Hello fellow coffee people. I have a few questions for you all. I have recently gotten into iced coffee due to weather being hot. Any good advice for making iced coffee? I have tried cold brew but it kind of muddled the flavor. Also any recommendations for a good burr grind from Amazon sub 60 bucks? I know that might narrow it but I got about 60 left in credit from birthday gifts and need a new grinder. The blade chopper is not cutting is anymore and is also now being used more for spice grinding. Thanks.
What do you mean by "muddled" flavor? Cold brew generally produces a very clean flavor, with less acidity. What process/ratios are you using? And how much are you diluting it before drinking? I'm a big fan of using an Aeropress to make cold brew if you don't want to prep 12+ hours in advance. Stir for a minute or two prior to pressing, and viola, fresh cup of cold joe.
I think I mentioned my opinions about burr grinders earlier in the thread, but if you're set on getting one then based on my research it's a bit of an all-or-nothing thing. Anything short of a conical burr grinder won't produce uniform results (which is the whole point), and those start on the low end at $200. If you try for a manual one, it will run you $50 and is a ton of physical effort, as evidenced by Drez getting one and then tapping out like two days later because he's such a weak and pathetic human being (jk bro love you fam).
What you use to grind the beans then? Blade and bowl grinder then like for spices or...? (I am presently on mobile and am having issue finding your post on burr grinders.) The way I am using is a Takeda(?) pitcher which uses a filter filled with the coffee then immersed into the water and I usually shake it a bit. I am probably not as good with the ratio as I could... mainly eyeballing so a ratio could help. Also the grounds are probably too small seeing that is results in a "sludge" at the bottom of the pitcher. I have had cold brew and it is good, but I seem to not execute it well. I wanted to try and make at home to not spend so much buying it already made. Preferred beans (roasts) would also be appreciated.
"If nothing is impossible, than would it not be impossible to find something that you could not do?" - Me
Hello fellow coffee people. I have a few questions for you all. I have recently gotten into iced coffee due to weather being hot. Any good advice for making iced coffee? I have tried cold brew but it kind of muddled the flavor. Also any recommendations for a good burr grind from Amazon sub 60 bucks? I know that might narrow it but I got about 60 left in credit from birthday gifts and need a new grinder. The blade chopper is not cutting is anymore and is also now being used more for spice grinding. Thanks.
What do you mean by "muddled" flavor? Cold brew generally produces a very clean flavor, with less acidity. What process/ratios are you using? And how much are you diluting it before drinking? I'm a big fan of using an Aeropress to make cold brew if you don't want to prep 12+ hours in advance. Stir for a minute or two prior to pressing, and viola, fresh cup of cold joe.
I think I mentioned my opinions about burr grinders earlier in the thread, but if you're set on getting one then based on my research it's a bit of an all-or-nothing thing. Anything short of a conical burr grinder won't produce uniform results (which is the whole point), and those start on the low end at $200. If you try for a manual one, it will run you $50 and is a ton of physical effort, as evidenced by Drez getting one and then tapping out like two days later because he's such a weak and pathetic human being (jk bro love you fam).
No, that's fair and accurate, good sirrah.
Also, it's like 2-3.5 minutes to grind enough for one cup vs. 12-18 seconds for one cup.
I basically grind 10 grams on demand for a single cup brew.
Drez on
Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
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Inquisitor772 x Penny Arcade Fight Club ChampionA fixed point in space and timeRegistered Userregular
Hello fellow coffee people. I have a few questions for you all. I have recently gotten into iced coffee due to weather being hot. Any good advice for making iced coffee? I have tried cold brew but it kind of muddled the flavor. Also any recommendations for a good burr grind from Amazon sub 60 bucks? I know that might narrow it but I got about 60 left in credit from birthday gifts and need a new grinder. The blade chopper is not cutting is anymore and is also now being used more for spice grinding. Thanks.
What do you mean by "muddled" flavor? Cold brew generally produces a very clean flavor, with less acidity. What process/ratios are you using? And how much are you diluting it before drinking? I'm a big fan of using an Aeropress to make cold brew if you don't want to prep 12+ hours in advance. Stir for a minute or two prior to pressing, and viola, fresh cup of cold joe.
I think I mentioned my opinions about burr grinders earlier in the thread, but if you're set on getting one then based on my research it's a bit of an all-or-nothing thing. Anything short of a conical burr grinder won't produce uniform results (which is the whole point), and those start on the low end at $200. If you try for a manual one, it will run you $50 and is a ton of physical effort, as evidenced by Drez getting one and then tapping out like two days later because he's such a weak and pathetic human being (jk bro love you fam).
What you use to grind the beans then? Blade and bowl grinder then like for spices or...? (I am presently on mobile and am having issue finding your post on burr grinders.) The way I am using is a Takeda(?) pitcher which uses a filter filled with the coffee then immersed into the water and I usually shake it a bit. I am probably not as good with the ratio as I could... mainly eyeballing so a ratio could help. Also the grounds are probably too small seeing that is results in a "sludge" at the bottom of the pitcher. I have had cold brew and it is good, but I seem to not execute it well. I wanted to try and make at home to not spend so much buying it already made. Preferred beans (roasts) would also be appreciated.
If you are at all concerned about cost, just get a blade grinder. I'm personally not at all convinced that burr grinders do anything other than make large-scale consistency more feasible. Much like how steakhouses tell you not to flip your steaks or master chefs tell you to boil a giant pot of water for pasta - the idea that you can't make a good, consistent cup of coffee at home unless you get a $200 burr grinder isn't actually true and is driven more by efficiency and conventional wisdom than anything else. There are a number of tests that people have done, including places like America's Test Kitchen and Serious Eats, which have shown that in terms of quality, not even professionals necessarily agree that burr grinding actually produces the "best" cup of coffee. In many cases, the coffee that actually wins those taste tests come from cheap blade mills. At its worst, you can compare this to wine tasting, where it has been scientifically proven that most people can't necessarily tell the difference, including many so-called experts.
If you're trying out coffee for the first time and want to figure out what you like and don't like, a blade grinder won't significantly impact your results. The thing about burr grinders (and not even all of them, just some specific ones) is that they allow for consistent results and can potentially save you time over the long run (because many models let you just set a grain size and an amount, and you hit a button and it does the rest - then you only need to refill/clean once in a while). But you can arguably get something very close if not exactly the same by, say, timing/counting your pulses with a spice grinder.
Also, are you actually filtering the cold brew? Most people run the concentrate through a filter before drinking it. My recommendation is a basic pour-over paper filter setup (especially since you reported not liking sludge), but if you want to use steel mesh or French press or whatever strikes your fancy, you can use those instead.
$60 will get you an Aeropress (along with hundreds of paper filters for it) and leave you with enough money leftover to buy some more face masks for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. I'd highly recommending going that route because it lets you make cold brew in minutes and will also solve your sludge problem.
I personally really enjoy dark roasts for cold brew, as I'm not one for fruitiness or weird flavors - I just want that bold coffee flavor. But you should definitely try a small bag of different stuff each time out and see what you like - that's half the fun!
Hello fellow coffee people. I have a few questions for you all. I have recently gotten into iced coffee due to weather being hot. Any good advice for making iced coffee? I have tried cold brew but it kind of muddled the flavor. Also any recommendations for a good burr grind from Amazon sub 60 bucks? I know that might narrow it but I got about 60 left in credit from birthday gifts and need a new grinder. The blade chopper is not cutting is anymore and is also now being used more for spice grinding. Thanks.
What do you mean by "muddled" flavor? Cold brew generally produces a very clean flavor, with less acidity. What process/ratios are you using? And how much are you diluting it before drinking? I'm a big fan of using an Aeropress to make cold brew if you don't want to prep 12+ hours in advance. Stir for a minute or two prior to pressing, and viola, fresh cup of cold joe.
I think I mentioned my opinions about burr grinders earlier in the thread, but if you're set on getting one then based on my research it's a bit of an all-or-nothing thing. Anything short of a conical burr grinder won't produce uniform results (which is the whole point), and those start on the low end at $200. If you try for a manual one, it will run you $50 and is a ton of physical effort, as evidenced by Drez getting one and then tapping out like two days later because he's such a weak and pathetic human being (jk bro love you fam).
What you use to grind the beans then? Blade and bowl grinder then like for spices or...? (I am presently on mobile and am having issue finding your post on burr grinders.) The way I am using is a Takeda(?) pitcher which uses a filter filled with the coffee then immersed into the water and I usually shake it a bit. I am probably not as good with the ratio as I could... mainly eyeballing so a ratio could help. Also the grounds are probably too small seeing that is results in a "sludge" at the bottom of the pitcher. I have had cold brew and it is good, but I seem to not execute it well. I wanted to try and make at home to not spend so much buying it already made. Preferred beans (roasts) would also be appreciated.
If you are at all concerned about cost, just get a blade grinder. I'm personally not at all convinced that burr grinders do anything other than make large-scale consistency more feasible. Much like how steakhouses tell you not to flip your steaks or master chefs tell you to boil a giant pot of water for pasta - the idea that you can't make a good, consistent cup of coffee at home unless you get a $200 burr grinder isn't actually true and is driven more by efficiency and conventional wisdom than anything else. There are a number of tests that people have done, including places like America's Test Kitchen and Serious Eats, which have shown that in terms of quality, not even professionals necessarily agree that burr grinding actually produces the "best" cup of coffee. In many cases, the coffee that actually wins those taste tests come from cheap blade mills. At its worst, you can compare this to wine tasting, where it has been scientifically proven that most people can't necessarily tell the difference, including many so-called experts.
If you're trying out coffee for the first time and want to figure out what you like and don't like, a blade grinder won't significantly impact your results. The thing about burr grinders (and not even all of them, just some specific ones) is that they allow for consistent results and can potentially save you time over the long run (because many models let you just set a grain size and an amount, and you hit a button and it does the rest - then you only need to refill/clean once in a while). But you can arguably get something very close if not exactly the same by, say, timing/counting your pulses with a spice grinder.
Also, are you actually filtering the cold brew? Most people run the concentrate through a filter before drinking it. My recommendation is a basic pour-over paper filter setup (especially since you reported not liking sludge), but if you want to use steel mesh or French press or whatever strikes your fancy, you can use those instead.
$60 will get you an Aeropress (along with hundreds of paper filters for it) and leave you with enough money leftover to buy some more face masks for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. I'd highly recommending going that route because it lets you make cold brew in minutes and will also solve your sludge problem.
I personally really enjoy dark roasts for cold brew, as I'm not one for fruitiness or weird flavors - I just want that bold coffee flavor. But you should definitely try a small bag of different stuff each time out and see what you like - that's half the fun!
Thanks. I'll take a look at filtering it afterwards. I had not been doing that, that might be some of the problem. Also I had been grinding it very very fine cuz the filter in that pitcher is a fine plastic feeling membrane like thing.
"If nothing is impossible, than would it not be impossible to find something that you could not do?" - Me
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Inquisitor772 x Penny Arcade Fight Club ChampionA fixed point in space and timeRegistered Userregular
No need to grind fine if you are doing the 12+ hour cold brew method.
I had one of the Toddy cold brewers for a while and it worked pretty well, except that it turned out that I just plain don't like cold brew coffee.
I've tried making it via french press, with a Toddy, and a couple of times from real coffee shops, and every time it's not what I'm looking for. (what I'm actually looking for in a cold coffee drink is pretty much a vietnamese iced coffee -- I can sort of make that with espresso rather than the actual brewer, it's close enough for the time being)
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-Loki-Don't pee in my mouth and tell me it's raining.Registered Userregular
I’m looking at getting a coffee machine. Something on the more simple/user friendly end but can take ground beans rather than pods and has a milk frother. Any advice?
Gaggia Classic is a solid workhorse and a good bang for the buck. Interior is dead simple and there are tons of youtube videos out there to do all manner of repairs. I have the older version (my machine was built in ~2014 I think) and it makes some pretty good coffee. The updated steam wand in the new Pro is definitely a huge improvement as I had to mod mine to get decent steam.
Make sure you budget for a good grinder to go with it!
Can someone recommend me some good zero gravity time capsule infinite bag of holding type hermetically sealed canisters for my beans. I need to put my beans in them.
I have to dial them in a bit though, they are much fresher, so I figured a bit finer would be how to go but the flow is too slow, flavor is close though, so tomorrow I'm sure I'll nail it.
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Inquisitor772 x Penny Arcade Fight Club ChampionA fixed point in space and timeRegistered Userregular
Can someone recommend me some good zero gravity time capsule infinite bag of holding type hermetically sealed canisters for my beans. I need to put my beans in them.
Aha. I forgot. Beans this freshly roasted actually need a bit coarser grind because of the extra co2 expanding.
I just pulled a prefect 32g shot in 30 seconds.
I it was delicious too, very sweet dark chocolate with a nice creamy texture. First time I've ever drank a whole espresso double shot without adding anything at all.
Aha. I forgot. Beans this freshly roasted actually need a bit coarser grind because of the extra co2 expanding.
I just pulled a prefect 32g shot in 30 seconds.
I it was delicious too, very sweet dark chocolate with a nice creamy texture. First time I've ever drank a whole espresso double shot without adding anything at all.
I have a Bourbon variety that I'm just about finished with that has notes of caramel and peanuts. My wife opened the bag before me since she loves the smell but not the taste of coffee and said to me, "OMG it smells like peanut brittle!" It's made some really good espresso shots but kind of fell flat making lattes. Which is probably for the best as I don't really need all those extra calories :biggrin:
I have to dial them in a bit though, they are much fresher, so I figured a bit finer would be how to go but the flow is too slow, flavor is close though, so tomorrow I'm sure I'll nail it.
Something about that bag gives me Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark vibes. Looks like the original Stephen Gammell illustrations, maybe how the buffalo? has those eyes that follow you.
MichaelLC on
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Inquisitor772 x Penny Arcade Fight Club ChampionA fixed point in space and timeRegistered Userregular
Hello fellow coffee people. I have a few questions for you all. I have recently gotten into iced coffee due to weather being hot. Any good advice for making iced coffee? I have tried cold brew but it kind of muddled the flavor. Also any recommendations for a good burr grind from Amazon sub 60 bucks? I know that might narrow it but I got about 60 left in credit from birthday gifts and need a new grinder. The blade chopper is not cutting is anymore and is also now being used more for spice grinding. Thanks.
What do you mean by "muddled" flavor? Cold brew generally produces a very clean flavor, with less acidity. What process/ratios are you using? And how much are you diluting it before drinking? I'm a big fan of using an Aeropress to make cold brew if you don't want to prep 12+ hours in advance. Stir for a minute or two prior to pressing, and viola, fresh cup of cold joe.
I think I mentioned my opinions about burr grinders earlier in the thread, but if you're set on getting one then based on my research it's a bit of an all-or-nothing thing. Anything short of a conical burr grinder won't produce uniform results (which is the whole point), and those start on the low end at $200. If you try for a manual one, it will run you $50 and is a ton of physical effort, as evidenced by Drez getting one and then tapping out like two days later because he's such a weak and pathetic human being (jk bro love you fam).
Hello fellow coffee people. I have a few questions for you all. I have recently gotten into iced coffee due to weather being hot. Any good advice for making iced coffee? I have tried cold brew but it kind of muddled the flavor. Also any recommendations for a good burr grind from Amazon sub 60 bucks? I know that might narrow it but I got about 60 left in credit from birthday gifts and need a new grinder. The blade chopper is not cutting is anymore and is also now being used more for spice grinding. Thanks.
What do you mean by "muddled" flavor? Cold brew generally produces a very clean flavor, with less acidity. What process/ratios are you using? And how much are you diluting it before drinking? I'm a big fan of using an Aeropress to make cold brew if you don't want to prep 12+ hours in advance. Stir for a minute or two prior to pressing, and viola, fresh cup of cold joe.
I think I mentioned my opinions about burr grinders earlier in the thread, but if you're set on getting one then based on my research it's a bit of an all-or-nothing thing. Anything short of a conical burr grinder won't produce uniform results (which is the whole point), and those start on the low end at $200. If you try for a manual one, it will run you $50 and is a ton of physical effort, as evidenced by Drez getting one and then tapping out like two days later because he's such a weak and pathetic human being (jk bro love you fam).
Simply having a conical burr mechanism isn't in and of itself useful. The whole point is to get consistency of grind size, and that can vary depending upon make/model. Places like Wirecutter (and plenty of folks on Youtube) have done in-depth reviews of a pretty wide variety, and what you always end up seeing is that cheap machines are inconsistent and/or offer enough drawbacks (e.g., cleaning, durability) that they may not be worth the additional cost.
My baseline was the Baratza Encore, which consistently ranks top or near-top of every review and also comes with an amazing manufacturer's warranty (assuming you purchase it from a reputable, recognized retailer, which you absolutely should) along with a long-term support program which provides not only instructions on how to fix the grinder should it break, but a way to purchase all the parts you need to do so (https://baratza.com/grinder-repair-program/). The Encore starts at $150 and likely ends up running just under $200 with taxes and if you are, again, buying it from a listed retailer.
That being said, I'm sure you probably could find a conical burr grinder for under $100 if you looked hard enough, or even a decent one in the $100-$150 range. But I feel like if you're going to be spending that kind of cash you should just spend the $200 and save yourself the headache of worrying about whether it will break right after the warranty goes out or if over time it will degrade and you'll just have to buy a new one.
Also, to repeat an earlier point - the size of your grind pretty much doesn't matter if you are doing cold brew, assuming you brew it at the 12+ hour mark. I've tested this myself just to see how much easier I can make my life in the filtering process (smaller grind = more annoying filtering). You can basically just crack the beans open and dump them in the jar and it all comes out just fine.
Hello fellow coffee people. I have a few questions for you all. I have recently gotten into iced coffee due to weather being hot. Any good advice for making iced coffee? I have tried cold brew but it kind of muddled the flavor. Also any recommendations for a good burr grind from Amazon sub 60 bucks? I know that might narrow it but I got about 60 left in credit from birthday gifts and need a new grinder. The blade chopper is not cutting is anymore and is also now being used more for spice grinding. Thanks.
What do you mean by "muddled" flavor? Cold brew generally produces a very clean flavor, with less acidity. What process/ratios are you using? And how much are you diluting it before drinking? I'm a big fan of using an Aeropress to make cold brew if you don't want to prep 12+ hours in advance. Stir for a minute or two prior to pressing, and viola, fresh cup of cold joe.
I think I mentioned my opinions about burr grinders earlier in the thread, but if you're set on getting one then based on my research it's a bit of an all-or-nothing thing. Anything short of a conical burr grinder won't produce uniform results (which is the whole point), and those start on the low end at $200. If you try for a manual one, it will run you $50 and is a ton of physical effort, as evidenced by Drez getting one and then tapping out like two days later because he's such a weak and pathetic human being (jk bro love you fam).
Simply having a conical burr mechanism isn't in and of itself useful. The whole point is to get consistency of grind size, and that can vary depending upon make/model. Places like Wirecutter (and plenty of folks on Youtube) have done in-depth reviews of a pretty wide variety, and what you always end up seeing is that cheap machines are inconsistent and/or offer enough drawbacks (e.g., cleaning, durability) that they may not be worth the additional cost.
My baseline was the Baratza Encore, which consistently ranks top or near-top of every review and also comes with an amazing manufacturer's warranty (assuming you purchase it from a reputable, recognized retailer, which you absolutely should) along with a long-term support program which provides not only instructions on how to fix the grinder should it break, but a way to purchase all the parts you need to do so (https://baratza.com/grinder-repair-program/). The Encore starts at $150 and likely ends up running just under $200 with taxes and if you are, again, buying it from a listed retailer.
That being said, I'm sure you probably could find a conical burr grinder for under $100 if you looked hard enough, or even a decent one in the $100-$150 range. But I feel like if you're going to be spending that kind of cash you should just spend the $200 and save yourself the headache of worrying about whether it will break right after the warranty goes out or if over time it will degrade and you'll just have to buy a new one.
Also, to repeat an earlier point - the size of your grind pretty much doesn't matter if you are doing cold brew, assuming you brew it at the 12+ hour mark. I've tested this myself just to see how much easier I can make my life in the filtering process (smaller grind = more annoying filtering). You can basically just crack the beans open and dump them in the jar and it all comes out just fine.
Is o what is a good ratio? I saw something that said 3/4 cup beans to 4 cup water. Though I am thinking that is for the immersion and filter and wont work for the Aeropress. Is the amount of beans the same and only the stirring time varies?
Edit:nvm just watched the video you linked. It was not playing earlier. Ty.
RightfulSin on
"If nothing is impossible, than would it not be impossible to find something that you could not do?" - Me
For my automatic brewer, I've been using 10-10.6 grams of coffee per 10oz of water, but the recommended ratio is 10 grams of coffee per 6 oz of water, apparently. From some quick googling, it looks like an AeroPress is supposed to be even more concentrated, like 15-18 grams per 6-7 oz of water?
Can someone explain this whole Chemex thing to me? I think the protagonist of Persona 5 uses a Chemex system for his SP-restoring brewed coffee items and I may have to fight demons soon and I am tired of not being a video game character or at least a cool looking hipster so I'm thinking of going Chemex.
Drez on
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
For my automatic brewer, I've been using 10-10.6 grams of coffee per 10oz of water, but the recommended ratio is 10 grams of coffee per 6 oz of water, apparently. From some quick googling, it looks like an AeroPress is supposed to be even more concentrated, like 15-18 grams per 6-7 oz of water?
Can someone explain this whole Chemex thing to me? I think the protagonist of Persona 5 uses a Chemex system for his SP-restoring brewed coffee items and I may have to fight demons soon and I am tired of not being a video game character or at least a cool looking hipster so I'm thinking of going Chemex.
Chemex is pretty much just pour-over with a very very good filter. I have a knockoff one and make some excellent coffee with it.
For my automatic brewer, I've been using 10-10.6 grams of coffee per 10oz of water, but the recommended ratio is 10 grams of coffee per 6 oz of water, apparently. From some quick googling, it looks like an AeroPress is supposed to be even more concentrated, like 15-18 grams per 6-7 oz of water?
Can someone explain this whole Chemex thing to me? I think the protagonist of Persona 5 uses a Chemex system for his SP-restoring brewed coffee items and I may have to fight demons soon and I am tired of not being a video game character or at least a cool looking hipster so I'm thinking of going Chemex.
Chemex is pretty much just pour-over with a very very good filter. I have a knockoff one and make some excellent coffee with it.
Yes yes but have you ever looked yourself in the mirror while making a Chemex cup and thought "wow, I look awesome"? That's really what I'm trying to go for here.
Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
For my automatic brewer, I've been using 10-10.6 grams of coffee per 10oz of water, but the recommended ratio is 10 grams of coffee per 6 oz of water, apparently. From some quick googling, it looks like an AeroPress is supposed to be even more concentrated, like 15-18 grams per 6-7 oz of water?
Can someone explain this whole Chemex thing to me? I think the protagonist of Persona 5 uses a Chemex system for his SP-restoring brewed coffee items and I may have to fight demons soon and I am tired of not being a video game character or at least a cool looking hipster so I'm thinking of going Chemex.
Chemex is pretty much just pour-over with a very very good filter. I have a knockoff one and make some excellent coffee with it.
Yes yes but have you ever looked yourself in the mirror while making a Chemex cup and thought "wow, I look awesome"? That's really what I'm trying to go for here.
I mean, yes. It even lists that in the instruction manual.
For my automatic brewer, I've been using 10-10.6 grams of coffee per 10oz of water, but the recommended ratio is 10 grams of coffee per 6 oz of water, apparently. From some quick googling, it looks like an AeroPress is supposed to be even more concentrated, like 15-18 grams per 6-7 oz of water?
Can someone explain this whole Chemex thing to me? I think the protagonist of Persona 5 uses a Chemex system for his SP-restoring brewed coffee items and I may have to fight demons soon and I am tired of not being a video game character or at least a cool looking hipster so I'm thinking of going Chemex.
Chemex is pretty much just pour-over with a very very good filter. I have a knockoff one and make some excellent coffee with it.
Yes yes but have you ever looked yourself in the mirror while making a Chemex cup and thought "wow, I look awesome"? That's really what I'm trying to go for here.
I mean, yes. It even lists that in the instruction manual.
For my automatic brewer, I've been using 10-10.6 grams of coffee per 10oz of water, but the recommended ratio is 10 grams of coffee per 6 oz of water, apparently. From some quick googling, it looks like an AeroPress is supposed to be even more concentrated, like 15-18 grams per 6-7 oz of water?
Can someone explain this whole Chemex thing to me? I think the protagonist of Persona 5 uses a Chemex system for his SP-restoring brewed coffee items and I may have to fight demons soon and I am tired of not being a video game character or at least a cool looking hipster so I'm thinking of going Chemex.
Arrg Drez. why are you mixing units?
Is much easier to stick with grams and milileters. Because one milileter of water is 1 gram. Makes any math nice and tidy.
Anyway in my experience 10g of ground coffee to 295ml (just under ten oz) of water is about half the ratio I'm used to in drip brews. I would be using a ratio around 60g per liter (1000ml or g of water) as a starting point and adjust from there depending on the coffee and such. That's largely personal taste of course. But it's easy to calculate smaller batches and such. Just so you know yours is around 33g per liter, so if you wanted to make a larger batch for two smaller servings? Say two around 200ml cups? Just take and multiply 33 by 0.4 to get your 13.2g of ground coffee.
Also are you using a scale or some graded scoop? Don't trust scoops. Different grinds will weigh way different in the same volume.
I’m using a precise scale that can switch between units on the fly and my brain tends to think of water in terms of ounces above all other units. I’m deeeeeeeeeep into cooking now so I tend to think of liquids in fl. oz. in general. All my cooking measurements are in fluid ounces except for meat which I typically parcel out by pounds.
In fact, I made myself frozen banana margaritas tonight and I converted everything to ounces first from the recipe I borrowed and adapted. Except for the bananas which I just guesstimated what “two medium sized bananas” looked like.
Yeah fair point. But at that point you might as well measure your coffee by the oz too? It just makes the math a little wonkier imho.
It helps me to remember shot glasses though in that case... 60ml is 2floz is about 1/4th cup. Makes converting back to imperial for serving size a little easier.
I'm going to go make a 13.2g of coffee, 10 oz of water (sorry not trying to be funny, just that's how I think about it right now) cup and see how that turns out. I'm thinking...chocolate raspberry which is one of my favorite coffee flavors from Bones.
That'll be closer to a 40g/liter ratio so a little stronger than you are used to.
Sometimes depending on the coffee I'm using I'll go up as high as 75g/liter ratio. Usually if it's a medium or lighter coffee that's lower in acidity or if I'm doing French press instead of a pourover whether my grind is necessarily coarser.
My experience with cold brew (never done it in my aeropress though) is that as long as I'm not over-steeping it the ratio doesn't really matter since I'm cutting it with water when I drink it. Make it strong and then adjust per cup.
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Inquisitor772 x Penny Arcade Fight Club ChampionA fixed point in space and timeRegistered Userregular
Yeah I use the same scale for everything and leave it on grams, and since I use ratios I just multiply the weight of the beans by the weight of the water I want, and it all works out fine...
That'll be closer to a 40g/liter ratio so a little stronger than you are used to.
Sometimes depending on the coffee I'm using I'll go up as high as 75g/liter ratio. Usually if it's a medium or lighter coffee that's lower in acidity or if I'm doing French press instead of a pourover whether my grind is necessarily coarser.
So that's the thing. With the automatic drip brewer, there's a limit to how much coffee I can actually put in. I'm typically using the single-cup part of the brewer (you can make single cup or a full pot) but because I want the aroma and taste to be as fresh possible, I typically grind the beans immediately before I dump it into the single cup "capsule" and brew right away. But that capsule can only hold <14g worth of coffee grounds. The 13.3g I just used barely fit.
Also, and this REALLY confused me at first...the coffee carafe for the regular brewing cycle hold 12 cups worth of water, right? But they recommend putting no more than 15 table spoons of coffee grounds in the filter to prevent overflow. In fact, the coffee scoop that came with it is smaller than one level tablespoon. So for a full pot of 12 CUPS of water, you can only use a maximum of 7.5 traditional (2 tablespoon) scoops? That seems weak. Of course you can make smaller pots and just use more coffee, but still.
Yeah I use the same scale for everything and leave it on grams, and since I use ratios I just multiply the weight of the beans by the weight of the water I want, and it all works out fine...
But you do what works for you.
Gonna be honest. The real reason I used two different units? When I first started getting into it, I googled the ratio, and this was the first hit in Google at the time:
Which got stuck in my head.
From more searching, I'm seeing that what the recommended ratio from coffee:water is 1:17.42.
I typically drink my 10oz cups of coffee with 2-3 sugar cubes and no milk or creamer. For certain flavors like "Sinn-o-Bun" or Hazelnut, I may use one or two tiny creamers, especially in the morning.
I'd rather cut out the sugar entirely, but it does bring out some of the flavors significantly for some of the flavored coffees.
Right now I'm drinking a thrice-sugared 10oz mug of chocolate raspberry coffee, stirred (not shaken).
Posts
What you use to grind the beans then? Blade and bowl grinder then like for spices or...? (I am presently on mobile and am having issue finding your post on burr grinders.) The way I am using is a Takeda(?) pitcher which uses a filter filled with the coffee then immersed into the water and I usually shake it a bit. I am probably not as good with the ratio as I could... mainly eyeballing so a ratio could help. Also the grounds are probably too small seeing that is results in a "sludge" at the bottom of the pitcher. I have had cold brew and it is good, but I seem to not execute it well. I wanted to try and make at home to not spend so much buying it already made. Preferred beans (roasts) would also be appreciated.
No, that's fair and accurate, good sirrah.
Also, it's like 2-3.5 minutes to grind enough for one cup vs. 12-18 seconds for one cup.
I basically grind 10 grams on demand for a single cup brew.
See below:
Also, are you actually filtering the cold brew? Most people run the concentrate through a filter before drinking it. My recommendation is a basic pour-over paper filter setup (especially since you reported not liking sludge), but if you want to use steel mesh or French press or whatever strikes your fancy, you can use those instead.
$60 will get you an Aeropress (along with hundreds of paper filters for it) and leave you with enough money leftover to buy some more face masks for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. I'd highly recommending going that route because it lets you make cold brew in minutes and will also solve your sludge problem.
I personally really enjoy dark roasts for cold brew, as I'm not one for fruitiness or weird flavors - I just want that bold coffee flavor. But you should definitely try a small bag of different stuff each time out and see what you like - that's half the fun!
Thanks. I'll take a look at filtering it afterwards. I had not been doing that, that might be some of the problem. Also I had been grinding it very very fine cuz the filter in that pitcher is a fine plastic feeling membrane like thing.
I've tried making it via french press, with a Toddy, and a couple of times from real coffee shops, and every time it's not what I'm looking for. (what I'm actually looking for in a cold coffee drink is pretty much a vietnamese iced coffee -- I can sort of make that with espresso rather than the actual brewer, it's close enough for the time being)
Currently I’m looking at a Gaggia Classic Pro.
Make sure you budget for a good grinder to go with it!
It's not so hot out today but it still sounds like something I'd like to make on hotter days.
Though an iced latte might also be good... getting frothed milk is pretty easy with just a cup of cold milk and my little electric whisk?
I have to dial them in a bit though, they are much fresher, so I figured a bit finer would be how to go but the flow is too slow, flavor is close though, so tomorrow I'm sure I'll nail it.
The container I use has been discontinued: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NACX4YQ
Maybe you can find something similar?
I just pulled a prefect 32g shot in 30 seconds.
I it was delicious too, very sweet dark chocolate with a nice creamy texture. First time I've ever drank a whole espresso double shot without adding anything at all.
I have a Bourbon variety that I'm just about finished with that has notes of caramel and peanuts. My wife opened the bag before me since she loves the smell but not the taste of coffee and said to me, "OMG it smells like peanut brittle!" It's made some really good espresso shots but kind of fell flat making lattes. Which is probably for the best as I don't really need all those extra calories :biggrin:
Ok Aeropress ordered and says it'll be here by Friday. So how does one use it to make quick cold brew?
Something about that bag gives me Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark vibes. Looks like the original Stephen Gammell illustrations, maybe how the buffalo? has those eyes that follow you.
The basic gist is instead of stirring for 10 seconds, you stir for 1 minute prior to pressing.
https://youtu.be/oUD6HxDnlwI
There are definitely conical burr grinders out there for less than $200. I got a Cuisinart for $65 that I put 12oz of beans through twice a week for cold brew. Unfortunately, looks like the quarantine has upped prices though, and the same model is now $99, but it works pretty well for me. https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CBM-18N-Programmable-Conical-Burr/dp/B001NGO28Q/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3225UYPAWBPMR&dchild=1&keywords=cuisinart+conical+burr+grinder&qid=1596653572&sprefix=Cuisinart+conical,aps,149&sr=8-3&th=1
Simply having a conical burr mechanism isn't in and of itself useful. The whole point is to get consistency of grind size, and that can vary depending upon make/model. Places like Wirecutter (and plenty of folks on Youtube) have done in-depth reviews of a pretty wide variety, and what you always end up seeing is that cheap machines are inconsistent and/or offer enough drawbacks (e.g., cleaning, durability) that they may not be worth the additional cost.
My baseline was the Baratza Encore, which consistently ranks top or near-top of every review and also comes with an amazing manufacturer's warranty (assuming you purchase it from a reputable, recognized retailer, which you absolutely should) along with a long-term support program which provides not only instructions on how to fix the grinder should it break, but a way to purchase all the parts you need to do so (https://baratza.com/grinder-repair-program/). The Encore starts at $150 and likely ends up running just under $200 with taxes and if you are, again, buying it from a listed retailer.
That being said, I'm sure you probably could find a conical burr grinder for under $100 if you looked hard enough, or even a decent one in the $100-$150 range. But I feel like if you're going to be spending that kind of cash you should just spend the $200 and save yourself the headache of worrying about whether it will break right after the warranty goes out or if over time it will degrade and you'll just have to buy a new one.
Also, to repeat an earlier point - the size of your grind pretty much doesn't matter if you are doing cold brew, assuming you brew it at the 12+ hour mark. I've tested this myself just to see how much easier I can make my life in the filtering process (smaller grind = more annoying filtering). You can basically just crack the beans open and dump them in the jar and it all comes out just fine.
Is o what is a good ratio? I saw something that said 3/4 cup beans to 4 cup water. Though I am thinking that is for the immersion and filter and wont work for the Aeropress. Is the amount of beans the same and only the stirring time varies?
Edit:nvm just watched the video you linked. It was not playing earlier. Ty.
Can someone explain this whole Chemex thing to me? I think the protagonist of Persona 5 uses a Chemex system for his SP-restoring brewed coffee items and I may have to fight demons soon and I am tired of not being a video game character or at least a cool looking hipster so I'm thinking of going Chemex.
Chemex is pretty much just pour-over with a very very good filter. I have a knockoff one and make some excellent coffee with it.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
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Yes yes but have you ever looked yourself in the mirror while making a Chemex cup and thought "wow, I look awesome"? That's really what I'm trying to go for here.
I mean, yes. It even lists that in the instruction manual.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
SOLD
Arrg Drez. why are you mixing units?
Is much easier to stick with grams and milileters. Because one milileter of water is 1 gram. Makes any math nice and tidy.
Anyway in my experience 10g of ground coffee to 295ml (just under ten oz) of water is about half the ratio I'm used to in drip brews. I would be using a ratio around 60g per liter (1000ml or g of water) as a starting point and adjust from there depending on the coffee and such. That's largely personal taste of course. But it's easy to calculate smaller batches and such. Just so you know yours is around 33g per liter, so if you wanted to make a larger batch for two smaller servings? Say two around 200ml cups? Just take and multiply 33 by 0.4 to get your 13.2g of ground coffee.
Also are you using a scale or some graded scoop? Don't trust scoops. Different grinds will weigh way different in the same volume.
In fact, I made myself frozen banana margaritas tonight and I converted everything to ounces first from the recipe I borrowed and adapted. Except for the bananas which I just guesstimated what “two medium sized bananas” looked like.
Ahem.
It helps me to remember shot glasses though in that case... 60ml is 2floz is about 1/4th cup. Makes converting back to imperial for serving size a little easier.
Sometimes depending on the coffee I'm using I'll go up as high as 75g/liter ratio. Usually if it's a medium or lighter coffee that's lower in acidity or if I'm doing French press instead of a pourover whether my grind is necessarily coarser.
But you do what works for you.
I wanna say last time I did it I used 24 full oz of folgers to two quarts of water.
I always cut it with equal parts of milk and a dash of torani salted caramel syrup.
So that's the thing. With the automatic drip brewer, there's a limit to how much coffee I can actually put in. I'm typically using the single-cup part of the brewer (you can make single cup or a full pot) but because I want the aroma and taste to be as fresh possible, I typically grind the beans immediately before I dump it into the single cup "capsule" and brew right away. But that capsule can only hold <14g worth of coffee grounds. The 13.3g I just used barely fit.
Also, and this REALLY confused me at first...the coffee carafe for the regular brewing cycle hold 12 cups worth of water, right? But they recommend putting no more than 15 table spoons of coffee grounds in the filter to prevent overflow. In fact, the coffee scoop that came with it is smaller than one level tablespoon. So for a full pot of 12 CUPS of water, you can only use a maximum of 7.5 traditional (2 tablespoon) scoops? That seems weak. Of course you can make smaller pots and just use more coffee, but still.
Gonna be honest. The real reason I used two different units? When I first started getting into it, I googled the ratio, and this was the first hit in Google at the time:
Which got stuck in my head.
From more searching, I'm seeing that what the recommended ratio from coffee:water is 1:17.42.
Ultimately, it's whatever tastes good.
I'd rather cut out the sugar entirely, but it does bring out some of the flavors significantly for some of the flavored coffees.
Right now I'm drinking a thrice-sugared 10oz mug of chocolate raspberry coffee, stirred (not shaken).
When I had a mr coffee I just used a well rounded tablespoon of coffee per number I filled up to on the carafe and it worked good for me back then.
But I'm nerdier about coffee nowadays and like it to be more accurate for replicability.
Hell I looked up tds refractometors the one day... Lmao someday...
Thanks!