Coffee Drinkers? (or other hot beverages)

[n_maher]

While there are sources too numerous to cite for beans the fact is that some experimentation is required, at least for me anyway.  One, some beans and their flavor profile simply do not work for espresso for me.  Two, some suppliers are so inconsistent in what is available that there’s no way to have consistently good coffee (I have definitely found beans that I don’t like for either espresso or coffee).

So for me it was about finding a reliable source with enough choices and supply that I know what I’m getting. Like every other vice in life (it seems) coffee has gotten radically more expensive in the last 10+ years and for me, my sweet spot is in the $15-$20/lb range with medium or darker roasts that are not depicted as “sweet” or “fruity”, generally speaking. 

[grawk]

*note for the future, send Nate the earthier coffees*

 

Experimentation with beans is how I ended up roasting...

[EdipisReks1]

Absolutely well said, Nate! I couldn’t have said it better, other than just to say that my preference is for lighter roasts.

Once I get the Happy (it’s an easily adjustable calibrated palm tamper for far too much money) I’ll compare the Normcore, which is half the price. 

[EdipisReks1]

Happy tamper arrived (wish engagement ring would be so quick, but it routed through the awful Chicago facility so I’ll probably be married before it does).

The Happy is very well made. It’s very clever. Its well designed. It has great packaging. It’s easy to use. It’s comfortable. It’s… sort of happy.

Is it worth the money? Of course not; it’s espresso dork equipment: it should be $50, not $125. Is it worth it over the Normcore, which is half the price? No, of course not. But the Happy is easy to adjust and the Normcore is a bit of a pain. And I honestly prefer a palm tamper, though the Normcore is an excellent tamper.

Was the Happy a waste of money? Yes; it’s home espresso. My container garden is a waste of money. Having a cat is a waste of money. It’s a hobby. Would I recommend it? Yes. It’s very clever. But not if you care about wasting money, which is a completely reasonable thing to care about. But I don’t think not wasting money on espresso gear is the target audience. 
 

Plus it’s happy!

Edited March 28, 2022 by EdipisReks1

[HemiSam]

A good day to take off and enjoy my boy's company...

Happy caffeinating...

HS

 

 

[EdipisReks1]

Good looking cup of coffee, Sam!

My new cat supervisor takes his job very seriously.

[HemiSam]

I can't wait for the weekend to get some proper coffee in me...  The compostable K-cups and recyclable Nespresso pods leave much to be desired...

HS

[Grahame]

Have you considered this Blend?

Google lens translation

"GEMINI
RUSSIAN WARSHIP
GO FUCK YOURSELF
CREMA HOUSE, 250 (g)
Natural roasted ground coffee, in airtight packaging.
Sort of GOST 6806-07 Net weight 250r (g) 23% Minimum shelf life: 18 months from the date of storage Conditions to store in a dry cool place Method of cooking method
manufactured is indicated on the number
Manufacturer and addresses of production facilities TOB Compfood in Ukraine 07406. Chiysk region. Brovary, P02 str
+380 (44) 250 55 88
TM Gemini Hanexans TOB-Kounais ya las
28.03.2022
408201561430096"

via:

"The flavour has been described as "bold and defiant, while still smooth and satisfying"

"Striking"

[EdipisReks1]

New coffee supervisor has settled into the job. 

[grawk]

Old Bisbee has the mysore nuggets back in stock

[swt61]

Mysore nuggets came from an old Frisbee, not Old Bisbee.

[luvdunhill]

Bought this right before I left the country for a month and excited to try it this morning!

 

thinking about moving past my aeropress and v60 setups to something else.. looking for suggestions! I will continue to use the v60 with my Baratza V+ grinder but it just doesn’t really work well for the aeropress. I probably will move that combo out to the lake and pickup a niche grinder… I am not sure what past that but would love a recommendation or three

On 3/23/2022 at 11:36 AM, n_maher said:

While there are sources too numerous to cite for beans the fact is that some experimentation is required, at least for me anyway.  One, some beans and their flavor profile simply do not work for espresso for me

with medium or darker roasts that are not depicted as “sweet” or “fruity”, generally speaking. 

I am curious, do you prefer the sweet or fruity descriptions in pour over coffee?

[Aspirant Audiophile]

Very happy to come across this thread--last month I picked up something from a builder in my town who imports espresso machines from Italy then soups up the internals and sells them to rube...I mean, to afficionados like me.

No, he does not also build amps.

Limitless variation and plenty of ruined shots equals big fun. My favourite part of the learning process is how different the results are with a bottomless versus a standard filter. In fact, I prefer bottomless by a country mile--more crema and far more coffee extraction per gram. I'm surprised they aren't more commonly used. 

[n_maher]

4 hours ago, luvdunhill said:

<snip>

I am curious, do you prefer the sweet or fruity descriptions in pour over coffee?

Generally speaking, no.  Can't say why, since I put sugar in my coffee but even out of the French press (as close to pour over as I get) I prefer earthier beans.  It's not to say that I can't enjoy the occasional fruity/sweet described coffee but they tend to be much more hit-or-miss and not often worth risking a pound of beans on.  

[HemiSam]

@n_maher if you like earthy you must love Sumatran beans.  Boy, I can't get there but earthy is exactly what I'd call them.  

@luvdunhillI used a French press for eons...dog years.  Absolutely loved it.  Switched to a Chemex for my pour overs and I am smitten with the thing.  I use the espresso machine in the afternoon, but to let a bean truly shine (I love the fruity / berry forward African stuff like Ethiopians best), I've become a huge fan of the Chemex the last several years.

Happy caffeinating...

HS

[luvdunhill]

Thanks! I generally seem to prefer the smaller output of the V60 versus the Chemex. It seems to me to always produce a better cup, but not sure why that is. If I preferred the Chemex and wanted more output I probably would try something like the Ratio, but worried the 6 or 8 won’t do as well with single cup brew volumes.

[Augsburger]

I love my Flair 58. The learning curve is steep and the results are superior to my Chemex in every way...and I love my Chemex. 

[HemiSam]

I might need to try to solve a problem I don't have...LOL.

OK...asking for some thoughts.  I make a big cup in the Chemex...30gr of coffee and 450 gr of water.  So what options of a pour over style maker are out there that best the Chemex in the opinions of the good folks here?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.  I enjoy exploring different caffeinating options...

Sam

[Aura]

slowpoursupply.co/collections/origami-dripper

[HemiSam]

One review pushing the Hario...

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/gear-for-making-great-coffee/

HS

[Covered_Ears]

The Hario V60 is definitely a mainstay; if you go to basically any 3rd wave coffee bar. chances are their pour-overs are with that. Here are the brewers I own:

• V60: it has a good chance of being fairly close to what the roaster would serve in one of their cafes. Said to bring out acidity and sweetness, but the V60 is so widespread that I consider it the "default" for comparison
• Tornado: more consistent. A bit less pointed of a profile than the V60
• CAFEC Deep: emphasizes brightness without acidity, but can make things a bit more bitter if you're not careful.

In general, I think if you already have a Chemex, the V60 seems different enough to give a try. Also, it's not at all a challenge to alter the taste slightly by changing filter papers, technique, etc.

[luvdunhill]

I think that matches my experience too - I am not sure the other direction is as obvious (have a V60 and pick up a Chemex)

[robm321]

I use the Kalita Wave 185. I'd say the Hario V60 is more popular, so probably the safest bet for single cup. 

For multiple cups, the Chemex would be my choice. 

 

Edited July 22, 2022 by robm321

[Aura]

Origami does numerous filters including hario and kalita. 

[EdipisReks1]

Just bought a lightly used and recently serviced Izzo Vivi HX E61 PID on eBay. Finally got an E61! 

I love my Flair 58. As Greg said, the learning curve is steep, but once you got it… Niche is my preferred grinder for it (I use the SSP burr’ed ode for filter).

The Niche is wonderful for things down to about “regular” AeroPress grind (which I do coarser than moka). It’s perfectly fine for coarser. The NZ will perform better for pour over (this is “coarser”) than you or your papers or your coffee. It’s brilliant for espresso, of course  

My pour over of choice is the Brewista Tornado with CAFEC light, for one cup. I like Chemex for larger brews.

 

 

Edited July 23, 2022 by EdipisReks1