RandomTask Senior Member Joined: 30 Jan 2013 Posts: 19 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Feb 6, 2013, 10:26am Subject: Suggestions/Opinions on a gift
I guess I'll start off by saying hello. I'm a first time poster, long time lurker and looking for some opinions on what I think could be an awesome gift for my brother.
So I've just started into home roasting (using an air popper) and it's opened my eyes to the heights coffee can attain. Now I want to convert (turn?) him to fresh roasted coffee. To that end I intend to give him a 1/2 lbs of Brazil Santos 2 (one of his current favorites), that I roasted either that day or the day before and an "exotic" implement to brew it with for his birthday.
I know he has a good burr grinder and a french press already and fairly certain nothing else. I would like to get him something that can brew a good cup but doesn't become a "white elephant", being difficult or expensive to use and maintain.
My current favorite would be a nice Hario V60 Ceramic pourover. I already own a pourover myself and I know it's neither difficult nor expensive but not a very exciting way to brew coffee.
My other thoughts were a Chemex 6 cup pourover, an Aeropress or a Vacuum Pot (such as a Hario "Moca"). Now I neither own nor have used any of these, but I'd like to get him something intresting that he wouldn't necessarily buy for himself.
How hard are the Chemex, Aeropress or Vacuum pot to use correctly and clean or should I just stick with the V60?
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,722 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Wed Feb 6, 2013, 3:42pm Subject: Re: Suggestions/Opinions on a gift
Aeropress is very, very easy to clean, and makes great coffee. It's also fantastic for travel. If you want to really spruce it up, order him a "gold" filter for it.
I've never used a vac pot, but they seem to be more complicated and fragile.
Posted Fri Feb 8, 2013, 2:37am Subject: Re: Suggestions/Opinions on a gift
As to ease of use, Chemex is probably less fussy than single-cup pourover IMO, at least after one gets the brew parameters figured out.
Vacpot is not particularly difficult to use -- again, after a bit of learning -- but cleanup is a bit of a hassle, so it might be a turnoff. It's my favorite brew method, but I'd say one of the other three would be the appropriate "gateway drug" -- if he turns out to love geeking on the process, that vacpot would make a swell gift for next year.
Skylar Senior Member Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Posts: 48 Location: New Jersey Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: lelit espresso Grinder: lelit grinder Vac Pot: B. D. Electric Drip: chemex Roaster: wok roast and popper, heat...
Posted Fri Feb 8, 2013, 5:19am Subject: Re: Suggestions/Opinions on a gift
Absolutely agree with the chemex, which I use every day, but the even more "exotic" vacuum pot makes you a nifty gifter. I recall giving one to my son-in-law and how he would put on a show for his party guests. The "ooohs" for the display and the "aaaahs" of his guests for its product were gratifying.
RandomTask Senior Member Joined: 30 Jan 2013 Posts: 19 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Fri Feb 8, 2013, 8:47am Subject: Re: Suggestions/Opinions on a gift
Thanks for your opinions guys! I'll probably order an Aeropress for myself (and take it to work) and a Chemex for my brother. The Vacpot I might keep in mind for Chirstmas depending on how he does with the Chemex. I've still got a couple of months before his birhtday to get the roast of the Santos right and I might just keep the Chemex for myself if I think he'd prefer the Aeropress. I know he likes to "tinker" with things, I just don't know how much trial and error he'd put up with for his coffee.
I never really gave it much thought, but the pourover is fussy till you get the pour down.
Posted Fri Feb 8, 2013, 10:33am Subject: Re: Suggestions/Opinions on a gift
Since your brother has a good burr grinder and a French press, would you say he enjoys his coffee using those items? Does he like the flavor profile and consistency of texture from his French press?
In particular, what do you think are his expectations as to what a good cup constitutes? Has he sampled the brighter, more filtered, and often weaker brew that results from a Hario or Chemex in comparison with a French press?
If he has shown that he can also enjoy a brighter, more filtered, and possibly weaker cup than your typical French press drinker, then all of your choices seem great. But if he seems to prefer the stronger brew most people typically associate with a French press, then I'd eliminate both the Hario and the Chemex from your choices, leaving the Aeropress and the siphon. And in addition I would strongly encourage you to consider two other paperless immersion style brewers, both of which are capable of approaching the flavor and texture profile of a French press, while achieving a much less bitter result: the Eva Solo CafeSolo and the Sowden Softbrew. The former will come closest to French press, and is slightly easier to clean up. The latter needs to be nuked in a microwave to get its mojo on, because it loses heat quickly, but tends to bring out the acidity more than the CafeSolo.
Posted Sat Feb 9, 2013, 3:02am Subject: Re: Suggestions/Opinions on a gift
barkingburro Said:
Since your brother has a good burr grinder and a French press, would you say he enjoys his coffee using those items? Does he like the flavor profile and consistency of texture from his French press?
In particular, what do you think are his expectations as to what a good cup constitutes? Has he sampled the brighter, more filtered, and often weaker brew that results from a Hario or Chemex in comparison with a French press?
Pourover brew is weaker than FP only if (at least one of the two is) executed improperly. There's no problem getting a Chemex or Hario to produce the optimal brew strength. True, due to oils and suspended particulate, the FP brew is going to have a heavier mouthfeel.
RandomTask Senior Member Joined: 30 Jan 2013 Posts: 19 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Feb 11, 2013, 8:19am Subject: Re: Suggestions/Opinions on a gift
I'm not sure of his opinion on the mouthfeel and heavyness that comes with a french press. Unfortunately as I want to give him this as a gift I don't really want to grill him for too much info. I think he just enjoys the fuller flavours that he gets from the french press over his automatic drip. This could have everything to do with him having a lower brew temp on his automatic drip, which all of these methods would negate.
KoHiLabs Senior Member Joined: 12 Feb 2013 Posts: 9 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Expertise: I love coffee
Grinder: Baratza Vario Drip: Chemex, V60, Press Pot,...
Posted Tue Feb 12, 2013, 12:45pm Subject: Re: Suggestions/Opinions on a gift
My vote is the Chemex route. I agree with johnnyb3 that it is a bit more forgiving than the V60 (which I also love). It's not quite as easy to clean as the V60, but it is easier than a press pot.
Beyond brewing great coffee the iconic Chemex design is such a classic—it looks great on the shelf while it's not brewing coffee. The timeless design will be enjoyed for years. If you want to kick it up further, the Able Brewing Kone is a nice complement to the Chemex.
CoffeeLoversMag Senior Member Joined: 10 Jan 2013 Posts: 49 Location: Seattle Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Tue Feb 12, 2013, 10:50pm Subject: Re: Suggestions/Opinions on a gift
A heartily given gift has nothing to do of how the things are hard to maintain or clean after using it. It is only your thinking that makes the things hard to handle. What is important is the height of coffee your brother can attain. Either Chemex, Aeropress or Vaccum pot can be a valuable gift for him for a coffee brew on his birthday.
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