For the Coffee Heads

[admin]

I have a triple latte (an entire medium size percolator) of Cafe Bustelo every morning. It was mandatory living with a Cuban girl for a few years. Even though she's gone, Cafe Bustelo is part of my routine now, and I rarely drink regular, or as she would call it "American Coffee" anymore.

 

[romeowood]

@ Jankomatic--definitely spend a little time doing some trial and error with water temp and brew time. Also I'd recommend agitating the grounds with a little swirling of the press pot once per minute during brew. Coffee is a very complex fruit; wine, for example, has around 700 aromatic compounds, to coffee's 1400 (and the list keeps growing rapidly with new research). Even more challenging is the rapidity with which coffee's freshness degrades after roasting. Being a polyphasic colloidal suspension, the most crucial components of brewing are temperature, surface area (the grind), and time. If you want some good recommendations for mail-order roasters on par with Alterra I'd be glad to oblige, send me a PM. And remember, as in pipe smoking and all gustatory endeavors, let your own palate be your guide :wink:
@Kevin are you using the moka pot to brew?

 

[cyndi]

I have a question for you coffee geniuses: I love European and Latin blends of coffee but I can't stand African coffees. What's the difference?

 

[jankomatic]

I am no genius, but I would guess it is the soil just like for cigar tobacco or pipe tobacco for that matter. I know more about cigar tobacco so I will use that for my example. If you take the same seed and plant it in Connecticut, Jalapa, Nicaragua or Honduras or Cameroon in Africa, the tobacco will not taste the same. The soil plays a major roll in what things that come out of it taste like. I am sure there are other factors, but that would be the major one I would guess.

 

[surfmac211]

I get all my coffee from here Coffee AM.
My favorite coffee with a pipe or cigar is Najjar though. It is possibly the closest thing to a traditional domican/cuban coffee I have found in the states. All you need to do is by a small stove top kettle like this one.

Then you fill it with 3/4 water. Add 2 scoops of sugars and stir. Let the water come to a boil then take the kettle off the stove and add 4 heaping scoops of the coffee and stir it in. Put it back on the stove until you start to see the water rise, then take it off and stir it before it boils over. Repeat this 2 more times, and then let it rest for 2 minutes. Poor it into an espresso cup and drink up. Now the grounds are in the bottom of the cup so don't try to take the last sip unless you want your teeth black. This coffee is STRONG so its not for the weak.

 

[romeowood]

What you're referring to has been dubbed terroir--the influence of soil, weather, and all other environmental factors in determining the characteristics of a food crop. For a lengthy discussion of it, read here. Right now the coffee industry is heartily embracing this concept and passing the awesomeness on to you, the consumer.
@ Cyndi--broadly speaking, there are three main regions that produce coffee--the Americas (central & south), Africa, and the Indonesian / South Pacific. Coffee only grows in tropical climates; ''European'' blends are a flavor profile and not a provenance. Again to speak broadly, and mainly of Arabica beans, African coffees tend toward sweetness and fruity/winey flavor, Central & South American tend toward a fuller body and more acidity, and Pacifics tend toward milder spiciness with much fuller body. With all the renewed investment in the industry and the introduction of the concept of single estates and even single-portion crops (yes, they're buying coffee from sections of plots as small as a few meters now) one is able to indulge a world tour of taste-testing at the nearest specialty cafe. I've spent some time in GA and recall a great shop in 5 points; don't know if they're still open but imagine if they're not they've been replaced by several more by now; by your expression of what you like I'd recommend seeking out an Amazonian single-finca prepared with an immersion method (press pot or trifecta) if you want to totally geek out on it 8O

 

[punkpiper]

I enjoy a rum flavored coffee whihc I do not remember the brand name of. Thankfully the local b and m is having their cafe blends provided by Pumphreys, a specialist coffee merchants I enjoy. When I am moved into my new place I may hopefully have a real coffee maker and grinder, so I can enjoy beans over instant ones.

 

[jankomatic]

baskerville, I am not saying it isn't possible, but it seems like it would be hard to regulate the temperature at all. I have no clue how to do it though, buy some and try?

 

[thekiltedchaplain]

Baskerville, I've heard of folks roasting their own beans in an oven, that might be something to google.

 

[romeowood]

@Baskerville--if you want to start lo-fi, you can do it in a saucepan on the stovetop. Two things to remember: make sure the beans are constantly agitated, over low heat, and be aware that you will produce a lot of aromatic smoke. I mean a lot. A LOT. Range hood on high power with all the windows and doors open. Beans will begin to caramelize and turn brown very quickly; well under 15 minutes is your timeframe. As they first turn brown you will get the smell and the smoke, after a few minutes there will be a cracking sound as the beans gas out, not unlike popcorn. Shortly thereafter there will be another crack, and that's a good way to time the end of your roast. As you become more familiar with the coffee you can learn to adjust the time and color markers. You definitely do NOT want black beans--in general shoot for a milk- to dark-chocolate color, even for espresso. The next, most important step, is to cool the beans quickly and evenly--cold-water quenching will work great for your first attempts but will strip a lot of the surface oil from the beans. Having a setup with a screen large enough to accommodate your entire batch with a fan forcing air through it will work better once you decide this is your new hobby. An invaluable resource for home roasting is Sweet Marias. You can spend from $30 to $3000 on a home-size roaster, and yes, you can even modify a forced-air popcorn popper to do the job. If you want more specific or extensive information, please feel free to ask or PM!

 

[lordnoble]

I'm kinda surprised no one else cold brews their beans... Since getting a cold brew system earlier this year, I rarely drink coffee that is prepared any other way. The resulting concentrated coffee is sweet, round and has a flavor that makes hot brewed coffee taste highly acidic.
-Jason

 

[jlee]

I'd like to try these guy's stuff... I'm impressed with their contraption.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaSSoRxI8RQ

 

[romeowood]

The cold brewing has definite benefits, especially if you're very sensitive to the acidity like me. I find it's best for cold-served coffee though, as there are a lot of constituents that won't extract unless subjected to heat, and the flavor suffers greatly if a cold-brew is warmed up.

 

[juni]

And I thought I was a coffee "connoisseur" when I got an electrical coffee mill. Oh well, I guess that is the first step. :lol:

 

[thekiltedchaplain]

I've head of the "cold brew" method but am not very familiar with it. I'm with you romeo, I've heard that its best for chilled coffee drinks, or just a cold cup of coffee. I generally just use the old Cuisinart for day to day stuff, always whole beans that I'll grind as I use them, and a French Press when I'm not running around to get to school/work.

 

[romeowood]

I've used the Toddy, a plain ol' gallon jug, and a 12-hour drip tower, and don't get me wrong, cold-brew is good stuff; when you heat up the finished product is where it loses it for me. I'm sure hundreds if not thousands of baristas worldwide are working on the next iteration of this process though, so never fear. Also to be aware of you need 2 to 4 times the coffee for a cold brew, which on a home level is no big deal, while on a commercial level is enormous. Can I really charge $10 for an iced coffee? Better add some gold flakes to it.... :roll:

 

[pstlpkr]

Today, all of this coffee talk has had an influence on my consumption.

I made a triple shot latte while I made some turkish coffee and to hold me over I made a large French Press.

So, I'm 8O .

Romeo, I'm going to have to look into the cold-brew process... I love "iced coffee" (if that is what you're referring to).

I have an Ibrik, a drip-o-lator, a percolator, an espresso/latte machine, and two different French Presses...

I thought I had all the bases covered. :crying:

The War Department is going to Sh##... I'm in trouble now. :D

 

[bootlegbonvivant]

Haha, love coffee, but I've never heard of many of the brands you guys talk about. I'm not a coffee snob, but I definitely can't stand the super cheap brands. I bought some whole bean coffee at Costco that I'm a new fan of.
Being 8O is a lot of fun!

 

[romeowood]

OOh if you really want to add to the collection you should try the AeroPress (made by the same company that brought you the Aerobie frisbee disc). While I don't feel it lives up to its claims of "the smoothest cup you've ever had", it certainly makes a very good cup of coffee and is one of the better full-immersion brew methods for the home. Plus it appeals to the love of gadgetry.
:!: :idea: :!: Quick tip for this and all methods that use paper filters: before letting your coffee get anywhere near a paper filter, thoroughly wet the filter with hot water and allow to drain off; the taste of pulpy nastiness gets washed away. If you don't believe how much it can affect a brew, pour a cup of water through a filter and drain it into a cup--then take a taste. :crazy:

 

[pstlpkr]

Quick top for this and all methods that use paper filters: before letting your coffee get anywhere near a paper filter, thoroughly wet the filter with hot water and allow to drain off;

I'll do that. I like to filter my Turkish Coffee through a filter... I can't stand the grounds (no matter how fine) in my coffee... Great suggestion! Thanks Romeo...

Check your PM's.