Coffee Lovers

[Caleb]

After a long time of loving coffee, I've finally started grinding my own beans. Man, what a difference!  I'm grinding in my VitaMix blender. Works very well.

[JOYCEfromNS]

After a long time of loving coffee, I've finally started grinding my own beans. Man, what a difference!  I'm grinding in my VitaMix blender. Works very well.

Well bought a Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder about a month ago for company that likes coffee. Felt pretty good about the deal. Tho its neat and does a nice job I never even considered using the Vitamix  Don't feel so good about the grinder purchase anymore   

Sure do luv my Vitamix tho 

[Caleb]

The VitaMix does it all! Great investment. No regrets.

[Strings4Him]

I've been grinding my beans everyday for years.  Can't imagine going back to pre-ground coffee.

[Danny]

I've been grinding my beans everyday for years.  Can't imagine going back to pre-ground coffee.

Ditto

[carruth]

Purchased an aeropress three months ago on the recommendations in this thread. I react big time to caffiene, so like to brew my own coffee so I know what is being consummed.     The aeropress is simply amazing and makes wonderful coffee.   

[prof_stack]

After a long time of loving coffee, I've finally started grinding my own beans. Man, what a difference!  I'm grinding in my VitaMix blender. Works very well.

Unless the Vitamix has a burr grinder set, you're not getting the best coffee flavor you can.  Especially if you are doing espresso. 

The blenders tend to reduce the beans to "dust and rocks" and also heat them.  You gain coffee aroma in the blender but lose it in the cup.

The coffee forums' mantra is "Grinder first, beans second, machine third.  An entry level burr grinder is around $100.  Then you can pick your price point and pay. 

Like guitars, the coffee equipment hobby can be addicting.

[Caleb]

I'm "pulse blending" with VitaMix to avoid burning beans and getting a pretty good grind. Good enough for me anyway.

[Strings4Him]

By the way, I found an interesting website seattlecoffegear.com

Lots of interesting products.  Many of the products have videos that demo and detail them.

I recently bought the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT741 from them.  Haven't set it up yet.

[GA-ME]

I was in a Bed Bath & Beyond about a month ago and they had the Aeropress in stock, so I decided to give it a whirl.  I have been using a quart sized Bodum Young coffee press for the last seven years or so. I will say that the Aeropress does make a nice cup of Joe, using either the traditional or inverted methods, and differing times for the steep. However, it is back in its box and my Young press is back on the counter. I just can't justify the increased costs in coffee using the Aeoropress. I drink a lot of coffee and generally use a pound of coffee every 10-12 days using my Young press. Using the Aeropress, I was blowing through a pound of coffee every four to five days. I'll use the Aeropress on those occasions when I want to make a nice cappuccino or latte, but otherwise, it is my trusty Young press for my day to day coffee addiction.

[JOYCEfromNS]

I was in a Bed Bath & Beyond about a month ago and they had the Aeropress in stock, so I decided to give it a whirl.  I have been using a quart sized Bodum Young coffee press for the last seven years or so. I will say that the Aeropress does make a nice cup of Joe, using either the traditional or inverted methods, and differing times for the steep. However, it is back in its box and my Young press is back on the counter. I just can't justify the increased costs in coffee using the Aeoropress. I drink a lot of coffee and generally use a pound of every 10-12 days using my Young press. Using the Aeropress, I was blowing through a pound of coffee every four to five days. I'll use the Aeropress on those occasions when I want to make a nice cappuccino or latte, but otherwise, it is my trusty Young press for my day to day coffee addiction.

Interesting observation never thought of the Aeropress using more coffee

[Mikeymac]

Here's a stock photo of our high tech coffee brewer - makes a great cup (or 10) of plain ol' black coffee! 

(You could say we're into "vintage coffee brewing".)

[GA-ME]

Here's a stock photo of our high tech coffee brewer - makes a great cup (or 10) of plain ol' black coffee!  

(You could say we're into "vintage coffee brewing".)

I nearly always drink my Joe straight black, as well. On a rare occasion, I like to have a cappuccino or latte with around four shots of espresso, some whipped cream, and some nutmeg and cinnamon.

[ducktrapper]

I've finally found some decent coffee at a decent price here in Central Wisconsin. I was buying Gevalia which is good but @ $7.00ish for 12 ounces, a little dear. I found, at Fleet/Farm of all places (I LOVE Fleet/Farm), some Costa Rican and also Jamaican Blue Mtn. coffee from a brand called Magnum Exotics. Regularly $6.99 for a full pound, recently on sale for $4.99. I bought a lot. Very good stuff!
It's already ground but I get bored with grinding my morning brew. If the coffee is fresh, I don't find all that much difference to tell you the truth. Oh the shame!          

[Caleb]

These days I'm grinding up Eight O'Clock Columbia Roast in the VitaMix (8 seconds will perfectly grind a pound) and brewing in a stovetop drip Guardian pot from the 40s. Best coffee I've ever had at home.

[Strings4Him]

I just had some Eight O'clock Italian Roast that was great.

[rockstar_not]

There's snow again on Pikes Peak (at least for a couple days), so it's time to have morning joe again in these parts.  I'm trying something new; pre-brewing the nectar in my Aeropress, storing in the fridge, for a simple hot-water add in the AM.

I just started a new job that has me leaving the house between 6:15 and 6:30, and so given the fact that I like sleep alot, I'm trying to cut down on the morning java routine time.

Aeropress fans talk about how they make their espresso and then chill it, for later use by simply adding hot water to make Americano style coffee.  I've not done this, but tonight, I made a batch of espresso using two Aeropress scoops of unground dark-roast Seattle's best, mixed with 1.5 scoops of Folger's, ground to a fine espresso grind, on the Aeropress and stored it in a Mason jar in the fridge.  I'm going to try the Americano thing tomorrow AM, and again on Saturday - to see how well it holds up.

Will report back here with thumbs up or down.

[JOYCEfromNS]

Will report back here with thumbs up or down.

Looking forward to your findings

The mix that you make ( seems like a lot of coffee) how many cups do you get from that 

And what exactly is your procedure 

[Caleb]

There's snow again on Pikes Peak (at least for a couple days), so it's time to have morning joe again in these parts.  I'm trying something new; pre-brewing the nectar in my Aeropress, storing in the fridge, for a simple hot-water add in the AM.

I just started a new job that has me leaving the house between 6:15 and 6:30, and so given the fact that I like sleep alot, I'm trying to cut down on the morning java routine time.

Aeropress fans talk about how they make their espresso and then chill it, for later use by simply adding hot water to make Americano style coffee.  I've not done this, but tonight, I made a batch of espresso using two Aeropress scoops of unground dark-roast Seattle's best, mixed with 1.5 scoops of Folger's, ground to a fine espresso grind, on the Aeropress and stored it in a Mason jar in the fridge.  I'm going to try the Americano thing tomorrow AM, and again on Saturday - to see how well it holds up.

Will report back here with thumbs up or down.

Congrats on the job!

[rockstar_not]

Looking forward to your findings

The mix that you make ( seems like a lot of coffee) how many cups do you get from that 

And what exactly is your procedure 

One of the downsides of Aeropress is that it uses what some may consider an extravagant amount of beans per fluid oz yield.  In this regard, as far as I can tell, it's pretty similar to an espresso machine, and while not exactly the same as espresso that results, it has a very high flavor concentration with almost no bitterness no matter what type of coffee used.  I follow the Aeropress instructions to make 'Americano', by adding hot water to the 'nectar' from the pressing operation.

The amount that I used yields 2 pretty full mugs of intensely flavored coffee; somewhere between an espresso and your average drip-brew coffee.

First impression; it's hard to judge the amount of hot water to add to the chilled nectar for the right mix.  What I had today was not quite as strong as what I'm used to with Aeropress americano method.  And not quite as warm.  Have to play a little with the off-boil time.  Aeropress users will understand this.

For new readers to this thread, the key to the Aeropress is the very limited time that hot water is in contact with grounds, as well as pretty high pressure forcing the water through the beans.