Also, I found this very hard question to google, as the only keywords I can think of are "cold, water, drip, coffee". <Q> I hardly believe this is directly related to coffee. <S> Still, as a more than 15 year experienced engineer, I would like to answer this question. <S> The answer is simply and clearly "no". <S> For the water to be able to travel to the top of the drip coffeemaker machine, it requires to gain some latent heat by changing its state to gas phase first. <S> That's It simply means, it needs to be vaporized first. <S> Then, just at the top of the coffee and filter, there is a condensation space. <S> At that space the gas (vapor) returns back to liquid phase (water) and starts to drip. <S> Therefore, you obtain a slow flow of heated (to the near evaporation point) dripping water. <S> I cannot think any other way of bypassing this flow. <S> Even in cheaper drip filter coffee makers. <A> It depends. <S> My office is currently in a temporary building that is powered by a generator. <S> Once a week, they shut off our power to refuel the generator. <S> Every week when the power is out, I make a pot of coffee in our commercial "drip" coffee maker and often get weird looks for making coffee with no electricity. <S> This only works because the water overflows out of the tank with the heating element and drips over the coffee grounds. <S> For the "geyser" type maker, not all the water reaches the point of saturated steam. <S> It is possible for the water to be unevenly heated and the small steam bubbles push liquid up to the top of the coffee maker. <S> The same effect can be achieved with air bubbles in an airlift pump. <A> I have a degree in chemical engineering and we do heat transfer and vaporization. <S> Yes colder water that goes past the heating element and is not vaporized will have to be heated more. <S> There is a temperature sensor that will deliver more heat as required. <S> How it Works: Coffee Maker <S> Yes cold water will come out colder but colder by 10 degrees going in <S> will be less than 10 degrees difference coming out. <S> Once it has been on the burner for a while that will determine the equilibrium temperature. <S> I had a drip machine that had a temp setting and it would indeed deliver hotter coffee. <S> Hot water from the tap that was heated in a hot water tank will likely have more minerals due to the tank itself, and these minerals will contribute to scaling in the machine. <S> Also hot water will have more mineral taste <S> (but you probably would not taste it in coffee).
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As long as the heating coils are still hot and I use the heated water out of our water dispenser, I get hot coffee out of the machine at 180 to 190 degrees F. Using cold water in this type of coffee maker always results in colder brewed coffee. A good reason to not use hot water from the tap is minerals. It is possible to get slightly lower temperature out of one of these makers using cold water.
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Are there health risks to eating coffee? I like to eat coffee beans without grinding or brewing them. I just chew it raw, as it is. Is this activity unhealthy? Edit: I'm talking about the brown, roasted coffee beans. <Q> No. <S> Not any substantial ones. <S> There are several listed questions around the topic of eating coffee beans. <S> Many companies sell them specifically to be consumed this way. <S> Probably the main associated health risk would be caffeine overdose. <S> However, it's roughly the same as simply drinking far too much coffee. <S> The main difference being that since coffee (brewed) takes up so much more volume, you are likely to become physically uncomfortable from it before you could get to dangerous levels. <S> With coffee beans you could likely get to dangerous levels much easier since it would be possible to eat many more beans before experiencing the same "fullness" effect. <A> Studies come and studies go, and what remains is that it's pretty hard to show any serious health effects from Caffeine or coffee. <S> It's somewhat "addictive" and some people perhaps drink more coffee than is "good for them", but I have never seen any credible peer-reviewed evidence published in a legitimate medical journal that stated that Coffee consumption is even possibly related to any long term health problems, <S> that is not offset by at least 3 or 4 studies stating the opposite. <S> That caffeine is harmful <S> is a minority view, anywhere outside of Utah. <A> Unfiltered coffee - such as French press - can significantly elevate cholesterol levels due to a substance called cafestol and kahweol found in the coffee's oils. <S> I would imagine these are especially present in coffee beans because there is no filtration at all to remove the oils. <A> I've heard that it takes about 75 coffee beans to produce 1 cup of coffee. <S> Lately I've been on this kick of eating coffee beans as opposed to grinding the beans and making coffee out of them. <S> By time you chew close to 75 beans you sort of feel like you've had enough. <S> This also keeps me from snacking on more caloric types of food. <S> An unmentioned benefit is that it tends to keep your teeth and mouth relatively clean, in terms of your teeth feeling smoother (like after brushing) <S> however you will get grinds stuck between your teeth..thus requiring you to want to brush your teeth anyways. <S> I'm not certain (speculative) <S> but much like how wood fibers can kill germs <S> perhaps coffee beans might have a similar impact on the many bacteria in your mouth. <S> Anyways as in life moderation is the key... <S> so eat some coffee beans but don't eat too many of them either...to your health !! <A> Before people learned to brew coffee as a beverage, they ate coffee beans to get a boost of energy for hunts or while farming. <S> Eating coffee beans has the same effects as drinking coffee. <S> However, the effects are magnified because eating the beans provides all of the caffeine and other chemicals in coffee, not just what manages to drip through the filter. <S> In addition, the active ingredients in coffee beans are quickly absorbed through the mucus membranes in the mouth.
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Ingesting roasted coffee beans without grinding/brewing them in some manner is quite common.
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Does sweet coffee exist? I am looking for a coffee type that is naturally sweet, like sugar snap peas. So there is no need to add sugar, when I drink it. <Q> This question is probably best answered in two directions: If you feel the need to add sugar to your coffee, it may simply be that the coffee that you are drinking is not very good. <S> Sugar makes a lot of things taste better in addition to the sweetness that it adds. <S> There are many ways to improve the quality of your coffee, like buying better and fresher beans, grinding right before brewing instead of buying pre-ground coffee, etc. <S> Whether any of that is feasible depends on your coffee drinking circumstances - e.g., if you need to use your office's drip coffee machine with the coffee bought by the kitchen management, there is not a lot that you can do. <S> If you want to add sweetness because you like it sweet, but you still want to avoid adding sugar for some reason, you can try the following: <S> For example, I have a some "Starbucks 2015 Christmas Blend Espresso" here, which is described by the producer by "Cedar and herbal spiciness with an intense caramelly sweetness". <S> When using the beans in a pump-driven espresso machine, the espresso indeed has some sweetness. <S> But don't expect too much. <S> Coffee is natually low-calorie, which means that there can only be a little bit of sweetness. <S> There are some coffee types that are naturally sweeter than others. <S> According to a book that I have, lightly roasted Arabica Bourbon coffee beans should have a "fine sweetness". <S> Panama Volcan Baru Coffee is also listed as particularly sweet. <S> Against, don't expect too much - "particularly sweet" means in comparison to other beans! <S> In case you prefer to drink your coffee with milk, you may want to switch to lactose-free milk. <S> In that type of milk, the lactose has been split into shorter sugar molecules, which makes the milk taste quite sweet without a noticeable change in calories. <A> Try Hawaiian Coffee or formerly known as Kona Coffee, it has sweet caramel taste to it. <S> It's expense at $7- $55 dollars, but make sure it's 100% pure Kona coffee or else <S> it won't taste the same. <S> I recommend it <S> , I buy it form the farmers Market from Dekalb County. <A> There are several coffee varieties that have a "sweeter" taster. <S> Varieties that have a delicate taste like Rhume Sudan, Geisha, Villa Sarchi, Montecristo, Bourbon, Maragogype will produce a sweeter cup when you apply a softer extraction (like a V60), and you use a light roast and natural or whiney processing. <S> However, as stated on another answer, coffee has very low calories and contains very few sugars, beside trace leftovers from the fruit during processing. <S> So don't expect a strong sweet taster, but rather a very subtle reminder of sweetness. <A> As a rule of thumb, temperature lowers as elevation increases but at higher altitudes other flavour qualities are lost. <S> Your best bet is finding places where altitude is not too high but climate conditions provide cooler climates. <S> In Colombia, coffees from Nariño; Filandia, Risaralda or Oiba, Santander tend to be very sweet. <S> http://colombiancoffeehub.com/colcoffeehub/lecture-how-are-sugars-in-coffee-p_1467410 <A> A few considerations when choosing a 'sweet' coffee.. <S> I saw posted that lower elevation equals more sugar. <S> Lower elevation also typically signifies higher caffeine which is very bitter. <S> Look for light roasts with mild acidity. <S> Why light roasts? <S> Coffee beans coloration comes from Maillard reactions, a key component of which is sugar caramelization. <S> While in your mind, caramel is sweet, raw sugar (sucrose for instance) is significantly more sweet than caramelized sugar. <S> Why low acidity? <S> While acidity isn't bad in a coffee, I feel like if you are trying to optimize sweetness, acidity detracts from perceived sweetness. <S> It's really difficult to say what origin is most sweet, but it may be a better approach to say what origins have flavor components that might help add to a perceived sweetness. <S> For me, I like a good Guatemalan or Ethiopian for a clean, brisk sweet cup of coffee. <S> One other note.. <S> Espresso roasts 'should' be optimized to minimize acidity and bitterness while maintaining as much sweetness as possible. <S> You may find some espresso beans that will fit the bill for sweetness, but I still think you can find more sweet coffees at lower roast levels. <A> It depends on what kind of "sweetness" you're looking for. <S> I don't think there are any naturally flavored coffees that will give you a white sugar kinda sweet, at least nothing that I have come across yet. <S> But I think that a lot of the Ethiopian coffees that are naturally processed give a really sweet taste. <S> More like berries(blueberries and strawberries.) <A> Coffee by nature is a simi sweet. <S> But once the gas escapes from the bean it turns bitter. <S> So come up to my place. <S> We will drive out to the plantation & have a few cups of natural sweet coffee.
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There are a couple of coffee bean types that have a slightly sweet flavour . Plants growing at lower temperatures have a better chance to accumulate sugar in the cherry.
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What factors should I change for a dark roast in an Aeropress? I normally like a dark roast, but I'm struggling to get as good a cup from my Aeropress as I do with lighter roasts. What factors can I adjust to improve the flavors, compared to how you'd brew a lighter roast? Less brew time? Colder water? <Q> Dark roasts from an Aeropress easily become too bitter. <S> I would recommend keeping the water temperature just below boiling. <S> Flip your Aeropress upside down so that you can control the brew time. <S> Add your beans and water, and then brew for 30-45 seconds. <S> With lighter roasts, I do the above but let them brew much longer. <S> I've found you have to adjust the brew time for darker roasts. <A> I would use a heavier coffee-to-water brew ratio, and extract less than you normally would. <S> Something like 1-parts coffee to 16-parts water (1:16). <S> If you struggle to find any sort of sweetness from your coffee - then it may simply be too dark and burnt, to which there are no sugars left to develop. <S> Good luck! <A> The good news and bad news about an Aeropress is the number of factors you have total control over during the brew cycle. <S> Here is a partial list off the top of my head:1. <S> Quantity of beans;2. <S> Fineness of grind;3. <S> Water temperature (Aeropress recommends 185F)4. <S> Length of time before pressing;5. <S> Right side up or inverted. <S> There may be more but <S> I've found changing one or more of these variables had a definite effect on the taste. <S> I could also add freshness of beans but that would be true of any method. <S> From my experience, water temperature, how fine the beans are ground, and length of time before extraction are the main variables that affect taste.
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A darker coffee will be much more soluble - and extract much faster than a lighter roasted coffee. Coarsen your grind, use a lower water temperature (around 200F or wait about 45 seconds off boil), and use a quicker brew time.
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Stainless steel moka pot with a crema valve for espresso-like crema Are there any moka pots (made of stainless steel) that produce crema? I know there is the Bialetti Brikka, but its made of aluminum and that's not what I'm looking for. I know the Brikka does not produce "real" crema, but it's good enough. Thanks :) P.S.: Im not looking for a stainless steel pot (I do own one), but rather for one that is similar to the Bialetti Brikka i.e. that it has a crema valve. <Q> My wife and I moved to our new house and we have an induction hob installed there. <S> We used our brikka(s) <S> a lot and loved the results. <S> We bought a 4 cup musa for the time being but compared to the brikka it tasted like fermented horse urine. <S> So I decided to experiment:Apparently the head from our 2 cup brikka fits the bottom of the 4 cup musa. <S> It worked! <S> The results are fantastic. <S> I am going to purchase a 6 cups musa and see if it fits our 4 cup brikka. <S> The thread on the musa is a bit longer but it doesn't matter: <S> just screw it hard until it locks to put pressure on the seal. <S> Use just the boiler tank from the musa and all the rest from the brikka as the coffee funnel filter of the musa doesn't have a rubber seal needed for the higher pressure. <S> Don't put too much water (fill the amount that matches the head. <S> Not the tank) <S> Good luck! <A> Why do you want to produce crema? <S> Crema tastes quiet terrible if you have ever separated it from an espresso and consumed it. <S> With that said I don't believe you could ever produce true crema with a Moka pot because you simply can't build enough pressure up to emulsify the insoluble oils in the coffee. <S> Hope this helps! <A> I own a Bialetti Venus 6-cup and would recommend it highly.
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The Bialetti Kitty , Musa and Venus are all moka pots and are made of stainless steel, unlike the majority of their range.
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Is it possible to grow plants in used coffee ground so that they get coffee flavor? Is it possible to grow any kind of fruit or vegetable in coffee ground (instead of normal soil) so that they get coffee flavor? If yes, which fruit or vegetable works best and what do I have to consider when doing this? <Q> Adding coffee grounds to a planting medium (e.g. soil) adds fatty acids, essential oils and nutrients <S> that enrich soil which can help the growth of the plant and it may also affect the colour . <S> One thing to be careful of is that some coffee grounds increase the acidity of the soil . <S> However, I can't find anything indicating that it will affect the flavour of the plant. <A> Although the way plants digest food is very different to humans, the overall principle is the same: nutrients go in, and are completely broken down into very basic building blocks (amino acids, simple fats and sugars), and then rebuilt into whatever the organism needs. <S> This is why we can eat plants, which are made of plant protein, and reassemble them into animal protein in our bodies, and vice versa . <S> While used coffee grounds will be a good source of the nutrients a plant needs to produce essentially more of the same stuff, it won't have any direct affect on the flavour (any more than any other good source of nutrients). <A> There is a culinary notion of terroir adopted from the wine terminology which asserts that the specific characteristics of a environment and the stuff of the earth -- the substance -- does contribute greatly to agriculture. <S> But it may take a good deal of investigation to discover which specific types of plants will really thrive. <S> Call it the Homegrown Tomatoes effect, but it may enrich the flavor merely by the psychological effect of telling your victims guests about the marvelous results you've achieved. <S> They'll instinctively look for the coffee taste that you tell them might be in there.
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So, by all means, grow your plants in coffee grounds, but don't expect any difference in flavour.
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How to order cappuccino without whipped cream in France? On my travel in paris, I ordered a cappuccino at a local cafe. What I got, was a large cup of coffee with a tennis-ball-sized whipped cream on top, decorated with chocolate syrup. Being like most Finnish, I did drink the cup without complaining. However, I feel I got served a cheap substitute for a cappuccino, I am not even sure if it was espresso but rather just filtered coffee. Is it because we were tourists, or the place being cheap, or was it just their local variation of cappuccino? I've always thought that cappuccino is supposed to have steamed milk foam on top, not cream from a can. How should I order my next cappuccino without insulting the waiter AND without whipped cream? <Q> You probably just hit upon a place that simply didn't know what a cappuccino was, or lacked the facilities to prepare one. <S> French coffee culture is a little different from Italian, but usually a cappuccino is much like what you'd expect. <S> I found this exhaustive guide to French coffee culture , and it notes: Capuccino – <S> A French cappuccino is thirty per cent espresso coffee, fifty per cent milk, twenty per cent froth and no whipped cream. <S> If the cafe you are in adds whipped cream then you must be in a cafe catering to tourists. <S> So it sounds like you just had bad luck! <A> I have lived in the west of Belgium for a few years. <S> I can say, they are strongly affected by the French culture. <S> However, I am not thoroughly aware of daily French Cappuccino routines, I would like to add my observations from Belgium. <S> Belgians usually have both options. <S> You can either order your Cappuccino with steamed milk or with whipped cream. <S> If you didn't indicate which one you prefer, it is very probably the whipped cream. <S> If the waiter/waitress is a nice person she/ <S> he asks you which one is your preference. <S> So, these were my humble experiences I experienced mostly in the west side of Belgium around 2008-2010. <S> (I assume the sweet whipped cream idea originates from the topping of the waffles they are used to.) <A> Possible reasons: <S> The machine at the cafe did not have a cappuccino mode (unlikely, but possible); <S> The machine HAS a cappuccino mode, but the bartender did not know how to use the cappuccino machine; <S> The cafe actually had both kinds of cappuccino on the menu: one with whipped cream and one with steamed milk; <S> The cafe is cutting corners by using cheaper alternatives. <S> I've tried looking through the French wikipedia, and if you want to be sure that it's with milk foam and not with whipped cream, you could try asking for a "café mousse" (which is another term according to wikipedia) or asking "votre cappuccino, c'est avec du lait moussé"? <S> On a side note: an espresso with whipped cream is usually called a "café Viennois" in France, and whipped cream is usually called "chantilly" (roughly pronounced shauntiyi). <A> Currently traveling in the south of France. <S> Later in another village cafe I noticed a coffee with whipped cream being served. <S> I didn’t hear what they ordered but Cappuccino was on the menu. <S> My friend ended up ordering a Cafe au Lait which of course is not a Cappuccino but was better than coffee with whipped cream in this situation.
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When I ordered a cappuccino in Sète in an outdoor cafe I got a coffee with whipped cream, not at all what I expected.
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Will the quality of the coffee change if I store it in a plastic bottle? I make my coffee every morning. I leave it to rest for 20-30 minutes, mix it with some milk, and pour it into a plastic bottle. I drink the coffee from that bottle during the day. Am I doing it right? Does the quality or the amount of caffeine decrease, if I store it in a plastic bottle? <Q> A short answer is "not significantly", assuming you just store your drink for the day, and there is no sharp changes in storage conditions (strong heat, freeze, etc.)---except warming up the amount you want to drink. <S> Coffee drinks are unstable, though, and a simple, freshly passed drip coffee tastes different (quality changes) with time. <S> So quality will actually change over a day, although the difference is hard to notice (except people with very acute taste sense). <S> You are also adding milk, which softens the overall taste, so I think noticing changes in the coffee flavour is even harder. <S> Every vending machine around me (every 100m or so) sells coffee drinks in PET bottles. <S> These bottles are stored for several weeks, and they sell pretty well. <S> They taste fine for that price point and quality, and they are very stable. <S> Of course, they do not include only coffee. <S> They include milk, sugar, and hard-to-spell things. <S> The last category does contain taste stabilizer, etc. <S> , so that is unfair comparison. <S> I am just thinking it is interesting to see that coffee in plastic bottles in actually pretty common, especially for relatively short times. <A> I have found various health-scare articles online such as <S> this and this about the effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on the body, a chemical which can be leached from a plastic container in to the coffee, though they're probably not reputable sources of information. <S> and it did affect the flavour slightly in my opinion. <S> The answer here is that it is highly subjective, as implied by Eric Platon, and if you are happy with it then that's fine. <S> As for the effect on the quantity of caffeine, I'm pretty sure it will have no effect. <A> The flavor of the coffee will be affected far more by the choice of beans; the roast; the expiration date; the grind; the span of time between grinding and brewing; and last but certainly not least, the brewing method, than by the vessel into which it is put for a short period just prior to drinking it. <S> If you are gearing up for a long car ride, the flavor will degrade somewhat faster in a plastic container, but that wouldn't affect the decision for me. <S> If you've ever been in a Flying J, you probably know that truck drivers almost invariably fill huge plastic mugs with coffee. <S> The slightly more porous plastic will accumulate infinitesimal quantities of coffee on the sides, which is why plastic typically stains faster than glass or metal. <S> P.S. <S> I wouldn't be too worried about health effects since even super paranoid worry-worts drink from aluminum cans and plastic bottles.
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As far as the caffeine levels, that might be affected slightly (on microscopic levels) depending on how long you keep it in there. As for the effect on flavour, when I was on a work experience placement I was given a plastic container for my coffee when I arrived (priorities!)
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What is the difference between the terms percolation and brewing in English? Percolation and brewing seem used quite interchangeably in English, in many contexts, but not all. For example, I can often see "percolation time" in technical documents or Wikipedia entries, but often hear "brewing time" as well. Is there any usage guidelines for these words in the English coffee world? The problem is that percolation and brewing are not just about coffee: Both terms are generic. Percolation sounds more technical and focusing on liquid getting through a filter. Brewing seems focusing more on "solid into hot water", without involving necessarily a filter. This lets me think the words usage can be made quite accurate. Please note that the scope is "restricted" to English, as percolation is a Latin word, and it seems usage differs in English. <Q> Brewing is a part of every coffee preparation method: it's the time when the water (or steam) is in contact with the grounds. <S> It is a generic term. <S> Percolation however, would only be used when making percolator coffee. <S> You would not talk about percolation time when making espresso, for example. <S> I would not use it as a generic term. <A> In the world of coffee, the two terms are basically interchangeable - as long as you are talking about water passing through coffee, and that it is also being passed through some sort of filtration. <S> Percolation by definition is the extraction of a substance by passing water through it. <S> I wouldn't ever say my French press's percolation time is 4 minutes, because you never really filter it. <S> But you could talk about any other non full-immersion brew method with either term, even espresso! <S> Espresso is after all filtered, and water percolates through it. <A> To me a percolator is a just a mechanism. <S> You have a heater at the bottom, a tube, and a check value. <S> The water enters the tube and some of the water is vaporized and it pushes the hot water to the top. <S> They have no pump. <S> That style of coffee maker is called a percolator. <S> From there the term got used a lot ways. <A> In an academic article (in English language and authored by two Italian authors) <S> espresso preparation is divided into these three steps: <S> Grinding of the roasted coffee <S> Coffee powder dosing and tamping Brewing (more correctly Percolation) <S> In the rest of the document, percolation is preferred. <S> According to this, Eric's first hypothesis in his question about technical documents seems correct.
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Your brew time would be the time that your water is in contact with your coffee grounds.
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Difference between inverted and normal aeropress? Can someone tell me the difference between a coffee made using the "normal" aeropress technique and an inverted technique? I know it can vary depending on coffee and brew time etc and overall it's down to personal taste. I'm just looking for the basic difference, eg Normal is, this , this & this Inverted is this & this <Q> The differences are minor, but there are differences. <S> When brewing normally, water begins to drip through the paper filter immediately when poured over the grounds. <S> After stirring I usually have to add more water after the bloom recedes. <S> Inverted, all the water stays with the grounds until you flip it over and start extracting. <S> The extra water added with the normal process is hotter, and I believe will tend to over extract bitter notes more easily, not only because of the higher temperature, but by virtue of the added volume of water passing through the grounds. <S> Inverted, however, the volume of water is less, and because of that, the temperature of that water will be lowered a bit. <S> You can extract quickly, or wait as long as you want to extract the coffee. <S> Additionally, I have seen it claimed that with the inverted method, oils that will rise to the top of the column will be forced through the filter first and flavor the coffee more than with the regular method where they tend to get trapped in the grounds. <S> I have gone back and forth but always seem to go back to the inverted method. <S> It provides more control of the variables and for me gives a better flavor, even when using the same beans, same roast, same water temperature. <S> Your mileage may vary of course. <A> The difference can be scoped purely to the side-effects of how the coffee is extracted. <S> You can make up for most deficiencies from either method, by accommodating for it. <S> Normal - starts dripping almost immediately, meaning some of the water didn't get a chance to extract. <S> Inverted - you can let it brew for as long as you want. <S> Normal - grounds fall to the bottom and create a self-filtering layer. <S> This layer allows for proper pressure/extraction/etc. <S> Essentially it's not really that Normal vs Inverted affects the taste directly, but rather <S> what you do with that position of the AeroPress is what affects the taste. <S> Having the AeroPress inverted ensures that you are fully submerging the coffee in water which you can now label full immersion brewing. <S> If you allowed the coffee to drain in "normal" orientation, you'd instead be essentially drip brewing at least a small part of the coffee. <S> The effects on the resulting brew could be nominal and undetectable, but if you were to drastically change time/pressure/stirring/agitation/bloom/ratios <S> THAT is when the resulting coffee taste would change. <S> Check out my blog article for the AeroPress <S> , it explains a lot of how the different AeroPress techniques affect the coffee. <A> I find that the brewing process does tend to go a lot smoother when using the inverted method- especially if you are using a kitchen scale to measure water volume.
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Inverted - as you flip and press you may not have allowed enough time for a layer to form and some of the grounds get stuck to the top - solution: after flipping, whirl the water to collect the stuck grounds and then wait a bit before pressing. My palate may not be refined enough, but as far as I can tell there aren't any major taste differences.
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Can drinking coffee at least once a day increase anxiety? Does coffee increase anxiety? What research has been done on this subject? <Q> There's a lot of studies/articles, but when it comes down to it <S> it's just like any other "drug": it affects each person differently. <S> I drink almost a pot a day, and have since I was around 17/18, and have no worsened conditions if I don't consume coffee. <S> Some months I go with only a cup a day, and others its ~3-4 cups - and nothing changes drastically. <S> As with anything else, especially "drugs", moderation is key. <S> This is, of course, anecdotal, <S> so... <S> Brewing Trouble: Coffee-induced anxiety (WebMD) <A> I think coffee can not increase anxiety but if you drink too much coffee, probably, you have been in a busy time. <S> This means the stress of your life can increase anxiety. <S> It's not related with coffee. <S> However some people does not consider all the parameters related to their stress. <S> Because they're used to their life and may judge the other stuff. <A> I only have anecdotal evidence. <S> For me, that's 2-4 cups a day. <S> My body adjusts to that new "normal". <S> I also exercise off any nervous edge coffee gives me. <S> In any case, I don't think coffee ever eases anxiety, even after you acclimatize. <S> However, as a person with a tendency to be anxious, I can tell you regular exercise certainly does ease anxiety! <A> niacin is present in huge amounts in coffee. <S> it's an antidepressantbut <S> it can also cause a sudden 'flush', a sense of heat and alarm.
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For me, coffee produces anxiety at first, until I acclimatize to a regular amount.
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Brewing Coffee with instant hot water tap In my office they have a tap with (boiling) hot and cold filtered water system - its designed for hot drinks, and is fine for black tea. I assume it dispenses at around 100 degrees, though I have not measured it. The cold tap gives chilled water - I'd assume 5-10 degrees. I brew my coffee using an aeropress, with about 2 spoons worth of coffee and the standard paper filter. Filled up to a mark between the 2 and 3 marking on the aeropress. What comes out has a slight metallic, bitter taste. I do not get this at home where I use a standard kettle (either leave it to boil and cool for a few minutes, or use my new kettle that can specify the temp - I generally use 85-90 degrees) I have tried to eliminate the problem thus: Different beans (2 different bags of fresh preground ground coffee, with both "standard for cafetiere grind" and espresso grinds). Grinding at work is not an option and doing at home is too annoying. Different storage (I thought the metal tin I was storing in was imparting bad flavour) - I have now got a glass kilner jar which is air tight and stored in a dark drawer Washing the paper filter before use (I dont do this at home normally) Using the inverted method (with the same, or slightly less grounds) Using another breakout area (with the same system) in case the normal one is broken/dirty/etc None of this makes a difference so I assume it is down likely down to the temperature of the water being too hot. What is the best (quickest and least fussy) way of improving my brew? I have considered (but not yet attempted): Adding a small amount of cold water before adding the hot (approx 1/4 cold to 3/4 hot) then brewing as usual. Add the hot then add a splash of cold. Mixing in another cup and adding that - this is undesirable as I already have to carry the coffee jar, aeropress and cup to the kitchen and back. What is the best means to get a better brew? <Q> Is it, by any chance, demineralised/distilled water, with no minerals added back in? <S> Aside from temperature (which you should check - it's OK if it's cooler, but too cool is no good, and knowing the temperature will help you modify other parameters) <S> , it's important to have high quality, odour-free water that is free from impurities and that has the correct mineral content. <S> The SCAA actually specifies water standards (see here ). <S> However, demineralised water is NOT fine. <S> It will underextract. <S> One solution <S> *: Buy bottled mineral water (like Evian or a cheaper alternative), which usually has too HIGH a mineral content, and blend it with the filtered water from the dispenser. <S> This may seem hard core, but it'd be good as an experiment to see if it cures your woes. <S> Joke only intended after the fact <A> I think you are attempting to brew with water that is way too cold. <S> To me, this is the elephant in the room in your question. <S> Though it's only an anecdote (until you measure your water temperature!) <S> I myself measured the "very hot" water taps from a filter machine and from a hot water dispenser in my office: one was <S> 75°C and one was 85°C. <S> The latter is actually the hot water dispenser from a coffee-brewing machine. <S> Both of these are way below what I consider to be adequate brewing temperature (~95 <S> °C). <S> I did as fair of a measurement as I could: reasonably calibrated instant-read thermometer, pouring water directly from the tap directly over the thermometer into a pre-heated mug. <S> See this question about pour-over temperatures and links from (full disclosure) <S> my answer there. <S> It's also striking how quickly water cools: merely traveling through the air when pouring from a vessel can make the water drop a few degrees C. <S> I think you will probably need a separate heating kettle, and I don't think you should ever expect to have to cool off water before brewing. <S> Or, like I said before in my original comment: measure the temperature and prove me wrong! <A> I would highly suggest checking the system which generates the hot water. <S> Regardless of if it is a storage type or on demand type system, it may require cleaning. <S> Storing water at temperature has a tendency to cause the contained minerals to accumulate in the container. <S> If you can take it apart and it is old (more than two years) <S> you may find it has a wealth of accumulated minerals that are imparting "flavor" to your coffee. <S> If the system is not readily available for inspection, you may considered letting some water from it stand/ <S> cool and checking to see if the water has some of the flavor you are describing. <A> Your hot water is not the problem - you just need to grind coarser! <S> Especially if you're using a darker roast, which is more soluble and will extract faster.
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Cooling your water would of course help slow down extraction - but I think the grind is an easier variable to control. In many developed parts of the world, tap water is fine.
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I run my espresso machine until my whole cup is full. What's my coffee called? I have a cheap espresso machine. I grind dark roast beans separately, fill a "double" filter with it, run the espresso machine and won't turn it off until my ~250ml cup is completely filled. I drink it right away, brewed coffee style, without adding anything. It's not Americano (it's got crema all over it), too much water to be espresso, and to my understanding, Long Black is espresso added to water. Is this simply, regular brewed coffee with crema? <Q> I'd say that it's a caffè crema which is generally made the way you make your coffee and is about 240 ml. <S> It's about 3 times more water than a normale . <A> There is no strict agreement on at how much water does it stop being a lungo and starts being a crema. <S> But I guess "lungo" is more well known around the world, at least on countries where Nespresso is available, since their capsules for long coffees are called "lungo". <S> Here in Mexico, the waiter / barista might ask you if you want your espresso "corto" (short) or "largo" (long). <S> Corto is the usual espresso size (not ristretto) and largo is about twice the amount of water. <S> This is not an uncommon practice, but not everyone offers it. <S> Anyhow, just be careful not to be over-extracting. <S> If your coffee beans can handle that amount of water without over-extraction (which results in excessive bitterness because of burned-down oils, and possibly too much caffeine), great. <S> Some beans do, some don't. <S> Have you tried a traditional americano (shot of espresso + added hot water)? <S> Compare the flavor between both to get a reference on how a "normal" extraction goes on your beans vs. the extended extraction you are currently having. <A> This is called Lungo, Italian for "Long coffee". <S> Typically it is prepared around 150 ml. <S> More info is here: Lungo (Wikipedia). <A> A customer in the store that i work comes every day and buy this. <S> He called it "super lugo". <S> I think it's just a double lugo with extra water (from the grouphead). <S> So you don't loose the taste of the espresso, if you want a kind of filter coffee with espresso taste. <A> It is important to note that a lungo isn't achieved by just letting the water run for longer, you have to adjust the grind to get a faster flow, so that you get a larger volume in actually a shorter time. <S> If you grind for normal espresso and then let the machine run for a minute or two to fill your cup, your'e over-extracting your coffee which will result in an unpleasant taste. <S> The water should always be stopped at the "blonding point", when the stream gets lighter; do not let it run for long after that or you'll ruin your nice drink. <S> Adjust the grind to get more or less water in the cup before that happens. <A> In Italy this could be asked for by requesting a Caffè doppio (admittedly a bit borderline with a lungo) <A> This is a "Long" or a "Long Espresso". <S> In French Canada we call it an "Allongé". <S> But if you have a very big mug I would just call it blech!
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It can be called a caffè creme, a (very long) lungo, or a spoiled cup of espresso . I would also go for caffè crema (more water than a lungo).
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Latte: Milk before or after coffee? When making a latte, I've seen baristas make it: With espresso shot first and then milk and art on top (served in a normal cup) Milk first and espresso shot poured on top (served in a long glass with a handle) Are both of these technically lattes or is the second way something different entirely? <Q> Oh, the famous latte ! <S> Apparently hardly anyone knows that it simply means "milk" in Italian, so technically calling a coffee drink "latte" is pure nonsense. <S> So where does the coffee shop staple get his name from? <S> In Italy, a latte macchiato ("stained milk") is basically an espresso in a glass of hot (steamed) milk, pouring the espresso last leads to the distinct layers. <S> A caffellatte ("coffee with milk") is an espresso or coffee from a moka, topped with a generous dose of hot milk. <S> No layers in this cup or glass. <S> So depending on whether your coffee shop makes caffel latte or latte macchiato , you get milk first or coffee first, layers or none. <A> Thanks Steph <S> I see what you mean. <S> The answer is really that there is no clear answer because it is a question of nomenclature and there is no 'technical' definition of 'latte' in this context that I know of. <S> What you are really asking is what is the best option or something like that? <S> It seems to be a feature of language that people think of terms and words in relation to what they consider ideal or 'normal' cases, other factors cause terminology to vary widely and there is no Academie francais or ISO body to pronounce on this one. <S> Even if there was usages would still vary as Academies and language mavens everywhere eventually learn. <S> Ingredients or components often become names for foodstuffs or well used items, 'latte' being the best example, "chili" another, "canvas" on sailing ships yet another. <S> Nomenclature regarding coffee in my extensive experience varies widely but is often taken very seriously 'locally' you might say. <S> So it depends where you are, even then there is not agreement. <S> In London for example experienced Italian Barristas disagreed with local coffee shop owners: whose opinion do you take? <S> I normally use the 'when in Rome rule' but didn't in this case, considering the barristas to make a better result and nodding to that I guess? <S> I was served once, in Cardiff Wales in Cardiff Central Market when I ordered 'Cappuccino', a large mug of lukewarm instant coffee with a 'head of synthetic cream from an aerosol <S> can and some fake cocoa sprinkled over it, mostly on the handle. <S> As a linguist professionally the question is interesting to me as to whether this abomination should be included within the range of the term "Cappuccino". <S> Any takers? <S> Same applies to 'latte' over all I don't think you can relly on much more than getting milk in some form or in some quantity with your espresso. <A> It's a matter of proportion. <S> Traditional cappuccino is divided into 3. 1 third espresso, 1 third milk and the rest is foam - so it will be served in a "normal" cup that would hold the ratio. <S> https://goo.gl/images/PKWJvz
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As mentioned before, "latte" comes from the word "milk" in Italian, so it's mostly milk and some foam with some espresso in a larger glass.
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What am I doing wrong if the used grounds in the filter basket are like wet sand? I have a relatively cheap (<£100) espresso machine. Sometimes I find that after making a drink, I remove the handle and find the filter basket has lots of water in, so rather than tapping out a dry, compacted lump of coffee grounds into the bin, I have to wash a sloppy mess down the sink. Sometimes I get it right, but I haven't worked out what I'm doing inconsistently to make this happen. <Q> I have seen this happen due to the age of the coffee being used. <S> I believe that fresh coffee, something roasted within a week of use may cause the soupy puck you are experiencing. <S> The rule of thumb is if the coffee tastes good, don't work about the puck. <A> A few possibilities spring to mind: <S> You are over-tamping the grounds <S> so the steam is condensing in the grounds and can't escape. <S> Check the manual to see if it wants you to compress the grounds or not before brewing. <S> Are you grinding these yourself, and <S> if so is it a Burr grinder (good) or one with small spinning blades (not good) <A> If the puck is a bit wet that's not necessarily a problem as long as your extraction is fine. <S> As I understand you are still able to pull the shot, so clogging as suggested is probably not the reason. <S> The reasons for pucks to be wet is most often that the space between the puck and the group head is too big. <S> When you start pulling the shot, the water is pumped through the group head onto your grounds, filling up the space between the head (more precisely the metal filter) and the puck. <S> The pressure then pushes the water through the grounds, extracting the coffee. <S> If it's a single basket you should use about 9-10g of coffee for an espresso with a yield of about 18-20g. <S> However as I said, it's not really a problem if the extraction is ok and the espresso tastes good.
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It could be that the basket you are using is too big for the shots you pull or rather that you use too little ground coffee. When you finish the extraction process there's obviously still water in this chamber and if it's too much it will wet the puck into the sloppy mess you are referring to. The grounds are inconsistent and not suitable, clogging the output.
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Capresso Static Effects on Grounds Is there any way to reduce the effects of static electricity on the grounds in a Capresso conical burr stainless steel grinder? The grounds appear to be charged and tend to stick to the plastic when emptying the container. <Q> Known as the Ross Droplet Technique . <A> As an electrical engineer for any kind of such problems I can advise proper ground. <S> I mean the electrical one this time. <S> :) <S> Anti static gloves may help (Google it). <S> However, the static electricity always occurs by friction, it's natural and you cannot get rid of it completely. <A> I have the same grinder, and I find that the static builds up more with the amount you grind. <S> For everyday AeroPress use, I don't grind enough per use for it to build up static, but <S> when I cold brew a whole 12oz of coffee, I grind the whole bag in batches. <S> This builds up a lot of static due the the bin being plastic, and it's annoying to clean as it flies all over the counter. <S> I wouldn't recommend using water on the beans before grinding because even though the burr grinder is stainless steel, it is not rust-proof. <S> So thinking long term, I would simply recommend keeping the batch size lower than the max line on the plastic bin. <S> I wouldn't use water to clean the steel grinder either. <S> Only use a brush and you can even pre-grind <S> a tiny amount of throw-away grounds to clear the old grounds out. <S> A clean up is usually in the cards for when I make coffee anyways, and a little bit of grounds isn't going to trip me up, but I share your frustration.
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Try putting a couple of drops of water in your coffee beans before putting them in the grinder's hopper.
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What reasonable diet substitutes for coffee cream are there? I need cream in my coffee. I can only stomach black, when it's excellent, properly brewed and so on. But at work I have no conditions for making excellent coffee - I make do with decent brand instant (lyophilized), I still need cream for it, and I need coffee to work. And recently I went on a diet. I switched from sugar to stevia, and it's acceptable. But I still use cream for the coffee. Obviously, the cream awfully cuts into my diet efficiency, so I'd like to switch it to some diet-compliant alternatives that will still make the coffee palatable, not a watered down slop, remain low-calorie and hopefully not cost an arm and a leg (even in spite of how rapidly would that reduce my weight) or require overseas shipping (to Poland). What are my options? <Q> I can relate to this. <S> I often home roast, and always do pourovers <S> , so I am used to great coffee. <S> Pretty much the only time I put creamer/etc into coffee is bad coffee. <S> I've had good success with adding hot chocolate mix into bad coffee. <S> You can get fake sugar versions of this, which are zero calorie (and come in convenient little packets), and they will make bad coffee considerably better. <S> Not sure about Poland, but I suspect you can find something similar there. <A> Good job cutting out the sugar, stevia is a better substitute. <S> As for cream, I would try almond milk / soy milk. <S> They go especially well in lattes because when the milk is heated, it gives the coffee a frothier and creamy taste with out the actual heaviness of cream. <S> You can also heat these up a bit create a cafe con leche , Spanish style coffee in the same manner. <S> It is also quite healthier too, especially if you go all-natural/organic. <S> In larger stores, you can usually find a creamer substitute such as coconut-creamer or soy based products . <S> Walden Farms makes a good line of vegan non fat creamer <S> probably one of the best in terms of low sugar/fat content. <S> I would experiment with what your palate prefers. <S> Note that these may or may not have more fat content than creamer, so it may taste different. <S> Personally I have switched to plain almond milk, and sometimes vanilla almond milk when I want the more sugary taste with a hint of french vanilla cup in the morning. <A> They are all lower fat/calorie than coffee creamer and taste great with coffee. <S> I don't particularly like soy milk wtih coffee, it doesn't taste right to me.
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You could try skim milk, almond milk, rice milk or coconut milk.
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Coffee Grinder vs. Spice Grinder - What's the difference? What is the difference between a typical spice grinder and a specialized coffee grinder? Is there something that specifically affects the quality of the coffee? To clarify further, I am talking about the electric grinders with a blade, something like this: <Q> (Note: With a general perspective, you may classify coffee as a spice.) <S> I imagine you mention the hand grinders. <S> In that case, the main difference is the size of the canals of the grinders. <S> E.g. in a black pepper grinder, the average diameter of the canals are a bit wider than the average diameter of black peppers. <S> However, this diameter is far narrower for coffee beans. <S> So, you cannot grind coffee in a pepper grinder effectively as the beans cannot fit in the canals. <S> Summary: proper grinder for proper spice. <S> After Burhan added the image, I think I should make an edition to this answer. <S> This grinders are called blade grinders. <S> The main disadvantage of these is the grounds are not homogenously grinded after the process. <S> As the blades randomly cut the beans, some of them may stay intact on the sides. <S> Burr grinders doesn't have this possibility. <S> All grinded pieces have a maximum volume after the process. <S> Otherwise, I can't think of a difference. <S> However, you shouldn't use the same grinder for both. <S> You don't want the aroma of your coffee to be mixed with spices and herbs. :) <A> I think you should get a dedicated coffee grinder. <S> The people who make manual grinders / electronic grinders make it for this purpose. <S> Or else you can have an inconsistent grind. <S> Plus it's a lot easier to change the type of grind <S> setting on a coffee grinder. <S> If you feel like a french press grind, and you feel that your grind is too fine, just change the setting to your liking. <S> That way you can experiment with different grinds. <S> I heard different grinds affects the taste of the coffee. <S> Like too fine of grounds going into your french press. <A> Spice grinders like the one pictured use a spinning blade and don't really grind anything. <S> They chop stuff - and rather unevenly at that. <S> That works well enough for most spices. <S> But the quality of coffee is very sensitive to the grind quality, that is how evenly it is ground and what size the particles end up being. <S> Quality coffee grinders use burrs <S> which are closely mating & adjustable grinding surfaces. <S> You might want to try tasting a few cups of coffee made at a good coffee shop (not a typical chain) that use high end grinders. <S> If there is a wow factor in the taste for you though.. then it's worth considering buying some sort of burr grinder. <S> Which can add up to a $1,000 or more a year. <S> So being able to make better quality coffee at home for a small fraction of that price starts to look attractive and a $50 burr grinder may really be a bargain.
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Burr grinders produce much more consistent, higher quality ground coffee. If you don't taste much difference and can't see what the fuss is all about, then you don't have much need for an expensive grinder.
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Where can I go to find importers? I am from Ethiopia. I have a Coffee Export License from Ethiopia for the World market. How can I go about getting buyers? Where is the best place to find potential importers of my coffee? <Q> Quick googling directed me to website of the Chamber of Commerce in Ethiopia: http://www.ethiopianchamber.com/ <S> The Government of Ethiopia also hosted World Coffee Conference , so you may find additional information on event, and may be some useful contacts to start with. <S> The second option would be to get in touch with biggest Coffee Associations or to participate in coffee conferences/shows : The International Coffee Organization (ICO) <S> Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) <S> Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) <S> Different coffee shows, conferences and festivals ( here's the calendar and links with additional information can be found ) <A> Go to any coffee trade show in the US or Europe. <S> I would recommend the Specialty Coffee Association of America or the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe . <S> Other options are: CoffeeFest, CoffeeCon, etc. <A> I would suggest reaching out to distribution companies directly. <S> Search as if you were a coffee roaster trying to buy beans and you'll find the companies that are selling in bulk. <S> I work at a coffee company where we work directly (and almost exclusively) with growers, but most companies are happy to deal with resellers.
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An Internet search for coffee conferences really would be your best bet. The first recommendation would be to go to a Chamber of Commerce or a Board of Trade locally and to make a request to help with the contacts of potential importers.
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Different-tasting coffee in Vietnam/Cambodia When traveling in Vietnam and Cambodia, I noticed that the coffee had a very different taste, compared to anything I've had in the U.S.. I'm talking about black coffee, not Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk . It's hard to describe the difference; it seemed a little bitter or sour. What accounts for this different taste? Is it arabica vs robusta ? Or just a local difference in the beans? <Q> "Robusta coffee accounts for 97 per cent of Vietnam's total output" - Wikipedia <S> It's very likely you were drinking local pure robusta coffee. <S> But, robusta flavor is also generally considered inferior to arabica. <A> I'm pretty sure the coffee you were drinking was a coffee and chicory mix. <S> I had alot of it in Vietnam when I was there. <S> Coffee Chicory Blend. <A> In Vietnam about six types of coffee blends are available, it is a coffee producing country. <S> One of them is an Arabica coffee, usually served in restaurants and sold at the open markets on the street. <S> If you ask for Arabica, you will get this variant. <S> It does take some communication skills using your hands and feet to make it clear to market salesmen. <S> In Vietnam only the young and the elite speak English. <S> You should be able to buy a drip filter: <S> You don't use tap water in Vietnam, not even for brushing your teeth. <S> So you also need bottled water to make coffee. <S> The other five are local products. <S> Some of them are said to taste like chicory. <S> Anyway they have a bad taste if you're not used to them. <S> But they are really not chicory, they are blends from indigenous coffees like Arabica SE, Chari (a type of Liberica), Catimor.
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Among other things, the increased caffeine content makes it more bitter. Also Arabica and Robusta are produced in Vietnam.
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What factors contribute to differences between coffee beans? I heard that there are different kinds of coffee beans, which have different specialties like aroma, taste, flavor. But I don't know what causes these differences. What are the different types of coffee beans, and what are there characteristics? What other factors contribute to differences between one bean and another? <Q> There's a lot to your question; some of the topics have been covered in other questions. <S> Hopefully this will give you some pointers, or help you refine the question to something more specific! <S> The two primary species of coffee are Robusta and Arabica, as explained in the question linked in comments above . <S> There are also other more obscure species, such as Liberica; see this question for more . <S> There are also various regional strains that differ more subtly from each other, also discussed at the latter question. <S> More on varieties at Wikipedia . <S> But there are other aspects to coffee besides species: <S> regional differences: a coffee grown in one growing region is different from other regions (akin to a varietal of wine grown in, e.g., France vs. California). <S> One q/a with some quantitative data . <S> Here's one of my favorite articles on growing regions and characteristics from Serious Eats . <S> peaberry coffee : occurs when one bean grows in the fruit instead of two beans; different shape and qualities. <S> Something around 5% of every crop is peaberry; sometimes the peaberry beans are left in the mix, sometimes they are sorted and sold separately. <S> And a lot of other factors... :) <A> Disclaimer: OK, as hoc_age has edited this question, I would like to contribute to this new version. <S> Still, this is quite a broad topic, in my opinion. <S> Maybe everybody in the community may share a part of their knowledge to build a comprehensive list. <S> Thus, we can add iteratively on top of each other's knowledge. <S> My first try to classify beans is by their origins in a broad sense. <S> Please correct me if I'm wrong. <S> African beans: <S> These beans are mostly Arabica beans <S> the flavors you taste are generally Mediterranean fruity notes like grape, orange or raspberry. <S> These beans are mostly mild. <S> Asia-Pasific beans: <S> These beans are mostly Robusta (Geographically, less mountains). <S> They are not aromatic at all, but generally have some earth-like flavors. <S> They are full bodied, strong beans. <S> American beans: <S> These beans can be either Arabica or Robusta. <S> These beans are also aromatic as African beans but the notes are quite sweet. <S> Generally you taste cocoa, nuts, caramel, chocolate, etc. <S> These beans can have mild or strong body. <A> There are something like a hundred different species, with Robusta and Arabica being the most common commercially grown by far. <S> Liberica is another species that is grown in small quantities and has a very distinctive taste. <S> Within a single species such as Arabica, there can be a huge number of varietals. <S> Some are naturally occuring (such as Bourbon and Typica). <S> Maragogype ("elephant bean") is also a naturally occuring mutation from Brazil. <S> Others have been bred by research institutes. <S> For example SL-28 and SL-34 are common Kenyan varietals. <S> Another famous varietal is the "Gesha" (sometimes romantically but incorrectly called "Geisha"). <S> This came to light when an estate in Pananma "La Esmarelda" noted something interesting when they were cupping their coffee. <S> By separating their harvest, they finally identified a small section which was contributing to the overall cup. <S> This coffee went on to dominate the Cup of Excellence competition and set a world record price at the time. <S> It's since been planted on other farms which brings up the next point..... <S> As has been mentioned, things like altitude, soil and micro-climate affect the taste. <S> So the Gesha (or any other) varietal from one farm won't taste exactly the same as Gesha from another farm. <S> The way of preparing the green beans - washed, dry-processed, or a number of other methods, all have their effect on the final flavour. <S> So even the identical cultivar harvested from the same farm but prepared differently will produce different flavours. <S> (The difference between dry and wet-processed is very signficant.) <S> The actual care taken during preparation is also hugely important - I suspect that if one is starting out with a decent high grown bean, this is what really separates speciality coffee from the mass produced stuff. <S> It takes a lot more care to prep the coffee carefully. <S> And I haven't even mentioned roasting and brewing.... <S> I think this is what makes coffee so interesting - there <S> is so much variety to try and enjoy. <A> There are several factors that affect differences between coffee beans. <S> I'll list them in order of occurrence since the influence factors of each are greatly debated. <S> Genetics: There are several species and varietals out there. <S> These vary from major differences between species (arabica, robusta, liberica) to more subtle differences between varietals. <S> Growing Conditions: Plants with the same genetics, but grown in vastly different climates will have differences in flavor. <S> Humidity, rainfall, elevation and temperature all have their say with a set of plants. <S> Coffee is ultimately an agricultural product and will vary accordingly. <S> Processing: <S> There are a variety of processing methods. <S> Dry Process, Pulp Natural and Wet Processing will all produce different flavor results with the same beans. <S> Different methods are more accessible or more/less useful varying by region. <S> Roast Method: <S> Flavor profiles may also vary by roast method. <S> Air roasting and contact roasting may highlight different notes in coffee. <S> Roast Level: <S> The level to which beans are roasted (along with how that level is reached) is the last factor to affect the bean. <S> Arguments could also be made for storage, but I would generally dismiss it as storage has optimums that are meant to keep flavor, but can't really enhance it in any way.
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As has been mentioned, the species of coffee makes a difference.
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How long should I stir French press before "pressing"? What are the pros/cons and effects of stirring, either "too much" or "too short", in a French press? My rule of thumb for steeping is to let the coffee cool down to a drinkable temperature, then serve immediately. I was going with the thinking that in whatever chemical reaction is occurring during the brew, I would want to accelerate it with maximum stirring. Particularly when maximizing caffeine? The video here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_press#Preparation shows a quick stir only, however. They mention a range of brewing times. (side question: the only reason not to stir with a metal spoon is to prevent breaking the beaker?) <Q> Based on my experience, I can say that stirring does not affect the brewing process in a French press a lot. <S> The initial stirring is just for homogenously distributing the grounds in the water. <S> Then, the rest of brewing happens itself in the water by chemical extraction itself and the main factors are time and temperature. <S> According to your question, I can say that you may be over extracting if you are waiting for the water to cool down. <S> One quick recipe and other related discussion are mentioned here . <A> It's mostly a personal preference Stirring increases the turbulence , which is supposed to help for a more even extraction and change some flavor qualities of your coffee (such as the acidity and bitterness). <S> In reality, you might not even notice it. <S> I know I don't, and so far I've only met one (non-barista) person who's able to tell the difference (he didn't like a lot of turbulence). <A> Assuming that your grind size is french press coarse, stirring may speed extraction. <S> Stirring is a bit like higher temperature, it moves around the molecules such that you are dissolving soluble compounds from the coffee. <S> It's like having a convection oven, you can cook food with a lower temperature in the same time it takes a conventional oven. <S> They're both going to get the job done. <S> Convection ovens do sometimes dry out the food more, which can be analogous to stirring sometimes over extracting unwanted flavors like bitterness. <S> In brewing coffee <S> it's all about your preferences. <S> And I'm not just talking about taste. <S> Speed can be a major factor. <S> It is for me, which is why I use an AeroPress with a fine grind setting. <S> I just make sure I don't let it brew very long nor do I use much pressure at all in order to keep the flavor where I want it. <A> I use a French Press and make 40 ounces at a time. <S> I stir for at least a minute now and noticed it reduced the amount of time from start to pour by 45 seconds or so. <S> I used to pour out at 3:45-4:00. <A> I stir anywhere from 10 - 30 seconds. <S> What I want to see is what is called a "bloom". <S> You'll see some bubbling up or like a crema of sorts. <S> After stirring, and yes don't use metal to stir and get a wooden chopstick to stir to avoid breakage of the glass beaker. <S> DON'T let the coffee cool down to drinkable temp in the Press before serving. <S> Drinkable temp can be personal choice. <S> Serve the coffee after your 4 minute brew time and let the coffee cool in your guests cup to their liking. <S> To keep your coffee from cooling too much in the press you can fold a dish towel and wrap around your press while it brews. <S> Also preheat the press with your hot water and dump out before adding your ground coffee and water.
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Letting the coffee cool in the press and then if adding cream or milk and it will cool the coffee even more. I pour out of the press just after 3 minutes after I pour hot water in.
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Doppio vs. Short Black: What's The Difference? I stumbled across an answer on Quora that describes the many different espresso-based coffee drinks. In the author's answer, he defines a doppio as: Double Espresso or twice the amount of coffee and twice the amount of water. Basically it describes two shots of espresso in one demitasse container. He then goes on to define a short black: A pure intense Italian favourite with a biting crème head. Contains 75ml of pure double shot (2) coffee essence made from 24gm of fresh ground coffee beans. Traditionally served in glass and is referred to as Espresso by European customers. Is there any difference between the two if they're both double shots of espresso served in a glass container? Or is a short black a technical term referring to a specific ratio of coffee to water? <Q> As far as I know, a short black is a single espresso, as in it's literally just another word for a single espresso. <S> A short black is a single 30ml shot, and a doppio is two, 60ml. <S> Nothing added to either, and the vessel you're serving it in varies by where you are, and doesn't change the name in any case :-) <A> According to the author's description in the question, short black is defined as two and half times water and three times coffee. <S> A regular espresso is prepared with 7–9 grams of coffee and 25–30 ml of water. <S> Note: <S> In Wikipedia, short black redirects to regular espresso as seen here . <A> A doppio is a double espresso (two servings of coffee at 60ml), whilst the name short black is interpreted differently. <S> It seems in the commercial world the name "short black" has been used to sell stronger coffee. <S> The article you referenced from Quora is a good example (two servings of coffee in a concentrated serving). <S> For me, that would be a stretched out double ristretto.. <S> I remember Gloria Jeans in Australia in the past would sell a short black as a double shot of coffee (I'm not sure if it has changed now..), and most hipster cafés in Australia would try to pass a 18-20ml shot of coffee as a short black.
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Although for me, a short black should be a single serve of espresso coffee.
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How Much Should I Spend When Investing In An At-Home Espresso Machine? I remember discussing the merits of different espresso machines a while back at my local coffee shop with a seasoned barista. His advice was that anything priced below $1000 would produce sub-par espresso. Is this a good rule of thumb? In other words... What is the minimum amount of money one should spend when investing in a at-home espresso machine? For the purposes of this question, I'm interested in semi-automatic espresso machines. It would be used to make straight espresso and espresso beverages. <Q> It's important to note that you should be thinking of your entire espresso budget (i.e. Machine, Grinder, and Accessories) when trying to find the "right" price. <S> If you were to buy a $1000 machine, you'd want to spend minimally $300 on an espresso grinder. <S> If you're looking at spending a $1000 total and go with something that requires a little more technique, maybe the popular Rancilio Silvia / Rocky combination is right for you. <S> Also, some say that the grinder is actually the most important component to consider when trying to make amazing coffee on a budget. <S> It might be worth shorting yourself a bit on the machine to afford yourself a better grinder in the long run. <S> I'd recommend the Baratza Vario as a starting point. <S> It's pricier, but it does a fantastic job for both drip and espresso. <S> Also, Baratza has amazing support/service and a history of quality. <S> That can be worth quite a bit in the long run. <A> After years of experience, the answer is simply depends on your budget and how much you want to invest in coffee . <S> This is coffee; if you are experienced, you can brew magic out of one dollar cezve or a two dollar moka. <S> If you use low quality beans you may spoil ten grand espresso machines. <S> First, believe in your technique and invest in your experience, then invest in the gadgets. <S> There are lots of choices that can produce acceptable quality espresso for even a few hundred dollars. <S> I am sure you can find a very suitable semi-automatic desktop espresso machine for one grand. <S> Even if you cannot, there are many other alternatives you can brew tasteful coffee such as aeropress, V60, French press, etc. <S> those are way cheaper than one thousand dollars. <S> There are always alternative ways to explore a new cup of coffee. <S> After all these years, I am still exploring. <A> My first espresso machine was a Nuova Simonelli Oscar which I bought for $400 on Craigslist. <S> I have switched to a fully manual Olympia Cremina since then, which costs three times more, and is in a sense, a far more difficult machine to use. <S> The Oscar was exceptionally temp stable, had massive steaming power, made repeatable shots, and was a whole lot of machine for the money. <S> While mine was an exceptional deal, used Oscars usually go for about $800 on the secondary market. <S> They are built like tanks, easy to use and maintain, and are very repairable with a lot of parts available in case something fails. <S> However, if you don't mind monitoring a whole lot more variables, a La Pavoni Europiccola runs well below $1k and can make as amazing of espresso shots as your technique allows. <S> Far more fun.
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Regarding the actual amount you have mentioned in your question, my humble advice is, one grand is quite a lot of money for a home style espresso machine.
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Which books do you recommend to read for people who are interested in coffee? I would like to ask people's advice on books or nice pieces of articles (of quality comparable to a book) to read. I am aware that the literature is so wide and it may be classified into coffee cultivation, history, brewing, etc. I don't search for a comprehensive list of all books. I would like people to pinpoint joyful books on coffee. More explicitly, I try to compile Coffee SE user reviewed and recommended list of books with a possibility of forming a community wiki page in the future . So please classify and explain the content of the book and why you recommend that specific book neatly in your answer. <Q> It covers a lot of things including the history of coffee, growing and production as well as roasting and brewing. <S> A big section of the book is indeed an atlas, showing various countries and where the coffees are grown. <S> Nice maps and plenty of good photo's too. <S> If you are already very knowledgeable about coffee and have read many other books on the subject , you probably won't get too much extra out of this <S> but it's certainly more than a quick introduction. <S> I think it would be of great interest for somebody who has become interested in coffee and wants to find out more about the whole process from shrub to cup. <S> Added another one:"Coffee - A Celebration of Diversity" by Fulvio Eccardi and Vincenzo Sandali. <S> This was originally published in Italian in 2000 and the English translation became available in 2002, so it's not the most up to date book <S> and I'm not sure whether it's still available <S> but it is definitely worth grabbing if you can get hold of it. <S> It has beautiful photographs (including some lovely satellite views of coffee growing areas) but is also rich in information. <S> In many ways it overlaps with The World Atlas of Coffee above although it focuses more on the cultivation and production and doesn't have as much on the roasting and brewing. <S> But it's worth getting for the pictures alone. <A> For history, a classic is Historia do Cafe no Brasil by Taunay, which spans several volumes and is in Portuguese. <S> The good news is that the link seems to give free access to some of it (and it is otherwise hard to find). <A> Coffee: <S> A comprehensive guide to the bean, beverage, and industry. <S> by R.Thurston is a great book regarding the impact of coffe. <S> It explains the history, environmental impacts and current industry. <S> It attempts to answer why coffee has become so popular and important in modern society, what it is and things like under what conditions do coffee plants grow the best. <S> The book is quite thorough, such that it sometimes can appear academic in style, and I would not recommend it for light reading. <S> On the other hand, it is extremely informative and provides several perspectives on the industry and world surrounding coffee. <A> I'd suggest you grab a copy of Coffee Atlas by James Hoffman.
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I also agree that "The World Atlas of Coffee" by James Hoffman is a good book.
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What are the flavor characteristics of under-roasted coffee? As a frequent coffee drinker, I can tell when the coffee beans have been over-roasted; the coffee is bitter. What can I tell when the beans have been under-roasted? What does under-roasted coffee taste like? <Q> I suppose under-roasting and over-roasting are somewhat relative. <S> I generally prefer a lighter roast (just after the completion of first crack) which might be under-roasted to some tastes. <S> I've occasionally stopped a roast too early <S> and then it's under-roasted to me (and I suspect anybody else) <S> as well! <S> In those cases, the coffee tastes sour and I don't mean acidic, but sour. <S> The sourness is a little like the taste in bread that has got old and soured. <S> It also has a taste that's reminiscent of tea. <S> I like tea but not when when it's meant to be coffee! <S> (If you've ever had Qishr - "tea" made from the dried coffee cherry husks - it's pretty close to that, which is not surprising <S> I suppose.)There are also other coffee tastes which are just absent from under-roasted coffee - there is simply less of that "coffee" taste (and it also disappears of the tongue very quickly) and the coffee also has less body. <S> If they are not too under-roasted, I find letting the beans rest a lot longer than normal can help a bit. <A> I think this discussion should start with the Maillard reaction ; known as caramelization. <S> When the beans are roasted, a chemical reaction activated by heat reduce sugars (more correctly, hydrocarbons) within the beans with the proteins (more correctly, amino acids). <S> During this time, some carbon dioxide is emitted as a result of this process and jailed within the cell structure. <S> During this reaction, many organic molecules within the bean are pyrolysed (chemically separated by fire). <S> Probably at that phase, many aromatic lipids emerge that we are actually tasting and trying to extract during brewing. <S> Note that, more fruity aromas were already in the bean before pyrolysis (or caramelization, Maillard reaction, roasting... <S> You may use interchangeably). <S> Now, let's reason about <S> under- and over- roasted beans: <S> So you have less foam. <S> You have less aromatic lipids, so you have less aroma. <S> But the overall aroma is more fruity. <S> If you have over-roasted beans , you have so much carbon dioxide. <S> So the cup will sure have a foam. <S> You have aromatic lipids, but probably you have burnt some of the fragile organic molecules on the road. <S> Thus you have a lot of aroma, but the overall aroma will be a bit burnt and bitter. <S> Edit: <S> I realized that @Geo already explained the Maillard reaction very neatly in a previous answer here . <A> Vegetal - asparagus, sour; especially on the after-taste/linger as acids sit on the pallette. <S> A good roaster can minimize this as it is often an occurrence of the centre of the bean being undeveloped in the roast. <S> Also some espresso machines which can make temperature alterations during the brew can give a better cup. <A> Chlorogenic acid is abundant in green coffee. <S> It degrades through the roasting process. <S> If a coffee is underroasted, there will still be a lot of CGA and it will be very acrid and unpleasantly acidic in this regard. <S> Iin underroasted coffee the chemical reactions to yield sweetness were not carried out fully enough. <S> This is one of the waterloos of too many companies entering the cafe business. <S> They become too gung-ho over the light roast, that they end up serving and turning-off a lot of people with stomach-hurting acidic coffee. <A> That might also depend on how the beans are processed. <S> Wet processed coffees tend to have less of a fruity flavor from the berry pulp to them than dry processed. <S> I've seen under-roasted described as having "grassy" or "wild" flavors.
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If you have under-roasted beans , you have less carbon dioxide.
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Can a cup of coffee explode if heated in microwave? Hello this is a serious question, and I dont know if I am really in the right part of stack exchange: A friend of mine was trying to make a coffee in her lab, she used the microwave to heat the water (I hope you enthusiast do not crucify us for this bewildering savagery). She set the timer to 2.5 min, but then had to run some work. After returning the water had already cooled beyond usability, thus she restarted the heating process for approx. 30s. Before reheating she realized that there was a lot of steam in the microwave cavity. After the reheating she takes out the cup, and after having taken it out, the water in the cup explodes in her face. Some word on the used hardware: The microwave is an old model from Carrefour homeThe cup is an ordinary ceramic cup with shape of a truncated cone. This is not a joke, she did really burn herself and was lucky that she chose her glasses instead of her contacts. However more interesting is, how this explosion came about. There must have been some pressure build up inside the cup but how would such an inhomogeneity in such a small volume be explainable? <Q> As others have stated, superheating can happen in a microwave, especially when using a smooth vessel, e.g. a new, unscratched cup. <S> It is more likely in pure water, but not unheard of from other liquids. <S> But you need a hack: The key to prevent superheating and a subsequent flash of steam when the cup is moved or so is to supply nucleation sites, or, simply put, some rough surfaces or gas bubbles where the water can turn to vapour. <S> So questionable at best. <S> If you can get your hand at some lab equipment, get one of those glass sticks with a hollow lower end or a little porous ceramic stone. <S> But probably the simplest way is floating a toothpick in the mug. <S> Or use an old, scratched mug, provided it is microwave-safe. <A> As far as I see, some explanation is already in the comments. <S> A short explanation may be helpful for the community, so I decided to take a note here. <S> The reason behind that is the super-heated water. <S> In theory, it is possible to super-heat any liquid with polar molecules. <S> Temperature of an object is defined by the total kinetic energy of its molecules. <S> The kinetic energy has two sources, the linear velocity of molecules, and spin of molecules. <S> Microwave ovens heat up objects by adding spin to the molecules of an object. <S> Roughly speaking, molecules stay where they are, but spin around very rapidly under microwave to heat up. <S> During this phase, they cannot find a way to vaporize (linear velocity). <S> When your friend take the cup out of the oven, the molecules are not under the effect of microwave (so they don't spin) anymore, so they find their way out to vaporize, and choose to vaporize (linear velocity) very quickly. <S> That occurs as an explosion. <A> @MT_San hit the nail on the proverbially head. <S> However, I thought this excerpt from an article <S> I read recently might prove to be easier to understand. <S> When water reaches a boiling point, it doesn't necessarily turn to steam. <S> It needs some kind of physical spot—a "nucleation site"—to form a bubble. <S> This can be an imperfection or crevice in the surface of the container. <S> That’s why a clean, scratch-free jug of water heated in the microwave can seem to be below boiling point, but explode as soon as you move it. <S> The water in there is super-heated beyond 212 degrees, but hasn’t found any nucleation sites to let it turn into steam. <S> When you disturb it, swirls in the water can be enough to release all that pent-up energy into steam. <S> Another example is throwing salt into boiling pasta water. <S> It suddenly roils because you just tossed a handful of nucleation sites in there. <S> For safety's sake, purchase an electric kettle if you don't have an oven or hotplate at work to boil water with. <S> Bonavita has an excellent gooseneck kettle with a built-in temperature sensor.
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Many recommend using a teaspoon in your cup, but at least in some microwave models that can lead to "fireworks" of electric sparks.
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What can I do with bad coffee beans? I recently was about to have a week before I could get my good coffee, so I went to the grocery store and got some of theirs. Unfortunately, I pulled the lever and got way more grocery store coffee than I could ever need. It's also terrible. Short of tossing it, is there anything I can do to make it taste better until I get good coffee again? <Q> Cold brew it! <S> Make sure you start with very cold water and a coarse grind. <S> Cold-temp chemistry has a better chance of taking what's good and leaving what's bad. <A> If you're wanting ideas that don't include brewing, I would suggest using the coffee grounds as a steak rub or placing the coffee in a compost pile (if you have one). <S> Also, there are a number of coffee desserts that are sweet enough to hide the taste of bad coffee. <S> I would suggest giving those a try. <S> Some examples would be a mocha fondue, java pie, or layered mocha cheesecake. <A> If you drink alcohol, you could also try making Kahlúa. <S> Soak coffee beans and vanilla beans in vodka for a while (3-4 weeks), then mix with a simple syrup. <S> There are plenty of detailed recipes on the web for it. <A> Use them for decoration: <S> Fill a glass vessel with the beans, stick a candle or tea-light in. <S> Looks neat, costs nothing extra and if you use a tea-light, the heat of the light will help disperse the scent of the coffee. <S> Replace the beans occasionally. <S> I have done this in various scales, from tiny coffee-cup-sized arrangements (coffee table for two) to 1-quart glass vases with block candles or small pots of grass where the beans hide the plastic pot (table decoration at a wedding). <S> This image is from pinterest (source is in the image) as I don't have an own one at hand, but shows exactly what I did: <A> Ground coffee works well as an odor reducer. <S> You can place it in a sachet or, more simply, in a bowl in the back of your refrigerator to help reduce/eliminate unwanted odors. <A> like a latte or perhaps Vietnamese-style iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk. <S> As you note in your comment, neither of these are usually my style, either. <S> However, it's a fun change every once in a while. <S> These are what I do when I have a batch of beans that I don't like; it covers up some bitterness, over-roasting, and other off-notes... and since I wouldn't usually consider doing this to beans that I <S> actually like , it's merely opportunistic. :) <A> Mocha cheesecake is already mentioned by Devon. <S> Also, desserts as a category. <S> But, I would like to mention tiramisu separately as it is widely known. <A> If they are whole beans, place a layer on a cookie sheet and put them under the broiler for 60 to 90 seconds to wake them up. <S> I've sometimes had a good result. <A> This won't fix the coffee but it might not taste as bad. <S> Do a normal french press but do a crazy strong ratio like 1:10 1:7 or 1:5!Filter, then pour some in a cup, maybe half a cup and dilute the rest with hot water. <S> It won't turn it good but will make it slightly more acceptable than before.
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Try a highly-enriched coffee-drink (with sugar, cream, etc.)
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What are coffee flavorings found around the globe? Recently I learned that in some Middle Eastern countries they add cardamom and cloves to their coffee to flavor it. Are there any other coffee flavorings found around the globe I might not have heard of? <Q> I prefer my coffee flavored just with water. <S> However, it is common for people to flavor their coffee with many other ingredients with respect to their personal preference. <S> As personal preference is closely related to culture, yes, you may enlist some location-based flavoring ingredients for coffee . <S> In Turkey , generally, coffee does not have any ingredients except sugar. <S> In the west part, mastic is sometimes added for flavor. <S> This is a common tradition with Greeks, I assume. <S> In the Southeast part, cardamom is rarely added. <S> This is a common tradition with Syrians, I assume. <S> I never heard of cloves around here. <S> Sugar and its close relatives: I think this is the most common one, independent from the geography. <S> Milk may be the second most common one. <S> Mostly used in the Italian-influenced Western coffee. <S> Chocolate is only common in the Austrian-influenced coffee recipes, I assume. <S> From now on, I think we may say not very common flavorings. <S> Cinnamon is common both on Austrian-influenced coffees and old-style coffees. <S> Mastic is common around Aegean Sea with Turkish brewing method. <S> Cardamom is common around Syria with Turkish brewing method. <S> Cloves is common around Arabian Peninsula with Saudi brewing method (say, a brewing method close to Turkish). <S> Chicory is common in Vietnam, South India and in New Orleans/Southern Louisiana of USA. <S> Butter is common in East Africa, Himalayas and very recently in North America under the fancy name of "bulletproof". <S> Coconut and Marjoram are my recent encounters in some old Turkish recipes together with Cardamom. <S> Especially, when the beans are ground in dibek , an ancient Turkish coffee mortar. <A> In Canada and probably America too, pumpkin spice lattes have taken off and some stores now sell pumpkin pie spice mix which is a great flavouring to plain coffee. <A> Liqueur coffees <S> are a whole category of coffees flavoured with alcohol. <S> Irish coffee is probably the best known example. <S> Wikipedia has a list of coffee drinks , but as you can see from other answers here (and indeed your own question) it's not complete. <S> The cardamom-flavoured coffee I've had has been Saudi, and uses an unusually light roast, so the end result doesn't look or smell much like most coffee, despite the taste. <A> I am not a big lover of flavorings in coffee, but there's one spice that works very nice with turka called hawaij. <S> It's a mixture of black pepper, cumin, cardamom and turmeric, commonly available in the Middle East.
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You even could class affogato as a flavoured coffee, though it's served as a desert.
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Best stories of coffee consumption in historical times? I'm currently coming up with a coffee article, and suddenly I'm stuck trying to fish my words out of the water -- how has civilization come to appreciate coffee, anyhow? Why did pre-modern societies roast and drink it up, considering the notion that coffee is basically bitter? I mean, if Turkish elites roasted it dark and drank it immediately afterwards, wouldn't that be rather tasteless and overly bitter? Did people drink it for the caffeine? Or did they actually like it for its flavor? I'd just like to hear out some of your insights and the things you've read on coffee's history and coffee in past societies. I'll research on the things you say, and fish some inspiration. <Q> A story often shared as the origin of coffee consumption is that of Kaldi and The Dancing Goats , which comes out of Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee. <S> Kaldi was a herder who discovered his goats would become rambunctious after eating the berries and leaves of a plant. <S> That plant turned out to be the coffee plant. <S> Upon observing this, Kaldi also partook of the plant's berries, finding it gave him extra energy. <S> Some claim people would crush the berries and mix them with animal fat into rudimentary "protein bars". <S> Eventually they began drying-out the berries and steeping the seeds (beans) in hot water to brew the first coffee to grace the Earth. <S> Thus begins the storied history of coffee consumption! <S> Another anecdote relating to coffee involves Pope Clement VIII. <S> His advisors urged him to ban the consumption of coffee, likening it to the "Devil's brew" as it was popular among Muslims. <S> However , after tasting coffee for the first time, the Pope was so impressed he couldn't bare to think of outlawing it. <S> It's said this led to the spread of coffee drinking among Catholics and Italians in general. <S> This story should be taken with a grain of salt, as whether or not Pope Clement VIII actually said or did what he said, or whether or not his advisors ever broached the topic is a matter of speculation. <S> That said, there are many more stories surrounding the spread and popularization of coffee. <S> I'll let others add their own stories, as I know there are many more out there :) <A> One interesting story is Ottoman Sultan Murat IV banned coffee consumption in Istanbul in between 1632 to 1640. <S> The reason is simple, the people were sitting in "kahvehane"s (the coffeehouses) of Istanbul and discussing politics. <S> He wants to stop people discussing himself, easiest way to stop discussions were getting rid of social areas at all which was coffeehouses back then. <S> Together with coffee, he also banned, smoking and alcohol. <S> Ironically, Murat IV died at 28 as a result of alcohol poisoning. <A> Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki is a Polish/Ukranian man who is now regarded as a hero and known as the owner of the first coffee house of Vienna. <S> Probably, the inventor of cappuccino. <S> He was a very fluent speaker in many languages including Ottoman Turkish. <S> During the siege, he is used by the city as a messenger and saved the city in the last day by carrying a critical message by disguising as a janisary (Ottoman soldier) when the city were about the leave the city to the Ottomans. <S> After the siege, he opens the Europe's third and Vienne's first coffee house with the sacks of coffee beans left by the Ottoman army —which was now retreating and leaving all the heavy stuff behind on the way back home. <S> This was probably one of the first encounters of Europeans to coffee. <S> Kulczycki's friend Marco d’Aviano who was a Cappuchin monk, thought coffee is quite bitter and choose to add honey and milk into it. <S> When milk added, coffee changed its color from black to brown and looks more like Cappuchin monks traditional robe's color. <S> Kulczycki, named that kind of sweetened coffee after his monk friend. <S> Right after Kulczycki became known, he even started to wear janisary clothes in his coffeehouse while serving coffee. <S> His monuments are still around Vienna. <S> You can check his Wikipedia page here . <A> Well, people have an addiction nowadays. <S> However if one drinks good coffee in good periods, this can even been count as energizer and sleep aborter. <S> Back on that days, I think people found unique ways to make it. <S> Cook, boil or just eat its seeds without any refinement. <S> I would contribute Turkish coffee's bitterness by telling about a tradition here in TR. <S> When a couple decides to get married, groom's family heads to bride's parents' home. <S> With a flower, and a chocolate. <S> (Prefferably put in a silver gondol vase. <S> Then girl serves Turkish cofee to everyone in the room. <S> Starting by elders. <S> Traditionally, if the girl does like dude, she puts some salt in it. <S> That is the way to make sure if he can tolerate any jokes or not.
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Another interesting one is the story of the first coffee house in Vienna. It starts with the siege of Vienna by the Ottomans in the end of the 16th century.
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What gives coffee its acidic (sour) taste? I read somewhere that too cold water is what gives coffee its acidity, how does that take place? Furthermore, does that apply only to the water during the brewing process or as my cup of coffee cools down, the acidity increase? <Q> That's correct: as your cup cools, perceived acidity increases. <S> This is due to variation in the chemical species affected by temperature. <S> Coffee is like ice cream. <S> Ice cream is least sweet when it's stone cold, and tart and heavy when it has melted. <S> Similarly, coffee is sweetest (and best) while it's hot, and is bitter or acrid when it has cooled. <S> Furthermore, the cooler temp has led to chemical degradation and thus the awful taste. <S> However, you won't perceive its flavors when the coffee is too hot -- so let it cool a bit. <S> As for your question whether the on-contact brew temperature affects end-result sweetness-sourness: there are a lot of baristas and coffee R&D pros who do temperature-control brewing, especially for espresso, in order to modify the flavor of the coffee. <S> I believe that varying temperature affects coffee flavor in a gradient. <S> For cold brew (in case you're also curious about that), the cold temperature is a different environment entirely. <S> Coffee is just as soluble, however less energetically kinetic, so more time is substituted for the lack of temperature. <S> The end result is a brew product that functions naturally as a cold product -- nice, sweet, characteristic. <A> As far as I see, there are a few questions mixed here. <S> Let me clarify this. <S> Many different acids are there in your cup: Malic, tannic acid, maleic, oleic, oxalic, caffeic, chlorogenic acids, etc. <S> All these acidic components are responsible for the overall acidity of the final cup. <S> However, during roasting, generally, the large organic acidic compounds are reduced and overall acidity decreases. <S> I hope this paragraph answer the main question and @glls's remark. <S> For the second question, I have <S> probably noted a very nice resource below, but my institution does not have access to that paper. <S> If someone could help, we can learn more. <S> O. Fond, “Effect of water and coffee acidity on extraction dynamics of coffee bed compaction in espresso type extraction”, <S> In: Proceedings of the 16th International Scientific Colloquium on Coffee, ASIC (Kyoto). <S> (ASIC, Paris, 1995) <S> pp. <S> 413–420. <A> The acidity of the coffee depends on the variety/origin of the coffee (mostly) and the grade of roasting. <S> The more you roast your coffee, the less acidic it becomes.
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Also, the carbon dioxide that's produced when the organic molecules are reduced during roasting have an effect on acidity when it's solved in your final cup.
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What is the limit to the amount of coffee one can consume? NOTE: I'm not a coffee expert and I rarely drink coffee so layman terms would be greatly appreciated. Is there a "safety limit" to the amount of coffee one can drink? What are the negative consequences to ones health as a direct consequence of consuming high amounts of caffeine? <Q> Let's look at this from the worst case: <S> The LD50 for caffeine is around 150-200mg/kg body weight for a healthy adult or 10g 1 . <S> (More caffeine math on this site.) <S> This is an amount of fluid that you can't ingest without other severe complications, but deaths by pure caffeine , e.g. in tablets can happen. <S> If you don't kill yourself, the next serious outcome is caffeine intoxication , caused by single doses of about half the LD50 or 400-500mg: <S> The symptoms of caffeine intoxication are comparable to the symptoms of overdoses of other stimulants: they may include restlessness, fidgeting, anxiety, excitement, insomnia, flushing of the face, increased urination, gastrointestinal disturbance, muscle twitching, a rambling flow of thought and speech, irritability, irregular or rapid heart beat, and psychomotor agitation.[95] <S> In cases of much larger overdoses, mania, depression, lapses in judgment, disorientation, disinhibition, delusions, hallucinations, or psychosis may occur, and rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue) can be provoked.[99][100] <S> ( Source ) <S> Everything else is a question of your metabolism and caffeine tolerance vs. desired and undesirable effects. <S> For example: coffee is a stimulant that counters fatigue and drowsiness - and thus can keep you awake if it's not metabolized when you want to sleep. <S> There is no general "safety threshold", but if you look at the recommendation of both the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the UK Food Standards Agency for pregnant women, the 200mg caffeine per day deemed safe for them 2 should be more than safe for every other healthy adult. <S> 1 Sources vary between 5-30g, but LD50 rates for humans aren't exactly a field of much experimentation. <S> 2 Pregnant women show a decreased caffeine metabolism (up to 15 hours vs. 3-4 hours in non-pregnant women) and there is a large safety margin to protect the unborn child. <A> Coffee is generally dissolved in water. <S> Thus, I think water is the main limiting factor here. <S> However, a media coverage mentions a story that somebody died in 1998 by swallowing 90 pills which contains equal amount of caffeine in 250 cups of coffee . <S> The source and more links are here . <A> For healthy adults with no medical issues, it is generally agreed upon that 300mg-400mg of caffeine can be consumed daily without any adverse effects.
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The caffeine content of a "cup of coffee" (however you define it) varies with beans, roast and preparation method, but according to Wikipedia, (50-)75-100 cups of drip coffee get you in the lethal ballpark.
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What is the cheapest way to use coffee beans? I have been given two large bags of a popular brand of coffee beans, I would like to buy a machine to use them but do not want to spend a lot of money, is a standard coffee filter machine suitable please? I have heard I might need a grinder? Many thanks <Q> There are many ways to brew coffee, and several that are on the "inexpensive" end of the spectrum. <S> Your tone sounds like you're not very into coffee, so to that end here are <S> my broad recommendations in that will give you an adequate cup with minimal fuss and expense. <S> You'll need two basic pieces of equipment: A grinder . <S> You can buy an inexpensive electric rotary grinder that will be adequate for most purposes -- one example from Amazon . <S> You can also use it for grinding spices or seeds. <S> If you already have one, you will get some odor holdover from one grinding mission to the next, but it's probably fine if you're not very picky. <S> 10-15 quid new, or even cheaper used from a thrift shop etc. <S> You can even mash them up with mortar and pestle. <S> Some brewing mechanism . <S> The cheapest and simplest are probably drip brew (e.g., pour-over or auto-drip), but I online a few more down below. <S> Your options are manual pour-over (my recommendation) or auto-drip: <S> Manual pour-over . <S> My pick would be a manual pour-over coffee cone, such as this one , a plastic cone holder for like 5 quid. <S> You put the cone over a mug, put in a paper filter, add medium-grind coffee (even as fine as the rotary grinder will give you will be okay), and slowly pour water over the top until brewed. <S> Auto-drip . <S> You can find a really cheap auto-drip machine, for instance this one from Amazon , for like 10-15 quid, or even cheaper used. <S> Water goes in the reservoir, paper filter in the basket, add some ground coffee, press the button. <S> That's one solution for decent cup of coffee for as little as 15 quid all in (grinder, coffee cone, paper filters), or perhaps 25-30 for an auto-drip solution. <S> See also questions tagged as pour-over for how-to information. <S> Other inexpensive, though somewhat more fussy, preparations include... <S> French press and french-press <S> stove-top percolator or moka pot , see also my description of the difference between them and moka cold brew; see cold-brew . <A> Assuming you are looking for the cheapest overall price, you can buy a pour over brewer for just a few dollars plus the cost of the paper filters. <S> This is often used in some fancy/kitchy coffee shops. <S> On the other hand if you want coffee with the oil left in(the paper filter removes the oil) <S> a french press or percolator will be your cheapest option, or if you want to be able to do fancy "coffee shop" drinks (eg latte's, americano's, etc) then you have to bite the bullet and pay for an espresso machine, which tend to run a little more, and again you have to pay attention to the temperature that the machine runs at. <A> Go to a second-hand-store, consignment shop or flea market. <S> Buy a grinder and a coffee-maker. <S> Or a grinder and a pour-over-filter holder, or a grinder and french-press. <S> Depends on you, depends on what your second-hand store has in stock. <S> Coffee-makers are dirt common at most second-hand stores, grinders a little less common but hardly rare. <S> Or you can just buy a grinder and make Turkish-style coffee in a pot, assuming you already own a pot <S> (of course, you can get special pots for the purpose, but you are looking for cheapest, <S> so...) <S> Clean both throughly. <S> Depending on the water in your area, this might include "find citric acid, mix some with water, and run though the coffee-maker, followed by a few pots of plain water to flush it out. <S> " <S> I find the commented suggestion to "sneak the beans into your local grocery store and grind them" oddly foolish - if you successfully "sneak them in" then you're more likely to get nabbed while "sneaking them out" and good luck proving you didn't steal them. <S> Either ask if you can pay a small fee and use the grinder or buy a used grinder, and sell it when you no longer have a use for it; or find a neighbor with a grinder you can make use of, perhaps in exchange for some of the coffee.
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Otherwise a cheap coffee machine does basically do the trick as long as you find one that accurately heats the water.
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Is there any way to preserve roasted coffee beans? I know different people try different things to preserve roasted coffee beans, including freezing them or vacuum sealing them. But do any of these actually work? I have a very rare and expensive coffee bean that I'd like to take out once a month or so on special occasions, and I'm trying to see if there's anyway to do this without buying the coffee new every time. <Q> Coffee beans, once roasted, are perishable; they don't "keep". <S> Within roughly five days of roasting staleness is detectable (taste/quality is adversely affected). <S> Don't freeze; beans absorb moisture and lose flavour— ick. <S> Vacuum packs aren't the answer, either. <S> To remove all gases from packaging would require a system using pressure, 29" Hg, that no one, not even coffee giants, can afford. <S> The best practice is to just buy beans (roasted on the day you purchase, ideally) in quantities you'll use within a week to 10 days. <A> What I usually do is to place the degased beans (30hours after roasting) in a nitrogen atmosphere. <S> I did a couple of experiments to check whether this is working, namely mass-spectrometry on the brewed coffee. <S> Although this does not directly link to the taste, it confirms my theory that the nitrogen atmosphere conserves the solubles in the coffee for a longer period of time. <S> In a good atmosphere (>0.1ppm <S> H20 and >0.1ppm O2) and no ambient light, the flavor <S> , in my opinion, can be conserved for up to six months. <S> The problem with vacuum is that you actually extract part of the flavor by helping the beans to degas further. <A> Right after the coffee is roasted, you should not consume it right away but degas it for one or two days. <S> Degassing improves the flavor for a while, say up to ten days, then the overall quality of the bean began to get worse. <S> There is nothing you can do to reverse it, as coffee is alive . <S> However, you may slow it down by using vacuum packs or freezers. <S> I have just edited and added the "storage" tag. <S> There are many discussions under this tag on how to store green beans, roasted beans and ground beans. <S> Please take a look. <A> I am a coffee roaster. <S> The coffee industry has played a shell game with us when it comes to the question of preservation and freshness. <S> They have led us to believe that it has to do with the off-gassing. <S> It absolutely does not. <S> There are lipids and other such oils and fatty compounds in the coffee. <S> These are what go stale. <S> These can be preserved by freezing the coffee in air tight containers. <S> Technical specifics can be found in Michael Sivetz's book "Coffee Technology". <S> Freezing/unfreezing/re-freezing isn't a good technique. <S> If you can manage - break up your supply into the amounts you'd normally use and store them like that individually...in the freezer. <S> Small glass jars that seal air tight work perfect. <A> I was able to get some non-freshly roasted beans from Germany one time. <S> Sold to me for cheap because it wasn't freshly roasted. <S> I kept it since October 2015, and just last week (June 2016) <S> I was still drinking some of it. <S> It's flatter, but the acidity is still there. <S> (Owing to the fact that those were some rather high-level green beans). <S> It was just in the same bag <S> it came with, and some loose plastic clip to keep it closed. <S> It took me so long to finish it because i'm always preoccupied cupping and road-testing beans that I roast for my kiosk business. <S> (The irony of being a coffee business!) <S> In fact, in an Intelligentsia video/speaking occasion somewhere, they mentioned how when they cupped some old and new coffees side by side, the 6-month old roasted still scored better, and it's really just evidence of the excellent quality of green coffee. <S> Coffee is a weird product in that it never actually befits "special occassions". <S> For special occassions, you bring out wine, beer, cocktails. <S> The best and absolutely superwordly experiences of drinking high quality coffee are those nights when you come home tired from work, and find a sliver of excitement in a cup of fruit-bursting pure joy COFFEE. <A> In a previous similar question I posted this picture of a method I've been using for a couple of months now. <S> I place my freshly roasted beans into an empty wine bottle and then vacuum pump it for storage. <S> The special rubber stoppers have a one-way valve in them which allows air to be removed and held under a partial vacuum. <S> The advantage of this method is two fold. <S> First, the container is as full of beans as I can get it which minimizes the space available for air (oxygen is the bad guy). <S> After pumping out the air with the little hand pump, it creates a partial vacuum which extracts additional oxygen from the bottle but also promotes the accelerated off-gassing of carbon dioxide. <S> I know the beans are emitting CO2 because for the first day or two I can continue to pump out gas from the bottle. <S> After that, the bottle holds a vacuum indefinitely. <S> I've stored freshly roasted beans like this for at least a couple of weeks with no noticeable loss of flavor. <S> After I open the bottle and begin to use the beans, I can re-seal <S> it; although the more space there is in the bottle, the more oxygen will remain in the bottle even after I pump it out. <S> After using a couple of days worth, I more often transfer it to a zip lock baggie that I can roll up and extract air from. <S> Longer storage than a couple of weeks I can't comment on because I don't roast coffee that far in advance. <S> I prefer my coffee as freshly roasted as possible.
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There is one way to preserve freshness: consume freshly roasted beans within roughly a week.
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Coffee will make you lean? I'm 25 , Coffee lover, I always start my day with my coffee like many of you. I will have at least 3 cups of coffee a day. I am very lean but not weak. Few people of my circle and some internet articles says that coffee will make us lean even though we eat healthy. Can someone throw light on this ? Is it true? <Q> I think caffeine can´t make you lean if you eat well & health food, and of course doing some exercises, gym, jogging etc. <S> Caffeine is most consumed psychoactive drug, legal of course(more at wiki ). <S> Also, I like to start day with warm cup of coffee. <S> :) <S> Btw, about year ago I use caffeine pills (200mg pure caffeine per pill , it really have effect, adrenaline increases, you feel energy). <S> Than and today, when I don´t consumed this pills anymore, I have almost same weight. <S> A suggest you to eat food which contains proteins, avoid too much (white) sugar etc. <A> Correct. <S> It (caffeine) can make you lean. <S> But just a bit. <S> It increases the overall speed of the metabolism, thus the body burns more fats. <S> Also, think of other ingredients in coffee. <S> Each cup of coffee includes its own fat and hydrocarbons from the beans even if you don't add any cream and sugar into it. <S> I didn't mention the fancy toppings, here. <S> Here you can find a quick Google search result on caffeine and metabolism. <S> Please, check other related discussions on health tag. <A> I don't have any factual evidence. <S> Just two observations. <S> If there was a strong correlation between caffeine and weight loss then it would be all over the news. <S> Everybody in my office drinks 3 <S> + <S> (or is it 10+) cups of coffee per day. <S> Most are not slim. <S> Those that are in good shape walk the stairs, eat well, but they don't drink more coffee than those that aren't in good shape. <A> It does suppress appetite which could contribute to being lean, though adding sugar and cream would definitely counteract the calories lost by that side effect. <A> I can tell from my own experience that coffee does affect loosing weight. <S> When I am on diet I use coffee more than usual. <A> Caffeine is a stimulant, in the same family that "diet pills" are in. <S> It boosts metabolism and energy (the stimulant effect), and suppresses appetite. <S> So, yes, in a certain sense, ingesting caffeine, whether in the form of coffee or otherwise, can, potentially act like popping a diet pill. <S> Drinking a coffee heavily flavored with high-calorie creams, sugars, etc. will probably add more calories than you'd burn from the caffeine. <S> Having that coffee before a morning workout is a good way to jump start the metabolism for both a better workout and increased metabolic effects, I've read, but that might be a bit dated (Robert Haas' "Eat to Win"). <A> Coffee can promote good gut bacteria and create a more favorable condition for weight loss. <S> Dr. David Perlmutter's book, Brainmaker, goes into some depth about pre-biotic foods, or foods that nourish a healthy gut bio culture. <S> A healthy gut bio culture is a negative indicator for obesity, and in fact, some obese patients have been successfully treated with a fecal matter transplant to adjust the gut culture. <S> There is conjecture that the really efficacious part of a gastric bypass surgery is the gut reboot that happens afterwards rather than the actual surgical procedure. <S> So yes, there is growing evidence that pre-biotic foods like coffee can help you lose weight through better gut health. <S> This is not a caffeine related effect, but actually dependent on some of the coffee solids working their way into your gut. <S> http://www.drperlmutter.com/coffee-pour-cup/ <S> (But see http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2015/06/problem-with-the-grain-brain-doctor.html before you make up your mind about Dr. Perlmutter.) <A> It can help on a short term. <S> That's why there is a bunch of people that drinks coffee regularly without any effect. <S> Please check this article from Authority Nutrition: <S> If you’re primarily interested in coffee for the sake of fat loss, then it may be best to cycle it to prevent a buildup of tolerance. <S> Perhaps cycles of 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. <S> Of course, there are plenty of other great reasons to drink coffee, including the fact that coffee is the single largest source of antioxidants in the western diet, outranking both fruits and vegetables, combined.
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Even though caffeine can boost your metabolism in the short term, this effect is diminished in long-term coffee drinkers due to tolerance. However, I don't think its effect is overwhelming.
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What volume of beans yields a tablespoon of ground coffee? I have recently switched from using pre-ground coffee to grinding my own beans. With the pre-ground, I used 1.5 tbsp per cup, however when i used the equivalent in beans (before grinding) the coffee was noticeably weaker. This makes sense to some degree, since the packing density of beans is lower than ground. Is there an established ratio of beans-to-ground which I can use to accurately determine what volume of beans I need to grind to produce the same strength I had before? Apart from the packing density, is there any other reason why the beans would be weaker than ground on a equal mass basis? <Q> Here's an opportunity to start refining your brewing process. <S> Coffee brewers, including myself, tend to use weight as our measuring unit as opposed to volume since bean sizes vary significantly already without accounting for origin or roast level. <S> All of these factors will change the real amount of coffee you believe you have once ground and also change the extraction parameters needed to make a cup of coffee of the 'same strength'. <S> From what it sounds, I doubt that the beans you use are of the same variety as the pre-ground coffee you used to use. <S> Not all coffee will taste the same nor brew the same, and the best way to track and refine your brewing to your taste is to measure accurately your bean (origin/blend, roast level, weight used, grind size), water (to coffee ratio, temperature, purity), and extraction time. <S> Depending on what brewing method you use there may be more parameters you will have to account for but ultimately the aforementioned factors will always play a role in any form of coffee brewing. <S> Good luck! <A> Based on my own experience, ground coffee or coffee beans are more or less have the same volume per gram. <S> The author also shares the same experience with me on his blog here with some experiment and a nice photo. <S> I assume, the difference in strength may be a result of different bean quality. <S> The flavor of coffee beans depend on many factors that you can find in this discussion . <A> Could it be possible that your previous ground coffee was finer than how you grind your coffee now? <S> Try a finer grind with your usual measurement, and see if you can improve the strength. <A> Tip 1: Measure the volume after grinding (again) <S> so the change in packing density of grinding won't be a factor. <S> At a medium grind as suitable for a drip coffee maker (Baratza #20), I find the pre/post grind ratio is close to 1:1. <S> At a finer grind as suitable for an AeroPress (Baratza #14), the ground coffee is significantly less dense. <S> A finer grind makes a lower packing density. <S> Tip 2: <S> Weigh the ground coffee and compare that to the weight of ground coffee that you used to use so the density variation between beans won't be a factor. <S> (Reportedly, darker roasts are less dense than lighter roasts because roasting removes water.) <S> Tip 3: <S> Then you can focus on adjusting the grinder. <S> As @wearashirt noted, it sounds like you need a finer grind to get your desired results. <S> By doing a triangle test , I found that 1 adjustment step makes a reliably noticeable difference between grind #20 (my favorite) and #21 (second choice) using a Baratza Encore burr grinder. <S> This grinder's adjustment goes from #0 to #40, and a +1 difference is too small to discern visually. <S> First do side-by-side non-blind comparisons of grind sizes since that's faster than a triangle test. <A> A good rule of thumb is to follow a 1:15 ratio of coffee to water. <S> So for every 1 gram of coffee, add 15 grams of water, which coverts to about 3 tablespoon of coffee for every 1 cup of water. <A> Uh the top post is awesome. <S> By the way, if you have define how is your ideal coffee taste is like you might find this compass helpful. <A> For french press figuring a 1 to 4 ratio of coffee to filtered water, a hand burr mill, and temp controlled kettle set for 200 degrees, I've found 7 tablespoons of ground coffee yields 28 ounces of joe... <S> 8 yields 32 ounces. <S> I pour the coffee in my French press, add the hot water, wait four minutes, and plunge to pour every drop in a tumbler. <S> Seth Kolodny
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Start by weighing an amount of pre-ground coffee that you used previously to find out how much coffee you used exactly and start by grinding that much of your new beans to brew. Grind size makes a big difference in the resulting taste.
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Coffee and milk for the lactose intolerant I am lactose intolerant. How can I prepare a good cup of coffee with milk? I don't like the taste of black coffee. I usually use soy-milk, but it is nowhere near original milk in taste. <Q> Best option is lactose-free milk. <S> I assume you live in India and it may be hard to find in India as lactose intolerance is not common among Indians. <S> In that case, you may try goat milk which has naturally less lactose than cow milk. <S> But I'm not sure if this will be enough (personally) for you. <A> Try frothing the soy milk with a hand-held frother, even if you just slightly froth it. <S> According to this Milk Frothing Guide Incorporating air into the milk improves and sweetens the taste. <S> Milk that has not been foamed at all tends to taste flat and dull by comparison. <S> Update: <S> I've found that I like oat milk the best. <S> It should be feasible to make oat milk, but I haven't tried that yet. <A> Personally I love almond milk in hot drinks. <S> Though I usually use soy milk with coffee, I love to have almond milk chai. <S> That's a tea drink, but maybe it will do it for you in coffee. <S> I recommend it because it's usually touted as a good cow's milk alternative <S> I would also recommend trying different "alternative" milks to find what you like. <S> In the way you might not like soy milk, I don't like coconut milk in drinks, but other people swear by it. <S> Rice and oat milk are pretty good in my opinion, however. <S> I'll say this, though: If you go a while without consuming dairy (say a year), your taste palate will change. <S> This is a commonly reported phenomenon among vegans and lactose intolerant people who stop consuming dairy. <S> I can testify personally that I can no longer stand the taste of milk or cheese, and I'm five years "plant based". <A> I don’t like the taste of soy and almond milk, but I grew accustomed to oat-milk. <S> The barista variety of a certain Swedish brand foams really well and makes good cappuccino’s.
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Also consider experimenting with other kinds of milk substitutes: almond milk, almond-cashew milk, coconut milk, hazelnut milk, hemp milk, oat milk, and rice milk.
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Why am I not addicted to coffee? I have been drinking coffee for the last 5 years at least once a day, often twice and I have no addiction feeling yet? I need to be addicted to coffee and experience the feeling? <Q> Caffeine is only mildly addictive and only shows minor physical dependence. <S> It does not threaten physical, social or economic health the way truly addictive drugs will."Withdrawal" or skipping your morning cup might give you a mild headache. <S> Here is a link to a brief description of caffeine addiction. <S> http://www.m.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/caffeine-myths-and-facts <A> I also drink coffee fairly regularly and I too do not feel addiction towards it. <S> People's tolerances and reactions to certain chemicals, including caffeine, are always different. <S> One person may be addicted to a substance that others are not, it simply depends on the individual. <A> Rather, you just sort of feel run down and tired until you get your fix. <S> Try withholding coffee on the weekends, then see how you feel a few weeks later on Monday as you head to work or school.
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Coffee addiction doesn't manifest as a powerful, puke-your-guts-out kind of feeling if you don't get a fix.
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What sort of sugar to add to coffee? Sometimes I like to add a bit of sugar to my coffee. Does it matter what sort of sugar I use? Will the type of sugar make any difference to the taste? Does it depend on the type of coffee? White sugar or brown sugar? Demerara sugar seems to be a popular option for coffee. Or some sort of raw or unrefined sugar? Does the crystal size make a difference? <Q> As for what to pick - what you like. <S> My favorite is "Vermont Coffee" - ie, use maple syrup (or sugar, but syrup is more cost-effective, at least near a production area where the cost is not much shipping.) <S> Friends in the UK introduced me to Demerara, which is a not-quite fully refined sugar with a delicate carmel taste. <S> Some of the "raw sugar" products sold in the USA approximate this, and some better than others. <S> At times I use USA brown sugar, which is basically white sugar sprayed with molasses, and not nearly as delicately flavored as a result. <S> Plain old white sugar is what it is, and if that's what you want, that's fine too. <S> I certainly have no difficulty distinguishing all of these from each other, in coffee - your taste buds/nose may vary. <S> Grain size affects only speed and ease of dissolving. <S> Particularly in summer I tend to keep a bottle of 2 sugar:1 water simple syrup in the fridge for easily mixed, pre-dissolved sugar (not just for coffee.) <A> Sugar is pretty much sugar... <S> They will all add about the same intensity of "sweetness" to your cup. <S> http://foodwatch.com.au/blog/carbs-sugars-and-fibres/item/7-types-of-sugar-which-is-healthier.html <S> Your "brown or naturals" will add a bit of more flavor than regular "white" but it might get lost by stronger flavor of your cup of coffee. <S> Can't hurt to try though. <S> As far as grain size. <S> The smaller the grain the faster and easier it will dissolve. <A> Over the years I've tried a number of sweeteners in my coffee. <S> Everything from white, brown, turbinado, raw, stevia and truvia. <S> I've even discovered an organic, gluten free, kosher flavored coffee syrup brand that gives me the option of having a bit of fun with my coffee. <S> It is true that sugar is sugar no matter what the form <S> and it will convert the same way in your body. <S> As for taste, I find that white leaves too much of an artificial taste <S> and I defintiley don't have a liking for stevia or truvia. <S> The aftertaste it too much for me. <S> I am more of an Vietnamese iced coffee fan as opposed to hot brews <S> but I've also added the condensed milk to my traditional drip coffee and <S> it gives it this creamy, smooth texture that I love. <S> Another bonus is that it acts as both a milk and sugar <S> so that's one less step I have to take. <S> Perfect for those busy mornings.
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I do have to say though that my favorite sweetener for coffee is sweetened condensed milk. Yes, it makes a difference to the taste.
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How to make coffee candy to eat later? When I drink coffee with my stomach not very full, I usually don't feel very well later on. Because of this, I tried to start eating the coffee instead! I've been trying to make some kind of coffee candy with just sugar and coffee, sometimes I try adding some oil, but it's not getting in the way I want it too. I'm using raw grounds into it (When I'm lazy I just eat the grounds with sugar ^^'), and I wanted it to become more solid, kinda like chocolate, but from coffee. What I'm doing for now is: Melting sugar in low heat with very little water, mixing the grounds in the molten sugar, then let it cook for some time while mixing it, and then I take it out from the fire into a plastic container. I tried mixing the sugar and the coffee before melting too, and I've tried mixing some oil on it before and after melting the sugar. Do anyone know any recipe for this, preferably with the raw grounds? (I made some research, coffee grounds have lots of anti-oxidants fibers and other good things, so I want to keep using it xD) <Q> I was at a new restaurant in my area the other day, and they had this ingenious little snack: Chocolate-covered coffee beans. <S> The beans are left as they would be just prior to grinding them into grounds, and covered in a layer of chocolate, with a nice crunch to them. <S> It's really as simple as it sounds. <S> I've been working on finding them in local supermarkets. <S> Gourmet and specialty grocers such as Trader Joe's or Whole Foods might have them; I'm not sure. <A> What a great idea to make your own coffee candy. <S> I prefer the hard candy because of the fact that I eat the former option way to quickly. <S> Here's a great resource on how to make both a soft chewy coffee candy as well as a hard one: How to make coffee candy Good luck and enjoy! <A> You have two options that are primarily coffee and sugar: hard coffee candy or coffee toffee. <S> Here are links to recipients for both hard candy toffee Enjoy!
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I've had both chocolate covered espresso beans as well as hard coffee candy from some local stores around my area.
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Why instant coffee has poor reputation? Among coffee drinkers instant coffee is generally considered as a last resort and many avoid it entirely, even though instant coffee is often cheaper per cup and doesn't require specialized coffee brewing equipment. <Q> Being someone who was involved in the manufacturing process, instant coffee is made with the cheapest possible grains, always. <S> Doesn't matter if you think Nestlé is good they do choose the cheapest way to produce, I am not sure <S> if this is the case everywhere in the world, this is coming from Argentina, but I'm pretty certain it is the case. <S> What you get in cheaper coffee per mug <S> you loose in quality, and if you aren't drinking coffee just for the caffeine then you will want the good taste and smell. <A> Because the taste and aroma are horrible. <S> I've been places (for instance Shanghai and Beijing) where it's hard to get a cup of coffee outside of business areas catering to foreigners. <S> The instant coffee is terrible. <S> It is not a pleasure to drink. <S> It's only palatable (to me) with a ton of evaporated milk and a lot of sugar. <S> For someone who usually drinks coffee black this ruins the coffee experience. <S> To answer your question: for people who love the smell and taste of good, freshly roasted, freshly ground coffee - instant coffee simply doesn't compare. <S> Hence the poor reputation. <A> Instant coffee suffers from a number of drawbacks that put it on the far end of the spectrum from well raised and processed, properly roasted and freshly ground coffee. <S> These beans are then (usually) roasted and brewed on large industrial equipment. <S> The coffee is then dehydrated into a powder. <S> While dehydrating food and beverages is great for long term storage and portability, it generally doesn't improve (or even maintain) <S> the flavor of the food and drink being freeze dried. <S> Basically the market/prices for most instant coffee dictate that it will be produced with the lowest possible costs. <S> Meaning marginal beans are sourced and put through a bunch of horrific processing to make a marginal product. <S> Add that to the fact that it's only "easier" in a very limited amount of circumstances and one can understand it's limited popularity. <S> While it may be less time intensive than the process one goes through to brew their own coffee, it is actually more time/labor intensive than stopping at a drive through coffee shack or grabbing a cup from a communal pot at work, which is how many people source their coffee. <S> While there may be a few companies out there striving to produce high quality instant coffee, the majority is not of high quality and the truth of it's "not <S> that much easier" existence means that overall it suffers from low reputation. <A> Apparently some instant coffee varieties include parts of the plants including stems, bits of leaves, etc. <S> Source : 2006 documentary Black Gold ( IMDB page ). <A> Instant coffee is usually made with robusta beans instead of Arabica beans. <S> Not only are these beans less flavourful and aromatic, but making the coffee beforehand generally allows all of the delicate aromas and notes to escape over time (this is why robusta is used in the first place). <S> There is a reason beans are best ground just before being used. <A> The bean quality is often waaaay different. <S> There are very few companies that try to make instant coffee with any sort of higher quality or expensive bean.
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To start with, instant coffee is usually made from the cheapest and lowest quality beans.
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Does coffee consumption cause continuous chest pain? I drink coffee twice a day for almost a month. Lately, for last few week, I feel chest pain right after drinking coffee. I initially thought that was some gastric related problem. But even after continuing my gastric med for over a week I'm still feeling the pain. And I must say it doesn't feel like a typical acidity-caused chest pain. Is it caused by coffee, should I stop drinking it? <Q> Similar questions have been answered in Coffee SE several times. <S> So please check these previous questions first. <S> I'm enlisting the most related ones I can think of below: <S> How many cups of coffee is it safe to consume per day? <S> What are the side effects of drinking too much coffee? <S> Can drinking coffee at least once a day increase anxiety? <S> Coffee on daily basis <S> Based on these, one can say, regular coffee consumption shouldn't be a problem for a regular healthy person. <S> Specifically for your question, my humble advice is that you should see a physician. <S> People who are into coffee cannot diagnose others based on coffee consumption habits. <A> It seems to help me. <S> I think that is why they serve them with coffee in sidewalk cafes <S> (never been but <S> I watch old movies). <A> I used to have chest pain <S> and I discovered after going to the doctor that it was actually costochondritis, which is an inflammation of cartilage that was tying my ribs to my muscles. <S> The pain would seem to rotate from place to place. <S> Mayo Clinic has a great page on it here: Costochondritis <S> I have a tremendous love of coffee myself <S> and if my doctor said "give it up or you're dead" <S> , I would promptly reply "I have made peace with my deity". ;-)
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If you don't have any underlying health issues you may try eating a small cookie or biscuit with your coffee.
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What are good methods to prepare and vend cold brew? I am considering in preparing a cold brew and vending at events such as music festivals/parties. What are good methods for ideally brewing the coffee the night prior to the event and storing it, then serving it? How should the cold brew be made? My initial idea was to make several gallons via pour over and refrigerate and serve out of a 5 or 10 gallon dispenser with a spicket on site. <Q> For more information (I suspect you have any knowledge about cold-brew) <S> I suggest you to read this article . <A> Go for Toddy if you want to do large batches. <S> I suggest you experiment with the recipe a few times before you sell it to get the kind of cold brew you want and to get to know the coffee you are selling. <S> I like very strong cold brew, so my recipe would be 1:4 or 1:5 coffee to water ( <S> and I think this is roughly what Toddy suggests as well). <S> Let it steep for about 6 to 12 hours, again depending on your taste. <S> This gives you a concentrate that you can either dilute with water <S> or I personally just pour a shot of it over a lot of ice and drink it like that. <S> It gives a very sweet, full bodied cold brew. <S> Most of the cold brew sold is way too diluted for my taste, I prefer the sirupy concentrate. <S> However you may not like it that way <S> , so you could dilute the brew or experiment with the recipe. <S> If the flavor is too intense try 1:6, then 1:8 and so on. <S> I'd not go any lower than 1:10, although many people do. <S> In the end it's a matter of taste and in your case how you want to sell it <S> (diluted, on ice, in bottles etc.) <S> Also cold brew lasts a good week (arguably even 2 weeks) if you keep it refrigerated, so you can make several batches in advance with a toddy. <S> If you start a week before selling you could make easily make around 15 liters (2 liters a night) or if you are ambitious even 30 liters (if you make another 2 liters during every day) of concentrate. <S> If you sell it as shots (around 40ml) on ice, you can sell around 750 shots. <A> I sell cold brew in my shop. <S> Follow these elements, then find a way to adapt it into your situation. <S> Grind slightly coarser than melitta brew, combine with cold water to a 1:12 ratio (g/mL), mix and pat until grinds sink, fill with water to the brim and seal (for air-free conditions). <S> Let sit inside the fridge for 8-12 hours maximum. <S> Employ a multi-stage filtering system. <S> I use cheesecloth, aeropress, then melitta filter. <S> Get that grinds out. <S> Grinds exposure beyond 24 hours will make your cold brew sour. <S> I observe the instagram posts of some successful cold-brew companies and it seems we've figured out the same way to make cold brew. <S> Cheers! <A> Not trying to sell anything here. <S> Just came across this article in Daily Coffee News.
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For large batches of cold-brew I suggest to try out the Toddy .
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Starting a cafe -- simple and gradual ways? There is some ground-floor space in our building, currently used only at night by a sister-in-law: for her bar. I'd like to learn more about coffee in a hands-on manner, while defraying expenses somewhat by selling it by the cup. My sister-in-law will retire eventually, so there's some possibility of turning the space into a proper cafe. My own goal is more to learn more about good coffee with an eye toward importing and mail-order sales in the longer run, as much as possible in a crop-to-cup style. Given my goals, and my starting point, what would be the easiest path? I.e., what equipment and blends should I consider first, what skills to learn, etc. I've never worked as a barista. I have a lot of respect for how complex a business can be even when it seems simple, and I have other business responsibilities, so I'd like to approach this startup problem as gradually and experimentally as possible. <Q> Ah, I was going to make the same point as Travelling Particle - work in a coffee shop - but then you mention that you are in Japan. <S> First, you will need to find a roaster where you can get fresh roast daily or as needed - hopefully with a business discount. <S> Get a decent grinder and I would go this route for brewing a cup: <S> It's doesn't get much simpler then <S> this <S> and it looks nice. <S> The Japanese are a people that have a Tea Ceremony and they may appreciate this. <A> You may want to consider if you niche will be roasting your own beans, instead of just buying certain varieties. <S> I'm a home roaster, and have a legion of people (who I assume would still be my friends, even if I did not supply them with home-roasted beans) who are crazy for the stuff. <S> Unroasted green beans have a considerably longer shelf life, and the advantage of always serving relatively-recently roasted product is good. <S> Of course, that's additional equipment to keep and maintain, but doing the roasting yourself also probably represents some savings in supplies and wasted unused product. <S> You'd probably also be able to sell roasted beans so supplement the business. <S> Here's a good place to do some research - they supply great beans from ethical sources, and, of course, roasting equipment. <S> They are also fanatics, so if you shot them a note and started making general inquiries, they'd probably love to fill you in on all that they know about coffee. <S> Burman Coffee Roasters web site <A> With any business it requires an objective and end goal. <S> Where are you now in terms of your passion, knowledge and desire to provide coffee to customers, and where you want to be <S> are good places to start. <S> Identify any potential barriers with the business, financially and operationally. <S> You should come up with a menu, and find a way to add value to your customers lives with the coffee that you serve and atmosphere that is provided in your shop. <S> This holds true, especially for the smaller roasters. <S> Continue to research and identify why you want to sell coffee, and maybe tackle your shop from that angle. <S> Will it be strictly coffee <S> , will you provide food, will you provide tea? <S> At the end of the day, as cliche as it sounds, you will be running a business, and having the industry knowledge and a niche will set you apart from every other coffee shop/barista.
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I would suggest calling some roasters that you are fond of, they will provide you information on their products and best way to go about serving them and even starting your own shop with your given scenario.
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Why is my drip-coffee machine making watery coffee lately? Lately, coffee from my very basic Mr. Coffee 5-cup drip brewer has been watery tasting, and I am hoping for some troubleshooting help. I recently purchased of a Cuisinart DBM-8 (a basic automatic grinder) to replace an even more basic blade grinder. This grinder has allows for a grind amounts in increments of "2 coffee cups" starting from 4 cups. My coffee did not become watery upon first use of the DBM-8. I usually brew using 16 to 20 fluid oz of water, and I have switched between the 4-cup and the 6-cup setting on the grinder. I found that the 6-cup setting tasted pretty good, but seemed to use up a lot of beans. With all that said, what has happened for the past week is that coffee made using my brewer has been tasting watery, no matter if I use the 4-cup or the 6-cup grind setting, and whether I try more or less water. I have set the coarseness of the grind to medium, which I believe is appropriate. All I am getting is colored hot water. When I inspect the coffee filter and the grounds after brewing with the 6-cup grind, I observe a portion of the coffee grounds appear dry on top, although beneath that, the coffee grounds appear wet. It's as if the hot water is going directly through the filter without soaking enough in the grounds. Is my coffee maker broken? I tried cleaning with diluted vinegar, but this did not change things. Is it the beans? I do switch around, but the beans I buy are in the 10-20$ range per pound. I keep the beans in the closed hopper of the grinder. <Q> Try using 6g of coffee per 100ml of water for a medium roast. <S> If the roast is very light you may use a slightly higher coffee to water ratio. <S> If it is not the quantity of coffee it is probably the grinder setting. <S> Try a finer grind, something between table salt and sand (probably just the medium-fine setting on your grinder, however do check with your fingers). <S> The problem may be what was suggested in the comments. <S> If the grind is too coarse, the water is just running through the coffee and doesn't leave the time to spread and steep. <S> This is in line with the hole in the center of the coffee bed you are describing. <S> Maybe try to measure the time the coffee needs to run through and see if it changes if you grind finer. <S> If this doesn't help then I'd suggest you properly clean the spout and make sure the water is dripping out the way it is supposed to. <S> Maybe scale has built up which is channeling the water, forcing it through the spout in a stream that hits the coffee grounds with too much pressure. <S> I suggest you try all of the above which will most likely solve your problem. <S> Additionally however you could cut up some standard paper filters and place them on the ground coffee so that it is completely covered. <S> In theory the water should then distribute much more evenly through the grounds. <S> I'd suggest you do this only after you have solved the general problem as a means to improve the flavor. <S> It'd definitely be a quite "hacky" solution <S> and I think first of all your machine should work the way it is supposed to. <A> I had the same problem. <S> watered down, dry coffee grounds in the center of the coffee filter full of grounds. <S> Wet around the edge. <S> So, I took the "water filter" out, and it seems the water filter is a sandwich of some kind of hydrophobic material that doesn't pass the water through, <S> What. <S> Took it over to the sink, turn the water on to slow drip, and sure enough, pools on top of the filter and runs over the edges. <S> Flipped it over, same thing. <S> Kind of like a wet tshirt full of air in the swimming pool effect. <S> yanked the filter. <S> ordered replacements (not made by mr. coffee!), and hope that solves this silliness. <S> The filter had been used about 15 days, so maybe they just don't last long. <S> If that's the case, I'll just use water from the refrigerator, filtered, and forget about these little disks. <A> (a few years later): I no longer have the Mr. Coffee, but instead use a Hamilton Beach two-way brewer, which supports K-cups (i.e. still not a high end machine). <S> Here's what I've found works best for me. <S> My grinder (DBM-8) dispenses around 22 grams of coffee on the 4-cup setting and around 40 grams on the 6-cup setting. <S> I use 350 mL of water for the former and 640 mL of water for the latter. <S> When I am brewing an amount like 22 grams, I find I get the best tasting coffee if I keep the coffee maker on its bold setting and use a cone-shaped paper filter (though the machine is meant to use basket-shaped filters). <S> Otherwise, the coffee may be watery. <S> When I am brewing a larger amount, like 40 grams, it doesn't matter, the coffee will taste fine either way. <S> There was a lot of detective work done earlier on, as covered in various comment threads. <S> But I think the simple conclusion is that the pathway for the water to percolate through the grounds is too short when brewing a small amount of coffee with a basket-shaped filter. <S> I typically now use a medium grind, but I don't experiment with this that much. <S> As a general practice, one should try to measure coffee by weight so that the water-coffee ratio remains consistent. <S> Note that the ratio I use is between 16:1 water:coffee to 17:1, similar to the 16.667 ratio recommended by avocado1.
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Watery coffee most often means that you don't use enough ground coffee. Well this is a strange problem but it seems to have to do with the new grinder you are using or the way you use it since the grind is the only variable that has changed (according to your story).
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Does coffee taste different when it is ground at home? Is there a difference in the taste of the coffee that I grind myself versus the ground coffee that I buy from the store? Does the size of the ground change the taste of the coffee that I brew? <Q> I bypass the first question. <S> In general, there's a common rule of five component for a good cup of coffee. <S> Each component must require its precedent. <S> Good beans <S> Good roasting Homogenously/correct-sized grinding Correct equipment Skilled cook <S> (Italians mostly merge first two articles and name it as 4M for espresso .) <S> As stated above, the grounds must be all at the same size. <S> Moreover they must be the correct size. <S> The finest for Turkish, a bit less fine for espresso, boulders are good for French press, etc. <A> Ground Coffee Beans: The Pros & Cons Keep in mind that when you buy ground coffee you may be sacrificing a little flavor <S> but you’re saving yourself valuable time (in the morning that can make all the difference in the world <S> —we’re talking to you sleepyheads!). <S> If you prefer the convenient route, we do have a few tips to get the most out of the grounds you buy: <S> Buy a week’s worth of grounds at a time to insure you’ll get the most flavors out of your ground beans. <S> Store your grounds properly away from coffee killers. <S> Our Roasterie AirScape Container is like a coffee bodyguard. <S> Whole Coffee Beans: Nothin’ But Pros <S> If you want to get the most flavorful coffee possible, recommend buying your beans whole. <S> Grinding is a crucial, yet overlooked component of the brewing process. <S> It’s not as simple as just grinding the beans in any old coffee grinder. <S> An even grind is the perfect grind. <S> If you don’t have a good grinder, you won’t extract enough flavor out of the beans. <S> Blade grinders can’t provide an even grind <S> so when hot water for brewing passes over the ground, <S> it’s passing over an uneven surface area. <S> We recommend that if you decide to grind beans yourself, get a burr or mill grinder. <S> These types of grinders grind the coffee in an even consistency. <S> When it comes to purchasing our beans, it doesn’t really matter whether you buy them whole or ground. <S> We’ll make sure that no matter what way you choose to buy them, you’ll receive the best beans possible! <S> PS: `ground size is important as well, all depends what you try to get from your cup of coffee: <S> 1.grounding too fine can lead to have coffee beans part in our cup. <S> 2. <S> fine ground will lead to much more caffeine content(can say about the espresso type requirement), too fine can lead to higher compression in the espresso machine and can be dangerous. <S> All being said: coffee should be more than an awake call in the morning, should be ART and as much you research/try methods, starting from ground home and moving to home roast, you'll be amazed by the taste and types, flavors from all around the world. <S> :) <S> link to a blog about coffee <A> Yes. <S> The coffee that you grind at home is more fresh. <S> Grinding coffee produces more surface area and dramatically accelerates the staling process. <S> Fresh roasted beans are "fresh" for approximately two weeks (you find varying data|opinions on this). <S> Ground coffee is "fresh" for several hours (you will also find varying data|opinions on this, but it's generally much shorter). <S> Grind size (combined with immersion) time has a direct and noticeable impact on the final cup product. <S> Finer grinds (and longer immersion times) produce a different flavor profile than coarser grind and short immersion times. <S> Then there are cross over examples like espresso which gets a unique profile by using a fine grind and short extraction time (perhaps the shortest). <S> There are several questions on the site relating to how grind size, immersion time and temperature affect flavor profile.
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Uniform consistency is essential when it comes to extracting the most flavor out of your coffee beans. Yes, ground size considerably affects the taste of the final cup.
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Is there a universal label for the sustainability impact of a specific coffee product? I am interested in the environmental impact of coffee and am therefore wondering whether a system exists for labeling the environmental impact of coffee. So not so much brands, such as Fairtrade, but rather if it is possible for the consumer to get information about how sustainable the plantation associated with the specific coffee product (beans, grounds or powder) is, and if there is a scale to measure it? <Q> You can't really have an universal label as each of the labels have their own standards which have to be met and various coffee farms and producers <S> follow certain ones. <S> For example, in the Huffington Post , it mentions some of these labels: USADA (or simply USDA): This is basically the United States' label for organic for various products (i.e meat and fruits) that is not limited to only coffee. <S> It is quite strict (has certification agencies, checks for criterion not only during production but also distribution and packaging) <S> as it Aims to promote and enhance natural soil activity and cycling of resources, which helps to create a rich and fertile substrate for the crop and maintain ecological balance by prohibiting use of artificially produced (synthetic) agrochemicals. <S> As mentioned by @avacado1, there is an European equivalent to the USDA, which is the EU Organic Program (note that the EU doesn't cover all of Europe). <S> Source <S> Some companies like Starbucks have their own labels that guarantee their standards for their coffee: <S> C.A.F.E. (which stands for Coffee and Farmer Equity) evaluates the economic, social, and environmental aspects of coffee production in order to ensure that Starbucks’s sources of coffee are sustainably grown. <S> Starbucks collaborated with Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a third-party evaluation and certification firm, to develop the guidelines for the program. <S> Rainforest Alliance Program <S> : This is a more "natural" certification since: <S> With this program, coffee is grown on farms where forests, rivers, soils, and wildlife are conserved and workers are treated with respect, paid decent wages, have proper and safe equipment, and are given access to education and medical care. <S> Bird Friendly Conversation: This label ensures that the coffee farms support the native and migratory birds that come over for a visit: <S> The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) gives this certification to farmers in order to promote shade-grown organic coffee plantations that can play a key role in the conservation of our global environment and of migratory birds that find sanctuary in these forest-like plantations. <S> So as you can see here, the various labels not only have various standards and goals but have their own area jurisdiction as well, each trying to gain support based on what they are. <A> I was at Ikea the ither day and noticed that their coffee is UTZ certified. <S> I've never heard of this before <S> so I looked into it. <S> "UTZ is committed to creating a sustainable, viable coffee market. <S> How? <S> Through an efficient certification and traceability program for socially and environmentally responsible coffee production that meets the needs of both producers and markets." <S> That's straight from their site. <S> Check them out for more info: https://utz.org <A> I answered a similar question a while back on the following thread. <S> Although it is slightly different, it may contain some information that is applicable, or you may be interested in. <S> Coffee Stack Thread <S> There is no universal sustainability grade for coffee plantations that I know of. <S> Many times coffee comes from individual shareholders that don't own much more than a coffee 'garden', much less than a plantation. <S> Because of this, it is basically impossible to assign a grade to all sources of coffee. <S> Additionally, many coffee farms are far off the beaten track. <S> There's a story in the link I posted that describes the difficulty in reaching some of these coffee plantations. <S> Consider that most coffee is high grown, much of it between 1800 and 2000 meters in elevation. <S> This is pretty much up in the mountains where large cities, significant infrastructure may be lacking due to the terrain. <S> From a roasters perspective, I am able to find lots of coffee coming from farms that focus heavily on sustainability, but they are typically microlots and they are typically quite expensive. <S> Also as a roaster, it is to my benefit to tell the end consumer all about the farm and what they do for sustainability, because like you, a lot of individuals are interested in knowing that type of information. <S> I would keep an eye out for specialty roasters and just go read the informational pages on their coffees <S> and you should be able to find coffees very quickly that come from farms that focus sustainability. <S> One other tidbit of information.. <S> There are certain countries that regulate the export of coffee in such a way that the majority of coffees are lumped into the same lots, and you lose all traceability. <S> Ethiopia's ECX exchange is an example of this, and much of the Colombian coffee trade is regulated by the government. <S> (there are microlots coming from both these countries <S> so this isn't an 'avoid these coffees' warning or anything <S> ... avoid Ethiopian coffee.... the horror!)
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There is no universal label though there are various labels for coffee sustainability.
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Recommendations for tasty decaf coffee? I am currently attempting to decrease my caffeine consumption and was therefore wondering whether anybody has experience with decaf coffee? Although I want to reduce the caffeine, I don't want to compromise on the taste. The decaf options that I have tried so far were disappointing, such that I was hoping somebody else had any specific brand recommendations? <Q> When we werekeeping our caffeine consumption low, we used to brew a 50:50 mix of normal and decaf. <S> Both were at the good end of what the supermarket sells ground, and were a nominally similar roast. <S> The overall efect was like slightly less good normal. <S> You could probably progress to something like 25% normal in decaf, especially if the normal was a slightly richer flavour than the decaf. <S> You could of course step all of this up a level by buying beans to grind yourself or buying small quantities of freshly-ground. <S> We used Cafe Direct decaf for this. <S> I've since given up on that idea and have my last coffee of the day just after lunch <S> , so this was a few years ago. <A> I roast my own, but my green bean supplier also supplies decaffeinated unroasted beans. <S> I always have a pound on hand, but have never had occasion to roast and use them. <A> One of my favorites is Mystic Monk Coffee . <S> I personally order their regular caffeinated coffee, but I have tried their decaf and they are just as good. <S> They also make some flavor coffee that is decaf as well as regular, and they release some seasonal flavors every 3 months. <S> There is also a half-decaf they offer of their regular roast, which you might be interested in as well. <S> One other thought that I just had, is to possibly go with a flavored coffee. <S> I have a local place near me that has about 200 different flavors and they can make it in regular or decaf. <S> Unfortunately, they are local only and don't have a website or do any shipping of orders at all. <S> OrangeCat is the name of the place, if you want to keep an eye out for them. <S> Some "flavors" that might be close to what you are looking for (thinking of what I have had that may be similar to a coffee flavor, but everyone has a different taste and palette).... <S> mocha <S> toffee toffeenut <S> caramel creme brulee <S> toasted graham crackers & choclate dark chocolate some other flavors that might taste similar... <S> french valilla <S> rum <S> almond / amaretto hazelnut <S> Fresh Roasted Coffees (Mystic Monk Coffee) <S> Little Monk Blend (Mystic Monk Coffee) <A> I find that Kenco Freeze Dried Decaf is very tasty - much better than Nestcafe. <S> However I will say I have not yet found a good decaf filter/espresso coffee. <A> Years ago, the best decaf coffee I had was from a home roaster. <S> If you are lucky, you can find one near you! <S> I do NOT drink coffee after 4:00 PM because the caffeine keeps me awake. <S> But sometimes I crave a cup of coffee after dinner. <S> Decaf coffee roasts differently than non-decaf, and most decafs just taste "off". <S> A friend of mine starting drinking decaf a few years ago. <S> I started buying high quality decaffeinated green coffee from Sweet Maria's to roast some for him (and myself). <S> It took a few tries for me to learn how to roast it properly - slower is better (easy to over-roast decafs). <S> Now I always have my own roasted decaf coffee available when the rare urge for late night coffee hits me. <A> The Whole Foods (Allegro) decaf blends are not bad. <S> If I had to drink decaf I would still want some fresh beans and my own grind. <S> However, the best quick and easy instant I have found (decaf or regular) is Mount Hagen . <A> I'm based in Portland, so luckily there's no shortage of options in the coffee arena. <S> Heart has an amazing decaf that I've had the pleasure of cupping with 9 other coffees (non-decaf) <S> and I rated it in my top 3 for overall taste, and other folks there did as well. <S> It uses a natural decaffeination process involving little more than sugar cane, allowing much more of the flavor to remain. <S> Here's an article explaining this process a bit <S> - it's likely the only type of decaf I'll have from now on (EA process decafs) <S> : <S> Colombia is well known for growing coffee, but also sugar cane. <S> The grow lots and lots of it. <S> So they use Ethyl Acetate (EA) from the sugar cane, and dissolve it into water for the caffeine extraction. <S> Another claim they make is that EA decaffeination removes irritant substances that benefits people with sensitive stomachs. <A> I have two brand recommendations for you. <S> If you want a great decaf coffee, look no further than Mayorga . <S> Beyond being organic, they use the water based method of caffeine extraction to avoid the use of nasty chemicals. <S> Another decaf coffee option that is very unique is Javazen Relax <S> (Javazen is my company). <S> It is organic coffee blended with herbal teas, this case rooibos. <S> Beyond the decaf blend, Javazen has other coffee+tea blends which may be helpful for your transition away from caffeine. <A> I would always stick with a CO2 extracted coffee. <S> Swiss water method will dilute the flavor and chemical decaffeinating is well....chemical-ish. <S> I asked for you as I was reading this at a coffee shop . <S> I don't normally drink decaf but as I get older the need to slow my caffeine down is real (and sucks)
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Something that might be similar to a coffee flavor, and look for that in Decaf.
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Are there any natural sweeteners that work well with coffee? I am curious about different natural sweetener options that might mix well with coffee. I know about stevia but it gives the coffee a different flavor. Is there anything besides stevia that I'm not aware of? My apologies, I meant natural non-sugar alternatives, I should have specified that. <Q> The best natural options for sweetening are, in my humble opinion, actual sugar or sugar syrups. <S> Options include, in general order from less to more distinct taste... <S> table sugar (sucrose), including common refined white sugar or less-refined options like evaporated cane juice or turbinado; honey ; agave syrup ; <S> jaggery or similar minimally-refined sugar; malt syrup , from e.g., rice or barley; maple syrup or maple sugar; molasses . <S> Though I personally prefer my coffee black and unsweetened, I've used all of these in coffee. <S> Any sweetener will change the taste slightly. <S> The problem with stevia, for me anyway, is that the bitter notes of stevia are overpowering; I can't consume the stuff. <S> They are produced by various methods, including fermentation. <S> A good possibility is xylitol , which is somewhat lower in effective calories and nearly as sweet as table sugar with less off-tastes than other sugar alternatives. <S> Another option is erythritol, but may be less-commonly available. <S> World-wide, other options including mannitol, sorbitol, maltitol, and isomalt may be more common. <S> Note <S> well: different sugar alcohols may have effects on your digestive system, including bloating and loose stool, especially when consumed in large quantities. <S> Start slowly :) <A> Xylitol works really well as an alternative to sugar. <S> I've made two coffee's, one with sugar and one with Xylitol, to taste test, and could only just tell the difference. <S> No funny after tastes like many other alternative sweeteners. <A> Here is one Monkfruit! <S> I find this sugar replacement to be very tasty without the negatives of stevia. <S> It's expensive, but one of the best options if you are looking to be healthy. <S> Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener <A> Honey works the best. <S> It smoothes taste and adds mild sweetness to your cup. <S> For the best experience and authentic taste please do not use generic pre-heated honey and go for organic already crystallised honey.
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If you're looking for a non-nutritive or lower-calorie alternative, you can look at various sugar alcohols , which are (or at least can be ) naturally-produced, lower-calorie variants of sugars.
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Why do I feel lousy, low, out of energy after the high coffee gives? I started drinking a lot of coffee after coming to college. I became instantly energized and social after grabbing a cup or two. But then at night I became extremely dull, unsocial-able, and quite depressed and completely lack of energy and I crashed into the bed just to wake up late in the mornings. Why is this happening? <Q> This effect is known as caffeine withdrawal . <S> It's normal that you may feel a bit loose of you <S> don't have caffeine after a while. <S> The whole set of adverse effects of caffeine withdrawal is enlisted as: headache fatigue anxiety irritability depressed mood difficulty concentrating <S> according to WebMD . <A> Because coffee and other stimulants do not supply "energy" - they cause your body to use its energy reserves a greater or prolonged rate than it normally would. <S> Your body does not burn/feed off the caffeine, the caffeine causes your body to burn glycogen/glucose and fat. <S> So, naturally, once their effects wear off, and your body returns to it's normal state, the energy stores are going to be more depleted than they usually are, and your body will recognize that as feeling run-down afterwards. <S> That's to be expected. <S> If you use more energy and engage in more activity, one should feel more tired afterwards. <A> I suggest looking at the broader picture of your daily habits, such as the amount and quality of sleep, sugar intake, alcohol consumption if any, and amount of exercise. <S> The caffeine high you get in the morning could just be masking a chronic lifestyle/health problem. <A> I think there are two potential issues - (1) <S> When used in moderation, caffeine can help to keep energy levels up during the day. <S> The caveat is that tolerance is built quickly; to make up for adenosine receptors that have been inhibited by caffeine, the brain will create even more receptors. <S> As a result, more caffeine is needed to keep drowsiness at bay. <S> When the brain detects increased adenosine, it will make you feel even more tired than if you’d never picked up a cup of coffee at all. <S> Now, you’ll need even more caffeine to keep energy levels up and help your brain to function at its best. <S> (2) <S> Along the lines of Coffee Withdrawal in an earlier answer, coffee affects neurotransmitters like serotonin. <S> This is a good resource that might explain the issue further: Coffee and hormones: Here's how coffee really affects your health . <A> this article here recommends in part to get rid of coffee addiction by first trying to cut off some other smaller habit you have, and then on the wave of doing it, - continue to something bigger, like cigarettes or coffee..
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The coffee is masking underlying fatigue, as outlined here : Since caffeine works as a central nervous stimulant, it will cause the body to “forget” that it is tired.
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What variables cause the Gesha/Geisha coffee varietal to be priced so highly? Being probably the highest priced coffee bean varietal out there currently, it makes me wonder what exactly causes the Gesha/Geisha varietal to be so expensive? Is it the delicate nature of the plant causing it to yield only in the most specific of climates? Is it due to its availability as a lesser grown type? Is it simply due to it's quality? <Q> Geisha is so pricey because of a lot of marketing true. <S> However it is extremely difficult to grow. <S> On a farm is Costa Rica <S> this past June the farmer was having a difficult time with his because the root system is not as robust as other Arabicas. <S> Another reason for the price is that the yields per bush are lower. <S> Here is a good article on it: Geisha Coffee <S> According to a 4th Generation Panama Producer <A> There's a very nice story on the origins of Gesha variety on Sweet Maria's website . <S> It's known that Gesha is an Arabica species and one of the Ethiopian varieties. <S> Based on the story, this variety is moved to Panama by chance and grown there which enhances its flavor. <S> However, right after this discovery, Ethiopia limits exports of coffee seeds. <S> (From this point on, I only make a guess.) <S> This may lead limited number of enhanced trees outside Ethiopia. <S> Therefore, the price may increase. <A> As an economist I'd argue it's a mix of scarcity and good marketing. <S> Actually it was first planted as a more resistent variety to leaf rust on one farm in Panama (Esmeralda). <S> They took it from Ethiopia, so it must grow under different conditions (guessing it has to be above 1500m like all Arabica coffees). <S> This actually implies that it might even be less complicated to grow than some other Arabica varieties, leading to the conclusion that it cannot be due to the difficulty of growing it. <S> The quality is definitely very good, since it was winning prices as "the best of Panama" since 2004. <S> It also scores consistently above 90 (exceptional quality) in the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) score. <S> However there are other coffees that score as high or higher and cost only half and less of the price. <S> Thus I'd guess it's mainly a combination of little supply (because for a long time it was only grown on one farm) and telling a nice story about it, that made roasters want it. <S> The taste certainly helps, but can in my opinion not totally explain the price differences. <S> I'd say this holds true in general. <S> It's a form of market power to differentiate your product from similar products (substitutes), to make it stand out. <S> Just look at Kopi Luwak espresso. <S> It is arguably the most expensive espresso just because it has passed through civets digestive tracts and is then handpicked out of the fecal matter. <S> The production process is quite demanding, which limits production quantity and gives it a good 'origin story'. <S> Never mind that it tastes like what it actually is. <S> Sources: Highest Rated Coffee (Coffee Review) <S> Geisha ( Hacienda La Esmeralda)
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Supply and Demand plus marketing your product as something special determines the price.
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Consequences of wrongly cleaning espresso machine with vinegar? I use a small and simple espresso machine ( Krups Model 963 ). Yesterday, I wanted to decalcify it and (being a rather unexperienced "barista") did what I usually do when decalcifying my water boiler: I poured vinegar concentrate, diluted with water, into it. Afterwards , I wondered whether this might have been a bad idea and started some Google research. I found out that many people discourage the use of vinegar for decalcifying coffee machines because the vinegar may damage the cauldron. This seems to be of particular concern if the cauldron is made of aluminum, which seems to be the case with my machine. After the cleaning and some iterations with pure water I tried to make some espresso. I didn't notice anything wrong so far: The machine seems to work well, espresso tastes good (or: as usual). The only thing that worries me is that when running the machine with pure water (without espresso powder in the sieve), I noticed some small white particles in the hot water coming out of the machine. These could be just chalk, but I also read that it could be part of the inner coating of the cauldron which has been dissolved by the vinegar. Now I wonder whether it is still save to use the machine or not? In particular, I wonder whether the cauldron could be damaged so severely that it may explode? the produced espresso could be toxic due to aluminum or parts of the cauldron's coating leaking into the espresso? Any advice is appreciated! <Q> I'll answer as a chemist and not as a coffee expert, but occasional exposure to vinegar won't substantially damage a piece of aluminum. <S> Also ingesting traces of aluminum isn't toxic . <A> The reason that most commercial cleaners use citric acid is that vinegar has a penetrating taste and odor, so it will take several extra rinse cycles to get rid of any lingering traces. <S> The white particles you are seeing are mineral scale that was loosened but not fully dissolved by the cleaning. <S> They're harmless. <A> I've always use the diluted vinegar method and never had any issues, making sure to run a few cycles of fresh water afterwards. <S> I never emptied into the carafe, though; always into another bowl or large cup.
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Diluted vinegar will not damage the boiler or hoses in your espresso machine.
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Are there any recipes for coffee+whisky? I suppose that this probably is not very favourite for either of the groups (whisky lovers and coffee lovers). But I am interested in some curious drinks (or even a food) with both coffee and whisky (likely based more on coffee than whisky), because I like them both. <Q> Irish Coffe is a very famous one. <S> 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 jigger Irish whiskey (1 1/2 ounces or 3 tablespoons) Heavy cream, slightly whipped <S> Read more at: Original Irish Coffee from Food Network . <A> It is black coffee, some whisky and herbs mixed together. <S> I'm sure professional bartenders probably know or invent more. <A> There's an interesting article from Whisky Advocate about aging of coffee and whiskey with some history and current offerings. <S> Specifically, it talks about using a whiskey barrel, after the whiskey was removed, to age coffee (either green or already roasted). <S> Also it discusses the outcome of the other way around: aging coffee in a barrel, then removing the coffee, then re-using the barrel for barrel-finishing a whiskey. <S> Sounds like they had some interesting results! <S> There are also whiskeys, such as Fliquor Bean or home-made infusions, which are coffee-infused whiskey. <A> I don't have a name for this recipe (because I borrowed it from a restaurant's seasonal menu years ago) but here's my personal favorite, best if you also love chocolate and have a sweet tooth. <S> 1 jigger whiskey 1.5 jiggers creme de cacao <S> 1 cup coffee top with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel
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Sure, Cafe Carajillo is a well-known recipe to consume whisky and coffee together.
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Cold Brew Coffee at home? How to create a cold brew coffee filter at home, I've seen so many "brewers" but all were not affordable by me nor deliverable in my location please help me? This question is not a duplicate of Choosing filter for making cold brew am asking on how to build a cold brew itself? <Q> One method is to use submerge your grounded beans in water for 24 hours and use a traditional cone filter. <S> Place the filter in a pour over cylinder if you have one and that will remove the grounds while leaving you the sweet, sweet cold brew nectar. <A> The easiest way to go is doing a full-immersion cold-brew. <S> Grab a Mason Jar, Jar, beer bottle, anything. <S> Grind your coffee (normally for french press) <S> Put natural temperature (24°C) <S> pure water. <S> Let it steep at your kitchen or refrigerator <S> (don't move it) for 12-24hrs Filter <S> the grounds (metal, paper, sock filter, whatever) After you done that, start to modify the variables. <S> For me, works perfectly at natural temperature, 12hrs, v60 grind setting, Chemex filter and a 1:5.5 ratio :) <S> That gives a concentrate, that I diluted with ice/water until I reach typical 1:15 ratio. <S> You don't need any fancy equipment. <S> You can even do it in a glass and then filter with a spoon. <S> Like a cold cupping session <A> Next day, stir if you like, press and pour. <S> No fancy equipment, no new equipment. <S> Warning - it may not live up to the hype. <S> I consider it fine, but not life-changing or "I'll never make hot coffee again."
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If you happen to own a French press, just put your ground coffee in there with water and either leave on the counter or place in the fridge. If you don't have cylinder, you can definitely use a filter in your desired cup, just be careful with how you place it.
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How do flavors like vanilla and hazelnut get into coffee I was at a local coffee shop today and I noticed for the first time ever that they served vanilla coffee. This surprised me, as I had not yet ever seen coffee with vanilla flavoring, and got me thinking about how that comes to be. Could anybody help me with this? <Q> Some have their own range , others use generic manufacturer's that are also used in other cooking or bartending applications. <S> I'd assume a dash or two of these are added to your coffee and voilá: Vanilla (hazelnut/caramel/...) coffee. <S> Another option are flavoured coffee beans , but for a coffee shop, that's pretty unlikely, as they would have to keep various beans at hand and switch between orders. <A> There are two ways that this is commonly achieved. <S> Flavoring syrups. <S> These are what you most commonly see at coffee shops. <S> Mostly they are used in flavored lattes and mochas. <S> Some local shops might make their own, but they are commonly purchased from a larger company. <S> They also sweeten the coffee. <S> Flavored beans. <S> This is what you commonly see at gas stations, truck stops and the store. <S> A flavoring is added to the beans themselves. <S> This usually causes the beans to have an oily look to them. <S> The oils will stay in the grinder for some time after grinding, so a coffee shop is unlikely to use this option. <A> Here first you would buy your Vanilla beans. <S> It is best to buy 3 or 4 different ones from different farms. <S> As they are smoke dried. <S> Each has a little different flavor. <S> Different wood used to smoke the bean. <S> You place the bean in tall jars. <S> Break off the amount you wish. <S> Place in pot. <S> Make your coffee. <S> Much in America is artificial vanilla flavor. <S> A drop or 2 is added to the coffee. <S> What that is is will can't say here.
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In a coffee shop (assuming both places like Starbucks or non-chain versions), flavour syrups are a staple.
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Does a percolator make "better" coffee? I've heard from a friend that she uses a percolator instead of the "regular" brewer. I've never used or drank coffee made from a percolator, is there a difference? Does it make better coffee? This might be a subjective question, I don't know. Just want to hear your thought on it. <Q> First things first, you should decide if it's better than any other brewing method, or not. <S> Decide your cup by tasting and experimenting. <S> (By the way, it's unclear what you mean by "regular brewer" in your question. <S> According to my experience, there's no regular way of brewing coffee.) <S> I'm not a fan of percolators. <S> However, l can add a few objective things on percolators. <S> Actually, you should understand how it brews as a first step. <S> The water in the container boils, gets through ground coffee, drips over the container again. <S> Therefore, you can fine tune brew time. <S> You may brew for a short time for mild coffee or brew longer periods for intense cups. <S> There are nice schemas of how it works in Wikipedia . <S> The final cup is generally dull as most of the volatile flavor has been vaporized during process. <S> As aromatics are vaporized, it smells nice. <S> Most people brew longer with their percolator as they like the strong coffee taste in the morning. <S> You may have a burnt taste out of your coffee by over brewing if you are not careful. <S> You may also want to see similar questions on this site just like: <S> Why does espresso taste different to percolator coffee? <S> What's the difference between a percolator and a moka pot? <A> If you like it better, it is better. <S> If not, it's not. <S> But evidently, it is for your friend. <S> While I don't use one at present (nor own one at present) I've stayed at a place where a percolator similar to the image was the only option for coffee, and it was fine. <S> I've also had percolated industrial-scale (30 to 50 cup percolators) coffee that rates quite decent <S> (though that also depends on operator and ingredients - I've had terrible coffee from the same machines.) <S> Of course, when and where I grew up, a smallish percolator like this WAS the "regular coffeemaker" in the majority of houses, and a huge one was standard at larger gatherings. <S> I think ours had the "glass knob on top where you could see what color the coffee was" feature this one lacks. <S> Automatic drip was years later, at least in our area. <S> Weird radicals used a Chemex. <S> But I did not return from staying at the place with only a percolator and go out to buy one (dirt common in second-hand stores, cheap, as the generation that had them and hung onto them are dying off and having their houses cleared out.) <S> Not quite that nostalgic a taste for me. <S> Currently drinking French press, most days. <S> Next year, who knows? <A> I've been getting the idea that percolated coffee has a strong retro component to it. <S> I remember my family had one of these as I grew up: <S> Pretty darn cool looking, isn't it? <S> But it is highly subjective whether or not a percolator produces a good cup of coffee or not. <S> But what is really cool, is that for a reasonable amount of money, you can purchase a brand new stove top percolator that you can try out for yourself. <S> If all it does is bring back some memories, good enough. <S> You might even think you've never had a better cup of coffee. <S> A cup of coffee from a pot of fresh percolated can be pretty darn good. <S> Do I think percolated coffee is better then a CCD where I control the exact amount of grind, water, water temp and time brewing? <S> Subjectively, no, but I wish I had my folks old percolator! <A> Perked coffee is about all we have here. <S> When you perk coffee it separates some minerals & lime from the water. <S> So what water? <S> For best coffee bottled water is best. <S> Unless you have sweet water from your well. <S> A matter of taste. <S> What you grew up with in water. <S> Only 50% of the people here have electric. <S> So coffee machines are not big in use here. <S> For best use a 1 burner gas stove to perk your coffee so heat can be controlled. <S> Brew time. <S> Or for a special taste a good Mango wood & open pot boil it <S> then pour threw a clean rag to filter. <S> For that light smoke taste. <S> Or other wood. <A> In my opinion, coffee can never be too hot or too strong. <S> Percolator coffee is perfect. <S> I've switched from drip/french press to using a perc and love it. <A> The coffee brew obtained by the pourover is more aromatic and tasty compared to the percolator. <S> I have 3 different coffee-brewing devices: a percolator, pourover, and an automatic drip coffee maker, and one thing to keep it mind is, the first round of brewing is fine -- <S> that is, put ground coffee in the filter and pour hot water (80-90°C) over it. <S> Once it is brewed, don't pour hot water again. <S> The resulting brew obtained in that way is more tasty and aromatic. <S> Then, percolator coffee stands next. <A> I love my small stainless stove top percolator. <S> First of all, many people buy cheap drip pots. <S> The hot water is absorbing questionable plastic ingredients that leach from the reservoir of a cheap drip coffee pot. <S> Stainless steel gives you a clean coffee taste. <S> Most drip makers don't get half the flavor from the coffee that a percolator can. <S> But it does not have to be too strong <S> and it does not have to be bitter. <S> You can make medium strength coffee in it as well. <S> I have pleased family members who do not like strong coffee using my percolator. <S> It is all in the heat and the proper timing. <S> With a percolator, you can fine tune the flavor through these means. <S> The best coffee to use in a percolator is a medium roast brewed on the strong side, but not over-boiled. <S> I find this the best method for me.
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The percolator is perfect for strong coffee.
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Coffee ground too finely - how to deal with it? We bought a pack of coffee and had it ground on site, like many times before. The new sales girl must have misunderstood something and used a too-fine setting, finest (for espresso) instead of second finest (for my moka). Now if I use it, I get many grounds in the top container and basically have to discard about a quarter of the brew each time as its just a grainy sludge at the bottom. Not the end of the world, but rather unpleasant. Is there a kind of "hack" how I could still use the perfectly fine coffee? <Q> In this case, my usual pre-coffee tiredness solved the problem: I had planned to mix the espresso grind with my usual grind to minimize the total amount of grounds in the cup. <S> The idea was 1/2 too-fine grounds -> 1/2 <S> the amount of dregs in the coffee. <S> Being tired, I only remembered this when I had already filled the moka more than half-way with the too-fine grind, so I just topped it up with the other kind and coooked my coffee. <S> But lo and behold <S> : There were no coarse grounds in my pot - just some super-fine ones that weren't noticeable. <S> I have since repeated the experiment a few times and can confirm that a top layer of "just right" grounds seems to be able to hold back most of the too-fine crumbs, especially those responsible for the "gritty" mouthfeel. <S> A top layer of 1/4th to 1/3rd of the correct grind proved sufficient as "filter" in my experiments. <S> Also, there is no excess clogging of the moka, causing the valve to trigger or hot steam/water escaping round the gasket. <S> The pot works just as usual. <S> Of course one may not compact the coffee grounds in the brewing chamber, but that's standard procedure. <A> Try using a more controlled heat source. <S> I find that brewing with a Moka pot on aggressive heat source that deliver high heat very quickly tend to produce high pressures in the chamber which, in your case, can be causing it to carry the coffee grounds upwards also. <S> If you brew on a lower heat and bring up the heat gradually, the pressure will build up slower and may reduce the amount of grounds shooting up into the collection chamber. <S> Good luck! <A> <A> I don't think there's really a solution to your problem, except minimizing the sludge by pouring it in your cup really carefully. <S> I can think of one thing which would be quite hacky and might build up too much pressure in your stove top coffee maker. <S> It is something I would try but would not recommend to anyone else. <S> I have seen moka pots that weren't closed properly and almost exploded or that lacked the mesh filter inside and just kind of clocked up and then erupted a big fountain of hot coffee like a volcano. <S> It's not pretty and rather dangerous. <S> However I would put an aeropress like round paper filter (or any other thin paper/cloth filter cut into the right shape) inside on your coffee grounds or under the mesh filter. <S> That would keep out the fines, but might lead to said increase of pressure <S> (a Bialetti stove top has a pressure valve for security reasons, I've never seen it do <S> it's job though). <S> There's no guaranty that this would work or that no one gets hurt though, so I'm not suggesting you do it. <A> You could try to do a version of cold brewing it or a toddy method. <S> Although those use a coarser grind so you might have to guess at sitting time. <S> It would definitely be an experiment <A> You can use a proper filter. <S> I've been doing so for a slightly different use case (in the bottom of my espresso filter basket to prevent fines clogging the filter, making up for a somewhat subpar grinder). <S> Of course, you won't find many filters for this purpose, but you can make do with a round paper filter of roughly the size of the basket. <S> For espresso, I use AeroPress filters which I soak under the sink before applying them to the filter basket (before adding grounds). <S> In your moka pot case, I'd also suggest wetting the paper and applying it on top of the grounds. <S> The paper filter should ensure no grounds make it into the drink <S> but it may impact also impact the mouth feel of the drink . <S> When I make espresso with an added paper I still get crema, but I'm not sure how much of the oils will get through without the espresso-level of pressure. <S> Edit: I see another answer also suggested this and focuses on the danger of clogging up. <S> I think that's a valid concern given the finer consistency. <S> If that's something you're really worried about, it's easy to solve by mixing in something coarser that doesn't affect your drink. <S> That way, contrary to mixing in coarser coffee (which you may not have, and may lead to uneven extraction), you could add some inert grainy stuff. <S> I'd suggest some sort of sand, but you'd have to be sure that it's food safe. <S> By goolging, I've found that there are some food-grade sands out there and <S> if you have that on hand it might be an interesting experiment.
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Given that the grounds are a bit finer than you prefer, I woud use a bit less grounds and push the paper filter onto the grounds before screwing the top on. Use a simple mortar to make it finer before each cup (to keep it as fresh as possible and also to minimize the pain) and go for Turkish.
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What is a café allongé, and how is it pronounced? My question is actually in reference to a JavaScript book by Reg Braithwaite titled "JavaScript Allongé". Obviously JavaScript has almost nothing to do with coffee, but the author maintained a coffee barista metaphor throughout the book and stated that allongé is some coffee variant. So for the uninitiated coffee drinkers out there among his readers, can you explain what an allongé is, what makes it unique, and how to actually pronounce it? The author does offer a brief description quoted from Caffe Molinari linked here , but as a coffee newbie much of what is being described escapes me. Here is the quoted text from Braithwaite's preface: “Café Allongé, also called Espresso Lungo, is a drink midway between an Espresso and Americano in strength. There are two different ways to make it. The first, and the one I prefer, is to add a small amount of hot water to a double or quadruple Espresso Ristretto. Like adding a splash of water to whiskey, the small dilution releases more of the complex flavours in the mouth. “The second way is to pull an extra long double shot of Espresso. This achieves approximately the same ratio of oils to water as the dilution method, but also releases a different mix of flavours due to the longer extraction. Some complain that the long pull is more bitter and detracts from the best character of the coffee, others feel it releases even more complexity. “The important thing is that neither method of preparation should use so much water as to result in a sickly, pale ghost of Espresso. Moderation in all things.” <Q> Café allongé is the French for Italian cafe lungo , or in English, long espresso . <S> There may be previous related answers on this: I run my espresso machine until my whole cup is full. <S> What's my coffee called? <S> What are the standard espresso parameters (dose, mass/volume, time, etc.)? <S> And, of course a wiki page . <S> I don't know how to write in the pronounciation alphabet, but it is pronounced something similar to "a-lawn-jee". <S> Normally, it is prepared in a bit longer time than normal espresso. <S> So, the second explanation given in the book is the standard way. <S> The first one is more sophisticated and uncommon with many side flavors in it. <S> People who are into coffee mostly prefer pure coffee. <S> However, as the author likes it that way, probably he uses such a metaphor in his book. <S> (As computer scientists know, JavaScript is dynamically typed which may cause many undesirable side effects according to the type theory . <S> I assume, the second recipe is more suitable to be used as a metaphor for a programming language that has type system . <S> Haskell <S> maybe?) <A> you've got your answer about what it is , but the pronunciation is more like : <S> ah (don't pronounce the h , it's used here for the 'a' sound)lon (like long , without the 'g') <S> there's an accent on the 'e' at the end, so it's an 'ay' sound <S> , as in 'day'Also, the g is pronounced with something between a 'sh' and a 'j' sound. <A> <A> You can hear it here and see the English translation: https://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=allong%C3%A9&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
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Regarding pronunciation, I speak French (my primary language) and allongé would be said like this: Ah-lon-jay
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How should I clean my burr grinder? I have a hand-powered Hario burr grinder. I occasionally rinse out the lower chamber with hot water and a sponge as it gets quite dirty over time. Should I clean the rest of it, and if so, how? I'm assuming the burrs get dirty but I'm hesitant to get them wet. <Q> There are two options. <S> Get yourself some grinder cleaner (Grindz, Urnex and probably other brands), that you just grind through. <S> You can buy it online. <S> It cleans the burrs, removes oils and other residues. <S> Afterwards you need to grind some beans so that you don't have the cleaner in your cup of joe. <S> This is a rather convenient way to clean your grinder, however definitely more costly and wasteful than the second option. <S> Disassemble your grinder <S> according to the instructions provided by Hario and use any kind of brush (toothbrush, pipe cleaner, as long as the bristles are reasonably rigid anything works) to clean the burrs. <S> All the other parts you could also wash with a mild detergent. <S> That's it <S> , it's easy and should be done once every other month in my opinion. <S> It's easy, quick and clean enough. <A> There are products on the market that are made for just this purpose, two examples are: <S> Grindz Coffee Grinder Cleaning Tablets White Capresso "Clean Grind" Grinder Cleaner <S> But neither seem to have any better effect on cleaning my grinder than when I compare it to running parboiled rice*(not regular rice!) through it. <S> * <S> A word of caution, only use parboiled rice which is not regular rice which is too hard for your grinder and can damage it! <A> Hand grinders are usually very simple to disassemble. <S> Read the instructions on this but most are fairly straightforward. <S> Rice can be good but the starchy powder can get into places you can't clean. <S> Here is a good link.. <S> https://prima-coffee.com/learn/video/maintenance/how-clean-your-burr-grinder <S> Here is another link... <S> Look at the bottom of "detailed commentary " http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/grinders/harioskerton/fwtechwiz
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I suggest brushing the burrs and rinsing the rest.
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Why does my moka pot sputter? I have an old 6-cup moka pot (bialetti) that I recently replaced the filter and the rubber gasket (bialetti brand), however the extraction time seems a bit long, bubbles to soon(almost immediately) and sputters out- resulting in that bitter over-extracted taste. Strangely, it did work fine just a few times after I replaced the gasket but soon after the sputtering started. Thinking that maybe the rubber gasket was faulty, I replaced it again, but still the same problem. In the past, this moka pot has produced good brews with a nice uniform flow. Could it be something is off with the safety valve i.e. not sealing enough and allowing pressure to escape? By the way, I also have a 3-cup moka pot one that I have tested with the same process (pre-heating water, grind level, grind amount, medium heat) and the results are consistently good. <Q> Folks - please be aware that there are at least two different thicknesses (not talking diameter) for Moka pots. <S> I know that Bialetti makes gaskets in at least 2 different thicknesses. <S> If your Moka pot design needs a thicker one and the replacement is the thinner one, the seal will never be what it needs to be and the flow of coffee will be affected. <S> Hope this helps. <A> It sounds like you know your Moka pot well, and it is true that it is an easy way to get deliciously strong coffee. <S> That being said, it can also be very nuanced in how it works. <S> First, your new gasket should seal perfectly well and as long as there is no sputtering from the screw joint, it is good. <S> Sputtering means that you are forcing too much steam too quickly through the grounds and into the pot. <S> It's possible that with a bad seal, extra pressure was being release from the screw joint and now it is all being directed through the "tower". <S> Maybe try just keeping it cranked on heat for the whole brew, then low for the whole brew, then mix in between. <S> That's probably the best way to troubleshoot this Hope this helps! <A> I've had this problem for years, every time I replace the rubber gasket on my 6-cup Bialetti. <S> But I finally found the answer: in my case, what I had to do was replace the metal funnel. <S> It's very tempting (or was for me anyhow) to empty the spent grounds after brewing by tapping the funnel against the edge of a sink or trash can. <S> However, this can cause the funnel to deform slightly, creating small gaps between the sides of the funnel and the sides of the pot, which then prevents a good seal and causes the sputtering (even when screwed down tightly). <S> So my advice: get a new funnel, and don't empty the grounds by tapping it against anything. <A> My wife and I came across a stove top coffee maker while sorting the kitchen cupboards. <S> Don't know the make but its one that has 2 parts and it made of aluminum, water in the bottom,coffee grounds in the bottom as well ,heat up the water and it shoots up into the top half making a good cup of coffee. <S> That's the idea anyway,ours made a mess of the cooker top,coffee splintering out of the top. <S> How do I stop this? <S> Started by checking the spout, found it was a bit rough around the top so took a small file, filed of all the rough bits evened up the hole and flattened the top. <S> After a bit more filing, boiling plain water and still spitting. <S> I decided that it needed a baffle on the top of the spout. <S> So I drilled a small hole in the top of the spout, had a rummage in my shed and found a mushroom shape washer , about 1inch across , with a self tapping screw fixed the washer on top of the spout, fingers crossed but no need it worked perfectly, <S> no t <S> a splitter of any kind,the coffee was deflected down and not out. <S> So what was going to the charity shop is now giving good service and good coffee. <S> I hope that this has been a help to anyone who has problems with their coffee pot. <S> Trust me its worth having a go. <S> Roger,from Sheffield <A> I had the same issue with my 12 cups Moka Express. <S> So what I've done was simply wrapping the edge of the funnel with a piece of PTFE tape, so that it could seal between the pot and the funnel. <S> After that, bang: my Moka Pot was working perfectly and stopped sputtering!
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I've done some experiments and observed that the edge of the funnel wasn't properly sealing the pot, even with a good gasket or tightening the upper part the hardest I could. Try using a high heat to get the coffee flowing, then adjust the heat to keep an even flow into the top chamber.
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How to get rid of coffee addiction? I drink 5-8-10 cups of coffee a day prepared on automatic coffee machine. My problem is that I don't have a stimulating effect from coffee. So I usually feel if I must drink coffee or I feel tired If I don't. I have tried to get rid of this addiction several times. I can easily stop drinking it for a couple of days (or weeks). First 1-2 days I have a headache and I'm tired; but after that I feel normal. After 2 weeks I tell to myself why not to have 1 coffee, then 2 coffee and very soon I'm again on 5-8 cups a day. Update :After one year nothing has changed. I'm still on 5-8 cups of strong coffee. I simply like how it smells, I like how it taste. <Q> First, the effects you observe are known as caffeine withdrawal and discussed here . <S> Coffee addiction is previously discussed here . <S> However, it is not discussed how to get rid of a coffee addiction. <S> First, you should understand if overcoming this addiction is necessary. <S> I assume, most people who are members of Coffee SE are not likely to think that. <S> Here is a general link that explains how to get rid of any addiction in three steps: <S> Decide to quit. <S> (Think positive future effects, write a commitment to yourself,etc.) <S> Make a plan to quit. <S> (Set a date, set your environment, overcome the triggers, seek professional help, etc.) <S> Handle withdrawal. <S> (Fill your time with new habits, keep clear of triggers, don't find rationalizations to start again, celebrate accomplishments, etc.) <A> When you get down to half a cup per day, the withdrawal symptoms are minimal. <S> Even quitting cold turkey can be done. <S> I've done it, and I was a zombie with headache for two days, and then I was OK. <S> The bigger problem is the psychological addiction. <S> While trying to get pregnant and through entire pregnancy with my daughter <S> I didn't have even a sip of coffee - <S> but after I stopped breastfeeding her, I started drinking coffee again. <S> I just love the smell of coffee, the joy of drinking it, ... I can quit any time. <S> I just don't want to. <S> UPDATE: <S> Yes, I think it's possible to overcome psychological addiction with decaf. <S> Another thing: If you need caffeine to help you function, it's not just about getting rid of addiction, but also developing a couple habits that will reduce the need for caffeine: exercise regularly drink enough water maintain a good sleep hygiene: <A> Just take a little less coffee over the course of a few weeks. <S> Start out with your normal amount, and slowly start dropping it. <A> i came across this interesting article on getting rid of coffee addiction Change your habits. <S> If you realize that you are addicted to coffee andyou do not like this, well try to change your habits.... <S> Try to substitute. <S> I find it very interesting to note that oftentimespeople have more of a psychological dependency or tradition ratherthan need for coffee. ...
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For the physical addiction, you can reduce the amount of coffee you drink per day. You have to be really motivated to overcome it. get 8 hour of sleep every night (or the amount you need, if you determine you need more or less) go to bet at the same time every night wake up at the same time every morning
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French-press v.s. manual pour over brewing quality Does anyone happen to know the differences in brewing quality of using a french press v.s. using a manual pour over? I can imagine using filter paper might give a better quality brew with a manual pour over than with the french press' metal mesh filter but I could be wrong. <Q> First things first, let's put the difference between French press and manual pour-over: <S> French-press : Coffee and water stay in the same container during brewing. <S> The water is not very close to boiling temperatures. <S> You wait for a while to brew it. <S> At the end, the output is coffee with some fine residue of coffee ground in it. <S> This may continue to brew while you drink. <S> So, it must be consumed fast. <S> Manual pour-over : <S> Coffee and water are in two different compartments. <S> (This is a very definitive difference.) <S> Brewing happens fast, with close to boiling temperatures. <S> The output has no visible grounds in it. <S> You may wait for a while till it gets colder. <S> And, the answer... <S> How could we define the quality? <S> I think it depends on the drinker's mood. <S> I change my brewing method from day to day. <S> I drink cold brew for a while, then two shots of espresso, then a Turkish. <S> I never thought one of them has superior quality. <A> Grinding may be the most influential aspect in your case. <S> If you're grinding with just a basic blade grinder, your grounds are extremely inconsistent. <S> Regardless of your brewing method, your result will be quite different from the results of a grinder with better consistency. <S> The reason has to do with the amount of extraction happening over [time] in relation to the coffee's surface area. <S> If the grounds are large, the surface area is less, so the total extraction per [time] is less. <S> If the grounds are very fine, the surface area is greater, so the total extraction per [time] becomes greater. <S> When your grounds are consistent, you can prepare coffee with greater accuracy. <S> However, if some of your grounds are huge, others medium and others fine, then you have very little control over accuracy, and you sort of have to choose between under-extraction for watery results with less undesirables, or over-extraction for fuller results with more undesirables. <S> If you are using a blade grinder, I recommend over-grinding for more consistent results. <S> Then just shorten your brew time in order to not over-extract. <S> In the event that you're using a pretty decent grinder, then how coarse/fine you're grinding the coffee is probably the second most influential aspect. <S> If your grounds are fine, then more grounds are likely to pass through the plunger, and you'll also have to put more force on the plunger, possibly pushing even more grounds through. <S> The more grounds that pass through lengthen the total extraction, even after you pour it out. <S> To be honest, this usually makes a small difference that most people cannot detect it, and those who can do not often care. <S> So relatively speaking, in this case the pour-over may be considered the better option. <S> However, if you're grinder can produce evenly coarse grounds, with little to no powder, then the french press is an equally good method. <S> Lastly, there is a notable difference in the flavor between the two. <S> It is said that the coffee from a french-press "clogs" your taste buds. <S> And most people can taste the cleaner/thinner quality of coffee that's been filtered through paper. <S> I have a coffee snob friend who only drinks french press, and another who only drinks pour-over. <S> I enjoy them both. <A> For me, quality is consistency in results. <S> So by definition, paper filters produce better quality coffee. <S> Depending on the type of bean you use, the output coffee from a french press varies greatly. <S> It does have more potential of extracting the most flavour out of the coffee bean.
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From experience, the french press can produce a better flavoured / bolder cup of coffee in my opinion; however paper filters produce a more consistent flavour/body (better quality). It's relatively difficult to define quality differences without knowing how you're grinding it. But at the end of the day, it's preference.
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How should I distribute coffee from a small roaster? I am about to start a coffee roasting business somewhere in the States. For now the game plan is to sell online. What are the most feasible strategies to ship small batches (14 oz)? Is that a good idea to sell online to begin with? <Q> If you do your shipping through ShipStation or negotiate your USPS rates, you can optionally get your First Class Mail bumped up to anything under 1 lb. <S> which could help you out further. <S> That being said, I would think that it'd be your goal as a business owner and roaster to ship more than 14oz at a time - i.e. get your customers to order multiple packs of 12 or 14oz. <S> That would bump you up into the 2-3 lb range which can no longer be sent via First Class Mail, but it could go out via Priority or Priority Flat Rate. <S> More costly, but usually 1-3 day delivery time on Priority Mail which is nice. <A> As for the coffee aspect... <S> The market now has many options for large-scale "small-batch" roasters. <S> From local places, to smaller distribution places (like Blue Bottle, Counter Culture, Stumptown, Verve, ...), and even bigger names like (Tom's, Peet's, Starbucks) are in the boutique game. <S> Do you have a product that can compete with larger, established players? <S> Around here, several have been successful. <S> While this would require more initial capital and investment, higher margins can be earned on prepared products (e.g., $5 lattes) with lower costs by starting with green beans. <S> Local retail and distribution can have lower overhead and better outcomes than long-distance shipping. <S> Logistically speaking, shipping directly after roasting could provide fresh coffee within a few days of roasting. <S> Temperature and humidity of shipping facilities might also be an issue. <S> I'm sure climate control is done to some extent, but is unlikely to be optimal for coffee storage. <A> Let's hope we aren't in the same state.. because I am doing the same thing = <S> p <S> We officially opened about a month ago. <S> Here's what I am finding. <S> Plan on working with local coffee shops. <S> I do have an online marketplace (www.sajecreekcoffee.com) <S> but I have found that working locally is much better. <S> Online is flooded with potential options, and getting someone to know your brand name is difficult. <S> Lots of people like to go local now days, and a lot of people have expressed interest in carrying locally roasted products. <S> Coffee shops, farmers markets, craft shows are where we are focusing locally to get our brand out there. <S> We strongly believe that we have a high quality product at a fair price, so if we can simply get people to try our coffee, the coffee should do the selling for us. <S> Lastly, on mail, we are doing USPS priority. <S> Shipping has been a huge pain because of costs. <S> Unfortunately coffee is a low value per ounce product, and so shipping costs are pretty high. <S> That being said, we can get 2 lbs of product into a padded mailer, and up to 7 lbs into a medium flat rate box. <S> We are in the process of ordering custom boxes to reduce that price more. <S> USPS tends to give better prices for 'heavy' items compared to UPS / FedEx. <S> Also, my day job is writing fulfillment software for a company that operates three reasonably large online wholesale outlets, so I've had to mess with shipping a lot. <S> One thing to consider. <S> As soon as you sell online, then you enter the FDA's jurisdiction since you are selling a 'food product' across state lines. <S> This shouldn't have any major impact unless they decide to do a random inspection which I've been told <S> happens every couple years on average.
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If you're shipping 14 oz or less, USPS First Class Mail is an option which will save you quite a bit of money over USPS Flat Rate, and will definitely be less than UPS or FedEx small packages. Another possibility is to open a local distribution roaster and coffee shop. I believe with time, online will be a fantastic sales channel, but it will take a lot of hard work to build the brand recognition to that point.
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How acidic is Liberica compared to Arabica and Robusta? Today, during a discussion on acidity I realized that I could compare the acidity of the two main species. It's common knowledge that Robusta beans are generally more acidic than Arabica beans. But, what about Liberica? And maybe a follow up question: could we have a picture of general characteristics of Liberica? <Q> Today I had a coffee tasting of Liberica on various roast levels. <S> I can say that Liberica is totally different from Arabica and Robusta. <S> Arabica generally is bitter with a lack of after taste <S> Robusta is generally strong with and lack of after taste Liberica is less bitter, but full of aftertaste (bitter, coco, sweet and a bit of berry taste) <S> A mid range Liberica is comparable to a high grade Arabica. <S> An Arabica or Robusta blend with Liberica would complete a full coffee flavour. <S> Liberica is rare because it was almost extinct due to coffee rust disease and it is very expensive due to scarcity. <A> There are two common species of coffee bushes, Arabica is the gold standard and widely acclaimed as producing higher quality coffee beans and accounts for almost three quarters of coffee beans sold in the world. <S> It's common to see many brands proclaim that they are 100% Arabica blends as a quality hallmark. <S> The characteristic and appealing aroma of brewing coffee comes from Arabica beans. <S> And Robusta which has more caffeine and is traditionally valued in Italy for it's ability to increase crema. <S> It's also sometimes used to increase the caffeine in an espresso blend. <S> Robusta is generally considered to have an inferior flavour profile to Arabica and usually commands lower prices and is largely relegated to use in lower quality, mass market instant coffee. <S> Robusta is a heirloom bean that was on the verge of extinction only thirty years ago and remains unknown to much of the world. <S> It has a completely different flavour profile. <S> Robusta are huge coffee berries tending towards somewhat intense smokey, nutty and dark chocolate notes in the cup. <S> Arabica is rare in North America but is said to have a dedicated following in the Philippines, Indonesia & Malaysia where Liberica was planted by colonial Spaniards in the 1800's. <S> Think intense, complex, unusual and possibly overpowering to get an impression of how Liberica is likely to taste. <S> Liberica has a caffeine content between that of Arabica and Robusta and likely a similar acidity profile. <S> A niche bean that will not appeal to many although it has considerable boutique potential if roasters are able to find roasting profiles that bring specific, highly valued flavours into prominence. <A> I am a new member of stackExchange. <S> I grow liberica in Malaysia. <S> I have been helping farmers reviving abandoned liberica farms and working to improve the milling process and the subsequent roasting. <S> There is a growing size of followers of liberica. <S> We are well on our way to get into the specialty league. <S> To the coffee experts acidity is very subjective. <S> AS for me, a non expert, based on reaction of my tummy, arabica is generally more acidic. <S> I develop gastritis on drinking arabica <S> but it stopped when i switched to liberica.
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I would say Robusta lover may not prefer Liberica, but if you found Arabica and Robusta is too bitter, you may love Liberica wich is full of aftertaste flavours if roasted right. It depends on where the beans originate, the soil type, and the subsequent processing.
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What can I do to improve this cold-brew method? The cold-brewed coffee we made was weak and tasteless. I spent an hour with the roaster to get the grind right but here are the steps and process: Purchased coffee, and requested that they be ground to "drip grind" coarseness 4 to 1 by volume (measuring cup) room temperature water to coffee grounds Stirred in the jar then refrigerated for 24 hours Poured it manually through a paper filter Result: as I was pouring the coffee through the water filter, I could tell that the coffee looked kind of translucent. The taste was weak and bland. There was no complexity, and while it was not bitter, it was very bland. So here is the paradox that perplexes me. I'm pretty sure that the grind is still too fine, but then on the other hand the coffee seems to be in on the weak side. The brew process is somewhat simple, but "immersion" is a standard acceptable cold brew process. What do you think we did wrong? Let's assume that the beans were of decent quality. <Q> For a better, more full-bodied result, steep at room temperature . <S> Seattle Coffee Gear, for example, did a test of cold-brewing in the refrigerator and at room temperature , and reported that the room-temperature-steeped cold-brew was tastier, stronger, and more full-bodied. <S> See also this question for more. <S> In sum, don't refrigerate it until it's done brewing. <S> Your fridge slows the extraction process down. <A> The way you describe it is definitely correct for a cold brew concentrate. <S> Refrigerated or not shouldn't matter to the degree you are describing. <S> I think there are 2 options. <S> In that case there's nothing you can do, except getting different beans. <S> The second option is that your expectations are off. <S> However the way you describe the lack of taste I'd say it is probably the first option. <S> Vietnamese coffee is usually Robusta which lacks flavor compared to Arabica. <S> I never tried to cold brew Robusta as it is usually used in Espresso blends, but what you describe is kind of what I'd expect to get (except I'd have guessed it would be bitter). <S> Vietnamese coffees also tend to be on the darker roast side, as they are commonly served with sweetened condensed milk, while cold brew works best with lighter roasts. <S> A lighter roast means also that more of the fruity, floral and acidic flavors are retained in the bean which adds to the complexity of the cup. <S> Washed Ethiopian coffees or Central American coffees work best in my opinion. <S> I prefer washed, but natural works as well. <S> With natural coffees cold brew will usually bring out the red berry flavors even more and sometimes it can be too much in my opinion. <S> Especially when making a concentrate as you are trying to do. <S> So get some quality light roast Arabica beans and try it again <S> I suggest, because your setup and process is fine. <A> Avocado1, thanks <S> and I think your explanation is probably on the right track. <S> The employees at the PV roasters were very reluctant towards making a coarser grind - I really had to push them. <S> Also the roast I used was recommended by someone from their firm for a cold brew. <S> Since I've been in Vietnam, I used the phim filter style of brewing and with the sweetened condensed milk. <S> The first time I visited them, they pushed towards their robusta, but I told them that I only drink arabica, which they also have from the mountainous Da Lat area. <S> Anyway, I appreciate your response and input and will try using one of their arabica blends for the cold brew. <S> Also as an American, I have to say that the Vietnamese are a really friendly people. <S> Yes our coffee cultures may be different but I have nothing but love, respect and admiration for them. <A> The best way to improve cold brew is to brew your coffee hot and to let it chill in the fridge. <S> If you are dumping cream into it, then totally cold brew it, but otherwise hot is the way to go.
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:)Acidity is delicious, and cold brewing coffee dampens the acidity. The problem is probably temperature of the water when steeping. First is that the roast is underdeveloped, the beans are old and stale or of bad quality. Otherwise, I would personally take it out of the fridge, only brew it for 12 hours, and ask them to grind it for more a french press sort of grind (coarser!).
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Does longer brewing time with hot water negatively effect flavor? I've been reading the answers to related questions, but I'm still confused about the variable of the length of brewing time. I've heard that when using a Moka pot, one should turn off the flame immediately upon hearing the very first gurgle sound because if it brews a little bit longer (before the pot starts spurting coffee) the resulting liquid coffee can taste more bitter. I've also read that one of the benefits of the Aeropress is that the "brewing" time is so minimal that the coffee tastes better and is "cleaner". If less brewing time=less bitter,then does coffee made with a french press inherently taste more bitter than other methods? (Maybe people that use the french press prefer more bitterness?) I also read a post elsewhere from a person who says she bought a single-cup coffee filter holder with three holes at the bottom rather than the typical one hole, and that the coffee tasted better because the water drained more quickly. Does the faster the coffee passes through a filter make it less bitter? If so, I wonder why the three hole filter holder isn't more sold more frequently. The art of coffee brewing can be so mysterious ;/ <Q> As discussed further in this question about bitterness , degree of extraction is one significant factor in bitterness in your cup. <S> There are a couple of other links to coffee bitterness in that question also. <S> Keeping other major factors constant (e.g., same temperature of water, same beans), time and grind level are the easiest to modify to reduce bitterness. <S> That is: shorter time and coarser grind <S> will (generally) result in less bitter coffee. <S> While you certainly can't expect to get a reasonable brew from barely chopped beans in 15 seconds, small changes in time and grind level can have a noticeable impact on outcomes, especially for immersion-style brewing methods like French press, Aeropress, pour-over, and to a lesser extent stovetop methods like percolator or moka. <S> Specifics vary by brewing method. <S> For instance, some bitter-tasting compounds are filtered out by paper filters, so paper-filter pour-over will generally be less bitter than French press, for example. <S> Also, your average paper filter will allow brewed coffee to filter more quickly with a coarser grind (finer grinds will more quickly clog the filter) <S> so you might have to vary your pouring method to keep the total brewing time constant. <S> You might enjoy trying to vary one parameter at a time: trying coarser- or finer-grind coffee, then with a shorter or longer period of time, in both cases trying to vary only one parameter at a time. <A> The comment on the Moka pot I believe has a bit more complex answer than what you are indicating. <S> Moka Pots are almost more similar to an espresso brewing method than a french press or a pour over system. <S> Water very near boiling is forced through a coffee puck at some level of increased pressure which brews your coffee. <S> Just looking at the mechanical system that is being used, it appears to me that if you were to leave the pot on the stove just slightly longer than intended, your coffee would brew with a higher temp water, at higher pressure. <S> Both of these can cause bitterness. <S> I think the comment stating that increased time on the stove = <S> more bitter coffee doesn't have to do with brew times, but rather, has to do with water temp and pressure. <S> A lot of what you are asking comes down to the chemistry of the molecules in the coffee grounds. <S> When water is applied to the coffee grounds, the first compounds to extract are citric and malic acids followed by more complex (and less soluble compounds). <S> The compounds which contribute heavy body tend to have high atomic weight, and are not very soluble. <S> French press is on the far end of the spectrum for brew times, so the resultant coffee has lots of body, but the lighter flavors tend to be muddled, and the acidity seems blunted. <S> An additional factor on the french press is that the filters are all in all pretty poor, so you end up with lots of fines in your cup of coffee. <S> Fines are not dissolved solids, and don't really contribute to anything but mouth feel. <S> They might lend a bit of body, but really, they leave that nasty last sip of grounds in the bottom of your cup. <S> Typically drip / pour over are a bit more balanced. <S> They filter fines, and brew time (ie water contact with grounds, not necessarily total brew time) is shorter, which contributes to a 'cleaner' cup of coffee where the acid and finer notes can be easily perceived, and the body doesn't completely take over. <A> Many variables, all have effects. <S> Find the ones that result in coffee you like, and don't get too concerned with it. <S> I have been using a french press exclusively for several months now. <S> I don't particularly like bitter coffee - <S> but I also don't use water nearly as hot as is common with other methods (or <S> pretty much required for them to move water at all, in some cases) <S> - sometimes I let it cold-brew overnight, and otherwise I stick to water at a temperature I can drink without being scalded after it brews for 4-5 minutes (without adding any cold water or milk products.) <S> I also use a mild/medium roast, not any of the darker roasts. <S> With moderate temperature water, another 10 minutes does not make a big difference over my usual 5. <S> I'm not slaved to using a timer and sometimes I get to doing other things while the coffee steeps. <S> If you want a harsh, bitter brew, use boiling water in a french press and leave it a long time. <S> Using a dark/burnt roast could only help. <S> I'll pass ;-)
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Presuming your grind, water temp, ratios etc are all the same, then the longer you steep the coffee grounds in water, the more body will be contributed to the final extraction, while a very fast extraction will contribute lots of brightness and acidity.
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Cold brew concentrate too light I've got a Takeya pitcher with a fine mesh insert that I've been using to cold brew. I fill the mesh with coffee and then as much water as will fit in the pitcher. Typically brew for 24hrs shaking it occasionally.I like what's Starbucks offers (yeah I know) but I'm finding that mine is coming out much lighter in color and more watered down tasting. I've gone as far as not diluting it after brewing and it still seems light.Any suggestions? <Q> Did you follow recipe procedures (with all due respect)? <S> up the amount of coffee to water ratio. <S> Cold brews will use at about double the amount of a hot brew. <S> grind beans for cold brew? <S> I've heard that you can go as fine as drip maker or as coarse as French press. <S> If you feel that the ratio is correct and that you feel that the results are still weak, then you will want a more finer grind - but the suggestion is not to go finer than drip. <S> use an arabica bean. <S> Again with all due respect, cold brews work well to tone down some of the bitterness while retaining the other aromas. <S> This translates to using arabica over a robusta. <S> Good luck <S> and let us know how it turns out? <S> And I actually like the Starbucks cold brews. <A> I have the same cold brewer and have gotten similar results before. <S> Here are some things I picked up that I think are helpful: Ratio is definitely a personal preference, there is no right or wrong. <S> I've seen people say that they like ratios of 1:8 all the way down to 1:4 . <S> (ex.1:8 ratio is 5 ounces of beans to 40 ounces of water.) <S> If you think yours is weak try a 1:4 ratio. <S> Not sure what your grind size was <S> but if it's weak I would suggest going finer. <S> You don't want to go to fine though and have a bunch of coffee sludge in the bottom of your pitcher because your grounds were too fine and came out of your filter. <S> If you use a medium-fine grind you should. <S> If you need help with grind sizes <S> this might help you out . <S> Here people are talking about good results with a 12-18 hour brew time by just leaving it on the counter instead of putting it in your fridge. <S> You mentioned that you like Starbucks <S> and I think they have a really bold roast flavor. <S> Maybe the beans you're using aren't capable of giving you the flavor you're looking for. <A> I would suggest using a method where the coffee is not held in an insert, and the filtering is after the brewing. <S> I cold-brew in a French press when I cold-brew <S> (and I stopped bothering with "concentrate" - I use a normal amount of coffee, same as for hot-brew, and don't dilute the result.)
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Another thing that could be effecting your flavor is the beans you are using. Also maybe try brewing it at room temperature,
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How to avoid coffee grounds in my cup with a Bialetti? When I make coffee with my Bialetti, there is a bit of coffee grounds in my cup. Is the coffee too thin ? On the package is written that it is fine for the Bialetti machine. <Q> The reason is that your coffee grounds are too fine. <S> Your Percolator needs coarser grains for various reasons: Allowing water trough it more easily – else the pressure needs to go too high and your coffee will taste burned as it is roasted a second time from the overheated filter basket [1] . <S> Not allowing small small grounds to "whirl" up in the water and reach the top [2] and flow into your final coffee. <S> In addition to this and if above does not help, you can —if needed— still go with what @Ecnerwal suggested as a last ressort. <S> [1] You can avoid a good part of this by using very warm (non boiling) water, instead of cold water. <S> This means the water will boil earlier and the grounds will not get exposed to too much heat over a longer period of time. <S> [2] Do not over–power your stove. <S> When I cook my coffee, I turn the (electrical) stove to between level 7–8/12. <S> Using a lower heat not only makes the coffee drinkable and removes a lot of the overly strong and often bitter taste, but also prevents smaller grounds to whirl up as the water has less energy, moves less and allows smaller grounds to sink back into the filter again. <A> You can always pour through a paper filter (after brewing by whatever means) if you want to avoid any grounds in the cup. <A> Don't worry, you've taken your first step to solving the problem. <S> :) <S> But if you've already purchased a bag of ground beans, then try to have them ground a few clicks coarser next time. <S> :) <S> You'll get your clean cup real soon!
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If you find grounds in your cup, and you grind your own beans, simply grind your beans a few clicks coarser on your next brew.
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What causes the stains around the cup when coffee is prepared with cafetiere (French press)? When I use my French press (cafetiere) coffee maker, there's these strange marks left around the top of the coffee cup (see picture). Am I doing something wrong, maybe blending incorrectly? Using the wrong coffee type maybe? <Q> I could think of two possibilities. <S> First one is more common, I assume. <S> In time, the cup calcifies. <S> So, some irregularities causes an unpolished surface. <S> This surface catches color easier than polished ceramic/porcelain. <S> You may try to clean the cup with vinegar. <S> Give it a try. <A> Your standard French press uses a metal-mesh filter. <S> This allows more oils to pass into the cup (than a paper filter process) and some of them will form a rather small oil slick on the surface. <S> I think you have the oil slick and some fine grounds making up your cup residue. <S> Pouring through a paper filter cone on the way to the cup (after pressing) would reduce or eliminate that (if it bothers you.) <A> That looks like fines to me. <S> In general, ground coffee has two sizes. <S> One size is the actual grind level, dictated in a burr grinder, by the burr design and how closely they are put together. <S> The other particle size are the tiny fragments that break off when you fracture two pieces of bean to make the larger particles. <S> These smaller particles are called 'fines'. <S> While you will find fines in every grind level, I believe you get more fines the finer you grind. <S> Just thinking logically, if you take a bean and break it one time, then you will get x amount of fines. <S> Break it twice <S> and you get more, etc etc. <S> Effectively grinding finer, will cause more breaks in the coffee bean, releasing more fines. <S> Fines tend to slip through the metal mesh of a french press very easily, which is part of the reason the coffee has a heavier mouth feel, as well as muddled high notes. <S> All that being said, I can't say I have often found a coating of fines high in the cup, rather they tend to sit in the bottom. <S> This indicates either a huge amount of fines, or as some others have indicated, maybe some crazy combination of oil slick suspending fines? <S> Recommend reviewing your grind level. <S> Do you have heavy grinds in the bottom of your cup? <S> If so, you may need to grind more coarse. <S> By the look of that cup, I would guess that you may be able to swipe your finger around the edge of the cup to capture all of that stain, and feel some grit between your fingers. <S> Lastly, if you are using pre-ground coffee, almost 100% guarantee the grind level is wrong.
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If the grounds you use includes finer grounds that can pass through the filter, you may end up with a muddier-than-normal French press cup. If this is the case, make sure about your grind size and consistency. Those fine grounds may swim on top of the water and leave some trace. Maybe then with some bleach to get rid of such calcification and organic irregularities. French press should be ground at a very coarse setting to help prevent this. The higher quality the grinder, the most consistently the coffee grounds will conform to those two sizes.
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Is there a difference in quality of using a plastic/wood/metal stirrer? I happen to see in more commercial coffee shops that stirring of coffee for Lattes etc. is done with a metal spoon, however when I order a plain coffee and go add milk/sugar there are plastic stirrers. Similarly when I go and have coffee at work the office has wooden sticks to stir the coffee. Besides for sanitary reasons, does the type of stirrer used effect the quality of the coffee? Is there an "ideal" stirrer material when preparing coffee? <Q> I'm just reasoning... <S> Polished gold or porcelain must be the ideal stirrers as they won't chemically react. <S> I opt for porcelain as it may also help keeping the coffee warm as its thermal conductivity is less than gold. <S> Comparing the three you mentioned: <S> Wooden: <S> Sometimes I taste it. <S> So, I don't prefer it that much. <S> Plastic: There are many polymers we call plastic in our daily life. <S> Some of these things are really of bad quality and I am suspicious if their thermal resistance is adequate for coffee. <S> I wouldn't prefer them, too. <S> Metal: Especially, if you mention polished 18/10 stainless steel cutlery, they probably resist the heat and won't react with anything. <S> So, the only bad thing about them is, they may make your cup colder a bit quicker than usual. <S> Just take the spoon off right after use. <S> This would be my preference. <A> This may not be helpful to some, but to those who fancy it, these make quite a case... <A> Besides for sanitary reasons, does the type of stirrer used effect the quality of the coffee? <S> Is there an "ideal" stirrer material when preparing coffee? <S> Short answer <S> yes. <S> A stirrer ought to not add any flavors to the coffee and, as a secondary concern to this question, be easy to clean. <S> Our choices are ceramic, porcelain, glass, wood / bamboo, metals (gold, silver ...) and stainless steel. <S> Ceramic is too porous and the glazes are suspect at best as regardshealth and taste. <S> Wood / bamboo will absorb coffee flavors. <S> I have been using a chopstick for a long time and have never noticed an added flavor. <S> As a side note on a camping trip I used a trimmed (but still fresh) spruce branch and that did impart a flavor. <S> :) <S> Metals are suspect at best. <S> There are numerous articles on the subject regarding aluminium, silver and other metals. <S> Stainless steel does not impart a taste and does not react with the coffee. <S> TL/DR Food safe ceramic, porcelain and stainless steel will not impart flavor. <S> Wood / bamboo to a very minor extent might.
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Porcelain does not impart a taste but, as with ceramics, there can be a concern about the glaze. If the wood / bamboo stirrer is only used for coffee I don't think it will impart any noticeable flavor profiles.
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Can you use sparkling water to brew coffee? Has anyone ever tried it yet? What flavor/mouthfeel/extraction benefits are there, if any? <Q> If you heat the water as per most brewing methods, it would no longer be carbonated/sparkling by the time you brewed with it. <S> You would thus be confined to a cold-brew method, and if you wanted the water to remain carbonated you'd have to cold brew in a sealed container. <S> That would be moderately inconvenient but should be possible. <S> Or you could brew coffee by any means and force carbonate it after the fact, which would thus have no effect on the brewing. <S> Never tried it <S> , don't find the idea personally interesting, but all it should cost you to try would be a bottle of sparking water and the hassle of getting the coffee grounds into it, waiting a day or so, and then pouring it out through a filter and cleaning up the mess before recycling the bottle. <S> Please report your results. <A> Good coffee is extracted via highly measured methods, methods that attempt to always replicate uniform extraction. <S> Blooming is a step taken in drip/pourover and sometimes full immersion methods to help coffee grounds degas before the proper extraction. <S> This is because as gas leaves the coffee, it cannot simultaneously absorb water. <A> The other issue you'll run into is that sparkling water is actually pretty acidic, and that's going to change the overall extraction process as well. <S> If you want sparkling coffee, make cold brew and then put it in something like a Sodastream to force-carbonate it. <A> I tried it this weekend. <S> The Nespresso machine sputtered and wheezed a bit, then shut down with blinking lights, and the pod inside had the foil blown off <S> and there were grounds in the hopper. <S> Bad idea.
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Thus, using sparkling water is heavily detrimental and it introduces a large amount of bubbling which reduces actual coffee-to-water contact and result with an poorly extracted cup born from an inconsistent extraction.
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Coffee passing through filter during bloom I have been making pour over coffee now for about 1 year. I enjoy it. I hand grind the beans with a burr grinder and select a medium-fine grind. What I find though is that during the bloom time (about 45 seconds), about 1 ounce of coffee filters through. Is that normal and expected, or is that too much coffee to be filtering through during the bloom time? Any suggestions? <Q> The amount of drip-through you're experiencing is completely fine as long as the entire bed of coffee has been wet by the bloom pour. <S> However, if you reckon there is too much coming through, make sure you're not using too much water relative to your total brew weight in the bloom. <S> If a significant fraction of your water is used during the bloom, and therefore less being used during actual extraction, it will affect the resulting flavour. <S> I'd argue that as long as the amount of water used for the bloom is less than 1/4 of the total brew water weight and the entire bed is being wet by it, no matter how much filters through, it should not affect the brew significantly. <A> I usually pour water just enough to wet the grinds completely. <S> A few drops of coffee do pass through the filter, and that is fine. <S> And of course wet the filter with hot water before you start your brewing. <A> As mentioned earlier blooming is to help aid in further extraction by helping expell CO2.As long as you think the coffee tastes good <S> then it's fine. <S> If you think your cup is lacking in something try changing it up. <S> Maybe a finer grind or more/less water. <S> Play around, that's the great part about coffee. <S> It's subjective. <S> I usually have a little bit of water flow through as well when I bloom my coffee. <S> My general rule of thumb when blooming is to add double the weight of coffee grounds in water. <S> For example: if brewing with 20 grams of coffee I will bloom with 40 grams of water.
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The drip-through of water during the bloom process isn't itself a cause for worry of a 'bad' brew as this process is meant to aid degassing of the beans prior to the main brew pour.
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How to transport coffee I'm afraid this is a dirty instant coffee question. Every morning I'm up pretty early and will usually make myself a quick instant coffee in a travel mug and hit the road. It is really good instant coffee, IMHO, and not only keeps me going for most of the morning but is also very tasty. But usually just after lunch I'm hankering for another, and herein the problem lies: most of the office are tea drinkers, and the options for coffee are limited to one awful instant variety. It wouldn't really be acceptable for me to bring in a jar of coffee (I know this would be fine in some places but I wouldn't feel comfortable with it in my workplace culture) so what I'd like to do is bring in a mix of my coffee contents to use in a one-off way. I take my coffee with two spoons instant coffee, three spoons sugar and about 40ml milk or so (it's quite a big mug), and would love a way to transport this concoction to the office daily. Ideally I would create a little sachet with all the ingredients inside but that doesn't seem like something I'd be able to do. I've also considered bringing it in in a tupperware or some other airtight container, but I think I'd struggle to transfer it all properly from the container to the mug. Does anyone have any coffee transporting solutions where I could somehow bring in all the ingredients I need, mess free, in my backpack? <Q> Actually, I will change the direction to ground coffee. <S> A few months ago, I have seen a nice solution for campers. <S> I took a photo of it for reference at that time. <S> It seems quite useful to me. <S> However, I mostly prepare my 'tasty' coffee at home and drink 'crap' coffee in the office. <S> So it didn't fit me. <S> Still, here is the invention. <S> A camping style brewer pack. <S> You will need just the hot water in the office. <S> Each pack is single use only. <S> It was just a bit more than regular price. <S> But it was still affordable. <S> Still, you may not like to use this in daily routine. <A> Can you bring not in the mixed dry ingredients (your suggestion of Tupperware) and use the office milk (contributing to a kitty perhaps) ? <S> That removes a large element of the messiness. <S> However Tupperware can be quite bulky and isn't easy to pour out of sometimes. <S> For handling those dry ingredients without mess I recommend baby food containers something like this: small, convenient, tight caps . <S> This would also mean you don't need to keep the mix cold as its only dry. <S> I advise against creamers as they just aren't that nice <S> (I tried it). <S> Pre-added milk does seem to get absorbed in the flavours <S> and I think you'd possibly be disappointed. <S> Since its only dry ingredients, you can just wipe them clean. <A> Doesn't starbucks make a decent instant coffee type? <S> They call it VIA <S> I think . <S> But why not bring in regular coffee and just microwave it again ? <S> Sure it won't be so fresh, but I think instant is similar. <A> When I travel I have to do shift work. <S> I am less fancy. <S> That way I bring coffee to work with me from the hotel in my travel mug <S> and then when I am ready for my second cup of coffee <S> , I get hot water from the dispenser and add my ziploc baggie and stir. <S> I don't prepackage too many days in advance or humidity <S> will clump my coffee in my baggie. <S> Even this is fine, I just dump the clump into my cup and it works/ <S> tastes fine, just looks silly. <A> What came to my mind was all the sizes zip lock bags come in. <S> Make up your mix. <S> bag it. <S> Put in your pocket. <S> Heat the water at work & add to it. <S> From the bag.
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In case it helps others, before I leave home I measure out my instant coffee into a snack size ziploc baggie coffee, enough for my travel mug that I pack with me.
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Is there any coffee candy that actually has a similar effect to drinking coffee? A friend gave me a little coffee-flavored candy yesterday. I don't really know where this comes from, but it's just like a jolly-rancher or butter drop, just coffee flavored. But are there any quality coffee candies about that have a similar effect to drinking coffee? <Q> They look something like that: We may build an equation such as: one cup of espresso includes around 7 grams of coffee, 7 grams of coffee could be grounded around 50 mid-sized beans. <S> So, if you eat 50 of these drops, it will be roughly equal to a cup of coffee. <S> (Plus fibers, potassium and many others that I cannot list now without checking a paper.) <A> While not quite candy, the Peanut Toffee Buzz flavor <S> Clif Bar contains 45mg of caffeine. <S> Combined with 10g of protein and some sugar I usually get a decent buzz comparable to a shot of espresso. <S> I've also been seeing chocolate products from Awake Chocolate here in the U.S. <S> I couldn't find exact caffeine amounts on their website, but those over at Caffeine Informer have done the research for us. <S> They sell bite-sized pieces with around 50 mg of caffeine and full bars with around 100 mg. <S> Of course, like the Clif Bars, you'll also be getting a fair amount of sugar. <A> Yes, there are coffee and espresso flavoured candy. <S> This is a specialty candy and a bit esoteric in many countries but you can find at least half a dozen brands at larger grocers, specialty candy stores or online. <S> Some better quality brands include Britt's (chewy), Bali's (hard) & Lindt (mocha chocolate bar). <S> The OP's request for candy with an experience similar to coffee is ambiguous though. <S> There is hard candy, taffe type chewy candies, mocha chocolate (so good) and of course chocolate covered espresso beans. <S> Flavours range from mild & very similar to coffee to intense & almost espresso-like. <A> Depending on where you are, you might want to check out Scho-Ka-Kola , a German chocolate product with ground coffee and kola nut. <S> Developed in 1935, it was (in)famous during WW II and is, virtually unchanged, still available today.
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There are chocolate covered coffee bean candies.
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Is there any process after roasting coffee? We use coffee beans after roasting. Can we use it directly after roasting? Is there any further processes after roasting the coffee beans before being used for consumption? <Q> Roughly 85-90% of carbon dioxide contained in a coffee bean after roasting will be released in the first 24 hours. <S> You CAN immediately brew coffee with fresh roasted coffee, but the flavors will not be fully developed, and you might get a metallic taste in your brewed coffee which is a side effect of the carbon dioxide. <S> At my shop, we allow the coffee to rest for 12 hours before grinding for the customer, and we don't cup coffees until they have rested for a minimum 12 hours. <S> Additionally, there are some coffees that benefit from longer rest times. <S> Some recommend up to 10 days rest time for espresso because you will get higher extraction yields (tds yields) after a long rest period (per Scott Rao who is an expert on the subject). <S> Other coffees like some Ethiopians will develop more pronounced floral / berry flavors after a slightly longer rest period of around 5 days (recommended by Joe Marocco over at Cafe Imports if I recall correctly) Other than this rest period and grinding <S> , there is no process that needs to be accomplished after roasting coffee. <A> Ethiopians (and as far as I experienced Cubans) prefer to roast their beans up to darkness, then grind immediately. <S> Ethiopians brew it more like Turkish while Cubans use moka pots. <S> So, it is possible. <S> (See the answer referenced below.) <S> Why is it not recommended to drink coffee immediately after it's roasted? <S> However, under normal conditions modern culture prefers to degas. <S> Degassing is discussed many times. <S> I have the exact same answer on the issue on the site. <S> The most cited question in Coffee SE is probably this , the question of the above referenced answer. <S> Here is a nice blog post also cited in Coffee SE . <S> My final word, please don't miss Nate M.'s comment here on degassing ground coffee. <S> In short: Degassing takes up to 2 to 4 days to achieve drinkable coffee. <S> If you really want to shorten this, grind earlier. <S> But you should try yourself for best timing. <S> The best flavor is around 1 to 2 weeks. <S> Again, you should follow your taste buds based on the beans and the roast degree. <A> The industry standard is around 12-24 hours of rest time after you roast your coffee. <S> In this time, the flavors and body will start producing. <S> Once the process finishes, you have about six days left before the quality of the roast will begin to depart <S> and you'll have an average cup of Joe. <S> I use a 2KG Commercial Coffee Roaster that I purchased from a local REP a while back. <S> I noticed that I get the best cup of coffee around 20 hours roasted just past 1st crack. <S> This, of course, is my personal opinion.
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Typically after roasting coffee there is a rest period during which you don't want to use the coffee.
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What can I use to clean my machine as a substitute for original cleaners? I have access to an automatic bean-to-cup Siemens coffee maker. It has periodic cleaning programs of its own and also its own cleaning materials. Recently, we have difficulties finding these cleaning materials around. (Sure we can order abroad, but this time customs, etc. probably will be a mess and it will take too much time and effort.) Does anybody have an idea what can I replace these with? Cleaner: TZ80001 Descaler: TZ80002 <Q> You can easily find it pretty cheap on Amazon. <S> Its the same concept as vinegar, but without the smell - vinegar will stink up your house and the machine, so I would recommend against it. <A> I have had multiple Breville products, and according to their recommendations, a good substitute is half white vinegar and half water. <S> I've been using my current espresso machine for 2+ years, and this have only been following their recommendation. <S> I find it works really well. <A> I'm not sure on the cleaning tablets, but I've heard Urnex Dezcal mentioned for a good descaler on multiple forums and it looks like a lot of people are using it for coffee machines based on Amazon reviews <S> (and it has a very positive review rating). <S> I typically don't use detergents in my drip brewer, and use a Rocket branded cleaner for my espresso machine (came with the machine <S> and I haven't run out yet). <S> Other options are a simple vinegar water mixture (I do 1/2 and 1/2, then 3 pots of pure water) <S> and I've also heard you can use denture tablets to clean your coffee machine which might be worth looking into. <A> After a while, I have managed to receive the products themselves. <S> Therefore, it is better to mention what sits inside these products, directly reading from the packages. <S> The descaler is mostly citric acid as Evan noted. <S> (I assume the percentages are by volume. <S> Nothing noted, though.) <S> 58±2 % citric acid <S> 23±2 % maleic acid <S> 23±2 % sulfamic acid <S> The grease cleaner is quite complex and its ingredients are noted without percentages. <S> See here . <S> (This cleaner is said to be ideal for thermoses and flasks, too.) <S> Sodium carbonate Sodium sulfate anhydrous Sodium percarbonate salt of phosphonic acid, <S> organic Polyethylene glycol 8000 <S> Citric acid, anhydrous Potassium peroxomonosulfate
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In case you're still searching for alternative cleaning materials, I would recommend citric acid. Urnex also has a cleaning tablet for coffee makers which is probably the equivalent of what you are needing, although I would need more information about how you use the tablets to be sure.
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What's a good small hand / electric grinder available on the market? Just transitioned from a coffee shop to an office job, and got a bag of wonderful Counter Culture coffee beans. New workplace only buys pre-ground coffee and runs it through a Mr. Coffee drip machine. Boo! I want to buy an Aeropress and start grinding my own coffee beans. I think the fresh coffee will win people over and we can start getting some serious coffee action going on in the office. Any recommendations for grinders? Looking in the $20-$30 range, but open to anything. Ideally it is small, something I can throw in my backpack on the way to the office, and easy-ish to clean. <Q> I was nearly sure that I have already read the answer somewhere here. <S> I couldn't find it. <S> There might be a duplicate somewhere, or distributed among several answers. <S> Anyway... <S> Hand grinders could be the first option. <S> They're way cheaper, smaller in size, easier to carry, and not noisy in action (nice property for office space). <S> I could mention three nice grinders that I know of. <S> Probably more people may want to add many more nice grinders, but these are the first three I could name. <S> So, no offense please. <S> Hario has a nice small one. <S> Skerton ceramic must be the model, I assume. <S> Zassenhaus has a very nice hand grinder. <S> I opt for this as it can grind as fine as Turkish. <S> Zassenhaus Havanna is the model name. <S> Of course, Sözen is a very very nice hand grinder that you can use for centuries. <S> They have just two models for decades; a carry-on and a table model with the same inner structure. <S> Then, you can think of electric grinders . <S> Lately, I have heard of Baratza Encore a bit too much on the low end side. <S> You may have a look at that. <S> For sure, there are specialized web sites just for choosing grinders such as this . <A> When traveling, I use my Hario Skerton grinder. <S> It is slow, and time-consuming, but it does a great job. <S> It does take some serious effort, so I would be tired after grinding for 2 or 3 cups of coffee. <A> I've been using a Shanik coffee grinder for 6 months, it's lightweight and easy to take out. <S> when I travel for an extended time. <S> It travels with me. <A> Since you are planning to use it in an office I'd recommend you to get a lower end electric grinder. <S> You'll spend less time grinding beans, which will obviously leave you more time to enjoy your cup of joe during your break. <S> The Baratza Encore is wonderful <S> , it's quick, the grind is very consistent for a grinder this size and price and <S> the Baratza service is good too. <S> It's ideal for pour-over to French press sized grinds, the espresso grind is less consistent with more fines and boulders. <S> I have tried and own several. <S> The Hario Mini Mill is for the low price the best you can get. <S> It's in my opinion even better than the Hario Skerton. <S> Especially with the modifications (you can find instructions online) <S> the grind size is very consistent. <S> However you'll easily spend a couple of minutes grinding. <S> If you are willing to spend a bit more, definitely get a Porlex grinder. <S> They are awesome and fit into the Aeropress (the hollow compartment of the plunger) which is very handy for travels and storage. <S> The grind is very consistent, slightly better even than the Hario. <S> Of course there are many more great alternatives, however they are much higher priced. <A> It's kinda slow <S> but I can say that it's probably the best grinder you can buy within that price range. <S> There is also an upgrade kit for $11 which you can buy from Blue Horse Products.
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For your price range, I can suggest the Hario Skerton - which I've been using myself - Alternatively as already mentioned you could get a hand grinder.
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Is dark roast stronger than light roast? Dark roast coffee is roasted longer and at higher temperatures than light roast.What is the difference in taste? <Q> Strength is an interesting wording, but some people use it. <S> Mostly, caramelized or burnt flavors get visible during the roasting process. <S> Understanding Coffee Bean names as they relate to roast <S> As you may see in that answer, Wikipedia enlists roast degrees and their profiles. <S> I would like to summarize them here. <S> 22 <S> °C (72 °F), Green Beans : You may prepare green coffee tea from these. <S> But not the regular coffee. <S> 165 <S> °C (329 °F), Drying Phase : <S> Beans dry out. <S> You may hear the first crack. <S> 196 <S> °C (385 °F), Cinnamon Roast : A very light roast level which is immediately at first crack. <S> Sweetness is underdeveloped, with prominent toasted grain, grassy flavors, and sharp acidity prominent. <S> 205 <S> °C (401 °F), New England Roast : Moderate light brown, but still mottled in appearance. <S> A preferred roast for some specialty roasters, highlights origin characteristics as well as complex acidity. <S> 210 <S> °C (410 °F), American Roast : Medium light brown, developed during first crack. <S> Acidity is slightly muted, but origin character is still preserved. <S> 219 <S> °C (426 °F), City Roast : Medium brown, common for most specialty coffee. <S> Good for tasting origin character, although roast character is noticeable. <S> 225 <S> °C (437 °F), Full City Roast : Medium dark brown with occasional oil sheen, <S> roast character is prominent. <S> At the beginning of second crack. <S> 230 <S> °C (446 °F), Vienna Roast : <S> Moderate dark brown with light surface oil, more bittersweet, caramel flavor, acidity muted. <S> In the middle of second crack. <S> Any origin characteristics have become eclipsed by roast at this level. <S> 240 <S> °C (464 °F), French Roast : Dark brown, shiny with oil, burnt undertones, acidity diminished. <S> At the end of second crack. <S> Roast character is dominant, none of the inherent aroma or flavors of the coffee remain. <S> 245 <S> °C (473 °F), Italian Roast : <S> Nearly black and shiny, burnt tones become more distinct, acidity nearly eliminated, thin body. <A> Dark roast is stronger taste than light roast, given the same beans. <S> Bitterness tends to dominate the flavors: Original flavors you can feel on light roast usually disappear with darker roasts. <S> Dark roast taste is also very stable. <S> It means the flavor remains the same over several roast batches. <S> It is way easier to control flavor of dark roast, then (which is why large chains like Starbucks and McDonald's focus on dark roasts). <S> Light roast are harder to control. <S> The resulting taste depends more on the beans (did they get enough light, water, etc.) <S> themselves, whereas "all beans become the same" with a dark roast. <A> A light roast brings out the character of coffee. <S> A light roast is sweet compared to dark roast.
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A dark roast is usually less complex and rich in taste, bitter and less floral.
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How do I effectively clean a metal Chemex filter? I've been using a metal cone filter for a couple months: Able Brewing Kone Coffee Filter It has worked fantastically, but gradually clogged up over time. I've washed it with warm water and dish soap multiple times to no avail. Anyone have cleaning tips? Or do I just have to buy a new filter? <Q> This problem seems quite normal. <S> Over time, the little holes are filled up with small coffee grounds and stuck there by the help of glueing force of grease. <S> This grease is extracted during brewing process. <S> So, how could we get rid of these remains? <S> Pretty easy. <S> As they are organic compounds, you should dissolve them. <S> As they include grease, dissolve the oil that includes particles. <S> Best options are: Acetic acid, thus vinegar Citric acid, thus lemon juice <S> These are food, so safe to use. <S> You may leave the filter in these for a while. <S> Apart from that, you may try alcohol, but check whether it damages the filter. <S> Last option may be bleach. <S> It dissolves any organic compound quite easily as it is corrosive. <S> However, it is not safe . <S> You must rinse it thoroughly. <A> I would advise against using soap to clean anything coffee related. <S> As a simple measure, just use boiling water to loosen the oils. <S> You can also use citric acid (the recommended cleaner for coffee machines), you can find it online pretty cheap. <S> Another option would be to soak it in baking soda to dissolve the oils. <S> Whatever you use, just make sure you rinse it thoroughly afterwards. <A> The only thing that I've found that I've found that works elegantly, quickly, and completely is ultrasonic cleaning. <S> After boiling with vinegar water, lots of rubbing and scrubbing, high pressure steaming, and even ten minutes in a pressure cooker, it seemed to only get a bit more clogged. <A> It did improve the flow situation greatly, but the filter was still brown. <S> So I ordered urnex coffee equipment cleaning powder off amazon and two days later my filters are like new. <S> I just boiled my cone filters and added a teaspoon of the powder. <S> Here’s my water after the boil with the urnex powder! <S> My husband said, “free coffee!” <S> Yuk. <A> Use a water flosser, like waterpik to blast the coffee oils out. <S> I tried boiling and vinegar, no use. <S> Mini-pressure washer worked best. <S> Water moves through the filter much faster.
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I set it in a small inexpensive ultrasonic cleaner I received as a gift and the stubborn oils and sediment trapped gave up the ghost immediately. I tried boiling in vinegar and washing in the dishwasher over my bottle jets the other day.
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Greek Coffee Law in Greece I read somewhere that there is a law in Greece that cafes must serve Greek coffee. Can someone verify that there is such a law, or regulation? <Q> I found this detailed article by an expert titled "how to make and drink Greek coffee" that seems to rather confirm your understanding of the matter: <S> I remember when I was the Food and Beverage Director for Starbucks in Greece <S> and we were launching the first store in Greece back in 2002, we had to serve Greek coffee in the store. <S> Apparently there is a law in Greece that requires all coffee shops to serve Greek coffee (...) <S> Α specific combination of beans is used to make this Greek blend, with specific bean varieties, roasted at specific temperatures and used in specific ratios. <S> Source: <S> How to Make and Drink Greek Coffee <S> Author: <S> Elena Paravantes <S> I would interpret her statement to mean that Greek law requires all coffee shops to serve Greek coffee, but in addition thay can make and serve any other type of coffee. <A> I am from Greece <S> and I am still here... <S> So I have a first-hand knowledge! <S> But most of them do otherwise the lose 90% of their clientele, in my opinion! <S> Starbucks they don’t have Greek coffee on their menu and NOBODY would ask for Greek coffee at Starbucks! <S> How to make Greek coffee now. <S> I found this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TleH2q86O0 <S> M <S> that exactly how we do it. <S> In a coffee pot you put a cup of water (like the ones you use for espresso shots), a teaspoon of roasted and then finely ground coffee beans and if you want it mild you also put a teaspoon of sugar or for sweet two teaspoons. <S> Then you boil it and stir it and before it come to the boiling point, you remove it from the heat, put in the cut and let the grounds to settle. <S> Also you can choose for two different blends the most common one “blond beans” and “dark beans” <S> or you can mix it. <S> But Greek coffee is the same as Turkish coffee. <S> Two more things: After you finish your coffee, if you want to see your future turn your cup upside-down. <S> And have someone “read” it for you. <S> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vk1cCpN-8I <S> The only kind of coffee that we have here <S> and I have never seen anywhere else is Frappe. <S> And it’s the only one that I don’t drink! <S> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbmWtPtZIZA <A> This is apparently a genuine legal requirement in Greece. <S> Greek commercial law can be challenging to understand. <S> By many accounts this is sometimes the only practical way to navigate the convoluted & contradictory regulations. <S> Interestingly the custom of fakellaki was formally legitimized in Greece as recently as 2013. <S> The controversial legislation said that falellaki is not necessarily unlawful because they are just a Greek way of saying thanks for favors. <S> There is a long-standing Greek custom called φακελάκι (fakellaki) which is the custom of giving money in a discreet envelope to bureaucrats to expedite permits and other services. <S> I too have read the article by the Starbucks Food & Beverage Manager in Athens describing how Starbucks was obligated to offer Greek style coffee . <S> I asked some friends in Athens if they knew anything about this <S> and they told me that the traditional kafenio (cafe) is permitted to operate later hours than many other types of businesses. <S> It sounds like one could theoretically eschew the requirement to offer Greek style coffee if you operated a cafe with reduced opening hours. <S> But that would likely be an uncompetitive & fiscally unprofitable way to run a cafe.
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Not all cafes serve Greek coffee and not all coffee shops (the ones they sell coffee beans) sell beans for Greek coffee! Greece has a well entrenched bureaucracy and many people have opined that legislation in Greece has been appended on an ad hoc basis for a long time resulting in some inconsistent, difficult to understand and sometimes contradictory legal framework.
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Which knock box do you use and why? I've been using a repurposed plastic box next to my espresso machine as my go-to knock box, but recently wrote a guide on knock boxes . I'm curious if you can recommend any particular knock box? They all seem universally the same and universally expensive. <Q> Osaka, Shock-Absorbent Espresso Knock Box 4.7 Inch Barista Style Knockbox. <S> about $20 anywhere online <A> Absolutely. <S> There are many good quality knockboxes. <S> You can find many reviewed on sites like Coffeegeek or of course, Amazon . <S> I bought mine based on good reviews and after using it a few months <S> consider it a great purchase. <S> It's made out of a good grade of tough plastic and can be found around $20 online or even less. <S> Rubber coated knock bar and a well thought out cutout on the front for ease of access. <S> Available in red, black and a few other colours. <S> The stainless model is closer to $50 but is elegant if you prefer stainless and would stand up to genuine commercial use. <A> I use a Cafelat Tubbi Knock Box in small because it's cheap and a nice size. <S> If I was going to replace it <S> I'd get a Rattleware Maple Knock Box because it's solid and beautifully constructed, plus it's quite handsome.
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Knockboxes are practical and make it a pleasure to make espresso.
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Why did espresso never catch on as a mainstream drink in the US? I live in the US. During a recent trip to France, I was struck by the fact that espresso is the default coffee configuration there (i.e., if you order "coffee" in a restaurant without specifying further, espresso is what you get). And Nespresso-compatible coffee pods are sold in the supermarket for use in Nespresso-compatible machines, whereas in the US Nespresso hasn't licensed their system to any third parties, so it's still a specialty item. Presumably the same situation prevails in Italy, where espresso originally comes from. In the US, meanwhile, you can get "espresso drinks," but that usually means espresso diluted in a large quantity of milk and syrup. Espresso per se is an esoteric beverage consumed mostly by a small number of enthusiasts. Part of what motivates this question is that in some ways espresso seems tailor-made for the American market: Invented out of a desire for fast service Involves large, complex machinery Lends itself to quick consumption And yet here we are. So the question is: are there specific factors, beyond "different countries do things differently," that kept espresso from catching on in the US? <Q> Coffee spread throughout Europe in the 17th and 18th C and was brought over to the United States by colonialists and immigrants. <S> Coffee was already a fixture here by the time espresso was invented in the early 20th C. Coffee arrived in Italy in the 17th century. <S> It was made in the Turkish manner andconsumed in elite coffee houses such as Florian in Venice. <S> Cappuccino was madeby adding the froth from warm milk to the coffee. <S> However it was only in 1905that the first espresso machine entered into production. <S> https://www.academia.edu/379110/The_Cappuccino_Conquests._The_Transnational_History_of_Italian_Coffee_2007 <S> _ <S> Espresso did not become a staple of Italian or European culture until after WWII. <S> By the late 1950s, most Italians consumed coffee at home, in the traditional moka pot—first built by engineer Alfonso Bialetti in 1933, and now an icon of Italian design worldwide, as Morris explains in his 2008 essay “A History of Espresso in Italy and the World.” <S> But there were exceptions. <S> A young Calvino was a regular customer at Caffè Talmone, a café in Turin where he met with other intellectuals to discuss books and politics. <S> There, he drank Italian espresso with a layer of foam on top, the result of a patent registered by bar owner Achille Gaggia in 1947. <S> https://qz.com/992879/the-curious-tale-of-how-italy-became-the-world-capital-of-coffee/ <S> So why did espresso come to dominate European culture after WWII and not the US? <S> Why would any fad or variety necessarily come to dominate the world? <S> Why would a new variety necessarily overcome tradition? <S> For one thing - espressos require specialty machines that were extremely expensive. <S> Until recently it was not something that would be found in an ordinary kitchen whether in Italy or the United States. <A> This is not an answer but an humble approach or brainstorming on the issue. <S> Americans like everything big? <S> In Europe, we use small cars, eat small portions... <S> Americans are not used to that. <S> Maybe, the whole continent was once virgin and free to be used while Europe (more generally, the old world) was already exhausted and crowded. <S> During those days, Americans got used to use everything in big pieces. <S> Then, came the coffee. <S> A very small concentrated portion. <S> Americans pour water to have bigger portions. <S> Actually, the invention of Americano is quite interesting in that sense. <S> As far as I know, Americans first mass encounter in espresso is around the second world war. <S> Within the same NATO base, together with Italian soldiers, American soldiers are not fond of drinking small shots of espresso. <S> They started to add boiled water. <S> Italians don't like the idea and make fun of it, so call this newly invented drink <S> Americano to contempt. <S> However, Americans like to have their own style and adopted this name with pleasure. <S> I think, even this story could explain the major difference in perspectives. <S> See <S> Evan Nowak's legit comment on the story: "If that story is even remotely true, an Americano would have been Americans trying to approximate brewed coffee by watering down espresso, not creating a new drink because they 'like everything big'. <A> Drip coffee is the mainstream coffee drink in America because of the popularity of the drip brand Nescafe introduced in 1938, the large scale fight for market share, wide promotion and advertising created a huge market for brewed and specifically instant coffee. <S> Add to that that GI's acquired a taste for coffee after experiencing it in wartime rations and the surging popularity of American supermarkets having myriad instant coffee brands. <S> The wide scale and aggressive marketing of instant coffee was a much more American than European phenomena. <S> Europe was less inundated by this marketing deluge and had a longer history of coffee shops. <S> A high quality coffee beverage that could be prepared fresh on the spot (with or without a pastry).
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Espresso came into vogue in Europe after WWII and integrated well into Italian and European cafe culture.
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Running an empty grinder To always have fresh coffee I put in the grinder only the amount I want to drink at that moment.Then I just grind until no more coffee comes out - but that causes the grinder to run empty for a few seconds every time. Can it cause harm to the grinder? I have the Rancilio Rocky (without doser) <Q> No it's not a problem. <S> Maybe in some manuals it's written that you shouldn't let it run empty on very fine settings, but that's more to avoid warranty claims than because it would actually hurt your grinder <S> and I assume they are referring to letting it run for minutes on end, which you probably shouldn't do. <S> And why would you? <S> The burrs in any case shouldn't touch each other at all, even on fine settings (or only at the flat part of the burrs, but certainly not the blades). <S> I have yet to seen a grinder that was getting damaged due to the few seconds of running empty after your dose went through. <A> Your Rocky grinder will be fine. <S> And the vast majority of inexpensive consumer grinders that I have seen would also be OK in this situation. <A> It could stress the motor and mechanics of the grinder because of the high rotary speed the grinder will achieve when not under load. <S> That high-pitched whine doesn't sound healthy, in any case. <S> But i agree with the other answers that short periods of empty running must be expected by the designers.
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Prosumer and commercial grinders will not be damaged by running empty for short time periods like you describe. No it won't be a problem. Producers know that people at home often single dose their coffee, so I assume they consider that when producing a grinder (in fact most coffee shops that do pour over grind single doses as well).
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Why do I feel nauseous from coffee? I really love coffee but for last 6 months I've felt nauseous almost every time I drink it. If I drink an espresso in the morning I will most likely vomit. If I drink it after lunch or a few hours after I wake up (4-5 hours) then I will feel nausea but I probably won't throw up. I don't feel any of those effects from any amount of Red Bull or similar energy drinks therefore I don't think it's about the caffeine. For the record I hate energy drinks and don't won't to drink them in the morning or ever, but I had to sometimes, and I drank like a lot and never felt any nausea. The problem actually started 3 years ago and it lasted for about a year and a half. Then it stopped and for a year I could drink coffee anytime without any negative side effects, but the problem re-emerged 6 months ago.I'm desperate because I really love coffee and I'm really used to that extra energy boost coffee gives me in the morning. I'm male and I'm 23 years old. <Q> I only know of two connections between coffee and nausea. <S> The first is caffein withdrawal, which in your case obviously doesn't apply. <S> Secondly there is some evidence, although it far from being clear, that coffee might be bad for people suffering from reflux disease. <S> See for example here . <S> According to that source, gastroesophageal reflux might be triggered by coffee (among others). <S> However it is far from clear, that it really does with studies showing that dropping coffee consumption doesn't significantly change the symptoms to the better. <S> I suggest you talk about this with a doctor or dietary specialist. <S> This is pure speculation, but maybe you are allergic/intolerant to one of the compounds found in coffee or it is some kind of psychosomatic response. <S> The expectation of becoming nauseous after drinking coffee that leads to actual nausea. <S> Or maybe your nausea is entirely unrelated to the coffee and just happens to coincide with it. <S> If the problem persists and a doctor couldn't help you, maybe try green/black tea. <S> They contain caffein and can have a similar, somewhat more mellow but also more persistent energizing effect. <A> It sounds like espresso is making you nauseous intermittently. <S> You said that it nausea disappeared for a year. <S> And it apparently isn't the caffeine that bothers you. <S> It sounds like there is another factor at play, possibly a stomach sensitivity or reflux as mentioned in another answer. <S> Or it could be certain brands of coffee that don't agree with you. <S> Are you drinking the same brand now as you did during the trouble-free coffee year? <S> Have you tried, at least temporarily, drinking a milk based drink <S> e.g. cappuccino or brewed coffee to see if it might be the concentrated strength of espresso that is at issue? <A> The various acids found in coffee do contribute to the overall taste of your brew. <S> However, acidity in coffee, especially when drinking on an empty stomach can lead you to feel a bit queasy. <S> These acids may irritate your stomach lining, and cause feelings of nausea. <S> For a nice discussion see: https://www.deathwishcoffee.com/blogs/news/can-coffee-make-me-sick <A> I found over the course of a few weeks, I was feeling nauseous in the mornings. <S> It took me a while, but I found if I didn't drink my cup of coffee in the morning, I would be fine! <S> I experimented a bit, and found not all coffee made me feel sick. <S> Currently, I'm drinking Starbucks house blend which doesn't affect me - however other Starbucks beans do. <S> This is absolutely real - as I have experienced nausea after my wife switched out coffee without letting me know. <S> Try a few different types of coffee and see if you can find one you can tolerate without feeling ill. <S> Best of luck!
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Maybe there was some unrelated nausea that you connected to your coffee consumption. If you belch or have an upset stomach, consult a physician who can presumably cure that issue with an appropriate antibiotic.
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How do I know if my aeropress is too loose? I bought my wife an aeropress for Christmas and I used it a few times before understanding exactly what the instructions were saying - (I tried to make a latte with hot milk and water in the hopper) it was very hard to press down at that point - I've never tried doing that again, but I think since then it's been a little too easy to press down the plunger. Should it actually take 10-60 seconds to press down all the water given the pressure from above? It seems like almost all the water (up to #2) is through the filter by the time I get half way down the thing and the last half of pressing gets easier, not harder as you might expect with more pressure. <Q> How easy it is to push the aeropress plunger depends mostly on how coarse or fine your coffee is ground. <S> A medium-fine or filter coffee grind will usually work best in this situation. <S> You can add milk to the cup afterwards if you like. <S> About 20 seconds to push the coffee through the aeropress with light to moderate pressure (just leaning on the plunger) would be a good time. <S> Your description of the water passing easily at first and the plunger being "too loose" sound like your coffee grind is too coarse. <S> Here is an excellent video showing how to use an aeropress brewer by expert baristo, Tim Wendelboe. <A> If you only fill it up to #2, then obviously all the water will be gone through when the plunger is half way down since the other half of the chamber will be filled with air. <S> You should not put milk in it. <S> To make a latte just make a strong AeroPress coffee and put the milk (steamed or heated) in afterwards. <S> That's how a Latte is done. <S> Maybe some of the milk fat is stuck at the silicon part or the inside wall of the Aeropress. <S> Just wash it well with detergent and it should be perfectly fine. <S> If the water is pushed through too fast or too slowly, the usual problem is a wrong grind size. <S> If the particles are too small they clog up the filter paper and if they are too coarse the water passes too easily. <S> The grind can be anywhere from fine sea salt coarseness (I think in the US <S> it's often sold as kosher salt) to French Press coarseness. <S> If you go for a coarser grind add more coffee or increase brewing time. <S> Lately there's a trend to use a coarse grind but a high coffee to water ratio. <A> It sounds to me like your issue may be grind size. <S> An Aeropress is best used with medium-fine ground coffee. <S> The finer the grind, the more pressure you'll have to use to force water through the ground coffee bed. <S> With a coarser grind you'll watch the water flow through too easily. <S> However, you could also try the Inverted Method. <S> I use an Aeropress almost every day, and I use the Inverted Method every time. <S> Here's a link to a good Aeropress user's guide . <S> It details the inverted method. <S> Here's the bullet points: <S> Put the plunger in the Aeropress chamber (only the tip) and turn itupside down <S> so it's inverted on the plunger <S> Add your ground coffee and hot water <S> Steep for your desired time Place the filter in the cap and attach the cap to the top of the inverted Aeropress <S> The major benefit here is you can use whatever grind size you'd like and extract for as long as you want. <S> Regarding the hot milk in the Aeropress chamber , you probably don't want to do that. <S> It was really hard to push down because milk has proteins and fats in it that, and the microfilter isn't designed to deal with those larger molecules. <S> It's best to just make a really strong coffee with low volume and add milk afterwards.
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Quickly flip it over onto your coffee mug Press, top off with any milk or water you want, and enjoy To press down the plunger of the Aeropress and thus all the water through the filter and grinds should take around half a minute if the Aeropress is completely filled with water. As another answer explained, don't put milk into the aeropress, it won't filter properly. It sounds like your grind might be too coarse, a finer grind will make it "less loose". Just experiment and see what works best for you.
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Caffeine and Hearing loss What amount of coffee has an ototoxic effect after an acute noise exposure?I'm referring to this study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/26940042/ I know that they use 25mg/kg which equals 1750mg for an average man, but I want to now if a moderate amount of caffeine impair hearing recovery for example after a gig.Here is a chart with the dose-effect curve: <Q> The site design here won't let me edit or post a comment. <S> The study you found found an adverse effect in animals with an exceptionally high intake of caffeine. <S> 25 mg/kg would equate to > 2,000 mg for an average adult (U.S. average, 82 kg) which is a huge amount of caffeine, about five times the maximum amount that is generally recognized as safe (GRAS). <S> Animal data does not always transfer well to human situations. <S> And we have two statistically controlled major studies that are at some odds with the McGill findings. <S> These findings are interesting but they only suggest areas that merit more research. <S> It is far from certain that the results would be accurate for humans. <S> And even if you were to make that assumption, the only datum that you really have is that people who ingest huge amounts of caffeine, many fold above GRAS may have a slow recovery from acute hearing trauma or tinnitus. <S> It's not even known if the effects are permanent. <A> Perhaps you could clarify what article you intended to reference. <S> Your link actually points to an article on ototoxicity caused by salicylates . <S> That article does not claim that caffeine has ototoxic effects. <S> The graph appears to originates from a different article that does discuss caffeine but again does not claim that caffeine has ototoxic effects. <S> A brief review of the literature on caffeine <S> , it's clinical monograph and pharmacology <S> did not find claims that caffeine even in toxic overdoses is ototoxic. <S> Caffeine is implicated as causing or aggravating numerous otorhinolaryngological conditions, including tinnitus by clinicians. <S> This is not claimed to be a causal relationship, but is ascribed to the vasoconstricting properties of caffeine. <S> However two major reviews of the literature identified more than 417 papers a review of which concluded: <S> In tinnitus, its withdrawal may actually worsen symptoms. <S> You want to know "what amount of coffee has an ototoxic effect after an acute noise exposure". <S> As one might expect quantitative data in humans appears to be unavailable and it would be difficult to persuade a medical ethics review board to approve such a study. <S> There is limited animal data available but it could not be applied to human cases with any meaningful credibility. <S> The characteristics of tinnitus in workers exposed to noise <S> The role of caffeine in otorhinolaryngology: guilty as charged? <S> Caffeine abstinence : an ineffective and potentially distressing tinnitus therapy <A> (Comment)A reasonable assumption would be that a reasonable amount of caffeine (a few cups of coffee) after a music gig is unlikely to exacerbate hearing damage. <S> Unproven <S> but it's a reasonable stance. <S> Long before that becomes a real issue though you might avail yourself to professional quality hearing protection <S> e.g. <S> high-fidelity earplugs or IEMs designed for professional musicians.
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At present, there is little evidence in the literature to support the notion that caffeine causes or aggravates otorhinolaryngological conditions.
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Corrosion in espresso filter holder I have thoroughly cleaned my espresso coffee machine, and found signs of corrosion under the layer of tar inside the filter holder: Judging by the weight of the holder and corrosion type, it's aluminum. What should I do? Leave it? Scrape it off? Get a replacement? Is there a way to prevent this in the future? I suppose getting less sour coffee would help, but unfortunately that's not the kind I like. <Q> Although I have not a real answer as for is hard to tell without specifically knowing the metal/metal treatment/alloy, posting to Chemistry SE might help. <S> Aluminum oxide is self protecting <S> so you should not worry much, your filter cup has still a very long lifetime. <A> This seems like aluminum oxide. <S> Probably formed as a result of improper drying. <S> This is well-known for aluminum moka pots and if you don't want to see them, you really care how you dry your gadgets. <S> Mostly, they are not harmful. <S> So, I would like to point another answer on the same issue, but regarding moka pots. <S> The solution should be the same, if applicable: Moka pot - oxidization, rust or mold? <A> Have you tried cleaning it with Urnex or a similar espresso machine cleaner? <S> That's usually the best option for something like this. <S> It should clean it off. <S> And if there is no effect you are good to go. <S> I would NOT recommend sanding it or doing anything harsher than a soaf in an NSF approved cleaner.
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To me it looks like a plated Aluminum that got oxidized where the protection dropped.
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Replaced gasket on moka pot and it misbehaves - should the gasket be treated with anything? First of all, I've seen Why does my moka pot sputter? , which covers a very similar issue but has no answers and doesn't ask the specific question I have. My 6 cup Bialetti is probably from the 1960s, but the modern gasket still fits and I've replaced it before (over 10 years ago, but I don't use it daily). It was blowing steam from the screw joint so I checked and replaced the cracked gasket. With the new one, I get about a teaspoonful of thick coffee before the sputtering (that normally marks the end of the brew) starts from the tower. If I leave it sputtering I eventually get a little less than I should, but enough to drink. I don't normally tamp it, but smooth over the grounds with the back of a teaspoon before wiping the sealing face of the basket with my hand. I use a very small gas ring, with flames smaller than the base (a little smaller to start, reducing once the flow starts). Assuming there were grounds caught in the seal, once I took the seal out and cleaned it, before assembling wet. It behaved much better, but only that time. I normally only rinse the pot (it's very well seasoned) but I'll give it a good scrub before I next use it. I wonder if the seal doesn't seal very well dry, and whether wiping a thin layer of neutral cooking oil over it would help. Is this a good idea? <Q> It sounds like you know your Moka pot well, and it is true that it is an easy way to get deliciously strong coffee. <S> That being said, it can also be very nuanced in how it works. <S> First, your new gasket should seal perfectly well and as long as there is no sputtering from the screw joint, it is good. <S> Try using a high heat to get the coffee flowing, then adjust the heat to keep an even flow into the top chamber. <S> It's possible that with a bad seal, extra pressure was being release from the screw joint and now it is all being directed through the "tower". <S> Hope this helps! <A> Disclaimer: I haven’t handled an old Moka in ages. <S> I assume that the design is identical to modern pots <S> When you disassembled the upper part, did you just replace the gasket, or did you take out the metal filter? <S> (Here, replacement kits contain two gaskets and one mesh.) <S> You should check whether the filter or the „pipe“ is (partially) clogged. <S> Especially if your machine is pretty old and „well-seasoned“ the buildup can throw the pressure balance and lead to unwanted behavior. <S> After that, it’s probably a question of heating again. <S> And re. <S> your actual question: <A> I haven't got to the bottom of why <S> it's misbehaving, but it seems much better if I rinse the seal/filter/screw thread with plenty of water before screwing the parts together quite hard. <S> This normally, but not invariably, means that I get almost a full pot before the sputtering starts, as in the past. <S> This does seem to suggest that it's not sealing properly, at least when dry, but the water also lubricates the screw thread so the seal is under more pressure for the same torque.
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No, don’t “treat” the gasket in and way! Sputtering means that you are forcing too much steam too quickly through the grounds and into the pot.
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Should I press the coffee tight? This is about dripping coffee maker. I used to just dump grounded coffee on top of the filter, but recently I started pressing the grounded coffee tight. My thought was that, this way, it would be harder for the water to drip through, and potentially stay contact with the grounded coffee for a longer period, hoping the coffee would be stronger this way. Does anyone else do this? Does this make sense? Is there any reference of some sort of experiment proves either? <Q> What you're talking about is commonly referred to as "tamping". <S> This is generally only used in making espresso, and is not recommended for any other brew method that I know of. <S> You are correct in assuming that the tamping will increase brew times and therefore the coffee will be in contact with the water for longer. <S> This of course produces a stronger coffee. <S> However, this is not the "correct" way to increase the strength of coffee. <S> The brew ratio is the ratio of grounds to water, typically denoted in grams. <S> The ratios range greatly depending on type of brewing. <S> If you want stronger coffee, simply add more grounds to your filter basket. <S> This way your water is not in contact with the grounds for too long, but rather extracts from more grounds. <S> The flavour will be noticeably better through this method. <S> Hope this helps! <A> Just adding my two cents: Tamping, unless for espresso, should be avoided. <S> (PS: Moka pot is not espresso, avoid tamping) <S> As it was mentioned, the coffee will have an uneven extraction of the grains. <S> A good article is available in Barista Hustle: https://baristahustle.com/blogs/barista-hustle/the-most-important-thing-about-brewing-coffee <A> Try to suppress the strong coffee beans so that the powder is smoother, the coffee will be more delicious. <S> I do it here on how to make coffee.
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Tamping the coffee will also affect the flavour of the coffee, because one part of water will extract from one part of grounds longer, producing an undesirable taste. The generally accepted way of doing this is changing the brew ratio.
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