video : You're Doing It All Wrong
How to Make Drip Coffee with Arno Holschuh
By Meredith Arthur and Eric Slatkin
Clean, hot water; freshly ground beans; and a proper drip filter (we like the porcelain ones from Sweet Maria’s, but many types are available): Good drip coffee is an attainable goal.
Love it. I've been using a cheap-o plastic cone (~$2) for about a year. People think it's so quaint (what!? no electricity?) and it does take an extra minute or two...but the coffee really IS better! AND you save counter space because there's no ugly coffee maker.
(Word to the wise: save that ugly coffee maker in case you ever have a big group in need of fast coffee. Making a lot of coffee mug by mug with the cone can be a bit of a pain when you've got other stuff happening. Of course if you really love your guests you can make batch after batch in the cone. Drip into a ceramic pot to keep it warm. What!? A cute old fashioned coffee caraf?)
Seems to me that you'd achieve the same end results (and more of the coffee oils) by using a french press rather than that paper filter. It'd be easier, too. My drip machine has been collecting dust since I bought my inexpensive Bodum FP.
I brew a quart at a time right into a glass-lined vacuum carafe, and it lasts all day. I don't do all the pre-wetting etc., just grind the beans and fling 'em into the #6 filter just as the water comes to the boil, and pour as soon as the H20 has boiled. I pour right into the center of the cone in one continuous stream, agitating the grounds with the stream of water.
I use the cone made for thermal carafes from the Starbucks in Borders, in the interests of safety. It has an extension that goes down through the mouth of the carafe and a smaller disk that sits right in the top. I have spent too many years making adaptive devices to get my Melitta cones to sit in the mouths of various thermoses, and they're never all that steady.
It does not function as well as the Melitta, drip-wise, so I find that if I bend a bamboo kebab skewer into a V shape and place it into the bottom of the cone under the filter, it helps the drip run through in the time I want it to. (I do not like the water to sit in the grounds, I want it in and out ASAP.)
I also, being a student, use good coffee but not the most expensive - I like the Organic Breakfast Blend from Trader Joe's. I'm not the only one who likes my coffee, by the way - I get rave reviews!
Now I suppose I should fess up and admit to a creamer addiction. As a vegetarian, I don't use dairy products, so I use the Trader Joe's Soy Creamer with some abandon. (Shake vigorously before pouring in and you'll get a nice froth.) If I were doing black coffee I'd spend more on the beans, but the creamer covers a multitude of sins.
:-D
So if you like your coffee fresh and light, no need for some of the steps in the video. I can't speak to black coffee, as I rarely drink the stuff.
Now when is Turtle Mountain going to make a proper Soy Delicious (premium soy ice cream) coffee flavor? You don't even want to be in between me and the store that day.
B
I'll stick with my French Press. Thank you!
I'd use a french press if the darn plunger went all the way to the bottom. I want to isolate the beans underneath it. Lately (that is, in the last 20 years) the only presses I've been able to find had short rods supporting the plungers, so you end up with an inch of brewed coffee sloshing around underneath the pusher, getting progressively stronger with time. I want the beans out of the picture as soon as their role is complete.
PS - my Trader Joe's beans do a nice job of blooming. I'm guessing they are packed in nitrogen and sealed as soon as they are roasted so they may even be better than ones you get in a bag. I transfer them instantly into a glass jar with a good seal immediately on opening the canister. They generally last about a week, but they bloom just beautifully even if they go longer than that.
And the more I think about it, all that pre-wetting of the filter and then the grounds and then stirring grounds and water together are unnecessary. Wetting the filter in advance, I think, makes the water go through a bit more slowly, which, this guy aside, I think most aficionados would agree, is not the best way. As for stirring, I say, get that coffee off of those beans ASAP, no need to "brew" with a drip method.
Opinions are like somethingorothers; everybody has one. No mention of the excellent Aeropress of Chemex systems? The Turks are pretty happy with their system that has no resemblance to the one shown. Pretty much the height of arrogance to say "My way is right and anything else is wrong".
And I won't mention the young gentleman's skill with a razor.
I inherited a wonderful pottery coffee pot with ceramic filter top .. My dad bought it for my mom in 1976... very cool... Now I have inspiration to use it.. I will show all my pot too. :) Just need to go take a pic. :)
Ooh, I'm jealous, mama who loves to cook . . . I always wanted one of those! I should bite the bullet and get one. They're lovely!
B
I wonder if plastic tastes different than the ceramic drip filter?
I doubt there's a big difference in taste. But the plastic filters always stain so horribly.
The coffee doesn't even touch the plastic for that long. I'm no expert, but I can't taste the difference. My filter cone is black: it may be stained, but who can tell?
The ceramic one's are prettier, though.
BTW: I bought my plastic cone @ Sur La Table
http://www.surlatable.com/product/cof...
$2.95
It's also perfect for making cold-brewed coffee a la the Toddy:
http://www.toddycafe.com/
Chow should do a piece on Cold Brewing!
Until then the NYTimes will have to do:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/din...
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/din...
Oh wait...they did:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/415802
2 to 4 minutes is taking too long. I want my coffee hot.
No wonder I could never get a hot satisfying coffee drink from blue bottle. just my opinion.
So I read up on the cold brewing thing, and it just seems so very wrong . . . I used to find coffee too acidic but not since starting to use Melitta more years ago than I care to mention. I think that keeping the water in contact with the grounds for minimum time yields a very low-acid brew.
Also, part of the coffee experience for me is the aroma of brewing coffee, something you wouldn't get with the cold brewing.
Gotta agree with a few of the other comments here, the french press is the way to go.
That is absurd. I'm all for good tasting coffee, but...
Beans which are only 2-3 days old? Where are you going to get those and how are you going to drink a whole bag of coffee in just 3 days?
And all that crap with the filter over your cup and boiling water and pre-rinsing the filter and pre-wetting the beans and then stirring?
I grind my beans with a nice grinder I bought, and maybe I'd use a french press if I felt like waiting for a pot of water to boil.
Speaking of which, it's convenient how he left the boil time out of the equation, since my coffee maker really does make me single cups of coffee in 2 minutes, including heating the water.
I don't know if the water it heats is precisely the right temperature, but since I can't get beans which are less than 3 days old, it probably doesn't matter.
I think what matters a lot more in regards to flavor is:
1. Using the right amount of coffee.
2. Using the right type of coffee.
I often use sumatran or breakfast blend green mountain brand. Sumatran is surupy and sweet. But sometimes I like something a bit lighter. I tried a brand called Explorer's Bounty which had organic ethiopean beans recently, and the package said it had fruity notes, but all I tasted was horrid bitterness.
3. Don't leave the coffee on the hot plate. Don't reheat the coffee in the microwave. These both make it bitter.
These things this fellow suggests may make the coffee taste better, but I question exaclty how much better they make it taste. I suspect that at best if all the other things I mention are just right, this will give you maybe something that tastes 5% better, which I'm simply not going to notice.
Thanks! Someone should link this video from every one of those
incredible "should I buy a $2000 built-in espresso machine" threads
over on the cookware board.
In my experience, there's no discernible difference between a good
plastic and a porcelain cone. BUT, there are two types of plastic
cones: one has a single hole and the other has three holes. The
three-holers are NOT good at all because the coffee drains through
too fast. Get a one-hole.
French presses are good but they produce distinctly french pressed
coffee -- the coarser screen filter allows more sediment in the
resulting coffee. Which is certainly enjoyable but is way off in a
different direction from what this video seems to be trying to do:
help people who are already making drip coffee continue to make
drip coffee but refining some of their techniques.
Another reason to pre-wet the filter with a pour of hot water is it
also pre-heats the cone and the mug. It's not clear if "foodie monster"
was just tossing in a random slam at Blue Bottle or if she has a
real concern with non-scalding beverages, but by pre-heating the
cone and mug, the coffee stays nice and hot through the brewing
process.
I've been using a chemex for about four years now and wouldn't go back to any other method. As to the French press, not only is the murky coffee the method produces nasty, the small particles are reputed to increase the risk of cancer.. so you end up having to filter it any way. I tossed my French press after getting fed up with it. I owe a great debt to my friend Simon who introduced me to the wonderful chemex.
Yup, this is the right technique. I use a combination of plastic cone and a gold-plated reusable metal filter, and my favourite beans are Santropol Espresso Noir fair-trade (roasted locally in Montreal)...
I have a lovely 1970s Charlescraft espresso maker that gets the most use, though. I have to say there's nothing like a machine that actually heats the water, compared to modern "vac-u-boil" machines. We have a Keurig coffee-pod machine at work and while it's efficient, it tastes nothing like fresh... I can't help but wonder if I'm not getting a little bit of foil and melted plastic in each cup, too, which is why the Starbucks downstairs has been seeing more of my business.
Bumping this thread since it appears to be featured all of a sudden and I'm just now seeing it for first time.
For those that prefer a Chemex, Arno's method is basically the same thing (as long as you're using 200F water). Only real difference is the Chemex filter vs. the Melitta or Filtropa or TJs. As the Chemex filters are pretty expensive comparatively, brewing one cup with a Chemex is a pricey luxury. If you save a good amount of the water to agitate the grounds after the initial bloom, you can skip the stirring.
However, this method is far different from a press pot. The filters in both cases trap most of the oils (and sediment). The filter results in a cleaner cup, which for many coffees, is a good thing. Particularly Centrals, Colombians and East Africans. Sumatrans generally taste better in a press. Yirgs in a pourover. Darker roasts favor the press method. Lighter roasts, where you're tasting more of the bean's nuances vs. the roast flavor, benefit from the filters.
As far as having coffee McDonald's hot, the flavors haven't come out yet. For most medium and light roasts, often the best flavors don't appear until you get below 165F or so, down to around 140F.
As far as electric brewers go, there are two very good ones that will get the water to 200F reliably: Technivorm Moccamaster and the Newco OCS-8 or OCS-12 models. Having worked with each, there are marked quality differences with these brewers and cheaper ones that do not consistently reach about 195F if they even get close. Cooler water brewing (not cold as with Toddy) leads to sourness because of underextraction. That's simply unavoidable chemistry - not an opinion.
Never trust someone who can't wear a clean, ironed shirt (yes I am assuming it's coffee on the end of the shirt but still...). I will be sticking with my french press.
I'm on a mission to find a new Chemex coffee maker. I grew up using one and somehow fell into the ease of a drip machine.
This method seems rather fiddly but it's actually quite good. There's a paper filter involved which cuts out all those harmful oils while leaving the tasty ones in. Those who will be "sticking" with their french presses beware the health risks. French pressed coffee results in higher cholesterol levels.
Do you have a source you could post re: higher cholesterol with French press coffee?!?
Yeah, but french press is also an anti-carcinogen. Choose your poison:
http://mend.endojournals.org/cgi/cont...
I miss the old days of chowhound when fearmongering posts like this
were deleted immediately. because they don't help people find good
tasting food.
Pop-sci dumb-downs of studies on rats have no real use in the
kitchen. Quiz time: margarine, good or bad? Plot your answer
against time.
Yeah, I'm doing it all wrong and will continue to do so.
I am not alert enough to make coffee. That is my husband's job on the weekend and the coffee shop's job on the weekday.
In fact, the coffee shop girls know what I want because I am incapable of articulating what I want before I have my first cup.
I am incapable of more than two pieces of coffee related jargon at once anyway, especially if I have to remember what "medium" is called at their place. They just see my bleary eyes and go "Grande House with cinnamon dolce syrup?" and I nod and thank them for catching on quickly with their regulars.
Nah homie. There is NO CHOLESTEROL in coffee. You can only get it from animal products. so, unless you are brewing pork beans, you don;t need to sweat the arteries.
librarian45,
There may be some effect of drinking coffee on the liver which produces cholesterol or alters the body's cholesterol profile in some way. Just guessing on the coffee, but I do know this: there are many ways to have high cholesterol, not all of which involve eating it. For one thing, as animals, our bodies produce it - just as the vegetarian animals that people eat produce it. Even a vegan can have high cholesterol, or an unfavorable HDL:LDL ratio.
Purifying water, boiling it, grinding beans, sturing them as they go thru the filter? Give me a break. I'm lucky if I remember to hit the button on my mr. coffee before I jump in the shower and if I don't I stop at dunking donuts on the way to work. I don't care how good it taste unless you're retired or work from home who has time for this.
To Arno Holschuh re his video. Thank you for the great tip using the drip method and using hot water to water down the filter and at the same heating up the carafe. That did it. I tried that method once before but used cold water and it didn't change anything. I was on a search for an answer as to where is that Coffee Fragrance? The smell that I was getting was like a thick foggy smell. Even the taste had somewhat of a dense taste. and yes, I was grinding my own beans.
It was your tip to water down the filter with the almost boiling water. Oh my!. I tried that this morning, walked away after setting up the Mr Coffee, and really forgot about it. All of a sudden I said, Coffee! I smell real coffee! That did it. The taste of the coffee was better. I used Melitta Manual Drip for years and then for whatever reason went the Mr Coffee route, probably because it was the color of the coffeemaker that caught my eye and even tried Percolator again. Still couldn't get the fragrance. The secret is the hot water application to the filter, as you showed on your video.
I was asking friends do you really smell the coffee or you know the coffee is brewing and you think its a good smell of coffee. Well when I asked friends as a test, they all came back with, when I leave the room and then coming back I can smell coffee brewing but really none said they REALLY had the coffee house fragrance of real clear coffee. THANK YOU. THANK YOU!
People out there wet that filter with the almost boiled water. What a difference!
Who knows I may even go back to the Melitta Manual Method. Back to basics is always good. Somewhere in the closet I have a ceramic filter holder. I'll try that next Arno. Thank you again.
I CAN smell the coffee!
I like the French Press Method too, but sediment flows through the metal screen, however, you can always run the coffee back through a filter immediately afterwards.
Also, it can be a bit of a mess cleaning up the wet coffee grounds from the French Press.
So, here is a simple method.
First, for those of you who believe that Drip Coffee Makers don't make the water hot enough, you can always boil your water or find a particular Drip Coffee maker that does make the water hot enough.
Here is a simple method which to me is just as good or better than the French Press.
Let's assume that you are making 8 cups of coffee based on 6 ounces per cup.
That would be 8 Tablespoons of Coffee and 48 oz. of water based on 8 cups at 6 ounces each.
With and automatic Drip Maker with a CONE Basket and Filter........The one that stops dripping when you pull the carafe out. This is the important part. So, make sure it automatically stops when removing the carafe.
Now if boiling your water separately from the coffee maker.
Place your Cone filter into the Basket. Place you 8 Tablespoons of Coffee. Leave the Basket in the swung out position. Also, keep the carafe out of the coffee maker for now.
Pour approx. 16 ounces of hot water into the basket. Just make sure you know at what point, there is enough water in your basket without it overflowing. Some baskets have a little run of valve on the side in case the water gets too high. Remember,at this point your basket is still swung out. Now, if you carafe is not in place, you can safely swing the basket back into place.
It may take the full 16 ounces, it may not. Find this out before you try this the first time.
So, now your hot water is in the basket. Stir it. Now let the water and coffee sit (STEEP if you will) in the Basket for 5-7 minutes. Now, place your carafe into the coffee maker and let the basket drip into your carafe. Once this is finished, remove you filter with the grounds and dispose of it. Your remaining water can be added directly to your carafe.
Also, you could have boiled enough water so that you could have immediately poured your remaining 32 oz. of water into your carafe in advance.
When I use this method, I already have the remaining 32 oz. of water in the coffee maker, so that once i remove the filter and grounds, I can simply turn on the coffee maker and walk away and let the remaining water go into the carafe that way, if time is a concern.
The other method I use, is through full use of the Drip maker without boiling the water separately. Although they water may not be hot enough.
I know just how much water I can let drain into the basket from the reservoir, by using the water meter on the side of the coffee maker, knowing just how low the level should go to.
Then TURN OFF THE COFFEE MAKER.
However, with this method, I only let the coffee steep for 5 minutes because it takes roughly 2 1/2 minutes for the 16 oz. of water to drip into the basket. So, I count this time as brewing time.
You can always swing the basket out a fraction to take a peek inside too, just in case you want to brew different amounts from time to time.
This method combines the French Press method with the drip.
You can find out just what times are best for you.
With the The French Press some say to let the coffee brew for 4-5 minutes.
Since, I can't place as much water in my basket as I could into a French Press, I give it a little more time.
Now, if you have a Drip Coffee Maker with a larger Cone Basket and Filter, you can place even more hot water into it.
So, it's fairly simple.
Quick Recap
With an Auto-matic Drip maker that stops dripping when the Carafe is removed.
Swing your Basket out. Remove your Carafe. Place your Filter in the basket and add your coffee grounds.
Pour your hot water into the basket just below the point that any water can drip out. Or if you placed all of the water into the coffee makers' reservoir, let just enough water drip into the basket and then TURN THE COFFEE MAKER OFF
(Remember, some have overflow valves on the side of the basket. Don't go above that point.
Stir the water and coffee. Let it sit for 5-7 MInutes. Place the Carafe into the coffee maker with the basket in position. Let it drain. Once drained, remove the filter and grounds and disopose of it.
Add the remaining water directly to the carafe.
If you placed all of your water into the Coffee Makers reservoir........Once the basket is drained and filter and grounds removed, simply turn the coffee maker back on and let the water go through your basket without a filter in it, to add your remaining hot water.
This whole process will take less than 10 minutes of your time.
Only 5 -7 minutes of waiting time.
I like using all of the water in my Coffee makers reservoir, since the 2.5 minutes of drip time is actually factors in as some brewing time.
For me it tastes better that way. For others, they may want to pour hot water directly into the basket for better flavor. The choice is yours.
2 minutes or so of drip time..........5 minutes of brewing time. a minute or 2 to drain the basket...............Throw out the filter...........Turn on the coffee maker and let the remainder of water drain into the carafe while you walk away.
So, that is 9 minutes of time that you need to be there.
Basically the same as the French Press, because you would have to clean out the grounds from the press.
Give it a try.
It makes a HUGE difference.
YEARS of dripping have me now using the Technivorm Moccamaster. Amazing coffee with little bitterness. French press is interesting every now and then but I tire quickly of the taste.
I think drip coffee (not machine made) is much better than $10,000 Clover. I used the Donut Coffee dripper made by MINO Porcelain with very unique and invented design to brew much better coffee taste compared of all other coffee dripper. (I have heard that this dripper have been well received among the people in coffee industry in Los Angeles and New York, even past WBC).
For people who loves the specialty coffee, you JUST can't use the cheap coffee drip machine like a Mr. Coffee even you do not have a time, you should enjoy a time and smell of coffee during brewing drip coffee. I prefer to use a paper filter other than the metal filter which is taste a metal in my mouth. This video is O.K., but I do not recommend to stirring during brewing.