I think in the same way that buying a repair stand revolutionized my ability and interest to fix things on bikes, owning a scale, timer, and burr grinder can revolutionize a relationship with coffee.
A scale that measures in grams is so useful because it allows for the easy comparison of techniques relying on ratios. Water weighs 1 gram per milliliter; I love my french press with 400 grams of water (ml) to 40 grams of 'coarsely ground' fresh coffee beans. Coursely ground to me is similar to comfortable walking sand at a beach. In a kone dripper or other type of pourover, my preferred ratios change. Same with a mokka pot, and certainly with an espresso machine. And this is all with the same roast! Having access to so many different roasts from so many different parts of the world will yield very different flavors if all else stays the same. I've mentioned the company Blue Bottle before, and regardless of your interest in their beans, they've put together a great collection of brewing method instructions: http://www.bluebottlecoffee.com/preparation-guides On Saturday, March 8, 2014 7:42:00 AM UTC-8, Patrick Moore wrote: > > More thanks and more questions. > > > > Deacon: I tried the Stumptown method just now and, the coffee did not > taste sour, indeed it was very smooth, but weaker than what my Melita maker > would produce with the same amount (but finer) of grounds. Perhaps I should > stir it more than once, or perhaps I should let it steep a bit longer? Or > use more than the recommended 1 tbsp per cup? > > > > I was pleased to see that the (good quality) blade grinder produced a > surprisingly uniform grind of crumb sized grounds. > > > > Chris: thanks for the carefully worded and informative analysis. I’ve read > the Wikipedia article but it is not as informative as these replies. The SM > site is useful, particularly about bean quantities. So, sourness comes > “before” bitterness – indicating that I wasn’t steeping efficiently enough. > > > > Garth: good advice and information on the Moka Pot; I’ve actually got a > nice one. I’ve found the brew too “cloudy” and strong, but perhaps I need > to be more careful about the ratio of grounds to water – expect I’ve been > using quite a bit more than 1 tbsp to 1 cup when, probably, I ought to use > a bit less. > > > > Sorry, my press won’t break – insulated stainless steel. > > > > Mike: what is the essential difference between the Chemex and the Melita? > I think part of my problem with various makers has been over extraction: > excessively fine grind and too much beans, with the Moka Pot in particular, > producing a heavy, cloudy brew that seemed more bitter than strong. > > > > The Aeropress is interesting because it is fast and allows one to dilute > to taste after making. But of course, if I get the method and quantities > right with the other methods, that won’t be necessary. > > > > Question: when “they” advise 1 tbsp to 1 cup, does that mean “rounded” > tbsp – ie, as much as will heap on without falling off? Or level? And, is > this a measure of ground coffee or whole beans? > > > > Off to make my second big cup with the press, stirred, not shaken. > > > Thanks again all. > > > > -- > Albuquerque, NM, USA > > Resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and letters that get interviews. > By-the-hour resume and LinkedIn coaching. > Other professional writing services. > http://www.resumespecialties.com/ > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
