Brewing Coffee

[Raz]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I have a coffee maker problem. I love coffee cooked over the open fire and have a large 14 cup pot that can sit directly over the fire grate for those after dinner drinks. I also have a smaller version that will work on the propane stove, inside or outside if a fire is not being stoked. If electric is available I have the 10 cup drip version or the 6 cup percolate version. All of the pots require a paper filter to keep the grounds out of the mix.

Sounds like it's time for a bigger trailer. You know, to carry it all.

[TWelch]

Since I am the OP, I thought I'd pop in to say how much I am enjoying the conversation about coffee. . . and learning so much! The original question was posed to find out if anyone used a device while traveling (knowing there are many electronic devices out there that I just don't keep up with). But the ensuing discussion about brewing has been delightful.

The next question has to be: Which brand of coffee do you enjoy the most?
I doubt I ever will roast my own beans (but appreciate those of you who do!), and I love the dark roast most. . . I also appreciate the comment about Starbucks, but I am trying to wean myself off Starbucks. . .

Thanks to everyone who has joined in the conversation!

Tonie

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Raz

One cup and go. Why carry the press?

There are one cup sized French Presses. The one I use makes about 16 oz of coffee.

Originally Posted by Carl V

We also have a moka pot for camping.
But I have a hard time making a coffee that's not overly bitter.
I tried many different techniques, watch dozen of YT videos, but the coffee is alway on the bitter side no matter what.
I know it's over extraction and /or water too hot.

Do you manage to make smooth, non bitter cups?

I know the taste you refer to, and I see it as being more acidic than bitter. I always drink mine from a Moka pot Americana style, or as a cappuccino.

Originally Posted by Randy P.

Now, what water temperature provides the best extraction is a whole new matter. 175 ? 185? Does it really matter?

I pour boiling water into the plunger to measure before pouring it into the grounds. This cools it down a fair bit, but not to the recommended temps. Still tastes great to me.

Originally Posted by ZachO

But the cone is much more temperamental and takes more skill, and I have not been able to get as good coffee from it as the Aeropress, and like I mentioned, there was really not much trick to the Aeropress. It just made good coffee. I like the paper filters. That much less sludge in the cup, not that there's much with the SS filter.

One of the best tricks I found with pour over is to slowly pour a bit onto the ground, just enough to presoak them, then let them sit until fully bloomed, and only then s l o w l y pour the remaining water over the grounds. You get a much fuller extraction this way, without worry of over doing it.

Originally Posted by TWelch

Since I am the OP, I thought I'd pop in to say how much I am enjoying the conversation about coffee. . . and learning so much! The original question was posed to find out if anyone used a device while traveling (knowing there are many electronic devices out there that I just don't keep up with). But the ensuing discussion about brewing has been delightful.

The next question has to be: Which brand of coffee do you enjoy the most?
I doubt I ever will roast my own beans (but appreciate those of you who do!), and I love the dark roast most. . . I also appreciate the comment about Starbucks, but I am trying to wean myself off Starbucks. . .

Thanks to everyone who has joined in the conversation!

Tonie

Yeah, these type threads always get sidetracked, but are still kinda on topic.

There are lots of great coffees to be bought all across the continent. When not roasting my own, I much prefer to go to local roasters where I am certain to get the freshest beans. I very much look forward to doing long trips upon retirement, and to finding some good beans wherever I roam. I had thought of taking roasting equipment, but nixed that idea quickly as it takes up room and time better committed to other things.

[TWelch]

There are lots of great coffees to be bought all across the continent. When not roasting my own, I much prefer to go to local roasters where I am certain to get the freshest beans. I very much look forward to doing long trips upon retirement, and to finding some good beans wherever I roam. I had thought of taking roasting equipment, but nixed that idea quickly as it takes up room and time better committed to other things.[/QUOTE]

~~
Jim, how do you find local roasters? Just google for the area?
Thanks. I've enjoyed all the good info!

Tonie

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by TWelch

~~
Jim, how do you find local roasters? Just google for the area?
Thanks. I've enjoyed all the good info!

Tonie

Googling for them is how I usually find them Tonie, unless I get one recommended to me.

[ZachO]

It may vary by region, but around here it's easy to find the local roaster. Just find the local coffee shop with the burn toast smell drifting out of it!

Also, a good local market should carry the locally roasted coffee.

I agree, getting coffee "out" in general, and Starbucks maybe in particular, is not a good way to get coffee, unless you're rich. Gas station coffee excluded (which in my opinion it should be anyway ). It's cheap. And you can taste that it's cheap. I understand some people who grew up on charred cardboard tasting coffee who find all this coffee snobbery silly, just like some who grew up on Miller High Life thinking the whole micro brew thing is silly. I'm often tempted to join in and sit back and shake my head at all this stuff. But I like quality stuff. Quality doesn't always have to mean expensive and/or labor intensive, but it often does.

There's something alluring about not caring what kind of coffee, beer, food, whatever, and just grabbing what's convenient and cheap and not being a hassle to anyone. But I just can't bring myself to actually function that way.

[Barb and Alan]

Originally Posted by Triker

I agree, brew before you get on the road. I have several different sized thermal cups from 14oz. to 30 oz. that I use in the car, trailer and home.

Brewing: for those using the Aeropress , do you use the press the intended way, brew inverted with a bit of steeping time, or ??

I position the press over Barb's cup and fill the press. As the grounds settle on the filter and all but dam the flow, enough goes into her cup that by adding a little more hot water it is her preferred strength. I move the press to my cup, top the press and plunge.

While I often prefer it black, a real treat is to use a sweet creamer in my Nespresso frother (Nespresso Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UHZAYS..._AQnKyb4EJSGXK). OK, I've just talked myself into one now.

None of this of course can be done in a moving TV but is nonetheless a wonderful start to or break during a road trip. YMMV.

[Jon in AZ]

Zach, I think an internet forum always brings out those at the ends of the spectrum- the "snobs" and the "anti-snobs," if you will pardon the generalizations. The largely silent majority in the middle, who want something better than instant or stale gas station coffee, but for whom a cupboard full of specialized equipment seems, well... over the top... we're listening and learning. I'm not about to buy a $195 grinder, but I did learn how to improve my pour-over technique.

Thanks for an entertaining thread!

[ZachO]

Yes and as much as it may not seem like it, I'm mostly not preaching or anything. I really do understand both sides. I've sat around a fire at a spike camp, out wildland firefighting, making cowboy coffee, complete with the egg thrown in. And it was good. I can see why people laugh at all the fuss.

But then I know that folgers is industrially grown, industrially processed, and tastes...industrial. I don't like that stuff in me.

Yeah, pour-over...

"One of the best tricks I found with pour over is to slowly pour a bit onto the ground, just enough to presoak them, then let them sit until fully bloomed, and only then s l o w l y pour the remaining water over the grounds. You get a much fuller extraction this way, without worry of over doing it."

I definitely do the bloom. I've just found that if there's an "off" flavor to be found in any certain coffee, I'm fairly likely to find it with pour over. I've had some great cups of pour over, but it's regular trouble-shooting to get there. Aeropress is easy. Each new coffee I get, for the pour over, I need to experiment with grind coarseness (which also effects extraction time), water temp, amount of coffee. It never seems consistent, one type bean to the next. And it's not, I guess.

But the Aeropress seems to just always work.

Anyway, I can get good coffee with the pour over, just not great coffee, and I don't make coffee on a regular enough basis to really get the thing dialed in, so I'll probably buy another Aeropress.

But yes, any other pour over tips are welcome!

For the last year, I have personally used this and this. Pretty simple, pretty cheap, very little fuss.

[PamelaK]

I have enjoyed this as well, and learned a good deal to boot !

[ruscal]

After many years of "needing" the boost of "any" cup of coffee I one day awoke thinking "why am I drinking this?". It didn't taste good enough to want it. It was a habit and a need for stimulation, and maybe the ritual of coffee time. I told myself I'm quitting if I can't have a cup that is tasty and aromatic every time I drink it. I had occasionally tasted great cups, but had no idea how to make it. After a brief hiatus I set out to learn about coffee. I read hundreds of hours about theory, and then started experimenting. It doesn't take long to get some enjoyable results (which gets you hooked), and the journey has begun. There are so many variables to play with, you can have a lifelong journey trying for the perfect cup. As your knowledge grows the disappointments diminish, and you can make killer coffee consistently. Just follow the basics, like clean water at the right temperature, freshly roasted coffee, grind must be uniform in size and sized to control dwell time. Nothing too snobby required. The brewing methods are many, and fun to experiment with. Beans sourced from different parts of the world with varying soils and climates add variety and fun to the whole process. I think I'll go and brew a cup right now. There are some New Guinea beans waiting for me in the kitchen.
Russ

[ruscal]

Yeah, pour-over...


I definitely do the bloom. I've just found that if there's an "off" flavor to be found in any certain coffee, I'm fairly likely to find it with pour over. I've had some great cups of pour over, but it's regular trouble-shooting to get there.

Anyway, I can get good coffee with the pour over, just not great coffee, and I don't make coffee on a regular enough basis to really get the thing dialed in, so I'll probably buy another Aeropress.

But yes, any other pour over tips are welcome!

For the last year, I have personally used this and this. Pretty simple, pretty cheap, very little fuss.[/QUOTE]

Zach,
The V60 dripper has a reputation for being sensitive to technique, so that could be why you get the hard to hit sweet spot, and have to re calibrate for each roast. We have been using the Kalita stainless steel dripper with their filters with great results. The holes in the bottom of the dripper are sized to control the flow. Their suggested method was to use a fairly aggressive pour which I tried in the beginning, but soon developed my own which is more metered. I start with 205 degree water, wet the coffee until I hear it start to drip, pause until the bloom is fully expanded and starts to settle, then use a very slow pour over the top of the coffee. I grind for a 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 minute pour. It consistently produces an enjoyable cup. The larger Kalita will do 16 oz. cup. I have not used the V60, but my daughter has one. She works in the coffee trade.
Russ

[steve dunham]

We have an inexpensive electric drip coffee maker for when we have electricity and a 9 cup percolator for when we don't.
We buy whatever coffee is on sale.
To me , coffee is coffee is coffee . If it's hot , black and smells / tastes anything similar to coffee that's all I need or want.
We brew a pot of coffee first thing in the morning , place the coffee in a SS thermos , go outside and drink the coffee.
Everyone has different expectations and obviously mine are set pretty low. Being frugal really helps.

** My fishing / hunter partner is extremely frugal . He washes out disposable paper coffee filters and reuses them . **

[Letitia]

We use this, and Cafe Bustelo to make Cafe con Leche when we camp.

[ZachO]

Hmm...maybe I'll borrow a cone with the little holes in the bottom from someone and see if it's any easier. Or just buy an Aeropress

Thanks.

I try not to be too picky, but for my own personal tastes, I've found that when it comes to most diner and gas station coffee, no coffee at all is better than that coffee. The stuff from McDonalds and Dunkin Doughnuts does taste good to me, but in the same way their food does. I can just tell that a lot of what I'm tasting came from a laboratory where they tested different chemicals to find what tasted like what people are looking for in the real thing. Junk food, junk coffee. I don't like junk.

There are different waves of coffee that have come through the US. I don't remember exactly how they're categorized so please forgive the errors:

The first wave was just our introduction to coffee. It was a new thing. It was, more often than not, instant crystals. And it was, arguably, crap. When we finally became more sophisticated in our coffee tastes, the second wave hit. This can basically be described in one word: Starbucks. For 95% of the US population, the first experience of different origins, different roasts, and truly good tasting coffee. Third wave is now, which has a much more sophisticated public wanting to know about origin, sustainability, how farmers are treated, roasting our own etc. Think of the way people treat wine.

Something like that. Something similar is now happening with tea. People are realizing that little white tea bags don't grow on tea bushes. That often tea bags contain the most industrially grown and processed tea out there. There is whole-leaf tea to be had, fresh new sprouts and buds from the spring's first growth for green teas, and well grown, well treated and "processed" oolong and black tea. Aged puer tea. Starbucks bought Teavana some time back and may usher in the true second wave of tea in the US. Some of us will start (or have started already) drinking our tea in a new way...the way Chinese people have for hundreds and hundreds of years. Whole leaf infusions with no bag or "tea ball". It's great. Others with British Empire roots or Asian roots will know a lot about this already, but many in the US are just learning.

Anyways....

[ruscal]

Originally Posted by ChrisDunbar

Everyone. Get an Aeropress. Don't ever look back. I use one daily except when I'm brewing a larger pot and then I use the Melita pour over. The metal re-usable filter for the Aeropress takes it up one more notch.

I use a Hario on the road but really dislike it. It's the bulbous shaped model. I may get something a little more user-friendly this summer.

Chris,
The Hario grinder does have a few downsides. The burr is slow cutting, but does a pretty good job when the grinder is new. In time the bushings wear. Also the shaft is not very well supported which allows the burr to deviate from center letting beans to get lodged stopping the crank. Grrrr. My grinder has been grinding finer and finer as time goes on which will require a reset of the adjuster. Dwell times have been getting longer. The adjuster is awkward and fiddly. The bulbous shape is a drawback for small hands too. The grind quality has not been an issue, and has produced a lot of tasty brew.
I too would like to upgrade the grinder. Always in search of better tools....
Russ

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ZachO

It may vary by region, but around here it's easy to find the local roaster. Just find the local coffee shop with the burn toast smell drifting out of it!

Also, a good local market should carry the locally roasted coffee.

I have found good beans in at a market too, just try to find out their age. After about 2 weeks post roasting, they do start to lose quality, but very slowly.

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Zach, I think an internet forum always brings out those at the ends of the spectrum- the "snobs" and the "anti-snobs," if you will pardon the generalizations. The largely silent majority in the middle, who want something better than instant or stale gas station coffee, but for whom a cupboard full of specialized equipment seems, well... over the top... we're listening and learning. I'm not about to buy a $195 grinder, but I did learn how to improve my pour-over technique.

Thanks for an entertaining thread!

C'mon Jon, you know you want that grinder, you are just trying to convince yourself you don't need it.

There are other manual grinders for 1/4 the price that do a good grind, like the Porlex and Hario, but they are a way bigger pain to use and won't last anywhere near as long.

Originally Posted by ruscal

After many years of "needing" the boost of "any" cup of coffee I one day awoke thinking "why am I drinking this?". It didn't taste good enough to want it. It was a habit and a need for stimulation, and maybe the ritual of coffee time. I told myself I'm quitting if I can't have a cup that is tasty and aromatic every time I drink it. I had occasionally tasted great cups, but had no idea how to make it. After a brief hiatus I set out to learn about coffee. I read hundreds of hours about theory, and then started experimenting. It doesn't take long to get some enjoyable results (which gets you hooked), and the journey has begun. There are so many variables to play with, you can have a lifelong journey trying for the perfect cup. As your knowledge grows the disappointments diminish, and you can make killer coffee consistently. Just follow the basics, like clean water at the right temperature, freshly roasted coffee, grind must be uniform in size and sized to control dwell time. Nothing too snobby required. The brewing methods are many, and fun to experiment with. Beans sourced from different parts of the world with varying soils and climates add variety and fun to the whole process. I think I'll go and brew a cup right now. There are some New Guinea beans waiting for me in the kitchen.
Russ

This sums it up quite well for me too. I love the fun factor, to experiment with all the factors that goes into a cup of coffee, and thoroughly enjoy the fruits of my labours.

Originally Posted by steve dunham

We have an inexpensive electric drip coffee maker for when we have electricity and a 9 cup percolator for when we don't.
We buy whatever coffee is on sale.
To me , coffee is coffee is coffee . If it's hot , black and smells / tastes anything similar to coffee that's all I need or want.
We brew a pot of coffee first thing in the morning , place the coffee in a SS thermos , go outside and drink the coffee.
Everyone has different expectations and obviously mine are set pretty low. Being frugal really helps.

** My fishing / hunter partner is extremely frugal . He washes out disposable paper coffee filters and reuses them . **

You gotta do what ever makes you happy. You claim your frugality is the driving force behind you coffee choices, yet claim you hunt and fish in the same post. As an avid fisherman, and a once avid hunter, I know full well you do it for more than saving money, as the supermarket offers way cheaper offerings. You do this as it is fun, and the meat is tasty. Kinda like enjoying that good cuppa Joe, eh?

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I have found good beans in at a market too, just try to find out their age. After about 2 weeks post roasting, they do start to lose quality, but very slowly.

C'mon Jon, you know you want that grinder, you are just trying to convince yourself you don't need it.

There are other manual grinders for 1/4 the price that do a good grind, like the Porlex and Hario, but they are a way bigger pain to use and won't last anywhere near as long.

This sums it up quite well for me too. I love the fun factor, to experiment with all the factors that goes into a cup of coffee, and thoroughly enjoy the fruits of my labours.

You gotta do what ever makes you happy. You claim your frugality is the driving force behind you coffee choices, yet claim you hunt and fish in the same post. As an avid fisherman, and a once avid hunter, I know full well you do it for more than saving money, as the supermarket offers way cheaper offerings. You do this as it is fun, and the meat is tasty. Kinda like enjoying that good cuppa Joe, eh?

Jim , I have never sat down and figured out what a pound of Canadian Walleye cost me . I am afraid if I knew the truth , I would cry . I am kind of old school in that if I want to do an activity or buy something I feel is a luxury or expensive , or a non necessity, I cut expenses somewhere else to compensate.
I would love to own a new Escape 5.0 TA , but then I would have to guit eating , drop my medical insurance , sell my truck and get a paper route.
Going back out to shovel snow , the local kids charge too much
money .

Best Wishes

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by ZachO

Hmm...maybe I'll borrow a cone with the little holes in the bottom from someone and see if it's any easier. Or just buy an Aeropress

Thanks.

I try not to be too picky, but for my own personal tastes, I've found that when it comes to most diner and gas station coffee, no coffee at all is better than that coffee. The stuff from McDonalds and Dunkin Doughnuts does taste good to me, but in the same way their food does. I can just tell that a lot of what I'm tasting came from a laboratory where they tested different chemicals to find what tasted like what people are looking for in the real thing. Junk food, junk coffee. I don't like junk.

There are different waves of coffee that have come through the US. I don't remember exactly how they're categorized so please forgive the errors:

The first wave was just our introduction to coffee. It was a new thing. It was, more often than not, instant crystals. And it was, arguably, crap. When we finally became more sophisticated in our coffee tastes, the second wave hit. This can basically be described in one word: Starbucks. For 95% of the US population, the first experience of different origins, different roasts, and truly good tasting coffee. Third wave is now, which has a much more sophisticated public wanting to know about origin, sustainability, how farmers are treated, roasting our own etc. Think of the way people treat wine.

Something like that. Something similar is now happening with tea. People are realizing that little white tea bags don't grow on tea bushes. That often tea bags contain the most industrially grown and processed tea out there. There is whole-leaf tea to be had, fresh new sprouts and buds from the spring's first growth for green teas, and well grown, well treated and "processed" oolong and black tea. Aged puer tea. Starbucks bought Teavana some time back and may usher in the true second wave of tea in the US. Some of us will start (or have started already) drinking our tea in a new way...the way Chinese people have for hundreds and hundreds of years. Whole leaf infusions with no bag or "tea ball". It's great. Others with British Empire roots or Asian roots will know a lot about this already, but many in the US are just learning.

Anyways....

Yup, I drink probably 10 cups of tea for every cup of coffee. But not tea bags! I read somewhere that those tea bags are filled with the sweepings off the floor after they are done handling the good stuff ...and after tasting loose leaf tea for the first time I think there may be some truth to it. I get quite a bit of my loose leaf tea from Darlene's Tea Port (online) and prefer to drink it straight. The tarajulie tea from NE India is quite good IMO.

Coffee flavor too often was unappealing to me, but when I bought the Aeropress as a present for my wife and then tried a cup from it, suddenly I wanted to make coffee now and then. I've found that I prefer a relatively weak cup, with extra milk or (better yet) cream, and a dab of honey. Maybe that tendency has something to do with the very first cup of coffee I ever had, served up special (about 1/2 milk and plenty of sugar, in a tin cup) by my dear old Aunt Mary when I was about 6.

[ajdemo76]

We boil water on the stove and use a french press made by Thermos. It's nice for camping, stays hot for white awhile.