☕ Coffee ☕: Ingredients, Roasting, Grinding, Brewing, and Tasting

[pshankstar]

I saw the email. I didn’t look too closely b/c I still have almost 15lbs of green beans currently.

Now I need to replace my drip coffee maker. I’m on the fence between the Bonavita or a BUNN coffee maker. Both are SCA certified (I believe) and have decent reviews. I’m leaning towards the BUNN b/c it’s a 10 cup vs. 8 cup and the price is roughly the same.

Bonavita Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O9FO1HK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dwEQAbCF8RJKJ

BUNN Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FFRYYK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_OIEQAbKZSXMW2

Any thoughts, suggestions or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone and cheers!

 

[jammin]

I could have told you this would happen, I just placed an order with them last week.

What did you get? I was looking into a recent Guat & the Geisha blend

 

[TallDan]

What did you get? I was looking into a recent Guat & the Geisha blend

Brazil Dry Process Sítio Niquinho
Ethiopia Dry Process Guji Njori

...and a major restock on chemex filters

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Ooookay, so recently I had mentioned how I am adding bourbon to green beans for a week, then roasting them. I absolutely love the result as a pour over, and had considered doing it as espresso, but was a little afraid. The flavors as a pour over are incredibly strong as is, so I was a little nervous how strong the flavors would be as an espresso.

But today I woke up feeling adventurous (and in no hurry to get to work) so I decided to pull a shot of this Bourbon Brazil roast. I used slightly less coffee today than I did yesterday (when my shot was 60 sec) and I tamped a tad bit less hard. I got a very beautiful 25 second pull this time.

The taste was absolutely incredible. Unbelievable. One of the best shots I have ever had at home, and one of the best I have had period. So much caramel, vanilla, and wood. Sweet, with robust body.

Highly recommend to anyone who likes bourbon. Typically I don't like alcohol flavored things (chocolates, meats, cakes, etc) but this is exceptional. The ratio I've been using is 1/2 tbsp of bourbon for every 8 oz of green beans. I rest the beans on the bourbon for 7 days in a sealed mason jar, turning and shaking it occasionally. I've found the bourbon quality doesn't affect flavor; the bean quality does though.

 

[corkybstewart]

Ooookay, so recently I had mentioned how I am adding bourbon to green beans for a week, then roasting them. I absolutely love the result as a pour over, and had considered doing it as espresso, but was a little afraid. The flavors as a pour over are incredibly strong as is, so I was a little nervous how strong the flavors would be as an espresso.

But today I woke up feeling adventurous (and in no hurry to get to work) so I decided to pull a shot of this Bourbon Brazil roast. I used slightly less coffee today than I did yesterday (when my shot was 60 sec) and I tamped a tad bit less hard. I got a very beautiful 25 second pull this time.

The taste was absolutely incredible. Unbelievable. One of the best shots I have ever had at home, and one of the best I have had period. So much caramel, vanilla, and wood. Sweet, with robust body.

Highly recommend to anyone who likes bourbon. Typically I don't like alcohol flavored things (chocolates, meats, cakes, etc) but this is exceptional. The ratio I've been using is 1 tbsp of bourbon for every 8 oz of green beans. I rest the beans on the bourbon for 7 days in a sealed mason jar, turning and shaking it occasionally. I've found the bourbon quality doesn't affect flavor; the bean quality does though.

Do the beans soak up the bourbon or is there still residual liquid going into the roaster? I love good bourbon, I love good coffee so this sounds like a win/win.

 

[pshankstar]

@HarborTownBrewing I have been meaning to try this. I need to pick up some bourbon for a Barleywine I will be brewing in a couple of months. I forgot to add some Brazilian beans to my last order from Sweet Maria's, so I will have to try this with one of the other beans I have on hand. Maybe their Monkey blend since it sounded interesting to try.

On a side note, I ordered a Bonavita BV1900TS coffee maker this morning. My current coffee maker is on it's last leg after 5+ years of use.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Do the beans soak up the bourbon or is there still residual liquid going into the roaster? I love good bourbon, I love good coffee so this sounds like a win/win.

With that ratio I listed, and using beans from Colombia and Brazil over 7 days, they have soaked up just about everything and there is nothing residual on the outside of the bean. It definitely smells like bourbon when roasting it though...I'm guessing it's evaporating a bit and being exhausted out, but I'm not going to pretend to know what I'm talking about.

Now that I think of it, I do wonder if the outsides would scorch at all in a whirlypop or something similar. Hard to say.

Also, I did try it with a bunch of different bourbons but I've settled on Trader Joe's brand because it's $15 and when I did a blind test between TJ's bourbon and Makers 46 you couldn't tell a difference despite the Makers being 2.5x the price of TJs. I did use lower quality Brazil beans once and they didn't do the roast any justice. I think you have to use a better bean.

Last warning: Maybe store the roasted beans in a bag you plan to dedicate to bourbon beans. They do leave a very strong aroma in the bag or container. I stored some Ethiopian beans in one of the bags I previously used for bourbon beans and the Ethiopians definitely picked up a lot of bourbon flavor...just from the bag! It was actually a very good coffee too.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

I felt the Kenyan was losing some flavors so I switched from the aeropress to the pourover today to see if maybe the preparation was the problem. I think I may have not been doing it justice in the aeropress. Waiting for the cup to cool a little more, but I'm definitely getting more out of it this way.

 

[arturo7]

I have a magical grinder.

I weigh beans before grinding and then again after.

There is always more weight after grinding than before.

Eventually the machine will pay for itself!

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I corrected my ratio on the bourbon beans. It's 1/2 tbsp for 8 oz of greens! I had said 1 tbsp originally and that would be fairly potent.

 

[applescrap]

Have you tried a tbsp or two? Is more merrier?

I can afford the chemex but I might ask somebody for it for my birthday and just be patient and use my cheap Melitta pour over for now. Can somebody give me a good starting number on the baratza virtuoso for grind, thanks.

 

[shelly_belly]

1/2 Tbs for my beans and 2oz for me!

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Have you tried a tbsp or two? Is more merrier?

I can afford the chemex but I might ask somebody for it for my birthday and just be patient and use my cheap Melitta pour over for now. Can somebody give me a good starting number on the baratza virtuoso for grind, thanks.

The Baratza products are tough to suggest settings for because they can be calibrated pretty differently from model to model. On my Encore I used 24 or 26 for Chemex... Not sure that's relatable on virtuoso, especially with varying calibration.

 

[jammin]

@applescrap - when did you get a Virtuoso? I had one for a year & remember it being terrific.
Consider a plastic V60 brewer with Hario branded filters. I highly prefer it to the HEAVY Chemex paper filters. The Able Kone will also fit in the V60 brewer.

 

[jammin]

Nice washed Ethiopian posted @ SM’s - https://www.sweetmarias.com/product/ethiopia-limu-kossa-farm-gidhey

High grown & 9.0 uniformity. I suspect this would roast nice & even. Floral driven flavors of coffees from this region can be a nice change in pace from the usual berry/chocolate.

 

[Minky]

I can afford the chemex but I might ask somebody for it for my birthday and just be patient and use my cheap Melitta pour over for now. Can somebody give me a good starting number on the baratza virtuoso for grind, thanks.

I have been using French press exclusively, but I have had some Chemex brews and liked them. I recently ran across a Mellita I forgot I had, and I've been thinking about a showdown between it and the FP. If the Mellita wins, I would consider a Chemex. I have two questions:

1) Could there be a discernible difference in taste between a Mellita and a Chemex brew?
2) Do paper filters negatively affect the taste?

I can't decide if I'm really tasting the paper or its effects, or if I'm just imagining it.

 

[TallDan]

I have been using French press exclusively, but I have had some Chemex brews and liked them. I recently ran across a Mellita I forgot I had, and I've been thinking about a showdown between it and the FP. If the Mellita wins, I would consider a Chemex. I have two questions:

1) Could there be a discernible difference in taste between a Mellita and a Chemex brew?
2) Do paper filters negatively affect the taste?

I can't decide if I'm really tasting the paper or its effects, or if I'm just imagining it.

Mellita and chemex will taste different becuase of the filters. Chemex has thick paper filters, and mellita filters are comparatively thin. Whether you consider this positive or negative depends on your taste.

I used a swissgold filter for years before switching to mellita filters in my technivorm. I don't know that i consider one better than another, but they are different.

I generally like chemex better than french press, but there are some coffees that I've brewed both ways and prefer in the french press. I think i like the process with the chemex better, which is part of the whole equation.

 

[applescrap]

@applescrap - when did you get a Virtuoso? I had one for a year & remember it being terrific.
Consider a plastic V60 brewer with Hario branded filters. I highly prefer it to the HEAVY Chemex paper filters. The Able Kone will also fit in the V60 brewer.

Cant quite recall when I got it, but have had it for a while now. I got it used on Craigslist for $100 and it strikes me as being a little beat up and it still works awesome. I have become a huge baratza fan because of it. He had upgraded it to the preciso burrs and the steel Paddle Wheel. It's been a real pleasure to use. I opened it up when I first got it and familiarized myself with it's insides and confirmed that he had calibrated it to the finest setting inside. I remember you recommending the V60. I like the cmex because it can Brew 3 or 6 cups at a time. Is there a bigger V60? Does that able Kone make better coffee or is it just convenient? I don't like cleaning out the reusable screens and prefer to just throw away a filter but as you know I'm a willing to try about anything.

Take a look at this cold brew. I don't think the light is very good on it but I wanted to show how rich and dark this cold brew was. I took this picture immediately after I put the water & coffee in and shook it for a few seconds. After a 12-hour rest on the counter you can imagine it got much more extracted. I remain convinced that this is an excellent Brewing method.

 

[applescrap]

Is there a problem with using different filters in different systems?

 

[jammin]

^thats a great deal on that Virtuoso. I haven't heard you mention much of it - how do you like it?

Is there a problem with using different filters in different systems?

You will want the correct filters for the intended brewer - only based on shape though. V60 is a pointed cone unlike the Melitta style filter which is blocked off towards the bottom. I think you could make the Melitta's work in a V60 in a pinch but I don't think a V60 filter would work in a Melitta. The V60 would theoretically work in a Chemex but depending on brewer size the filter probably wouldn't go all the way up to the top of the brewer. In any case, Hario branded V60 (white, not unbleached) paper filters are great. Best quality of any brand regardless of style that I've used. I'm not a fan of Chemex filters. The thick bonded paper can make it difficult to keep draw down times under 4 minutes, especially with dry processed Ethiopian coffees.

Speaking of Ethiopian coffees - @applescrap 's favorite Konga just posted up again @ Roastmasters. Looks like a fresh crop & the description on it sounds amazing. I put in an order for a few of their coffees but passed on it this time as I still have some leftover & have been through a few pounds already.

I have had my eye out for a good washed Yirg for quite some time - finally found one that sounds good:
Ethiopia Yrgacheffe Kochere "YirgZ"
"This is grade 1, and an especially well sorted lot. This lovely example of Yrgacheffe is floral and has chocolate mouthfeel. Just about zero defects in this coffee to extreme sorting which is time consuming and costly but worth the results. Read the full details."

Full order details:

 

[applescrap]

Good looking out, i want both those coffees. I still have konga but am realising even as great as it is, I am wanting something different.

Yeah such a good deal. I have been loving it. It gets by for now with esspresso and has been a real pleasure for cold brew. I am grinding drip and esspresso at 4ish. Since I only brew 3 cups or so at a time the finer grind has been ok for drip. It grinds quick which is nice. I dont use the basket and have a metal 1/3 measure under it. The dust buster fits in it and cleans up quick. I like not worrying about it because I have nothing in it. If I had that scale under it, that would be cool. Overall, super glad I took yours and everyone elses advice on getting it. Good luck to get a deal. I hope to get a dedicated espresso grinder some day, but I think this could suffice pour over and drip for longer term. Wish it had easier hopper bean changing, but that hasnt bothered me. Any thoughts on pour over number? I cant wait to try melita tomorrow. I have a hot shot that boils water super quick.

Lastest roasts have been fast again and I taste to much scorching. Need to find that sweet spot between too fast and too slow. Side note, I am worried about the bread pan material that i didnt sand blast off. Man i hope that stuff isnt toxic.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Roasted another batch of the local roaster beans yesterday. Co-roast of 10oz Guatemala and 6oz organic Nicaragua. This time, thanks to my thermoprobes, I was able to pull before overroasting and the result in the cup today was very favorable though the aeropress. Hints of chocolate and caramel and a creamy mouth feel I wasn't expecting. My first impressions I will say must have been skewed by a poor roast job on my part. At $7/lb I think it is only slightly overpriced, but I have to keep in mind he is re-selling from a vendor to make a profit. I could see keeping this as a "house blend" and selling for around $12/lb roasted easy. This blend would pair really well with cigars (another hobby of mine) and I know a few people with shops I could market this coffee to to help fund my habit and equipment upgrades.

 

[pshankstar]

Well I replaced my drip coffee pot with the Bonavita BV1900TS and made a pot this morning. The coffee was excellent, even with a nasty cold. I’m just sad the coffee maker is so small 8 cups/1.3 liters. I feel like my wife and I will be drinking two pots from this new machine every morning and doubling the amount of coffee beans we use.

Now this really makes me want to upgrade to a larger roaster if we do drink two pots each morning.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Well I replaced my drip coffee pot with the Bonavita BV1900TS and made a pot this morning. The coffee was excellent, even with a nasty cold. I’m just sad the coffee maker is so small 8 cups/1.3 liters. I feel like my wife and I will be drinking two pots from this new machine every morning and doubling the amount of coffee beans we use.

Now this really makes me want to upgrade to a larger roaster if we do drink two pots each morning.

Don't be sad, be excited for the opportunity to upgrade!! I'm all for enabling

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Don't be sad, be excited for the opportunity to upgrade!! I'm all for enabling

I'm sad. I've got my next roaster picked out and the money set aside...but production was halted due to sourcing problems and they won't be in stock until June at the earliest ;(

 

[Sbe2]

As a novice to brewing a quality cup of coffee, what equipment, beans, roast, advice would you all recommend?

I currently have a 8 cup french press for my weekend coffee. I buy a lb from the store and grind it at the coarsest setting. That pound will usually last me 6 weeks, which is definitely not ideal for freshness I know. I am looking at getting a cheap burr style grinder in the near future and then going from there.

 

[applescrap]

^^still thinking about your questions.

So I roasted a pound of konga last night and did half power, level 3, low fan, for 4 minutes. Then I raised it to 4 out of 6 bars low fan for 4 minutes more. Then five out of six and high fan. But the roast just seemed to drag on. At some point I put it up to 6 but realized I didn't want to go that high and brought it back down. I was on the Trier the whole time. The coffee looked very consistent and it was changing beautifully and consistently. But it just kept going. I dont think I heard any cracking but it just kept getting darker. There was a point I should have pulled it but I was waiting to hear some cracking. Finally I decided to pull it as it was obviously getting darker than i wanted. For this kind of roasting a thermometer seems an absolute. I normally use the sound of the 1c and my senses but this was harder. Overall, i am curious how it will taste and feel like I my time is more important.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

@applescrap, the thermocouples have been the best investment I could have made to my HG/BM. Last nights roast came out the best yet, really getting things dialed in.

 

[Kealia]

As a novice to brewing a quality cup of coffee, what equipment, beans, roast, advice would you all recommend?

I currently have a 8 cup french press for my weekend coffee. I buy a lb from the store and grind it at the coarsest setting. That pound will usually last me 6 weeks, which is definitely not ideal for freshness I know. I am looking at getting a cheap burr style grinder in the near future and then going from there.

Run and hide your wallet. Once you start with this, it's just like homebrewing beer - it's a rabbit hole of spending money! But, just like homebrewing, it's very rewarding, too.

My advice (keep in mind I started this recently, back in October) is just like for brewing - read, read, read and learn.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Apple, I had a similar roast one time on Konga that I took really slow accidentally. I thought it was ruined but tried it anyways and it was like a chocolate milkshake. One of my best roasts with that bean, so hopefully you have similar results. (assuming you like chocolate milkshakes)