ScientificBarista Senior Member Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Virginia Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Tue Aug 22, 2006, 10:00am Subject: Portable Coffee
Hi There,
I'm a newbie to this site and was hoping to find an answer here. If you're interested in background at all, I know more than your average Joe about a cup of joe (Ha! ...anyone?).
My question in simplest form: Can anyone recomend a good travel mug/thermos/leakproof container for coffee?
I've gone through a few different stainless steel varieties. I always end up throwing them away after a few months because they simply make my delicious coffee taste awful. I assume it would help if I didn't put the cream in the container (just the coffee), but the whole point of the thing is to be able to get your beverage ready and GO. I don't think I can keep a container of half and half at home, the lab, the office, etc. I've tried washing in baking soda, to no helpful effect. On that note, if you have any cleaning suggestions, I'd be grateful for those also.
Posted Tue Aug 22, 2006, 10:18am Subject: Re: Portable Coffee
Mandy,
I use a Thermos Nissan thermos and travel mug. The thermos (model: NCD-10) is rated at 24 hours hot/cold. The tumber (model: JML350W) keeps coffee HOT for hours. My commute to work is 87 miles one way and I have used this tumbler for years.
I use something called Brew-rite to clean them ... I think my wife gets it at Walmart. It is sodium carbonate and it does a very good job.
ScientificBarista Senior Member Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Virginia Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Tue Aug 22, 2006, 10:43am Subject: Re: Portable Coffee
Ooh, wow...so my answer to years of smelly coffee thermoses that make my drink taste bad may be a simple cleaner from Wal-Mart?
This is exciting.
My online research was starting to tell me that Nissan was a good thermos brand. I generally don't have a problem with the coffee going cold too fast; I mainly need something that I can throw in my backpack that won't leak and won't change the flavor of my coffee. I assumed it was the plastic lid that was retaining bad smells/tastes, but didn't know if I'd come on here and find some sort of miracle alternative material container to use.
Posted Tue Aug 22, 2006, 11:54am Subject: Re: Portable Coffee
Mandy,
For the most part, it works. But, like anything else there are some coffees that are just down right defiant. I rarely put anything in my tumbler that I don't roast and brew myself, but the one time I was desperate and put a certain *$ coffee in there ... I think I used everything under the sink and in the pantry ...
ThatCoffeeGuy Senior Member Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Posts: 880 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Expertise: Pro Barista
Espresso: NS at shop, nothing at home Grinder: NS MDX, NS MCF (home), Bunn... Vac Pot: Yama Tabletop Drip: Chemex Roaster: Behmor 1600, FR-8, Popper,...
Posted Tue Aug 29, 2006, 9:15pm Subject: Re: Portable Coffee
I agree with Eddie here 100% on the thermos (have one myself, don't have to use it much working at a shop, but you know... it sits there for use every year or so... haha).
Also, I honestly don't know how available Cafiza and Purocaff are, but they are espresso machine cleaners, so you can bet they they get everything off. We offer the feature to our customers of them dropping off their mugs before we close and us cleaning them out at night with Cafiza and Rinza (milk build-up cleaner) for $2. These products works wonders on getting that, "smelly, sweaty, running shirt that hasn't been washed for a week" taste/smell out of there. Also, when you clean the mug, make sure that you take it apart fully (assuming you will be able to put it back together). Take out the little gaskets, if you can and soak them all in some sort of cleaner. Most importantly, just don't let the mugs sit overnight in your car (you know you do it). Take them inside and wash them after every single cup of coffee you put into them. It will save you a lot of headaches, and probably stomach aches considering what I have seen growing in some of those mugs that come in for cleaning.
Happy Coffee-ing!
Bryan Wray
"I just hope that people realize that coffee is not just a caffeine delivery service, it can be a culinary art." -Christopher Owens
ScientificBarista Senior Member Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Virginia Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Wed Aug 30, 2006, 4:11am Subject: Re: Portable Coffee
Thank you and thanks for the link! I couldn't find Eddie's Brew-Rite stuff.
UPS tried to deliver my new Nissan backpack thermos when I was still in the lab yesterday. Of course since I live in an apartment they just said they'd be back again tomorrow (today). At least I'll have nice tasting hot coffee from home sometime this week.
Posted Wed Aug 30, 2006, 11:01am Subject: Re: Portable Coffee
Excellent posts Bryan.
I've used Brew-Rite myself and noticed that to get everything totally out of my stainless carafe, I had to take a scrub brush with baking soda to the walls and bottom. Worked like a charm. Followed it up by rinsing and soaking a couple of pots worth of hot water. Clean as new and no noticible after taste. HTH
Posted Wed Aug 30, 2006, 12:49pm Subject: Re: Portable Coffee
Since you already ordered your Nissan thermos, I won't bother to recommend that brand (which is great). To get them clean, I've found that if you soak your stainless thermos overnight with some dishwasher soap (Cascade or whatever's around) the next morning everything shines with a quick swipe of a bottle brush. 1/2 -1 teaspon per thermos, fill with hot water, rinse well in the AM and you're ready for another week or two. I use cream in my coffee, so that's harder to keep clean. Michael
Nissan "Backpacker" is about 16 oz. Coffee/espresso made at 8 AM is hot at 5 PM. Preheat for optimum results. Clean daily with dish soap and a good bottle cleaning brush.Rinse well and let it dry over night.
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