HELP: strong coffee / math / and addiction.

[marlene123]

Ok, so my mom, who is on a tight budget will not stray from her need for what she believes is the perfect cup of coffee. Here are some facts: It has to be Maxwell House or Hills Bros ground coffee. She believes the only way to get it just perfect for her is 128 grams of coffee, which as I was taught when I moved in here temporarily, is enough until you can just barely see the white top of the coffee filter (I did this and then weighed it dry on my small precision kitchen scale). The decanter is to be filled with exactly 5 cups of water, which after evaporation during brewing, nets about 3.25-3.5 cups of liquid coffee. She has the basic Mr. Coffee 12 cup automatic drip maker. After that she mixes it in a standard cup with half coffee and half (half and half cream). She calls this "Boston Style".

Not being a coffee drinker myself, just your average very intelligent alcoholic, I told her when I saw her go through her first 2 (1lb 8oz) cans of Hills Bros. coffee in a week that there had to be a more logical way. The problem is that she barely has enough money to live on and cant bear to see me 'experiment' with her precious commodity. Yet, it is so strong, she usually has to reheat it in the mocrowave 4-6 times before she can finish her cup. And, she ONLY has one cup! She pours the rest in the decanter away everyday.

So, can someone on here confirm if what I think is most logical? If she simply uses half the grounds (64 grams) and half the water (2.5 cups), it HAS to equate to the same taste and strength. Also netting her nearly no waste, and stretching her monthly usage from 8 cans of coffee to 4?

Does this make any sense? Any thoughts (other than shes crazy)???

Thanks!

Tony

 

[PinkRose]

Hello Tony,

Welcome to the Coffee Forums website.

I think you should experiment with the coffee and water ratio and find the perfect combination for your mother. You are correct in using half portions as a starting point. The taste and strength may not be exactly the same, but it will be close. Then you can make an adjustment in either the amount of coffee grounds or the amount of water that you use.

It doesn't make sense that she can't bear to see you 'experiment' with her precious commodity, yet when she makes the whole pot of coffee her way, she only has one cup and she pours the what's left in the decanter down the drain everyday. The precious commodity is going down the drain anyway.

Just go out any buy her a can of her favorite coffee and tell her that you want to experiment.

If she still kicks up a fuss, then back off and let her keep on doing it her way.

Lots of old people get set in their ways, and there is no changing their minds. You need to know when to back off, even when you know your way would be better.

Good luck.

Rose

 

[marlene123]

Well, thanks to both of you for your quick replies so far. I think I am going to start by a combination of each of your ideas. I am going to buy a can of coffee and experiment. I will utilize half the can to experiment with the grounds to water ratio and the other half to experiment with the Aeropress that Ensoluna recommended. I will buy one on Amazon, as I just received a gift card for that site recently anyway.
Thank you again, I will let you know how it turns out.

 

[kathiefitzpatrick]

June 25. 2017

Hi Tony:

Yes, that is more than just strong coffee! She would save on coffee if she took your suggestion. I agree with the other person who said maybe you ought be buy her a Keurig Coffee maker as a gift. Pre measured for the perfect cup.-kathiefitzpatrick

 

[marlene123]

I dont understand the Keurig machines enough to justify such an expensive risk. See, I know what she considers "the perfect cup", but as I explained above, can the Keurig make an extreme cup of mud? Is there a K-cup on the market that can pack all of the punch of her 28 grams of grounds into one cup?

 

[marlene123]

Whoops, I mean 128 grams of grounds, not 28!

 

[Musicphan]

skip the Keurig... they hold so little coffee (typically no more than 12-15 grams) she will not enjoy the cup. The typical 'recipe' for coffee is 1 gram of coffee for 15 grams of water. Using 128g of water you would typically add 9 cups of water. So - what she is making a super super concentrate - the half & half is cutting the bitterness. Start by 1/2 the amount of coffee & water as suggested - you should get similar results. And just fyi - the water doesn't evaporate in the brewing process, coffee absorbs the water.

 

[Duffyjr]

I have to ask why you are throwing the left over away? Why not put it in the refrigerator and when she wants a cup get it out and microwave her one. I can't image with the recipe she is using you would be able to tell the difference.

 

[topher]

Here is what you need to get her. Inexpensive and makes a super rich cup of coffee.
https://www.amazon.com/Clever-Coffe...63&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=clever+dripper&psc=1

 

[coffeelover228]

vietnamese coffee is reallllllly strong