Posted Mon Feb 18, 2008, 5:55pm Subject: problems brewing a good cup Technivorm, etc.
Hello all,
I'm having some bad luck w/ making coffee. The past several years I have been brewing horrible flat bitter stale smelling coffee.
I keep my machines clean, (the grinder perhaps I could clean more often... it's a Rocky Rancilio, so a bit hard to get clean), I buy fresh roasted beans from whole foods, peets, or metropolis. I use unbleached filters, & filtered water.
My caps, lattes, & espressos are always very good, better than many coffee shops, but when I make coffee (not very often), it just isn't as good as the coffee shops.
I remember making coffee over 10 years ago with a Braun and Bosch (sorry don't remember the models). When I brewed, you could smell that great coffee smell in the other room, it had body, and tasted bright/crisp/fresh... i used espresso royale, merchant of vino, and probably starbucks then. The coffee was always good.
After those machines went out or broke I got a Krups, then a Presto (piece of junk), a Kitchen Aid, and now I thought the Technivorm would answer my problems, but the coffee tastes pretty much the same as others. When brewing I don't get that great coffee smell, just a stale-ish smell.
Question (finally!): Does grind effect this? in the past I used a whirly type grinder and seemed to get better results (albeit a less const. grind), and much finer. For the Rancilio, I have tried 20-30. Should I try something that is even more coarse?
I am not the best at measuring. I do like my coffee strong, perhaps I have been heavy handed. Why do all the brewing directions refer to Oz. / tablespoons when there are coffee scoops and cups labeled on the side/inside of our coffee machines. for 5 cups, I have been trying between 2 scoops/3 scoops.
tjorlet Senior Member Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Posts: 21 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Expertise: Professional
Espresso: La Marzocco Linea, GB-5 Soon Grinder: Mahlkonig, Mazzer, Anfim Drip: French Press, Chemex, Aero... Roaster: Diedrich IR-12
Posted Mon Feb 18, 2008, 7:38pm Subject: Re: problems brewing a good cup Technivorm, etc.
Todd~ My guess from your post is you are using way too little coffee. Most coffee pots measure a cup to be 4oz of water. So if you have a home coffee brewer that makes a ten cup pot your probably talking 40oz of water. You should measure the amount of water your pot holds. I would then suggest using 1 to 2 tablespoons of coffee per 4oz of water depending on the coffee and your tastes. That, I should think, should resolve your problem. Let me know. ~Trevor Moon Monkey Coffee
Posted Mon Feb 18, 2008, 9:34pm Subject: Re: problems brewing a good cup Technivorm, etc.
I can think of a couple of possibilities, other than too little coffee as mentioned by Trevor:
Bad beans. Are you using fresh-roasted beans from a reputable roaster?
Changing tastes. I've found that my tastes change over time, either through natural aging or things like medication I'm taking. Your tastes can be affected by smoking, too, even not your own habit.
Posted Wed Feb 20, 2008, 5:41pm Subject: Re: problems brewing a good cup Technivorm, etc.
Thanks for your input and suggestions.
Good theory about my tastebuds, I thought that could be an issue, but again, when I have coffee at one of the many good places in Ann Arbor (Zingerman's, Cafe Zola, Food co-op) the coffee smells and tastes great. Could be bad beans, although, they are freshly roasted... i suppose it can still be fresh roasted but use bad beans.
Tonight I tried a straight Grand Kru Kenya (sp?) with the measuring suggestion and it certainly tasted better!! I've never really measured before. I will do some measuring later w/ a tablespoon, and the supplied technivorm scoop.
I never really thought about it being not enough coffee. It make sense though as I am known (with family and friends) to make very strong coffee. Over the years I have learned to lighten it up due to the many comments I get when we have people over, so perhaps I had forgotten to how to make coffee. the past several years, I have been more of an espresso, Americano, latte drinker.
Thanks again for your suggestions. I may make coffee tomorrow AM with another roast I have on hand (italian, or moca java - which I buy in small amounts so it doesn't go stale!)
Eiron Senior Member Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 194 Location: Loveland, Colorado Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Quick Mill 0930 Grinder: Quick Mill 031, Solis 166 Drip: Technivorm KBTS Roaster: frying pan & wooden spatula
Posted Thu Feb 21, 2008, 12:10pm Subject: Re: problems brewing a good cup Technivorm, etc.
Hi Todd,
My 1 ltr KBTS brews wonderfully with 5 level "Technivorm scoops" of reasonably fine-ground coffee, & the 1.25 ltr models should do well with 6 scoops. For either size, that equals about 1 scoop for every 7oz of water. (FYI, the reservoir markings compensate for additional water retention in the grounds.) Also, from a "full bodied taste" standpoint, I've found Sweet Maria's observation that most people don't grind their drip coffee fine enough to be true. I've got my Barista grinder set up so that I can't get anything close to press pot grind at the coarsest setting, & the burrs start touching about 1 or 2 clicks from the finest setting. In this configuration I grind my drip coffee one click coarser than the middle ("drip" icon) setting. I use a SwissGold filter, so if I set it any finer I end up with lots of sediment filtering thru the SwissGold. I also have to set the drip valve on the filter cone to wide open for a full pot, otherwise it fills faster than it can drain. I can set it to half open only if I'm brewing three scoops or less.
-Greg
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