Help with Cory Vacuum Coffee Pot

[stan]

Glad you

Emailed Dayseal for possible suggestions. Maybe he's got something new for the Cory's that he didn't have before? You shouldn't have to work that hard for a cup of Joe!

 

[tomturbomatic]

With the Coffeemasters, I pull the plug when the water starts its way up, before the switch clicks to warm. It keeps the lower bowl from getting quite as hot so there is less sizzling and rumbling before the coffee returns. There is plenty of heat to boil away the spoonful of water that agitates the brew. I also think that it is easier on the plating.

 

[ea56]

Tom

thanks for the hint on the Coffeemaster. Next time I use one of them I will sure try your method.
Eddie

 

[whirlcool]

Maybe your Coffeemaster needs to be adjusted to reduce the heat in the brewing cycle? About that rubber taste in my coffee, that only happened with original Coffeemaster gasket/seals. I don't have the Dayseal equivalent for the Cory, but the original one that came with the pot. I bought the Cory pot on Ebay in a new, unused condition. The seal was still pliable, and never have a rubber taste.

I agree, vacuum coffee really tastes so smooth. No bitterness at all. We only used medium heat on ours when brewing and turn the heat off as soon as most of the liquid is in the top bowl. Sometimes we'll find that half way through the vacuum process it'll stop. When that happens it usually means we have ground the coffee too finely.

 

[launderess]

Not all Sunbeam Coffee-Master

Units have adjustable heating/cycles.

Know the C50 does not officially. Though IIRC years ago read somewhere that someone over on CoffeeGeek.com hacked into his unit and did so.

Long have disconnected the cord after the C-50 finishes brewing if not slightly before. Otherwise you end up with over extracted brew and eventually damaged inner finish.

Problem is the thing is so heavily insulated and well heated it takes a long time for the lower chamber to cool enough to cause a vacuum to form. Meanwhile the heat continues causing the lower globe to "burn dry" inside. You can hear this happening each time drips of coffee make their way down the tube before the inner surface is cool enough to cause a full vacuum.

The other problem is by the time Sunbeam got around to the C-50 electric automatic drip and perk coffee makers were taking hold and fast. So corners were cut. The plating inside C-50 is thinner than previous Sunbeam Coffee-Master so it wears quickly if not taken care of. Not only does the plating to but so does the nut/seal that holds the metal part of the lower globe to the black base. Once this happens over time drips of water seep down and soon the thing just dies (won't heat).

All this being said the C-50 produces some strong and *HOT* coffee!

 

[northwesty]

If

you are really fed up with the gasket you might try ruffing the surface up a bit, maybe with 180 grit sandpaper to give it more "tooth". Just a suggestion.

 

[ea56]

I've tweeked the temp on my Coffeemasters before, so I'm familar with what to do. I think though that its the keep warm temps on both my Coffeemasters that needs to be adjusted down. The way they are both set now they don't hold the low temp and cycle on to high unpredictably. I just didn't feel like making the adjustments, so I switched to using my 8 cup Farberware Elec. Perc. for the past several mo. Last week I decided to use the Cory Vac pot instead as I really prefer the coffee made in it. One of these days I'll get the bug to fine tune one of my C30's and start using it again. I really appreciate your suggestions though Allen. And Brian, I have also thought about trying to rough up the new Cory gasket, I just haven't reached that level of frustration yet! I don't hold out much hope for the guy at Dayseal offering any suggestions, he hasn't replied to my email, and don't expect that he will, but he still might.
Eddie[this post was last edited: 12/2/2015-21:32]

 

[tomturbomatic]

Originally the Coffeemasters used a flat sort of star-shaped bare wire element between two layers of mica held against the metal base of the lower bowl. The later ones used a sealed rod element and it holds much more heat and is slower to cool.

 

[ea56]

Well Lee, the owner of Dayseal, emailed me this morning with a suggested fix for the Cory gasket that won't stay down during the brewing process. He advised me to get a 1/8" O-ring that will will snugly in the last groove of the gasket and cement it in the lower groove, between the ridges. Then he advised to let it dry overnight. It was somewhat difficult to find an O-ring of this size, but I finally found a 2 3/4" X 3/16th" O-ring. It fits perfectly, and creates a firm ridge that grips the neck of the pot. I attached it this afternoon using the same black RTV silicone that I used to attach the gasket to the upper bowl.
Tomorrow morning I'll give it a try and see in the fix works, but I think that it will. Here is a picture with the O-ring attached.
Eddie[this post was last edited: 12/3/2015-22:56]

 

[stan]

Glad

You got a response. I thought you would.
I would think that someone that produces seals for these old coffee pots would want to keep help keep them working.
Let us know how it works.
Did you find the O ring at Freidmans ?

 

[ea56]

Stan,

Actually I found the O-ring at True Value in Cotati. I tried Friedman's, they didn't have any of the larger O-rings and neither did Home Depot. Surprisingly, True Value had a large selection and its only 1/2 mile from home. When I tried the fit before cementing it to the gasket there was a nice tight fit, so I'm reasonably certain that this fix will work. I'll let you know after I try making a pot of joe tomorrow morning.
Eddie

 

[tomturbomatic]

I remember seeing rings that size sold for other purposes in sex botiques. Glad you were able to find one in a regular store.

I know from using our glass Cory with the rubber gasket on an electric range that when the water came to a boil, the heat was turned off, the lower bowl removed from the element and then the upper bowl was put in place. After that, the brewer was returned to the surface unit which had plenty of heat to send the water up and finish brewing the coffee. You have to be much more careful of the heat and the steam pressure when using one of the rubberless brewers.

 

[ea56]

Eureka!

I just made my first pot of coffee with the modified Dayseal gasket and it worked perfectly! Really such a simple fix, the ridge at the bottom of the gasket was just what I could visualize that was needed, I just couldn't come up with how to achieve it. I'm glad that I contacted Lee at Dayseal, he gave me the info to get my Cory working like its meant to. Thank you all at AW.org for all your suggestions.
Eddie

 

[tomturbomatic]

Enjoy your Cory coffee in good health and peace.

 

[countryguy]

With all this talk about the Cory coffee system and vacuum brewing, I started watching videos on youtube of the brewing system. Naturally, I couldn't resist after seeing how the coffee got sucked back down into the lower pot so I went ahead and bought a cory pot on Ebay. I'm anxious for it to arrive so I can try it out.

Gary

 

[ea56]

Gary

I think that you will really enjoy using your "new" Cory vac pot. Don't be afraid to experiment with brew times, coffee used, filters and method of using the Cory. You'll eventually hit on the combo that you like best. Personally, I like the Cory glass rod filter best, absolutely the easiest cleanup ever. And I've found that the whole process is quicker if I heat the majority of the water in a kettle and meanwhile heat about 3/4" to 1" of water in the pot over med. heat while the kettle comes to a boil. Once the kettle boils I pour the boiling water into the lower bowl and place the upper bowl firmly into the neck of the pot. The water rises immediately, I leave it over med. heat and time the brew for 3 to 4 mins. ( I know, some may think this is too long, but I like coffee strong). I gently stir the coffee in the upper bowl after the water has risen to the top. After the brew time is up, remove the pot from the heat and in about 1 min. the brewed coffee will be pulled down to the lower pot. If you are using an electric stove always be sure to keep a wire trivit between the burner coil and the pot. I've found that for everyday coffee a good pre ground French roast coffee gives a very pleasant tasting coffee. For company or special occasions I'll grind my own coffee.
Hope you enjoy the vac pot process.
Eddie.

 

[countryguy]

Eddie,

Thanks for the info. I will be using the Cory on an electric stove with the glass top and halogen elements...is a wire trivit still required?

Gary

 

[ea56]

You know Gary I'm not sure if the trivit is necessary on a glass top range. I believe that I've read that its OK to not use it on a glass top and I think that I've also seen a Youtube video where a glass vac pot was used on a glass top without the trivit. You might want to do a google search on this question. Actually, now that I think about it when I got my first glass vac pot we had a glass top stove and I believe that I didn't use the trivit and had no problems. The main precaution is to avoid high heat and you should Be OK.
Eddie

 

[launderess]

No, you don't need the trivet for gas ranges.

Trivets were only required for all glass vacuum coffee makers when using electric ranges. Something about direct contact with the heating coils, cannot recall.

Gas ranges by nature of design already suspend pots/pans over the burners via grates.

 

[chachp]

My Yama pot

I use mine in a glass top stove without a trivet and no problems. I use medium high heat and when the water hits the top and rumbles a bit I only let it go a minute and remove it from the heat. It takes a minute or so to drop. I use 9 grams of ground coffee per 5 oz cup. I like a medium roast. I like the dunkin donuts original blend and I grind the beans right before I brew.