Making Coffee

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Kevin and Ralph

I really loved your coffee preparation video! I too have a collection of coffee pots, but not as many as you. I totally agree with you about coffee, the best coffee is coffee made the way you like it! Coffee pot collecting is a great hobby that doesn't require the space that large appliances do and is relatively inexpensive. Thanks for sharing the video, as well as all your other videos.
Eddie
 
Toploader- love that Terrace Top!! Welcome to the club! I have really fallen in love with that range!

Eddie - you're welcome! We had fun bringing out a few of our coffee pots and, yes, they are much easier to collect than the stoves!!!
 
Treat yourselves to coffee from….

A Krups T8. I am a coffee hound. Period. This machine is what I used in Europe for years and years, and never fail to be impressed with the quality of brew they deliver.

In the US, they are known as F468. Some made in France, some in Portugal until about 2004. Krups have a new revised one out, but it is made in China, unfortunately. And they price them at around $200/+ bucks. Scan ebay long enough and you can get a lightly used (or unused) proper French/Portugese/German made machine (with US 110v wiring) for a good price.

Last year I scored a French F468 and quickly ditched my Technivorm. The Krups does a better job, despite what coffee snobs might tell you. As I'm too lazy to film mine in action, here's a youtube vid:

 
Nice video ... You know I've never noticed any difference in the taste of my coffee in regards to what type of grinder I used.. The whole burr grinder vs whirly blade type.  I've got quite a few grinders including those Brauns like yours in different colors.  The one I use pretty regularly is a Braun burr grinder but it can be a pain to clean. 

 

 

I remember those Krups T8 machines in the stores but they were somewhat pricey at the time and I wasn't really sure what they were all about to spend that much.  
 
Krups prices...

When you luck out, you can get a real one (not the current chinese model) fairly cheap (even though they are pre-2004 models). The originals from the 60s and 70s are expensive and almost never seen stateside. I snatched my one off ebay (and it had never been used). $48 total, delivered to my door. HAPPY :D
 
Once again a very good video.  There is a real science to coffee, but most folks find a method and brand and stick with it.  I've had great coffee and very bad coffee and the people who served it to me always thought it was fine.  As you said Kevin, make it the way you like.

 

Me?  I've been using a 1950 Sunbeam 30c vacuum pot for years now.  Got several and actually got one on ebay with a good rubber gasket, I think the vac pots make some of the very best coffee.  I've been playing with different coffees, right now I'm working my way through a bag of Paramount coffee beans.  I'm trying different grinds, I have a Hamilton Beach grinder with settings for course, medium and fine grind and settings for 4 to 10 cups.  It times the grind based on the settings.  2 weeks in still have not hit the sweet spot, but getting close.

 

Hope you do part 2 with the other methods. 

 

BTW is that a different camera?  Image seem different.

 
 
Once again a great video! Quite enjoyed it. Just a little addition. The espresso pot is actually a moka pot. A lot of people call them espresso pot though, perhaps Italians use them a lot and we associate Italy with espresso. If you go to an Italian campingsite you see a lot of people walking over the camp site to get fresh water. The bigger the family, the bigger the moka pot!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot
 
T8

Allen,

Please enlighten me why these are so special. I have one (it says Made in Germany on the bottom), but it makes the blandest coffee I have ever tasted from a coffee maker. I also have a Moccamaster (haven't used that in ages, just like the T8) but the coffee from the Moccamaster tasted way better! Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, but I have tried over and over again and so far coffee made in that machine was a waste of the good coffee.

For many years I had a Braun Traditional. It didn't keep the coffee warm enough but the taste of the coffee was very good.

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Kevin, You've Opened a Can of Worms :D

Coffee is a "hot topic" here on AW.

Personally a fan of french press, or the Technivorm Moccamaster when travelling in Norway.

I will have to look for a perc, not sure how popular or prevalent the older models were in Australia, although they do sell the stovetop variety... So I'm tempted!
 
Great Tutorial Kevin

I always love your classes Kevin. You're very thorough, and easy to watch, and understand. Keep them coming. And Ralph, pretty clever, and punny, with the perckulater! Funny Man !
 
Perfectly happy with my:

Cuisinart coffee machine. Gold filter and water filtration make sure you get a good brew. Also the fast brew cycle reduces the bitter oils in the finished product. The Auto clean cycle and DW safe parts help too. I never thought I could like a CM that was not a Bunn but this one is very close. BTW I got it @ Costco for $69.00 .
WK78
 
Here's a worm...

.
I don't want a "great cup of coffee" i want a good one. Let me explain.
I just had a good cup of coffee from a place here in NYC, Mogador. It's always
very good there and at it's sister restaurant up the street call Cafe Orlin. I realized it's probably because that's what they were aiming at, not some pie in the sky great cup, or worse, perfect cup of coffee. Such nonsense is for people without taste buds and will sit and drink an often sour cup of joe and extol it's greatness because of some special process or bean used. I think such coffee is often crap because it's fussy and has to be made just right and the minimum wage slave manning the equipment botched the job. Or, the beans are shite and the hype is just that, advertised hyperbole because the coffee is cheap mis-roasted and/or crap beans sold on the cheap to these know nothing joints to dispose of it.
all this is off the cuff off the topic grade A (F?) rant...my apologies to the OP, but if ever in the East Village of Manhattan and want a good meal and cuppa at a very fair price (breakfast special) you know a place...two actually. They have been in business a long time and know what they are doing, whereas so many others are flash in the pan ne'er–do–wells looking to make an easy buck.

http://www.cafemogador.com/
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To answer Louis re; T8 taste problem...

It could be a problem with a couple of things. My first guess would be that the heating element may not be getting temperature of water hot enough. I've used T8 machines for the last 30 years, but have not experienced any taste problems. Some of these T8 have been used since the 1960s years--they last a very long time. I don't know if yours is old, maybe it is just not working and heating properly after a long time of service. If it's a "made in Germany" one, it could be quite old as I think Germany stopped making them in the 1980s years and let production happen in France and Portugal--This could be.

What also can affect taste is the following: Good pure or filtered water…and the grind/filling method. Ideally the beans should be ground a bit coarser than espresso grind. T8 should not brew with powdery or too fine of grind. Make sure you are filling the coffee filter basket almost full and then tamping or pressing all the ground beans nice and compact/tight (putting in a paper filter disk first). I can photograph my process in the morning and add pix for you if you like!

As my water measuring utensils are U.S., this is my recipe (32oz water--brews to midpoint of 10-11 cup mark on T8 carafe) and I use roughly 8 full tablespoons of beans (approximately 60gram). Your grinder machine shouldn't matter if it is blade or burr-mill type--I have used both and don't notice any difference in grind quality or taste, really.
This is how I use it. My results equal or better my Technivorm all the time! But I DO like that Technivorm are hand built in your country and use copper heating. They are very, very nice and quality machines. I just personally prefer T8 as it very closely approximates the results of the old vacuum brew machines.

Like you, I also keep the old Brauns around (just like your pictures show). Beautiful to look at, but I agree that they do not keep temperature too well (and I also notice they do not brew at consistent temperature throughout the process as Technivorm and T8 do).
 
re; Robert's grade A (F?) rant….

HAHAHAH!!! I love that. You feel like I do about these things…though I really would rather have my coffee at home because I always know what to expect when I'm at the helm. I will check the place out when I come to NY just to see how it is. When I lived in Dublin for years, I LOVED having coffee in Bewley's in Grafton street for similar reasons. It was not "great". But damned good. Never disappointed. Just a nice, smooth honest strong old-school kinda cuppa. I hear it's being renovated as of now…and I can't wait to get back in.

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Krups, we have a problem...

Thanks Allen for your detailed description. I decided to give the T8 a try again. So 1 litre of water and 60 grams of freshly ground coffee just as fine as I would use for a cone filter or pour over as they are called these days. So I was excited to get a better cup of coffee from the Krups.

Ofcourse something was bound to go wrong. lol. I was in the livingroom and heard the hiss and then stop. When I had a look, it appeared to be leaking a bit. I don't know what happened, perhaps the coffee was a bit too fine or the lid doesn't close good anymore. I was pretty sure it was good in place and the ring around the filter was clean (filling this filter when you have a tremor is quite a challenge! lol).

Now the taste. Because the water was leaking from above the filter I assumed that still a good cup of coffee should come out of this process albeit it a bit strong. Well, strong it was, but I still had the same problem as before. The coffee was strong but bland. The beans I used have a high acidity, when I use them in a French press, it is almost too much. But this cup of coffee didn't have any acidity at all. So, I'm done with the Krups. It will go back in storage until I'm ready to send it off to a thrift store.

Thanks again Allen, I guess the T8 is for you but not for me. No problem though, I have lots of other coffee makers. :-)

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Your Krups needs...

A new filter basket silicone gasket….These pressurized machines must be leak-proof…and probably explains your bad experiences somewhat. Well, I hope you don't donate it--these are very desirable to a lot of people all over the world...if only for parts. The glass carafes alone resell for probably 35Euro… If I wasn't so far away from you I would buy it for spare parts but the shipping cost would kill me :(
 
Yes, I guess you are right, I haven't used this machine in years. Perhaps the seal dried out. As a matter of fact I bought this machine very cheap, they didn't sell very well at the department store where I bought it. IIRC I paid 39 Euros for it. This is the first time it leaked, it didn't do that before. The coffee experience was just the same though, just like before I missed the acidity in the coffee. At the moment I don't feel like spending money on it, but I'll keep it. It looks great after all, in that aspect it sure beats the Moccamaster!!
 
My Daily Coffee Routine

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">Here is my daily coffee arsenal. I use the Technivorm mostly during the week because I don’t have the patience to wait for the water to boil, etc. I really like the coffee in the Vacuum Cory Pot and when I am in the mood for perked I like this GE Belly Pot. I don’t know what it is about this pot but in my opinion this beats out all my other percolators. Maybe it’s the shape I don’t know but it really does make good cup of coffee. </span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">I prefer the Breville grinder to the MoccaMaster grinder because it’s more flexible and a hell of a lot cleaner as you can see in the picture. I keep the grinders in the utility room off the kitchen so I can close the door and grind the coffee without waking hubby who sleeps about an hour later than I. I could grind it the night before but I want to grind it just before I make it. </span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">I also have a gram scale which I didn’t photograph that I use to weigh the coffee. </span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">My routine: </span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">Technivorm: I measure 60g of finely ground coffee. Just shy of the Espresso grind on the Breville grinder. I fill the container to the 8 cup mark. This is their recommendation and I stick with it. It’s a great cup of coffee. I start the maker with the Filter basket closed so that it fills a part way and gives the coffee a moment to BLOOM. Yup I’m one of them!! Coffee gotta bloom and water gotta be 200 degrees. Nothing more nothing less. In my opinion, Technivorm excels in that area for a drip coffeemaker. After about a minute I open the Filter basket (the thing you close to grab a cup while it’s brewing whatever that’s called). </span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">Cory Pot: I measure 47g of coarsely ground coffee (just a little finer than percolator on the Breville) and fill the pot to just shy of the 6 Cup mark with water that has heated in a kettle. This helps to speed things up. (Post 854685 from Eddie who suggested heating the water in a kettle first. Works Great!!) I let the water come to just under a boil (again that 200 degrees) and put the top bowl on. I wait for the water to start to rise and when it makes that signature big gurgle I dump in the coffee. I time it for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, and turn it off. Great, Great coffee!! </span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">Percolator: I use the square fold over filters that Kevin mentioned. I prefer those to the disc and they work better at keeping out the grinds. I never make percolator coffee without a filter which is just my preference. I use the same measure of coffee in the percolator that I use in the Cory only I set the grinder all the way to percolator which is a coarse grind. </span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">I’m probably a little fussier than most when it comes to making coffee but my taste buds tell me it’s better that way. Some think I’m nuts and some think I could be fussier. I think it’s just about what tastes good to us.</span>

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You've Got Me Now!

Ran out of my favourite pre-ground coffee (Robert Timms) and haven't found it at two of the nearby IGA's thus far. Will have to try the Aldi (if they're even finished building yet) or Coles nearby it seems.

Anyway, you've tempted me and now I've gone onto... (Cue Blood-Curdling Scream, the "Dramatic Chipmunk" or something else) eBay!

Within Australia there is a Phillips drip machine, a couple of Sunbeam units and a couple of 70's GE "Poly-Brew" units in varying absurd 70's styling.
And they're about $30-$40 a pop.

What do we think?
(Hoping links are good)
Sunbeam Unit: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sunbeam-...541833?hash=item41a6fe0e09:g:HI0AAOSws4JW76xF

Phillips Drip: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Phillips...946074?hash=item3abf9e9c1a:g:jFYAAOSwAuNW6iYw
(Would be concerned about the carafe surviving the postal service)

GE Poly-Brew:http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RETRO-OR...989574?hash=item1a1024b046:g:HCsAAOSwFNZWwlAm
 
Maybe Westinghouse?

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">The lid and handle look very much like one of mine that is a Westinghouse although mine doesn't have a plastic basket.  </span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 12pt;">But what's up with that "it's posted on another site with a bid, go there and bid"?  I've been buying/selling on eBay a long time and that's a first.  The seller should take down the eBay auction if it's as good as sold on "the other site" whatever that might be.  If I read that in an auction I'd likely look for another seller.</span>
 
Yeah, that had me stumped too. Might be worth mentioning *where* it is listed. LOL

The GE's appeal to me, they're cheap (if a little corny).
My only concern would be 1970's or 1980's plastics leeching God-Knows-What into the coffee, or even the plastic itself being brittle.

Otherwise this unique-looking Westy is definitely another choice. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VINTAGE-...639560?hash=item23641f7908:g:wNcAAOSwu1VW2V3R

(Thanks for your help so far. And a Happy Easter to you!)
 
Westy pot.

It looks like a nice pot in good shape. Also seems like an honest seller with great feedback.

Having said that some feel an aluminum pot imparts a metal taste. I have personally never found that in my aluminum pots nor have I ever felt paper filters impart a paper flavor on the coffee. Some find that to be true too and therefore rinse their paper filters before they use them. I have used them rinsed and unrinsed and found no difference.

This is definitely a unique looking pot and would likely be fun to play with.
 
Techivorm is the only coffee maker that I use but, I am picky about my coffee.There made like a tank in Holland by hand.They are kinda pricey for a coffee maker and you have to turn it off it's not a auto off the keep warm part.

 I am a evil bitch until I have my coffee..I am NO morning person at all.. My Ex was a morning person and would be asking me if a sent this bill off and did this and does this tie go..I am picturing in my head bashing his head in my bowl of Special K. Delonghi Espresso/Cappuccino machines are wonderful if you like those..I broke down and bought one cause I was spending 12 bucks a day at Starbucks.. That adds up quick really quick..
 
You Can't Beat

A good homemade cuppa. Whichever of the many methods one chooses.

A brick of my favourite pre-ground coffee costs about $11, lasts around 3-4 weeks with about 2 cups a day (and tastes good too). If I decided not to do that and went to a coffee shop of some sort, that might work out to something crazy like $280 (assuming $5 per cup, which seems roughly accurate) for the same time period.

Guess that buys a lot of coffee and quite a few percs (or french presses. I have a bad habit of torturing them to destruction).
 
Fresh water, good coffee

And the rest is strictly a matter of taste. My real German T8 made outstanding coffee in Munich. I've had excellent percolator coffee.

Those (and yes, I know, I know, ten points off the person who says they're not) Italian aluminium espresso makers for the stove top makers make great coffee, too.

 

I've also had horrid Starbucks coffee more often than McDonald's.

Apart from the water and the coffee, it's all a matter of taste. 99% of the snobbery is just plain silliness.

Me? Oh, I only buy German coffee beans here because I like the packaging. No other reason.

/snark
 
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