Patrick, here are my thoughts about this: Coffee goes from sour to sweet and balanced to bitter as you extract more of the water soluble bits.
Since a paper cone takes out all the solids, yeah it's "cleaner" but I think a main issue is skimping on the beans which leads to overextraction, which leads to bitterness. I try and err on the side of more coffee grounds (currently I try 15-16g/250mL). If I'm using a french press I grind coarse (to be honest I think this is partially because finer particles clog up the screen and make it harder to push down). I only let the press sit for 4 minutes, stirring regularly, then immediately decanting into cups or some other container; don't let the coffee sit in the press because it'll keep extracting. Most folks like the Aeropress, and if I ever got one I'd probably like it too, but right now I like the practice of pour over with a beehouse ceramic filter holder and the trangia kettle. None of these are particularly "ideal" for coffee on the road but it's just so damn fun. There's a video with all kinds of methods, I'm sure I've posted it before but hey... http://vimeo.com/84343669 Unsurprisingly the wikipedia page has some great tips on what, empirically, makes a "good" cup of coffee, and what sorts of extraction levels to shoot for. And the sweet maria's site has some nice instructional videos. Cheers cc On Fri, Mar 7, 2014 at 8:58 AM, Patrick Moore <[email protected]> wrote: > I've used many brewing methods over the years, currently an old Melita > cup-top filter. A few questions (which must be On Topic, given the length > of the similar threads ongoing at this point): > > 1. Am I correct in thinking that the on-pass filter method gives a > "clearer" and "cleaner" brew? > > 2. That a stovetop espresso (I know it's not "espresso in the nitty gritty > technical details, but that's what it's generally called) maker gives a > "smokier" brew? > > 3. I used a press for years, but found that it often gave a sour brew. Was > this due to excessively fine particles (due to using a blade grinder)? > > 4. What is the best way, start to finish, to brew using a press? > > Patrick Moore, seriously thinking of trying green tea, too. > > 5. Come to think of it what is y'all's favorite way of brewing, and why? > > -- > 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 [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- "I want the kind of six pack you can't drink." -- Micah -- 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 [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
