Brewing coffee
 

Ok I have always used a metal strainer filter for brewing coffee.
We broke our glass pot on our Krupps coffee maker and couldn't find a replacment so we ended up going with a New coffee maker. The New coffee maker uses Paper Filter's. I have never been a fan of the paper filter. I have found that the Paper filter makes a stronger cup of coffee. I will explain

We grind the exact same amount of beans for the morning cup. We got a metal Strainer filter for the new coffee maker. I did a Test Paper Vs Metal Strainer filter,

What I found was the metal strainer lets the water flow threw the grounds faster and the coffee is weaker. The Paper filter holds the water in the filter a bit more and the coffee seems to pick up more flavor and is stronger/darker.

Bottom line is I don't have to use as many beans to brew the same strength coffee with Paper as I do Metal. Humm who would have thought.

This might be old news some of you just thought I would share my thoughts

I would have thought the same. Very interesting.

I'm an espresso guy. Been running the same Saeco Machine for 9 years, every day, and it's still producing. I drink coffee when I have to, but it lacks the rich flavor that I'm used to. Probably because of the milk. If you're never tried a Raw Milk capuccino, I recommend it. :-) Mmmmm

Ha I was about to go buy some metal filters after reading the first couple sentences. Makes total sense though. I have a grind and brew coffe maker that I love but am thinking I may need a new espresso machine or something. Once a wweek or so i'll pick up a latte and its like a serious treat compared to my coffee. Wonder what kind of luck people have making these types of drinks at home?

I bought a Keurig earlier this year and LOVE it!!!

I was skeptical at first when I saw these machines while shopping for a new coffee maker, but after hearing everyone rave about them on a thread here on WW I decided to pull the trigger. These machines make the perfect cup of coffee hands down.

I'm a little like Jarrod. I use a cheap ($25) espresso machine. I use the term machine lightly because it's just steam powered. I grind my beans fine and brew a double every morning. I foam a decent quantity of raw goats milk for my capuccino. I find foamed milk is sweeter than unfoamed milk. So you get the advanage of some slight sweetness without sugar, which I would never add even if it's just regular coffee.

IMO it's the most kick-butt coffee I can get anywhere. I imagine that I could take it to the next level and get a real espresso machine, but the price to performace ratio of the $25 espresso machine can't be beat. One thing I find about my coffee is that if you let the level of coffee coming out get too high in the cup it doesn't just get weaker, it turns to crap. I'm not sure what that affect is, but it may be the grounds getting burnt and putting out a bad taste.

Richard: The Family bought a Keurig machine. I have to say Im not a huge fan. IMO it makes a OK cup its quick its easy and its fast. IMO thoes are its 3 best Qualitys, IMO if you want a good cup you have to do it the old fassion way. And one last thing. I guess I like it so strong that if I can see threw the coffee when its being pourd, That's a sighn its not strong enough. I used the KONA Keurig brew and it come out pretty light colord IMO

Grant, try some of the other Keurig flavors. The Kona is pretty week. I also brew it on the small cup and make two of them. It's cool for at home when we only drink one cup in the mornings. When we're up in the mountains we usually sit around and have a couple cups of coffee, in that case it's gotta be the standard coffee machine with paper filters. I found the same with paper vs. metal filters. My metal filter got thrown in the garbage right away. I like my coffee strong, too. I usually fill the filter till it's just shy of overflowing when you brew.

Espresso is the best, but I'm lazy. Our machine sits around a lot. I usually break it out in the winter for the holidays.

"Once a week or so i'll pick up a latte and its like a serious treat compared to my coffee. Wonder what kind of luck people have making these types of drinks at home?"

The espresso drinks I make at home are better than what you get at the coffee shop in a lot of cases. I grind finer, pack more in the filter, and use better quality milk. I also use agave to sweeten. I use a pump espresso machine which is just a smaller version of the comercial grade machine you see at Starbucks.

Most home machines just don't produce enough pressure to pour a good shot of espresso.

Another alternative is pouring by the cup. Hario makes some really cool products for single cup coffee pours. I would probably say that is the best cup of coffee you can pour. It's specifically designed ceramic w/ paper insert, pour hot water over the top. hariousa.com if interested

not affiliated, just a coffee junkie (and a coffee shop owner and small time coffee roaster)

J-rod, pump machine is the way to go for a good espresso option at home. What model are you using?

I wouldn't mind getting a pump espresso machine. I know the cheap version I have makes something that's between coffee and espresso, but it stills comes out as a better cup of capuccino than I can get at Starbucks.

Interesting guys. Which models are you using exactly? Think ill do some research this weekend.

Saeco. They don't make the model anymore. It's actually a Starbucks machine that is build by Saeco and relabeled. Anything Saeco should be the real deal though.

I've been shopping for one of the old school, steam press machines. Just looking for the right price. They're about $1200 new. My Saeco machine was about $400.

http://www.saeco-usa.com/en/products.../0/manual.html

Hmmm...this one is only $550. I wonder if it's any good.

Man I could buy allot of lattes for $500 lol

Alittle over 100 to be exact ... so i guess it would pay for itself pretty quickly actually.

Anyone ever tried coffee from a press pot, There is definantly a difference, it provides a smoother cup versus the traditional brewing method. I use mine a lot to make a cold press coffee.

Jarrod, get one of those for the scamper so we can hook up some espresso out in the woods. Ha, ha. Get some of those cute little cups and we can hold our pinky fingers out while we gear up. Nice.

Well in my quest for an espresso machine we were shopping in the city yesterday and my gf wanted to hit William-Sonoma and ofcourse the first thing that catches my eye is the line up of machines. I'm drooling all over them and my gf walks up and says Oh I have that one. Im like wtf? Where is it? My aunt got it for me and I put it in storage and havent even tried it. Ill be hitting up her storage unit this weekend and giving it a shot lol no punn intended

SCORE!.
Bryce: A press is the Bomb. When we go camping thats what we bring.
BTW We got a Mug at Starbucks that looks like a traditional Stainless Mug. It has a Press built into the Lid. Its pretty cool.
And one last tip.
The Starbucks Stainless mug's are THE BEST. We have like 20+ Mug's They are double lined stainless and they keep coffee warm for Hr's. They also work great for Cocktails and keeping them Ice cold. The trick to to find a mug that works great and then buy a bunch of them so all the caps or tops match. You don't have all these mug's with tops that will not inter change. Starbucks is famous for not making mugs with tops that will interchange.

fwiw- i use a rancilio silvia espresso machine with a rancilio rocky doser grinder. i also added a bottomless portafilter to allow me to analyze my shot. i also have an aeropress that i also use at the office and when i travel, which uses paper filters. i have really good results with both. the rocky set up (used off craigslist)- $550 for the set. aeropress- new, around $40. i also use my own, fresh roasted coffee, which also is the biggest variable. i really like the aeropress for quick and easy. it's amazingly simple, with simple clean up (unlike a french press). i added a quick pic (sorry cell phone).