How do you brew your coffee?

[kingdarb]

I drink espresso, Americanos and lattes mostly. I have been spending too much at Starbucks so I got set up to brew my own espresso a few days ago. It cost an arm and a leg to get the machine (semi-automatic heat exchanger) and a good grinder to grind the beans fresh, but man-o-man it makes a mean shot. I'm actually happy to report that I like the espresso that I make at home better than starbucks now, but I must admit that I am not the equal of the baristas in the specialty shops. Maybe with time heh.

I am also thinking of getting an Aeropress to take to and keep at the office.

I really find that buying good, freshly roasted beans and grinding them just prior to use makes a huge difference.

[tbob4]

Coffee black. My wife drinks it with half and half. The three ridgebacks like it that way so she goes through two cups to every one that I drink. Watching her chasing them off and having to get a new cup would make a great scene in a comedy. They can's stand black coffee.

[Yno]

I have gone through durn near every coffee making method/machine in the past, from cowboy to aeropress to expensive Italian espresso machines. Lately I have settled on a Bonavita 1900 machine, which is probably in the top 95% of machines according to recently made up statistics. It has no bells and whistles, no burner plate, just a stainless steel thermo carafe. Sometimes drink it black, sometimes with a bit of low fat milk, and on weekends (right now, as a matter of fact) with just a touch (!) of Bailey's.

I stay away from Starbucks if at all possible. My beans come from Peet's, French Roast, ground fresh.

[MBMorgan]

"Are you supposed to get a large amount of granules with French press? A veterinarian supervisor I had years ago was bragging about his French press and gave me some to try, and it looked like I had eaten a handful full of black pepper."

Jerod Broussard - For a French press, you've got to grind it really coarse using a good burr grinder that puts out really uniform grounds to avoid the problem that you describe. It's more than a little ironic that you need a $500 grinder to make a $15 French press work properly.

[Jerod Broussard]

No wonder. No need for me to go frenchy with my coffee-milk.

[Mr. Bones]

Sigh. I'm guessin' this will show my age...

Anybody, besides me ever heered of/remember Sam Arnold?

Usedta have a cookin' show on th' TV.... 'Frying Pans West'.

Also came out with a receipt book, fer th' same....

I remember, quite indelibly, th' receipt for 'Cowboy Coffee':

1 gal fresh water
1 lb. coffee
1 horseshoe

"Bring water to a rolling boil. Add coffee.
Drop horseshoe into coffee pot.
If it sinks, add more coffee."
(Mine's jus' a bit South o' that...)

[Mr. Bones]

Jerod Broussard ¡Ti ringrazio tanto, Paisano! Great write-up...

[EdF]

Mr. Bones , I always appreciate your "Southern" insights!

[Mr. Bones]

EdF , Ah'm thankin' ya' fer yer kind words, Sir!

[billg71]

I like the Aero Press if I'm just doing one cup but there's too many parts to fiddle with first thing in the morning. Ditto for a French press.

I used a Cuisinart 12-cup coffee maker for years, it does OK and it has a 3-position warmer control so you don't smoke the remaining coffee too badly. Then I saw the review on coffee makers at America's Test Kitchen and bought the Technivorm Moccamaster 10-cup and it makes a really good cup of coffee. The insulated carafe keeps the brew at temp for 2-3 hours, long enough for me to finish the pot. And I grind the beans with a Capresso burr grinder, it's about the only burr grinder I've found that I can tolerate using early in the morning. It doesn't even scare the cats!

As kingdarb said, freshly ground coffee makes a big difference in the taste. Using enough coffee helps with the bitterness: 2 tablespoons/6 oz. is recommended, that's a LOT of ground coffee. But it really helps.

Best,
Bill

[Storlok]

I just use an electric percolator. It has no filter, but a basket with a very fine grid in it that allows water through, and not too much of the grounds. Yeah, there are a few grounds in the pot, but hey, it's real coffee. As for additives, I only add a mug to hold it. Black for me. Wife uses the fancy creamers and sweeteners.

[Mr. Bones]

Not previously mentioned, is that with a percolator, ya git them great grounds ya can dry out for yer rubs ;-) I also use BAC in some marinades, especially for beef

[ecowper]

At home - french press with a decent Krups grinder.
on the road - whatever coffee joint is handy
fishing - my one burner white gas stove and 8 cup camp percolator

[ribeyeguy]

Revv K-Cup.

[Breadhead]

I use a ceramic French press and a Espresso machine that has a built in coffee grinder and a frother. I don't like paying Starbucks big bucks for what I can make at home for a fraction of what they charge me.👍

[FireMan]

Ditto on Starbucks. I can't bring myself to go into those fancy dan coffee shops & let them pull a gun on me just for a coffee.

[Atalanta]

I'm guessing that's a Breville - looks like ours but we don't have the built in grinder. Pulls a nice shot.

[Breadhead]

Yes... a Breville it is.👌

[fuzzydaddy]

We're all Keurig and k-cups. About 3 or 4 favorites are kept on hand, but our #1 is a dark french roast from Sam's (daily chef).

[kingdarb]

...not a great photo but this is what I am using...

[FireMan]

This is my Ibrik, the original mr. coffee as it was made about 450 yrs ago. Good coffee, puts hair in some places where ya did'nt have any.

[RickyBobby]

I'll usually brew it in my Keurig as I am the only coffee drinker in the house. I do frequently brew coffee in a standard 12 cup jobbie at work because I like good coffee. Black Rifle Coffee Company is my coffee of choice, awesome coffee and a veteran owned business...... Win Win!

[Breadhead]

A veteran owned business... that's worth a bonus.

[Blues1]

Black Rifle is very, very smooth. As noted, a veteran owned business. Good company.

[Argoboy]

I was looking for a new coffee maker and I just ordered an Arepress after reading about here and on line. Interesting fact that boiling hot water is not required.

[RonB]

Argoboy - please let us know what you think of the Aeropress, and if you have any questions about using it, let me know.

[Abom]

If you like your coffee to have more body than you're getting with the aeropress paper filters, there's an inexpensive metal filter that makes a big difference. Some people say the paper changes the taste too, but I can't claim to have taste buds that refined.