Brewing Coffee - Whats Cooking - July 18, 2011

[Featherbender]

I've had more Starbucks than I'd like to admit, and I still suck down a large Dunkin Donuts brew every morning at work...I've had Guatemalan, Kenya, Sumatra, Java, Jamaican Blue, Kona, Timor, Yirgacheffe and a dozen others (haven't had the opportunity to sample Kopi Luwak, but I wouldn't hesitate if given the chance). The only constants in the world of coffee that I've seen are these two:

1) Taste in coffee is 100% subjective.

2) There are so many variables that it's almost impossible to simply say "I like/dislike ________."

A few here have hit on a few of the unsung heroes of a good cup of coffee, but enough hasn't been made of good water, proper brewing temps, quality beans, and *especially* a proper roast. Brewing method is also important, though it isn't the black & white 'this is superior to this' that many think it is. In fact, the common household auto-drip is a perfectly acceptable brewing method that is superior to more 'authentic' methods in many respects.

All this being said, everyone, obviously, still has personal preferences. For my part, I tend to prefer darker roasts of southeast Asian, and Indian islands beans (Sumatra, Java, Timor, Papua New Guinea, etc.). Given the choice, I do prefer to have it pressed, after a longer-than-recommended steep, and preferably in a large batch. I tend to dislike African beans like Kenya and especially dislike Yirgacheffe. I like full body but low acidity. I like *some* acidity, but if my coffee has dry floral/citrus notes, I'm disappointed. I like the nutty, chocolatey, malty flavors more.

I tend to dislike Starbucks coffee more because of the harsh realities of their business than anything else. I hate having to stand in a long line for coffee, but usually that's how to get the best cup. Going when nobody is there almost guarantees that your coffee has either sat in a carafe for a few hours and (even in specialty drinks) you aren't getting a fresh roast. They roast centrally to ensure consistency, but for someone that loves fresh roasted coffee, this is consistently disappointing.

Lots of people around here love Dunkin, and while it's better than gas station coffee, to me, it's nothing to write home about...though again, i fully admit that's subjective. I suspect the blend they use incorporates a lot of mexican/central american beans, which aren't really a favorite of mine to begin with. Also, most places I've been brew too hot, and the coffee tastes kind of lousy for it. DD coffee is one of the few that a bit of cream and sugar does wonders for. For 99% of good coffee, I'm of the opinion that cream and sugar is like fruit in beer. If you dont like the taste, just dont drink it; dont try to cover it up with nonsense.

[narcodog]

There is one thing folks may not know about SB. That is they will do a press while you wait or they will do a pour over, which is hot water poured over fresh ground beans.

[Featherbender]

Did not know that...but now that I do, it'll make SB loads better for me.

Still wont be fresh roast, but far and away better than normal.

[ridgeliner]

I'm suprised that Tim Hortons hasn't been mentioned yet. Around here it is prefered over DD and SB. I'm especially surprised that our good neighbors in Canada didn't mention it. There are over 3,000 Tim Hortons in Canada and over 600 in the US. Tim Horton was a hockey player. He played many years for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He then played with the Buffalo Sabres. While playing for the Sabres, in February 1974 he was tragically killed in a car accident.

[ol' blue]

So, tell me how to brew a great, not good, pot of coffee!

I would appreciate it!

I have to disagree with part of the article. You simply won't get great pot of coffee using Folgers or equivalent coffee. The stuff is "commodity coffee" and usually aged past its prime while in a warehouse (among other issues). If you want great coffee, you need great coffee to start with, recently roasted with a short rest time after (1 week max). Variety and roast level is up to the individual. Some like it burned, I personally prefer something lighter, where the local bean variety comes through. Some like the earthy indonesian and african, while others like the smoother central american and ethiopian varieties. It appears that I fall pretty much in the opposite end of the taste preference spectrum as featherbender, but I wouldn't say his choice of beans are inferior by any means. Personal preference plays a large part of the puzzle, but you must start with quality coffee to start with.

[NJTroutbum]

I've spent my life at times drinking....and at times it seems "living" off of coffee. I drink my coffee black...no sugar...and like it bold but not overly so. I can appreciate a good cup of coffee whether it is boiled along a stream....in an elk camp....from a kwiki-mart.....or brewed at home. My only issue with coffee is that it not be burnt, nor should it be weak. I prefer coffee to be just warmer than hot water from the tap before drinking. Not too hot.

I buy fresh roasted beans at home, no more than a pound at a time so it stays fresh till the end. And I grind each pot as I use it. Always cold water.

In camp.....a 12-cup camp pot brought to boil. Dump in 1/3-cup of course ground coffee. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, pour in 1/2 cup of cold water, and let settle for about 3 more minutes.

Any time of the day is a good time for coffee.....and evenings after dinner are my favorite.

[Steven McGarthwaite]

Featherbend:

All the National Polling in the United States, for many years, have been all been in agreement that of all "Over The Counter Coffee Fresh Brewed Coffee", "Ducking Donut" Coffee is still the #1 in all the ratings..... ~Parnelli

Everyone Else"

The key message in my "Brewing Coffee" for Whats Cooking is the amount of ground coffee to the amount of "off boil" water that passes through the ground coffee, so you do not extract the "bitters" along with the "sweets"

Brewing Coffee, is a complete different subject from the Coffee Roasting process.

Last I cannot help what "Charles Kuralt" said, his words not mine! And I agree with him on weak coffee being poured down the throats of people who do not know what a properly brewed cup of coffee tastes like. And "Charles Kuralt's" remarks are from the 1960's, over 50 years ago! Times where different then, most of his "On the Road with Charles Kuralt" segments were by driving down the back roads of "America" not on the Interstate Highways.

And these 28 ounce Styrofoam cups at Super America Stations are a abomination.

For a home brewed cup or mug of "Joe" I will stay with my method of brewing, only using Folger's 100% Columbian Coffee, in a pinch I might brew some Hills Brothers or Maxwell House! But only in a pinch! ~Parnelli

PS: When on Night Guard Duty in the U.S. Army, I sometimes munched on roasted coffee beans then washed them down with a swig of water from my canteen, to avoid nodding off, which is a Court-Marshal Offense!

[Featherbender]

All the National Polling in the United States, for many years, have been all been in agreement that of all "Over The Counter Coffee Fresh Brewed Coffee", "Ducking Donut" Coffee is still the #1 in all the ratings...

If they all agreed, then they're all wrong!

Really, though, replace coffee with beer, and in a nationwide poll you're still pretty much limiting your results to the nationally available brews, and eliminating all of the (likely) vastly superior microbrews and locally distributed craft beers. Likewise, there's plenty of places tht will pour you a better coffee than DD, but they're not national chains.

That's like saying that "national polling in the US consistently agrees that Cabelas and BPS are #1 in fly fishing related sales" so they must be better than the guy with that little place on the creek that you've been visiting for decades.

[Uncle Jesse]

I My only issue with coffee is that it not be burnt, nor should it be weak.

Burnt coffee is a real issue with me, the first thing I do at a restaurant is smell the cup of coffee, if it smells burnt I ask for a fresh cup and explain it has been on the warmer too long. Most servers gladly make a new pot, the profit on a pot of coffee is pretty good about 10 cents for the coffee and 10 cents to wash the cup, sold for around $2 per cup, of course there are usually free refills.

[narcodog]

Here is something that might interest you all. Yesterday DD went public with an IPO of $16.00. Here is what A franchise will cost you. 500 K for the franchise and another 200K for working capital. That does not include the land, building, permits and on and on.

Return on first years profit 80%, depending on location.

On a side note there really can't be a national survey as DD has very few if any stores west of the Mississippi. Another item is that roasters in the east roast at different temps then those in the west. I read that somewhere when I was researching the net some time ago.