| Author | Message | ||
     Xl1200r |
Totally off-topic. I'm new to coffee, only started drinking it maybe 5 months ago. Aside from a few occassions where a diner or wedding reception had a phenominal cup, the best around me was Dunkin' Donuts (I don't frequent Starbucks, lol). At a minimum, DD is 'pretty good'. Well, when visiting Doerman in California, he made me coffee in a french press. I don't know if it was the press or the coffee itself, but it was the best friggin' coffee I ever had, and everything I've had since getting home has sucked. DD tastes like sh!t to me now. Seriously. It was richer and just tasted better - I like cream and sugar in mine, but found that I needed a LOT less. So who else uses a press? I haven't gotten around to it but I will be getting one. And what about coffee? Asbjorn had a Trader Joe's brand which we don't have where I am - We do have Green Mountain that has the "grind in store" machines but never tried it. What do people use? | ||
| Guell |
I have a french press, and a boiling water tap in the sink itself so its awesome to use. | ||
| 86129squids |
AAAHhhhh. My favorite vice. #1- Get a coffee grinder. Learn how to use it. #2- Find your favorite bean. If you've got a good local roast, it's hard to beat. Day to day, I use the cheap Kroger dark roast bean. For the $$$, very good. #3- Get a good coffee press, and a good drip coffeemaker. Learn to use both. I didn't use coffee until college. Started with Taster's Choice instant (crap), went to a 2- cup Krups, then all the way to espresso and back again. Once tried to do 5 classes in a row substituting hot tea for coffee. Had to use my tape recorder for 4 of the lectures.  | ||
| 86129squids |
Forgot about eating dark chocolate espresso beans. BEST CANDY IN THE WORLD FOR LECTURES!!!  | ||
| Buellkowski |
French press coffee lets more solids & oils into your cup, which tastes great IMHO. We prepare it as something of a treat in my house. It's also great for camping, as long as you can protect the glass carafe. For everyday morning coffee we use a percolator. Yep, they still make them. Got tired of replacing glass carafes. I really like Turkish coffee, too. Similar concept as French press (unfiltered coffee) but the powdered grounds just sink to the bottom of your cup instead of you having to push them down. (Message edited by buellkowski on June 30, 2010) | ||
| Spiderman |
I like cream and sugar in mine, Way to ruin a good cup! That is worse than drinking light beer...  | ||
| Xl1200r |
a) Light beer has it's place - 90 degrees and 90% humidity... I don't think a Guiness is gonna hit the spot, lol. I do avoid it whenever possible, but I admit I have a soft spot for that Bud Light Lime garbage, lol. b) I seriously was using half as much cream and sugar as I usually do, and maybe even less. I don't think it'd be hard to get that down to zero if the coffee itself was good enough. I don't put anything in my tea, hot or cold. | ||
| Spiderman |
90 degrees and 90% humidity why they hell you outside for! Then again I would drink black coffee then too... | ||
| Hootowl |
Dunkin Donuts makes a hell of a cup of coffee. They actually pour more cups than Starbucks does. I like Sonic drive in coffee myself. | ||
| Ezblast |
Costco has a few good coffees - at least in the Bay area. EZ | ||
| Fast1075 |
Ahhhh!!! A fine topic we have here...the French press is the method of choice for serious coffee enthusiasts...as long as you are ok with the solids...it's like orange juice....some like the pulp, some don't....but the solids hold some of the flavor. Get a good grinder and experiment...how fine the grind helps determine the strenght...and experiment with strenght...some like it very very strong, and some don't. Always use clean cool water for making coffee...if your water has a lot of chlorine, use bottle water. As an aside, it is often thought that the darker the bean (darker the roast) the higher the caffeine content...that is a myth...heat degrades the caffeine...a light roast actually has more. Heat destroys coffee as does time...brew what you can drink...storing coffee on a hot burner is evil...the spirits will punish you for that...if you have to brew more than you can drink fresh, store it in a thermos type container. The most expensive beans are not always the best beans...and coffee is like other consumables, the character, strenght and flavor are different region to region. I am currently enjoying a bag of Starbucks "columbia" which is a good medium roast...and at $7.50 a pound is average for decent beans. Got it on sale at the local grocery. Their Kona is good as is their Sumatra, which is really quite awesome. Treat your cup like a beer stein...rinse it after use and let it dry. I shudder at the thought of ruining a good cup with "additives".... | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
This is my baby, it's a Krups & it's essential equipment in my house, 10 cup filter on one side & 4 cup espresso on the other, . We use "GrandMere" coffee, & if I don't get my coffee fix of a morning.... well I'm not called Mr Grumpy for nothing!   | ||
| Danger_dave |
>>DD tastes like sh!t to me now. << Get stuffed. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Oh dear, an unfortunate choice of phrase, leading to unwanted pictures in my depraved head.  | ||
| Fast1075 |
My grinder is a Krups   | ||
| Cataract2 |
Blah, coffee.  | ||
| Strokizator |
Yeah, I think the whole thing about the French press is to use way more coffee than you think you should (about 1.5 heaping tbls per 6 oz cup). Don't let it sit too long in the carafe before you pour your first cup. The longer the grounds sit in the hot water, the more bitterness you pull from the bean. My wife is already asking for a Miele coffe maker for Christmas. | ||
| Stalker |
Here is some good info>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V-1O2nqars Personally I enjoy cameron's organic kona blend mixed with the og breakfast blend. I dont grind the hell out of it, 15 seconds while shaking the grinder and im good. I warm up the press with some hot water before I actually make the coffee, and let it steep for a few minutes b4 pressing it. | ||
| Buellish |
I use an Aero Press.It gives better filtration than a French Press. http://www.aerobie.com/Products/aeropress_story.ht m I have a manual burr mill as I haven't been able to find an electric burr mill that grinds fine enough. | ||
| Strokizator |
Any of you guys crazy enough to try the kopi luwak $hit (literally)? Interesting stuff but I think I'll pass. (Message edited by strokizator on June 30, 2010) | ||
| Fast1075 |
Nahhh, out of my league...the most I have spent on a pound was for a bag of Blue Mountain beans...something like 30 bux a pound. | ||
| Blake |
French press rocks! Better coffee from cheap bean than a drip will produce from to grade stuff. Try Community Coffee's New Orlean's blend with chickory for something a bit different. Dont' be surprised by the incredible darkness of the brew. Smooth and inexpensive. But the dripper is much more convenient and much easier cleanup and makes more. The blender style "grinders" don't lend themselves to good press made coffee since they produce more fine powder than the old-school grinders. But it's still really good in a press. I let it soak for four minutes after stirring and putting the lid on. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I didn't know if this topic was going to be too yuppie for this board, lol. I'm just going to have to start trying beans. I think the Green Mountain stuff we have around here is pretty good. I know it's better, but I'm not interested in a grinder at the moment, so it's nice the Green Mountain beans have the grinder setup in the grocery stores here. I'd rather not have to try and grind to the right consistency in the morning - what I loved about using the press was how fast and easy it was. Don't worry Dave, you'll always be good to the last drop. | ||
| Naughtynurse |
French press is the best! Coffee tasting is a hobby for me.. you just have to find the right bean. Most coffee shops will give a sample or you can ask them to grind a very small portion for you to purchase and try at your leisure. I have my own Krups espresso maker for a fast shot.... Bad S1 and I frequent wilsons coffee here in Racine, WI http://www.wilsonscoffee.com/index.html Many look at Java or coffee just like wine or beer tasting..everyone has their own opinion and taste. | ||
| Tepiddeath |
I have a krupps 4cup espresso maker, I use either pilon or bustello, and i always add some flavored regular coffee to it. right now the flavor is godiva triple chocolate truffle!!!!! I use all natural turbinado sugar, and only enough to barely sweeten it. if you want rid of the bitter, then you need a pinch of salt my friend! | ||
| Fast1075 |
I am enjoying some Green Mountain french roast as I type. In the mornings, I use my drip machine because it is convenient. To me the morning coffee ritual is just that. Time to relax and focus before the morning rush hits. Plus you get the caffeine boost Plus in spite of some opinion to the contrary, it gives me that something to do when I would previously be smoking. (cold turkey smoke free for 5 months now ) | ||
| Spiderman |
It's only too yuppie when you start Frapping and adding stuff to your coffee   | ||
| Panhead_dan |
I recently received a french press and used it for the first time. I used a little less coffee than the instructions called for as they seemed excessive. Pouring my 16 oz cup full as is my habit with regular old coffee, I began my day. The next 4 hours were amazing! I was like a freshly teed off golf ball in a fully tiled bathroom. I couldn't even think straight! When it wore off all I wanted was a nap but I was at work. Bummer. Next attempt will be with even less coffee beans and a smaller cup. | ||
| 46champ |
Spiderman you have something against chocolate with raspberry syrup? | ||
| Thesmaz |
"Hi, my name is Steve and I'm a coffee nut" To me, drinking coffee is like drinking wine and there is a type of brew method for every situation and mood. I've been drinking coffee since I was 7 (turned 40 yesterday). My machines: Philips drip maker with a double walled stainless carafe (not heating tray for the carafe - it only cooks the coffee) La Pavoni manual pump espresso machine - this thing is the BOMB and cost as much as one too! Bodum French Press - 2 sizes 6 and 2 cup. My favorite coffee to use in the press is CDM w/chicory (Cafe du Monde). Lavazza/Saeco AModa Mio espresso machine. This one uses pods for the coffee and they come in 6 different roast. We use this for a quick shot when needed. 2 Bialetti stove top mocha pots. One 4 cup one 10. Saeco Barrista machine w/grinder in my office. For moto camping I have the Jetboil system w/press. For car camping we take the mocha pots. My grinder is a Kitchen Aid Pro burr grinder. All of my old blade grinders are now used for spices. My favorite espresso coffee is Lavazza Oro and living here in Italy makes it really easy to come by. But hand down the BEST coffee I've ever had was when I was in Columbia. The brand is called Omo. Each time I went down there I would bring home about 12 1 kilo bags just to tide me over for a while. It takes time and money to find a good brand/roast that you like and make sure that you buy whole bean and grind it right before use. Store your beans is an air tight container in a cool, dry place. DO NOT put them in the freezer or frig! You'll ruin your good beans and if you keep your coffee that way you might as well be drinking Foldgers or Maxwell House in the big plastic tubs - it's going to taste like sh!t! Ok, I'd better stop now or I'll end up writing a masters thesis. Good luck and have fun! |
