Making Coffee at Home

[Christianguy]

Hey guys and girls. I make my coffee at home regularly trying various grounds to water ratios for light and medium roast coffees, using French Press and clever dripper (similar to a pour over) and I cant quite seem to get the acidity/pop from the coffee that I can at the local coffee shops. The French Press ordinarily results in a stronger cup of coffee and the clever in a mellow cup. Any suggestions?

 

[peterjschmidt]

How are the coffee shops brewing?

Where do they get their coffee?

Do you have the same water at home?

 

[Christianguy]

How are the coffee shops brewing?

Where do they get their coffee?

Do you have the same water at home?

3) My water is about as pure as can be before being alkaline. It is purified well water.

2) The roaster is the same company from which I get my daily cup and I buy their beans. I grind the beans immediately before use.

1) I think they use a Bunn brewer.

 

[ensoluna]

mostly importantly, can you tell me what coffee are you using for french press?
if you want some good acidity, please try high altitude/high density coffees, such as Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Pacamara or Bourbon from Huehue will give you some great "pops" for sure.

 

[Christianguy]

mostly importantly, can you tell me what coffee are you using for french press?
if you want some good acidity, please try high altitude/high density coffees, such as Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Pacamara or Bourbon from Huehue will give you some great "pops" for sure.

I use a medium/dark roast from Peru (single origin). I use a coarse grind for the French Press. It makes about 10 oz and I use about 14-18 grams of beans

EDIT:
Thanks for the suggestions. The roaster sells Guatamalan beans. I could try those.

 

[ensoluna]

I use a medium/dark roast from Peru (single origin). I use a coarse grind for the French Press. It makes about 10 oz and I use about 14-18 grams of beans

first, you need to check exactly what kind of Peru coffee bean is. it might not be high grown. it could be mid to low density beans. also, the acidity can vary depends on variety of coffee bean. and next time, please roast light/medium.

however, generally speaking, Peruvian coffee is not known for its acidity at all. the highest grade Peru coffee is "AAA" (Not marketed as prominently as Kenya's AA coffee. Of the major coffee growing areas of the world, it is not easy to find a comparison for Peruvian coffee because it is the only coffee from a major grower that is mild in flavor and low to med in acidity.

I do not know whether you have more info on your Peru coffee beans (such as farm info, altitude, varietal, process info...etc), but if you can let me know, I can tell you whether the bean has "pop" acidity or not. But again, "pop" acidity is generally missing in Peruvian coffee.

Anyway, try Pacamara, Marago from Huehuetenango + fresh roast (light med) then, you will get what you are looking for.

 

[Christianguy]

first, you need to check exactly what kind of Peru coffee bean is. it might not be high grown. it could be mid to low density beans. also, the acidity can vary depends on variety of coffee bean. and next time, please roast light/medium.

I do not know whether you have more info on your Peru coffee beans (such as farm info, altitude, varietal, process info...etc), but if you can let me know, I can tell you whether the bean has "pop" acidity or not.

Anyway, try Pacamara, Marago from Huehuetenango + fresh roast (light med) then, you will get what you are looking for.

Thanks! I don't know more about the beans from Peru, unfortunately. I'll see if I can try some others.

 

[ensoluna]

Thanks! I don't know more about the beans from Peru, unfortunately. I'll see if I can try some others.

hi Christianguy, I just put some more info about Peruvian coffee. you can go back to my previous posting and read about it.
thanks

 

[Christianguy]

hi Christianguy, I just put some more info about Peruvian coffee. you can go back to my previous posting and read about it.
thanks

Oh wow, thanks

 

[Christianguy]

first, you need to check exactly what kind of Peru coffee bean is. it might not be high grown. it could be mid to low density beans. also, the acidity can vary depends on variety of coffee bean. and next time, please roast light/medium.

however, generally speaking, Peruvian coffee is not known for its acidity at all. the highest grade Peru coffee is "AAA" (Not marketed as prominently as Kenya's AA coffee. Of the major coffee growing areas of the world, it is not easy to find a comparison for Peruvian coffee because it is the only coffee from a major grower that is mild in flavor and low to med in acidity.

I do not know whether you have more info on your Peru coffee beans (such as farm info, altitude, varietal, process info...etc), but if you can let me know, I can tell you whether the bean has "pop" acidity or not. But again, "pop" acidity is generally missing in Peruvian coffee.

Anyway, try Pacamara, Marago from Huehuetenango + fresh roast (light med) then, you will get what you are looking for.

You definitely sound knowledgeable. Its just that it tastes so good from the coffee shop and its never quite the same at home and we use the same exact beans. Its hard to believe that the only thing causing the difference is simply the method of brewing. I will see if I can find more info on the beans that I enjoy.

 

[peterjschmidt]

You say your water is purified well water, but it's probably not the same the coffee shops use. Water can have a huge effect on how coffee tastes. If you use RO water it'll take the minerals out, which can lead to bland coffee.

And their Bunn will use a paper filter, yielding a cleaner cup that will seem brighter than a press pot.

 

[Christianguy]

You say your water is purified well water, but it's probably not the same the coffee shops use. Water can have a huge effect on how coffee tastes. If you use RO water it'll take the minerals out, which can lead to bland coffee.

And their Bunn will use a paper filter, yielding a cleaner cup that will seem brighter than a press pot.

Sounds like valid points, but my water seems to be much more pure than the coffee shops. I wonder why I like theirs more.

About what you said in the last paragraph, I use bamboo filters in my Clever dripper. Do you know how that could possibly change the taste as opposed to paper filter?