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So I'm trying out cold brewing. All the recipes I find say to put 4:1 ratio of water to coffee, and then when that's done, to add water until the coffee has twice as much volume. Why go through that extra step instead of just mixing the grounds with twice as much water
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Sep 10, 2013 10:47
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Alleric posted:On a totally unrelated note, I took our standard ice cream base and threw in a double shot of Guatemalan / Ethiopian blend I roasted on Saturday. Got to try it last night and wow... home made ice cream rules, yes, but home made coffee ice cream is just dreamy. Whenever I make any dessert with coffee, I use espresso shots. If I'm making something that's coffee and chocolate, I like to use some Kahlua, too.
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Sep 10, 2013 11:58
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Steve Yun posted:So I'm trying out cold brewing. All the recipes I find say to put 4:1 ratio of water to coffee, and then when that's done, to add water until the coffee has twice as much volume. Why go through that extra step instead of just mixing the grounds with twice as much water The ratio of water:coffee that is ideal for cold extraction makes a drink that is probably more concentrated than what most people want so you water it down after brewing. Putting more water in at the start would get you something different. You can always try both to see the difference.
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Sep 10, 2013 14:45
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Steve Yun posted:So I'm trying out cold brewing. All the recipes I find say to put 4:1 ratio of water to coffee, and then when that's done, to add water until the coffee has twice as much volume. Why go through that extra step instead of just mixing the grounds with twice as much water I've had good luck with roughly 1 cup water per 2 oz coffee grinds. Like withak said, try a couple methods and see which is your favorite.
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Sep 10, 2013 15:06
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When I'm using my Toddy, I use the standard 12oz coffee to 7 cups of water with good results.
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Sep 10, 2013 15:17
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Squashy Nipples posted:Whenever I make any dessert with coffee, I use espresso shots. If I'm making something that's coffee and chocolate, I like to use some Kahlua, too. Oddly enough, I've loved coffee drat near my whole life but I've always hated coffee liquors.
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Sep 10, 2013 15:40
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Alleric posted:If you tasted sour, then I would say your water temperature was too low.
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Sep 10, 2013 21:40
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Miko posted:This explains so much to me that one time I had to makeshift a boiler and kept getting poo poo cup after poo poo cup out of my press. I mean, the water got hot and all, but the coffee was vile. Sour was exactly what happened. Are you sure that it didn't just taste bad because you're not a hipster?
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Sep 10, 2013 23:27
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Miko posted:This explains so much to me that one time I had to makeshift a boiler and kept getting poo poo cup after poo poo cup out of my press. I mean, the water got hot and all, but the coffee was vile. Sour was exactly what happened. One of the common hallmarks of an under-extraction is a "sour" flavor. Other flavors can show up, and there's other paths to "sour" (varietal of beans, roast levels, etc...). Many times too low of water temp can have just as much of an affect on the under-extracted-ness as the grind can. If you're getting sour and you know your water is in a good temperature range, start tightening the grind up.
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Sep 11, 2013 00:07
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Alleric posted:Oddly enough, I've loved coffee drat near my whole life but I've always hated coffee liquors. If you can find Firelit coffee liqueur it might change your mind, that stuff is amazing compared to Kahlua. Surprisingly it actually tastes like coffee, and the brandy they use to make it is pretty good stuff too.
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Sep 11, 2013 00:15
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Or you can infuse your own like I did after being inspired by the GWS infusion thread  Mine came out tasting like cold-brewed coffee, except with a kick.
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Sep 11, 2013 01:56
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I'm trying to start roasting with a heat gun, but I'm stuck. I've got a Wagner HT1000 that toggles between 750F and 1000F. Last week I tried a small batch, but it took almost an hour for the coffee to darken, and there was no crack. It was terrible. Thinking that heat retention was the issue, I just tried a larger batch with a smaller bowl. After 10 minutes on 750F there was no color change so I'm finishing the coffee in the oven instead. I wonder if the outlet doesn't supply enough power to the gun. Any advice?
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Sep 11, 2013 19:17
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So Math posted:I'm trying to start roasting with a heat gun, but I'm stuck. I've got a Wagner HT1000 that toggles between 750F and 1000F. Last week I tried a small batch, but it took almost an hour for the coffee to darken, and there was no crack. It was terrible. Exactly how much coffee are you attempting to roast? Most likely it's your outlet.
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Sep 11, 2013 19:19
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So Math posted:I'm trying to start roasting with a heat gun, but I'm stuck. I've got a Wagner HT1000 that toggles between 750F and 1000F. Use the highest setting, and adjust the heat impact with the distance of your gun's exhaust from the beans. So Math posted:Last week I tried a small batch, but it took almost an hour for the coffee to darken, and there was no crack. It was terrible. How small? Also, I highly suspect that you were holding the gun exhaust way, way too far away from the beans. This or the outlet you're using has insane levels of current issues. On any test batch (3 ounces) with the gun, I normally run the risk of scorching the ever-loving hell out of the beans before they've gotten to the right internal temperature. This is why I keep my popper around. I don't see how a small batch could take an hour without the gun distance or a serious electrical issue being the case.. So Math posted:Thinking that heat retention was the issue, I just tried a larger batch with a smaller bowl. After 10 minutes on 750F there was no color change so I'm finishing the coffee in the oven instead. How much larger? What size of bowl? So Math posted:I wonder if the outlet doesn't supply enough power to the gun. Any advice? My baseline for gun settings, batch size and bowl are these: Full batch: Gun on 1000F, 1 pound of beans, 2 quart stainless mixing bowl. Half batch: Gun on 1000F, 1/2 pound of beans, 2 quart stainless mixing bowl. In both cases, I can make charcoal in 15-18 minutes depending on the ambient temperature outside, the humidity, etc... Most of my roasts run 12-15 minutes depending on the target roast level. First crack should be rolling like hell by 10-12 minutes in. Keep in mind that the exhaust from the gun is 1-2 inches from the surface of the beans, and I'm stirring a lot. If you have the gun's exhaust up out of the bowl you're losing an amazing amount of heat. Do you have the gun plugged right into the wall? Or is there an extension cord in use here?
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Sep 11, 2013 19:52
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So Math posted:I'm trying to start roasting with a heat gun, but I'm stuck. I've got a Wagner HT1000 that toggles between 750F and 1000F. Last week I tried a small batch, but it took almost an hour for the coffee to darken, and there was no crack. It was terrible. I've got the same gun and do a ~1/2 lb batch in 10-15 minutes. I'd try another outlet.
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Sep 11, 2013 19:59
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So this is a new coffee shop that opened.  
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Sep 11, 2013 21:55
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Mu Zeta posted:So this is a new coffee shop that opened. So it's a wifi place with a big percolator in the corner?
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Sep 11, 2013 22:07
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I think you just posted the nightmare of every new coffee entrepreneur.
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Sep 11, 2013 22:09
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If you put office chairs and tables in your new coffee shop then you are begging for that situation.
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Sep 11, 2013 22:16
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withak posted:If you put office chairs and tables in your new coffee shop then you are begging for that situation. They did. They charge $2/hour and actively want startups and others to come in to work. I just went in for the coffee and it's pretty good. Not many places use Stumptown in San Francisco.
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Sep 11, 2013 22:22
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Alleric posted:I can only speak in general ways relative to the roasting process in general with the gun: I ended up switching back to a wooden spoon from the whisk for the same reasons you mention. I think I'm finally starting to get the hang of this - my last handful of batches have all come out quite well. I'm actually really enjoying using the higher power heat gun, you can open the louvers on the side about 1/4 and the gun still produces high heat but you've also got high airflow to churn the beans around a bit too. It really helps churn up those pesky beans at the bottom that you sometimes miss with the spoon. One technique that seems to be working well is alternating open and closed louvers to apply heat then churn. My roasts have been a *lot* more even this way. Mu Zeta posted:They did. They charge $2/hour and actively want startups and others to come in to work. Haha, oh man. At least one of the coffee shops over here in Berkeley shuts their wifi off on certain days because they're tired of people coming in and not talking to each other.
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Sep 11, 2013 22:31
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Mu Zeta posted:They did. They charge $2/hour and actively want startups and others to come in to work. How exactly do they enforce $2/hr? If it's just wi-fi, I could see someone coming in with their personal hotspot or whatever. o muerte posted:At least one of the coffee shops over here in Berkeley shuts their wifi off on certain days because they're tired of people coming in and not talking to each other. Paper or Plastik in LA does no-laptop weekends. I think it works pretty well (they serve good food too).
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Sep 11, 2013 22:41
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I tend to spend a lot of time working in coffee shops because my job has me traveling a lot for work, but I still spend money. if I'm there more than say an hour I make sure I get a second drink. I also tip on every drink. I don't want to be the guy who comes in and gets a cup of coffee and then spends 5 hours there using the wifi.
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Sep 11, 2013 23:04
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"Co-work" spaces, where you are basically renting a tabletop, electrical outlet, and an internet connection by the hour, are popping up all over the place. I don't think they are intended to be the kind of place where you go in specifically for a cup of coffee, though serving adequate coffee is probably good for their business. When I was in grad school some off-campus coffee shops would turn off their power outlets or wifi at peak hours to limit how long people would camp out with laptops. They regularly had people coming for coffee after dinner or a show being unable to get a table due to laptop squatters. withak fucked around with this message at 23:12 on Sep 11, 2013 |
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Sep 11, 2013 23:09
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withak posted:"Co-work" spaces, where you are basically renting a tabletop, electrical outlet, and an internet connection by the hour, are popping up all over the place. I don't think they are intended to be the kind of place where you go in specifically for a cup of coffee, though serving adequate coffee is probably good for their business. I'm constantly amazed that more airports aren't colossally hosed up with no outlets and everyone needing them. It seems like there are a handful of people that need them, and a handful of outlets, and that works ok. A couple have these kiosks sponsored by advertising "Somebody" is giving you these extra outlets. Obviously there will be a TON of posts about Fresno and Albuquerque and every other airport except the ones that I visited where that is not the case, but I guess I just have amazing luck.
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Sep 11, 2013 23:27
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Anyone else frequent a coffee shop with free wifi and outlets where it is 50/50 that laptops end up ignored in exchange for conversation? I always figured "Good Coffee Shops" (good, taking more into account than the baristas/recipes and coffee provided) would have an atmosphere that fostered laptops/phones/whatevers being ignored in favor of the staff or other customers. Or have I stumbled into magical anecdote land where the handful of spots that I have frequented are the outliers?
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Sep 11, 2013 23:46
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Fuzzy Pipe Wrench posted:Anyone else frequent a coffee shop with free wifi and outlets where it is 50/50 that laptops end up ignored in exchange for conversation? I always figured "Good Coffee Shops" (good, taking more into account than the baristas/recipes and coffee provided) would have an atmosphere that fostered laptops/phones/whatevers being ignored in favor of the staff or other customers. I bet it won't be as bad away from college campuses, and smartphones probably help also in that you don't need to have a laptop in front of you these days to be connected to whatever internet thing you have going on.
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Sep 11, 2013 23:51
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Thanks for the quick responses.  Google Butt posted:Exactly how much coffee are you attempting to roast? Most likely it's your outlet. Alleric posted:How small? I don't really remember how much the first attempt was. The second was about half a pound. Alleric posted:What size of bowl? The first bowl was several gallons.  The second is 2 quarts.Alleric posted:Do you have the gun plugged right into the wall? Or is there an extension cord in use here? The gun was plugged directly into an outlet on the outside of my apartment building. I was trying to keep the gun about 2 inches above the beans while roasting. The batch I put in the oven this morning looks alright, so I don't plan on roasting for a while -- experimental or otherwise. I'll check the outlet and report back after another attempt in a few days.
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Sep 12, 2013 05:27
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Try 1" away. What are you using to agitate the beans?
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Sep 12, 2013 07:23
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Sup, fellow Wagner HT1000 buddy who also plugs in his gun in an outlet outside his apartment building. I use the same gun to roast my beans. You want to hold the gun just slightly less than an inch away and use a wooden spatula to move the beans around. Once you get to first crack, you can ease up to about an inch. The spatula's gonna be no good for normal cooking after a couple of uses because it'll be pitch-black, though, so if you already have one, use that and get a new one for cooking. Also, if you have a good oven mitt, use that as well while you're stirring the beans. For reference, here's my coffee setup: 
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Sep 12, 2013 07:36
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Casull posted:Sup, fellow Wagner HT1000 buddy who also plugs in his gun in an outlet outside his apartment building. I use the same gun to roast my beans. You want to hold the gun just slightly less than an inch away and use a wooden spatula to move the beans around. Once you get to first crack, you can ease up to about an inch. Man, that looks so much like what I'm staring at just before I start. In related news, I'm probably going to have to go do another pound of Kochoha tonight just to get it resting. It's insane how long that bean needs to hang out before it hits its stride. Roasted last Saturday and this morning it finally hit the sweet, nutty, fruity, tea stage that I know and love.
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Sep 12, 2013 18:18
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Google Butt posted:Try 1" away. What are you using to agitate the beans? Wooden spatula. I'll make sure to take pictures of everything next time around.
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Sep 13, 2013 05:57
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I've read through a few pages and the OP and didn't see any specific talk of this, but my wife and I are addicted to Caribou/Starbucks lattes and mochas. We want to cut expenses, but we also want to start experimenting and discovering truly good coffee. What's a good transition or place to start? Right now, it seems like we both like espresso with steamed milk - can you get to a "similar" taste without investing the money in an espresso machine? I understand what makes espresso, but can you do a strong french press brew for example, add in some steamed milk and have something close?
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Sep 14, 2013 15:59
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Helicity posted:I've read through a few pages and the OP and didn't see any specific talk of this, but my wife and I are addicted to Caribou/Starbucks lattes and mochas. We want to cut expenses, but we also want to start experimenting and discovering truly good coffee. What's a good transition or place to start? Right now, it seems like we both like espresso with steamed milk - can you get to a "similar" taste without investing the money in an espresso machine? I understand what makes espresso, but can you do a strong french press brew for example, add in some steamed milk and have something close? A heat gun, dog bowl, wooden spoon, sample pack from Sweet Maria, Capresso Infinity and a CCD (with a box of filtropa filters from SM's) is cheapest way to discover great coffee. It's seriously worth every penny. I've read that the Saeco Aroma is the cheapest espresso machine that's worth buying. Google Butt fucked around with this message at 16:37 on Sep 14, 2013 |
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Sep 14, 2013 16:29
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Helicity posted:I've read through a few pages and the OP and didn't see any specific talk of this, but my wife and I are addicted to Caribou/Starbucks lattes and mochas. We want to cut expenses, but we also want to start experimenting and discovering truly good coffee. What's a good transition or place to start? Right now, it seems like we both like espresso with steamed milk - can you get to a "similar" taste without investing the money in an espresso machine? I understand what makes espresso, but can you do a strong french press brew for example, add in some steamed milk and have something close? However if the goal is to discover great coffee inexpensively you're probably much better doing what Google Butt says. mystes fucked around with this message at 17:12 on Sep 14, 2013 |
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Sep 14, 2013 17:09
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Orrrrrr- You can get a decent* burr grinder, find a roaster near you that can get you fresh roasted beans, and get an aeropress. This involves a very little actual work and will cost you about $125. Later you can bother with the roasting. It's not that hard, but it is a bit daunting to consider. You won't get steamed milk, but you can make lots of different kinds of coffee, get to know the roasters, etc. * The thread will tell you you need a $500 grinder. You probably don't.
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Sep 14, 2013 22:41
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Surely someone makes an inexpensive steamed-milk-making appliance? Get one of those while you are working on making good (non-espresso) coffee at home so you can add steamed milk if you want.
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Sep 14, 2013 22:45
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withak posted:Surely someone makes an inexpensive steamed-milk-making appliance? Get one of those while you are working on making good (non-espresso) coffee at home so you can add steamed milk if you want. Not really. I think there are a couple companies that do make one, but they're the cost of a entry level espresso machine. If you want something approximating steamed milk and you're not using espresso you can heat milk in the microwave and use one of those battery powered milk frothers to whip some air into it. If you did that and used an aeropress you'd get something that vaguely resembles a latte in taste. Also, I don't think anyone in here would actually recommend a $500 grinder in his situation. If someone came in here and said they love espresso and want to make good espresso at home, then maybe, but someone who just likes lattes doesn't need something super high end. A Capresso Infinity or Baratza Encore would be more than sufficient.
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Sep 14, 2013 22:53
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Thanks for the information, all. I think I'm going to pick up an Aeropress tomorrow to mess around with and I found a local store that supposedly has amazing beans that are fresh roasted. The last part of this is the grinding. How important is it to grind yourself? I'm assuming that you lose oils when you grind and then consume several days later?
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Sep 15, 2013 00:18
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Grinding fresh is slightly more important than the quality of the beans. Do it! People that get their beans ground at the store should just give up and get a Nespresso machine 
Mu Zeta fucked around with this message at 00:25 on Sep 15, 2013 |
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Sep 15, 2013 00:23
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