# Show me Your Coffee Brewing Method



## KevinShoes (Apr 30, 2012)

Coffee, bikes, and beer are as good a combination as I can imagine. There seems to be a lot on the bikes and beer part on these forums but not much in the way of coffee. Figured, coffee deserves the same love we show the bikes and brews on here. So how do you make your cup? Drip? Espresso? Pour Over? Any good roasts? Let's hear it.

I'll start:
I grind the beans with a hand crank burr grinder.
Then for brewing I have a french press which I prefer but I also got a moka pot. I'd use the moka more but I still haven't quite figured it out (any hints?)


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## Guest (Feb 14, 2014)

I'm good with a variety of methods. My favorite for multi-day tours is to use one of the camping espresso makers (aluminum pot with a basket inside and a copper pipe that directs the coffee into the cup) shooting espresso directly into an ounce or two of scalded condensed milk (non-sweetened). Ends up like a cafe con-leche. For the "I only got a microwave" situations I pour almost boiling water into a cup with fine (like powder) grounds and steep for about 3 minutes. Then I pour it through one of those little cone shaped filters in a little plastic cup top cone thingies (I think it was $3 at Campmor). I have a lexan french press but it takes water to clean so it doesn't camp as well as other methods.


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## Venturawoot (Sep 9, 2013)

I've become a coffee freak over the past few years. I bought a $1200 espresso machine 2 years ago. Oh, and can't forget the $900 grinder. I got hooked after reading a coffee thread on a Subaru forum. The guy who started the thread is THE coffee guru. He walked many people through the basics as well as suggesting good brands of machines. Learned a ton from the guy.

My daily routine is to grind some beans in my $30 Krups burr grinder at 7 pm. I make like 8 cups using Sparklets water in a Cuisinart (grinder and coffee maker both bought at Costco)$100 machine. At around 2 or 3 PM I make an espresso drink using my expensive grinder and espresso machine. I have at least 4 shots, along with steamed non-fat or soy milk. Lately I've been using Coffee bean's Vanila or White Chocolate powder to make some really tasty drinks. Before I would just use like a hazelnut or Vanila syrup to flavor the drink. 

As far as coffee. I swear by a little company called West Coast Roasing. I was referred to them also on that thread I spoke of. Every coffee I have ever bought from them is at least 2 times better than any Starbucks, Pete's, or CB&TL I swear. Flat rate shipping is $6.60. I buy 2 pounds at a time. Comes out to like $43. That lasts me like 2 1/2 weeks. 

Sure the cost for all of my gadgets and the coffee is not cheap. But if it keeps me from spending $12 bucks a day minimum at a coffee house it's worth it. Hell, not having to go into one of those places and deal with the annoying customers and (and occasionally the employees) is well worth it. Not to mention my drinks taste better than what they make at Crackbucks.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I use and love my Aeropress. I also enjoy French Press. I do need to get a proper grinder though.


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## Guest (Feb 17, 2014)

Cuisinart makes a pretty decent Burr Grinder that runs about $50 at Kohls and Amazon. We bought it to get the right grind for our espresso maker and French press.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I'll look into that. I don't need one that's precise for espresso but I do need something better for my Aeropress and French Press. Right now I just have one of those chopppers rather than a grinder. Works...just not great.


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## Guest (Feb 17, 2014)

Nubster said:


> I'll look into that. I don't need one that's precise for espresso but I do need something better for my Aeropress and French Press. Right now I just have one of those chopppers rather than a grinder. Works...just not great.


Sure, but the French press needs a "dust-free" medium grind and that's a tall order for a chopper. At work we have a commercial coffee maker (flat filter) so I use the chopper and grind that coffee to dust (because the water flows through it so fast), but it's tough to get French press grind anywhere near close.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Yeah...I chop my coffee courser than it should be when I do French Press but that's not often. The Aeropress is far more forgiving since it uses a paper filter (until I get around to ordering a metal one) so that's the coffee maker I tend to grab. Plus...I like the coffee out of it better.


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## tuffguy (Feb 13, 2010)

I'm too lazy/uninterested to properly grind a bean for my french press. I just buy pre-ground random bags from my local discount grocery store and drop it into a french press. I typically steep it longer than recommended- i generally steep for 7-8 minutes as opposed to the "five" I'm told to do. I absolutely love and prefer the press route since it forces me to "earn my coffee". It also keeps me from drinking what I think is too much.


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## Guest (Feb 18, 2014)

TG, I think there is a hidden value in strong French press coffee in that it also seems to satisfy me with less coffee consumed. I don't watch my intake (per se) but it's nice to get my bean on and get on with the day.


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## Tomahawk3Niner (Feb 13, 2014)

I'm not really picky when it comes to particular types of roasts and blends but I do find I enjoy coffee best from my Aeropress. I also have a regular drip maker, a percolator and a Kuerig machine. The perc doesn't see a whole lot of use anymore, mostly because it's inconvenient for me (it gets hidden in some out of the way cabinet). The drip sees the most use, and only because the Aeropress and Kuerig can't make the bulk I am usually after... I'll drink a 12cup pot myself and will make a second so the lady can get some. 

Out in the field I usually either do the Aeropress bit, or I have an Optimus Crux backpacking stove that I'll put a boil on and drop in a couple 'coffee bombs' (tea bag like things I make out of paper filters with coffee in them)


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

tuffguy said:


> I'm too lazy/uninterested to properly grind a bean for my french press. I just buy pre-ground random bags from my local discount grocery store and drop it into a french press. I typically steep it longer than recommended- i generally steep for 7-8 minutes as opposed to the "five" I'm told to do. I absolutely love and prefer the press route since it forces me to "earn my coffee". It also keeps me from drinking what I think is too much.


Maybe you should not be so lazy and try using some fresh roasted whole bean coffee. There's no comparison. The crap in the stores that is pre-ground is stale and terrible. Even the whole bean is usually sub-par...but it is slightly better than ground.


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## kristyhughes21 (Feb 25, 2014)

Well, I simply use the The Baratza Preciso Conical Burr Coffee Grinder It certainly is my best friend atm. It makes the best cup of coffee (and I'm usually very picky) and at $299 on Daily Cuppa Coffee , it definitely isn't breaking the bank and also gets the job done


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## oilnewby (Jan 13, 2011)

I am old school and use a Burr grinder and a french press. My friends think I am crazy and keep telling me to get a K-cup machine.

IMO there is no better tasting coffee than out of a French Press


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## KevinShoes (Apr 30, 2012)

Absolutely! Not to mention K-cups are incredibly wasteful. If you wanna score some serious hippie cred, compost those spent grounds!
Your Coffee Pods' Dirty Secret | Mother Jones


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

We have one of the Krups machines but we use the filter cup that you put your own grounds in...so no waste. I don't actually use it for coffee though...just the hot water to make tea. When I make coffee I still FP it or use my press. Still need to get that grinder though.


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

French Press HANDS-DOWN extracts to most flavor/caffeine out of each cup of Joe. Use a wooden chopstick(not ice tea spoon!) to fully stir up the brew, before pressing and wait 5min before pouring....it's WORTH the coffee ground clean-up!


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## KevinShoes (Apr 30, 2012)

I got this. Sure it's slow but for me coffee is about slowing things down in the morning.
Amazon.com: Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Skerton: Kitchen & Dining


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

KevinShoes said:


> I got this. Sure it's slow but for me coffee is about slowing things down in the morning.
> Amazon.com: Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill Skerton: Kitchen & Dining


And someone like me that doesn't drink much coffee...it's perfect. I actually read some really good reviews for that grinder a while back, just never got around to ordering one. There's finally a coffee roaster in a town close to me so I can now get some truly fresh coffee rather than old stale whole beans off the shelf at whatever store I'm going too or without spending an arm and a leg ordering something from the internet.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Zachariah said:


> French Press HANDS-DOWN extracts to most flavor/caffeine out of each cup of Joe. Use a wooden chopstick(not ice tea spoon!) to fully stir up the brew, before pressing and wait 5min before pouring....it's WORTH the coffee ground clean-up!


I do the same with my Aeropress. I use the inverted method and I allow it to steep before pressing. Only draw back is I still haven't ordered a metal screen so I'm still using paper filters which removes a lot of the oil (aka flavor and body) of the coffee.


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## KevinShoes (Apr 30, 2012)

It is pretty great. Been a while since I used mine simply because I'm swapping my coffee for tea during Lent. I'm surprised I like tea as much as I do but I'll be excited when I can drink coffee again. With the burr grinder and press, I've found I can make coffee that tastes just as good as any coffee house coffee with even generic store bought beans.


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## sumgai (Apr 3, 2009)

Aeropress FTW


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## Guest (Mar 29, 2014)

sumgai said:


> Aeropress FTW


+1 Just got mine yesterday and like it better than the espresso machine in our office. Only negative is clean-up is worse, but not bad.


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## vfrrider (Jul 21, 2010)

I use a Breville Conical Burr Grinder and a size large clever dripper with #4 filters. Joe Bean Roasters beans. Grind the beans only once the water has reached the right temperature. Make sure to pour hot water on your filter and drain before putting your grinds in it, and prime your mug with hot water too.


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## shining_trapezoid (Mar 24, 2014)

Bialetti Moka Express


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## cdgold (Dec 21, 2013)

+1 Aeropress. Makes a damn good cup.

Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk


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## Blurbikerider (Mar 12, 2011)

I use the 20.00 Toddy coffee cold brewing method to make a concentrate I then mix with soy milk and some filtered water for the best coffee ever. More coffee flavor and slightly less caffeine supposedly,just be sure to keep it in an airtight jar . 
The best part is that you can use the cheapest coarse ground coffee available , the highest quality grounds will not make it any better. Been using this for the last 10 years and will never go back to machines or any one else's coffee.


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## wingerak92 (Apr 15, 2014)

GSI Outdoors: Products
works well enough for me. Pain to clean up and sometimes doesn't seal around the wall, but works for me as I tend to gravitate to red bulls most of the time.


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