OT: The M-Fing Food Thread
- Thread starter Preston
- Start date
Cal Gal
Well-known member
Kritter
Well-known member
So i got a french press several weeks ago.
Its a freaking learning process let me tell you.
We have had a grind and brew for ages.
For those of you that have experience with a press, am i to assume you really really need to grind your own beans to get anywhere near the consistence you want?
Its a freaking learning process let me tell you.
We have had a grind and brew for ages.
For those of you that have experience with a press, am i to assume you really really need to grind your own beans to get anywhere near the consistence you want?
Cal Gal
Well-known member
Well, you know what they say about "assume." 
Seriously, though, I wish you the best with your research. I'm lazy as hell, I guess, plus my taste buds have been dulled a bit by former smoking habits; may never recover. Been lucky to have a reliable coffee source over in the City that grinds consistently according to what you would like. One of two companies in my home state that I "import" from, the other being for my olive oil.
Seriously, though, I wish you the best with your research. I'm lazy as hell, I guess, plus my taste buds have been dulled a bit by former smoking habits; may never recover. Been lucky to have a reliable coffee source over in the City that grinds consistently according to what you would like. One of two companies in my home state that I "import" from, the other being for my olive oil.
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
I used one for a bit back when I was working up north and yeah I'd definitely suggest grinding your own here. Because of the long brew time with french press you need a coarser grind (the size of sea salt was the rule of thumb but YMMV). Pre ground coffee tends to be ground for perc, so much finer. if you use that grind type in a French press it will be over extracted, which trends towards bitter and muddy tasting depending on your bean.
I switched to an aeropress after a few months fwiw.
Kritter
Well-known member
the grinding of my own would be for the option to get whatever beans i wanted. The only 'course grade' grounds i could find on my only search in stores here was starbucks lol or tim hortons... and basically fuck tim hortons... everything is bean beans beans...
and yea... there is a definite cut off time for the soak... 4 minutes is the current sweet spot..
and something else i found strange.. i have been using a milk frother for ages.. when i mixed the froth with the coffee from our grind and brew, the froth would stay frothy for the duration.. not with the press... the froth disappears in like 4 seconds.. so i'm sure there's a reason, just found that weird.
i just looked the aeropress up... is it not essentially the same thing as a french press?
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
Honestly, getting into grinding always feels like it's about broader choice of beans but you learn later how much more important grind size and grind consistency is than bean quality. I would rather drink whatever wholesale coffee Kirkland is peddling, ground properly and fresh than a much higher quality bean pre ground or ground in a cheaper grinder.
Aeropress is kind of the same idea as french press on the surface but its a much faster brew time and uses a much finer grind. brews a "cleaner" tasting cup imo.
Cal Gal
Well-known member
I've been happily using Stonehouse's house olive oil for about 8 years. Their Olio Santo is quite nice, too. Other "flavors" e.g., garlic, are good, too, but my unrefined palate is happy with oodles of the very fragrant, tasty basics. Company's woman-owned and operated, too, plus I know where the orchards are located, important because, as you know, I'm such a freak about my state, in spite of its (many) ugly warts.
Anyway, if trade relations with the US in general ever get sorted for the good, maybe you'll get try some Stonehouse products. Kinda dig the name, too.
Cal Gal
Well-known member
Haven't yet had the pleasure of Vancouver Island Sea Salt, but Iceland's Saltverk products have been a pleasant find for me. Not crazy about the idea of consuming lava, but their arctic thyme, birch smoked, seaweed, and flaked are very, very nice. Used the licorice salt on a pork roast and that worked super, too.
Kritter
Well-known member
i ordered the salt from vancouver...its better than the maldon ive been using and on par with a couple of the french fleur de sels ive tried..Haven't yet had the pleasure of Vancouver Island Sea Salt, but Iceland's Saltverk products have been a pleasant find for me. Not crazy about the idea of consuming lava, but their arctic thyme, birch smoked, seaweed, and flaked are very, very nice. Used the licorice salt on a pork roast and that worked super, too.
i checked and they sell that Saltverk on amazon.... its on my list
MindzEye
Wayward Ditch Pig
Might have to invest in a grinder
Would kill 2 birds.. we buy our beans at costco anyways
Same. Either Costco or the Amazon bulk deal when they have the ethical bean bags on sale. 4kg for 80 bucks.
If you grab a grinder, grab a used barratza off of marketplace. Probably the best entry level to the universe of good coffee grinders. There are many, many bad coffee grinders out there. Avoid the budget category entirely.
Kritter
Well-known member
Have only owned 1 grinder (years ago) and it was a piece of shit.. out here in Atlantic Canada there isn’t a big market for used barratza’s lol but I’ll do some digging
Cal Gal
Well-known member
How do you store your beans? 4kg for 80 bucks is a good deal.
CH1
The Artist Formerly Known as chiggins.
they did it for a reason
ensures consistency every time because overroasting strips away all the nuance, makes cheap beans taste the same as expensive ones, and makes their bitter brew taste the same whether you're at a Starbucks in Honk Kong or Toronto.
Besides, nobody gets coffee at Starbucks, they get coffee milkshakes. Starbucks is a dairy company as much as a coffee one.