Espresso Enthusiasts

[Scepticalscribe]

I appreciate your concern. It is a struggle using an it-only-grinds-the-stuff-it-likes grinder.

Life is filled with pain...

That can be a problem with these highly strung, sensitive, temperamental, and exquisitely calibrated machines. They only do what they like, (and expect lavish praise), the machine equivalent of high maintenance relationships…….

Speak gently to it, and remind it that high outlays may - just occasionally - require - ah, something other than stuttering performance…….

Unfortunately, no, neither of us plays. Our son it taking lessons. I took lessons as a kid but did not stick with it. I seriously regret that.



Unfortunately, no. I spoke with the coffee guy. This is his small business; he has some sort of relationship with the event caterer we used and he goes around to private parties and events making coffee. He had a pretty good setup, but said he buys his beans from a "commercial source" and he admitted they were not fresh. A really nice, hard working guy, but he said that out of ~150 coffees he would make last night, 0 would be espressos and 140 of the 150 would be filled with various sugary syrups and the like. That's what people want, so that's what he makes.

We raised a bunch of money for a local domestic violence shelter and it was a great night all around.

The coffee guy had these little placards that advertised some of his drinks. I was really surprised to see this one:

Image

Great to hear that you raised 'a bunch of money' for a local domestic violence shelter; for such a genuinely worthy cause, anything and everything is permitted (even Starbucks, and even saccharine sugary syrups masquerading as coffee are completely forgiven). Seriously. Anyway, very well done, exiled piano and all.

 

[Shrink]

Uh oh, you outted him!! Better watch out!

The lawsuit is in the mail!

BTW: On the off chance you haven't seen this...

 

[mobilehaathi]

BTW: On the off chance you haven't seen this...

I did; thank you.

 

[Kurwenal]

Tasting Notes

Ethiopia Kemgin
Roaster: Blue Bottle
Source: Ethiopian Heirloom
SO: No
Roast: UNK
Date Roasted: 3/3/14
Date Tasted: 3/8/14
Process: Wet-processed
Purchase Again: Probably

Preparation: AeroPress Able Disc
Water Source: AH PureLife Bottled
Water Temp: 205F
Grind: Mazzer3 9.35
Weight: 17g

Acidity: 7
Body: 9
Sweetness: 8
Finish: 7
pH: not tested

Notes: highly complex aromatics. Wow. I almost enjoyed the aromatics more than the taste. This is not a one trick pony, everything about it is complex. High altitude coffee is fun. I smelled berries, chocolate and tea in the cup. A very clean, balanced cup with a soft finish that lasts a while. It is very thick. The expected peaches are there, but more subtle than I expected. You have to work this coffee in your mouth; the sweetness comes as the coffee cools in the mouth. Tiny bit of spice on the end is nice. The beans are very small and hard (almost identical to the Geredawha I tried in 2013, also grown at this altitude) and perhaps a bit over-roasted for me. Coffee will taste better in 2-3 days I think. This is a coffee to savor, requiring at least a Thursday crossword and maybe even Friday.

 

[Shrink]

Tasting Notes

Ethiopia Kemgin
Roaster: Blue Bottle
Source: Ethiopian Heirloom
SO: No
Roast: UNK
Date Roasted: 3/3/14
Date Tasted: 3/8/14
Process: Wet-processed
Purchase Again: Probably

Preparation: AeroPress Able Disc
Water Source: AH PureLife Bottled
Water Temp: 205F
Grind: Mazzer3 9.35
Weight: 17g

Acidity: 7
Body: 9
Sweetness: 8
Finish: 7
pH: not tested

Notes: highly complex aromatics. Wow. I almost enjoyed the aromatics more than the taste. This is not a one trick pony, everything about it is complex. High altitude coffee is fun. I smelled berries, chocolate and tea in the cup. A very clean, balanced cup with a soft finish that lasts a while. It is very thick. The expected peaches are there, but more subtle than I expected. You have to work this coffee in your mouth; the sweetness comes as the coffee cools in the mouth. Tiny bit of spice on the end is nice. The beans are very small and hard (almost identical to the Geredawha I tried in 2013, also grown at this altitude) and perhaps a bit over-roasted for me. Coffee will taste better in 2-3 days I think. This is a coffee to savor, requiring at least a Thursday crossword and maybe even Friday.

Wonderful review! Sounds like a terrific bean for drip or pour-over.

And about the beans being HARD...

 

[Kurwenal]

Wonderful review! Sounds like a terrific bean for drip or pour-over.

It is really nice. Made up a press pot this morning for a second try and I like it even better. The coffee is much, much better if you let it cool a bit before drinking. This is a coffee to savor, not gulp. Out on the patio this morning, 60 degrees, the NYT crossword, and 20 oz of this. A great morning.

I think the vac pot will nail it. Will find out tonight.

And about the beans being HARD...

Yes, I will take my lesson from you and will not be trying this in my hand grinder at work.

 

[mobilehaathi]

It is really nice. Made up a press pot this morning for a second try and I like it even better. The coffee is much, much better if you let it cool a bit before drinking. This is a coffee to savor, not gulp. Out on the patio this morning, 60 degrees, the NYT crossword, and 20 oz of this. A great morning.

I think the vac pot will nail it. Will find out tonight.



Yes, I will take my lesson from you and will not be trying this in my hand grinder at work.

Yes, I'm loving it this morning. About to go for another cup.

 

[S.B.G]

Tasting Notes

Ethiopia Kemgin
Roaster: Blue Bottle
Source: Ethiopian Heirloom
SO: No
Roast: UNK
Date Roasted: 3/3/14
Date Tasted: 3/8/14
Process: Wet-processed
Purchase Again: Probably

Preparation: AeroPress Able Disc
Water Source: AH PureLife Bottled
Water Temp: 205F
Grind: Mazzer3 9.35
Weight: 17g

Acidity: 7
Body: 9
Sweetness: 8
Finish: 7
pH: not tested

Notes: highly complex aromatics. Wow. I almost enjoyed the aromatics more than the taste. This is not a one trick pony, everything about it is complex. High altitude coffee is fun. I smelled berries, chocolate and tea in the cup. A very clean, balanced cup with a soft finish that lasts a while. It is very thick. The expected peaches are there, but more subtle than I expected. You have to work this coffee in your mouth; the sweetness comes as the coffee cools in the mouth. Tiny bit of spice on the end is nice. The beans are very small and hard (almost identical to the Geredawha I tried in 2013, also grown at this altitude) and perhaps a bit over-roasted for me. Coffee will taste better in 2-3 days I think. This is a coffee to savor, requiring at least a Thursday crossword and maybe even Friday.

I finally had an opportunity to brew a couple of cups this afternoon. While I am not experienced enough to describe the taste and complexity as eloquently as you and our mutual friend SS, I can say that I do, indeed, like it.

The look of it is very light and reminds me of tea, hot or iced. The smell of it from whole beans to ground beans seems to be very different. They smell good both ways, but, just, different. Then after brewing, I actually don't smell it all too much. Maybe my sniffer isn't fully operational right now.

The taste of it is good; I guess I would call it plain, which is good for me. Perhaps my palate isn't as sensitive to the complexity with which you're able to describe. But it's nice and smooth and goes over and down very well.

Overall, I like it and am enjoying my second cup right now.

Thank you very kindly for sending this my way.

 

[Kurwenal]

The look of it is very light and reminds me of tea, hot or iced. The smell of it from whole beans to ground beans seems to be very different. They smell good both ways, but, just, different. Then after brewing, I actually don't smell it all too much. Maybe my sniffer isn't fully operational right now.

The taste of it is good; I guess I would call it plain, which is good for me. Perhaps my palate isn't as sensitive to the complexity with which you're able to describe. But it's nice and smooth and goes over and down very well.

Excellent, glad you are enjoying the coffee. I don't think there is any issue with your palate; maybe you aren't just pretentious (and presumptuous and bumptious) like, well, me and feel like you have to write a tome on everything you taste.

I think we are tasting the same things, what you call plain I called "A very clean, balanced cup with a soft finish that lasts a while." Same thing, really. None of the constituent parts is overpowering the other, so the cup is not acidic, not bitter, not (too) sweet, etc. It just depends on what you like. Some really like a perfectly balanced cup and this coffee (to a striking degree for some Ethiopians) does that nicely, although the sweetness is a bit on the high side for a truly balanced cup. Your tea description is spot on and results from the process.

One way to start to have fun with tasting is just to write down each coffee you try, score it 1-100, purely on how you liked it, and then write down a few words (no more) on why you gave it that score. So, on this coffee, I would write: "70, balanced, sweet, not bitter. Would buy again." Be sure to record the process used for the coffee, and over time this helps, at least in my experience, to better appreciate the coffee. For a complete beginner (none of us here), this is a great way to learn the different taste profiles for the different processes, and, then, later, the regional taste variations.

I'm going to try this again tonight, with either the french press or vac brewer. I think the vac brewer would produce a better cup, but I'm sort of intrigued about what the fp would do with this coffee.

Came back to add: it is balanced but with a superior flavor profile. It is easy to find balanced and bland. This aint that.

 

[Kurwenal]

I think today is the sweet spot for the coffee. It's tasty. I think it will decline after today.

Ground up the remaining beans and made a FP pot to take to work today. Now, on to find the next something to try.

 

[S.B.G]

Good evening friends!

I'm enjoying another cup of the lovely coffee Mr. Kurwenal sent me while listening to 'chill-out jazz' on iTunes Radio.

 

[Shrink]

Good evening friends!

I'm enjoying another cup of the lovely coffee Mr. Kurwenal sent me while listening to 'chill-out jazz' on iTunes Radio.

Enjoy, Mate!

Sounds like a lovely, relaxing evening.






...for those who have grinders that actually can grind rocks!

 

[S.B.G]

...for those who have grinders that actually can grind rocks!

I have a gently used Baratza Encore to sell ya, real cheap too!

 

[Shrink]

I have a gently used Baratza Encore to sell ya, real cheap too!

Yes...yes...that's what I get for going the cheapo route on important equipment.

Grinder...ppffffttt!

 

[mobilehaathi]

Good evening friends!

I'm enjoying another cup of the lovely coffee Mr. Kurwenal sent me while listening to 'chill-out jazz' on iTunes Radio.

Hmmmm, I think I'll go make myself a cup!

 

[decafjava]

Darn you SandboxGeneral! Not only do you get to taste some fine coffee from Mr. Kurwenal you get to listen to some cool music from iTunes radio neither of which we have here in Europe.

 

[S.B.G]

Darn you SandboxGeneral! Not only do you get to taste some fine coffee from Mr. Kurwenal you get to listen to some cool music from iTunes radio neither of which we have here in Europe.

I wish I could help you, I really do!

 

[S.B.G]

So I need some help/advice/instruction.

What exactly is this, how does it work and is there any advantage over the coffee maker I'm using now?

This is what I have: Hamilton Beach 48464 Brewstation Summit 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker.

This is what I saw in a promotional email from Whole Latte Love this morning, La Cafetiere Wave 8-Cup Cafetiere.

It has me intrigued and the price is nice and I wonder if I should get one, but I need to understand it better.

 

[Shrink]

So I need some help/advice/instruction.

What exactly is this, how does it work and is there any advantage over the coffee maker I'm using now?

This is what I have: Hamilton Beach 48464 Brewstation Summit 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker.

Image

This is what I saw in a promotional email from Whole Latte Love this morning, La Cafetiere Wave 8-Cup Cafetiere.


Image

It has me intrigued and the price is nice and I wonder if I should get one, but I need to understand it better.

I don't know anything about the top piece of equipment, but the bottom one is simply a decorated press. It uses very coarsely ground grinds, which are put into the press and over which hot water is poured. It then sits (steeps) for some period of time (I think about 4 minutes, but others can be more accurate and informed about it), and then the plunger is pressed down, trapping the grinds floating in the coffee on the bottom. The coffee is then poured into a cup.

This is just a short (a little dopey) video of the press process....

I used to have this one , a Bodum,(it might be somewhere, but I have no idea where it is)...I like the simpler design, but that's just me. I also had matching cups...

 

[mobilehaathi]

So I need some help/advice/instruction.

What exactly is this, how does it work and is there any advantage over the coffee maker I'm using now?

This is what I have: Hamilton Beach 48464 Brewstation Summit 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker.

Image

This is what I saw in a promotional email from Whole Latte Love this morning, La Cafetiere Wave 8-Cup Cafetiere.

Image

It has me intrigued and the price is nice and I wonder if I should get one, but I need to understand it better.

It'll give you a very different cup! Pressed cups will be a bit denser, heavier, richer...

If you go for an 8-cup, keep in mind that's a lot to make at one time, but it would serve a thirsty pair.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

So I need some help/advice/instruction.

What exactly is this, how does it work and is there any advantage over the coffee maker I'm using now?

This is what I have: Hamilton Beach 48464 Brewstation Summit 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker.

Image

This is what I saw in a promotional email from Whole Latte Love this morning, La Cafetiere Wave 8-Cup Cafetiere.

Image

It has me intrigued and the price is nice and I wonder if I should get one, but I need to understand it better.

As Shrink and mobilehaathi have both said, what your second picture shows is a French press. I have a few of them - a lovely Le Creuset version, in rich and luscious raspberry, which I bought for myself last Christmas, unused as yet; a much loved, rather battered one which was given to me as a gift by dear friends in the UK around seven years ago, and which I use (when I am not using my Bialetti moka pot to make espresso), more or less daily when I am at home, and here, in my place of work, I use a Bialetti French press, which looks a little like the model depicted in your picture, and works perfectly well.

As our friends have already stated, this is one of the easier (less demanding, less time consuming) methods of making coffee. The grind used is somewhat coarser than espresso (though I have been known to use espresso grinds in a French press, heresy, I know).

Simply put, it is a case of boiling a kettle, (and no, despite my current location, I do not trot to the Himalayas and melt pure driven snow in order to make a coffee; I use bottled water, instead), then heating the French press. Next, (after emptying out the water used for heating), spoon several dessert spoons of whatever coffee you desire (ground to the appropriate consistency, but, in my world, beggars can't be choosers, hence espresso grounds in French Press), and then add hot water, and the lid of the French press.

Let it all settle - and infuse - for around four minutes (sufficient time to lay out cups, coasters, spoons, sugar - if required - and some nice Austrian or German biscuits if one has them to accompany the coffee); then simply press the plunger down (slowly, very slowly - here, I should point out that I have managed to splash myself with a violent spurt of coffee grounds, not a good look). That keeps the grounds away from your cup. Then pour. Sip. Savour. And enjoy……

It makes a perfectly drinkable, quaffable cup of (nice, strong, nay, robust) coffee……..

 

[S.B.G]

<->

It'll give you a very different cup! Pressed cups will be a bit denser, heavier, richer...

<->

Thanks!

So there is a good chance that it would make a different, maybe even better, tasting cup than my automatic joby-do?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Thanks!

So there is a good chance that it would make a different, maybe even better, tasting cup than my automatic joby-do?

Oddly enough, I like coffee made with a French press. While it is a relatively straightforward method of preparing coffee, (and unlike some who dwell here, I cannot do 'complicated' early in the morning, or, rather, I cannot do 'complicated' before my first two cups of coffee or espresso), it is still sufficiently 'hands on' for you to actually enjoy the sheer physical pleasure of preparing a cup of coffee yourself.

And yes, it makes a perfectly good cup of coffee. The other advantage is that it is extremely portable. All you need is a French press, and a jar of coffee (for those who do not grind their own personally). This means that it is perfect for an office coffee, as offices usually have a kettle lurking around somewhere.

That is one of the reasons I always have a French press around. And I can make a gift of it to my personal staff when I leave…..

 

[Shrink]

Thanks!

So there is a good chance that it would make a different, maybe even better, tasting cup than my automatic joby-do?

Different...yes.

Better tasting...well, that depends on whether you like the difference!

As mobilehaathi said...denser, richer...my experience is stronger taste than the drip machine.

There are many different press pots that you can get...but the main difference is cosmetic. As I said in my post, Iinked the design of the pot I liked. But a search will bring up lots of different looking pots...but they are essentially all the same in function.

There are lots of instructional videos...more detailed than I posted...but it's a matter of getting the grind and timing right. The grind is quite coarse...and the timing is something with which you can experiment...as well as with the dose.....until you get it the strength you like.

 

[S.B.G]

I'll give the French Press a whirl, the expense in negligible, so, why not? Plus, I'm up for trying something different, while in search of the best tasting cup!

I'm going to order this one from Whole Latte Love: BonJour Monet Coffee Press (12oz model).

The Monet features a chrome plated stainless steel high dome lid, easy grip color coordinated handles, and easy grip knobs. Inspired by the domes throughout Paris, this press adds old-world style to any kitchen. As with all Bon Jour press coffee makers, the Monet features a German borosilicate glass carafe, providing unmatched heat resistance. Includes a stainless steel rod, filter, and filter screen. Available in 3-cup (12 oz), 8-cup (32 oz), and 12-cup (48 oz) sizes.