How to make better coffee

A simple trick that occurred to me: While you can pay upwards of $!000 or more for a coffee maker, I still buy the old drip style. Most of these have a hot plate under the pot. One day it struck me that the first coffee to hit the bottom of the pot get scalded because the plate gets hot too soon. There is no liquid to absorb the heat yet. So the first few ounces of coffee to hit the bottom burn. And that dilutes and makes the entire pot of coffee bitter.

To fix, simply put a few ounces [about 1/4 inch] of water in the bottom of the pot when starting the coffee maker. This absorbs the excess heat until enough coffee is present to moderate the temperature. I did this and immediately noticed a big difference; esp by testing the first cup made while it is super strong. In effect I have a much better coffee maker now. And so simple - just add water.

 

Drip filters are an abomination. I can't believe people are still using them somewhere in the world

They ALWAYS taste like stewed coffee, even when not scalded. Espresso or press is the only way to fly. Leave coffee sitting around in a warmed state, and you've killed it stone dead.

 

It's interesting that tea is the opposite. The longer you can leave it sitting around (within reason .. even tea eventually gets too astringent) the better.

 

Yes, it only takes about two hours for the coffee to oxidize in the pot. But if you drink it right away, the difference if you avoid scalding is like night and day. Also, even some drip pots are better than others. They shoot for the optimal temperature for the brew.

My favorite is the French Press. But too much of a pain for me day to day.

 

Some of the more expensive coffee makers spin to create pressure instead of using steam.

 

Press does taste better, but not by enough IMO to offset the convenience of the 'fire-and-forget' drip coffeemaker. If Im lounging in the house, I press. If Im working outside, I get the drip going so I can pop in rq to refresh my cup and get back to it.

But then again, I put quite a lot of half n half in my coffee, so i may not actually be tasting the coffee as much as other ppl.

 

How many coffees do you drink in a day? Hopefully not more than two

We tend to have one a day here, and almost always in the morning. More of a European approach, since we're tea drinkers in this country.

 

Pressure is used in all espresso machines. That's why they cost so much .. those pressure tanks are expensive to produce.

 

Prolly almost the whole pot, until recently. I've been drinking coffee til mid-afternoon, then switching to scotch. I know its bad for me. But I learn best by experience (oka the hard way).

...which is why I said until recently. I believe this routine was giving me gout. I've made it a point to not finish the whole pot, and I drink way less scotch. The symptoms that have been presenting as similar to gout are improving substantially.

 

The best coffee is when you pour the grounds directly in the boiling pot of coffee then after you cook to strength, turn off heat and add a quarter cup cold water to settle the grounds. I love New Mexico Pinon coffee.

 

I've done it this way and was pleased with the results. You leave the grounds in the coffee until the coffee is all gone, right? I've been told this is called 'cowboy coffee.'

 

If you want Turkish coffee, just grind the cowboy coffee into a fine powder and cook it this way. Then you let it settle keep it at the bottom by pouring carefully.

That got me through many sleepless nights in college - rocket fuel!

Two cups a day she asked? Heh. In college it was 2 to 4 pots a day

 

Yes. My wife only lets me do it when I'm camping or by myself.

 

Good idea. I do like a very find grind, but I've had issues with it being so fine that it clogs the filter (both in drip and press). It didn't occurr to me that there's nothing to clog in cowboy coffee. Will have to try it.

 

~ I do not just make coffee. I have a "coffee ceremony " with a vintage Pyrex Flameware Glass 6 Cup Coffee Pot Percolator. Very old school.

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Was likely the Scotch rather than the coffee, but glad you've cut back on both!

 

We do that with tea. Everyone drinks gallons of the stuff .. just like in old Mother Englund.

 

I used to drink a full pot of drip coffee every morning, between 10 and 12 cups. Now I've cut way back and make my coffee in a one cup French press. Usually I cheat though and make two or three more one cup at a time.

I get my coffee at a local roaster, generally Ethiopian or Costa Rican. When staying with my daughter in Hawai'i I drink Kona coffee, of course.

 

Hi, mswan!

Ethiopia is considered the original location of the coffee plant. The coffee has a very different taste than the Columbian coffee that forms the basis for the popular brands in our grocery stores here in the US. I prefer it for my afternoon cup. I still go for a Columbian blend for an eye-opener, though. I use a small dedicated grinder and a Mr. Coffee(r) pot. When I get a hankering for espresso [Ed.: 'n Sambuca,], I use Cafe Bustelo, pre-ground.

Regards, and wishing you many pleasant sips.

 

I like your taste, Ethiopian is my favorite. Welcome to PF, by the way.

 

French press. I like ghee in my black coffee .

 

Now that's interesting! I've never tried ghee in coffee, I always drink it black, nothing added. I'll have to give it a try.

 

It's a variation of "bulletproof coffee".

 

In the 1970s I could get the worlds best coffee for around $8 a pound. Nowadays the same thing would be over $100 a pound. If you can get it, my favorite doesn't exist anymore, it was wiped out by disease.

This thread started with coffee getting scorched by a hot plate. That is a terrible coffee maker.

The best coffee can dance across your palate with a parade of flavors. But there is a learning curve, and it's expensive..

There is really good coffee that doesn't reach such Olympian heights. I love a really good Ethiopian, but expect to kiss a few frogs before finding your princess. The best comes from small companies, and they get scammed. They sample some coffee, and when the shipment arrives, it turns out not to be from the estate they did business with. And they can't afford to dump it in the trash.

I like a light coffee, and it's infuriatingly easy to get wrong. These are delicate flavors, it's way too easy to bury them with too much coffee, too long a brew, or the wrong temp, you get the idea. And they are spendy..

I've been retired, and had to give this up when I did. What I do now is buy the small lot coffee from Trader Joes, and then blend them. I have a half dozen different coffees to pick from.

But, if you want to give it a try, George Howell is where I got my fancy coffee from. In what seems to be a theme, they no longer have what I usually bought. When I did an internet search, the only La Minita that caught my eye was $100 a bag, and I doubt it was a pound. Don't buy cheap La Minita, it will be relentlessly pedestrian..

If you drink espresso, try the Northern Italian Brown espresso from George Howell. They always have a wide selection to pick from, Ethiopians, Fincas, etc.
https://store.georgehowellcoffee.com/coffees/

 

Not since I started adding water. Now it is as good as most any other coffee. And I live in high-end coffee houses.

Turns out the burning of the coffee was the biggest problem.