Coffee

[Richard Tarleton]

Yes rather unfortunate in light of his suicide and the apparent reason for it .

What a sad story, thank you both. I had not pursued the Wiki thread that far. Had he been to public school all would have been fine...

[Barbirollians]

Illy does make good espresso coffee - I have to agree even in a Bialetti .

[Boilk]

How did I miss this thread before?

For the best single cup of coffee I am a fan of this device:

http://www.dansdata.com/aeropress.htm

After a year of use I realised that it made a better cup of coffee if inverted and left for 2 minutes to brew - you can't make great coffee instantly, the water must have some time on the bean.

Globaltruth, I've been using the Aeropress for a year and agree about leaving the coffee for 2-or-so minutes. But what about temperature? The packaging says 70C is best; have you experimented with different temperatures and gleaned any consistent results?

[Globaltruth]

Globaltruth, I've been using the Aeropress for a year and agree about leaving the coffee for 2-or-so minutes. But what about temperature? The packaging says 70C is best; have you experimented with different temperatures and gleaned any consistent results?

Glad there's a fellow fan out there - the issue around temperatures is thorny; different coffees seem to behave differently, then, of course, there is the grind. The machine works best with an extremely fine grind (not surprising given that it is basically a filter) - but I've found different beans grind differently too; probably depends on the roast, the age....

so, no easy answer but so much fun experimenting. I'm also considering investing in the permanent steel filter instead of the papers because I can understand that may behave slightly differently in a way beneficial to the drinker.

My Xmas treat to myself?
Some Jamaican Blue Mountain from the Wallenford Estate, an extremely small portion & the rate I'm going through it will all be gone by the 25th...but, Wow.

[Boilk]

Thanks Globaltruth. Wasn't even aware of the permanent steel filter - I'd got into the habit of using the paper filters twice each to economise

I've settled into Lavazza ground powders for now.

[MrGongGong]

Good Christmas present this year from one of my children
was a bag of freshly ground monsooned Malabar

excellent stuff indeed .........

[Dave2002]

Are there any good drinks thermometers for getting things right with gadgets such as the Aeropress? Maybe it's not too critical, but a thermometer might help a bit.

[vinteuil]

Are there any good drinks thermometers for getting things right with gadgets such as the Aeropress? Maybe it's not too critical, but a thermometer might help a bit.

... good lord, if it needs a thermometer

[Don Petter]

A coffee question. (Apologies if it's already been aired.)

Why do so many cafés, and even some bars, have a little open dish of coffee beans on the counter? This seems to be a recent phenomenon. Some of the poncier establishments even have them in a little hessian sack.

Is it felt that the smell of the beans will entice customers to buy (more) coffee? Surely the unroasted beans do not have very much smell - that of roasting beans would be an entirely different, and more understandable, matter.

It can't be just to advertise that coffee is available, since the scene is usually dominated by one of the monster machines that take so long to produce anything for those in front of you in the queue, when all you want is a couple of filters.

[johnb]

I'm puzzled that the Aeropress is said to require water at 70C. I thought the optimum water temperature for the water in brewing coffee is somewhere around 93C. However, I see that the recommended temperature for milk in a latté, etc is 70C!

[Later edit] After Googling Aeropress, etc I see the whole thing is much to complex for my aged brain. I'll retire to the kitchen and my simple cafetiere.

[Boilk]

[Later edit] After Googling Aeropress, etc I see the whole thing is much to [sic] complex for my aged brain. I'll retire to the kitchen and my simple cafetiere.

The success of the Aeropress is surely in large part its simplicity ... both during and after coffee preparation.

Insert filter, insert coffee, insert hot water ... and press!

Washing up afterwards takes seconds (and I use each filter twice).

[amateur51]

... good lord, if it needs a thermometer

[doversoul1]

I have not read through the thread but does nobody uses a filter cone and a jug? The process of pouring the hot water at the right speed and to know when to stop is a skill that needs to be acquired. In comparison, making coffee in a cafetiere seems to me to be artless in the extreme. When did it come about? I don’t remember seeing it in any pre-1970 films.

[vinteuil]

The success of the Aeropress is surely in large part its simplicity ... both during and after coffee preparation.

Insert filter, insert coffee, insert hot water ... and press!

Washing up afterwards takes seconds (and I use each filter twice).

Following enthusiastic advocacy on the thread we treated ourselves to an aeropress as a christmas prezzie. Still playing with it, and yes, I do like the coffee it produces. Currently using illy dark fine ground. More experimenting with quantities of coffee / water still to be carried out.

My only criticisms so far wd be - in the morning we require several largeish cups of latte - an appropriate size stovetop pot produces enough coffee in one go: with the aeropress several goes wd be needed (if you want hot coffee); later in the day I like drinking espresso from a very small thin cup : the aeropress requires a largeish and sturdy mug as the recipient. So I decant...

[jean]

I have not read through the thread but does nobody uses a filter cone and a jug?

I think they do, but I don't because it's impossible to get it strong enough that way.

A cafetiere isn't the only alternative!

As to its origins, try this:

The story goes that the old man used to go for a walk up a hill everyday to get some peace and quiet from his nagging wife. No matter how bad the weather was, blistering heat or driving rain, the old man would make the journey...

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