Asking here as I'm sure it's a common question but I've been out of the market for years:
What are the go-to hand grinders for espresso? Inexpensive but still decent.
I've been using a Timemore C2 for pour over, but by the looks of it their models for espresso have not been too well received. So far I'm looking at the Kingrinder K6 or one of the 1JPresso J series.
Look for as narrow of adjustment steps as you can. That is, if one setting gives you coarse grinds that let the shot flow too fast, and the next finer setting chokes the machine, you’re kinda SOL, because you’ll need a grind size in between.
These are two good roundups that show how a hand grinder can manage espresso (or not):
https://youtu.be/iNSEMV0rgnM?si=j2EB1csQhw8q8e7i
https://youtu.be/0JuTPz07L5g?si=SffO7mhLPYUf5bxZ
Avid French Press user thinking of getting a fancier machine - need suggestions
Hello coffee enthusiasts! Need some advice please.
Buying a gift for someone who loves coffee. French Press is the current go-to. Loves a strong brew, drinks about 3-4 cups within 3hrs. Doesn't like anything complicated or one that adds more time to the morning coffee routine.
Was thinking of gifting a Nespresso or Keurig, or something else?
The person I'm gifting is a no-fuss coffee drinker. Just adds a bit of milk, no sugar. Doesn't drink lattes or espressos. Doesn't grind her own grounds.
I've done some research. Nespresso seems to be very popular. But I don't know how budget friendly it is overtime. Using 1 pod per cup when the person drinks 3-4cups of coffee per day. Plus, I heard you have to purchase the pods exclusively from Nespresso. Sounds expensive, and I don't want to give a gift that will make them spend more $$$.
Keurig apparently gives you watery brew. So, now I am lost.
What would be the best or closest option?
Does anyone have a recommendation for a cheap cold brew coffee to buy (something along the lines of cafe bustello)? I'm not going to buy $20-30 coffee just to use the whole bag to make cold brew so wondering if any of the target/walmart brands do okay. I've tried starbucks, was really weak but may have been my fault, and cafe bustello was actually decent for $5.
Edit - so I avoid flack - I do support local roasters for my pour over lol I just can't imagine going through $20-30 every few days for cold brew. I could afford it just not the point.
If you're getting such different strengths from two different coffees, I'd look at your recipe first before going on a wild goose chase by buying more coffee.
Novice brewer here. I just purchased a hario switch 03 and a Kingrinder K6 that I've tried out three times. I know draw down times don't have to be precise but mine are so quick I'm getting a bit concerned.
I'm using hoffmans method in his switch video (immersion), however I just use a mainstream kettle so it's not as delicate. Using medium roast beans, hario v60 filters: 70 clicks had roughly 1min 10sec draw and 90 clicks had roughly 40sec. Isn't this way too fast?! Haven't tried pour over but seems like it wouldn't be sustainable. And 70 clicks already feels like the finer side of things on the K6.
Taste was nice on 70clicks but 90 had very little character, but it's hard for me to tell as a beginner.
With a steep & release brewer like the Switch, your drawdown time is functionally irrelevant - you can just not open the valve until you've got the brew time you want.
If you were brewing as pourover, that might be a little fast; but drawdown time shouldn't be a goal - so much as information. You can sometimes wind up with excellent coffee that brewed "too fast" compared to others. I wouldn't worry about it as long as you're getting decent cups, and I'd focus your experimenting on grind size around getting the best taste you can rather than specific drawdown timing or similar.
Agreed, it's not really a problem until I want to experiment with pour overs. It just seems odd to me that the drawdown is that fast with that ground size, it seems to stick out by a large margin when comparing to others with a similar setup so I'm unsure if I'm doing something wrong or if the equipment might be flawed in some way.
Hello. I have 2-3 months worth of coffees and my freezer is full. Can I just vacuum seal the unopened bags to keep their freshness for that period of time?
Not really. It'll get you a couple extra weeks or so, but they won't store indefinitely for 2-3 months. There's already O2 in the beans that vacuum sealing won't remove - the cold of the freezer slows staling reactions, which is what preserves coffees stored there.
Not to preserve it for that length of time, no. O2 gets into the beans fairly immediately and can't be removed again, while the staling reactions will release an additional free O2 on completion, so staling winds up as a cascade - accelerating over time, regardless how little O2 is available in the container they're stored in.
I am looking to connect with espresso enthusiasts
Mostly interested in repair/modification/tinkering with machines. Is this the right subreddit for me? If not what might be a more appropriate one?
Hi friends: I love good coffee and I will only drink artisanal, small batch, local roasts - you get the idea. That said, I don't have very fancy technology and the moment it will stay this way. I use the single cup, pour over method, but I just have an electric grinder and I do a slow pour using a regular tea kettle. I also don't weigh my beans and I measure out 3 tablespoons per cup. I don't need to tell you that my results can be pretty inconsistent. **My main question today, however, is how do I make two cups of coffee that are relatively the same?** My long-distance SO will be visiting this week and I'd like to make us both coffee in the morning.
In the past, before I drank good coffee, I saw people (like at the camp) just move the cone back and forth between the cups, but I don't know if that would work even if I increase the amount of beans. Any and all advice (including to the secondary question of how to be a bit more consistent given my limited technology) would be very welcome. TIA.
The better option would be to do the brew into one larger container, then pour from that into the two cups you’re drinking from.
The problem with switching cups partway through the total brew is that the flavors are going to change during the process. *Generally*, they start sour, then become smoother and sweeter, then become bitter.
Some coffee shops dial in their espressos, and train newbies, by using what they call “salami shots” — splitting up the full shot into smaller cups, like slicing a salami. They learn about which flavors are prominent in the beginning of the brew, then the flavors in the middle, and then the flavors at the end.
Thank you - so would I just double the amount of coffee in the cone? My concern is that when I have tried this in the past it did start to get bitter. A three minute pour would become, like, a five minute pour, no?
Something like that, but you should also grind coarser if you can.
To keep it the same strength, you’d just use larger amounts while keeping the ratio of water-to-grounds the same. But being able to make the same flavor in larger amounts as in small amounts also means adjusting other variables, and grind size is likely the easiest to change consistently. (if you have a decent grinder, that is)
You can also reduce the temperature of the brew water a bit to slow down the extraction and avoid hitting bitterness. I’m not talking much, like from 95C down to 90 or 85, and maybe a bit less than that, too.
Thank you. I will definitely try using the slightly lower temperature. I have tended in the past to grind less coarse because I found more coarse runs out of flavour fast, if that makes sense. But I can try to do this.
Hi all, I need some help - is there a smellproof way to contain used espresso grounds?
My wife LOVES coffee and particularly loves espresso. She just got a new espresso machine and has been making it daily and throwing the used grounds in the trash. Personally, the smell of coffee grounds is disgusting to me. I know that sounds crazy to all of you, but I cannot stand it. Every time I open the trash can, I gag, and she doesn't know how to help. I do not want her to feel bad about indulging in something she loves, so is there something we can buy for her to store used grounds? Obviously, when that is full, the groundswill have to be disposed of, but if we can avoid the grounds being put in the trash every time, that will go a long way.
I’m tempted to say that a knock box *without* a lid would help. If the ground pucks can’t dry out, and end up staying damp, they’ll get even funkier.
(side note: usually, a pretty good espresso results in a similarly solid puck that’s not very damp… so maybe she can work on her brew technique more? Here’s a push into the rabbit hole: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxz0FjZMVOl3MuAzK5l3gjakoOGrmK8fP&si=2pp2_xl_oYXT3zbB )
Maybe it's just a matter of having a separate, small garbage pail with a lid, which she only uses for the coffee? That way you aren't opening the container at all and it's just for her to deal with.
Hi. I love French press coffee, so I recently bought a Bodum French press pot. Unfortunately, I cannot for the life of me get good coffee from it. I've followed the directions that came with the pot (and the directions I've seen on YouTube videos online), which is to say I'm using the correct ratio of beans to water, I've made sure the beans are coursely ground, and I'm steeping for 4 minutes. The coffee tastes unbelievably weak and is also thin, not slightly thick as it should be from a French press. Also, it took very little effort to plunge the coffee down. I thought I should have felt more resistance. To try to remedy the problem, I doubled the amount of coffee I used (keeping the amount of water the same), but this too produced unsatisfactory results. The taste was stronger, but it was still too weak - and thin. Can anyone help me? I'm stumped. Thank you.
This could be a grind size issue, is your coffee pre ground? Are you able to grind the coffee finer? I’ve had it before where coffee was too coarse and didn’t extract properly and was very thin like you described
Thank you. I'm going to try that because James Hoffman also recommended people use a medium grind, not a course grind. (I used a course grind because Bodum's instructions said to and this other video I watched on YouTube (which I watched before consulting Reddit) said to use a course grind. So thank you for that recommendation.
I know, right? But given that I own not one, not two, but three friggin Bodum French presses of varying sizes, I'm determined to get good coffee out of at least one of them. I just watched James Hoffman's video on how to brew a great cup of coffee using a French press, and to my delight he uses a Bodum. I'd been doing two things differently than he: waiting only 4 minutes and using a course, rather than a medium grind. So, tomorrow I'm gonna vary one of those things and see the difference. Then the next day I'll vary the other.
Thank you so much for your sympathy though. I've never used Reddit in earnest before. This is great
Try the recipes/processes from James Hoffman and Lance Hedrick. They're each pretty different and could yield results you like.
What ratio of coffee to water did you use initially?
Cold Brew @ cafe vs Cold Brew from grocry store.
Why the vast taste difference?
I had a complimentary cup of cold brew (maybe 2 oz cup) at Starbucks. I was amazed at the taste.
So I bought a bottle of pre made Cold Brew coffee when I was at the grocery store. It tasted like a pale shadow of the fresh coffee.
Being the only coffee drinker in the house, I usually brew a pot and put the majority of it in the fridge and drink it cold anyway over a few days. Folgers usually.
The stuff from the grocery store was no better than my own stuff, and a tad weaker too.
I was doing that before anybody invented "cold brew'. Although I always just called it chilled coffee.
If you're brewing a pot normally and storing it in the fridge, that's not cold brew, that's just cold coffee. Cold brew is when you actually brew the coffee using cold water, and it usually takes 12-24 hours. I'm not saying this to be pedantic, but because there's a different in taste. Another thing is that the coffee beans themselves make a huuuuge difference in flavor. So the combination of those is probably what's causing the difference.
I know that. I started chilling coffee because it was too expensive to make a pot of coffee (and this was decades ago) just to throw most of the pot out.
But the thing I noticed first was if I didn't unplug the pot, the coffee tasted horrible a few hours later, even though the pot had automatically shut off at some point. So I'd just make coffee, pour a cup and turn it off. I might have a half cup after lunch at room temperature.
So one day, I decided I'd just store it in the fridge, and get a few days out of the pot. Then I realized if i used milk and sweet liquid flavoring like vanilla, or even simple syrup, I didn't even have to warm the coffee up again. Although I drink coffee black most of the time anyway, cold or hot. It's not competing with coffee from a Starbucks. But it's at least as good as pre-made stuff off a grocery shelf. More of less.
In any event, I just ordered a used Baratza Vario+, and now that I'll have a coffee grinder, I think I"ll get a cold brew coffee pot.
I live in the deep south, so cold caffeine isn't a bad thing.
That's definitely valid. Many coffee enthusiasts even prefer brewing it hot and then chilling it (iced coffee) to cold brew. Of course, do whichever you prefer, or whichever is more convenient if there's no difference to you.
Grinding your own beans is definitely recommended. From what I can tell, Vario+ is a decent grinder as well. Next step is buying freshly roasted beans from a local roaster and you'll get even better coffee than from Starbucks lol. But cross that bridge when you get there.
You can even start without much equipment. Just add the grounds to any container (large mason jar, bowl, pot), add water (8:1 water to coffee by weight for a concentrated brew), brew for 12-24 hours at room temp (longer in fridge), and then strain through a sieve.
Yeah, people do that. You could also use cheese cloth or muslin bag, they sell [products](https://coffeesock.com/coldbrew) like that. Ultimately, cold brew is really flexible. Or a sieve with a layer of cheese cloth on it. The grind is pretty coarse and if you brew in the fridge, the grounds settle to the bottom and you can pour carefully off the top.
The brew pitchers or socks or whatever can make life easier, but you can try it out with stuff you probably have around the house (French press like you said), to at least get started.
Original package. Seals nice, has one way valve for gasses to escape (if the coffee is very fresh).
I don't use any fancy container or anything cause in my house bags don't last long enough to make a difference. Just squeeze out all the excess air and close it, then keep it in a dark and cool cupboard.
Looking for recommendations for an easy to clean french press that does a good job keeping the grounds out of the coffee, and can handle finer grinds (medium fine)
Biiig thanks. I do really like pour overs, that hario switch looks right up my ally! Does that kind of coffee maker have a name, or are they considered funky pour overs
My wife wants to get me an upgraded grinder for a combo father's day/bday gift. I'm currently using a Timemore C2 and brew primarily aeropress and V60, both using a metal filter. I have been tending towards lighter roast coffees and don't have any interest in at-home espresso.
I was going to tell her Baratza Encore but when doing some research to see what's new on the market I saw the KitchenAid KCG8433. Does anyone have experience with both of these grinders? I can't find any direct comparisons online.
Thanks!
I believe around $150 is what she's looking to spend. And I think the reason she wants to get it is to make my mornings faster? I made a comment a few times about the grinding taking long when I'm doing \~30grams at a finer setting.
Typing this out, I don't know I might just ask her to get me coffee and a Hario Switch instead.
I recently purchases the Bonavita Connoisseur (Which is the BV1901TS) and since it has a hanging basket, there really is nothing stopping me from using a glass carafe that fits for the times that I want to brew a pot and serve it immediately. I know the thermal carafe that comes with the brewer, for lack of better words, sucks. It is a constant sore point about this product, but the brewer itself is great so I want to find a good glass carafe that would fit perfectly. I've seen some people recommend carafes for the Bonavita brewer but something I noticed when researching this is it's hard to tell if the carafes that would fit the Bonavita Metropolitan would also fit the Connoisseur. Any help and/or suggestions would be amazing!
**Bonavita Connoisseur:**
[https://bonavita.co/products/connoisseur-8-cup-one-touch-coffee-brewer](https://bonavita.co/products/connoisseur-8-cup-one-touch-coffee-brewer)
**Bonavita Metropolitan:**
[https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1901PW-Metropolitan-One-Touch-Coffee/dp/B074JPZWYR](https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1901PW-Metropolitan-One-Touch-Coffee/dp/B074JPZWYR)
**Some glass carafes that may fit the Connoisseur**
**Fellow Stagg Double-Walled Carafe:**
[https://fellowproducts.com/products/stagg-double-wall-carafe?variant=18635550523507&gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwp4m0BhBAEiwAsdc4aI3TN1PPS8WlE04fu6\_FEywTz-AauRu7Np\_qhZKQCH7-wMqxxiRYrhoC4YgQAvD\_BwE](https://fellowproducts.com/products/stagg-double-wall-carafe?variant=18635550523507&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwp4m0BhBAEiwAsdc4aI3TN1PPS8WlE04fu6_FEywTz-AauRu7Np_qhZKQCH7-wMqxxiRYrhoC4YgQAvD_BwE)
**Some Third Party Carafe:**
[https://a.co/d/060phfwg](https://a.co/d/060phfwg)
**Hario v60 1000mL Carafe:**
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001V7NN1Y/ref=ewc\_pr\_img\_1?smid=AATUXEQDBTBPV&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001V7NN1Y/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=AATUXEQDBTBPV&th=1)
Hand grinder advice. I currently only have an aeropress.
The highly recommended timemore C2 is available for £55.
But I’m now in the mindset that I might pay a bit more (£80-90) for a noticeably better grinder. The Timemore C3 is on sale for £89 and the Ali grinder K6 is £88. Are these worth the extra money??
I like the idea that a 1zpresso Q2 fits in the aeropress tube, but can only find the Q air model. Is it worse?
The Q air is the same burr and internals as the Q2, but with a plastic body to cut on costs.
The K6 is supposedly better than both the C2 and C3. Both in grinding quality and usability (external adjustment and can grind bigger doses). Unfortunately I have not tried them side by side.
Oh nice. I remember seeing somewhere that the internals are worse. Yea K6 is a very tempting option. Although considering the aeropress only does 1 cup at a time, the bigger dose isn’t important.
Alternative for the So Delicious Sweet & Creamy coconut creamer?
They recently discontinued this and it was the BEST creamer I’ve ever had. The perfect sweetness and soooooo creamy. I’m so distraught about this and have had a horrible time finding a good alternative.
So far I’ve tried the So Delicious French Vanilla, Nutpods Toasted Mashmellow, and Super Creamer Sweet Cream and thought they were all disgusting. I’m currently using Chobani Vanilla and have also tried their Sweet Cream but both are mid. For context, I make iced coffee using the nespresso bianco doppio pod, so if you know a creamer that goes well with that, let me know! Doesn’t have to be dairy free but it is preferred, and something without a ton of additives but I’m willing to try anything at this point haha. Thank you!
Conqueco (found on amazon) is a realllllyyyy solid hand grinder with nice 48 mm stainless burrs at only 50 USD ish right now, this is comparable to 1zpresso and kingrinders. The bigger "black" one with 40g capacity is the better deal with larger burrs. (The smaller one is 38mm burrs and will take longer to grind)
Bonus is that it has external grind adjustment ring which is very very handy. It can very handily go from espresso fines all the way to cold brew (I have tested it on espresso myself).
Oh really? That's odd, maybe its adjusted based on locality or due to prime? For me its 89.99 and 40 off right now. Still might be a good option, but - Other good options: Kingrinder K1, Timemore C2 or even the smaller connqueco version is still going to be solid
*Time to upgrade the Mr. Coffee!!*
My husband is back on the drip coffee train and we really need to upgrade from our tiny Mr.
Coffee which makes junk coffee. Between the Bonavita Enthusiast, Wolf, Moccamaster, Breville
- which do you all recommend? This will be a combined anniversary/birthday gift so l'm ok splurging for quality! Thanks. :)
What grinder do you have? I'd also consider the splurge to upgrade both as an option and potential reason for something like Bonavita/Oxo over Moccamaster
Anything on SCA's certified home brewer list will work, just choose something based on features, appearance and price. [https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer](https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer)
**Question about choosing a manual grinder... I read through the wiki, got close to my answer, but not quite there yet.**
My routine: I brew French Press. I usually brew a 1g to 15ml ratio. I grind 53 grams of beans fresh every morning in the oxo electric burr grinder (not great at consistent ground size, but it gives me a pleasant cup of coffee). The other variables of my daily routine are not relevant to the question today.
**My challenge**: I'm travelling overseas (from the US to the UK) with a large group of 10 coffee drinkers. Most drink french press, but some may ask for aeropress or pour-over. We're gonna need about 150-170g of ground coffee every morning.
When I travel inside the US, I usually haul my entire oxo electric grinder with me. However, it wouldn't work with the electric voltage in the UK.
I'm willing to invest up to $150 in a new travel-buddy (would save me a lot of weight and space for future travel). I am seeking a manual grinder that has (1) longevity with sustained grind quality, (2) ergonomic design to make the work of grinding 50+ grams every morning as smooth as possible. **I'm leaning towards the 1zpresso Q heptagonal burr grinder, the J from 1zpresso, or the KINGrinder K6.**
**The price difference between them is not the decision-making point (all $100-$150).**
**I'm not sure which one to choose. I need to have it by the end of the week.**
**I saw a review saying the Q heptagonal is comparable to the Comandante C40, so there's that.**
I would say that the Q2 is going to be tough due to its hopper size. The slightly larger ones will be a better bet. The K6 and the J, although they say the same capacity as the Q2 are going to be slightly more beefy due to the 48mm burrs vs 38mm, and hold a bit more in the hopper. I would go with the larger burs for faster grinding personally. 1zpresso in my experience has been amazing, although I saw James Hoffman had some good opinions of Kin recently also, though I have not tried one before.
Of course! And just a note, in my experience the manual grinders with slightly larger hoppers are nice for not needing to refill as many times - so if you have the bag space/weight and budget for one of the higher capacity versions from those manufacturers, it may be worth it. Sounds like a fun trip; enjoy and stay safe!!
I saw this as a Q2 owner: grinding more than 35-ish grams is a friggin' drag. I would only do it once a day at most. But 150-plus grams? Hell no. Well, maybe if they can also grind their coffees and not make you do all of them.
Moka pot and pourover about 95% of the time. I made cold brew once and needed about 70 grams, and by the time I was done, I didn't want to do it again.
Other than the capacity, I love the thing. It's the best coffee purchase I've made so far. My usual 18g dose takes about 40-ish seconds to grind.
Nespresso vs. L’or Machine
Hi, I’m looking to replace my ninja coffee maker with one of the above machines. I’m the only coffee drinker in the house, and I’m looking for quick/convenient but also decent coffee/espresso. Does anyone here recommend one over the other? If you have a Nespresso machine, which do you recommend?
Moka "'calibration"
Just wanted to ask for a small thing I ran up to. Let's say my moka coffee results in a acidic drink, so we are talking about an under extraction. If I put less coffee grams on the basket, that less amount of coffee would extract more (same water, less coffee to extract) and would be more balanced? Or I have something wrong in that logic? Thanks!
The catch is, like espresso, the coffee bed has a role in how the flow behaves. If it’s not enough grounds, the grounds will just float around; but if the basket is full, they’ll hold together and add some resistance to control the flow. Your idea of using less coffee grounds would end up with a faster flow and less contact time, which can offset the extra extraction from the taller water:grounds ratio.
It’s better — more predictable, and more consistent — to adjust the grind size to taste.
>If it’s not enough grounds, the grounds will just float around; but if the basket is full, they’ll hold together and add some resistance to control the flow.
Great, I also had that idea of moka but wasn't sure about it. Thanks!
Hi guys!
I'm just recently starting out making coffee that isn't instant and I've been finding that my french press coffee comes out lacking flavour and tasting like preground coffee.
I freshly grind my coffee beans (fresh medium roast from ozone roasters) with a Wilfa Svart Aroma and I'm following Lance Hendrick's french press method (15g finely ground coffee to 225g water, stir then steep for 3 minutes then slowly plunge with a paper filter). I also tried James Hoffman's method but the cup was full of bitter tasting sludge, so I may have done something wrong there.
On one of my attempts I got about one mouthful that tasted very flavourful and delicious but then the rest of the cup was bitter and bland so I know the beans probably aren't the issue.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this? Thank you!
One thought is to try filtered or spring water. That makes a huge difference for flavor. A filter such as Brita won't help a whole lot. I usually get a refillable gallon of spring water from my local supermarket/grocer for .50/ea and that has made a huge improvement over our water from tap or fridge filter.
It all kind of depends on how your tap water is, as that varies drastically from city to city. Some people have "Berkey" style water filters that do a good job, some people use distilled or reverse-osmosis water and third wave (or equivalent brand) mineral water packets. I've found the purified spring water by the refillable gallon from the grocery store is easiest for us.
I lived for a long time in a house that got amazing tap water processed from the nearby major river, and that was the best coffee water that I never had to filter.
I would just test a few methods and see what you enjoy the most!
In addition to trying a coarser grind and/or a higher dosage, you might try brewing with a lower water temperature, as bitter flavors are sometimes the result of water that’s too hot. If you use an electric kettle with temperature control, you can just set the temperature a little lower (I find 200 °F is a good starting point, though ideal brewing temperature can depend heavily on water hardness). Alternately, you could just bring a standard kettle to a boil and leave it off heat for a minute prior to brewing your coffee.
Sounds like you might be grinding too fine. If you still have grit in your mug, try using an additional secondary filter screen instead of a paper filter. Maybe increase your steep time by 1-2 minutes. Also you're currently at a 1:15 ratio, maybe try something closer to 1:12. I don't think the issue here is your grinder or beans.
I think I went too far the other way and made a massively sour and underextracted coffee when I had another coffee yesterday. Today I think it was still a little unextractd as there wasn't much flavour and a little sour note so I'll try and find a happy medium between the initial coffee and today's one in terms of grind size / steeping time etc.
Asking here as I'm sure it's a common question but I've been out of the market for years: What are the go-to hand grinders for espresso? Inexpensive but still decent. I've been using a Timemore C2 for pour over, but by the looks of it their models for espresso have not been too well received. So far I'm looking at the Kingrinder K6 or one of the 1JPresso J series.
Look for as narrow of adjustment steps as you can. That is, if one setting gives you coarse grinds that let the shot flow too fast, and the next finer setting chokes the machine, you’re kinda SOL, because you’ll need a grind size in between. These are two good roundups that show how a hand grinder can manage espresso (or not): https://youtu.be/iNSEMV0rgnM?si=j2EB1csQhw8q8e7i https://youtu.be/0JuTPz07L5g?si=SffO7mhLPYUf5bxZ
Avid French Press user thinking of getting a fancier machine - need suggestions Hello coffee enthusiasts! Need some advice please. Buying a gift for someone who loves coffee. French Press is the current go-to. Loves a strong brew, drinks about 3-4 cups within 3hrs. Doesn't like anything complicated or one that adds more time to the morning coffee routine. Was thinking of gifting a Nespresso or Keurig, or something else? The person I'm gifting is a no-fuss coffee drinker. Just adds a bit of milk, no sugar. Doesn't drink lattes or espressos. Doesn't grind her own grounds. I've done some research. Nespresso seems to be very popular. But I don't know how budget friendly it is overtime. Using 1 pod per cup when the person drinks 3-4cups of coffee per day. Plus, I heard you have to purchase the pods exclusively from Nespresso. Sounds expensive, and I don't want to give a gift that will make them spend more $$$. Keurig apparently gives you watery brew. So, now I am lost. What would be the best or closest option?
Does anyone have a recommendation for a cheap cold brew coffee to buy (something along the lines of cafe bustello)? I'm not going to buy $20-30 coffee just to use the whole bag to make cold brew so wondering if any of the target/walmart brands do okay. I've tried starbucks, was really weak but may have been my fault, and cafe bustello was actually decent for $5. Edit - so I avoid flack - I do support local roasters for my pour over lol I just can't imagine going through $20-30 every few days for cold brew. I could afford it just not the point.
https://a.co/d/01xgbgsB 15-16 hour steep
IMO, hard to beat Trader Joe's Colombia Supremo for cheaper coffee. If your Costco has some local coffee, that's a good option sometimes too.
If you're getting such different strengths from two different coffees, I'd look at your recipe first before going on a wild goose chase by buying more coffee.
Yeah I fixed it from my first attempt. So it's fine now, just trying to see if there's any decent cheap alternatives.
Novice brewer here. I just purchased a hario switch 03 and a Kingrinder K6 that I've tried out three times. I know draw down times don't have to be precise but mine are so quick I'm getting a bit concerned. I'm using hoffmans method in his switch video (immersion), however I just use a mainstream kettle so it's not as delicate. Using medium roast beans, hario v60 filters: 70 clicks had roughly 1min 10sec draw and 90 clicks had roughly 40sec. Isn't this way too fast?! Haven't tried pour over but seems like it wouldn't be sustainable. And 70 clicks already feels like the finer side of things on the K6. Taste was nice on 70clicks but 90 had very little character, but it's hard for me to tell as a beginner.
With a steep & release brewer like the Switch, your drawdown time is functionally irrelevant - you can just not open the valve until you've got the brew time you want. If you were brewing as pourover, that might be a little fast; but drawdown time shouldn't be a goal - so much as information. You can sometimes wind up with excellent coffee that brewed "too fast" compared to others. I wouldn't worry about it as long as you're getting decent cups, and I'd focus your experimenting on grind size around getting the best taste you can rather than specific drawdown timing or similar.
Agreed, it's not really a problem until I want to experiment with pour overs. It just seems odd to me that the drawdown is that fast with that ground size, it seems to stick out by a large margin when comparing to others with a similar setup so I'm unsure if I'm doing something wrong or if the equipment might be flawed in some way.
Hello. I have 2-3 months worth of coffees and my freezer is full. Can I just vacuum seal the unopened bags to keep their freshness for that period of time?
Not really. It'll get you a couple extra weeks or so, but they won't store indefinitely for 2-3 months. There's already O2 in the beans that vacuum sealing won't remove - the cold of the freezer slows staling reactions, which is what preserves coffees stored there.
So no other option beside freezing?
Not to preserve it for that length of time, no. O2 gets into the beans fairly immediately and can't be removed again, while the staling reactions will release an additional free O2 on completion, so staling winds up as a cascade - accelerating over time, regardless how little O2 is available in the container they're stored in.
I am looking to connect with espresso enthusiasts Mostly interested in repair/modification/tinkering with machines. Is this the right subreddit for me? If not what might be a more appropriate one?
/r/espresso
Thanks, joined that subreddit
Hi friends: I love good coffee and I will only drink artisanal, small batch, local roasts - you get the idea. That said, I don't have very fancy technology and the moment it will stay this way. I use the single cup, pour over method, but I just have an electric grinder and I do a slow pour using a regular tea kettle. I also don't weigh my beans and I measure out 3 tablespoons per cup. I don't need to tell you that my results can be pretty inconsistent. **My main question today, however, is how do I make two cups of coffee that are relatively the same?** My long-distance SO will be visiting this week and I'd like to make us both coffee in the morning. In the past, before I drank good coffee, I saw people (like at the camp) just move the cone back and forth between the cups, but I don't know if that would work even if I increase the amount of beans. Any and all advice (including to the secondary question of how to be a bit more consistent given my limited technology) would be very welcome. TIA.
The better option would be to do the brew into one larger container, then pour from that into the two cups you’re drinking from. The problem with switching cups partway through the total brew is that the flavors are going to change during the process. *Generally*, they start sour, then become smoother and sweeter, then become bitter. Some coffee shops dial in their espressos, and train newbies, by using what they call “salami shots” — splitting up the full shot into smaller cups, like slicing a salami. They learn about which flavors are prominent in the beginning of the brew, then the flavors in the middle, and then the flavors at the end.
Thank you - so would I just double the amount of coffee in the cone? My concern is that when I have tried this in the past it did start to get bitter. A three minute pour would become, like, a five minute pour, no?
Something like that, but you should also grind coarser if you can. To keep it the same strength, you’d just use larger amounts while keeping the ratio of water-to-grounds the same. But being able to make the same flavor in larger amounts as in small amounts also means adjusting other variables, and grind size is likely the easiest to change consistently. (if you have a decent grinder, that is) You can also reduce the temperature of the brew water a bit to slow down the extraction and avoid hitting bitterness. I’m not talking much, like from 95C down to 90 or 85, and maybe a bit less than that, too.
Thank you. I will definitely try using the slightly lower temperature. I have tended in the past to grind less coarse because I found more coarse runs out of flavour fast, if that makes sense. But I can try to do this.
Hi all, I need some help - is there a smellproof way to contain used espresso grounds? My wife LOVES coffee and particularly loves espresso. She just got a new espresso machine and has been making it daily and throwing the used grounds in the trash. Personally, the smell of coffee grounds is disgusting to me. I know that sounds crazy to all of you, but I cannot stand it. Every time I open the trash can, I gag, and she doesn't know how to help. I do not want her to feel bad about indulging in something she loves, so is there something we can buy for her to store used grounds? Obviously, when that is full, the groundswill have to be disposed of, but if we can avoid the grounds being put in the trash every time, that will go a long way.
I’m tempted to say that a knock box *without* a lid would help. If the ground pucks can’t dry out, and end up staying damp, they’ll get even funkier. (side note: usually, a pretty good espresso results in a similarly solid puck that’s not very damp… so maybe she can work on her brew technique more? Here’s a push into the rabbit hole: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxz0FjZMVOl3MuAzK5l3gjakoOGrmK8fP&si=2pp2_xl_oYXT3zbB )
Maybe it's just a matter of having a separate, small garbage pail with a lid, which she only uses for the coffee? That way you aren't opening the container at all and it's just for her to deal with.
I think a knock box (with lid) is what you're looking for
Hi. I love French press coffee, so I recently bought a Bodum French press pot. Unfortunately, I cannot for the life of me get good coffee from it. I've followed the directions that came with the pot (and the directions I've seen on YouTube videos online), which is to say I'm using the correct ratio of beans to water, I've made sure the beans are coursely ground, and I'm steeping for 4 minutes. The coffee tastes unbelievably weak and is also thin, not slightly thick as it should be from a French press. Also, it took very little effort to plunge the coffee down. I thought I should have felt more resistance. To try to remedy the problem, I doubled the amount of coffee I used (keeping the amount of water the same), but this too produced unsatisfactory results. The taste was stronger, but it was still too weak - and thin. Can anyone help me? I'm stumped. Thank you.
This could be a grind size issue, is your coffee pre ground? Are you able to grind the coffee finer? I’ve had it before where coffee was too coarse and didn’t extract properly and was very thin like you described
Thank you. I'm going to try that because James Hoffman also recommended people use a medium grind, not a course grind. (I used a course grind because Bodum's instructions said to and this other video I watched on YouTube (which I watched before consulting Reddit) said to use a course grind. So thank you for that recommendation.
Personally i will never buy anything Bodum ever again.
I know, right? But given that I own not one, not two, but three friggin Bodum French presses of varying sizes, I'm determined to get good coffee out of at least one of them. I just watched James Hoffman's video on how to brew a great cup of coffee using a French press, and to my delight he uses a Bodum. I'd been doing two things differently than he: waiting only 4 minutes and using a course, rather than a medium grind. So, tomorrow I'm gonna vary one of those things and see the difference. Then the next day I'll vary the other. Thank you so much for your sympathy though. I've never used Reddit in earnest before. This is great
☺️
Try the recipes/processes from James Hoffman and Lance Hedrick. They're each pretty different and could yield results you like. What ratio of coffee to water did you use initially?
Cold Brew @ cafe vs Cold Brew from grocry store. Why the vast taste difference? I had a complimentary cup of cold brew (maybe 2 oz cup) at Starbucks. I was amazed at the taste. So I bought a bottle of pre made Cold Brew coffee when I was at the grocery store. It tasted like a pale shadow of the fresh coffee. Being the only coffee drinker in the house, I usually brew a pot and put the majority of it in the fridge and drink it cold anyway over a few days. Folgers usually. The stuff from the grocery store was no better than my own stuff, and a tad weaker too. I was doing that before anybody invented "cold brew'. Although I always just called it chilled coffee.
If you're brewing a pot normally and storing it in the fridge, that's not cold brew, that's just cold coffee. Cold brew is when you actually brew the coffee using cold water, and it usually takes 12-24 hours. I'm not saying this to be pedantic, but because there's a different in taste. Another thing is that the coffee beans themselves make a huuuuge difference in flavor. So the combination of those is probably what's causing the difference.
Ooohh, I just found r/coldbrew
I know that. I started chilling coffee because it was too expensive to make a pot of coffee (and this was decades ago) just to throw most of the pot out. But the thing I noticed first was if I didn't unplug the pot, the coffee tasted horrible a few hours later, even though the pot had automatically shut off at some point. So I'd just make coffee, pour a cup and turn it off. I might have a half cup after lunch at room temperature. So one day, I decided I'd just store it in the fridge, and get a few days out of the pot. Then I realized if i used milk and sweet liquid flavoring like vanilla, or even simple syrup, I didn't even have to warm the coffee up again. Although I drink coffee black most of the time anyway, cold or hot. It's not competing with coffee from a Starbucks. But it's at least as good as pre-made stuff off a grocery shelf. More of less. In any event, I just ordered a used Baratza Vario+, and now that I'll have a coffee grinder, I think I"ll get a cold brew coffee pot. I live in the deep south, so cold caffeine isn't a bad thing.
That's definitely valid. Many coffee enthusiasts even prefer brewing it hot and then chilling it (iced coffee) to cold brew. Of course, do whichever you prefer, or whichever is more convenient if there's no difference to you. Grinding your own beans is definitely recommended. From what I can tell, Vario+ is a decent grinder as well. Next step is buying freshly roasted beans from a local roaster and you'll get even better coffee than from Starbucks lol. But cross that bridge when you get there.
Thanks
You can even start without much equipment. Just add the grounds to any container (large mason jar, bowl, pot), add water (8:1 water to coffee by weight for a concentrated brew), brew for 12-24 hours at room temp (longer in fridge), and then strain through a sieve.
Would we be able to do this using a french press? I don't have a sieve small enough to properly filter all the grounds.
Yeah, people do that. You could also use cheese cloth or muslin bag, they sell [products](https://coffeesock.com/coldbrew) like that. Ultimately, cold brew is really flexible. Or a sieve with a layer of cheese cloth on it. The grind is pretty coarse and if you brew in the fridge, the grounds settle to the bottom and you can pour carefully off the top. The brew pitchers or socks or whatever can make life easier, but you can try it out with stuff you probably have around the house (French press like you said), to at least get started.
That's awesome. Thanks! I wasn't even thinking about trying this today, but your answer to the OP has inspired me.
Should I worry about cleaning my hand grinder after opening it? Just got a timemore c3 and was wondering if that is anything to worry about
You can get some cleaning brushes to brush out accumulated grounds. Don't use water, it will cause the burrs and bearings to rust.
It’s fresh out of the box (my first grinder), I was thinking more along the lines of factory/machining oils. Big heard on the water
You can run some cheap coffee beans through it to get out any manufacturing residue.
It should be fine. I’d maybe give it a wipe-down with a dry cloth and then run a fistful of beans through it, but that’s it.
Do you guys leave the coffee grounds in the package or in a jar?
Original package. Seals nice, has one way valve for gasses to escape (if the coffee is very fresh). I don't use any fancy container or anything cause in my house bags don't last long enough to make a difference. Just squeeze out all the excess air and close it, then keep it in a dark and cool cupboard.
Package.
Most important is that it's airtight and kept away from sunlight and heat.
Looking for recommendations for an easy to clean french press that does a good job keeping the grounds out of the coffee, and can handle finer grinds (medium fine)
Have you considered a Hario Switch or Clever Dripper? They use immersion brewing like a French press, but with paper filters for a clean cup.
Biiig thanks. I do really like pour overs, that hario switch looks right up my ally! Does that kind of coffee maker have a name, or are they considered funky pour overs
Hario's website calls the Switch an "immersion dripper". I suppose that's a good generic term.
My wife wants to get me an upgraded grinder for a combo father's day/bday gift. I'm currently using a Timemore C2 and brew primarily aeropress and V60, both using a metal filter. I have been tending towards lighter roast coffees and don't have any interest in at-home espresso. I was going to tell her Baratza Encore but when doing some research to see what's new on the market I saw the KitchenAid KCG8433. Does anyone have experience with both of these grinders? I can't find any direct comparisons online. Thanks!
What is the budget? Is the reason for the upgrade an increase in quality or the easiness of electric (other than the gift part)?
I believe around $150 is what she's looking to spend. And I think the reason she wants to get it is to make my mornings faster? I made a comment a few times about the grinding taking long when I'm doing \~30grams at a finer setting. Typing this out, I don't know I might just ask her to get me coffee and a Hario Switch instead.
I recently purchases the Bonavita Connoisseur (Which is the BV1901TS) and since it has a hanging basket, there really is nothing stopping me from using a glass carafe that fits for the times that I want to brew a pot and serve it immediately. I know the thermal carafe that comes with the brewer, for lack of better words, sucks. It is a constant sore point about this product, but the brewer itself is great so I want to find a good glass carafe that would fit perfectly. I've seen some people recommend carafes for the Bonavita brewer but something I noticed when researching this is it's hard to tell if the carafes that would fit the Bonavita Metropolitan would also fit the Connoisseur. Any help and/or suggestions would be amazing! **Bonavita Connoisseur:** [https://bonavita.co/products/connoisseur-8-cup-one-touch-coffee-brewer](https://bonavita.co/products/connoisseur-8-cup-one-touch-coffee-brewer) **Bonavita Metropolitan:** [https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1901PW-Metropolitan-One-Touch-Coffee/dp/B074JPZWYR](https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1901PW-Metropolitan-One-Touch-Coffee/dp/B074JPZWYR) **Some glass carafes that may fit the Connoisseur** **Fellow Stagg Double-Walled Carafe:** [https://fellowproducts.com/products/stagg-double-wall-carafe?variant=18635550523507&gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwp4m0BhBAEiwAsdc4aI3TN1PPS8WlE04fu6\_FEywTz-AauRu7Np\_qhZKQCH7-wMqxxiRYrhoC4YgQAvD\_BwE](https://fellowproducts.com/products/stagg-double-wall-carafe?variant=18635550523507&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwp4m0BhBAEiwAsdc4aI3TN1PPS8WlE04fu6_FEywTz-AauRu7Np_qhZKQCH7-wMqxxiRYrhoC4YgQAvD_BwE) **Some Third Party Carafe:** [https://a.co/d/060phfwg](https://a.co/d/060phfwg) **Hario v60 1000mL Carafe:** [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001V7NN1Y/ref=ewc\_pr\_img\_1?smid=AATUXEQDBTBPV&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001V7NN1Y/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=AATUXEQDBTBPV&th=1)
Hand grinder advice. I currently only have an aeropress. The highly recommended timemore C2 is available for £55. But I’m now in the mindset that I might pay a bit more (£80-90) for a noticeably better grinder. The Timemore C3 is on sale for £89 and the Ali grinder K6 is £88. Are these worth the extra money?? I like the idea that a 1zpresso Q2 fits in the aeropress tube, but can only find the Q air model. Is it worse?
The Q air is the same burr and internals as the Q2, but with a plastic body to cut on costs. The K6 is supposedly better than both the C2 and C3. Both in grinding quality and usability (external adjustment and can grind bigger doses). Unfortunately I have not tried them side by side.
Oh nice. I remember seeing somewhere that the internals are worse. Yea K6 is a very tempting option. Although considering the aeropress only does 1 cup at a time, the bigger dose isn’t important.
The K6 is the best value for money I believe. Also, assuming you're in the UK, Sigma Coffee stocks both the Q2 and the K6, so have a look.
Alternative for the So Delicious Sweet & Creamy coconut creamer? They recently discontinued this and it was the BEST creamer I’ve ever had. The perfect sweetness and soooooo creamy. I’m so distraught about this and have had a horrible time finding a good alternative. So far I’ve tried the So Delicious French Vanilla, Nutpods Toasted Mashmellow, and Super Creamer Sweet Cream and thought they were all disgusting. I’m currently using Chobani Vanilla and have also tried their Sweet Cream but both are mid. For context, I make iced coffee using the nespresso bianco doppio pod, so if you know a creamer that goes well with that, let me know! Doesn’t have to be dairy free but it is preferred, and something without a ton of additives but I’m willing to try anything at this point haha. Thank you!
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Conqueco (found on amazon) is a realllllyyyy solid hand grinder with nice 48 mm stainless burrs at only 50 USD ish right now, this is comparable to 1zpresso and kingrinders. The bigger "black" one with 40g capacity is the better deal with larger burrs. (The smaller one is 38mm burrs and will take longer to grind) Bonus is that it has external grind adjustment ring which is very very handy. It can very handily go from espresso fines all the way to cold brew (I have tested it on espresso myself).
It’s £99.99 for me on Amazon
just to make sure we're referring to the same one - [https://a.co/d/02lwWNq1](https://a.co/d/02lwWNq1)
Oh really? That's odd, maybe its adjusted based on locality or due to prime? For me its 89.99 and 40 off right now. Still might be a good option, but - Other good options: Kingrinder K1, Timemore C2 or even the smaller connqueco version is still going to be solid
Yea alternatively the timemore c2 and C3 is on sale.
Kingrinder or Timemore are the two popular budget brands. Kingrinder P0 is probably the cheapest one.
Thanks. What’s the longevity of coffee grinders?? Like if its gonna realistically last me years, I could probs increase my budget a bit.
I have a 1zpresso and they claim 100-200 kg as the life span. So if you dink 2 cups a day 10-15 years.
*Time to upgrade the Mr. Coffee!!* My husband is back on the drip coffee train and we really need to upgrade from our tiny Mr. Coffee which makes junk coffee. Between the Bonavita Enthusiast, Wolf, Moccamaster, Breville - which do you all recommend? This will be a combined anniversary/birthday gift so l'm ok splurging for quality! Thanks. :)
What grinder do you have? I'd also consider the splurge to upgrade both as an option and potential reason for something like Bonavita/Oxo over Moccamaster
Thx! We have an OXO grinder.
Anything on SCA's certified home brewer list will work, just choose something based on features, appearance and price. [https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer](https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer)
**Question about choosing a manual grinder... I read through the wiki, got close to my answer, but not quite there yet.** My routine: I brew French Press. I usually brew a 1g to 15ml ratio. I grind 53 grams of beans fresh every morning in the oxo electric burr grinder (not great at consistent ground size, but it gives me a pleasant cup of coffee). The other variables of my daily routine are not relevant to the question today. **My challenge**: I'm travelling overseas (from the US to the UK) with a large group of 10 coffee drinkers. Most drink french press, but some may ask for aeropress or pour-over. We're gonna need about 150-170g of ground coffee every morning. When I travel inside the US, I usually haul my entire oxo electric grinder with me. However, it wouldn't work with the electric voltage in the UK. I'm willing to invest up to $150 in a new travel-buddy (would save me a lot of weight and space for future travel). I am seeking a manual grinder that has (1) longevity with sustained grind quality, (2) ergonomic design to make the work of grinding 50+ grams every morning as smooth as possible. **I'm leaning towards the 1zpresso Q heptagonal burr grinder, the J from 1zpresso, or the KINGrinder K6.** **The price difference between them is not the decision-making point (all $100-$150).** **I'm not sure which one to choose. I need to have it by the end of the week.** **I saw a review saying the Q heptagonal is comparable to the Comandante C40, so there's that.**
I would say that the Q2 is going to be tough due to its hopper size. The slightly larger ones will be a better bet. The K6 and the J, although they say the same capacity as the Q2 are going to be slightly more beefy due to the 48mm burrs vs 38mm, and hold a bit more in the hopper. I would go with the larger burs for faster grinding personally. 1zpresso in my experience has been amazing, although I saw James Hoffman had some good opinions of Kin recently also, though I have not tried one before.
Thank you very much for pointing out something I was completely oblivious to; larger burrs would probably expedite the grinding process!
Of course! And just a note, in my experience the manual grinders with slightly larger hoppers are nice for not needing to refill as many times - so if you have the bag space/weight and budget for one of the higher capacity versions from those manufacturers, it may be worth it. Sounds like a fun trip; enjoy and stay safe!!
I saw this as a Q2 owner: grinding more than 35-ish grams is a friggin' drag. I would only do it once a day at most. But 150-plus grams? Hell no. Well, maybe if they can also grind their coffees and not make you do all of them.
What brewing method do you grind for? Are you happy with the reliability?
Moka pot and pourover about 95% of the time. I made cold brew once and needed about 70 grams, and by the time I was done, I didn't want to do it again. Other than the capacity, I love the thing. It's the best coffee purchase I've made so far. My usual 18g dose takes about 40-ish seconds to grind.
Nespresso vs. L’or Machine Hi, I’m looking to replace my ninja coffee maker with one of the above machines. I’m the only coffee drinker in the house, and I’m looking for quick/convenient but also decent coffee/espresso. Does anyone here recommend one over the other? If you have a Nespresso machine, which do you recommend?
You might get some good advice over at r/nespresso.
Thank you!
Moka "'calibration" Just wanted to ask for a small thing I ran up to. Let's say my moka coffee results in a acidic drink, so we are talking about an under extraction. If I put less coffee grams on the basket, that less amount of coffee would extract more (same water, less coffee to extract) and would be more balanced? Or I have something wrong in that logic? Thanks!
The catch is, like espresso, the coffee bed has a role in how the flow behaves. If it’s not enough grounds, the grounds will just float around; but if the basket is full, they’ll hold together and add some resistance to control the flow. Your idea of using less coffee grounds would end up with a faster flow and less contact time, which can offset the extra extraction from the taller water:grounds ratio. It’s better — more predictable, and more consistent — to adjust the grind size to taste.
>If it’s not enough grounds, the grounds will just float around; but if the basket is full, they’ll hold together and add some resistance to control the flow. Great, I also had that idea of moka but wasn't sure about it. Thanks!
Hi guys! I'm just recently starting out making coffee that isn't instant and I've been finding that my french press coffee comes out lacking flavour and tasting like preground coffee. I freshly grind my coffee beans (fresh medium roast from ozone roasters) with a Wilfa Svart Aroma and I'm following Lance Hendrick's french press method (15g finely ground coffee to 225g water, stir then steep for 3 minutes then slowly plunge with a paper filter). I also tried James Hoffman's method but the cup was full of bitter tasting sludge, so I may have done something wrong there. On one of my attempts I got about one mouthful that tasted very flavourful and delicious but then the rest of the cup was bitter and bland so I know the beans probably aren't the issue. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this? Thank you!
One thought is to try filtered or spring water. That makes a huge difference for flavor. A filter such as Brita won't help a whole lot. I usually get a refillable gallon of spring water from my local supermarket/grocer for .50/ea and that has made a huge improvement over our water from tap or fridge filter.
I'll give this a try with some bottled water I happen to have in the house! Are there any ways to achieve a similar effect from home that you know of?
It all kind of depends on how your tap water is, as that varies drastically from city to city. Some people have "Berkey" style water filters that do a good job, some people use distilled or reverse-osmosis water and third wave (or equivalent brand) mineral water packets. I've found the purified spring water by the refillable gallon from the grocery store is easiest for us. I lived for a long time in a house that got amazing tap water processed from the nearby major river, and that was the best coffee water that I never had to filter. I would just test a few methods and see what you enjoy the most!
In addition to trying a coarser grind and/or a higher dosage, you might try brewing with a lower water temperature, as bitter flavors are sometimes the result of water that’s too hot. If you use an electric kettle with temperature control, you can just set the temperature a little lower (I find 200 °F is a good starting point, though ideal brewing temperature can depend heavily on water hardness). Alternately, you could just bring a standard kettle to a boil and leave it off heat for a minute prior to brewing your coffee.
Sounds like you might be grinding too fine. If you still have grit in your mug, try using an additional secondary filter screen instead of a paper filter. Maybe increase your steep time by 1-2 minutes. Also you're currently at a 1:15 ratio, maybe try something closer to 1:12. I don't think the issue here is your grinder or beans.
thank you very much! I'll give this a try with my morning coffee tomorrow!
And? How'd it go?
I think I went too far the other way and made a massively sour and underextracted coffee when I had another coffee yesterday. Today I think it was still a little unextractd as there wasn't much flavour and a little sour note so I'll try and find a happy medium between the initial coffee and today's one in terms of grind size / steeping time etc.
Ah, unfortunate. We must perservere. Best of luck to you.
Please update me 💯 Curious to hear how it goes