Let’s talk coffee

[MJ5150]

I bought into this until I actually tried a 200gm preground pack and didn't miss a thing. The first coffee out of a new bag is a little zinger than the last out of the old one but not by enough to make me miss grinding.

It's not a matter of buying into it or not, it's true. If your taste buds can't detect it, that's no knock on you. Many people can't, and many more don't care.
Then you have those at the other end of the spectrum that invest in products like a Kruve sifter to fine tune the coffee tasting experience.

-Mike

 

[Downunderwonder]

It's not a matter of buying into it or not, it's true. If your taste buds can't detect it, that's no knock on you. Many people can't, and many more don't care.
Then you have those at the other end of the spectrum that invest in products like a Kruve sifter to fine tune the coffee tasting experience.

-Mike

If a tree falls in the forest....

 

[MJ5150]

If a tree falls in the forest....

Yeah, you can turn this conversation into that, but this isn't what the OP asked.

-Mike

 

[Downunderwonder]

Yeah, you can turn this conversation into that, but this isn't what the OP asked.

-Mike

My tip was that a mighty fine brew can be made with pre ground. I acknowledged it is less fine after it's a week open and shut open and shut.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Like many things, it depends on expectations...

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I have some suggestions to start.
First, only buy whole bean fresh roasted coffee. By fresh, I mean roasted in the last 1-2 weeks. You can accomplish this by finding yourself a small roaster in your town and getting to know him or her. If you need help finding someone around you, let me know. I know roasters all over.
Second, get yourself a good quality burr grinder made for coffee. You can spend upwards of $400 for a grinder, and they are worth what they cost. You don't need to spend that much, but that one for $15 with the blades is just going to tear the beans up inconsistently.
Third, only grind the beans moments before you're ready to make and drink the coffee. Oxygen and light are enemies of good coffee. As soon as you grind a coffee bean the quality begins to deteriorate.

When you get yourself situated with a grinder and brew method, or maybe methods, let me know. I'll send you some fresh roasted coffee. That's a little side business/hobby/passion of mine.
Y'all play bass, I roast and drink coffee.

-Mike

So I’m guessing I don’t need this?

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Are there any recommended grinders in the $60-$100 range? I don’t want to go all out my first time.

 

[friskinator]

I feel like I'm the only person on TB who buys cheap grocery store brand ground coffee and brews it with an electric machine. For my taste buds (and convenience), the expensive methods are wasted on me. I can appreciate the good stuff and the craft behind it, but for daily drinking, it's not important to me.

 

[bolophonic]

I have some suggestions to start.
First, only buy whole bean fresh roasted coffee. By fresh, I mean roasted in the last 1-2 weeks. You can accomplish this by finding yourself a small roaster in your town and getting to know him or her. If you need help finding someone around you, let me know. I know roasters all over.
Second, get yourself a good quality burr grinder made for coffee. You can spend upwards of $400 for a grinder, and they are worth what they cost. You don't need to spend that much, but that one for $15 with the blades is just going to tear the beans up inconsistently.
Third, only grind the beans moments before you're ready to make and drink the coffee. Oxygen and light are enemies of good coffee. As soon as you grind a coffee bean the quality begins to deteriorate.

When you get yourself situated with a grinder and brew method, or maybe methods, let me know. I'll send you some fresh roasted coffee. That's a little side business/hobby/passion of mine.
Y'all play bass, I roast and drink coffee.

-Mike

My burr grinder is starting to sound like it’s dying. I am not excited about having to replace it.

 

[Spyrosaab]

Coffee is 98% water, so you make a great point.

-Mike

I’ve had a water distiller for the last 10 years, that’s all I use for my coffee at home and at work. We also use it for our drinking water and making soups etc. Even though the tap water here is amongst the best in the world, distilled beats it hands down. Also goes well with whiskey as adds no flavour of its own.

 

[Dean N]

I have a local roaster I love but don't get down into the city enough to keep a consistent stash. I have found a coffee at (get ready to laugh) Aldi that is ridiculously cheap and makes decent coffee. Their German roast apparently has a cult following, but I like their Peru:

My KitchenAid grinder might be dying. What's this about a burr grinder? Any recommendations?

 

[MynameisMe]

I have a local roaster I love but don't get down into the city enough to keep a consistent stash. I have found a coffee at (get ready to laugh) Aldi that is ridiculously cheap and makes decent coffee. Their German roast apparently has a cult following, but I like their Peru:
View attachment 3527027
My KitchenAid grinder might be dying. What's this about a burr grinder? Any recommendations?

I also use this or the other organic coffee from Aldi with the same brand. It's fantastic!
Also grind our beans and use a drip pot.
I will say this coffee also tastes great in the French press.
Our water quality inn Florida is extremely hard and tastes like chlorine so we filter all our water with a Brita filter and it helps much.
Coffee is very subjective. I like a medium roast more than anything. The SB brand seems to over roast their beans and I refuse to drink it. To each their own.
We attended a health seminar and they were saying coffee is one of the most pesticide sprayed Agri on the planet. We try to use organic because of this.

 

[MattZilla]

I’ve had a water distiller for the last 10 years, that’s all I use for my coffee at home and at work. We also use it for our drinking water and making soups etc. Even though the tap water here is amongst the best in the world, distilled beats it hands down. Also goes well with whiskey as adds no flavour of its own.

what type?

 

[bassdude51]

I started drinking coffee for the very first time about 20 years ago at age 48.

I went to Google and looked up the best ways to brew coffee. #1 was one of those fancy Italian coffee makers and they are expensive. The 2nd best way to brew coffee was said to be with a French Press. They are very affordable.

So, I bought a French Press and have been happy with my home results for coffee. I will say that the French Press turns out pretty strong coffee so one will have to experiment with measurements to get the strength that they like. I like very strong coffee! Straight black and strong.

The only negative thing that I have to say about drinking coffee is that it does stain teeth!

After I finish my 2 morning mugs, I immediately rinse out my mouth with warm water and brush and floss my teeth. Still coffee messes up the white! But, I am old and it doesn't matter anymore.

I only drink coffee for the morning caffeine "pick me up fix" and don't particularly like the taste of it.

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[T_Bone_TL]

Are there any recommended grinders in the $60-$100 range? I don’t want to go all out my first time.

My general recommendation is to get a hand-crank. More grinder for the money, IMHO. Less money wasted on gears and electrics for a fairly simple task.

New, I'd be looking for ceramic burrs, but in point of fact I use a ~50 year old reproduction of a 200+ year old design cast iron version, and it still works well, so I have yet to get a ceramic version. I did have to lube it once as it got all squeaky.

 

[Mata Leao]

Any of the options mentioned above are better than $4 per cup at Starbucks, or whatever they charge now.
Biggest waste of money for over roasted burnt coffee.
And there are people who do that everyday .

 

[MJ5150]

So I’m guessing I don’t need this?

View attachment 3526860

Actually, you'll need two of those.
Get one dialed in for light roasts, then the other for dark roasts.

-Mike

 

[MJ5150]

Are there any recommended grinders in the $60-$100 range? I don’t want to go all out my first time.

I'm with @T_Bone_TL on the hand grinder.
If you'd like something electric, Cuisinart makes a nice one for about $40. It's the DBM-8.

-Mike

 

[rufus.K]

Somebody used my mushroom grinder for coffee

 

[MattZilla]

Any of the options mentioned above are better than $4 per cup at Starbucks, or whatever they charge now.
Biggest waste of money for over roasted burnt coffee.
And there are people who do that everyday .

It's a dollar for a small cup of regular tree bark black, two and change for a doppio with milk (my post bikeride-before work drink), $4+ for the drinks designed for people who would be happy to just drink from a bottle of Nestle Quick if it were socially acceptable.

The gas station right near my workplace charges more for the same size of black that tastes like water with a little coffee poured in for color and Dunkin regular tastes like a cheap version of Starbucks' $4 drinks.

Cold brewing with home distilled seems interesting though