Y'know, it's one thing for me to understand what I'm saying (and you're right, it's fortunate when that happens ;-) It's another to go off just now and push a double from this thing, and then drink it straight up 'cause the FC+ Colombian I brewed came out perfect, and has in the cup those qualities that I appreciate in a "true" espresso (a good one) -- unfortunately lacking what I like BEST, which is thick crema.
I think I found the sweet spot on my Solis Maestro Plus for this thing. But I know the grind I like is definitely finer than Alan's preference. For me, it's stir first (otherwise I'd get insufficient wetting), then steep a few seconds before pushing.
OK, this cup is cooling, and I'm still not sad. Good heavens, not a trace of bitterness or sourness. Who was it a while back who said their extraction tasted like fruit juice? Yeah. Absolutely. The Tres Santos cherries are coming through loud and clear. This stuff is down to 90-some degrees and it's tasting like fruit juice. Good heavens.
Dude. Dude.
LOL
Alan, you have two courses of action with this machine. First, sell a lot of 'em -- which you will. Second, as an alternative -- let sugar industry executives taste this stuff, and you'll have 'em paying you to keep it OFF the market -- 'cause I swear you'll have folks who put sugar in their coffee stopping that entirely. I hate sugar in my coffee, but I swear this thing could make suger-lovers find no need of it. Geez!
(with all due fairness, how 'bout some props for the guy who roasted this stuff, too . . . right? huh? C'mon, can I hear an attaboy? ;-)
MightyMik Senior Member Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 45 Location: Berkeley, CA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Espresso Grinder: Melitta MEBG8B (modified) Drip: Melitta 4 cup Roaster: FreshRoast Plus 8
Posted Mon Feb 13, 2006, 2:12pm Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
Hmmm...i just brewed some Sidamo (FC+) at a higher temp, and with more water (top of the 2 oval), and it seems to have mellowed it out a bit. I still like mine with half-n-half and sugar. Maybe someday i'll find something i'm comfortable with black.
steve771 Senior Member Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 5 Location: Nevada Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Mon Feb 13, 2006, 9:40pm Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
I found this thread a very interesting read and a nice introduction to many of the people on this site, most of whom seem pretty level headed. First off, I would like to say 'thanks' to Alan for the Aerobie Flying Disc. I have many fond memories of whipping that thing with my sons many years ago.
Ok, back to coffee, and with regards to the Aeropress, a couple questions...
I don't see much, if any, discussion of how flavored coffees react in the Aeropress. Since these are normally a lighter roast, do they not work so well? I think someone mentioned the freshness factor in coffee that is ground, but I didn't see an answer. If you grind the coffee at the supermarket, what is a reasonable shelf life?
Finally, I can appreciate the difficult position of coffeekid in moderating. You can't please everyone, that's for sure. But I do appreciate him allowing the info regarding the Aeropress from Alan. It can be difficult to place oneself in a potential position of criticizm when you don't really have to. When someone does that, I think it says a lot about the person (let alone the product). Just my two cents...
Thanks in advance for taking the time to read and answer my questions.
Posted Mon Feb 13, 2006, 10:20pm Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
Hello steve771,
Thank you for your kind words. I still play Aerobie often. Played just yesterday in fact.
I've never tried flavored coffee. Perhaps one of the other CG'ers will speak.
Regarding shelf life of ground coffee. Ken Davids told me that he conducted a study for a client and found that the threshold of detectability (between fresh ground and aged) was thirty minutes. I realize that sounds pretty grim for pre-ground coffee, but I don't complain too much up to about a day old. After that, it seems to go downhill pretty fast.
I think that small batches have shorter acceptable life than larger batches. If you've read any of my grinder posts, you know that I value grinders that have low residual retention. Five grams of coffee in a grinder head dries out a lot faster than a half-pound of grind stored in a decent bag with the excess air squeezed out of it.
rasqual Senior Member Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 970 Location: Chicago area Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: *$ Barista, non-pressurized Grinder: SMP, KAP Vac Pot: Aeropress Drip: Porcelain Melitta 103 Roaster: "ring roaster", mod popper
Posted Tue Feb 14, 2006, 1:19pm Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
I used flavored coffee for years. Then I discovered home roasting. I can't even imagine going back.
On the other hand, based on what I've learned about coffee flavorings I've regained some respect for flavored coffee -- provided it's done with extracts in bottles, and not with stuff poured on the beans themselves.
I'm not going to impugn anyone who really enjoys flavored beans, but as a convert to the notion of enjoying the various distinctives that inhere for various reasons in different varietals from different places processed in different ways under differing circumstances -- well, the idea is that flavoring the coffee makes it hard to "get at" and appreciate the best of all that. In that sense, I'm construing such flavoring as a use of coffee principally as a medium for the delivery of non-coffee flavor, rather than as coffee for coffee's sake. Think about it -- how many coffee suppliers sell not only Vanilla beans, but Vanilla Sumatra, Vanilla Huehuetenango, Vanilla Harar, Vanilla Kona . . . ;-)
A question for Alan, though -- have you found that coarsening the grind a bit for a max shot (4 doses) is a good idea, compared with the grind one uses for, say, a single?
Graydon Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 27 Location: Fenton, MI Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Astra Pro Grinder: Isomac Gran Macinino Drip: Capresso CoffeeTeam Luxe Roaster: Freshroast
Posted Tue Feb 14, 2006, 3:42pm Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
OK, I have another brief report from my use of the Aeropress. I've had it two or three weeks now I think. I mostly put it away last week because I got a 'real' espresso maker last week which I have been learning. However, I caught up on the posts on this thread this afternoon so I came home tonight and made a cup on the Aeropress. I have fresh beans (espresso roast) from Java-Roasters in Brighton which roasts freshly every day. I clicked up my Gran Macinino grinder 6 notches from my espresso grind and dosed two Aerobie scoops into the Aeropress. I put a small amount of hot water (180deg) into the Aeropress to dampen the grounds and then filled it up to the top of the #2 oval. I swished for 10 seconds, then rinsed the swisher stick which probably took 10 seconds. Then I plunged the press and diluted it 1:1. That tasted great!
Later when I have some time to type, I'll tell you about the time I put too much force on the Aeropress... :-)
Posted Tue Feb 14, 2006, 4:22pm Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
Hello All,
rasqual wrote:
"A question for Alan, though -- have you found that coarsening the grind a bit for a max shot (4 doses) is a good idea, compared with the grind one uses for, say, a single?"
Yes, your suggestion fine-tunes the process slightly and, in effect, selects a finer grind for smaller doses. The benefit is that you'll get more flavor from a given amount of coffee with the small doses.
However if anyone prefers to stick with only one setting. It will still make a good brew.
With about fifteen pounds of push, I like a pressing time of about ten to fifteen seconds per scoop. If the pressing time is shorter than that, your brew won't be as rich as it could be.
steve771 Senior Member Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 5 Location: Nevada Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Tue Feb 14, 2006, 5:14pm Subject: Re: Aerobie Aeropress
rasqual Said:
I'm not going to impugn anyone who really enjoys flavored beans, but as a convert to the notion of enjoying the various distinctives that inhere for various reasons in different varietals from different places processed in different ways under differing circumstances -- well, the idea is that flavoring the coffee makes it hard to "get at" and appreciate the best of all that. In that sense, I'm construing such flavoring as a use of coffee principally as a medium for the delivery of non-coffee flavor, rather than as coffee for coffee's sake. Think about it -- how many coffee suppliers sell not only Vanilla beans, but Vanilla Sumatra, Vanilla Huehuetenango, Vanilla Harar, Vanilla Kona . . . ;-)
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