The Coffee Thread

[SubApathy]

I drink coffee as a pass time and could go straight to sleep after drinking it.


Also...Starbucks is crap.

 

[norminal]

I drink coffee as a pass time and could go straight to sleep after drinking it.


Also...Starbucks is crap.

Same. Truth!

 

[norminal]

Oh, and buy a GOOD grinder. It’ll change your life!

 

[Jarick]

Depends. Lately I’ve been doing mostly 10-11g grounds per 180g water. It’s about 61g/L and with a light roast, I get about an 8-10 oz cup. I like it a little on the concentrated side and will add water as needed.

For what I’m currently drinking, I’m doing inverted, 1 minute bloom, flip, 2 minute steep, and then about a 60 second slow press. Yields a lot of body and very clean cup.

Edit: my stress/anxiety dictates how big of a cup I’ll be drinking.

I've had to cut out coffee with anxiety/tinnitus spikes. Oddly I can go from having 3-4 cups per day to nothing with no issues. But I've been there before.

I just brewed up a cup with 11g ground medium-fine and 200g water. Inverted, no bloom, 2 minute steep, about 30 second press. It's okay, kind of watery though. I'll try your recipe next time around.

It was the first time I've brewed without the Prismo attachment though in a long time. I kind of forgot how to do the inversion and was stressed about coffee going everywhere! I've definitely done that a couple times, either forgetting to put the paper filter in or not securing the cap. Not fun to have 180 degree water thrown across the kitchen...

 

[Jarick]

Oh, and buy a GOOD grinder. It’ll change your life!

What's your current grinder?

For single cups I have an 1ZPRESSOR JX hand grinder, which is pretty good. For drip, I use a Capresso Infinity which is okay, not as consistent of course.

 

[norminal]

I just brewed up a cup with 11g ground medium-fine and 200g water. Inverted, no bloom, 2 minute steep, about 30 second press. It's okay, kind of watery though. I'll try your recipe next time around.

What kind of beans? Light roast? With what I’m currently drinking, I’m at about a “16” from zero for grind. With medium roasts, I’d be about 20-24. Dark roasts I grind around 24-28.

Comandante C40. Don’t judge.

 

[Jarick]

What kind of beans? Light roast? With what I’m currently drinking, I’m at about a “16” from zero for grind. With medium roasts, I’d be about 20-24. Dark roasts I grind around 24-28.

Comandante C40. Don’t judge.

Figured it out. The "artisanal" beans I bought last week had a roasted on date of 9/22/22. No wonder the coffee tasted so bad.

Straight in the trash, and I'm done trying to buy any kind of coffee at the grocery store.

Dude, no judgement on the Comandante, that's a nice grinder! My 1ZPRESSO JX is, I don't want to say a knockoff as it's built different, but really similar. I'm tempted to get a C40 at some point just because you can translate the grind setting.

Although it looks kind of similar? I'll have to dig around the specs for the openings and what not...

 

[la szum]

I've had to cut out coffee with anxiety/tinnitus spikes. Oddly I can go from having 3-4 cups per day to nothing with no issues. But I've been there before.

I just brewed up a cup with 11g ground medium-fine and 200g water. Inverted, no bloom, 2 minute steep, about 30 second press. It's okay, kind of watery though. I'll try your recipe next time around.

It was the first time I've brewed without the Prismo attachment though in a long time. I kind of forgot how to do the inversion and was stressed about coffee going everywhere! I've definitely done that a couple times, either forgetting to put the paper filter in or not securing the cap. Not fun to have 180 degree water thrown across the kitchen...

That's kind of a light ratio, isn't it?

I am around a 13-15:1 water to coffee ratio. Strictly Pour Over with a Chemex setup.

 

[la szum]

Figured it out. The "artisanal" beans I bought last week had a roasted on date of 9/22/22. No wonder the coffee tasted so bad.

Straight in the trash, and I'm done trying to buy any kind of coffee at the grocery store.

Dude, no judgement on the Comandante, that's a nice grinder! My 1ZPRESSO JX is, I don't want to say a knockoff as it's built different, but really similar. I'm tempted to get a C40 at some point just because you can translate the grind setting.

Although it looks kind of similar? I'll have to dig around the specs for the openings and what not...

Excuse me while I geek out on this for a moment.

 

[norminal]

The "artisanal" beans I bought last week had a roasted on date of 9/22/22. No wonder the coffee tasted so bad.

Yeah, that’s old. Let me know what your budget is and I’ll recommend some roasters. Are you in the US?

Dude, no judgement on the Comandante, that's a nice grinder! My 1ZPRESSO JX is, I don't want to say a knockoff as it's built different, but really similar. I'm tempted to get a C40 at some point just because you can translate the grind setting.

That’s a mistake many make. You have to account for the exact beans. When I order a specific roast from a specific roaster, I have to dial in that particular bag of beans every time.

Although it looks kind of similar? I'll have to dig around the specs for the openings and what not...

I think someone made a conversion chart, like “15 on a C40 is ** is the same microns as on a JX.” I’ll see if I can find it.

That's kind of a light ratio, isn't it?

I am around a 13-15:1 water to coffee ratio. Strictly Pour Over with a Chemex setup.

Immersion brewing ratios don’t exactly translate well with pour overs, drip, etc.

 

[Jarick]

That's kind of a light ratio, isn't it?

I am around a 13-15:1 water to coffee ratio. Strictly Pour Over with a Chemex setup.

Yes, but I was trying it out as James Hoffman's Aeropress recipe.

Okay, I ran to a local coffee shop and picked up some locally roasted beans that were actually roasted in the last couple weeks.

Same exact recipe, much better cup of coffee. No nasty aftertaste. It's still a pretty subtle, clean cup because of the ratio and I didn't grind any finer. I'd probably go a few clicks finer next time around and see how that works.

 

[Jarick]

Yeah, that’s old. Let me know what your budget is and I’ll recommend some roasters. Are you in the US?

That’s a mistake many make. You have to account for the exact beans. When I order a specific roast from a specific roaster, I have to dial in that particular bag of beans every time.

I think someone made a conversion chart, like “15 on a C40 is ** is the same microns as on a JX.” I’ll see if I can find it.

Immersion brewing ratios don’t exactly translate well with pour overs, drip, etc.

Yes, I'm in the US. I tend to prefer light to medium roasts but don't have the most sophisticated palate.

There's a bunch of local roasters nearby, and I saw a coffee shop that opened up right down the street sells bags from one roaster called True Stone coffee. I picked up a couple bags, one light roast and one medium, and will play around with those for now. My wife got me some of their stuff for Christmas and it's pretty good.

I actually like a little bit of cream or half and half in my coffee most of the time (ducks and hides and runs out of the room)...

 

[norminal]

I actually like a little bit of cream or half and half in my coffee most of the time (ducks and hides and runs out of the room)...

I’m not THAT snooty. I occasionally like a little heavy cream in mine. Just enough to stick to my tongue. Fat brings out the flavor in food. Coffee is no different.

 

[laxu]

Oh, and buy a GOOD grinder. It’ll change your life!

I recently had to exchange my Melitta Calibra grinder because some little metal plate fell out of it...into my grinds. Couldn't get it back in so since it's under warranty I just took it to my local electronics store a few tram stops away. No big deal.

The new machine is actually less noisy so I'm happy. It's not a high end grinder but it has worked well enough. I used to hand grind everything and that was a bit of a chore every morning.

I've also got an Aeropress. I tend to drink a cup in the morning so if my gf needs to leave for school before I wake up, I'll just use the Aeropress because it's nice for making just that one cup.

I used to drink my coffee with a bit of milk but have for years used oat milk instead.

 

[Jarick]

I’m not THAT snooty. I occasionally like a little heavy cream in mine. Just enough to stick to my tongue. Fat brings out the flavor in food. Coffee is no different.

That's the way I see it too! Only a little heavy cream or half and half, just a small splash. It cuts the bitterness a touch and adds a little body and sweetness.

Never anything sweetened or flavored. That's gross.

 

[norminal]

A good watch:

 

[jellodog]

I've had to cut out coffee with anxiety/tinnitus spikes

Oh wow! This sounds all too familiar. Wouldn't wish this combo on anyone, but it's comforting to know I'm not the only one.

It cuts the bitterness a touch

Honestly trying not to be an annoying know-it-all asshat, and you probably already know this; but in case it helps:

If you can get your grind coarseness just right for extraction, the balance between acid sour and bitterness can be such that there really is no significant bitterness to temper with sugar or cream. I have managed to attain this balance and always drink black in the morning with no bitterness.

Not that I'm against using cream sometimes! (Especially in the afternoon).

 

[Blix]

There's always the procedure of getting grind size and brewing time right every time you buy new beans. I kinda enjoy the process of dialing it in.

 

[norminal]

There's always the procedure of getting grind size and brewing time right every time you buy new beans. I kinda enjoy the process of dialing it in.

This. I like to challenge myself to see how long, or how many cups it takes before I can dial in a new bag. Lately, with light roasts, it’s only been taking me one to two cups.

For medium to dark roasts, I have to account for temperature as well, as I usually go off the boil for the majority of light roasts. That can take a few more tries.

 

[Jarick]

A good watch:

This was fun to watch!

I'd be curious how different a cup of pour over coffee would be from one of those shops compared to what I make.

Oh wow! This sounds all too familiar. Wouldn't wish this combo on anyone, but it's comforting to know I'm not the only one.




Honestly trying not to be an annoying know-it-all asshat, and you probably already know this; but in case it helps:

If you can get your grind coarseness just right for extraction, the balance between acid sour and bitterness can be such that there really is no significant bitterness to temper with sugar or cream. I have managed to attain this balance and always drink black in the morning with no bitterness.

Not that I'm against using cream sometimes! (Especially in the afternoon).

Yeah I have a feeling I'm grinding a little too fine and not using enough coffee for the amount of water. But I do really like the flavor of a splash of cream/milk.

Just now I brewed up a cup with a light roast and V60, 20g coffee to 300g water, ground a little coarser than normal (75 clicks or 2.5 rotations). It's a very pleasant cup of black coffee, with more sweetness than normal.