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Old 01-07-2011, 08:21 PM   #61
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For the sort of palate described here by VaCollector and others, there's a much simpler, cheaper and tastier alternative: boil water (in a kettle, microwave, whatever) and get yourself a jar of Nescafé Taster's Choice or, if you're feeling flush (and if you can afford to squander money on K Cups, you are) some Starbucks Via Colombia or Italian Roast, preferably bought at Costco where price are lower. These premium instant coffees are way better than K-Cups, require no machine whatsoever, are portable and have limitless shelf life.
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Old 01-08-2011, 05:05 PM   #62
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The best way to make coffee that I have found is the AeroPress, it's somewhat like a french press and very easy to use. Can be had on Amazon for about $25. I use coffee beans and a grinder but any ground coffee will work. Cleanup is easy, if there's a draw back it's that it is single use only.
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Old 01-08-2011, 06:02 PM   #63
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Coffee is such an intensely personal thing, isn't it?

I spent several years living in Brazil, and got used to extremely strong (but extremely good) coffee. They drink it all day long. When you visit someone for a business meeting, it's simply unheard of to begin actual discussions until you've been offered a cafezinho (a tiny cup of very strong coffee (what we would call espresso) with a bowl of sugar on the side if you want it.

One thing that always intrigued me is that my Brazilian acquaintances swore that the best coffee was exported, while they were left with what was left. I smiled and nodded, knowing full well that the most ordinary coffee I could buy in the supermarkets of Rio de Janeiro was far superior to anything I could buy in the USA.

After returning to the "land of round doorknobs" I started hunting high and low for "good" coffee. Eventually I settled on one of the Starbucks blends, and I've been drinking it exclusively at home for at least a dozen years now. That's my treat when I get up every morning. I make a pot in a Hamilton Beach Brewstation Pro coffeemaker. The amount I make is what they call eight cups, which is enough for three good-sized mugs, and while I frequently wish I could have a little more, I deliberately restrict myself to this amount.

The funny part is that if DW wants some coffee in the morning, she fills her cup about 3/4 full of milk, heats it in the microwave, adds a spoon of sugar, then about a tablespoon of my coffee. She says that's absolutely perfect!
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Old 01-08-2011, 06:19 PM   #64
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I've recently given up roasting green beans in a popcorn popper, since it seemed just too much trouble for little gain. I grind up French roast from Costco now, in a Cuisinart grinder + drip machine, which uses too much ground coffee, but still makes a pretty good strong brew (which my wife and I prefer). The Keurig sounds sort of interesting.
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Old 01-09-2011, 08:10 AM   #65
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We drink a lot of Taster's Choice - I prefer it to brewed coffee, although I can also make a mean cup of brewed. I disagree, though, that instant coffee's shelf life is limitless. Just like regular coffee, once instant coffee's opened, the aromatic oils go stale rather fast, and the coffee becomes bitter. Even unopened, vacuum-sealed instant coffee will go stale, especially in hot weather. When we buy instant coffee on sale, we store the extra containers in the freezer until ready to use.


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These premium instant coffees are way better than K-Cups, require no machine whatsoever, are portable and have limitless shelf life.
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Old 01-09-2011, 10:11 AM   #66
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Originally Posted by braumeister View Post
Coffee is such an intensely personal thing, isn't it?

I spent several years living in Brazil, and got used to extremely strong (but extremely good) coffee. They drink it all day long. When you visit someone for a business meeting, it's simply unheard of to begin actual discussions until you've been offered a cafezinho (a tiny cup of very strong coffee (what we would call espresso) with a bowl of sugar on the side if you want it.

One thing that always intrigued me is that my Brazilian acquaintances swore that the best coffee was exported, while they were left with what was left. I smiled and nodded, knowing full well that the most ordinary coffee I could buy in the supermarkets of Rio de Janeiro was far superior to anything I could buy in the USA.

After returning to the "land of round doorknobs" I started hunting high and low for "good" coffee. Eventually I settled on one of the Starbucks blends, and I've been drinking it exclusively at home for at least a dozen years now. That's my treat when I get up every morning. I make a pot in a Hamilton Beach Brewstation Pro coffeemaker. The amount I make is what they call eight cups, which is enough for three good-sized mugs, and while I frequently wish I could have a little more, I deliberately restrict myself to this amount.

The funny part is that if DW wants some coffee in the morning, she fills her cup about 3/4 full of milk, heats it in the microwave, adds a spoon of sugar, then about a tablespoon of my coffee. She says that's absolutely perfect!
Living in Brazil can sure help you develop a coffee standard difficult to satisfy here in the States. If you don't mind sharing, which *bucks blend you you find equivalent to what you drank there? I always thought Brazilian instant coffee (Nescafe) was better than anything brewed here as well.

I brew Peets when I can, and buy *bucks Ethopia when I need something on the spot, but they're reducing the number of varieties and now it's hard to get. When we have visitors I make the coffee, but much weaker for them and also microwave the milk.

My experience with the single cup makers is they don't get the water hot enough and you can't alter the strength to you personal preference. I have heard many positive comments about Green Mountain Coffee K-pods, however. Net, though, is this is not for LBYM types or those that are very particular about their coffee.

A similar problem with drip machines. When my Braun gave out I got a Cuisanart DCC-1200, which sure does the trick for morning coffee. During the day I like the Nespresso, but that's the result of living in Latin America for so long. It is without doubt the most expensive option, though, and Nestle has not been shy about gouging raising the price when possible.
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Old 01-09-2011, 10:30 AM   #67
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Well, as I said, it's such a personal thing. But my taste is best served by the Fourbucks blend they call Caffe Verona. I enjoy it the South American breakfast way, very strong with plenty of milk.
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Old 01-09-2011, 11:25 AM   #68
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I bought a Keurig for my mother for Christmas, she loves this thing. Big plus for me is that it's versatile. My mother drinks coffee, I like hot chocolate, and my neice likes the apple cider...we were using it every morning and everybody could drink what they wanted.
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Old 01-09-2011, 11:35 AM   #69
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We've settled on grinding a whole bean mix of 50/50 mix of Starbucks/Eight O Clock (or another brand) then use our freebie 4 cup Melitta/Gevalia coffeemaker. After trying all kinds of fancy, expensive units, this cheap throw in we got is still the best for us. There's only 2 of us, we only drink 16oz each and it suits our needs perfectly. We used a permanent filter instead of paper ones.
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Old 01-09-2011, 02:54 PM   #70
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One thing that always intrigued me is that my Brazilian acquaintances swore that the best coffee was exported, while they were left with what was left. I smiled and nodded, knowing full well that the most ordinary coffee I could buy in the supermarkets of Rio de Janeiro was far superior to anything I could buy in the USA.


The funny part is that if DW wants some coffee in the morning, she fills her cup about 3/4 full of milk, heats it in the microwave, adds a spoon of sugar, then about a tablespoon of my coffee. She says that's absolutely perfect!
My future Brazilian son-in-law was really surprised when he ordered his first coffee in the U.S. They asked what size. I don't know what size he ordered but he was really surprised when he got this giant cup of coffee. He doesn't like regular U.S. coffee.

I just fixed him a cup of Brazilian coffee this afternoon with some of that exported Brazilian coffee. Anyway, the coffee shop where the coffee beans were purchased says "Brazil Boa Vista" using my little Melitta cone... I had mine with milk - so good.
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Old 01-09-2011, 04:49 PM   #71
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If Brazilian coffee is your cup of tea (sorry, but I dearly love to mix my metaphors), there are three things to keep in mind.
First, use only Arabica beans, not Robusta.
Second, they should be roasted to a fairly dark level.
Third, use a find grind.
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Old 01-15-2011, 09:53 AM   #72
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Aeorpress *****

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Originally Posted by zinger1457 View Post
The best way to make coffee that I have found is the AeroPress, it's somewhat like a french press and very easy to use. Can be had on Amazon for about $25. I use coffee beans and a grinder but any ground coffee will work. Cleanup is easy, if there's a draw back it's that it is single use only.
This review and a cup at a son's house convinced me to give Aeropress a try, so I got one from Amazon and have been using it for a few days.

Very, very good! Previously I bought expensive coffee from the roaster down the street, and made it in a Bialetti stove-top espresso pot. Or, more often, I just made the quickie with the Senseo pods.

With this I just bought the much cheaper Trader Joe French Roast (beans).

I love it. It is quicker to make than the Bialetti, and to me at least tastes better. And absolutely no comparison with the Senseo, which tastes like thin colored water compared to the Aeropress. I like a cup diluted to slightly stronger and with more body than what I get in a "double-short Americano with room" at a coffee house.

If I am around later I make another one or two, usually with decaf after the first morning cup.

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Old 01-16-2011, 01:58 AM   #73
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This review and a cup at a son's house convinced me to give Aeropress a try, so I got one from Amazon and have been using it for a few days.

Very, very good! Previously I bought expensive coffee from the roaster down the street, and made it in a Bialetti stove-top espresso pot. Or, more often, I just made the quickie with the Senseo pods.

With this I just bought the much cheaper Trader Joe French Roast (beans).

I love it. It is quicker to make than the Bialetti, and to me at least tastes better. And absolutely no comparison with the Senseo, which tastes like thin colored water compared to the Aeropress. I like a cup diluted to slightly stronger and with more body than what I get in a "double-short Americano with room" at a coffee house.

If I am around later I make another one or two, usually with decaf after the first morning cup.

Ha
OOOH ! Thanks for the endorsement...I have been wavering as I've gotten lazy on my daily mug. I used to love the labor of the stovetop espresso, but tired of all the cleaning of all the parts and use a basic drip lately which I'm not very happy with...but this looks like a happy medium and cheap enough to be worth a try (esp w/ all the great reviews on amazon)...
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Old 01-16-2011, 11:38 PM   #74
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I have a question about the Aeropress. I buy whole beans, grind them and use a drip pot to brew my coffee. I drink 1 cup in the morning and occasionally a second cup in the afternoon. Will using the Aeropress improve the taste of my coffee just because it is a different process for making coffee? I've seen it mentioned a number of times, but have a hard time imagining how it can change the taste.
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Old 01-17-2011, 06:16 AM   #75
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I have a question about the Aeropress. I buy whole beans, grind them and use a drip pot to brew my coffee. I drink 1 cup in the morning and occasionally a second cup in the afternoon. Will using the Aeropress improve the taste of my coffee just because it is a different process for making coffee? I've seen it mentioned a number of times, but have a hard time imagining how it can change the taste.
I find the AeroPress gets rid of the acidity that you often get with other coffee makers. The coffee that you press out is very strong (espresso) and you just add water to make an American style type of coffee, very easy to adjust the coffee strength to what you like. One of the problems with most auto drip coffee makers is that they don't heat the water to a high enough temperature. I use a tea pot to heat up my water for the AeroPress then let it cool down for a minute before using.
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Old 01-17-2011, 06:30 AM   #76
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Thanks Zinger. Maybe I'll try it after all.
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Old 01-17-2011, 06:36 AM   #77
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For the sort of palate described here by VaCollector and others, there's a much simpler, cheaper and tastier alternative: boil water (in a kettle, microwave, whatever) and get yourself a jar of Nescafé Taster's Choice or, if you're feeling flush (and if you can afford to squander money on K Cups, you are) some Starbucks Via Colombia or Italian Roast, preferably bought at Costco where price are lower. These premium instant coffees are way better than K-Cups, require no machine whatsoever, are portable and have limitless shelf life.

I LOVE Nescafe freeze dried instant coffee! I make it for myself in the morning when I visit my son (a non-coffee drinker). The jar has been in his cupboard for a couple of years now.
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Old 01-25-2011, 12:21 PM   #78
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OK, I was intrigued by all the glowing reviews of the Aeropress, so I got one. Hard to say no at the price.

First, I agree it makes excellent coffee.

But honestly, I believe the main reason for all the comments about great coffee flavor is simply this:
If you follow the directions exactly and use the included scoop, many folks may be using the proper amount of coffee for the first time in their life. Most use far too little, which is the source of the weak, insipid excuse for coffee in most restaurants.
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Old 01-25-2011, 12:27 PM   #79
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OK, I was intrigued by all the glowing reviews of the Aeropress, so I got one. Hard to say no at the price.

First, I agree it makes excellent coffee.

But honestly, I believe the main reason for all the comments about great coffee flavor is simply this:
If you follow the directions exactly and use the included scoop, many folks may be using the proper amount of coffee for the first time in their life. Most use far too little, which is the source of the weak, insipid excuse for coffee in most restaurants.
Quite possibly true. But it makes the right amount for one or two people, it is good, it is cheap, it is quick, and cleanup is very quick and easy. I formerly used a stovetop Bialetti espresso maker, which also demands using a lot of coffee. They are about equal in quality, but prep and cleanup is much qicker with the Aeropress. Also, I think using a filter as you do with Aeropress may be a bit healthier.

Ha
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Cheap (but good enough) grinder?
Old 01-25-2011, 12:50 PM   #80
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Cheap (but good enough) grinder?

Anyone have a good recc for a grinder for the Aeropress (I'd generally make coffee, not 'espresso')?

From what I've seen, the cheapest grinders that seem to do the job are far more $ than the Aeropress. I'm still using a whirly-blade grinder, and I know that is frowned upon by the coffee geeks. I do have a fine burr grinder for Turkish, but I can't seem to get it adjusted to coarse enough for what this would take.

Here's the one I've seen used in an Aeropress video - $48.50 :

Amazon.com: Hario Coffee Hand Grinder Skerton: Home & Garden



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