Coffee Press

[Wheel-Nut]

Anyone here use a coffee press? I'm thinking of buying one and would like to get some pros and cons . . . .

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/kkapers2_1907_4461875

[G.]

They break easily.

"No, really, the cat did it."

Mrs. G., "But we don't HAVE a cat!!" :flame:

Never tried it, it was a decoration, RIP.

[cameraman]

The coffee from a press isn't that much better to make up for the time wasted fiddling around with cleaning the press, boiling the water somewhere else and messing about with the filters. But if you are one of the people who like that layer of coffee fines at the botom of the cup - well by all means go for it.

[Wheel-Nut]

Have you used one? I'm reading the exact opposite of what you have posted. I'm really curious now.

[KLang]

But if you are one of the people who like that layer of coffee fines at the botom of the cup - well by all means go for it.

Couldn't you achieve the same result by leaving out the filter in a regular coffee maker? ;)

PS. I've never tried one. I need my coffee ready for me when I stumble into the kitchen in the morning.


OT. Hey sumbody rearranged the smilies.

[racer2c]

A press won't make a great cup of coffee out of mediocre beans. My brother in law will only drink coffee from his press but I have yet to have a cup of his that is noticable better than from my Italian (Pavoni) grinder and my relatively inexpensive Krups paperless filter machine. It's all about the bean.

[RichK]

I've got a Nissan press (the vacuum thermos type). I experimented with various settings on my coffee grinder, the time before pressing, and the amount of beans and I never was able to make the coffee taste better than when using my automatic drip machine.

[racermike]

I use one every other day or so

Used with a good dark coffee, its VERY good. Be sure to let it steep for 5 minutes before pressing.

Steamed milk and sugar is added when done

Good stuff!

[eiregosod]

The coffee from a press isn't that much better to make up for the time wasted fiddling around with cleaning the press, boiling the water somewhere else and messing about with the filters. But if you are one of the people who like that layer of coffee fines at the botom of the cup - well by all means go for it.

I second this, though not the sentiment. :D

Get a press that is thermally insulating like a flask. I have a stainless steel one; it works a treat, it wont break. Its good for the occasional cup of coffee. :D

[cameraman]

Have you used one? I'm reading the exact opposite of what you have posted. I'm really curious now. I never bought one. I've used a few and several of the more pretentious restaurants around here will dump one on your table. :rolleyes: It doesn't cure the overroasted crap beans they dump in it.

I get an Italian via San Francisco espresso blend off the innerweb, grind it in my 20 year old braun grinder and use paper cone filters and an ancient drip machine. I have never found better cup of coffee anywhere. Think beans....

[chop456]

I like my press way better than the Krups machine.

[Don Quixote]

My life loves these things. But, I may be too stupid to operate it. One time I poured the boiled water in, and as I pushed the plunger down, it stuck a little, so I pushed harder. Then the boiled water (now down to 210 degrees) sprayed out around the plunger all over me. Stupid, stupid, stupid. There I am running around in circles screaming like I had been shot. Now I am much more careful. :gomer:

[rabbit]

I prefer a press. As has been said, use good beans and make sure you let it steep.

[dando]

I have both a press and a drip system. You can adjust the strength a bit more easily with a press by allowing the grind to steep a bit longer. IMHO, the keys are good beans and a good burr grinder. Cheaper blade grinders will heat the beans and cause the oils to burn.

OH, and the smilies are back the way they were...or was it KLang's imagination? ;)

-Kevin

[Warlock!]

I'm a presser from way-back... I like it much better than an AD machine or my perkolator. However, I always buy whole bean and grind it myself.


They break easily.

That's no ****. I had 3 of the glass ones... one from Meijer, one from Ikea, and one from some goofy kitchen party the wife went to. Water too hot? It breaks. Washing it too hard? It breaks. Tip it over at all? It breaks. I now have a Lexan jobbie with an insulated sleeve that velcros on and off (thanks, chopper :D ). Nice.

[skaven]

It does make about the best coffee if you use good beans. :thumbup:

I like to "chew" my coffee though, so it's about personal preference. However, we usually only use them on the weekends when we aren't pressed for time.

We have a glass one for the house and two lexan ones with the velcro insulating sleeves which are great for car camping (or at the races). :cool:

[G.]

two lexan ones with the velcro insulating sleeves which are great for car camping (or at the races). :cool:Example on where to get one?

Going camping (local) soon, then to RAm.

How do you use one? Grind to a fine powder? Leave chunky? Boiling water, or just near-boiling?

[KLang]

OH, and the smilies are back the way they were...or was it KLang's imagination? ;)


I think the bosses are F'n with me. :cry:

[skaven]

Example on where to get one?

Going camping (local) soon, then to RAm.

How do you use one? Grind to a fine powder? Leave chunky? Boiling water, or just near-boiling?

REI.com will have the lexan ones for camping... and just about anything else you need.

I think you should grind it pretty fine, but I usually leave that for the wife. I'm in charge of the water, so I bring it to boil on the coleman stove, then we pour in to let it steep for 5 minutes.

Great way to start off the day ! ! ! :thumbup:

[Wheel-Nut]

Here G.

They say to grind it coarse.

http://www.coffeegeek.com/guides/presspot

[datachicane]

It's all about the beans- if they're good quality, and freshly ground, a press makes an excellent cup.
OTOH, if you're buying some godawful pre-ground grocery store stuff, or if you like your coffee to look like tea, well, you'd probably be happier with drip. Nothing wrong with good drip, but it's definitely a much lighter bodied stuff- apples and oranges.

I've got a pair of stainless insulated presses, good for around 28 oz each. One makes nice work of the morning at the desk, and the pair are good for tag-teaming while camping.

[Wheel-Nut]

I like to be able to spread it on my toast!!

This is good stuff.
http://shop.cafedumonde.com/images/products/6008z.jpg

[Ankf00]

and the pair are good for tag-teaming while camping.
Been hanging out with Warlock! lately, huh?

[Indy]

Go with the best beans, not too dark, coursely ground (burr preferred), almost boiling water, and let steep (I prefer less than five minutes -- after a few minutes the more bitter elements begin to emerge).

The main difference you will notice is that the coffee is oily. This is normally removed by the paper filter, although if you use a metal filter in your drip machine you will get much the same effect. Also, the amount of time in contact with the water generates more complexity in the flavors.

I am not sure about the insulated ones, I have never tried one. But I do recommend you start with a cheaper one, as you may not like the style of coffee and be stuck with whatever you get.

The presses are also great for tea.

[chop456]

Example on where to get one?

If you're too lazy to visit the REI in Oakbrook Terrace (like me), I got mine from Campmor.

Link (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=13635&memberId=12500226)

[chop456]

The woot.com link that occupied this space has been declared outdated and therefore irrelevant. :gomer:

[Fitti Fan]

I got one as a gift but broke it before I could use it. Heard that they were supposed to be good though.

My next one will be a percolator though.

[oddlycalm]

We use a press for tea, not for coffee. While we use a drip system, we also like the cold brew Toddy system because it allows you to have a jug of liquid concentrate in the refrigerator. Perfect for ice coffee in the summer and nice if you want a single cup quick. If used with good burr ground beans the results are pretty good. The much lower oil levels are just fine, but my take is that the flavor is somewhat less complex as well.

Did I mention how handy coffee concentrate is for making BBQ sauce, marinade, or pouring over coffee ice cream....? :D

Coffee Toddy (http://www.toddycafe.com/shop/product.php?productId=67)

[datachicane]

I like to be able to spread it on my toast!!

This is good stuff.
http://shop.cafedumonde.com/images/products/6008z.jpg

<shudder> Chicory... </shudder>

I've bought a lot of coffee from all over the world. Up until just a few years ago I had Torrefazione Tazza d'Oro FedEx me 10kg at a time from Rome (spectacular little roaster across the piazza from the Pantheon) after bringing home a backpack full- not cheap, but after tasting it it was hard to go back to LaVazza, Illy, etc., etc. Shipping was a killer on much less than 10kg, so I had to get a bunch of friends hooked, too :D .

Stumptown Link (http://stumptowncoffee.com/) is within a hair's breadth of being Tazza's equal, particularly Hairbender, which is a nice, sweet espresso roast. It's also a hell of a lot easier/cheaper to get. Other excellent roasters to try are Raven's Brew Link (http://www.ravensbrew.com/), and George Howell's Terroir Link (http://www.terroircoffee.com/)- the last is quite unusual in that they specialize in single origin, rather than blends. Their Daterra Farm Special Reserve from Cerrado, Brazil, is one of my very favorites. If I had to drink just one, it might very well be it.

[Wheel-Nut]

^^ Thanks, I'll look into those.

[EDwardo]

I'm a bit late to this thread but coffee is one of my favorite subjects. I managed a coffee store for nearly 10 years during which I probably brewed coffee in every device available. As others have stated, the coffee bean is the most important. Having said that, even the best coffee can be destroyed by a bad machine or poor brewing methods. I have a basement full of brewing devices acquired over the years. French press coffee is good, but not my favorite. And it is messy.
Of all the devices I've used, there are two that I contend make the best coffee. The first is a porcelain Melitta drip pot. The other is messy and demands extra care but brews great coffee. It is a glass Bodum vaccuum pot. Using one is similar to a chemistry experiment but it results in exquisite coffee.

For espresso, I have a sturdy Gaggia machine that makes excellent coffee.

Although an acquired taste, I also enjoy an occasional cup of "turkish" coffee made in a small brass ibrik.

Coffee beans are like wine. Lots of varieties and tastes, frequently overpriced, occasionally not what it is being sold as, and which is best highly subjective.
Here is a link to a San Francisco roaster that I think roasts some of the best quality and best tasting coffee I've encountered over the years.
http://www.mountanosbros.com/user/index.php

One final piece of advice. What you like is most important. Experiment and decide what you like the best.

[datachicane]

Here's another vote for the vacuum pot- great coffee, and a floor show to entertain your guests!

All else pales in comparison to proper espresso, though. Unfortunately, espresso is like seafood- when it's right, it's the nectar of the gods, but when it's even slightly off... :saywhat: :cry:
Despite the large number of establishments that have cropped up over the last twenty years that claim to make the stuff, you're about as likely to find a respectable New England clam chowder in Nepal as to encounter palatable espresso in this country. Thus the plethora of coffee-flavored liquid candybars that the likes of Starbucks churns out to folks that have never tasted the real thing- without all of the sugar and milk adulterants, that stuff would gag a clam. Somebody somewhere developed the impression that dropping a few $k for some 2nd-hand equipment, a jug of Hershey's and a minimum-wage college kid for a barista gave them the license to charge $4 for a cup of coffee. Even here in the coffee hotbed of the Pacific Northwest, I'd guess there's not many more than twenty that really nail it.

I don't mean to come across as a snob- there's nothing wrong with the milky/sugary stuff that places like Starbucks make, it's just not the splendor that espresso is capable of. Heck, I look for them when I'm stuck in some airport in the midwest. Unless you're fortunate enough to stumble on the real stuff, and lucky enough not to order the too-damn-sweet-but-safely-palatable triple-caramel-mocha, what chance does anyone have? </end_rant>

[Wheel-Nut]

Thanks for the info. I bought the Bodum 12 cup press this weekend. I used the coffee I on hand, Community Dark w/ Chicory. It has a noticably different taste than the same as stuff coming out of the Mr. Coffee.

Now, time to try some of the exotic beans.

[G.]

I bought this, but in the smaller version (10~12 oz., or so).

Was good with VERY generic (maintenance, I call 'em) beans, but I was surprised at how see-through the coffee was after 5 mins steep time. Yes, I stirred.

Had good taste, good medicinal qualities (ie., caffeine).

http://dsp.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p208839dt.jpg

Thanks, all!

Camping with the Jitters! Woot!

[TrueBrit]

Anyone here use a coffee press? I'm thinking of buying one and would like to get some pros and cons . . . .

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/kkapers2_1907_4461875

For convenience use a regular drip thingy, for much, MUCH better flavour use the press....(good beans don't hurt either...)

[Wheel-Nut]

Raven's Brew is also excellent. I made the mistake some time ago of assuming that their very cool Ray Troll designed packaging meant it was tourist gift-shop fodder- not at all, they're a first class roaster. Try their Deadman's Reach.

I just received my order from Raven's Brew. I bought the Yemeni Estate and a sample selection which includes 8oz. of each, Three Peckered Billygoat, Raven's Brew Espresso Chocolon and Deadmans Reach . . . . all ground for my French Press.:thumbup:

[datachicane]

I just received my order from Raven's Brew. I bought the Yemeni Estate and a sample selection which includes 8oz. of each, Three Peckered Billygoat, Raven's Brew Espresso Chocolon and Deadmans Reach . . . . all ground for my French Press.:thumbup:

Chocolon and DReach both kick ass. 'Goat I don't care for as much, but YMMV.

I was up at the NW Regional Barista Championships last weekend. Billy and Kevin, who pull shots at my favorite shop, took home trophies for 1st and 3rd :cool: . Drank far too much highly excellent coffee, needless to say. (FWIW, Billy took 2nd in the U.S. championship last year).

BTW, this place is just an exit or so off I-5 from PIR- it could hardly be more conveniently located for weekends at the track.

[Wheel-Nut]

Alright, I've been hitting the java again. I found a local roaster here in town and he sent me a couple pounds for free. Good stuff, I'll have to look into his other roasts.

http://www.duncancoffee.com/

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC02973.jpg

I also ordered some of this stuff. I tried the Union last night, I didn't sleep much at all!! I've never had a problem not sleeping after drinking a cup or two at night.

http://www.thecajunconnection.com/

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/Wheel-Nut/DSC02971.jpg

[cameraman]

Try some of this

http://secure.cartsvr.net/product_images/catalog28702/prodSoranoGoldCSO.jpg

Pera caffe Sorano, good stuff.