Best way to make the best tasting coffee

[westie2]

My Chemex i got for Christmas in 1972 it isthe stand alone.  i used to used the big round filters that you folder to make the cone and had to be sure the folds wer not aligned with the aire way on the pur spout.  Now use the premade cones.

 

Ralph the Ones with the glass handle is the water kettle. 

 

 

http://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/products/kettle.html

 

[rp2813]

Chemex with handle

The attached picture shows the carafe with handle.  The odd shaped one I mentioned above is apparently a small size for one to three cups.

 

 

[polkanut]

Jim,

If your Norelco was anything like the one we use, it had the black basket with an orange insert for smaller amounts of grounds.  Bev's friend, Elaine, can't believe how fast it brews a 12 cup pot.

 

[rp2813]

I think Norelco's claim was a full pot in eight minutes.  That would apply to the early models that had the goldenrod basket and took the round flat filters, with simple black lid.  I used to notice that if too much water was being pumped out, the lid would fill and clear water would overflow into the drain hole in the middle and directly down into the carafe.  I don't think it happened enough to weaken the brew too much, but always thought it was an odd design.

 

[sudsmaster]

re: Keurig coffee varieties.

I was in Costco the other day, and saw Keurig K-Cups filled with San Francisco Bay brand coffee. Unfortunately it was only the French Roast (I don't care much for French Roast). When I brew whole beans, I usually buy the SF Bay brand of Columbian coffee. It's quite good. I imagine their French Roast K-Cups are good as well, for those who prefer a very dark roast.

A plus was the pricing: only about $25 for a box of 80 cups. The other varieties, such as Tully's, Newman's Best, and Caribou, are around $34 for the same number of cups. Of all of these, I like the Tully's House Blend the best. The Newman's has a cardboard kind of off-flavor. The Caribou is good but a bit on the acidic side. Tully's is just right ;-)

 

[washer111]

Having been an avid coffee drinker for some time, I have a couple of favourites:

<ul>
<li>French-Press</li>
<li>Filter Coffee (Especially from a Technivorm Moccamaster!)</li>
<li>Turkish Style (Boil the grounds quickly, tip into cup and settle before drinking)</li>
</ul>
I cannot do a direct comparison, since we don't own a Filter Coffee machine here at home, but I reckon that a French Press *used correctly* and a good Filter machine *also used correctly* will probably be on par. My guess is the strength of the taste/aroma as well as the smoothness is affected, due to the presence (or lack of) filter. I won't pretend to know this though, so thats only my cursory thought. I'll update everyone on that *one day* when I'm too lazy to make a cup of French Press coffee!

 

I brew Turkish style by adding a cup of water to a saucepan, plus a teaspoon of sugar (the only time I take sugar). I bring the water to the boil, take it off, add coffee and stir. I then place the saucepan on the hob again till it boils and starts to fizz, repeating 3 times. Transfer to a cup and enjoy! Very nice coffee and surprising good tasting. However, it is the only time I make an exception to the 'NO PRE-RINSING DISHES' rule... A tablespoon of coffee grounds kinda finds its way around the dishwasher onto everything else when you aren't careful, or set the Rinse-Aid dosage to maximum... 

 

And of course, sorry to revive the dead thread, but I wanted to add my opinion. 

 

[laundromat]

8 O' Clock

I order Eight O'Clock coffee beans directly on line by the case. I have a coffee bean grinder and can set the grind as well as the amount of cups to brew. It comes on,grinds the precise amount in the coarse to fine grind. Then, I pour it into the filter bin of my Hamilton Beach Brew Station and , in only five minutes, my coffee is ready. I only like that popular brand because it truly.bb wakes me up and,no bitter,strong aftertaste.

 

[petek]

I'm drinkin a cup of 8 oclock Bokar made in my Hamilton Beach Brew Station right now. It's a decent tasting coffee and the price is right and even better when it's on sale.

 

[frigilux]

Update one year later: Still making drip/filter coffee with a Technivorm Moccamaster. It remains the most accurate in terms of brew time/water temp among drip makers, although Cuisinart appears to have stepped up their game, recently.

My coffee of choice is from a small-batch roaster in Minneapolis called the "Bull Run Roasting Company." Their French roast is (to me, at least) perfection. Not as smoky/burned as Starbucks can be ("Like drinking the aftermath of a house fire!") but still very full-flavored and nuanced. I get it within two/three days of roasting, so it's mega-fresh, as well.

 

[vintagekitchen]

The old fashioned way is best for me! lol..

Coffee lover / coffee addict that I am, I've tried every method out there. Drip ( both automatic and dripolator), percolator ( both electric and stove top), pour over, cold brew, french press, you name it, I've tried it.

Out of every method I have tried, nothing beats my great aunt's old school European method. Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. While the water heats, crush an eggshell, (just the shell), mix the crushed shell with a level 1/3 cup of coffee, ( I prefer JFG, but whatever type you prefer is fine). Remove the pan from the heat, and turn the empty burner to its lowest setting. Stir the coffee and eggshell into the water, return the pan to the burner and wait about 5 to 7 minutes, depending on how strong you like it, ( should it show even a hint of bubbling or simmering, lift it off the burner a moment, then put it back). Add about a 1/4 cup cold water to settle the grounds, and pour through a small wire seive or tea strainer into your cup.

Absolute smoothest richest coffee I have ever had, I make it this way ever morning. Never too dark or muddy, unless you let it start bubbling again while it steeps.

Side note, but if you don't want to either cook or waste an egg every time you make coffee, either freeze the egg, or freeze your egg shells every time you use one in cooking, then just pull out a shell as needed to make coffee. You can easily make a half batch, just use half an egg shell, or make larger batches by doubling or tripling the recipe.[this post was last edited: 1/25/2014-12:45]

 

[NYCWriter]

Percolated

Definitely.

I have a 1965 Hoover (rebadged Presto) percolator that makes amazing coffee.

 

[jerrod6]

My first coffee maker was a Chemix manual. You boiled the water and poured into the filter and let it drip. I thought this was good coffee. Mostly after that I had drip coffee makers of some sort.

Years ago I purchased a Technivorm Moccamaster and use that plus a french press. I use the french press on occasion with french roast bean that I grind.

I recently purchased a K-cup and use starbucks or other pods. This works well.

So weekday mornings its technivorm drip, weekends its a mix of tech....drip using beans I grind or K-cup or french press. Each has a slightly different taste and I like all three.

 

[mattl]

For me- vacuum method. Been doing it for a year now and won't go back. Smooth full flavored coffee even using the cheap stuff. Used the cuisinart once or twice over the holidays and the coffee just tasted flat.

 

[mrb627]

Several Methods

I think I have tried more than my fair share of methods to brew coffee. I do think Vacuum brew is a great method if you are awake enough to manage it in the morning. Ultimately, I usually fall back to my Bunn coffee maker for quick easy coffee. It has the best basket capacity for someone that likes a strong cup. For a 40oz pot of coffee, I use about 80 grams of coffee (measured by weight). Pretty good coffee and the timer means it is ready and waiting when I stumble into the kitchen in the morning.

Malcolm

 

[rinso]

I would have to say vacuum pot, hands down. I think it makes such good coffee because all the water is mixed with all the coffee grounds at nearly the same time, then filtered.

 

[mattl]

Well i cheat a little with the vacuum coffee.  I use a vintage Sunbeam.  It may not be the ultimate vacuum coffee maker but it's better than the drip method.  I set up mine the night before and my computer turns it on at the appropriate time.

 

[twintubdexter]

If it lights up when plugged in I'll buy it

I always wanted one of these percolators that illuminates the coffee so I just purchased this one on ebay for $19.99. Some of these look to be in pretty bad condition especially around the base where the control is located. This one appears to be in decent shape. I'll continue to use the Capresso drip for my daily brew but like my dinky Farberware percolator this will be fun from time to time. I bought a package of Mellita Percoaltor Filters to try out with the new pot. I want to re-introduce the "art" of serving coffee after dinner since the people that frequent my parties continue drinking my fine wines until the last gallon jug of Carlo Rossi is empty.