Best shot: Coffee - how do you brew? • The Register Forums

Saturday 23rd August 2014 08:16 GMT Ole Juul

Madam Blå

I'm a little disappointed that madam blå wasn't mentioned. Denmark is just across the water and (at least to the Danes) is considered the world's centre of coffee making.

There are many good ways to make coffee, as the article aptly points out, and I've done a number of them over the last 60 years or so. It is a matter of pride to to be known as a house where the coffee is unsurpassed, and I carry on the proud tradition of my parents in that regard. In any case, as I get older I find myself favouring the tradition in which I grew up.

1 0 Reply
1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 09:54 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Re: Madam Blå
  
  Why would the article include mention of a product you haven't been able to buy since 1966?
  
  3 1 Reply
  1. Monday 25th August 2014 07:28 GMT Ole Juul
    
    Re: Madam Blå
    
    Why would the article include mention of a product you haven't been able to buy since 1966?
    
    What a strange comment. You can buy them now if you want to buy them now. They're around $40. I've got several, because I didn't thrown them away. Besides, many people use the same method with a slightly more modern pot.
    
    0 0 Reply
    1. Wednesday 27th August 2014 09:31 GMT illiad
      
      Re: Madam Blå
      
      have you tried googling it?? only swedish sites, and not much sign of how it works... link or explanation please... :)
      
      0 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 08:19 GMT janimal

I do love my aeropress. For the price, ease of use and also portability (great for decent coffee when camping) it is pretty awesome. As you say, shame about the crema though :/

3 0 Reply
1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 13:19 GMT spork
  
  you just need to do it right
  
  Aeropress can make crema - you just need the right water temperature, coffee grind, and technique. To prove my point, I just went and did it now - here's the pic: http://screencast.com/t/55m3OKXc8
  
  1 0 Reply
  1. Friday 29th August 2014 11:47 GMT JeffyPoooh
    
    Crema floats
    
    Coffee making machines that push the coffee out the bottom of the grounds will always struggle to force the crema from the top, all the way through the grounds (thus filtering most of it out), and out the bottom.
    
    Machines that allow the floating crema to exit directly out the top will always have an easier time getting a thick frothy layer of crema into the mug. This is why so many coffee making schemes are complicatedly upside down.
    
    This top/bottom exit is the primary system architectural question.
    
    Yes, yes, I know. If you have 15 bar of steam, you can force the crema through a brick wall.
    
    0 0 Reply
2. Saturday 23rd August 2014 15:18 GMT SuccessCase
  
  After using the Aeropress for some time, I've come to the conclusion it can produce the very highest quality brew (some other devices can produce brew as good, but not better), however it requires technique to do so, roughly, IMO, equivalent to the level of technique required to cook the best scrambled egg (so not too difficult, but not so easy it can be done in a mindless zombie state). Other solutions (most notably those that will cost a couple of thousand) can do it more consistently where less "technique" is required. The same tequnique required to ensure it does a great job is partly a function of its flexibility which is also what makes it so much fun to experiment with.
  
  0 0 Reply
3. Wednesday 27th August 2014 09:45 GMT illiad
  
  cafetiere
  
  no sign of the cafetiere.. or is this a reverse aeropress?? My mum used the cona, but not for a busy family - simpler to buy the 'self-contained' filter coffee..
  
  If you dunno, the cafetiere is simple pot about 1 or 2 cup capacity, fill with ground beans and boiling water, then push down the filter when done, and just pour out the coffee! :)
  
  0 0 Reply
4. Friday 29th August 2014 11:40 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Aeropress
  
  Looks sort of like another personal improvement appliance (not one that I'd need).
  
  0 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 08:25 GMT Dapprman

Moka all the way

While it's no good for a work place, every time I've tried another form of coffee making I've always found myself going back to my trusty moka pot.

5 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 08:26 GMT keithpeter

Moka

"That said, a Moka pot is not really much more hassle."

Three 'cup' size (= 1 decent mug + top up when diluted with hot water) on the hotplate while I boil the porridge. 10 minutes quiet in the garden before the commute and work madness. £18 + a change of 'o' ring each year. No faffing with filters. Don't scrub the top part too much, it should stay a light brown.

7 0 Reply
1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 18:03 GMT phil dude
  
  Re: Moka
  
  ...and it even works at music festivals, camping in the mountains, etc....
  
  Mine's a 12-cup dosa with splash of milk...;-)
  
  P.
  
  0 0 Reply
  1. Monday 25th August 2014 12:05 GMT Swarthy
    
    Re: Moka
    
    The moka pot is also great for making cuban coffee, as it is easier to clean out the re-crystallized sugar.
    
    1 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 08:39 GMT Khaptain

Back to the basics

I have tried a very large range of methods, machines and madness for my favorite drink.. I even managed to give up smoking but never quit the coffee....

In any event and probably because of optimizing my time, I stick to good ol instant coffee......

I have become almost alergic to Nespresso, more than 2 of them a day gives me "major dogs breath", my little Cafitiere Italien, handed down by Italien Mother-In-Law, has never seen daylight for years, the French coffee machine also hides in a cupboard , , unless some particular visitors arrive, but you can be sure that the instant coffee tin is always replenished with always a packet to spare.

As I write this I have some fresh French bread,"une flute tradition qui sort de la four", butter and jam and a large cup of instant in from of me.

If I was to vote for the best coffee ever though, it would probably be made with a a Robusto, Arabica mixture made in an Italian Cafitiere that is used daily..

Alternatively it would be a Turkish made coffee when it has been made with a little bit Cardammon. ( Never sure how to spell that spice)

PS Starbucks don't do coffee so I never bother with them either. Strangely enough though I don't care for most of the coffee served in the French or Swiss cafes/restaurantes either.

2 5 Reply
1. Monday 25th August 2014 18:47 GMT wdmot
  
  Re: Back to the basics
  
  @Khaptain
  
  I've no idea why the downvotes, unless it's your sticking to instant coffee (perhaps they don't consider it real coffee). I don't like the stuff, but to each their own. I like both of your votes for a best coffee. However, if I'm going to drink more than a cup, I need it filtered -- even the French press lets fine grit through.
  
  My standard method of brewing is an combination of French press and a pour-over: the coffee sits in hot water for a few minutes before filtering it through a Melita "cone" filter. I actually don't bother with the French press so I don't have another filter to clean, and just use a 1-litre Pyrex pitcher. Since I drink it black, I prefer to use only ~90 degree water so the coffee doesn't get so bitter. Usually I boil the water, pour it in my mug and thermos to pre-heat them, then pour the now slightly cooled water into the pitcher to brew.
  
  0 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 08:39 GMT John H Woods

Acidity ...

... if you want less acidity, maybe stay away from the acid coffees (good Kenya AA is so acid it usually curdles any milk added). My personal pref is espresso, I have a bodge-repaired, 14 year old Gaggia that has made >=4 cups a day.

One little hint I found useful for Cona and filter coffee that is standing around - shove a cardamom pod in the filter basket. Gives a nice fragrance and seems to counteract the staling effect. Particularly good for a big after dinner (especially curry!) pot that will be drunk during hours of pointless postprandial persiflage.

4 0 Reply
1. Sunday 24th August 2014 01:11 GMT Tapeador
  
  Re: Acidity ...
  
  Which cheap ones would you say were least acid? Sadly I have chronic gastritis so can tolerate literally about two coffees a year, would like to be able to have more as it can really help awakeness etc.
  
  0 0 Reply
  1. Monday 25th August 2014 12:59 GMT Swarthy
    
    Re: Acidity ...
    
    If you are drinking cheap coffee, you may be getting a robusta blend (higher caffeine than arabica, grows in more places, but is bland and bitter. If you need coffee in the worst possible way, this is coffee - in the worst possible way).
    
    A dark roast Arabica (probably a Costa Rican) should reduce the distress from overly cheap coffee.
    
    1 0 Reply
  2. Saturday 30th August 2014 20:25 GMT JeffyPoooh
    
    Re: Acidity ...
    
    Gastritis - look into grapefruit juice and bacterial causes. Do your research first. Obviously. I mention it because it is counterintuitive and not widely known.
    
    0 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 08:45 GMT Mark Wilson

Filter Best For Me

I have tried other ways to make coffee but it always comes back to the good old drip filter with paper filters.

When most people go to France they stock up on alcohol and cigarettes, I stock up on coffee! Much better range over there adn far better price.

2 1 Reply
1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 09:39 GMT Nigel Whitfield.
  
  Re: Filter Best For Me
  
  I've certainly found a far wider range over there - and I noticed last time I looked in Carrefour at Cité Europe, they had a much bigger selection for pod systems like Senseo than was available back in the UK, too.
  
  I have to pop to France next month, so I may do some research
  
  0 0 Reply
  1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 10:09 GMT Dapprman
    
    Re: Filter Best For Me
    
    Before the euro it was a lot cheaper as well as there being a far larger selection.
    
    One thing to be aware of though, if you see a brand you buy in the UK (beans, ground, or even instant) don't assume it'll be the same in France as I have found that some times the roasting/flavour does differ.
    
    0 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 09:01 GMT jake

No mention of roasting beans at home?

Heathens.

Friends don't let friends purchase pre-roasted coffee ... much less purchase the 'orrible swill sold by billion dollar conglomerates.

3 2 Reply
1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 09:40 GMT Nigel Whitfield.
  
  Re: No mention of roasting beans at home?
  
  We wouldn't want to use up all the ideas for things to write about on the first weekend, now, would we?
  
  5 0 Reply
  1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 09:59 GMT jake
    
    Re: No mention of roasting beans at home?
    
    When it comes to the good things in life, being straight up and exact is the only way to go.
    
    Example: 9 pound pork shoulder, no seasoning, bone in, 225F, ~10 hours, apple smoke for the first 6. Pull at about 200F (195-205 works).
    
    Rest for about an hour, serve as you see fit.
    
    Humans need to re-learn how to live. This "modern" life is boring.
    
    1 4 Reply
2. Saturday 30th August 2014 20:29 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Re: No mention of roasting beans at home?
  
  Oh, that reminds me. Time to go force feed the civet cats another bag of coffee fruit.
  
  Kopi luwakers unite!
  
  0 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 09:21 GMT Tim99

Aeropress with milk

As you say the Aeropress no crema thing can be a bit of a disappointment for espresso fans, although our local supplier will do a special Aeropress grind which can give a small amount of foam.

For the milky coffee drinker you can get a reasonable facsimile of proper foam by putting some skimmed milk in the microwave for a minute or so and then beating it with a small hand whisk (Remember to leave the milk for a few seconds before you take it out of the microwave to avoid boiling milk "bumping" all over you).

I am fortunate to live in one of the world's best coffee making areas, Western Australia - So if I really need crema, and I can afford $5, I go to one of the many excellent coffee places by the beach, otherwise I now use an Aeropress almost exclusively at home. The less fortunate thing about living here is than most people can't make a decent cup of tea...

0 0 Reply
1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 09:43 GMT Nigel Whitfield.
  
  Re: Aeropress with milk
  
  I use a Bodum Latteo manual milk frother when I have to do this myself, which produces fairly reasonable results.
  
  Thankfully, my normal machine has been repaired now, and that has a built in frother, and there's a definite advantage to just staggering to the kitchen and pressing a button.
  
  1 0 Reply
  1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 19:29 GMT daz disley
    
    Re: Aeropress with milk
    
    a cafetiere 1/3 full of hot milk given a bit of swift wrist-action makes for some excellent foamage.
    
    1 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 09:34 GMT banjomike

I'm a Nespresso fan

Pros - straightforward to use, fast, excellent taste, large variety of coffees (21 at the moment) and all are pretty good. Looks good in the kitchen. Aluminium capsules are collected & recycled for free by Nespresso.

Cons - noisy.

3 3 Reply
1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 11:39 GMT Phil O'Sophical
  
  Re: I'm a Nespresso fan
  
  Even better, a Nespresso machine but don't use Nespresso coffee. I buy Illy beans, grind them and put them into pattern-part Nespresso capsules. Best of both worlds, and cheaper because you're only paying for good coffee, not to imitate the Nespresso/Clooney lifestyle.
  
  1 0 Reply
  1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 15:32 GMT banjomike
    
    Re: I'm a Nespresso fan
    
    Two of the reasons I like the Nespresso system are the variety of flavours that are available and the fact that the capsules are completely airtight and last for years (officially 12 months but I accidently left a few in a box for an extra year and they tasted almost exactly the same ie. very nice). I love fresh-ground coffee but as an idle person I would not use it before it went off and I would get tired of the same flavour each time. Variety rules, Yay.
    
    3 1 Reply
    1. Sunday 24th August 2014 05:16 GMT Adam 1
      
      Re: I'm a Nespresso fan
      
      I love a fresh ground coffee too, but I always found myself in a bit of a dilemma*. There is frankly too much faffing about to grind, warm the machine, clean all the tampers, filters, jugs and steam wands to make it worthwhile before work. So it used to be a weekend treat for me to make it. The problem is that anything pre ground would go stale well before it was used and I wasn't as happy with the el cheapo grinder which was too course for my preference.
      
      I ended up buying a nespresso because it gave me something quite tolerable with the convenience of instant. I won't pretend it is the best drop that I have ever had but it is better than more than a couple of "baristas" have given me over the years.
      
      *first world problem, I know
      
      3 1 Reply
2. Saturday 23rd August 2014 14:31 GMT GitMeMyShootinIrons
  
  Re: I'm a Nespresso fan
  
  My wife is a fan. It's OK - certainly convenient, but somewhat over-hyped. I tend to refer to it as her MaxPaxKlix machine, just to annoy her.
  
  0 0 Reply
  1. Monday 25th August 2014 17:53 GMT Anonymous Coward
    
    Re: I'm a Nespresso fan
    
    I'm a fan of the Nespresso SYSTEM myself. But their coffee costs 5x more. I buy a Nespresso-compatible.
    
    And yeah, 90% of the taste, with 1% of the labor qualify Nespresso for a quick fix of caffeine. Plus they decorate the office, instead of making it look uglier and dirtier.
    
    In a pavlovian response, everyone of our co-workers now enjoy the "prprprprrrrr" noise that accompanies the smell of an Expresso. Some decided to bring their own Ristretto capsules, so finally everyone is helping with the coffee expenses.
    
    0 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 09:36 GMT Anonymous Coward

Aeropress fan here

But I'm not a hipster, damnit! Anyway, you can get really good coffee very quickly, but there is a slight caveat - depending on how strong you prefer your brew, you can end up using much more coffee. Like two or three times more than more traditional methods. Which can mean you spend much more on your caffeine habit. RE:crema - technically, it contains some cholesterol that's supposedly bad for you. But like so many things in life, the things that are bad for you might also be delicious. There are 3rd party reusable metal filters that let it through, if you're so inclined.

1 0 Reply
1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 15:24 GMT Steven Raith
  
  Re: Aeropress fan here
  
  Ah, overdoing the coffee, I've done that.
  
  The ex (who I still get on great with) donated me her espresso machine after she got one of those capsule things (nespress methinks) and she didn't need it any more. Fine.
  
  I spent a couple of nights drinking the coffee, but thought it tasted oddly strong. Two or three cups a night, and had some major problems sleeping.
  
  Of course, after two days, I realised there was a difference between a filter coffee machine and an espresso machine.
  
  Woops.
  
  I now only break it out on a Sunday, and I dilute it properly to make americano things (IE just black coffee). I'm thinking an Aeropress is a good idea though, as I've always been a coffee drinker, it's just normally I'm prepared to put up with the slightly crappy taste of Gold Blend for the convenience. If the Aeropress gives me the convenience with better coffee as a result, then why not?
  
  Steven "hyper" R.
  
  0 0 Reply
  1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 15:55 GMT Anonymous Coward
    
    Re: Aeropress fan here
    
    I'm pretty much in the same camp, I only use the Aeropress at home during weekends. When at work the influx of coffee must be constant so the regular drip filter stuff works, but it's nice to treat yourself a bit when it's not just to keep yourself awake. Americano, me too - just brew a double espresso, add hot water, done.
    
    0 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 09:52 GMT Julian Bond

The most important thing is the quality of the coffee. But if you really can't get anything decent, Tescos Italian, Lavazza Black and Carte Noire are remarkable for being wholly unremarkable while still perfectly acceptable. But then there's the Algerian Coffee shop and they sell online and deliver.

After that I think it's all about convenience. A cheap electric drip filter coffee machine for quantity and an Aeropress for single cups. Everything else just seems like obsession.

0 0 Reply
1. Monday 25th August 2014 13:06 GMT Swarthy
  
  A close second to the quality of the coffee is the cleanliness of the equipment. I have gotten positive, surprised comments from co-workers about the quality of the coffee I brew for the communal pot, simply because I take the time to scrub off the brown gunk that had accumulated in the pot and grinder.
  
  0 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 10:00 GMT graeme leggett

Easy to make

One heaped teaspoon and pour on boiled water from kettle.

and when I saw the phrase " air of Camp " I thought, well if you like chicory....

I am a tea drinker (coffee gives me indigestion)

5 0 Reply
1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 10:58 GMT jason 7
  
  Re: Easy to make
  
  Yes I really don't know why people seem to need all these old fashioned primitive methods to make a simple cup of coffee when modern science has done away with it all.
  
  A teaspoon and a quality jar of instant is all that's required.
  
  I have instant and my gf has to have the special ground/cafetier whatever etc. etc. She didn't have time to drink her cup the other day and so gave me her cup of special superior ultimate roast coffee from some third world country I would never dream of visiting. She made it sound like I was so lucky.
  
  Tasted like crap. Was like drinking a liquidised stale cigar. I've found that a lot when visiting so called coffee aficionado friends. They hand you a cup of 'something exquisite' and it tastes like they made it with washing up water.
  
  Sorry if I have offended some here but there is a bit of Emperor's New Clothes going on in 'upmarket coffee'.
  
  6 7 Reply
  1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 12:04 GMT janimal
    
    Re: Easy to make
    
    Instant coffee tastes nothing like real coffee, except maybe kopi Luwack, which tastes like Dowe & Egberts instant coffee, just much, much, much more expensive!
    
    Freshly ground, strong roast, Arabica for me every time thanks.
    
    4 1 Reply
    1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 12:32 GMT albaleo
      
      Re: Easy to make
      
      It's not meant to taste like real coffee. If, like me, you require a constant infusion of caffeine and hot liquid during the working day, "real" coffee isn't an option anyway. Recently I've got into the art of instant coffee blending. My current favourite is equal parts Carte Noir (when available on offer) and Tesco Gold.
      
      3 1 Reply
    2. Saturday 23rd August 2014 13:12 GMT jason 7
      
      Re: Easy to make
      
      And most Kopi Luwack is fake or acquired though not very ethical means.
      
      I bet most of the coffee beans you see in these 'Artisan' coffee shops are beans that Nestle rejected for putting in nescafe.
      
      1 2 Reply
    3. Sunday 24th August 2014 03:05 GMT Kiwi
      
      Re: Easy to make @janimal and others
      
      Freshly ground, strong roast, Arabica for me every time thanks.
      
      [Not just at janimal]
      
      Do you also spend $5k on oxygen-free copper gold-appointed mono-directional super-low-impedence ultra-fart-deodorizing audio cables?
      
      Put my vote in for "Instant all the way". I have to put up with "real" coffee at work and friends places. That fancy stuff is enough to make you drink herbal tea!
      
      Icon coz the more "burnt" (closer to atually boiling water) the better!
      
      2 5 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 10:04 GMT swisstoni

For pure after dinner theatre I don't think you can beat a balance brewer. No idea if they make a good cup of coffee though. I'll stick to my nespresso for my daily needs.

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2014/01/belgian-balance-brewer-coffee-siphon-weird-coffee-equipment-how-coffee-siphon-works.html

0 0 Reply
1. Saturday 23rd August 2014 17:44 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  > For pure after dinner theatre I don't think you can beat a balance brewer.
  
  I would probably still go with the Moka pot my mate managed acquire for that accolade. It didn't have the usual hole connecting the top half to the bottom half.
  
  That coffee went rather a bang...
  
  2 0 Reply
Saturday 23rd August 2014 10:33 GMT Terry 6

Moka Pot

Never heard it called that. Do you mean ( it looks like) the aluminium thing, in two halves that screw together- water in the bottom and finely ground coffee in the top? Then pop on the gas ring till the water isn't in the bottom anymore.

I always called it an Essprsso. In fact that's what was on the box/label anytme I've bought one.

Since I'm the only one in the family that uses it I use the small size, which just about balances on the hob, if I'm careful.

For everyday, really good freshly roasted beans kept in freezer (none of your supermarket c***p). A decent grinder and a filter machine.

2 0 Reply