Coffee in the morning

[Alan Saunders]

Water from CRT or EA standpipes is supplied at the same quality as that to houses and businesses, perfectly safe to drink. It is chlorinated, stored in a dark container like a boat water tank it will lose little of the chlorine. You can measure the chlorine level and add cheap bleach if necessary.

 

A 1970s analysis of bottled water found that much of it did not meet WHO standards.

I shower and wash dishes in water straight from my tank even if it has been stored for a year. Water for drinking (tea, coffee, squash, etc) is drawn via a filter.

 

Generally, hard water tastes better to my palate; e.g. the popularity of Badoit and other French bottled water but I would not use them to make tea or coffee, nor the sulphur rich well water I found in Woodstock, New York.

 

Alan

[pomkitanner]

^{My family think i'm nuts as I import my tea from UK. Yorkshire ! Only wish the Govt. would let me import Real Cheese !}

Edited May 11, 2015 by pomkitanner

[Rendelf]

Hario are a Japanese company that make really good, hand-powered burr grinders. It just so happens that you can remove the crank, and attach a drill.... quick and efficient way to get freshly ground coffee. The better the grind, the better the taste!

 

As for beans, most independent coffee shops will sell good ones, if you can't find a roaster. A few extra quid makes a big difference!

[Dave Payne]

The Hario is as low as you would want to go for a hand grinder, Porlex is better, then the Rhino is the next step, after that your into made by knock area, a lot more money but very good hand built in the uk hand grinders, if you dont mind waiting weeks for delivery that is....

 

http://www.madebyknock.com/handgrind-grinders.html

 

However hand grinding is a ball ache, i only use my rhino on the boat for pour over, my boat set up below.

 

Hario pouring kettle, Hario V60 (cone on top) Hario V60 server, Rhino hand grinder.

 

This is one of easiest ways to get great coffee on the move!

 

[gazza]

The Hario is as low as you would want to go for a hand grinder, Porlex is better, then the Rhino is the next step, after that your into made by knock area, a lot more money but very good hand built in the uk hand grinders, if you dont mind waiting weeks for delivery that is....

 

http://www.madebyknock.com/handgrind-grinders.html

 

However hand grinding is a ball ache, i only use my rhino on the boat for pour over, my boat set up below.

 

Hario pouring kettle, Hario V60 (cone on top) Hario V60 server, Rhino hand grinder.

 

This is one of easiest ways to get great coffee on the move!

 

 

 

Cant tempt you with a mug of this then?

 

[Dave Payne]

Are we permitted to swear on this forum?

[gazza]

Are we permitted to swear on this forum?

 

I would if given a mug of that stuff!

[Tim Lewis]

You can also pop a nice choc-ice in the thermos flask with the coffee, as thermos flasks will keep things cold as well as hot.

How does it know the Difference?

 

Tim

[Lmcgrath87]

Well seeing as we have the luxury of shore power we have reinstated my gorgeous bright pink Kenwood kettle. Just need to convince hubs to let the matching toaster and coffee maker on board. He says the colours are terrible and make his hangovers worse....

[bizzard]

How does it know the Difference?

 

Tim

It doesn't, that's the trouble. You just end up with a cup of luke warm ice creamy soup.

[Athy]

 

However hand grinding is a ball ache.

 

 

 

I do feel that there's a fault in your technique.

[ditchcrawler]

The Hario is as low as you would want to go for a hand grinder, Porlex is better, then the Rhino is the next step, after that your into made by knock area, a lot more money but very good hand built in the uk hand grinders, if you dont mind waiting weeks for delivery that is....

 

http://www.madebyknock.com/handgrind-grinders.html

 

However hand grinding is a ball ache, i only use my rhino on the boat for pour over, my boat set up below.

 

Hario pouring kettle, Hario V60 (cone on top) Hario V60 server, Rhino hand grinder.

 

This is one of easiest ways to get great coffee on the move!

 

What is the importance of the spouted thing

[bigste]

As I spend most of my time in Spain I'm a bit spoiled for coffee and dread being in UK for good. It is not easy to find a bar or cafe that doesn't sell fresh ground coffee. Only the expats use instant. When I eventually return to blighty full time I'll certainly find a way of keeping the ground coffee going. Almost every house here has a coffee machine of some sort.

[Dave Payne]

What is the importance of the spouted thing

 

 

Its a pouring kettle, you pop your hot water in, or boil on the stove, then with a thermometer in the top you can adjust heat to get the desired temp 90-95. The long spout gives you a more controlled pour on the grinds, you don't want to be pouring water in too fast, this disturbs the grinds, you get the bloom to rise, then pour anti clockwise, usually doing two pours to reach your desired output in grams within a certain time frame, usually about 2-2.30 minutes.

 

Sounds a faff but you get a really great cup of coffee, even more so if you use the right bean, african beans can be good for this method.

[Bobbybass]

 

Actually, I use one of those aluminium stove-top espresso makers, the coffee is usually ready by the time I've finished yawning & scratching me bum.

 

That's not espresso.

 

Espresso is where you 'pump' the water through the grounds...and because of the pressure it extracts the oils from the bean.

No other method does that. That is not to say that filtered or perculated is not great..it's down to taste.

 

My big hate..is when I ask for an Americano...which is espresso topped with hot water..and they give me a filter coffee !

(Americano being that while stationed in Europe during the war..the yanks couldn't handle the concentrated coffee.....so they put hot water in it )

 

That is worse news for my wife as she sees the 'look' in my eyes and knows a long lecture is coming up.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Bobbybass

[Timleech]

 

 

Its a pouring kettle, you pop your hot water in, or boil on the stove, then with a thermometer in the top you can adjust heat to get the desired temp 90-95. The long spout gives you a more controlled pour on the grinds, you don't want to be pouring water in too fast, this disturbs the grinds, you get the bloom to rise, then pour anti clockwise, usually doing two pours to reach your desired output in grams within a certain time frame, usually about 2-2.30 minutes.

 

Sounds a faff but you get a really great cup of coffee, even more so if you use the right bean, african beans can be good for this method.

 

I bet there's a measurable temperature drop along the spout

[Dave Payne]

 

That's not espresso.

 

Espresso is where you 'pump' the water through the grounds...and because of the pressure it extracts the oils from the bean.

No other method does that. That is not to say that filtered or perculated is not great..it's down to taste.

 

My big hate..is when I ask for an Americano...which is espresso topped with hot water..and they give me a filter coffee !

(Americano being that while stationed in Europe during the war..the yanks couldn't handle the concentrated coffee.....so they put hot water in it )

 

That is worse news for my wife as she sees the 'look' in my eyes and knows a long lecture is coming up.

 

 

Shot on top of water, much better!

 

I bet there's a measurable temperature drop along the spout

 

 

Indeed, you will lose heat in the water at several points of the brewing, however you do everything you can to minimise this, heat everything, kettle, spout, filter, V60, cup... Hell you can even get grinders now that have heated burrs to warm the coffee.

 

There is no end to how anal one wants to be when it comes to coffee.

[Cavalier Jon]

I'm surprised no-one else has advised moka pots yet. My 1er does an espresso on a hot stovetop in less than three minutes. No need to boil a kettle.

 

Edit: just realised that's what spadefoot was on about.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Cavalier Jon