Your coffee brewing method

[halvor]

I recently acquired a Hario pour-over. Have been getting my beans at micro roasters and specialty stores for a while (since the waning of wining, so to speak, with the arriving of my daughter, and I need some sort of drink interest), but up until now been content with an auto-drip/regular filter and/or French Press.

What is your preferred method of brewing a cup (or jug or whatever)?

I can't say much about the Hario yet, as I need to do some trial and error wrt amount and grinds and speed, etc, but my French Press method is this:

Relatively course grinds at 60g to a litre of water. Letting it stand for 4 mins without the lid/press to let the fumes escape, then scoop out the coffee on top and preferably most of the foam, let it stand for another 30 sec, lid on and press down. This gives a much cleaner and clearer cup, and the aromas of the beans come out.

But I'm learning. So give me your best tips!?

 

[DevonStan]

Nuova Simonelli Oscar and Rancilio Rocky. Beans bought locally and ground as needed per cup

Both have been doing us very nicely for more than six years. Before that it was still the the Rocky grinder but with a Gaggia Classic. Can't bear to sell the Gaggia in case the Oscar fails...up to now it's been faultless.

Keep thinking I'll replace the Oscar with another identical machine ( it came from a dealer in Italy) on the basis that the present one just has to pack up soon. But the exchange rate has just stuck about 10% on the price so I might just wait till it fails and pay up and look big when it happens.

 

[pjgh]

I have an old and reconditioned Gaggia Espresso:

I'm not into all that bean grinding and so stick to a fairly central line: Lavazza. I like their Espresso and their Crema e Gusto (which is something like 70% Robusta!). Crema e Gusto is my morning kick and the Espresso, I like long over cream after my evening meal.

The machine has a pressure fault and drips like a slack Lambretta, but I think the dropped pressure does something right for that machine. That, or my tamp has accommodated it and when I get it serviced, I'll have horrid coffee for a few pulls.

Through the day, I'll have a cup or two through a Hario dripper - again, Lavazza 5 or 4 depending on the time of day.

Oh, and Turkish coffee, too:

 

[Mr_Smartepants]

At work, I use an espresso machine to produce a 'Lungo' (long-espresso). At home on the weekends I use a HandyBrew pour over. Sometimes I use a French press.

 

[p.b]

Espresso in the home.
Hario in the office (with a grinder that sits on a metal cabinet and amplifies the noise )

Personally I find the Hario excellent for making a cup. I also have a 1-cup Chemex but it's too much of a faff in the office. The Hario is dead simple, the coffee it makes is smoother than the Chemex and and far easier to clean.

 

[Nick_S]

I have a DeLonghi espresso machine and a Bodum 12 cup French Press for home. I like to give a "Double Double" from the Espresso machine, and top up with hot water if using a mug. For the Bodum, the best for me in terms of flavour? Cold brew. Put your normal amount of grinds in the press, top up with cold water and allow to stew for at least 24 hours in a darkened place. The ensuing brew is sweeter than if you use hot water, almost a mini coffee revolution.

 

[Purbeck]

I have a Saeco Minuto bean to cup machine for home which is very reliable and produces excellent espresso once you get the grind right.Probably the best espresso machine I've owned - I think it's about my 26th machine !
There is a Starbucks at work so that gets me by. Sort of.

 

[halvor]

Starbucks

SACRILEGE! And I mean that in capitals!

 

[Purbeck]

SACRILEGE! And I mean that in capitals!

Agree. But it's either that or vending machine Pelican Rouge 'coffee' ! I tried bringing in coffee in a thermos but it just tastes stale after a while....

 

[UKRob]

What do people think of the Stove Top machines? I'm thinking of getting one that will be for just one or two people.

 

[sɐǝɹpu∀]

I used to have a Delonghi bean-to-cup machine thingy, but making coffees at 6am got me into serious trouble.
Now it's a Porlex hand grinder and an Aeropress for me. Also easier to take with me on holidays :P
I gave the Delonghi away...

 

[Purbeck]

My coffee journey took me from a £20 value filter coffee machine (poor) to Senseo pod machine (terrible) to several espresso machines (all leaked and were messy) to automatic ESE coffee pod machines (surprisingly good) to Nespresso (not bad) then to several bean to cup machines. I have flirted with pour overs and handpresso, along with turkish coffee but I'm pretty happy with my Saeco for now. Hottest latte I've found in an all automatic machine, although I usually just have a cortado.

 

[MrK1]

Flash gits.

I use this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0...ur2&tag=dolphbrows-21&linkId=TDJOZMECJHAAG7CI

I have one at home and one at work.
Works for me.

 

[Grarea]

I used to have a Delonghi bean-to-cup machine thingy, but making coffees at 6am got me into serious trouble.
Now it's a Porlex hand grinder and an Aeropress for me. Also easier to take with me on holidays :P
I gave the Delonghi away...

I have only just started on the coffee and have ended up exactly this.
Porlex hand grinder and an aeropress.
I like the range that you can achieve with these two simple (kind of) bits of kit.
I get my beans from a fairly local roasting house.

 

[halvor]

What do people think of the Stove Top machines? I'm thinking of getting one that will be for just one or two people.

As in mokka pot (or often called espresso cooker or pot or similar)? Works for me if I want a stronger brew, and it's reasonably priced. An espresso nerd would probably say that you won't get the clean and pure espresso like you would from a proper machine, then again, it is a mokka (moka?). To me somewhat toward Turkish coffee from espresso. I'm more of a regular filter strength cup, myself.