kbuzbee Senior Member Joined: 2 Feb 2006 Posts: 479 Location: Mentor, Ohio Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: La Pavoni Europiccola Grinder: Zassenhaus 175M Vac Pot: Cona D Drip: I don't drip Roaster: Probat L5
Posted Fri Feb 3, 2006, 7:57am Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
Hi Alan, just received my Aeropress. What a wonderful little device. I bought it, frankly, as a way to make coffee while travelling. It seems perfect for that. We always want a cup or two an hour before "we" are ready to leave the hotel room. I think this will fill the bill spot on.
My experience, the first day I coarse ground four scoops (the docs led me to believe fine grinding would not work for a 4 cup), and I "knew" 175 was too cool to brew coffee so I added 200 degree water, brewed for 10 sec and pressed through. It was horrible! I thought "what a mistake this is"
Then I found and spent time reading this thread. I followed your advice, fine ground a 2 cup and brewed at 175. Wow, what a difference. I added some hot water to make it more regular strength coffee. The flavor was so nice. Complete yet smooth. I will work it from here to fine tune. I need to figure out the dilution rate for my wife's coffee. She likes it fairly weak. But I wanted to thank you for bringing a device that is so nice AND affordable into our lives. And for participating in this forum! It would be great if all "vendors" took this kind of interest in the users of their products.
Posted Fri Feb 3, 2006, 4:20pm Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
Hey Alan
Just got mine today as well. I don't know if it was just beginers luck, but some 3 day old Kenya and some 180 deg. water made a very good cup of coffee. My wife loved her cup as well.
Posted Fri Feb 3, 2006, 8:46pm Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
Thank you Ken & Carl,
Your feedback, be it positive or negative, helps me do my job better. To me it makes about as much sense to design a product without feedback from users, as it would to drive a car with my eyes closed.
My wife likes her coffee weak too. I've settled on a Brix of about 1.0 for her -- which is the equivalent of about 7.5 ounces of diluted brew per scoop. Our after-dinner ritual is for me to make a triple decaf. Then I put one third of it into an 8 ounce mug and fill the rest of it with water for her. I keep the remaining double and either drink it as-is, or dilute it about 1:1. I enjoy it both ways.
I played barista today at the San Francisco Gift show. In our instructions, and at a prior trade show, I've used 1:4 or 1:3 dilution to make Americanos. I was aiming for a Brix of about 1.5 to match the SCAA total dissolved solids (TDS) recommendation.
But I was beginning to suspect that people might enjoy a stronger cup with AeroPress brew because of its inherently lower bitterness and acidity. So today I AeroPressed with water filled to the top of the oval, which yields a Brix of about 5 (equal to Starbuck's espresso). Then I diluted that only 1:1 which brought it down to a Brix of about 2.5, which is 167% of the SCAA recommendation.
The response was so positive that I'm going to revise our instruction sheet and suggest richer Americanos.
So, after AeroPressing for two years, I'm still learning. Let me learn from you baristas out there. How do you like to brew it?
MarkPrince Moderator Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 4,668 Location: Vancouver Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Frankenstein'ed LM Linea Grinder: Anfim Super Caimano Vac Pot: 1922 Silex Drip: Krups Moka Brew Roaster: Hottop
Posted Sat Feb 4, 2006, 2:46am Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
Hi Folks.
Yes, I've been monitoring the thread carefully. Eating up the advice, finding it entertaining, and also finding that I had to delete at least three posts, and several more were very much on the borderline.
I want to address a couple of comments first:
twalker294 Said:
You're kidding, right? If we can't speak positively about products and services here then what is this forum for?
He gave technical input about the product that HE invented, markets, and sells. Not until the question of where to buy one came up did he make reference to finding a retailer. Are you honestly suggesting that he came here merely to promote the Aeropress? Read his contributions to this thread again if you do...
I can't believe people feel this way. The guy is trying to help people get the most out of his product and he is being chastised for it? I swear, all internet forums are becoming the same...
Twalker; these forums have been running for years now. And in that time, we've been able to create and maintain an environment that was as "shill free" as possible. Believe it or not, this is done for your best interest, and the best interests of every consumer or professional who visit this forum.
I don't know of any other specialty forum for a product that surpasses what we have here. This is achieved by a certain set of rules that every forum participant should read (the FAQ) before posting. One rule instituted last year to cut down on shill and self-promotion only posts is the "probationary period". It lasts 5 posts. Many in this thread have not adhered to that rule about promoting, endorsing, or criticising a product.
I want to make something crystal clear. We do not tell people the cannot speak positively (or negatively) about a product or service. We tell them that they need to complete a probation period of 5 posts before they can do so. Once they pass that period, if they want to promote or endorse or critise a product, they are welcome to do so.
I hope this is clear. If it isn't, then please take a moment to read the faq for these forums. Every new participant should.
Second quote:
Rawman Said:
Actually I agree with you Stinky. I've known quite a few people to have strikes issued against them for much less. As for people talking about a product, that's fine. Anyone who isn't making money off a product can discuss and talk all they want about it. Technical info is great. I have one of these and would like to see more about it. Pushing a product is advertising. Posting links to where you can buy a product is advertising.
I won't bother quoting Scott (stinkyjones) since he says more of the same.
First of all, no, I'm sorry, I don't believe people were ever issued strikes for less. I've made it quite clear to the moderators that strikes are not to be handed out lightly. I think the problem perceived her is what is "bad behaviour". In my opinion (which is the law, since I run this site) what some people may perceive as just being funny or joshing or pulling one's leg is what a lot of other people see as being mean, bitter, attack frenzied, yada yada. But I digress.
I did issue two strikes in this thread and deleted said posts. I've deleted a few more posts today. Just fyi.
Why is this thread going on, and why is there little visible moderator intervention? Here's why.
This is a new product. It's a product that has a lot of people intriuged. The inventor of the product is here, and answering questions very frankly and directly. I don't always agree with what he writes (to be honest Alan, I bristle when I see anything produced with the aeropress called "espresso" :)), but we don't have this often. In fact, rarely.
As the owner of this website, I think Alan is actually a very excellent example of the kind of vendor AND manufacturer participation I'd like to have in forums. Unfortunately, most are scared off. Most are scared off by posts like Scott's, or by myself imposing rules, or the moderators. Scared off before they start.
The rules in question (probation period, commercial aspects in forums, etc) are in place for three reasons.
To keep the forums clear of ulterior motives for sharing opinions. Those ulterior motives usually involve trying to just sell more product and saying anything, true or not, to do so. This increases the trust level in the forums.
To keep site advertisers happy, and also to make sure any blatent promotion of a product is done through legitimate advertising on the site, not free via forums.
To prevent the proliferation of shill or stealth posts. This also is to increase the trust and community spirit in the forums.
I do not believe anything remaining in this thread violates 1 or 3. Point 2 is a bit different, but in this case, Alan's contributions, while obviously promoting the product and increasing its potential sales, are something that I think we rarely see - very naked honesty about the product, and a helluva lot of background and feedback about a product that many are interested in.
In my judgement, the posts remaining in this thread do not violate the spirit of #2, just the rule.
Second last point - the posts I deleted:
I will ask everyone contributing to this thread or any others on CoffeeGeek to remember this golden rule: you cannot post a link to a third party website selling a product if it is within your first five posts to the board. I don't want to see this rule broken again. If it's important enough for you to share, then either wait till you have five legitimate discussion posts, or contact a more senior member and convince them to make the post for you.
Second. Stay away from total endorsement or dissing of this product if you do not have five posts yet. If you want to converse and discuss the product with others in the thread, not a problem. But please, respect our forum rules.
That all said, I am very happy that Alan is here and participating. I wish we could do more of this with other product inventors. I tried to encourage Bill Crossland to get involved in the GS3 threads, and he declined. I've asked others in the past for other products as well, and they either declined or simply didn't respond. The only thing I'd ask of Alan or any manufacturer, vendor, supplier, etc, is that exercise a certain sense of decorum and respect for the forum rules while doing so. Alan's been doing awesome at this, except for one post (which I did leave in place).
I hope this settles the forums discussion. Now can we get back to the Aerobee Aeropress?
Posted Sat Feb 4, 2006, 5:11am Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
Hello All,
First of all, I want to thank Mark for giving us a place to learn from each other. Yes, I'm providing information to you. But don't forget that every time you ask a question, or post info about your own experiences (positive or negative) I learn from your post. As a university lecturer, for the past twenty-five years (Stanford engineering dept) I've often learned from my students.
Second, I want to thank Mark, and all of you, for cutting me some slack. I realize that I've treaded on self promotion at times and I appreciate your indulgence. I vow to not stretch that indulgence in the future. In that regard, I've just edited my prior post to moderate my own enthusiasm for Brix 2.5 Americanos.
Third, I want to assure you that ALL contributors on ALL coffeegeek threads were complete strangers to me. You are NOT AeroPress shills. But thanks to this forum, I have now met rawman and expect to meet CaliforniaBear next week. So things will be slightly different in the future.
Again, I thank Mark for bringing us all together and giving us this place to interact. I'm enjoying this immensely and look forward to continuing.
Posted Sat Feb 4, 2006, 8:21am Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
AlanAdler Said:
Thank you Ken & Carl,
Your feedback, be it positive or negative, helps me do my job better. To me it makes about as much sense to design a product without feedback from users, as it would to drive a car with my eyes closed.
My wife likes her coffee weak too. I've settled on a Brix of about 1.0 for her -- which is the equivalent of about 7.5 ounces of diluted brew per scoop. Our after-dinner ritual is for me to make a triple decaf. Then I put one third of it into an 8 ounce mug and fill the rest of it with water for her. I keep the remaining double and either drink it as-is, or dilute it about 1:1. I enjoy it both ways.
I played barista today at the San Francisco Gift show. In our instructions, and at a prior trade show, I've used 1:4 or 1:3 dilution to make Americanos. I was aiming for a Brix of about 1.5 to match the SCAA total dissolved solids (TDS) recommendation.
But I was beginning to suspect that people might enjoy a stronger cup with AeroPress brew because of its inherently lower bitterness and acidity. So today I AeroPressed with water filled to the top of the oval, which yields a Brix of about 5 (equal to Starbuck's espresso). Then I diluted than only 1:1 which brought it down to a Brix of about 2.5, which is 167% of the SCAA recommendation.
The response was so positive that I'm going to revise our instruction sheet and suggest richer Americanos.
So, after AeroPressing for two years, I'm still learning. Let me learn from you baristas out there. How do you like to brew it?
Hi Alan: What a coincidence! Got my Aeropress yesterday,and put it through its' paces this morning,using the 3 cup setting as directed for Americanos,and using 170 degree water. Actually,for me the brew was a bit bland and weak (I use creme and a bit of sugar). Then I saw this post re: a 1:1 ratio. Gave it a try,and kicked the temp. up to 185. Wow! For me at least,a fine cup with plenty of body and zing. I think the Aeropress and I have a future together. Regards, Barry
cootcraig Senior Member Joined: 28 Jan 2006 Posts: 10 Location: Pueblo, cO Expertise: I like coffee
Grinder: Toastmaster blade Drip: 2 filtercones and Aeropress
Posted Sat Feb 4, 2006, 8:49am Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress - Another happy user
I've been using an Aeropress for about a week now. I've never had coffee house coffee or espresso so I have no point of comparison. My son got me a Toastmaster blade grinder for Christmas, I tried a couple of boutique single origin roasts from online stores. It was immediately obvious that the tabletop drip brewer made quality coffee taste bad. Because of this thread, and a nice price, I ordered an Aeropress. With the Aeropress I'm really enjoying single shots. The process is quick and easy and easy to cleanup. The water is measured and microwave heated in the plunger. I check temp with a quick read digital temperature probe I use for barbecue. I look forward to getting a quality burr grinder when the bank account allows. I thought I would be diluting for Americano, but the straight single shots taste so fine I'm not sure when.
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