LifeandPeace Senior Member Joined: 9 Nov 2007 Posts: 119 Location: formerly here and there
Espresso: coffee Grinder: is Vac Pot: culinary Drip: not Roaster: commodity
Posted Tue Aug 12, 2008, 9:31am Subject: Stainless steel--does it have its faults?
People say that if you have onion/garlic odor on your hands, wiping them on stainless steel removes the odor. Ever heard that?
Got to wondering. Is there any corollary between this and what steel might do to the aroma/flavor of coffee? Let us know. Is there some undesirable interaction 'tween the steel and the brew? Or aroma absorption?
After using my stainless Nissan mug for a few months (I like the heat retention), I used ceramic for the first time in a while. Zowee! The flavor was beyond what I'd been experiencing for a while. Part of this was that the Nissan is a bit difficult to clean toward the bottom, but I wonder if there is anything else going on here.
(Incidentally, I have a couple of rad Bodum Bistro cups on the way [bought by my very cool students]. Nice double-walled glass. Not sure these can be surpassed!)
harmolodic Senior Member Joined: 8 Aug 2006 Posts: 66 Location: DC Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Aug 13, 2008, 10:55am Subject: Re: Stainless steel--does it have its faults?
I have a Nissan Thermos travel mug and have ALWAYS thought it somehow negatively impacted the flavor of the coffee, although I can't tell if it's the stainless steel or the rubber/plastic gasket and rim. Either way it depresses me! I've given up on having coffee in my car because of it.
One odd thing though--if I use the mug as a thermos only and pour it into a ceramic mug once I get to work, it seems to taste fine. Is it possible the interaction of coffee and mug affects our perception of the taste? maybe we're smelling the stainless steel/plastic as we drink from it?
My dream container is a ceramic- or glass-lined travel tumbler but I've not seen one.
Posted Thu Aug 21, 2008, 6:16am Subject: Re: Stainless steel--does it have its faults?
Stainless is used in better restaurants for the filter basket and the advantage in taste over plastic can't be over-appreciated. Part of this is due to the ease of getting stainless thoroughly clean in wash up, compared to plastic.
As for the stainless thermos, I found that the plastic lid contributes more of an off-odor to the coffee than anything the stainless interior might do. I've had them all from time to time, and the plastic lids are always the offenders.
I do have stainless one-way valve resting containers for my home roasted coffee and there is no doubt whatsoever that the stainless takes on the coffee odor after holding coffee. But this is only an issue when refilling an unwashed container with new beans.
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