So, this looks like the start of a relatively new community (at least for me), and we surely have some new people coming over from the coffee subreddit, so let’s get some conversation going!
What’s your current favorite brew method? I’ve been really getting into my flat bottom brew lately, with the Stagg XF. I just feel it’s been a bit more forgiving than my v60, and it’s been pulling out some pretty solid tasting notes in my latest beans.
What’re y’all brewing with?
EDIT: I absolutely love the traction this post got! And I love seeing all the methods everyone is using daily. Thank you all
I like to think I know a little about coffee, but this thread shows that I don’t really know anything. My brew method? I have a shitty little $50 espresso maker I got as a birthday gift a while ago, and use that to make the best damn lattes I’ve ever had.
use that to make the best damn lattes I’ve ever had.
Hey man, that’s all that matters
I’ve got a stupidly expensive espresso machine and several stupidly expansive grinders. I used my machine every day for about 5 years. But lately I’ve been pouring water from my kettle into a plastic cone like my dad did in the 80s. Haha. Full circle. I’ve upped my bean quality though.
Hey, pour over is just a good old classic. You can’t really repeat the ritual or flavors you get with it anywhere else. And sometimes the most simple is the most enjoyable.
Great idea! I use a La Pavoni Europiccola (lever espresso machine) when I have time, Bialetti Moka pot or pour over when I don’t.
I’ve wanted a Europiccola for so long but I’ve currently had a Cafelat Robot for the last year and a half. Did you get a new one or vintage?
Ours is vintage, got super lucky and found it at Goodwill. It’s a pre-millenium model from about 1980. A little descaler and new gaskets, and it works great.
I wish it had a bigger portafilter, but it’s really not a big deal for us.
Bialetti Moka pot. I switched from espresso to the moka pot over a year ago and it is my favorite brew now.
I’ve been loving light roasts for a while now so I haven’t been going near my Moka, but I suppose I should explore what it can do with lighter roasts?
This thread is demonstrating one of my favorite things about the coffee community: There is a fundamental semi-seriousness, acknowledgement of diminishing returns, and awareness of varying tastes in (almost) all quarters. A lot of gear-heavy hobbies take themselves way too seriously, but the coffee folk with an $8000 La Marzocco espresso setup, with a $7 plastic cone and a kettle, and waiting in front of the microwave with a bottle of instant and a spoon are all just trying to have a pleasing coffee experience.
My fancy, ritualistic coffee is a shot of espresso in the morning, usually prepared like a Brauner with a dash of milk inversely proportionate to how well I did at making the espresso that day.
A few weeks ago I upgraded from my old (ca. 2010) Lello Arite 1375 Chinese thermoblock pressurized basket “espresso” machine and Capresso Infinity grinder combo ($140+90+accessories) that were kind of mediocre to start with and literally falling apart by the end, to a Brevelle Bambino and Turin SK40 ($350+200+accessories) and have been delighted by the additional ability to play with parameters (and occasionally revolted by the results while I was getting my bearings). The old set up produced a long-tuned pleasing thing that may or may not technically count as espresso, but in retrospect may have been a relative of the extraction optimum from that “Systematically Improving Espresso” paper from a few years ago. The new one is full grind-controls-infusion espresso experience. The bambino is “nice for the price” and has a delightfully fast heat up and surprisingly good steam wand for when I’m feeling foamy, but slightly annoying manual shot controls. The SK40 is just great so far, my only tiny complaint is that every now and then I have to give it a little rock to get the last of a dose of beans out of the feed cone.
I also really enjoy how this setup is sitting in superposition of ($600 is an absurdly expensive way to make coffee | $600 is absurdly cheap to make real espresso).
Home espresso is never really practical, but I find the ritual of preparation deeply pleasing (weights and ratios and times and gadgets! Instant feedback! Total focus!), and enjoy the experience of varying parameters.
I also drink a fair amount of Instant when I’m out during the day, I’ve been recommending Mount Hagen to everyone who will listen lately because it’s like $10 a jar and so much better than any of the other instants I’ve tried.
…and I have a coworker with an office aeropress that I sometimes play with, and I want but have no real reason to have one for home. The super clean immersion brew is a really interesting way to experience a coffee, and of course one never has enough coffee paraphernalia.
This is easily my favorite response, and a clear representation of just loving coffee for coffee. From the extreme scientific end of it, to just needing that caffeine fix in the middle of a long day, to the intrigue of trying something new.
Thanks for the response and a walk through your day in caffeine.
Amusingly, for the last several years I pretty much only have two significant caffeine doses in a normal day, typically coffee shortly after I wake up and at around 2 in the afternoon.
I used to slowly creep my consumption up until I had to painfully detox myself down once or twice a year, but I’ve been trying to be more consistent and mindful about that. It’s also made me more thoughtful about having good coffee at the times I have coffee.
…and I’ve been listening to/reading a lot of James Hoffmann and his slightly florid self affacing style while I was learning the new setup, and it’s creeping into my writing.
I love this comment! And that you aren’t an instant coffee snob. Sometimes we just want a quick fix too. The problem with instant coffee is that the quality can be so varying, with some being downright awful. I’ve liked Cafe Direct’s Macchu Picchu blend, as well as Clipper/Marks and Spencer (I’m sure they’re both from the same manufacturer) heavier roasts, especially the decaf, but I’m always on the look out for more. Will check out your recommendation if possible.
Right now it’s aeropress and it will remain aeropress until I make a shit cup or have a bad morning, then it’ll switch to v60 and repeat the same process until I switch to chemex. Then, eventually we will come full circle back to aeropress and start everything all over again. The circle of life. The ouroboros of my morning coffee, if you will.
My second cup of the day is and will always be an espresso.
French press. Pre-heat with boiling water before adding freshly ground coffee. Slowly pour water at 95 degrees over the coffee. Stir with wooden spoon, insert lid and let stand 5-10 minutes. Slowly press plunger to bottom. Serve and enjoy.
Nothing too fancy. Kettle and a french press.
That’s what I have done for decades.
I know pour over is seemingly the norm at the moment but I’m still chugging along with my 10 years old Bodum stainless steel french press. Tastes fine to me and keeps the coffee hot decently long. Though I’ve been pondering to do the additional step of pouring it through a Hario filter and see if it refines the taste any further.
Just pouring into another pre-heated vessel to stop the brewing process is the move!
Might use this as an excuse to buy a second french press, thank you!
Yeah that or a thermos or a nice serving vessel is the move! just keep hot water in that while you brew your frenchpress and after you plunge, you can slowly pour it over into the pre-heated vessel! Then you won’t have a bad cup on the last one due to continuous brewing
AeroPress enjoyer
Cold or hot, V60 is my jam.
I love my Flair Pro. I like being able to dial in my pressure profile (basically extraction flow) by hand depending on the beans or just my mood. Other wise I’m a stainless moka pot guy.
Another flair user. The flair is great because unlike an automatic, you can see how the grind or bean amount affects the extraction time. Different beans often require different grinds and amounts for a good shot. You won’t get this with an automatic.
Is it easy to control the water temperature? As I heard, Flair Pro must be pre-heated to prevent temperature drops.
Yes, but it isn’t a huge deal. I just have a small pot I put the brew head in while the water heats up to a boil. When the water hits a full boil, I turn off the stove, place the brew head and mug, and then pull the shot, the little bit of time the brew head and water are removed from the heat and poured gets it close enough for me to the right temp.
EDIT: Everyone that is thinking about flair, make sure to get one with a pressure gauge. It would be impossible to know if you are using the right pressure be feel on something you have never used before.
Totally agree. My wife talked me into the pressure gauge and I have no idea how anyone can pull a great shot without it. And most of the fun is experimenting with different pressure profiles. And it’s pretty easy to preheat as @neanderthal said. I put my brew head on top of my open kettle so the steam heats it while the water starts to boil. The brew head itself is very thick and retains heat well. I saw a video that shows you do get a drop in temp over a pull which is usually 30-60 seconds for me. But also I’m at high altitude so while I have a different set of temperature issues to deal with I don’t know that I’m experiencing as dramatic a drop off.
I replaced my Flair Pro with a Rancilio Silvia (which I have since modded because I can never be content in my coffee process). And for non-espresso drinks, a Hario V60
My go to is my trusty v60. I used to scale and weigh everything before grinding. Now I just eyeball everything.
Cold brew in a Toddy. Store in fridge. Add milk/ice/hot water to taste.
I’m astounded that this is the only mention of cold brew here. It’s great! Listen people, if you haven’t tried this before, here’s what you do: Next time you’re making your daily coffee, get a jar and make cold brew at the same time. Then you can try it later when it’s ready.
- put what you think is a reasonable amount of grounds in a jar
- then put a bunch more, and a little more to be sure
- fill the rest of the jar with water and put a lid on
- shake it if you want
- let it sit 12–24 hours on the counter, or 24–48 hours on the fridge
- strain the grounds out however works for you. If you’re a coffee drinker, you probably have some kind of strainer that will work, but if not, you can shake the mixture (again) so that the ground sink to the bottom, and then (optional) wait a bit for sediment and then pour carefully.
I now do cold brew almost all the time. It takes the same amount of time whether you make a large or small batch, so I make 4 days worth, and over the last 2 days I start another 48 hour batch.
I definitely enjoy cold brew, especially during summer, but it generally pretty muted in flavor compared to a pourover or French press. I usually make it when I get a bag of beans that I am a bit disappointed with, as a lot of the underlying tasting notes aren’t as present in cold brew and it still allows me to enjoy the coffee.
I mean, heck, I want to get some whip cream canisters and nitrogen canisters to make my own nitro cold brew as another coffee project.
That’s a good point. It’s also less bitter than some other methods, which people may or may not prefer.
I really want to try this, but hot coffee is my comfort blanket. Would you recommend heating it and if so how? Is cold brew best served over ice, room temperature, or just chilled in your opinion?
I often heat it up, just put it in the microwave. I also often cut it with water, depending on how strong I want it to be. I think it’s good at any temp!
