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You are currently browsing comments. If you would like to return to the full story, you can read the full entry here: “Essential Equipment (And More) For Brewing Awesome Coffee”.
You are currently browsing comments. If you would like to return to the full story, you can read the full entry here: “Essential Equipment (And More) For Brewing Awesome Coffee”.
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Nice article.
I was also searching for the perfect espresso. I bought a Pavoni in Rome ( the place where I bought it should have helped ) restored it, fitted a pressure gauge, got really good coffee…. But I never got a good espresso! No foam at all for example. Pressure was at max 4 bar.
Can somebody give me some hints for operating the Pavoni. Thanks
Does your Pavoni have the pressure gauge? If so, that should help you get it operating in a more controllable manner. Let it heat up till the gauge reads about 9 bars, then open up the steam wand. This bleeds off some “false pressure.” There are gases in the tank above the heated water that increase the pressure. Bleeding off some of this pressure helps stabilize the water temperature and pressure.
Then when the pressure gets back to about 9 bars, you can start pulling shots.
Keep in mind that the tank pressure is not actually the brew pressure. Once you pull up the lever and open the valve inside the brew chamber, it will fill with hot water. Once you start pulling down, the chamber is closed off from the tank so that tank pressure is not acting on the brew chamber and puck. Your arm pushing the lever operating the piston is what pushes water through the puck at pressure. So *you* are providing the pressure, which gives you a bunch of control. This pressure can also be regulated by grind. It’s a delicate balance involving LOTS of variables, and it’s easy to get frustrated. I used it daily for months and still never got it quite right.
Also – if your pressure gauge isn’t going above 4 bars, you may want to check on the heating element or the gauge itself to make sure everything is working. If you think there might be something wrong with it, I’d hit up home-barista.com and see if you can find some insight.
howard – it’s not a long shot. cold brew coffee lasts quite a while!
I second what Randy said. I’ve had cold brew coffee last a long time without losing any flavor.
howard, I highly recommend you checking out a cold brew coffee maker when the weather gets warmer up your way.
the best part is, you don’t even need to check out a cold brew coffee maker. if you have a pour-over setup (hario, melitta, etc), a french press, or even some cheese cloth you can do it. Coffee grounds + cold or room temp water + a bunch of time. Strain and enjoy!
I think you gave me an idea for a post in the future. # of different ways to make cold brew coffee. I love trying new brewing methods.
Randy mentions a bunch of time..
how does that work/
the melitta i use for hot coffee
simply has a small lower cone
bleed out hole that allows coffee
to seep out of the filter cake
above but it doesn’t take that lone.
maybe i need to allow the cold
coffee and water to steep a while
before it filters …?
howard: you are correct. if you do cold brew simply by pouring cold water over coffee it will be way too quick and not very good. i recommend doubling your ratio (twice as much coffee as you normally use) and letting it steep in a jar on the counter or in the fridge for a solid 12 hours. then pour it through a filter. recipes vary, from 4 hours up to 24, but this is a good starting point. adjust your ratio and time accordingly.
i made some cold brew myself a while back: http://www.snobcoffery.com/homebrew-cold-brew/
Randy, thanks for sharing the link to your cold brew. I’m about to try this cold brew method with my French Press. http://www.distinctive-decor.com/cold-brew-coffee-in-french-press.html
yeah, if you already own a french press it might just be the easiest way to try cold brew. in fact, bodum makes a cold brew french press, which is basically a regular french press with a sealing lid to keep out odors when in the fridge. http://goo.gl/Bd3eY
Their cold brew French Press might be a better solution then the small plate that I have covering the top of my French Press in the fridge now.
the one i find most interesting is the cold method.
site says’…Patented cold brew system uses regular coffee beans to create super smooth hot coffee, but with no electricity required…’
i want coffee a lot of places i can’t find a wall outlet handy Mike…
and they say the concentrate stays good 3 weeks.
that’s a long shot.
for some reason, this system isn’t interesting to me in colder weather but now, with a few weeks of sun and sweat under way, it sounds very appropriate.
[with ice]
Piper, I just heard about the Encore model recently. It’s one of those things that I want to try soon.
As far as the Skerton, that’s the first that I’ve heard of it. There’s a couple of manual grinders that I want now. The only manual ones that I’ve tried are the old school/antiques one.
Mike, I agree with your list – and am grateful to personally own many. Making good coffee is a beautiful thing and the investment in good equipment makes a remarkable difference.
There is a new Baratza entry level machine – they’ve upgraded/revamped the Maestro to be the new Encore – I would suggest it as one of the few entry machines that can grind from espresso to french press. http://www.baratza.com/products-page/products/encore/
I do love my Skerton – and even have a Porlex now for compact travel. Its pricey but makes for an incredibly sweet travel set up. http://www.espressoparts.com/UCC_PORLEX
Randy, if you want more, I have more! This is just a small part of what I’ve read/am reading.
excellent. i have to finish up what i’m currently reading, but these (and whatever else you recommend) are going right on my list.
Two that aren’t on this list that I can’t recommend yet because I didn’t read them are Javatrekker: Dispatches From the World of Fair Trade Coffee, which is waiting on my shelf to read soon and God in a Cup: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Coffee, which is one that I need to buy because I’ve seen good reviews of it everywhere.
Re: hario hand grinder – i just got a hario slim grinder it it’s pretty great. obviously not quite on par with my baratza virtuoso preciso, but at the price point it is highly recommended.
thanks for the book recos. i’ve been looking for good coffee-related literature, and this is just what i had in mind.
Hi Mike, thanks for the info above. I’ve been into coffee for a while, but have yet to splurge on a decent burr grinder (don’t worry, I will). However, I recently purchased a Hario Skerton manual burr grinder and I am very pleased with it.
Like you, my goto coffee maker is the French Press. I bought a Hario V60 when I bought the grinder, but I don’t think I enjoy it as much as the FP. My next purchase is either going to be a couple bags of coffee or an Aeropress.
What do you and your readers suggest?
Thanks,
John
John, the Hario manual burr grinder is on my list of gadgets to buy! I’m pretty jealous.
My vote is to get the Aeropress next. It’s in my top five of my favorite brewing methods…unless I need to make more than one cup of coffee.