So, this looks like the start of a relatively new community (at least for me), and we surely have some new people coming over from the coffee subreddit, so let’s get some conversation going!
What’s your current favorite brew method? I’ve been really getting into my flat bottom brew lately, with the Stagg XF. I just feel it’s been a bit more forgiving than my v60, and it’s been pulling out some pretty solid tasting notes in my latest beans.
What’re y’all brewing with?
EDIT: I absolutely love the traction this post got! And I love seeing all the methods everyone is using daily. Thank you all
I like to think I know a little about coffee, but this thread shows that I don’t really know anything. My brew method? I have a shitty little $50 espresso maker I got as a birthday gift a while ago, and use that to make the best damn lattes I’ve ever had.
use that to make the best damn lattes I’ve ever had.
Hey man, that’s all that matters
I’ve got a stupidly expensive espresso machine and several stupidly expansive grinders. I used my machine every day for about 5 years. But lately I’ve been pouring water from my kettle into a plastic cone like my dad did in the 80s. Haha. Full circle. I’ve upped my bean quality though.
Bialetti Moka pot. I switched from espresso to the moka pot over a year ago and it is my favorite brew now.
I’ve been loving light roasts for a while now so I haven’t been going near my Moka, but I suppose I should explore what it can do with lighter roasts?
200g coffee on a cheese cloth bag, 1600g water, mix and chill for 24 hours. Optionally stir half way through. Serve over ice.
AeroPress enjoyer
Bialetti brikka (4cup) 21g. of coffee 2g. Of Oolong tea leaves grinding together 200 ml. Hot water lowest flame on gas stove some whiskey 😋
This thread is demonstrating one of my favorite things about the coffee community: There is a fundamental semi-seriousness, acknowledgement of diminishing returns, and awareness of varying tastes in (almost) all quarters. A lot of gear-heavy hobbies take themselves way too seriously, but the coffee folk with an $8000 La Marzocco espresso setup, with a $7 plastic cone and a kettle, and waiting in front of the microwave with a bottle of instant and a spoon are all just trying to have a pleasing coffee experience.
My fancy, ritualistic coffee is a shot of espresso in the morning, usually prepared like a Brauner with a dash of milk inversely proportionate to how well I did at making the espresso that day.
A few weeks ago I upgraded from my old (ca. 2010) Lello Arite 1375 Chinese thermoblock pressurized basket “espresso” machine and Capresso Infinity grinder combo ($140+90+accessories) that were kind of mediocre to start with and literally falling apart by the end, to a Brevelle Bambino and Turin SK40 ($350+200+accessories) and have been delighted by the additional ability to play with parameters (and occasionally revolted by the results while I was getting my bearings). The old set up produced a long-tuned pleasing thing that may or may not technically count as espresso, but in retrospect may have been a relative of the extraction optimum from that “Systematically Improving Espresso” paper from a few years ago. The new one is full grind-controls-infusion espresso experience. The bambino is “nice for the price” and has a delightfully fast heat up and surprisingly good steam wand for when I’m feeling foamy, but slightly annoying manual shot controls. The SK40 is just great so far, my only tiny complaint is that every now and then I have to give it a little rock to get the last of a dose of beans out of the feed cone.
I also really enjoy how this setup is sitting in superposition of ($600 is an absurdly expensive way to make coffee | $600 is absurdly cheap to make real espresso).
Home espresso is never really practical, but I find the ritual of preparation deeply pleasing (weights and ratios and times and gadgets! Instant feedback! Total focus!), and enjoy the experience of varying parameters.
I also drink a fair amount of Instant when I’m out during the day, I’ve been recommending Mount Hagen to everyone who will listen lately because it’s like $10 a jar and so much better than any of the other instants I’ve tried.
…and I have a coworker with an office aeropress that I sometimes play with, and I want but have no real reason to have one for home. The super clean immersion brew is a really interesting way to experience a coffee, and of course one never has enough coffee paraphernalia.
This is easily my favorite response, and a clear representation of just loving coffee for coffee. From the extreme scientific end of it, to just needing that caffeine fix in the middle of a long day, to the intrigue of trying something new.
Thanks for the response and a walk through your day in caffeine.
Amusingly, for the last several years I pretty much only have two significant caffeine doses in a normal day, typically coffee shortly after I wake up and at around 2 in the afternoon.
I used to slowly creep my consumption up until I had to painfully detox myself down once or twice a year, but I’ve been trying to be more consistent and mindful about that. It’s also made me more thoughtful about having good coffee at the times I have coffee.
…and I’ve been listening to/reading a lot of James Hoffmann and his slightly florid self affacing style while I was learning the new setup, and it’s creeping into my writing.
DeLonghi Magnifica. 60,000 shots spread over 2 machines (according to the counter) in the last decade.
Cold brew in a Toddy. Store in fridge. Add milk/ice/hot water to taste.
I’m astounded that this is the only mention of cold brew here. It’s great! Listen people, if you haven’t tried this before, here’s what you do: Next time you’re making your daily coffee, get a jar and make cold brew at the same time. Then you can try it later when it’s ready.
- put what you think is a reasonable amount of grounds in a jar
- then put a bunch more, and a little more to be sure
- fill the rest of the jar with water and put a lid on
- shake it if you want
- let it sit 12–24 hours on the counter, or 24–48 hours on the fridge
- strain the grounds out however works for you. If you’re a coffee drinker, you probably have some kind of strainer that will work, but if not, you can shake the mixture (again) so that the ground sink to the bottom, and then (optional) wait a bit for sediment and then pour carefully.
I now do cold brew almost all the time. It takes the same amount of time whether you make a large or small batch, so I make 4 days worth, and over the last 2 days I start another 48 hour batch.
I would have to pick Aeropress.
Are you brewimg aeropress over ice? I don’t consider that cold brew.
Cheap-ass Folgers pour-over forever.
I’ve done all the methods and roasts and beans and blends over the years, and there is nothing more stable, dependable, and satisfying than a single cup of pour-over Folgers. With cream. Boil water, #2 filter, enjoy.
Right now it’s aeropress and it will remain aeropress until I make a shit cup or have a bad morning, then it’ll switch to v60 and repeat the same process until I switch to chemex. Then, eventually we will come full circle back to aeropress and start everything all over again. The circle of life. The ouroboros of my morning coffee, if you will.
My second cup of the day is and will always be an espresso.
Majority of the time the Aeropress gets used, but I have a French Press I will break out a couple time a month.
I love my mocha pot/bialetti! I have an ancient double shot bialetti which I picked up from my parents. It works great because I can always make espresso for latte, cappuccino or what ever I feel like! Such a tiny versatile little machine. Great for students!
I know pour over is seemingly the norm at the moment but I’m still chugging along with my 10 years old Bodum stainless steel french press. Tastes fine to me and keeps the coffee hot decently long. Though I’ve been pondering to do the additional step of pouring it through a Hario filter and see if it refines the taste any further.
Just pouring into another pre-heated vessel to stop the brewing process is the move!
Might use this as an excuse to buy a second french press, thank you!
Yeah that or a thermos or a nice serving vessel is the move! just keep hot water in that while you brew your frenchpress and after you plunge, you can slowly pour it over into the pre-heated vessel! Then you won’t have a bad cup on the last one due to continuous brewing
