It's how I've been making my coffee for years.
Posted on 09/02/2007 10:19:45 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
Since the dawn of coffee, humanity has taken few breaks in its quest for a better cup.
Our inaugural coffee buzz, according to legend, came after a shepherd in Africa noticed his goats grew frisky after eating the fruit of a certain bush. Early fanatics took theirs straight, chewing whole, raw beans. Then came roasting, grinding, steeping in water, and the skinny white-chocolate half-caf Venti.
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I heard that for home use, the French Press is the best method for preparing coffee. Anybody out there with input on this?
It's how I've been making my coffee for years.
So you would recommend it? I am definitely thinking of getting a French Press since I am a bigtime coffee lover. BTW, what ever happened to chicory in coffee? Down in the South it used to be almost universal in the coffee. Nowadays it is rare to get coffee with chicory.
Drip coffee properly brewed is the best for everyday drinking.
A french Press is generally to intense for most people. However, a good south American coffee with some chocolate (cake, cookie, even candy) compliments the flavor wonderfully.
When people brew dripped coffee they tend to use to few grounds so it will not be to strong. It is better to follow the instructions - usually one scoop of medium grind to six ounces of water, and then if it is a little strong add a bit of hot water.
You get a much better cup that way.
At our Publix in GA they have a few brands with chicory.
If you know how to use them, even the glass-topped percolators make awesome coffee....the stove top percolators make incredible coffee too.
Likewise, if you don't know how to use it, the Fresh Press makes the worst coffee you could imagine.
It's all about the grind: what you need for a great cup of coffee is a good bean and knowing what grind is best for the method you use.
A french press makes the best. The only problem is keeping the second cup warm. I worked at Williams-Sonoma for years, and we sold everything from $30.00 French Press to $2500.00 Espresso Machines. NOTHING beat the french press for fresh, honest coffee taste.
Really, home roast is the best. Then I use a French Press for the amazing flavor.
Oh, and Illy Coffee beans. Freshly ground, of course. Medium grind on Burr coffee grinder. With good water. Ummmm
BEST coffee I ever had was in Uruguay/Argentina. I still remember the INCREDIBLE coffee I had on an overnight boat ride from Montevideo to Buenos Aires. They served it with about one third warm milk. Incredible coffee!!!
You can buy ground chicory and add to your usual brand.
Krispy Kreme just needs to stick to fundraising, lol.
We have a Jittery Joes down the street that has good iced coffees (and regular when it’s not so darned hot). Crackaccino is one of my favs (4 shots of espresso)
I’d love to do a world coffee tour.
Sounds all well and good, but I don’t want a machine that’s locked into one manufacturer’s “pods”, and their prices are highway robbery - I also am skeptical about coffee sitting in “pods” for weeks or months in warehouses and on store shelves. I see the coffee makers have figured out the market like the one for ink jet printers - sell the machine cheap, and sell the ink and paper at a massive profit, and lock others from selling replacements.
I have a 15 year old cappuchino maker that does just fine - I keep it squeaky clean, and use fresh beans in a burr grinder, and it’s a great cup. (Don’t use a blade grinder - the grind is inconsistant and you’ll waste coffee, and the blades can burn the coffee) With the burr grinder, I can set it for normal, or extra fine for espresso.
For daily brew, the burr grinder and a decent coffee maker (Zojirushi) is just fine, I need to pick up a French Press for when I want a single cup, like after dinner, I broke my old one.
Store your fresh beans in a air-tight container in the fridge, and you can’t go wrong. Safeway and Costco blends are just fine, tend to be VERY fresh, and don’t cost as much as Starbucks or Peets or any of the others - save those for special occasions. ( I don’t like Starbucks, but favor Kaladi Coffees out of Alaska - they have very good strong blends that don’t taste burnt like Starbucks. The smaller roasters have superior products, and sometimes it can be gotten cheaper)
Yes, I am a coffee snob. :) (I havent drank “instant” coffee in probably 20 years.)
Yes. You must also grind your beans right before you brew. You need a coarser grind that for a drip. Some folks insists on a burr grinder. But, I use a $20 blade grinder and it works for me.
The Depression ended.
There is no substitute for the French Press for good coffee--you can control every aspect of the process.
Don't use water over 185deg, it evaporates off the aromatic oils!
Get a Nissan stainless thermos press.
I would like to see how a burr vs blade grinder test turned out.
Uh in our house those devices are referred to as “liberty” presses, or press-down pots. Actually they are one of the best ways to brew at home. Do not throw out your autodrip though. With a gold mesh filter (I like some of the oils they let through), and a water temp of 200, your are likely getting the best strength and flavor your roast and grind can provide.
.02
Which can be accomplished by running a little cold water into the boiled water before pouring. You don't need a thermometer.
Google for AeroPress coffeemakers. It’s sort of a high tech french press. The brewing time is 20-40 seconds instead of 3-4 minutes in a french press. It also tastes better than french press brew. It also tastes far better than the drip coffee from a coffee house. It tastes more like an americano from an espresso machine.
I love mine.
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