coffee for mags - a coffee roasting trip report (& free mag coffee)

[flyman683]

1) best thread ever.

2) for those of us likely to still use a decent (in terms of temperature) drip maker, how fine should we be aiming to make our grind?

Someday the grinder upgrade is on the list but right now I'm probably still sticking with my not super consistent but functioning old KitchenAid something or other burr grinder.

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[tgapp]

1) best thread ever.

2) for those of us likely to still use a decent (in terms of temperature) drip maker, how fine should we be aiming to make our grind?

Someday the grinder upgrade is on the list but right now I'm probably still sticking with my not super consistent but functioning old KitchenAid something or other burr grinder.

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thanks man! umm so in general brewed coffee should take anywhere from 2:45 to 4:30 minutes to complete. ideally in the 3-4 min range imo but I'm just a schlubb (who uses a cracked $8 plastic cone to make coffee). that obviously varies a ton with type of machine, volume of water, grams of coffee, etc.

the real answer is: follow the flavor. does your coffee taste watery and anemic? consider adding more beans. is it too sour? you're probably not brewing long enough, it's underextracted - you need to tighten your grind. is it bitter and gross? brew time is too long, or grind is too fine.

those KitchenAid burr grinders are actually pretty decent FWIW. get a machine with more stable temp if you want to upgrade.

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[AK47bp]

Man, here I am a Folgers man for so many years and now I’m woke as fuck thanks to this thread.

Bought a bag of Lavazza (?) the other day and it opened my eyes.




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[neufox47]

Man, here I am a Folgers man for so many years and now I’m woke as fuck thanks to this thread.

Bought a bag of Lavazza (?) the other day and it opened my eyes.




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You just got a dry hand job, wait till you get it in.

[jm2e]

I’d love to sample some special mag roasted coffee, but I’m still struggling to get consistent output with my new espresso setup. Until then, I’m not willing to waste tgapp’s beans. Hopefully soon.


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[AK47bp]

You just got a dry hand job, wait till you get it in.

Oh man, I know. I’ve had amazing coffee before but just never tried to make it myself.

Right now I just brew up some ground Folgers 1840 (way better than Starbucks) and chug a few cups to get me going.

My wife has one of those Nespresso machines but that’s about as fancy as I’ve done and I hate using that thing.

Caffeine is one of my favorite drugs.




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[californiagrown]

yeah i would go smaller no matter what, and i would also try with your hario.

Yep, used the handgrinder (which very obviously produces a more consistent grind size, but is a little PITA comparatively) and got a phenomenal brew. Still brewed quicker than im used to, but im not arguing with the results. I guess ill have to handgrind when using paper filters from now on.

Kinda funny how the clogging of the steel mesh filter when brewing chemex actually worked in my favor to produce good coffee from an inconsistent grind size haha. Makes sense though because, from what ive read/watched on youtube, its actually pretty difficult to overextract using an immersion method like frenchpress, or like in the case of a clogged pourover filter haha (coffee doesnt extract coffee well).




Do Folgers or Maxwell House or any other bigbox brands sell a premium bag of beans? Like if Folgers is toyota, do they make a lexus coffee? Or like how Jack Daniels makes premium versions of whiskey?

[californiagrown]

My wife has one of those Nespresso machines but that’s about as fancy as I’ve done and I hate using that thing.
]

I made mine throw hers out when she moved in with me. the only thing it was good for was frothing milk, and we just do that with a french press now.

[AK47bp]

I’ve been drinking Folgers 1840. It’s in Target next to the Starbucks and tastes a hell of a lot better.


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[tgapp]

Yep, used the handgrinder (which very obviously produces a more consistent grind size, but is a little PITA comparatively) and got a phenomenal brew. Still brewed quicker than im used to, but im not arguing with the results. I guess ill have to handgrind when using paper filters from now on.

Kinda funny how the clogging of the steel mesh filter when brewing chemex actually worked in my favor to produce good coffee from an inconsistent grind size haha. Makes sense though because, from what ive read/watched on youtube, its actually pretty difficult to overextract using an immersion method like frenchpress, or like in the case of a clogged pourover filter haha (coffee doesnt extract coffee well).




Do Folgers or Maxwell House or any other bigbox brands sell a premium bag of beans? Like if Folgers is toyota, do they make a lexus coffee? Or like how Jack Daniels makes premium versions of whiskey?

no. the problem is one of economics. big companies are set up to buy coffee by the metric fuckton - huge production that prioritizes tonnage over quality. good coffee comes from good process control; well-run farms with certain characteristics (the right shade plants, the right soil, the right elevation, etc) is how good coffee is grown. these farms are so small that their maximum lot size isn't even close to what a major roastery would consider buying.

small farms will often join co-ops together, but even those co-ops are still so tiny that they are producing 100-300 50# bags a harvest. compared to the agrabusiness of plantation-style coffee which is cranking out 5-10,000 bags, it's a wildly different story. their whole production line is geared towards economies of scale; they roast on GIANT 500kg roasters, whereas your bread and butter local roaster is using a 10kg machine.

i just took a look at 1850. they have what they call single origin - the origin is Columbia. that's like saying "this beef is from cows". the coffee is roasted by fire and ground by steel (according to their marketing). this is a good thing - it proves that Folger's has mastered the use of both fire and steel. i would be worried if their coffee was roasted by sunlight and ground by rocks - but no, we have both fire and steel going on here. pretty fucking high tech shit.

and yeah those harios are kind of a pain in the ass, i used one as a daily grinder for years. but, they do a decent job at the price.

[AK47bp]

But they are using “time-honored grinding techniques” so you know it’s good.

You don’t see that every day.


https://www.1850coffee.com/coffee


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[tgapp]

But they are using “time-honored grinding techniques” so you know it’s good.

You don’t see that every day.


https://www.1850coffee.com/coffee


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i'm sold!!

[TurxSki]

And when I compare the price with Dragonfly, it’s $65/5lb bag.

How long does 5lb bag last you?

...I remember seeing some 10oz bags being tried out on production runs at Peet's, but didn't realise they were being used. Was this in a regular grocery store?
Maybe it is a Costco thing? Seems weird when they are all about bulk tho.
I'll look at a bag of Peet's next time I'm in Raleys.




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[jm2e]

Hahaha. Yea, Peet’s at huge chain supermarket. And I’m sure they’ve got some waaay nicer shit.
Obviously, the debate gets a bit pedantic. All I know is, tgapp has me convinced it’s worth looking at expanding my horizons.


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[Doremite]

For reference - if it helps - I typically pull 5 shots a day at 18g in and I go through a lb about every 5 days

The math works on that so I am proud of my efficiency in that I don’t waste product. My grinder helps big time. Some grinders make a wasteful mess.

[jackattack]

5 shots a day? Is that a family dose?

[Doremite]

What’s your deal? You hang out online and criticize others raging addictions? Just kidding, I am at 3 and Mrs. Doremite at 2.

[schindlerpiste]

If you like Costa Rican beans:

https://www.cafebritt.com/gourmet-coffee

[jackattack]

What’s your deal? You hang out online and criticize others raging addictions? Just kidding, I am at 3 and Mrs. Doremite at 2.

It’s more of an aspirational astonishment.

[TurxSki]

All I know is, tgapp has me convinced it’s worth looking at expanding my horizons.

Groovy mang.
I just wondered if 5lbs would last you like 2 weeks? 3 weeks/month?
With 3 brews a day you'll prolly be through it quick enough.
Otherwise you're getting into the stale coffee, where to keep it bizness. (Airtight bag, can with lid, fridge, freezer, cupboard)



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[tgapp]

Groovy mang.
I just wondered if 5lbs would last you like 2 weeks? 3 weeks/month?
With 3 brews a day you'll prolly be through it quick enough.
Otherwise you're getting into the stale coffee, where to keep it bizness. (Airtight bag, can with lid, fridge, freezer, cupboard)



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gotta follow the vac seal and freeze beta. bulk coffee prices with beans that are fresher than you can get any other way.

Doremite knows what's up.

[Doremite]

gotta follow the vac seal and freeze beta. bulk coffee prices with beans that are fresher than you can get any other way.

Doremite knows what's up.

Ha! Thanks. I can blend in with the locals. Got the gear. Solid skills but I still need a true local to show me the way.

I cannot go on enough about how consistent and flat out awesome my game is right now compared to where it was at - thanks to you. FKNA Pai Mei.

[retirwntm]

What’s your deal? You hang out online and criticize others raging addictions? Just kidding, I am at 3 and Mrs. Doremite at 2.

Whoah there...you sure you’re not at 5 at the time of that post [emoji38]


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[Doremite]

Whoah there...you sure you’re not at 5 at the time of that post [emoji38]


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Total joke. Was just being silly. Was a fair question. Five a day consistently is pretty aggressive but I do wonder what I’d consume if I worked in a legit cafe. Not saying I’ve got the skills but if I did and had six figures worth of equipment at my hands each day I may be unleashed.

[Peruvian]

Is the the proper thread to give a full review of Starbucks Via instant coffee packets?