Ultrarunner2020
Member
Hey guys;
I posted in this forum a couple months ago about my dissatisfaction with the Keurig K-cup brewing system. I recently took out an old Corningware stovetop pot (6 cups or so) and decided to give it a try.
I made a couple mistakes:
1. I used very old beans that had no more flavor left in them
2. I allowed the coffee to boil for too long
I did some Googling, and learned that I want to turn the heat down once the water starts to perc, to the point where percs are 2-3 seconds apart. However, when I tried that this morning, I found that even using the smallest burner on the stove and at its lowest setting, I was getting around 2 percs per second. I tried to regulate the temp by shutting the burner off completely until the percolating just about stopped, then turned it back on low until it began percolating again. I repeated this process 2-3 times before I had let the coffee perc for about 10 minutes.
The coffee was drinkable, but had little or no flavor, and was somewhat bitter. I used a small amount of non-dairy creamer but no sweetener (the creamer has enough!).
Since it does not appear that I will be able to control the temperature on the (gas) stove well enough to keep the brew from boiling, I thought of my options:
1. An electric percolator. I was fairly happy with the 12-cup Presto electric I was using, but now that I am the only one drinking percolated coffee (other family members use the Keurig), I am not going to make 2 cups in a 12 cup pot.
I thought about buying a small (2-4 cup) electric percolator, but after doing a lot of reading, I now believe that a French Press would be my best option.
That, and fresh beans to start with.
With that said, what brand/model French Press should I get? The prices on Amazon seem very reasonable compared to even an electric percolator.
Once I decide on a brand/model, I would like to learn exactly how to grind my beans, and how much grinds per 8oz of water. That ratio seems to vary, depending on which website you're on, but all seem to agree on a medium-coarse grind.
The grinder I have been using is a Kusinart model DBM-8, which is a burr grinder, so I think it will do a good job at whatever setting I use. But it is hard to know exactly how much coffee it is grinding, as the grinder is controlled only by time, not actual weight of grounds. I read that one should always measure the grind by weight, not volume, since the weight varies by the grind. I suppose i need to convert the amount of water from fluid oz to weight as well in order to get the correct water/grinds ratio (1oz water weighs 1.04oz), so for a large cup 16fl oz water will weigh 16.64oz.
Then, do I need to add a bit of water for the grounds in a French Press, just as you would for the percolator?
I also read about blooming the grind to release CO2. I read that you're supposed to pour about 1/3 of the water onto the grounds, mix it up and let it sit for 30 seconds before adding the remaining water. Then mix again, and allow the mixture to steep for 4 mins before plunging.
I doubt that the beans I have will have enough CO2 left in them to need blooming though. They are Wellsley Farms (BJ's) Columbian Arabica with a use by date of 12/2020. I have had the sealed bag for at least 6 months now.
But I figure start with the beans I have on hand so I can perfect my technique before spending money on some really good beans.
OK. I think I've provided enough info to get started.
When I can enjoy my brew black, I will know that i have reached my goal!
Thanks for your help/advice
Ultrarunner
I posted in this forum a couple months ago about my dissatisfaction with the Keurig K-cup brewing system. I recently took out an old Corningware stovetop pot (6 cups or so) and decided to give it a try.
I made a couple mistakes:
1. I used very old beans that had no more flavor left in them
2. I allowed the coffee to boil for too long
I did some Googling, and learned that I want to turn the heat down once the water starts to perc, to the point where percs are 2-3 seconds apart. However, when I tried that this morning, I found that even using the smallest burner on the stove and at its lowest setting, I was getting around 2 percs per second. I tried to regulate the temp by shutting the burner off completely until the percolating just about stopped, then turned it back on low until it began percolating again. I repeated this process 2-3 times before I had let the coffee perc for about 10 minutes.
The coffee was drinkable, but had little or no flavor, and was somewhat bitter. I used a small amount of non-dairy creamer but no sweetener (the creamer has enough!).
Since it does not appear that I will be able to control the temperature on the (gas) stove well enough to keep the brew from boiling, I thought of my options:
1. An electric percolator. I was fairly happy with the 12-cup Presto electric I was using, but now that I am the only one drinking percolated coffee (other family members use the Keurig), I am not going to make 2 cups in a 12 cup pot.
I thought about buying a small (2-4 cup) electric percolator, but after doing a lot of reading, I now believe that a French Press would be my best option.
That, and fresh beans to start with.
With that said, what brand/model French Press should I get? The prices on Amazon seem very reasonable compared to even an electric percolator.
Once I decide on a brand/model, I would like to learn exactly how to grind my beans, and how much grinds per 8oz of water. That ratio seems to vary, depending on which website you're on, but all seem to agree on a medium-coarse grind.
The grinder I have been using is a Kusinart model DBM-8, which is a burr grinder, so I think it will do a good job at whatever setting I use. But it is hard to know exactly how much coffee it is grinding, as the grinder is controlled only by time, not actual weight of grounds. I read that one should always measure the grind by weight, not volume, since the weight varies by the grind. I suppose i need to convert the amount of water from fluid oz to weight as well in order to get the correct water/grinds ratio (1oz water weighs 1.04oz), so for a large cup 16fl oz water will weigh 16.64oz.
Then, do I need to add a bit of water for the grounds in a French Press, just as you would for the percolator?
I also read about blooming the grind to release CO2. I read that you're supposed to pour about 1/3 of the water onto the grounds, mix it up and let it sit for 30 seconds before adding the remaining water. Then mix again, and allow the mixture to steep for 4 mins before plunging.
I doubt that the beans I have will have enough CO2 left in them to need blooming though. They are Wellsley Farms (BJ's) Columbian Arabica with a use by date of 12/2020. I have had the sealed bag for at least 6 months now.
But I figure start with the beans I have on hand so I can perfect my technique before spending money on some really good beans.
OK. I think I've provided enough info to get started.
When I can enjoy my brew black, I will know that i have reached my goal!
Thanks for your help/advice
Ultrarunner
