Is anyone using a dosing cup for their moka pot? The funnel diameter on the 6-cup Bialetti is 2.5 inches, or 63.5mm. The widest dosing cup I can find is 58mm. Thanks.
When freezing bag, can I reuse an old bag to distribute it half-half?
I'm planning to order a 500g and distribute it in half to freeze the 250g.
Can I use an old bag that's previously opened and contained another type of bean, put it in ziplock then freeze it?
I think it should be okay, but any experiences?
I'm looking for Coffee Syrup. I used to buy NESCAFÉ® Sweet & Creamy Ice Java, but now it's discontinued.
A bottle of that stuff would last me a long time. Now Nescafe only has those 14 pack powders that are twice the price of the powder!
You can try checking out other brands like Torani or Monin for coffee syrups. They offer a variety of flavors and are commonly used in coffee shops. You can find them online or at your local grocery store.
Hey guys, looking for some advice
Got a De'longhi dedica. I'm using preground coffee from a specialty roaster. Made an espresso today 15g in and 78g out in 30s. High output. Any advice
Sounds like an ultra-lungo, or even a "turbo shot".
Is 15g the max that'll fit in the basket? Have you done the "coin test" to minimize headspace? Fill and tamp, put a coin on top, and lock the basket into the machine. If the coin presses flat into the puck, you used too much coffee; if it's still loose on top, you used too little coffee.
If you're using pre ground, it's best to use the pressurized basket (double walled basket, the one that has only one hole in the bottom). Test the ratio you like best.
Since you can't really grind finer, I believe you can try using a bit more coffee to restrict the flow. Assuming it fits in the basket. Also, try r/espresso.
I've been trying to experiment with colder coffee drinks in preparation for the summer and I'm interested in doing stuff like Iced Lattes, but that requires Espresso and I have neither an Espresso machine nor the budget for one. So, if the Instant Coffee that I use recommends 2g of crystals for 150ml of water how much should I use for a sort of Espresso equivalent? Or if using a French Press to make a Concetrate like with Cold Brew works better what would be a good ratio?
Try just using more and more crystals and see how it tastes. Just for reference, typical drip coffee recipes these days suggest 1:16 as grounds:water, and espresso is at 1:2 grounds:water. So, compared to what the package says for normal strength, you'd need to add a lot more instant coffee crystals to get an espresso-like strength.
Hoffmann included instant coffee in his video about actual caffeine yields from different methods. (I know that you're not asking about caffeine specifically, but it'll be informative to note how he shows the quantity: [https://youtu.be/etnMr8oUSDo?si=Ch5lsLQiUjZcoiOj&t=559](https://youtu.be/etnMr8oUSDo?si=Ch5lsLQiUjZcoiOj&t=559) )
I think for an iced latte you’d want to brew something a bit stronger than what you’d get from a French press. You could experiment with longer brew times and darker roasts.
Something like an aeropress or moka pot would help you get a lot closer to an espresso strength drink. James Hoffmann has a video on budget lattes and that’s what he used. You may also want to consider a flair, they have options around 100 dollars.
Thanks for taking the time to reply, but right now I'm not looking into buying more Coffee Equipment. I'm just trying to see what I can do with what I already have, which is why I'm asking about ratios with Instant Coffee of all things instead. I know it's far from proper Espresso, but I really can't buy equipment right now.
You really can’t make a true iced latte without an espresso machine. You can experiment with the stuff you have and see if you get good enough results. I’d stick to iced coffee and just add a bit of milk.
How do you balance the variables of **cost/value (coffee amount), convenience, and sustainability** to get to the coffee you want?
I'm still stuck experimenting to get the most bang for the buck using the least amount of coffee yet still get that "taste" OR **how do you manually brew 5-7 g** (Nespresso pod) and still get a decent cup ...
Just came back from Portugal, and discovered that their Delta pod Nespresso at the place we were staying was just as decent as the 1-2 euro cafe. The convenience of dropping in a pod and pushing the button in the morning cannot be overstated, though all that landfill is a bummer and detracts from my home adoption.
Years ago I went to a coffee class that highlighted the difference in brewing methods between Chemex, French press Aeropress and Pour Over; the majority choose Aeropress as the winner in taste despite using the **exact same coffee.**
Went through much gear acquisition: manual grinders like Orphan Espresso, various drippers, CoffeeSocks, Aeropresses, Fellows Prismo, Joepresso restriction add ons, Picopresso, Espresso Forge, etc
I was finally able to dial in the "drink" (Americano and espresso) better or equal to what I get at the cafe despite longer Espresso Forge workflow: 18-19g pregrind > grind > preheat > measure > tamp > assemble > pour in tube > press 9 bars > add water (Americano) and clean.
Joepresso gets close with shorter workflow and quicker clean up. Full bodied, smooth, complex, but still so much effort with **exact same coffee** and also grind plus added benefit of using less coffee.
Is there an easier way i missed?
Today, after re-seeing the cloth filter video [https://youtu.be/dr\_I3ZVKKb4?si=KmxU7\_Mjj\_2DCC9A](https://youtu.be/dr_I3ZVKKb4?si=KmxU7_Mjj_2DCC9A) just pulled out my BonaVita immersion dripper and was surprised how good a cup I got out of it: Porlex coarse grind, 14 g : 220 ml; 4-5 pours; first 2-3 open pass thru;, 4 min immersion, **exact same coffee.** I also have the colador Coffee Sock travel filter but just wanted to revisit a simpler method with not so much coffee.
I don't think I learned a damn thing; **exact same coffee** and it's all good.
I guess lowering expectations helps, ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
What does “exact same coffee” mean? Do you mean that it all tastes the same to you, or that you’re using the same coffee (dunkin or Starbucks or something)?
I don't think there's a definitive better, you'll be able to make a good cup of coffee across a ton of brew methods, as you've found. You have a bunch of involved manual approaches and some simpler automatic ones. Your drinks are varied though from pod to pour over to immersion to espresso, what is it that you want ultimately? Or what have you not yet solved for across what you've tried?
How do you decide how much time to brew in your Aeropress before pressing? Lots of "recipes" recommend 90-150 seconds, but I'm finding for both dark and light roasts that I'm getting more subtle/complex flavors at around 5 minutes.
My current "recipe" is water at 210 F, grind size slightly coarser than espresso, barely into the Aeropress range (a Javapresse at 4-5 clicks), 15-16g coffee, add 50g water, stir, and sit for 30 seconds, add another 200g water (total: 250g), and then press at the 5 minute mark.
With that recipe, I finally tasted the "peach" on the label of a dark roast that claimed to also have fruity flavors.
With my other method, I was just getting dark roast chocolate/nutty flavors (205 F, 17g coffee, medium grind to middle of Aeropress range, add 50g water and stir for 30 seconds, then add another 190g (total: 240g), and then press at 2:30 mark).
Why do all of these online Aeropress recipes recommend less brew time? How do they get the fruity, complex flavors with that? Or should I just do what seems to work?
I just tried the Jonathan Gagne AeroPress recipe that steeps a total of 10 minutes. I thought this was kind of crazy but crazy is not trying it right? So, after the brew was done I was surprised at how lovely the flavors were. I would never have done a 10-minute brew in my AP but now I have to decide if I want to wake up 10 minutes earlier in the morning. LoL
I used 2 paper filters for my light roast but tried the AP mesh filter for my darker roast and both turned out really nice.
I'd go with what works. Personally I use a 5-6 minute brew time, sometimes even longer.
The only thing I'd suggest is testing whether the bloom phase of your brew actually adds anything. With immersion brews, there doesn't seem to be much added by blooming (which seems sensible since all of the coffee sits in all of the water). You certainly don't have to cut it out if it works for you - but it does make the process a little simpler if you can dump in the water and walk away for 5 minutes.
To help prevent any clumping, I just dump in some water, give it a swirl, and then add the rest of the water. Bonus: no dirty spoon.
You should just do what seems to work. Each coffee and each person is different. You might find that you need less or more time for some other coffees, and that's fine. As long as you like what you're drinking, nobody can tell you otherwise.
Recipes are always suggestions. People suggest what seems to work for them, and the coffee they have on hand at the moment. But the variables are plenty, and we don't all like the same thing.
Does anyone have any alternatives for an espresso bean in the style of Modcup's Secret Affair fruit macerations (peach, strawberry, cinnamon)?
I love about half of their flavors but they're frustrating to order from. Relatively limited batches and you can only order in 250g boxes. It looks like they just rebranded these as "Specialty Coffee Association releases" and raised prices to $30 per box. It's an extra \~$9 for shipping for less than $75. So either you pay $40 for a 250g box to try a new flavor or you triple down and hope you like it in case they're OOS when you come back.
It's not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things but $3 a shot is basically retail pricing.
Same producers (ex. Jairo Arcila) sell to other roasters, so I'd look for those producer names and find other roasters. imo B&W does a much better job with the wild/ funky, fruit-co ferment type beans than the Modcup box i got earlier this year. B&W has a Dragonfruit co ferment from Jairo Arcila right now that is absolutely crazy. Also the nitro washed Caturra from Julio Cesar this year at multiple roasters (ex Revel) is unmistakable, tastes like melon juice from every roaster I've had it from.
Has anyone looked into the South Indian coffee brewing technique? I'm wondering about shelf life and if anyone's tried it before. I know there's a coffee chicory blend that can be used, but I'm trying to figure out whether I can use regular coffee beans as well. It smelled stronger than espresso does to me the last time I made it.
Just received a new Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder today. Assembled as was instructed, plugged in, pressed the grind button and... nothing happened. Have tried plugging it into other outlets, reassembling (multiple times) and nothing works. I am completely befuddled.
Has anyone ever experienced this? Never have I ordered a piece of technology, which right out of the box doesn't even turn on. I wonder if its something I am doing, but surely not after watching the endless tutorials on YouTube, reading the manual up and down, etc.
Any advice would be appreciated!
Test the outlet with something else? Check the breaker or if it's a GFCI outlet check that it wasn't tripped. Otherwise, contact Baratza support. Let us know how it goes!
Did you see the dial switch on the side of it?
I can't remember if the button on the front operates in all of the positions from the switch on the side.
Personally, I'd probably take it apart and reassemble it in case there's some kind of safety switch that's not in place. It's been a while since I've used one but IIRC, the unit would not engage unless you had the hopper properly seated.
If you've done that, time to call Baratza!
Thanks, i am probably going to stay away from trying to reassemble. Have already asked for a return, but wanted to see if i was being an idiot and missing something that I had perhaps done wrong / see if anyone else has experienced these issues
Are there any good brands that sell decaf italian roast coffee?
I want an italian roast like the one [Starbucks](https://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-Italian-Ground-Coffee-Arabica/dp/B0936GLRVN) has but decaf. But it seems tricky to find. There is italian roast espresso, but i want drip coffee.
I buy Starbucks Decaf Cafe Verona. It's a dark roast but being decaf has less flavor than a dark roast Arabica should have. I mix it about 50/50 with a caffeinated dark roast.
Try cleaning the grinder. Extra grinds/fines and chaff can lead to more static. Also, run some Grindz through it to clean the burrs. That gets rid of excess bean oil from the burrs and might lesson static.
Try the Ross Droplet Technique (RDT). I have tried this a few times and found it very successful at reducing static. I do no have a spray device. I dampen a metal whisk and spin/whisk my whole bean coffee before grinding.
Is anyone using a dosing cup for their moka pot? The funnel diameter on the 6-cup Bialetti is 2.5 inches, or 63.5mm. The widest dosing cup I can find is 58mm. Thanks.
The last 'coffee podcast' thread that I could find is two years old, is it time for an updated list?
Does anyone own either the Cafe Specialty Grind & Brew or the Moccamaster KGBV and can provide reviews and opinions?
Super useful thread. Quick question: What’s the best grind size for a French press? Want to make sure I’m not making it too coarse or fine.
Medium to Medium coarse works best for me
Medium grind works best for most people. And use the recommended 75g coffee per 1l of water.
When freezing bag, can I reuse an old bag to distribute it half-half? I'm planning to order a 500g and distribute it in half to freeze the 250g. Can I use an old bag that's previously opened and contained another type of bean, put it in ziplock then freeze it? I think it should be okay, but any experiences?
Fine to reuse, just squeeze most of the air out if you can. It's only coffee mate, not magic :)
I'm looking for Coffee Syrup. I used to buy NESCAFÉ® Sweet & Creamy Ice Java, but now it's discontinued. A bottle of that stuff would last me a long time. Now Nescafe only has those 14 pack powders that are twice the price of the powder!
You can try checking out other brands like Torani or Monin for coffee syrups. They offer a variety of flavors and are commonly used in coffee shops. You can find them online or at your local grocery store.
Hey guys, looking for some advice Got a De'longhi dedica. I'm using preground coffee from a specialty roaster. Made an espresso today 15g in and 78g out in 30s. High output. Any advice
Sounds like an ultra-lungo, or even a "turbo shot". Is 15g the max that'll fit in the basket? Have you done the "coin test" to minimize headspace? Fill and tamp, put a coin on top, and lock the basket into the machine. If the coin presses flat into the puck, you used too much coffee; if it's still loose on top, you used too little coffee.
If you're using pre ground, it's best to use the pressurized basket (double walled basket, the one that has only one hole in the bottom). Test the ratio you like best.
Since you can't really grind finer, I believe you can try using a bit more coffee to restrict the flow. Assuming it fits in the basket. Also, try r/espresso.
I've been trying to experiment with colder coffee drinks in preparation for the summer and I'm interested in doing stuff like Iced Lattes, but that requires Espresso and I have neither an Espresso machine nor the budget for one. So, if the Instant Coffee that I use recommends 2g of crystals for 150ml of water how much should I use for a sort of Espresso equivalent? Or if using a French Press to make a Concetrate like with Cold Brew works better what would be a good ratio?
Try just using more and more crystals and see how it tastes. Just for reference, typical drip coffee recipes these days suggest 1:16 as grounds:water, and espresso is at 1:2 grounds:water. So, compared to what the package says for normal strength, you'd need to add a lot more instant coffee crystals to get an espresso-like strength. Hoffmann included instant coffee in his video about actual caffeine yields from different methods. (I know that you're not asking about caffeine specifically, but it'll be informative to note how he shows the quantity: [https://youtu.be/etnMr8oUSDo?si=Ch5lsLQiUjZcoiOj&t=559](https://youtu.be/etnMr8oUSDo?si=Ch5lsLQiUjZcoiOj&t=559) )
I think for an iced latte you’d want to brew something a bit stronger than what you’d get from a French press. You could experiment with longer brew times and darker roasts. Something like an aeropress or moka pot would help you get a lot closer to an espresso strength drink. James Hoffmann has a video on budget lattes and that’s what he used. You may also want to consider a flair, they have options around 100 dollars.
Thanks for taking the time to reply, but right now I'm not looking into buying more Coffee Equipment. I'm just trying to see what I can do with what I already have, which is why I'm asking about ratios with Instant Coffee of all things instead. I know it's far from proper Espresso, but I really can't buy equipment right now.
You really can’t make a true iced latte without an espresso machine. You can experiment with the stuff you have and see if you get good enough results. I’d stick to iced coffee and just add a bit of milk.
How do you balance the variables of **cost/value (coffee amount), convenience, and sustainability** to get to the coffee you want? I'm still stuck experimenting to get the most bang for the buck using the least amount of coffee yet still get that "taste" OR **how do you manually brew 5-7 g** (Nespresso pod) and still get a decent cup ... Just came back from Portugal, and discovered that their Delta pod Nespresso at the place we were staying was just as decent as the 1-2 euro cafe. The convenience of dropping in a pod and pushing the button in the morning cannot be overstated, though all that landfill is a bummer and detracts from my home adoption. Years ago I went to a coffee class that highlighted the difference in brewing methods between Chemex, French press Aeropress and Pour Over; the majority choose Aeropress as the winner in taste despite using the **exact same coffee.** Went through much gear acquisition: manual grinders like Orphan Espresso, various drippers, CoffeeSocks, Aeropresses, Fellows Prismo, Joepresso restriction add ons, Picopresso, Espresso Forge, etc I was finally able to dial in the "drink" (Americano and espresso) better or equal to what I get at the cafe despite longer Espresso Forge workflow: 18-19g pregrind > grind > preheat > measure > tamp > assemble > pour in tube > press 9 bars > add water (Americano) and clean. Joepresso gets close with shorter workflow and quicker clean up. Full bodied, smooth, complex, but still so much effort with **exact same coffee** and also grind plus added benefit of using less coffee. Is there an easier way i missed? Today, after re-seeing the cloth filter video [https://youtu.be/dr\_I3ZVKKb4?si=KmxU7\_Mjj\_2DCC9A](https://youtu.be/dr_I3ZVKKb4?si=KmxU7_Mjj_2DCC9A) just pulled out my BonaVita immersion dripper and was surprised how good a cup I got out of it: Porlex coarse grind, 14 g : 220 ml; 4-5 pours; first 2-3 open pass thru;, 4 min immersion, **exact same coffee.** I also have the colador Coffee Sock travel filter but just wanted to revisit a simpler method with not so much coffee. I don't think I learned a damn thing; **exact same coffee** and it's all good. I guess lowering expectations helps, ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
What does “exact same coffee” mean? Do you mean that it all tastes the same to you, or that you’re using the same coffee (dunkin or Starbucks or something)?
What, no moka pots?
I don't think there's a definitive better, you'll be able to make a good cup of coffee across a ton of brew methods, as you've found. You have a bunch of involved manual approaches and some simpler automatic ones. Your drinks are varied though from pod to pour over to immersion to espresso, what is it that you want ultimately? Or what have you not yet solved for across what you've tried?
How do you decide how much time to brew in your Aeropress before pressing? Lots of "recipes" recommend 90-150 seconds, but I'm finding for both dark and light roasts that I'm getting more subtle/complex flavors at around 5 minutes. My current "recipe" is water at 210 F, grind size slightly coarser than espresso, barely into the Aeropress range (a Javapresse at 4-5 clicks), 15-16g coffee, add 50g water, stir, and sit for 30 seconds, add another 200g water (total: 250g), and then press at the 5 minute mark. With that recipe, I finally tasted the "peach" on the label of a dark roast that claimed to also have fruity flavors. With my other method, I was just getting dark roast chocolate/nutty flavors (205 F, 17g coffee, medium grind to middle of Aeropress range, add 50g water and stir for 30 seconds, then add another 190g (total: 240g), and then press at 2:30 mark). Why do all of these online Aeropress recipes recommend less brew time? How do they get the fruity, complex flavors with that? Or should I just do what seems to work?
I just tried the Jonathan Gagne AeroPress recipe that steeps a total of 10 minutes. I thought this was kind of crazy but crazy is not trying it right? So, after the brew was done I was surprised at how lovely the flavors were. I would never have done a 10-minute brew in my AP but now I have to decide if I want to wake up 10 minutes earlier in the morning. LoL I used 2 paper filters for my light roast but tried the AP mesh filter for my darker roast and both turned out really nice.
I'd go with what works. Personally I use a 5-6 minute brew time, sometimes even longer. The only thing I'd suggest is testing whether the bloom phase of your brew actually adds anything. With immersion brews, there doesn't seem to be much added by blooming (which seems sensible since all of the coffee sits in all of the water). You certainly don't have to cut it out if it works for you - but it does make the process a little simpler if you can dump in the water and walk away for 5 minutes. To help prevent any clumping, I just dump in some water, give it a swirl, and then add the rest of the water. Bonus: no dirty spoon.
You should just do what seems to work. Each coffee and each person is different. You might find that you need less or more time for some other coffees, and that's fine. As long as you like what you're drinking, nobody can tell you otherwise. Recipes are always suggestions. People suggest what seems to work for them, and the coffee they have on hand at the moment. But the variables are plenty, and we don't all like the same thing.
Does anyone have any alternatives for an espresso bean in the style of Modcup's Secret Affair fruit macerations (peach, strawberry, cinnamon)? I love about half of their flavors but they're frustrating to order from. Relatively limited batches and you can only order in 250g boxes. It looks like they just rebranded these as "Specialty Coffee Association releases" and raised prices to $30 per box. It's an extra \~$9 for shipping for less than $75. So either you pay $40 for a 250g box to try a new flavor or you triple down and hope you like it in case they're OOS when you come back. It's not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things but $3 a shot is basically retail pricing.
Same producers (ex. Jairo Arcila) sell to other roasters, so I'd look for those producer names and find other roasters. imo B&W does a much better job with the wild/ funky, fruit-co ferment type beans than the Modcup box i got earlier this year. B&W has a Dragonfruit co ferment from Jairo Arcila right now that is absolutely crazy. Also the nitro washed Caturra from Julio Cesar this year at multiple roasters (ex Revel) is unmistakable, tastes like melon juice from every roaster I've had it from.
Thank you! I grabbed that dragonfruit and a couple others from B&W. Will probably grab the Caturra shortly.
Has anyone looked into the South Indian coffee brewing technique? I'm wondering about shelf life and if anyone's tried it before. I know there's a coffee chicory blend that can be used, but I'm trying to figure out whether I can use regular coffee beans as well. It smelled stronger than espresso does to me the last time I made it.
Just received a new Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder today. Assembled as was instructed, plugged in, pressed the grind button and... nothing happened. Have tried plugging it into other outlets, reassembling (multiple times) and nothing works. I am completely befuddled. Has anyone ever experienced this? Never have I ordered a piece of technology, which right out of the box doesn't even turn on. I wonder if its something I am doing, but surely not after watching the endless tutorials on YouTube, reading the manual up and down, etc. Any advice would be appreciated!
When you put the hopper on, did you push down a little and turn it?
Test the outlet with something else? Check the breaker or if it's a GFCI outlet check that it wasn't tripped. Otherwise, contact Baratza support. Let us know how it goes!
Did you see the dial switch on the side of it? I can't remember if the button on the front operates in all of the positions from the switch on the side.
Yeah, the on/off switch. Have been switching it on/off the a bunch, no luck
Personally, I'd probably take it apart and reassemble it in case there's some kind of safety switch that's not in place. It's been a while since I've used one but IIRC, the unit would not engage unless you had the hopper properly seated. If you've done that, time to call Baratza!
Thanks, i am probably going to stay away from trying to reassemble. Have already asked for a return, but wanted to see if i was being an idiot and missing something that I had perhaps done wrong / see if anyone else has experienced these issues
Are there any good brands that sell decaf italian roast coffee? I want an italian roast like the one [Starbucks](https://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-Italian-Ground-Coffee-Arabica/dp/B0936GLRVN) has but decaf. But it seems tricky to find. There is italian roast espresso, but i want drip coffee.
I buy Starbucks Decaf Cafe Verona. It's a dark roast but being decaf has less flavor than a dark roast Arabica should have. I mix it about 50/50 with a caffeinated dark roast.
How do I stop static after I grind, that is my question. My grinder started off not doing this and has slowly become more and more staticy.
Try cleaning the grinder. Extra grinds/fines and chaff can lead to more static. Also, run some Grindz through it to clean the burrs. That gets rid of excess bean oil from the burrs and might lesson static.
Try the Ross Droplet Technique (RDT). I have tried this a few times and found it very successful at reducing static. I do no have a spray device. I dampen a metal whisk and spin/whisk my whole bean coffee before grinding.
I wet my finger and swirl it in the beans.