I can get much more nuanced, varied, interesting coffee doing pour-overs than I’ve managed out of the Aeropress.
That might well just be me.
No matter what I’ve tried with the Aeropress, everything seems to taste like, good quality, otherwise “standard coffee”. I’ve varied beans (trying all those I’ve used with pour-overs), brew temperature, ratio, grind settings, inverted vs. normal, etc.
The results are entirely drinkable. Quite pleasant. Quick and easy. But … basically what I always thought good quality but standard “coffee” tasted like … until I started doing pour-overs.
Here is what the Alicia moka pot looks like now with a brown replacement top pot. It used to have a blue top pot but that one wore out a long time ago.
Since I’m actually around “home” this week (mostly due to the F1 GP being in Miami) … my wife and I did a little tour around some local coffee shops.
The net result of that is I’m looking for recommendations in the Miami (and anywhere South of Miami) area(s) for “proper” coffee shops. By “proper”, I mean ones that have a selection of beans/roasts and actually do proper (manual) pour-overs.
While the ambiance, space, vibe, and staff, at the shops we’ve tried so far, were great … they either had no pour-over coffee, only one bean/roast for pour-over and/or were doing their “pour-overs” by machine (so … drip-coffee then …). And the resultant coffee, while smooth, with good body, and no bitterness, was, in every case, just tasted like basic, regular, coffee.
No sweetness, no fruit, no acidity, no complexity or nuance AT ALL.
I have to believe there are better options out there.
Especially if I, as someone noobie-duffer to all this, can take a single bean/roast and extract/emphasize/minimize different flavors out of it just by varying how much I pour, the timing, and how much agitation I create.
This is my in-laws favorite coffee. Whenever they make the 5 hour drive from up North to visit us, we swing by El Rays Mexican grocery store to basically purchase every bag or can that they have. I’ll admit, Yaucono sure goes down smooth!
Thanks for the recommendation. I will have to try it.
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I drink everything under the sun and love all types of coffee. Even the burnt Starbucks stuff that people shy away from. Lavazaa fan. I even will cut my expensive coffee with Folgers. (But yes Folgers does not taste good on it’s own.)
You’ll try that recommendation but not mine for the Kauai varietals. Been drinking Poplu Estate Peaberry all week. Or my touting Old City Coffee Company in Philadelphia. Their Balzac blend is a great daily choice.
Here on the Big Island we’ve got 4 main coffee regions and they’re all slightly different. Kona and Ka’u get all the attention, but in the Puna district where I live, the coffee is usually much cheaper and my preferred type. Some of the Big Island Coffee Roasters Puna coffees have very high scoring reviews. I mostly drink espresso now with my Elektra Microcasa a Leva lever pull machine, and no Hawaiian coffee makes good espresso.
Sounds like good stuff. But at $30 for 4 oz. I don’t think I can afford these Puna coffees. Illy coffee is my go to coffee of choice when I feel like spending the big $$$ at $1.25 / Ounce.
Yeah that’s nutty. There are some in the same region under $40/lb but even that’s too expensive for me. Until recently I had been buying from the same grower for 17 years for under $20.
And this one is in the “Susquehanna Room” as I call our windowless conference and break room. Where we can offer, but control what’s going on.
We’re real happy with the performance once we got familiar with the options. Philips 4300 LatteGo. Loaded with 1/2 milk and 1/2 half and half. Right now it has these beans loaded.
For those of you who are fans of French Press, I’ve been meaning to recommend the Fellow Clara for a while.
It makes the best press pot coffee I’ve had. I’ve compared it with both Bodum (I have several) and the Mueller press pot, which both make excellent coffee.
The Clara has more subtle flavor extraction somehow, and it has noticeably less fines or “grit” that settles in the bottom of your cup. The mesh filters out more, and its design allows little to no leakage of fines around the screen.
Its only downside is it’s kind of pricey, and you have to hand wash it. I do put the plunger through the dishwasher top rack with no ill effects though.
Fellow makes (well, designs) great stuff, I have their Ode 2 grinder and Corvo EKG kettle, also excellent products.
Hey, #1 is a K-2500 commercial model. With a programmable screen saver. Actually makes drinkable coffee with 2 K-cups strong setting and 4 or 6 ounce servings in a 12 oz mug.
Love the design of this gear! I’ve been a long time french press fan but have strayed away due to awkward ergonomics of the gear I’ve previously owned and used (most have been trashed by now). The matching electric kettle is great as well… would be great as double duty for loose leaf green tea which I’ve been getting into more lately and alternate between 50/50 most weeks. As an aside, I’ve found the naturally occurring L-Theanine in loose leaf green tea is wonderfully synergistic and mood uplifting combined with a strong tea brew. Taking L-Theanine supplements with black coffee isn’t quite the same.
My basic daily driver coffee routine has been aimed around simplicity/functionality. I’ve tried Mokka, French press, pour over, etc, but ultimately found the convenience of a good drip machine better meets the needs of my sleep-drunk morning brain. For that, I’ve highly enjoyed the Bonavita Connoisuer. I’ve found it makes the perfect brew reliably every time and does a great job at extracting flavor notes from different blends due to the temperature control and drip pattern. The insulated stainless pot is also great - coffee stays hot for 4-6 hours and is still moderately warm 10-12 hours later without any adding heat (burning). Good from a daily efficiency POV if you drink several cups throughout the day.
In summer time I typically switch to making cold brew concentrate using the wonderful CoffeeSock and 1 gallon mason dispenser with spigot. Cold brew’s lower acidity can be a game-changer the heartburn is flaring up. Not to mention the DIY economic benefits for the amount of coffee I consume daily. Having ready to drink cold brew for a week or two at a time is wonderful. I’d love to eventually get a nitro keg setup, but am not quite there… yet…
EDIT: Looks like the Bonvita Connoisuer’s been retired and replaced with the Enthusiast: Enthusiast Coffee Brewer – Bonavita. Looks largely the same with some minor design and feature changes.
