doctorfrog on 19/3/2008 at 07:44
I have a little 4-cup Mr. Coffee (probably just like your old one) that I love. $20 and has delivered a consistent cup, using freshly ground coffee from a $20 grinder. I chose not to go nuts over coffee quality like some, and I'm very happy with the daily cup I get.
I've heard that the larger coffee makers don't do so good if you're just going for a single cup or two, so unless you do expect that company, don't go for it.
I have noticed that Mr. Coffee coffeemakers have gotten cheaper construction lately, however. Mine has an attractive hourglass look, a flip-top lid with a shower-head style hot-water sprinkler thing, a cute little carafe, and a removable water supply. All missing from the latest-gen Mr's, which are ugly cheap little throwbacks.
And stay the hell away from pod coffee makers. God, are we that stupid?
theBlackman on 19/3/2008 at 23:07
Use the Peruvian Cold extract process:
1: Get a clean 1/2 gallon jar (Glass is preferred)
2: Put 2 pounds of coffee in it.
3: Fill with cold water and stir well to make certain the coffee is well saturated.
4: Put it in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
5: Using a fine mesh (gold is the best) reusable filter, pour the extract through into a clean container.
6: Put 1 to 1-1/2 ounces in a cup (6 oz), of hot water (or microwave cold).
7: If not strong enough add a little more next time.
8: If too strong reduce amount of extract.
9: When you have the perfect amount of extract figured out, pour the extract into an icecube tray and freeze.
10: Remove cubes, put in a PAPER bag in the freezer.
11: Take out needed number of Cubes, place in coffecup, add hot water and drink.
The Paper bag keeps the cubes from sticking to each other. Plastic or sealed containers will make them "sweat" and stick together.
The Extract will keep in a refrigerator without souring for about 3 weeks.
For a perfect cup of brewed coffee, use 2 tbl spoons regular grind, to 6 oz of water, and a water temperature of 180 to 190 degrees. Add grounds to a basket filter, or a good French Press, and pour 1 cup water into grounds. Let sit a few minutes to prime the grounds. Add the rest of the water and when it has dripped through, enjoy your coffee without the acidic oils and bitter flavor.
With a French Press, let it "Steep" about 3 minutes, and then press and pour.
For only one or two cups with a filter, use just a couple of Tbl spoons of water to prime.
TBE on 20/3/2008 at 01:13
Sign up for a month of Gevalia coffee service. (
http://www.joingevalia.com/Promo/Gev2007/promo1204.htm#keycode=117865) Click here for the free coffee maker. I have this coffee maker, and it makes excellent coffee. You'll have to sign up for their monthly delivery service, but just cancel at about 15 days into it. Tell them you're moving to Mozambique so they don't try to talk you into staying for 15 minutes on the phone. All in all, I think you'll be out about $15.00 for shipping for this really good coffee maker.
The important thing about making coffee is to use one tablespoon of grounds for one cup of coffee. Unless you're making a batch of 10 cups or more. If making 10 cups, you can reduce the amount to about 8 to 9 tablespoons, unless you like it strong, and just keep using the 1 tablespoon per cup method.
I think you get 2 free half pounds of coffee from them. The dark roast is really good. The breakfast blend is pretty good too. The Jamaican Blue Mountain is REALLY good, but it's frickin' expensive as hell.
Happy Birthday! This is my present to you.
theBlackman on 20/3/2008 at 01:28
(
http://ezinearticles.com/?3-Simple-Tips-For-Making-Perfect-Coffee&id=18153)
"Use 2 level tablespoons of coffee per 6 ounces of water. This can be adjusted for individual taste preference. Make sure to spread the grounds evenly in the coffee filter so full brewing is achieved."
(
http://www.sallys-place.com/beverages/coffee/perfect.htm)
Measure the coffee to be used and measure the volume of your coffee cup.
"I can't stress how important this is. One six-ounce cup of coffee needs two tablespoons of coffee beans. If that sounds like a lot then you have probably been making less than full strength coffee as I was. For years I was making coffee with less robust flavors because I had too large a cup for the amount of coffee I was using. When I finally did begin measuring, my coffee drinking experience was transformed into the delightful, pleasing experience that remains constant if I follow these simple directions."
If you drink coffee, not a tea-like imitation brew, nearly every maker, distributor, seller, and professional, including the coffee bars, and the makers of brewers, suggest at least
2 Tablespoons per 6 oz. of water.
And, just to clear up some confusion, Espresso contains less caffiene than strong tea, or a cup of brewed coffee. You get full robust flavor with less caffiene and the acids that make coffee bitter.
Goggle it if you doubt it. I managed a couple of coffeehouses, and coffebars in my few years.
Mr.Duck on 20/3/2008 at 09:53
*Sits and attends the lecture*
Btw...HBB J&T, great to see you around :D
Jennie&Tim on 21/3/2008 at 15:15
Wow, you guys are great. I'm awfully tempted by that cold press idea, it seems that any heat degradation would be completely nullified.
Rug Burn Junky on 23/3/2008 at 16:41
Quote Posted by jbairdjr
(C2)pick a cup (any cup) and make it your favorite coffee cup. After you drink coffee from it, rinse it out, wash the outside BUT DON'T WASH THE INSIDE. The coffee stains inside the cup increase the flavor of your next cup, the cup after that, and so on. This methodology and rule also applies to the coffee pot.
If by "flavor" he means "horrible bitterness that builds up over time such that only a classless ogre wouldn't notice that it tastes like shit" then yeah, this is correct.
Otherwise, wash your coffee cup, and run a bit of vinegar through your coffee maker once in a while so that you're getting coffee, and not waste products, when you drink.
Never mind the utter lack of class involved in the "hurrr, guys should only drink coffee black." Fuck that, real men don't care about prejudicial clichés like that: Real men drink whatever the fuck they please. I drink tea. With milk and sugar. Make something of it.
------------
tBm's absolutely correct about using enough grounds.* Only thing I'd stress is that that's even stronger than you'd imagine, because most coffee cups are far larger than 6 ounces.
*I happen to think that 2Tbs/6oz is a bit much, and I personally use 2 Tbs/8oz, but that's just personal taste, so I won't quibble.
TBE on 23/3/2008 at 18:07
I have to disagree about the 2 tablespoons of grounds per 6 or 8 ounces. Most people I know consider anything of this magnitude to be crude oil coming out of their machine. I like it that strong if it's right out of the machine sometimes, but if it sits for more than 10-15 minutes after being brewed, it becomes too strong for most people's taste. It's all personal preference anyway, but when I make it with 1 tablespoon of grounds per cup, the people I make it for enjoy it. When I say cup, I mean the amount of water you're putting in the machine. Like most coffee makers will allow you to make 10 "cups." So I put in about 10 tablespoons. This usually ends up being about 4 1/2 of the typical person's coffee cups they imbibe out of. Wash your cup once in awhile too. Rinsing it out with water during the day is fine, but wash it with really mild soap every now and then.
theBlackman on 23/3/2008 at 19:51
If you let the pot sit on WARM, yeah, even 1/2 tbls mix will burn and taste horrible.
Once you make a pot TURN THE DAMN THING OFF, or throw the unused coffee out after about 10-15 minutes max.
Coffee sitting on "warm" in your Mr Coffee or whatever, will burn, develop acids and taste like shit in about 5 to 15 minutes.
Why do you think the professional shops and quality restaurants don't let coffee sit on warm for more than a few minutes. And use timers to brew and track the sit time of the pots.
Use a microwave to warm the coffee in your cup.
Or just make one or two cups at a time.
