Espresso Enthusiasts

[Scepticalscribe]

My rough rule of thumb when spooning out coffee into a French press is one heaped dessert spoon per person, and one for the pot; mind you, when feeling distracted, or unusually recklessly generous, I have been known to offer the pot a few extra spoons, leading to a coffee which is too strong, even for my robust taste buds.

But, as Shrink says, experiment with preferences. However, I always err on the side of strength; one can add water to a brew that is too strong. But insipid coffee can never be righted…...

 

[S.B.G]

My rough rule of thumb when spooning out coffee into a French press is one heaped dessert spoon per person, and one for the pot; mind you, when feeling distracted, or unusually recklessly generous, I have been known to offer the pot a few extra spoons, leading to a coffee which is too strong, even for my robust taste buds.

But, as Shrink says, experiment with preferences. However, I always err on the side of strength; one can add water to a brew that is too strong. But insipid coffee can never be righted…...

Sounds like about how I do it with the automatic maker. One for me and one or two for the pot!

 

[Kurwenal]

Sounds like about how I do it with the automatic maker. One for me and one or two for the pot!

If I could have only one (non-espresso) coffee maker, it would be a press pot. Whatever is second is not even close. Make a criteria list and the press pot comes out on top, unless you don't like a robust drink. Based on some of your past posts, I suspect you may prefer a "balanced" cup, which can be code for "not robust." If so, you may prefer something with a paper filter; I would highly recommend the Chemex.

Here's why a press pot tops my list:

* Flavor. With a metal mesh, more of the essential oils and flavors make it into your cup vs. anything with a paper filter.

* It is forgiving. As we all know, with espresso, blinking at the wrong time will ruin the cup. Not so with a press pot. As Scepticalscribe pointed out, you can run many different grinds through it, although a rough "breadcrumb" grind is best, in terms of taste, not building up an over-pressure that could cause the coffee to spurt out of the press, and not having (too many) grinds in your cup (I prefer a few vs. none).

* It is flexible. My standard recipe is 40g coffee brewed with 20 oz water, which is a little on the rich side but it's what I prefer. The combinations, though are endless, and not just the recipe; different brewing times, how long you let it bloom, etc. all impact the taste (my standard: 5 oz water, let it bloom for 30 seconds, stir, then add the rest of the water and let it brew for 3 minutes, then start pushing the handle down at 3:30, hopefully finish exactly at 3:50 and then pour at 4:00).

* It is cheap. You can get decent press pots for $20. At home, I use the same pot as Scepticalscribe (although, as I recall from prior posts, a different color). It's big and heavy and indestructible; love it. At work, I use something a bit more practical, and I adjust the recipe to make a 20oz portion.

* Easy clean up. A tad more complicated than cleaning up the AeroPress, but, basically, rinse and let it drip dry.

* Built-in Filter. No paper filters necessary (although, as we now know, no paper filter could result in increased cholesterol.....).

* Use almost any coffee. Other brewers are more finicky, like the Chemex. Certain coffees do better in a press pot, of course, but, really, you can grind up almost anything and the press pot will make you a nice cup. Ethiopians do very well in a press.

* Aroma. Not something to be overlooked, as it significantly improves the taste. Take a big hearty deep breath of the press just before you pour.

* Ease of use. Pre-heat your gear. Grind up coffee. Heat water to 205. Add coffee/water. Push. Done.

Overall, I think the vac pot beats the press pot on taste, but on no other criteria (certainly not on the hassle of making a cup). The AeroPress comes very close to the press pot, but not if you use paper filters instead of a disc, and the AP makes a small cup.

There are a few coffees I prefer in the Chemex, but only a few.

Remember that the coffee keeps brewing as long as it is in the press, so pour quickly after 4:00 minutes, either into your cup or a storage device.

I have had press coffee made with a cheesecloth instead of a metal mesh, often mixed with a little frothed cream. It does not suck.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

If I could have only one (non-espresso) coffee maker, it would be a press pot. Whatever is second is not even close. Make a criteria list and the press pot comes out on top, unless you don't like a robust drink. Based on some of your past posts, I suspect you may prefer a "balanced" cup, which can be code for "not robust." If so, you may prefer something with a paper filter; I would highly recommend the Chemex.

Here's why a press pot tops my list:

* Flavor. With a metal mesh, more of the essential oils and flavors make it into your cup vs. anything with a paper filter.

* It is forgiving. As we all know, with espresso, blinking at the wrong time will ruin the cup. Not so with a press pot. As Scepticalscribe pointed out, you can run many different grinds through it, although a rough "breadcrumb" grind is best, in terms of taste, not building up an over-pressure that could cause the coffee to spurt out of the press, and not having (too many) grinds in your cup (I prefer a few vs. none).

* It is flexible. My standard recipe is 40g coffee brewed with 20 oz water, which is a little on the rich side but it's what I prefer. The combinations, though are endless, and not just the recipe; different brewing times, how long you let it bloom, etc. all impact the taste (my standard: 5 oz water, let it bloom for 30 seconds, stir, then add the rest of the water and let it brew for 3 minutes, then start pushing the handle down at 3:30, hopefully finish exactly at 3:50 and then pour at 4:00).

* It is cheap. You can get decent press pots for $20. At home, I use the same pot as Scepticalscribe (although, as I recall from prior posts, a different color). It's big and heavy and indestructible; love it. At work, I use something a bit more practical, and I adjust the recipe to make a 20oz portion.

* Easy clean up. A tad more complicated than cleaning up the AeroPress, but, basically, rinse and let it drip dry.

* Built-in Filter. No paper filters necessary (although, as we now know, no paper filter could result in increased cholesterol.....).

* Use almost any coffee. Other brewers are more finicky, like the Chemex. Certain coffees do better in a press pot, of course, but, really, you can grind up almost anything and the press pot will make you a nice cup. Ethiopians do very well in a press.

* Aroma. Not something to be overlooked, as it significantly improves the taste. Take a big hearty deep breath of the press just before you pour.

* Ease of use. Pre-heat your gear. Grind up coffee. Heat water to 205. Add coffee/water. Push. Done.

Overall, I think the vac pot beats the press pot on taste, but on no other criteria (certainly not on the hassle of making a cup). The AeroPress comes very close to the press pot, but not if you use paper filters instead of a disc, and the AP makes a small cup.

There are a few coffees I prefer in the Chemex, but only a few.

Remember that the coffee keeps brewing as long as it is in the press, so pour quickly after 4:00 minutes, either into your cup or a storage device.

I have had press coffee made with a cheesecloth instead of a metal mesh, often mixed with a little frothed cream. It does not suck.

Lovely post, and sums up perfectly and in delectable detail why I am still an aficionado of the French press.

Again, it is portable, sturdy, easily cleaned (as Kurwenal points out), extremely forgiving, and keeps the coffee hot. (I recall looking at the old style coffee makers, some time ago, and realising that the coffee they produced was invariably lukewarm; I like my coffee hot - not scalding - just nice and hot.) It also looks great on a breakfast table…….

 

[S.B.G]

If I could have only one (non-espresso) coffee maker, it would be a press pot. Whatever is second is not even close. Make a criteria list and the press pot comes out on top, unless you don't like a robust drink. Based on some of your past posts, I suspect you may prefer a "balanced" cup, which can be code for "not robust." If so, you may prefer something with a paper filter; I would highly recommend the Chemex.

Excellent writeup, thank you!

What do you use to heat your water and gauge it's temperature? I have a stainless steel tea kettle (that whistles too!) that I can use to heat water. But if I am to get it to 205°, that's just below boiling by several degrees, I'll have to watch it closely.

You are correct in that I prefer a balanced cup, however, I am no stranger to a more robust cup. If I had to choose between weak and strong, with no option for balanced, I'd choose strong. At least that's how I like my iced tea and sometimes my coffee. I do brew the drip from the automatic machine on the bold setting.

 

[Kurwenal]

What do you use to heat your water and gauge it's temperature?

I use this, which is quite possibly the best coffee gadget I have ever purchased. It heats to the temperature selected on the digital readout, and then holds the water at that temperature. And it is incredibly fast.

You are correct in that I prefer a balanced cup, however, I am no stranger to a more robust cup. If I had to choose between weak and strong, with no option for balanced, I'd choose strong.

I like both too, so there is a place on my counter for both the Chemex and press pot, for example.

Congrats in advance on your purchase. I hope you love the press pot, and I expect you will.

 

[S.B.G]

I use this, which is quite possibly the best coffee gadget I have ever purchased. It heats to the temperature selected on the digital readout, and then holds the water at that temperature. And it is incredibly fast.


I like both too, so there is a place on my counter for both the Chemex and press pot, for example.

Congrats in advance on your purchase. I hope you love the press pot, and I expect you will.

Oh, that's just fantastic. You made me go and buy yet another great coffee product! (The electric kettle that is)

This does look like a valuable tool where I could make good use of it.

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Shrink]

Oh, that's just fantastic. You made me go and buy yet another great coffee product! (The electric kettle that is)

This does look like a valuable tool where I could make good use of it.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Oh, gee...looks like I'm not the only equipment freak!

And to think, about a year ago this good lad didn't drink coffee.

Down the rabbit hole...DEEP!

 

[S.B.G]

Down the rabbit hole...DEEP!

I think the whole lot of you are far ahead of me in this hole with excavators making the hole deeper and deeper so as to seem bottomless to me!

 

[Shrink]

I think the whole lot of you are far ahead of me in this hole with excavators making the hole deeper and deeper so as to seem bottomless to me!

It IS bottomless!

 

[mobilehaathi]

Just a friendly reminder that SM's is roasting beans today...

 

[S.B.G]

Just a friendly reminder that SM's is roasting beans today...

Excellent! Thanks for the reminder.

My new toys should arrive today too.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Excellent! Thanks for the reminder.

My new toys should arrive today too.

I love 'new toy day!'

 

[Shrink]

Excellent! Thanks for the reminder.

My new toys should arrive today too.

Have fun with your new goodies. I wouldn't be surprised that once you get the grind, dose, and timing worked out, you might even like it even better than your drip machine.

Enjoy, Mate!

 

[mobilehaathi]

Excellent! Thanks for the reminder.

My new toys should arrive today too.

Liquid Amber currently available. I got myself a pound, so I suppose i'll be making heavy use of the moka pot very soon.

 

[Shrink]

Liquid Amber currently available. I got myself a pound, so I suppose i'll be making heavy use of the moka pot very soon.

It is a killer blend! I'm in the middle of a batch now...

Enjoy!

 

[mobilehaathi]

It is a killer blend! I'm in the middle of a batch now...

Enjoy!

I have high expectations, but I haven't been disappointed by SM's yet.

I also grabbed a pound of the Rwanda Tumba Cocatu for pour over and press.

 

[S.B.G]

Liquid Amber currently available. I got myself a pound, so I suppose i'll be making heavy use of the moka pot very soon.

Awesome thanks!

 

[S.B.G]

The new French Press and electric kettle (FP & EK henceforth) both arrived yesterday afternoon. I had enough time to make two cups before heading out for evening church services and here is what happened.

All cups were using the beans Kurwenal sent me.

First cup:
I was too excited to use the FP that I wasn't thinking too clearly. With the automatic machine I use three scoops of beans and that makes 2-4 cups that taste well. I used three scoops, without measuring the weight, in the FP and that made a very strong cup, too strong for my taste and I had to dump it.

Second cup:
This time I reduced the amount of beans to 2 scoops and followed Kurwenals guidelines (except for dosage) for brewing.

My standard recipe is 40g coffee brewed with 20 oz water, which is a little on the rich side but it's what I prefer. The combinations, though are endless, and not just the recipe; different brewing times, how long you let it bloom, etc. all impact the taste (my standard: 5 oz water, let it bloom for 30 seconds, stir, then add the rest of the water and let it brew for 3 minutes, then start pushing the handle down at 3:30, hopefully finish exactly at 3:50 and then pour at 4:00).

This cup wasn't as strong as the first, but it was still too strong for me, but I was able to finish it as I don't like wasting food (coffee).

That concluded yesterday's cupping.

***
After that, and later on, I realized that I had forgotten that the FP I ordered was the smallest one of the available options. I have the 12oz (3-cup) FP, which, I assume is much smaller than most everyone else's.

This would account for the super-strong cups in that there were a lot of beans and a very small amount of water. This FP makes the perfect amount for one cup, the Bodum latte cups I like to use which are 15oz's.
***

Third cup:
This morning, I used 1 scoop of beans and measured it to be 9oz (I think, can't remember now) and followed Kurwenal's steps above for blooming, brewing, waiting and pressing. This cup tasted great; not too strong and not too weak. It was stronger than the automatic drip makes, but it was well within acceptable taste limits for me.

***
The EK is a fantastic device and it heats the water quite quickly and the goose neck spout is wonderful. This is a quality product and I'm glad to have it now.

The BonJour Monet French Press is an exquisite and beautiful little thing. Crafted superbly with good tolerances and graceful looks. I'm very happy with it.

I have more brewing experimentation to do with the FP, but I think with this mornings cup, I have a good baseline with which to work with.

 

[mobilehaathi]

The new French Press and electric kettle (FP & EK henceforth) both arrived yesterday afternoon. I had enough time to make two cups before heading out for evening church services and here is what happened.

All cups were using the beans Kurwenal sent me.

First cup:
I was too excited to use the FP that I wasn't thinking too clearly. With the automatic machine I use three scoops of beans and that makes 2-4 cups that taste well. I used three scoops, without measuring the weight, in the FP and that made a very strong cup, too strong for my taste and I had to dump it.

Second cup:
This time I reduced the amount of beans to 2 scoops and followed Kurwenals guidelines (except for dosage) for brewing.



This cup wasn't as strong as the first, but it was still too strong for me, but I was able to finish it as I don't like wasting food (coffee).

That concluded yesterday's cupping.

***
After that, and later on, I realized that I had forgotten that the FP I ordered was the smallest one of the available options. I have the 12oz (3-cup) FP, which, I assume is much smaller than most everyone else's.

This would account for the super-strong cups in that there were a lot of beans and a very small amount of water. This FP makes the perfect amount for one cup, the Bodum latte cups I like to use which are 15oz's.
***

Third cup:
This morning, I used 1 scoop of beans and measured it to be 9oz (I think, can't remember now) and followed Kurwenal's steps above for blooming, brewing, waiting and pressing. This cup tasted great; not too strong and not too weak. It was stronger than the automatic drip makes, but it was well within acceptable taste limits for me.

***
The EK is a fantastic device and it heats the water quite quickly and the goose neck spout is wonderful. This is a quality product and I'm glad to have it now.

The BonJour Monet French Press is an exquisite and beautiful little thing. Crafted superbly with good tolerances and graceful looks. I'm very happy with it.

I have more brewing experimentation to do with the FP, but I think with this mornings cup, I have a good baseline with which to work with.

Excellent! Glad you're enjoying the FP! I have to admit that I've had my eye on that kettle for a while. I have a goose neck stove kettle, but having control over the temperature like that is really nice.

 

[S.B.G]

Excellent! Glad you're enjoying the FP! I have to admit that I've had my eye on that kettle for a while. I have a goose neck stove kettle, but having control over the temperature like that is really nice.

Yes, I really like the temperature control feature. That alone is worth the price for it, but that it has the goose neck spout and looks wonderful on the counter are also a bonus!

 

[Shrink]

Goodness gracious...what a bunch of equipment freaks!

So sad watching people being drawn in by all these fussy bits of equipment.

So glad I have simple needs that are easily met by just a few little items.

 

[Kurwenal]

Third cup:
This morning, I used 1 scoop of beans and measured it to be 9oz (I think, can't remember now) and followed Kurwenal's steps above for blooming, brewing, waiting and pressing. This cup tasted great; not too strong and not too weak. It was stronger than the automatic drip makes, but it was well within acceptable taste limits for me.

The SCAA specifies a ratio of 3.75 ounces of coffee per 1/2 gallon of water. That corresponds to a ratio of 56 grams of coffee per liter. A two-tablespoon coffee scoop will hold about 0.35 ounces, or 10 grams, of ground coffee, which should be combined with 6 ounces (46.9 mL) of water to make one "cup". The coffee grounds will absorb about 0.7 ounces of water yielding a 5.3 ounce one "cup" serving.

You might start with that ratio and work up from there. That's what I did, years ago, and I settled on 75 grams per liter as the sweet spot for my taste.

A few other thoughts. Pour the water into the FP while the FP is sitting on a scale. Even after all of these years, eyeballing it could put +/- 10% into the press. Plus, the age of the coffee dramatically impacts the size of the bloom, so I find it easier to just weigh the press as I pour the water into it. Also, pay serious attention to the water quality. I use a particular bottled water that is available in my area that has about 150ppm total dissolved solids (I won't encourage you to buy a TDS meter). Do not use RO water, especially for a press pot.

One other tip, before you plunge (or even put the plunger into the pot), "break" the crust, as follows:

6. Very close to when the brew time has expired, using a spoon, gently push all the ground coffee so it falls to the bottom of the French press and stir 3 times making sure the grounds are stirred carefully. Then remove the the pale floating foam from the surface – this results in a cleaner tasting cup.

This is a technique pioneered (at least as far as I know) by a really serious coffee guy named Tim Wendelboe. His press pot instructions are worth reading.

Also, the coffee I sent it not really suited for a press pot, I think. I will send you something better to try.

Most of all, enjoy! Your posts have re-awakened my love for the press pot and, over the past few days, I have been drinking only espresso + press pot. Loving it.

The EK is a fantastic device and it heats the water quite quickly and the goose neck spout is wonderful. This is a quality product and I'm glad to have it now.

Agree 100%. As I said somewhere, I think it is the best coffee gadget I own, maybe other than my espresso filter basket. Quick, easy to use, and flexible. It can be used with any non-espresso method, really. I even use it to pre-heat the water before it goes into my vac pot.

----------

freaks!

I am not a freak, and I drank a cup of Folger's Instant to prove it! Actually, I freely admit that the extent to which I obsess over coffee cannot be healthy, but it is what it is and I am not going to change.

My guess is many (some? most?) people stumble on this thread and run in horror, once they realize how screwed up we are. But, at least we each know we are not alone.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Goodness gracious...what a bunch of equipment freaks!

So sad watching people being drawn in by all these fussy bits of equipment.

So glad I have simple needs that are easily met by just a few little items.

Ah, but what "a few little items" these actually are. In fact, these 'just a few little items' give a whole new and startlingly fresh dimension to the meaning of the term 'just a few little items'.

No, my friends, I feel compelled to share with you the blinding insight that these are not simply a version of your average, common, or garden, 'just a few little items', rather, these are the apex and crowning glory, the summit of industrial design, in the testing and demanding field of specialised coffee equipment.

 

[Kurwenal]

Ah, but what "a few little items" these actually are. In fact, these 'just a few little items' give a whole new and startlingly fresh dimension to the meaning of the term 'just a few little items'.

No, my friends, I feel compelled to share with you the blinding insight that these are not simply a version of your average, common, or garden, 'just a few little items', rather, these are the apex and crowning glory, the summit of industrial design, in the testing and demanding field of specialised coffee equipment.

Spot on. Wordsworth wrote a poem about Shrink's Londinium, years and years ago:

No mortal object did these eyes behold
When first they met the placid light of thine,
And my Soul felt its destiny divine,
And hope of endless peace in me grew bold.