Coffee Prep Tricks

[target2019]

We use an automatic, basket-style coffee maker. I use a burr grinder for the beans. This sits next to the pot.

Trick #1 is to sprinkle some water on the beans, shake it up, and spill the beans into the hopper. This reduces the amount of static in the grinder I use. You don't really need to over-water. Just a few drops does the trick. Some claim this doesn't work, others do.

Trick #2 is useful for a small serving, which is marked 2 cups in our coffee maker. A rule of thumb for this coffee maker is that you need 6-12 cups to produce decent flavor. Smaller amounts, the water goes through grinds a bit faster. So, I can add 2 cups of water to the reservoir, remove the carafe, and let it run. If you're fortunate, 2 cups of water fills the basket, and doesn't overflow. LOL. Let it sit for a minute or two, and then put the carafe in. The strength and flavor is improved IMO.

Trick #3 is to stir the grinds in the basket during the hot water add process. On my machine after about 30 seconds there is sufficient water to mix up the girnds with a gentle stir. I have a brass coffee measurer and use the handle to do this.

The sun is shining, outside temperature is 65° F, and I am enjoying the rewards of this day's first activity.
(▰˘◡˘▰)

 

[pb4uski]

... The sun is shining, outside temperature is 65° F, and I am enjoying the rewards of this day's first activity.
(▰˘◡˘▰)

+1... My trick is to put the k-cup in the holder, press down the lever and push the lighted button.

 

[REWahoo]

+1... My trick is to put the k-cup in the holder, press down the lever and push the lighted button.

I tried that trick a few minutes ago and it worked great! Thanks for the tip!

 

[Midpack]

We grind beans daily, and we have a coffee maker that brews for 6 minutes between 195-205F (most coffeemakers don’t get time/temp right - which makes the coffee weak or bitter), and uses pre-infusion to pause the showerhead to give the coffee grounds time to bloom enabling optimal flavor extraction. Keurig’s and imitators make an expensive mediocre cup of coffee while generating tons of unnecessary plastic waste. Even the inventor has said: Looking back on his invention, amid increasing public condemnation of K-Cups as a scourge on the planet, Sylvan told me, “I feel bad sometimes that I ever did it.”

 

[Aerides]

I have about a 12 minute routine that I enjoy, basically a psuedo espresso mocha latte.

I have a breville espresso machine with grinder and milk frother (would buy again when it croaks):

Grind a double espresso cup of beans
Extract equivalent of about 3 double espresso (result is almost a cup of slightly diluted espresso or like a red-eye americano)
Add a 1/4 tsp of unsweetened cocoa + 1 splenda
Heat/froth about 4oz of milk so it expands to about the size of 10

Fills my Grande size (16oz) coffee mug and sits with me for the first hour of every morning.

The whole process is also incredibly noisy, so that wakes me up too.

 

[Rianne]

I have a De'Longhi espesso maker/milk frother. I grind whole beans and prepare the first espresso the night before by putting the ground beans into the espresso holder/cup. I make them 3 shots strong. In the morning brew the espresso then make a second for DH. I use 1% mild and steam for a Starbuck's quality froth. It's a $5 cappuccino if I were to buy it. It is noisy but smells good.

Saves $3500/year - cost of coffee and milk if you include DH coffee.

 

[bjorn2bwild]

I usually drink just one cup of coffee per week, so I like to make it count.
I put the grounds into a double wall stainless steel press pot, let them steep for about 5 minutes, swirl the grounds around a bit, then pour through a cone filter screen with a paper filter. Drink it black.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Keurig 2.0 with refillable Cups and Burr Grinder. Sadly they got wind of this great cup of coffee and discontinued the 2.0. I am constantly looking for used ones (Craigslist) to get one as a spare. K400 - K525. One of the best consumer coffee makers we have ever had. Not as good as the Delonghi Magnifica ESAM 3500 but that one is way too expensive and you cannot get spare parts for it. It lasted 5 years only.

I also added my "Never Fill" water system to it. So none of that water filling. It has a constant supply of water. To me that is the weakest link in coffee makers today.

 

[target2019]

Quite the variety of responses. Some people are saying it's a ritual of a few minutes or more.

Since there is a deep utility sink right there, we also save the filter and grinds. Dump it after a few weeks on the soil around Azaleas and other acid loving plants.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

I use a refillable kcup and water processes decaf. Whole foods 360 brand. It's great. With decaf, coffee selection is most important. Back in my govt days, I drank any coffee that was wet

 

[JP.mpls]

I never made coffee on work days, but as a retired person I thoroughly enjoy my methodical morning routine once I get into the kitchen.


- I finish cleaning up any dishes that didn't get washed or put away the previous evening. I like doing dishes by hand for some silly reason. It is very calming. I also like dealing with a clean kitchen.



I make coffee.

(I'm truly not a coffee snob, but I like the method I now have for making coffee. I want it strong, but not bitter.)
- I buy a high quality dark roast coffee from the local coffee shop, and I have them grind it for me. I don't own a grinder, and I don't want to hear it. It is fresh enough.

- I boil water, and pour the hot water over the coffee grounds that are held in a paper filter held by a Chemex pot. It is basically an hourglass shaped coffee pot made out of glass. It takes about three pours to make a full pot.



Damn good coffee, and I look forward to it each morning.


Note: When I go to my cabin I use a $25 Mr. Coffee unit with the same good coffee, and I don't think there is much of a difference. So making the pour over coffee is basically a silly morning routine that I enjoy, but in my mind it is better.



Take care, JP

 

[Vincenzo Corleone]

French press.

 

[pacergal]

Well, we have multiple coffee makers, so it depends on how I am feeling each morning.
Kurig, old fashioned percolator, and french press. Use fresh ground beans.

I did have an espresso/milk frother once, but it broke early on. Did make good coffee though.

 

[sengsational]

I also added my "Never Fill" water system to it. So none of that water filling. It has a constant supply of water. To me that is the weakest link in coffee makers today.

Was the float valve thing a kit, or did you buy separate parts. Did you get from a regular retailer or specialty place?

 

[kevink]

We grind beans daily, and we have a coffee maker that brews for 6 minutes between 195-205F (most coffeemakers don’t get time/temp right), and uses pre-infusion to pause the showerhead to give the coffee grounds time to bloom enabling optimal flavor extraction. Keurig’s and imitators make an expensive mediocre cup of coffee while generating tons of unnecessary plastic waste. Even the inventor has said: Looking back on his invention, amid increasing public condemnation of K-Cups as a scourge on the planet, Sylvan told me, “I feel bad sometimes that I ever did it.”

Having worked as a coffee buyer, roaster and taster for 28 years (and as author of the book "Coffee Basics") it delights me to see someone get the details that matter right!

There are only a handful of home electric drip coffee makers that deliver correct brew time and temperature, and fewer still that can brew truly freshly-roasted coffee (less than 2 weeks from roast in whole bean form) without overflowing. And there is only one brewer (the Behmor Brazen) that can do all that at high altitude. Other brands include Technivorm and Bonavita.

Brewing less than a full pot is a bad idea because the rules (195-205 degree water and a contact time between grounds and water of 4-6 minutes) don't change. If you want just a single cup or large mug, I recommend buying a full-immersion brewer such as the Clever Dripper or Aeropress. And if you like French Press coffee, the Espro Press series is in a league of its own, offering plunger pot richness without the grit due to its patented filter.

Info on all of these brewers, as well as a gateway to the best way to save money on great coffee of all (roasting your own in a $20 hot air popcorn popper) can be found at what is now the single best source of coffee information on the web:

https://www.sweetmarias.com

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Was the float valve thing a kit, or did you buy separate parts. Did you get from a regular retailer or specialty place?

No not a kit, designed it myself using off the shelf parts, and an adapter I designed and made on my 3D Printer. It is a standard mini aquarium float, very cheap.

Here is an example Float Valve, but you can use pretty much any one that fits in the reservoir.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Adjustable...741140?hash=item2878a48a94:g:ZBQAAOSwGEJcflzF

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Nothing exciting here when it comes to coffee. My only indulgence is buying coffee from different places that we travel. Thankfully, our last trip we got a bit more than normal...so not running out...yet. On occasion I will add a dash of salt to the basket as my Dad used to do.

I may not be too picky on my coffee since I was "raised" on Waffle House coffee.

 

[Chuckanut]

The single biggeswt improvement I made to my coffee was getting a burr grinder. IMO, gettting a burr grinder is more important that getting a fancy coffee maker.

For my daily cups I use a Mr. Coffee Jr. It makes two very fine cups of coffee. I don't need any tricks. Just fill the water, add the filter and coffee and turn it on.

I also have had a Jura espresso machine for 10 years. At the push of a button, It grinds the been and produces a shot or a somewhat bigger cup if I like. Great coffee and every cup is freshly made. But, it requires more maintenance than the MC Jr. machine so I use it mainly when I want an espresso of just a very quick cup.

Thehe Jura is Expensive to purchase, but, compared to K-cups, the consumables are very cheap. One $15 bag of beans from Costco makes about 5x more coffee than a $40 package of k-cups. And it tastes much better.

K-cups are from the , IMHO. But, to each his own.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I am happy with a Moka pot -- quick, no mess or waste, rich espresso-ish coffee.

 

[Sunset]

DW has a great trick.

She waits for me to get up and make the coffee, then she comes down for breakfast

 

[T-Minus]

I had SO MANY problems with my Baratza Vario-W burr grinder - over several years, that I gave up and now get my beans ground at the time of purchase. I’ve replaced motors, sent it back to the vendor for repairs, etc. But I keep having issues with static build-up, the scale going whacko (showing EEE), failing switches, etc. Now, I just store my weekly-purchased and ground coffee in a Friis storage container, weigh out either 1.65 or 2.05 oz coffee depending on whether I want to make 10 or 12 “cups” of coffee in my Technivorm Moccamaster coffee maker. Is it the absolute best ever? No, but the coffee is about 98% of the way there for a LOT less effort and time. I spluge on really good coffee that I vary weekly depending on what’s in stock, but it’s one of my few remaining luxuries. This makes me happy.

 

[Midpack]

^^ It was more than I wanted to spend (about $150), but my Capresso conical burr grinder has run without issues for years. We have a Bonavita BV1900TD coffeemaker - between the two we can make great coffee! It makes 10 cups even though the ad copy says 8 cups (the carafe is way bigger). Friends of our have a Technivorm, great coffeemaker but twice the price of ours.

 

[RobbieB]

I put the cup under the spout of the Jura Ena Micro 1 and push the button. It grinds the beans, loads the chamber, and pumps the coffee into the cup. Then chucks the puck of grounds into a waste bin.

 

[Gumby]

My only suggestion is to use filtered or spring water. I think the coffee tastes better that way.

 

[steelyman]

My only suggestion is to use filtered or spring water. I think the coffee tastes better that way.

Hear hear. Quite a while ago I bought one of those standalone Brita containers (not a pitcher, sort of a small tank) with replaceable filters. The difference in coffee taste using filtered water vs. tap was noticeable and much better! Now the water is filtered in the fridge.

Otherwise, I’m an average Joe (not DiMaggio) with a basic programmable Mr. Coffee at home. Fancier brews are a mini-treat when out.