coffee anyone?

[kiya]

that's because japanese pipo v. uneducated about coffee. most people don't even know that latte is an espresso based drink. they just drink latte because everyone else drinks it and the art is v. kawaii. 

i think japanese baristas are fairly well respected because most of them who work at specialty coffee shops are highly skilled and very dedicated.

 

Why do Japanese lattes or espresso based drinks suck ass? One thing that people failed to notice (myself included) is that Japanese lattes (or any permutation of milk:espresso-drinks) only have ONE shot of espresso. what we are used to in the wypipo land is known as "gibraltar" in JPN. It's two shots of espresso and milk. It's pretty comparable to a cortado. 

 

Blue bottle won't probs blow up any time soon because it's in kiyosumi shirakawa and it's kind of out of the way for most scenesters who work in fashion and other cool-guy jobs.

 

This is some straight real talk when it comes to coffee in Japan.  I couldn't have put it into better words myself.

 

FYI, Blue Bottle is opening a second location (which they haven't announced yet) in Aoyama 6 weeks after the Kiyosumi location opens.

[Plaisantery]

Just getting into coffee—gonna get a grinder soon. I have a french press as well. Where can I get good beans? I live in NYC (Columbus Circle area). There's a lot of independent coffee shops around that have beans for sale. I'm assuming any of those are good for a beginner? There's also a Whole Foods nearby with a lot of different types of beans, but I am not sure if they are good or not.

[herpsky]

i wouldn't waste time with whole foods beans. some of them are as expensive as good beans from regular roasters. 

never get coffee beans by weight, especially if they come from tall plastic dispensers that are also used for rice, granola, and etc.

9 out of 10, those beans are weeks, if not months old. 

 

also, if you are buying beans from a store, always look at the roasting date, especially if the coffee comes from far away e.g. portland. 

[Plaisantery]

Thanks for the advice, I'll make sure the roasting date is good.

[po_boy_fuuma_hatesbargerz]

Just getting into coffee—gonna get a grinder soon. I have a french press as well. Where can I get good beans? I live in NYC (Columbus Circle area). There's a lot of independent coffee shops around that have beans for sale. I'm assuming any of those are good for a beginner? There's also a Whole Foods nearby with a lot of different types of beans, but I am not sure if they are good or not.

 

I'm gonna get a lot of shit for this but reddit.com/r/coffee is pretty good for NYC recommendations. I'd stay away from La colombe though, terrible all around for single-origin coffee/espresso. 

[TRICHOME]

http://munchies.vice.com/articles/i-cupped-cannabis-coffee-with-seattles-baristas

 

[DaBestSpoona]

I'm gonna get a lot of shit for this but reddit.com/r/coffee is pretty good for NYC recommendations. I'd stay away from La colombe though, terrible all around for single-origin coffee/espresso. 

 

La Colombe doesnt do single origin, unless things changed, they only do blends.  Ever watch the La Colombe show on Travel Channel, he really sets you up for disappointment when you actually goto the store and get a shot.

[FatCook]

http://munchies.vice.com/articles/i-cupped-cannabis-coffee-with-seattles-baristas

 

 

"coconut oil, the grass-fed butter, the THC, and the caffeine"

 

pass.

[po_boy_fuuma_hatesbargerz]

La Colombe doesnt do single origin, unless things changed, they only do blends.  Ever watch the La Colombe show on Travel Channel, he really sets you up for disappointment when you actually goto the store and get a shot.

 

I had to double check but yeah they've been doing single origin for awhile now...http://www.lacolombe.com/single-origin

[conqueror]

i'm having an issue almost identical to this:

 

http://www.tested.com/forums/coffee/8013-aeropress-and-leakage/

 

and can't quite figure out if i'm doing something wrong or my aeropress is a dud. any ideas? have tried numerous grinds (finer and coarser) which hasn't made a difference.

Edited December 30, 2014 by conqueror

[xchen]

I had some leakage so I just stir as quick as possible and insert the plunger. Once the plunger is in it will no longer leak due to the suction. I also don't water the concentrate down and it's just right.

If this does not work for you you could always try the inverted method.

[rockon99]

what's the deal with people using dunkin donuts coffee? i feel like i've read around on other forums and people brew dunkin donuts. is this something i don't know about? haha

[conqueror]

I had some leakage so I just stir as quick as possible and insert the plunger. Once the plunger is in it will no longer leak due to the suction. I also don't water the concentrate down and it's just right.

If this does not work for you you could always try the inverted method.

 

yeah, i think i'm just gonna have to start doing inverted.

[FatCook]

^ can vouch for inverted. never bothered with the standard method tbh, but one thing I did notice is that sometimes during inverting some of the grounds stick to the plunger and don't touch the water, even if I try to squeeze out most of the air out/ minimize empty space prior to inverting.

 

on another note, anyone using syphon and care to share recipes/techniques? for something so fiddly I'm finding it harder to justify making use of (and cleaning) mine compared to chemex and aeropress  

[xchen]

what's the deal with people using dunkin donuts coffee? i feel like i've read around on other forums and people brew dunkin donuts. is this something i don't know about? haha

Dunkin donuts coffee is amazing. I love fancy coffee as much as anyone but DD is true red blooded American workin' mans coffee

[rockon99]

^ thanks for the input. I guess I'll have to buy some. I just never would've assumed it was anything but diner-quality. I'm sure many diners with mediocre coffee aren't brewing correctly though

[Plaisantery]

Got myself a Hario Skerton grinder and it definitely improved the taste of both my french press and coffee machine brews. Looking into modding it so it does french press grinds better and getting an Aeropress.

[po_boy_fuuma_hatesbargerz]

Got myself a Hario Skerton grinder and it definitely improved the taste of both my french press and coffee machine brews. Looking into modding it so it does french press grinds better and getting an Aeropress.

 

The skerton is great for french press but surprisingly isn't that great (unmodded) for finer pourovers like the v60. kinda weird.

[Plaisantery]

That's fine, I probably will not be getting into pour overs for a while. I got myself the Aeropress and it's amazingly easy to make good cups with it.

[ryogrif]

Got myself a Hario Skerton grinder and it definitely improved the taste of both my french press and coffee machine brews. Looking into modding it so it does french press grinds better and getting an Aeropress.

 

I've got a Hario Skerton I keep at work and a V-60, and find it works well enough for a good medium-fine grind unmodded, definitely recommend modding for french press though, they get a little shaky at coarser settings.

 

If you're brewing a lot of coffee at home, I would recommend any of the Baratza electric burr grinders. Really good quality burrs, the entry level grinders are pretty affordable, and they can grind nicely for anything from french press to espresso if you really wanted. 

[omnidata]

The skerton is great for french press but surprisingly isn't that great (unmodded) for finer pourovers like the v60. kinda weird.

 

Keeping it level and at a slow steady pace does help quite a lot. For the price that thing is unbeatable though.

[super]

For those who brew on V60s, I highly recommend the Kalita wave dripper. The brew it produces is much more consistent than the V60 and it's way more forgiving of user skill. My V60 is collecting dust nowadays

 

[po_boy_fuuma_hatesbargerz]

The V60 has always been prone to overextraction due to the single opening/shape, regardless of operator skill. The Kalitta by far is a superior pourover device.

[herpsky]

Sprudge just posted the methodologies of the top 3 competitors from the Japanese aeropress chamipionship. Too lazy to post the link but it's cool. Kinda surprised that they do extraction with minimal amount of water and dilute afterwards. I've seen some Japanese pour over guides recommending the same method actually. As opposed to doing the 20g to 300g, you stop before 300 and then dilute. Never tried tho

Edited February 19, 2015 by herpsky

[poly800rock]

Got a gaggia Classic not to long ago . Paired with Bavata precisio its awesome

[poly800rock]

Got an aeropress the other day when it was on sale. Meh. Can't say I'm in love with it. Maybe a bit too quick of extraction time for me.

[xchen]

hmmmmm.... if only you could flip it over upside down and extract as long as you want....

[po_boy_fuuma_hatesbargerz]

Sprudge just posted the methodologies of the top 3 competitors from the Japanese aeropress chamipionship. Too lazy to post the link but it's cool. Kinda surprised that they do extraction with minimal amount of water and dilute afterwards. I've seen some Japanese pour over guides recommending the same method actually. As opposed to doing the 20g to 300g, you stop before 300 and then dilute. Never tried tho

 

So here's that link: http://sprudge.com/top-recipes-from-the-japanese-aeropress-championship.html

 

 Forget the dilution, the massively decreased brewing temperatures is insane for all three of the top recipes (92º, 70º, 80º C) or (198º, 158º, 176º F) is far beyond the lower bound of brewing temperature I usually use for the Aeropress. I'm at 195º at coldest most times.   

 Random scholar article on temp/extraction for espresso: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsfa.1304/abstract;jsessionid=78ED59C0B4FBA532803973FF85EE497C.f02t03?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false

 

I might want to go even colder from now on, still probably brewing around 210º-220ºF most days.

[herpsky]

So here's that link: http://sprudge.com/top-recipes-from-the-japanese-aeropress-championship.html

 

 Forget the dilution, the massively decreased brewing temperatures is insane for all three of the top recipes (92º, 70º, 80º C) or (198º, 158º, 176º F) is far beyond the lower bound of brewing temperature I usually use for the Aeropress. I'm at 195º at coldest most times.   

 Random scholar article on temp/extraction for espresso: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsfa.1304/abstract;jsessionid=78ED59C0B4FBA532803973FF85EE497C.f02t03?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false

 

I might want to go even colder from now on, still probably brewing around 210º-220ºF most days.

yo bru,

 

i have a baratza virtuoso and variable temp bonavita with v60.

i just can't get this shit dialed in. you think copping a kalita would help?

 

i just spend stupid money on good beans

the past few on rotation were: ruby, heart, flat track (a local brewery from austin), sightglass, kuma, 

 

i set my baratza dial to 14. i used to have aeropress but wasn't a big fan. 

 

also, what should i be extracting at? i usually do 93 celsius?

Edited February 24, 2015 by herpsky

[po_boy_fuuma_hatesbargerz]

I'll respond later but – I think your setup/equipment is great. Grinder on point, kettle on point. Temperature looks good, and grind size looks about right; 

is a great technique video to watch, http://www.urbancoffee.co.uk/2012/04/brewing-recipe-v60/ is what I based my personal method off of.  

 

my method– use a gram scale and get about a 1:18 ratio of bean:water, 20g bean ~350 g water, 195-200ºF temp

prewarm mug and rinse out filter

add 20 g coffee, then add 50g h20, let set 30s for bloom

pour in concentric circles q 30 s for 2:30-3:00 post-bloom, just try pouring from center to outside, flushing water down towards center.

*caveat: i'm not an expert, and I think the v60 is touch-and-go and has to be calibrated to each kind of bean you purchase. aeropress/kalitta way more forgiving without a doubt.