Post by: Bogie on January 25, 2007, 08:22:38 PM
For instance, I _love_ it when the guy who is doing the pricing assumes that "McIntosh" is some sort of off-brand stereo component.
So, anyway, there I am, sorta discouraged because I failed to score anything worth messing with, when I look up to the top shelf, I see a cardboard box, all taped up. It's a Keurig K-Cup coffeemaker... You fill it with water, stuff in one of those little pods, and push a button, and a few seconds later, you have coffee... At least that's the plan.
Anywho, the thing was marked $6.99. What the heck, let's try it... Turns out the thing looks like either a customer return or a demo or a "got unwrapped in the store" item. All the stuff's there, paperwork, baggies, etc... Price at the home store was $149.95. Worse happens, I can ebay it...
So... Bought it. Then went to the home store, and picked up some coffee pods. Cost about 1.5x the cost of the machine for about 25 cups worth... Hooo boy, better be some good coffee...
I dunno their definition of coffee, but it ain't mine. Ain't even Starbucks, and I can whip that little coffee boy like a rented ugly stepchild. Maybe if I could stuff two of the pods in the thing...
Sigh... Back to the Krups and the grinder, and the Gaggia for the occasional shot'o'elixir of life...
Post by: Gewehr98 on January 25, 2007, 09:44:33 PM
I'll stay with my Krups Bravo 871 - it has a force-fed boiler driven by an electric pump, and a detachable water reservoir. Makes de-scaling somewhat easier than the older boiler/reservoir versions. Since the temps up here have averaged around 10-20 degrees in the last few weeks, I really like the double shot of espresso in my car mug every morning.
I know what you mean about Goodwill. My dad started the whole thing, much to my mom's chagrine. Now I make at least one trip per week to Goodwill, usually with something to drop off, but I often return with something I found. There are three Goodwill stores in the greater Madison area, and they all smell bad. That's okay, I never buy clothing or upholstered furniture there, but I do grab electronics, tools, and DVD/CD selections.
Post by: Bogie on January 26, 2007, 12:59:19 AM
Post by: mtnbkr on January 26, 2007, 02:28:17 AM
I wish my Goodwill stores had cool stuff, but we're NOT an affluent area, so ours are stuffed with crap.
Chris
Post by: Harold Tuttle on January 26, 2007, 02:55:40 AM
Post by: MillCreek on January 26, 2007, 04:07:57 AM
Post by: roo_ster on January 26, 2007, 06:57:31 AM
When I want good coffee, I break out beans, Braun grinder, and my French press. Add water that has settled after the boil for a minute, wait 5 min, & PRESS.
Post by: charby on January 26, 2007, 07:07:56 AM
Go to a asian grocery market and pick up on of their coffee makers.
they look like this one http://www.ineedcoffee.com/04/vietnamese/
or get a stove top expresso pot http://www.ineedcoffee.com/03/mokaexpress/?page=2
I have had the stove top for years, bought a three shot pot on clearance at Target for less than $10. I use it mostly camping. After drinking many a cup of Vietnamese coffee at a local restaurant I finally bought the filter thing but I haven't tried it out, I think it was $4 for it. It is still sitting in the back seat of my car. Maybe I'll try it this weekend.
-C
Post by: K Frame on January 26, 2007, 08:22:37 AM
Even Mr. Coffee-type machines don't really produce a good cup of coffe, only adequate.
Two processes generally produce the best coffee...
French Press, and Vacuum.
Post by: K Frame on January 26, 2007, 08:23:40 AM
I wish my Goodwill stores had cool stuff, but we're NOT an affluent area, so ours are stuffed with crap.
A lot of which he's sent there!
Post by: Balog on January 28, 2007, 08:54:35 PM
Also, has anyone ever tried tohse Russian machines,what're they called, samovars I think?
Post by: K Frame on January 29, 2007, 02:50:22 AM
They're for heating water to make coffee or tea.
That's all they are, water heaters.
Post by: Hutch on January 29, 2007, 03:32:02 AM
Before I fell in with bad company, I was a "one cup of Folgers in the morning" kind of coffee drinker. I started conversing with some coffee experts, and tried a little experimenting... What can I say. For Christmas a coupla years ago, I got an electric mill, a bag of Kona beans, and a bag of Jamaica Blue Mountain beans. I now grind a locally distributed whole bean Colombian to talc-like consistency and brew it w/ filtered water in a Krups my wife gave me.
Coffee-pod coffee is pretty good, but I've broken 3 pod makers, and have no plans to ever get another. If I need a cup in a hurry (late for work, whatever), I can stand using one of the Folgers coffee-single teabag-looking thingie.
I was given a French press, but I'm still not getting the right brew, even with a 4-minute timer at hand. I dont think my Cuisinart mill can produce the coarse grind I need, because I wind up with more mud in the cup than I want to swaller. Another problem with my French press is that it doesn't lend itself to my drinking style, which is, time permitting, about 36 - 40 ounces of coffee, consumed in a leisurely pace, served in a huge (~12-14 oz) ceramic mug w/ Splenda.
My current staples are Eight-O'Clock Colombian and Starbuck's Cafe Serena Organic. Don't really care for African coffee or dark roasts. Anybody got any other suggestions to try? Can anyone recommend a mill that will produce a good, consistent coarse grind for French press?
Post by: MillCreek on January 29, 2007, 04:26:58 AM
Post by: Bogie on January 29, 2007, 04:27:35 AM
As for a grinder. If you've got one of the blade whirrin' chopper dealies, lose it. There are more expensive ways to go, but for about $30-50, you can get a burr grinder that is adjustable in consistent coarseness. The one I use right now is made by Cuisinart.
Post by: mfree on January 29, 2007, 04:32:21 AM
Funny though, the best cup of coffee I ever had was folgers out of a cheap aluminum percolator boiled over coals. That... shouldn't have happened. REALLY shouldn't have, but hey, there it was.
Around here, there was the Smokey Mountain Coffee Company. Still is, but they're under new ownership and both bags of beans I got weren't up to the old standard. There's having dark roast, and then there's scorching the hell out of the beans. If I wanted a cup of charcoal I'd have gone to Starbucks...
Post by: charby on January 29, 2007, 05:01:06 AM
I have a Mr Coffee bur grinder that was given to me as a wedding gift, it grinds beans coarse enough for french press. I usually grind my beans fairly coarse for my coffee maker.
-C
Post by: K Frame on January 29, 2007, 05:07:36 AM
I was at a Borders Books the other day with the Mtnbkr family.
They are serving "Seattle's Best" coffee in their coffee bar.
If that's the best Seattle has to offer, move away. It was horrific.
Post by: Bogie on January 29, 2007, 05:24:46 AM
And there is also a new classification of human-type.
Too Dumb for Starbucks
(Ooooh... I have a job in bookstore! I can pay for another piercing!)
Post by: mtnbkr on January 29, 2007, 05:26:58 AM
Chris
Post by: K Frame on January 29, 2007, 05:42:38 AM
Post by: charby on January 29, 2007, 05:54:11 AM
-C
Post by: Fly320s on January 29, 2007, 06:01:07 AM
I'm simple. I grind about 1/4 pound of beans at the local grocery store then use my small (single serving) french press at home. I'm the only coffee drinker here so it works out well for me.
jfruser,
What does allowing the water to settle after boiling accomplish?
Post by: mtnbkr on January 29, 2007, 06:16:16 AM
Supposedly Starbucks owns Seattle's Best now.
That stuff was worse than anything I've had from Starbucks. I can at least tolerate SB coffee. I'd toss that stuff or ask for my money back, it was that bad.Chris
Post by: mtnbkr on January 29, 2007, 06:17:09 AM
Anyone like Coffee and Chicory? I had a coworker that always had some in his office and liked to share the coffee with me. He bought it from some mail order place in LA. I liked once in a while as something different.
-C
The one time I had it, I thought it was good. -C
Chris
Post by: K Frame on January 29, 2007, 06:21:37 AM
It allows the water to stop its rolling boil -- in essence, cool slightly.
I never let my coffee water boil when I french press. I use a probe thermometer to heat the water to between 195 and 200 deg. F -- a perfect brewing temperature.
If you attempt to brew with the water too hot, you'l end up liberating a lot of nasty, bitter compounds.
With the water below about 185, you won't liberate the good tasting compounds, and the coffee will taste flat.
Post by: roo_ster on January 29, 2007, 07:21:03 AM
What Mike Irwin said.
I do it for the same reason, but with less precision than Mike. Boiling water will turn good beans into liquid paint stripper.
I usually use an eletric hot-pot-carafe* to boil hte water.
You want the dog-nastiest cup of coffee brewed with the world's greatest beans? Use one of those boiler-on-the-bottom type of coffee makers you place directly on the stovetop. The water in the bottom chamber boils & creates enough pressure to force the water up through the grounds and then on into the pot. A sure way to give folks with cast-iron stomachs heartburn.
* BTW, these are wonderful for spot-killing weeds in your yard. Pour the boiling water directly onto, say, the bunch of Dallas grass in the midst of your bermuda/zoysia/bluegrass/floritam and it will die-die-die without overspray. And if you walk on it later, you won't leave "footprints of death" across your yard as you would if you had sprayed the clump with Roundup.
Post by: charby on January 29, 2007, 07:49:58 AM
"What does allowing the water to settle after boiling accomplish?"
What Mike Irwin said.
I do it for the same reason, but with less precision than Mike. Boiling water will turn good beans into liquid paint stripper.
I usually use an eletric hot-pot-carafe* to boil hte water.
You want the dog-nastiest cup of coffee brewed with the world's greatest beans? Use one of those boiler-on-the-bottom type of coffee makers you place directly on the stovetop. The water in the bottom chamber boils & creates enough pressure to force the water up through the grounds and then on into the pot. A sure way to give folks with cast-iron stomachs heartburn.
* BTW, these are wonderful for spot-killing weeds in your yard. Pour the boiling water directly onto, say, the bunch of Dallas grass in the midst of your bermuda/zoysia/bluegrass/floritam and it will die-die-die without overspray. And if you walk on it later, you won't leave "footprints of death" across your yard as you would if you had sprayed the clump with Roundup.
What Mike Irwin said.
I do it for the same reason, but with less precision than Mike. Boiling water will turn good beans into liquid paint stripper.
I usually use an eletric hot-pot-carafe* to boil hte water.
You want the dog-nastiest cup of coffee brewed with the world's greatest beans? Use one of those boiler-on-the-bottom type of coffee makers you place directly on the stovetop. The water in the bottom chamber boils & creates enough pressure to force the water up through the grounds and then on into the pot. A sure way to give folks with cast-iron stomachs heartburn.
* BTW, these are wonderful for spot-killing weeds in your yard. Pour the boiling water directly onto, say, the bunch of Dallas grass in the midst of your bermuda/zoysia/bluegrass/floritam and it will die-die-die without overspray. And if you walk on it later, you won't leave "footprints of death" across your yard as you would if you had sprayed the clump with Roundup.
Have a stove top expresso pot that works in the same way, it makes pretty good coffee.
Also don't expresso machines use boiling hot water to make expresso? Can't get steam unless its at a boil.
-C
Post by: AmbulanceDriver on January 29, 2007, 10:00:53 AM
That being said, there is a world of difference between a quality espresso machine and a cheap espresso machine.
Cheap machines use a boiler to generate steam pressure to force the (boiling) water through the coffee at pressure. These have the heavy, screw on pressure lids for their water chamber. The higher quality machines use a mechanical pump to pump the heated water through the coffee. Some of these have a separate heater for producing steam to avoid overheating the water for the brew.
Post by: charby on January 29, 2007, 10:03:37 AM
That makes sense.
-C
Post by: K Frame on January 29, 2007, 10:14:56 AM
Yes, you can, but that doesn't really have anything to do with making a cup of expresso.
The roast, type of beans selected, and the amount of time the steam and water are in contact (VERY short compared to regular coffee) with the grounds are far more important to the process of making expresso.
Were you to try to make regular coffee with expresso beans/grind, you'd get a very, very rude surprise.