Coffee FAQs: The Master Coffee Thread

[kfoote]

Since this got bumped, I have a random question. Do you pull the descriptions from somewhere, or is your palate really that refined that you can distinguish things like the flavor of Concord grapes and, say, Swenson Red grapes? I'm not doubting your coffee palate, and mine is nowhere near as refined, but some of the descriptions of the flavors I see I couldn't tell you what they were if given a blind taste of the actual food.

* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

[poison]

Originally Posted by InfamousDX

Nate... About to make another order but wondering if there are any coupon codes.

Any suggestions on what to try if my favorite from you has been the Sulawesi?

Coupon: YAYNASIOC

Try the Sumatra, it's GREAT. The new Kenya is YEEOW, a high-toned, yet thick and sweet zinger.

[poison]

Originally Posted by kfoote

Since this got bumped, I have a random question. Do you pull the descriptions from somewhere, or is your palate really that refined that you can distinguish things like the flavor of Concord grapes and, say, Swenson Red grapes? I'm not doubting your coffee palate, and mine is nowhere near as refined, but some of the descriptions of the flavors I see I couldn't tell you what they were if given a blind taste of the actual food.

Sometimes I initially post the cuppers notes from the broker, if I buy without tasting myself, then change them when I roast it, as needed. But most of the time it's all me, and yes, these are things that pop to me. Some are more subtle, many times I struggle to place the flavor; I'll taste *something* unusual or good, but WTF is it? Sometimes it'll hit me later: ah, yeah, green tomato! Sometimes there are flavors in there that I won't add to the description, like teriyaki, or bullion, because I don't want to scare people away. Not a single person has ever commented negatively on those coffees, quite the opposite; but I guarantee few people will buy 'sweet and syrupy, with maraschino cherry, nougat, and hints of French Onion', when the reality is it simply tastes freakin good.

Anyway, not everyone will get every flavor, and some people will get stuff I'm missing. The more easily identifiable flavors are the blueberry notes in the Ethiopia Wote Konga, nearly everyone 'WTFWOW!'s. The new Kenya is wild, a citrus uppercut to the mouth, but balanced by massive sweetness; no one will miss the strong lemon essence/fruit basket notes there.

Does that answer your question? Cupping coffees is one of the most challenging aspects of what I do, with writing tasting notes being a close second.

[kfoote]

Thanks, that helps a lot. It also explains some of the rather oddball combinations I see in the descriptions. I actually choose which ones I order based in part on how diverse the flavors noted are if I haven't had them before, as I'm a big fan of the funky coffees that change taste as you drink them. "Notes of teriyaki with rhubarb and gobstoppers" would be a description that sells me immediately, but admittedly, I'm wierd like that, and not scared off by something different.

[Bochet]

got an aeropress. makes a damn good american.

[Pallendo]

Originally Posted by Bochet

got an aeropress. makes a damn good american.

I take my aero press with me when I am traveling. Now I just need to buy a Skerton grinder from sweet Maria's. shouldn't be too difficult to find hot water sources pretty much anywhere...

[AllAWD]

Originally Posted by Pallendo

I take my aero press with me when I am traveling. Now I just need to buy a Skerton grinder from sweet Maria's. shouldn't be too difficult to find hot water sources pretty much anywhere...

Immersion heaters are compact and cheap.

[AllAWD]

New order in. My sister called to tell me the new ethiopian is excellent, even better than the previous batch.

[poison]

Excellent! Thank her for me.

[lotusdrift]

What is the current drip machine to buy around 50 bucks or less?

[jay25RS]

Order placed last week for some Ethiopia Yirgacheffe #1 Wote Konga, and the new Kenya Nyeri Gaturiri Peaberry!

Can't wait!!

[poison]

Originally Posted by jay25RS

Order placed last week for some Ethiopia Yirgacheffe #1 Wote Konga, and the new Kenya Nyeri Gaturiri Peaberry!

Can't wait!!

Should be there soon! Thanks!

[poison]

Originally Posted by lotusdrift

What is the current drip machine to buy around 50 bucks or less?

This:

Clever Coffee Dripper: Amazon.com: Home & Kitchen

Clever Coffee Dripper: Amazon.com: Home & Kitchen

You can boil water, right? This is a cone filter, but hugely improved: it holds the water in the cone until you set it on the cup, which then lets it flow through. This fixes the issue of limited brew time with most cone filters, like a cross between a french press and cone.

If you need multiple cups at once, this one is stellar. It preheats the water in a tank before pouring it over the grounds, which does away with the issue of a heating element being overwhelmed during brewing.

BUNN NHBB Velocity Brew 10-Cup Home Coffee Brewer,Black: Amazon.com: Kitchen & Dining

BUNN NHBB Velocity Brew 10-Cup Home Coffee Brewer,Black: Amazon.com: Kitchen & Dining

Also this is one of the best brewers currently, in some respects better than the Technivorm:

Bonavita BV1800TH 8-Cup Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe,Brushed Aluminum: Amazon.com: Home & Kitchen

Bonavita BV1800TH 8-Cup Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe,Brushed Aluminum: Amazon.com: Home & Kitchen

And top of the line cutting edge: you program in elevation, water temp, and pre-soak time. Sick!


http://www.seattlecoffeegear.com/beh...-coffee-brewer

[poison]

New Costa Rica incoming!

[sans meaning]

Originally Posted by poison

Bonavita BV1800TH 8-Cup Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe,Brushed Aluminum: Amazon.com: Home & Kitchen

Just bought one of these for work and made my first order with poison. The coffee at work is truly a crime against humanity.

[poison]

Originally Posted by sans meaning

Just bought one of these for work and made my first order with poison. The coffee at work is truly a crime against humanity.

Thanks man! Good call on the brewer...but do you have a grinder? If not, buy a baratza encore. If you need it ground let me know asap, as it will roast and ship today.

[sans meaning]

I have a Capresso Infinity.

[poison]

Excellent, thanks.

[Pallendo]

Well, I had a sucky weekend.

Tore up my hands doing a timing belt job on the WRX (I know, OT don't subaru...) redoing that same timing belt job after discovering that I had pinched the water-pump gasket, and generally having a bit of a bad attitude.

So, I thought I would take a break and roast up some coffee. Got 3 batches through my itty-bitty air-roaster and it was getting dark, so I stopped at 3 (Good for about 7-8 days at my house) and carried stuff back into my house. I apparently didn't have a good grip on the roaster as the glass carafe tumbled off and hit the tile floor (many 4 letter words said).

So, I decided (and the wife went for) to upgrade my roasting. Still not quite ready for a fully manual approach like poison uses, so I head over to Sweet Maria's looking for a drum roaster.

I was ready to plonk down for the Behmor roaster, but then the wife looks over my shoulder and spots the Gene Cafe roaster. Says it looks much sexier, and looks like it would be easier to hit a roast level, and would make me a better roaster as it has time and temp that you can adjust on the fly.

Hopefully it gets here in enough time to roast another batch before I run out of what I roasted already.

Did I mention that I felt like using smilies?

[InfamousDX]

Nate, your prestige cup is AWESOME! Definitely going to reorder this.

[340Duster]

Bored at work, and wanting to leave the super cheap steam espresso maker in the office, I bought one of these

De'Longhi EC155 15 BAR Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker: Amazon.com: Kitchen & Dining

De'Longhi EC155 15 BAR Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker: Amazon.com: Kitchen & Dining

on eBay for a decent deal (yes I realize it's still on the bottom rung of all things espresso).

But now I feel I should step up to some sort of burr grinder, but would like one that's worth buying and doesn't cost more than the machine I just bought Normally I grind eight o'clock french roast coffee.

[poison]

Originally Posted by InfamousDX

Nate, your prestige cup is AWESOME! Definitely going to reorder this.

It's gone, but I am looking at other cup of excellence coffees.

[Fach]

I brew with a Chemex using rounded tablespoons and a pyrex measuring cup so the ratio is somewhat consistent. But can someone justify to me paying $52 for a Hario Kettle? This seems like hipster swag:

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSV-Buono-Drip-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352701786&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=harro+kettle

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSV-Buono-Drip-Kettle/dp/B000IGOXLS/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352701786&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=harro+kettle

On a side note, it's been awhile but ordered a pound of the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Nate.

[AllAWD]

Originally Posted by Fach

I brew with a Chemex using rounded tablespoons and a pyrex measuring cup so the ratio is somewhat consistent. But can someone justify to me paying $52 for a Hario Kettle? This seems like hipster swag:

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120H...s=harro+kettle


On a side note, it's been awhile but ordered a pound of the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Nate.

I sure won't buy one. My pours with a pyrex measuring cup give a perfectly consistent flow and long as I expend a modicum of attention.

Although this looks like it would be convenient:

Bonavita 1-Liter Variable Temperature Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle: Amazon.com: Home & Kitchen

Bonavita 1-Liter Variable Temperature Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle: Amazon.com: Home & Kitchen

[Pallendo]

Originally Posted by AllAWD

I sure won't buy one. My pours with a pyrex measuring cup give a perfectly consistent flow and long as I expend a modicum of attention.

Although this looks like it would be convenient: Bonavita 1-Liter Variable Temperature Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle: Amazon.com: Home & Kitchen

I have a friend who has the Breville tea kettle where you can set the temp and it will hold. She loves it for making tea, and I could see where that feature would help bunches for pour-over, french press, and Aeropress coffee. If I hadn't just bought a new roaster, I would be all over that Bonavita one.