geekhack

geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: ArchDill on Mon, 13 March 2017, 21:49:46

Title: I need help form a coffee snob.
Post by: ArchDill on Mon, 13 March 2017, 21:49:46
Hey, fellow coffee nerds. A friend of mine owns a coffee shop and he just hooked me up with some of his Jamaican Blue Mountain roast. I am fairly new to pour overs. If I want to make a good cup, how much should I grind up and use? I have drank 2 cups today, I feel like I am using too much. I like strong coffee so it works out but I really want to make this last. It is normally $35-50 a bag but he gave it to me for free out of good will. I am using one of the primula pour overs.


Thanks!
Title: Re: I need help form a coffee snob.
Post by: fohat.digs on Tue, 14 March 2017, 07:35:25
That is purely personal preference. Do it scientifically: use the same procedure and the same amount of water while varying the amount coffee each morning until it reaches a happy point.

I like to grind fine to get the maximum value out of it, and I don't mind some sediment. But some people get offended by that.
Title: Re: I need help form a coffee snob.
Post by: Jokrik on Tue, 14 March 2017, 08:07:39
Hi :) I've been learning how to brew perfectly in the past two years

there are three things that you need to get right
1. Grind , the perfect grind size is to be in between a coarse grind for french press and and espresso grind
2. Ratio, thumbs of rule is 15g of grinded beans and multiply that by 14/15 for the total water (in grams)
3. Length of brew, no matter how much you brew, the total brew time should only last 2-3 minutes, longer than that it will over extract. This has a direct relation with your grind size, if you make for 2 that means you have to use 30g of beans and you want your grind to be a bit coarser than the 15g batch so the brew will be within 2-3 minutes (since more beans for the water to go through during pouring)

other things
- a good scale is very helpful
- keep your water temp to be around 94c-96c (perfect temp)
- try to use medium roast beans
Title: Re: I need help form a coffee snob.
Post by: dfj on Tue, 14 March 2017, 08:28:20
   It's quite personal imo - I prefer about 18g for my favourite cups, and I like quite dark roasts. For pour-over, medium-fine, for an aero-press - very fine, and for espresso as fine as your grinder can do with it still tasting decent...
 I steep very little, often less than 30 secs as I stirr until mixed - but this is mostly because I do a near-espresso grind through a press.
I also prefer my water at around 90 degrees - go figure. :/

dfj's $0.05
Title: Re: I need help form a coffee snob.
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 14 March 2017, 12:19:52
Tp4 were watching Breaking Bad..  vacuum pull is what you need..   something about lower boiling point and reduced bitterness..
Title: Re: I need help form a coffee snob.
Post by: dubious on Tue, 14 March 2017, 12:24:22
Hi :) I've been learning how to brew perfectly in the past two years

there are three things that you need to get right
1. Grind , the perfect grind size is to be in between a coarse grind for french press and and espresso grind
2. Ratio, thumbs of rule is 15g of grinded beans and multiply that by 14/15 for the total water (in grams)
3. Length of brew, no matter how much you brew, the total brew time should only last 2-3 minutes, longer than that it will over extract. This has a direct relation with your grind size, if you make for 2 that means you have to use 30g of beans and you want your grind to be a bit coarser than the 15g batch so the brew will be within 2-3 minutes (since more beans for the water to go through during pouring)

other things
- a good scale is very helpful
- keep your water temp to be around 94c-96c (perfect temp)
- try to use medium roast beans

This is great advice and a good place to start.
Maybe your friend who, you know, happens to own a coffee shop could queue you in on the best way to prepare that particular roast..  ;)
Title: Re: I need help form a coffee snob.
Post by: ArchDill on Tue, 14 March 2017, 13:34:41
Hi :) I've been learning how to brew perfectly in the past two years

there are three things that you need to get right
1. Grind , the perfect grind size is to be in between a coarse grind for french press and and espresso grind
2. Ratio, thumbs of rule is 15g of grinded beans and multiply that by 14/15 for the total water (in grams)
3. Length of brew, no matter how much you brew, the total brew time should only last 2-3 minutes, longer than that it will over extract. This has a direct relation with your grind size, if you make for 2 that means you have to use 30g of beans and you want your grind to be a bit coarser than the 15g batch so the brew will be within 2-3 minutes (since more beans for the water to go through during pouring)

other things
- a good scale is very helpful
- keep your water temp to be around 94c-96c (perfect temp)
- try to use medium roast beans

I noticed that in the first couple of minutes there is a slight "foam" around the grind while filtering and then it starts to look different. IS that what you mean by the 2-3 minutes? My brews are usually around 5-6 minutes. I need to get a better kettle.
Title: Re: I need help form a coffee snob.
Post by: ArchDill on Tue, 14 March 2017, 13:35:22
   It's quite personal imo - I prefer about 18g for my favourite cups, and I like quite dark roasts. For pour-over, medium-fine, for an aero-press - very fine, and for espresso as fine as your grinder can do with it still tasting decent...
 I steep very little, often less than 30 secs as I stirr until mixed - but this is mostly because I do a near-espresso grind through a press.
I also prefer my water at around 90 degrees - go figure. :/

dfj's $0.05

I would still like to try an aeropress.
Title: Re: I need help form a coffee snob.
Post by: ArchDill on Tue, 14 March 2017, 13:37:18
Hi :) I've been learning how to brew perfectly in the past two years

there are three things that you need to get right
1. Grind , the perfect grind size is to be in between a coarse grind for french press and and espresso grind
2. Ratio, thumbs of rule is 15g of grinded beans and multiply that by 14/15 for the total water (in grams)
3. Length of brew, no matter how much you brew, the total brew time should only last 2-3 minutes, longer than that it will over extract. This has a direct relation with your grind size, if you make for 2 that means you have to use 30g of beans and you want your grind to be a bit coarser than the 15g batch so the brew will be within 2-3 minutes (since more beans for the water to go through during pouring)

other things
- a good scale is very helpful
- keep your water temp to be around 94c-96c (perfect temp)
- try to use medium roast beans

This is great advice and a good place to start.
Maybe your friend who, you know, happens to own a coffee shop could queue you in on the best way to prepare that particular roast..  ;)

Unfortunately, he does not do pour overs at his place :( I have tried to ask him before and he was not much help. We are in a small town and he has had his shop for 15+ years so he can get away with not doing interesting brews haha There is another guy in town that roasts and sells and his little shop but I am too loyal of a friend to go to him haha
Title: Re: I need help form a coffee snob.
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 14 March 2017, 13:53:56

Unfortunately, he does not do pour overs at his place :( I have tried to ask him before and he was not much help. We are in a small town and he has had his shop for 15+ years so he can get away with not doing interesting brews haha There is another guy in town that roasts and sells and his little shop but I am too loyal of a friend to go to him haha

He's not ur friend.. he's just ur drug dealer.


This happens often.. you are confused..
Title: Re: I need help form a coffee snob.
Post by: Jokrik on Tue, 14 March 2017, 18:32:07
Hi :) I've been learning how to brew perfectly in the past two years

there are three things that you need to get right
1. Grind , the perfect grind size is to be in between a coarse grind for french press and and espresso grind
2. Ratio, thumbs of rule is 15g of grinded beans and multiply that by 14/15 for the total water (in grams)
3. Length of brew, no matter how much you brew, the total brew time should only last 2-3 minutes, longer than that it will over extract. This has a direct relation with your grind size, if you make for 2 that means you have to use 30g of beans and you want your grind to be a bit coarser than the 15g batch so the brew will be within 2-3 minutes (since more beans for the water to go through during pouring)

other things
- a good scale is very helpful
- keep your water temp to be around 94c-96c (perfect temp)
- try to use medium roast beans

I noticed that in the first couple of minutes there is a slight "foam" around the grind while filtering and then it starts to look different. IS that what you mean by the 2-3 minutes? My brews are usually around 5-6 minutes. I need to get a better kettle.
The foam that you meant indicates the freshness of the beans, it's the beans releasing the co2 due to heat

And no, what I meant by 2-3 minutes is the total pouring time of that total amount of water needed to go through the beans

The idea of a pour over is for fast brewing

Here's a good video about it


Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk