Coffee, grind your own?

skyvue · Jan 5, 2012

gdc said:
Skyvue, thank you for that nice reading. I have a Nespresso machine and Moka pot for espresso when I need a shot but never really got into that side of the habit. Espresso is a whole other world from French Press.

Glad you enjoyed it, gdc. The wife prefers other brewing methods, too (we usually drink French press at home), but her column covers all kinds of brewing (and lots of history and industry stuff, too). She's been in specialty coffee for more than 11 years and currently works as a customer rep for one of the country's better roasters, so she consistently impresses me with the depth and breadth of her knowledge.

She's going on a coffee tour of Italy later this month and will be writing about it for a major newspaper, most likely, so when that story is published, I'll try to remember to share it here.

ButteMT61 · Jan 5, 2012

"The milk whisperer" I like that!

fortworthgal · Jan 6, 2012

ButteMT61 said:
Very good! Will check it out. I like finding women who enjoy coffee on that level. Usually, it's men - don't know why? I can barely get my wife to have an eggnog latté over the holidays let alone like coffee.
I don't have the room/desire to roast my own (yet) but there's plenty of places where I can get great beans locally. I've been drinking it since I was ~10 years old. My father is a geologist and I started drinking "field coffee" with condensed milk as a kid.

I've had field coffee when camping, but usually with evaporated milk. Pretty tasty stuff!

Doctor Strange said:
I grind on the weekends, usually just A&P Eight'o'Clock 100% Columbian beans, though occasionally something more exotic. (Already-ground is fine for when I stumble into the kitchen at 5:30 on weekdays! Besides, I usually don't drink more than a half cup before rushing off to work.)

I always have a cup in the mornings after my husband leaves for work and before I hop in the shower. I don't bother making a whole pot, though. Weekday mornings, I'm all about the Keurig. Very speedy, minimal cleanup, and I'm quite happy with the coffee variety and quality.

Connery · Jan 6, 2012

Yes when I want a relaxing cup of coffee and I use a French Press as well.

DeaconKC · Jan 6, 2012

Day off today, nice cup of coffee, now onto cleaning up an old revolver for some pics. Skyvue, your wife's blog is a delightful read.

skyvue · Jan 6, 2012

DeaconKC said:
Skyvue, your wife's blog is a delightful read.

You're very kind; I'll let her know you're enjoying it.

bil_maxx · Jan 6, 2012

We love freshly ground in our house too. We have a cuisinart grinder with the large resevoir at the top and the ability to pick to level of grinding. Just the smell of the ground beans even before the coffee is made is worth it. Expresso beans need to be ground very fine so it makes the whole house smell great. I don't find that it adds any time as I have to put the water in the machine so while I do that the beans are grinding and then I load it and warm the milk for caffe-latte every morning. Great way to face the day.

John in Covina · Jan 6, 2012

i saw a TV program and the roaster said that you can use a dry air popcorn popper for roasting.

I usually get whole beans from TJ (Trader joe's) now and then. I have a tiny Bosch grinder.

gdc · Jan 6, 2012

John in Covina said:
i saw a TV program and the roaster said that you can use a dry air popcorn popper for roasting.

I usually get whole beans from TJ (Trader joe's) now and then. I have a tiny Bosch grinder.

Yes, I posted a link earlier about using a popcorn popper. I've roasted probably 200# that way and it works great. A quality grinder can improve the brew.

Miss Stella · Jan 16, 2012

As our automatic drip coffee maker just died (The Mister liked it because the time could be set to brew so it was ready whichever early morning hour he decided to rise!), I have taken to the French Press rather then spend $$$ on a new auto. The coffee tastes better when done in the Press (imho) but the drawback is I get to rise and shine before the rooster crows some mornings!!

ButteMT61 · Jan 16, 2012

fortworthgal said:
I've had field coffee when camping, but usually with evaporated milk. Pretty tasty stuff!...

Thanks for the lightbulb. It WAS evaporated milk! I got a can of the condensed milk and it wasn't the same. LOL - it's been 40 years so forgive my leaky brain!

I wondered how my memory was so off on the flavor...now I know. At least I think so - will get some and see.

gdc · Jan 17, 2012

Miss Stella said:
As our automatic drip coffee maker just died (The Mister liked it because the time could be set to brew so it was ready whichever early morning hour he decided to rise!), I have taken to the French Press rather then spend $$$ on a new auto. The coffee tastes better when done in the Press (imho) but the drawback is I get to rise and shine before the rooster crows some mornings!!

However long it takes to boil the water + 3-5min for the press to do its thing is still time well spent. I use that time to put on the BACON!

Tomasso · Jan 17, 2012

gdc said:
However long it takes to boil the water + 3-5min for the press to do its thing is still time well spent.

It really is worth the wait although sometimes it feels more like 10-15 minutes. I usually set a timer for 4 minutes and then go back to bed until the alarm goes off.

Wally_Hood · Jan 18, 2012

We generally grind the beans, from Trader Joe's or Starbucks or Costco, and set up the coffee maker the night before with the timer for an early morning brew. We used to have, about fifteen years ago, this tower sort of coffee maker into which you put the beans, set the timer, and it would grind the beans and brew all by itself. Cool thing was, if you set the timer for, say, 6:00, it started grinding and brewing about 10 minutes early at 5:50. Sadly, it broke down frequently and the manufacturer discontinued the product.

doggieboy · Jan 22, 2012

Good quality coffee, nice grinder and a French press are an essential part of my day.

earl · Jan 22, 2012

While I definitely prefer the taste of beans freshly ground at home, only indulge occasionally due to cost considerations-cost of the beans that is-since I'm a regular coffee drinker. There are almost no canned, ground coffees I've found which I like except one-Cafe Bustelo. It's an espresso roast done in the Latin style. Given that I find it to taste as rich as any freshly ground beans, don't find the inclination to shell out the extra $ for gourmet beans often. Earl

Connery · Jan 22, 2012

After a long day with the elements, I was worn, tired and needed a nice comfort drink so i ground up some Ethiopian Harrar*, a Bold coffee with Dark chocolate and Berry notes(roasted 12/20/2011). Prepared the coffee and sat in from of a fire with my dog. There is nothing better this side of heaven; great company and great coffee....

*"Heavy-bodied, spicy and fragrant, Ethiopian Harrar coffee is a wild and exotic dry processed (natural)Arabica coffee that is grown on small farms in the Oromia region (formerly Harrar) in southern Ethiopia at elevations between 4,500 and 6,300 feet. The province of Harrar, is east of Addis Ababa, the country’s capitol."

DeaconKC · Jan 23, 2012

I truly miss my fresh ground coffee on Sunday Mornings, as I rise at 4:30 to start my week and don't want to wake the missus. The pre ground stuff just isn't quite as nice.

rmrdaddy · Jan 23, 2012

gdc said:
I've been grinding for a few years. My first grinders were inexpensive blade grinders, then a Cuisinart burr and I bought a KitchenAid Pro-Line recently. A proper grinder really helps the flavor. I also roast my own beans but that's another thread.

I'm right with ya gdc

rmrdaddy · Jan 23, 2012

A.C. Lyles said:
I always grind my own and used to roast as well, though rarely these days.

This is the roaster I have; it's virtually fool proof.

[video=youtube;uwsCrH0hyuw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwsCrH0hyuw&feature=related[/video]

Same one here A.C. The roast chambers are smallish, so I have 2 to move it along a little faster.

Coffee, grind your own?

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