Coffee makers

wilson10102018 wrote: »

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

wilson10102018 wrote: »

I don't expect any converts, but the reason an electric percolator makes the best coffee is the temperature. A french press starts out around 180F and goes down from there. By the time if is poured it is closer to 160 and that is starting with a boiling kettle.

Electric percolator superheats the water in the base (steam) and delivers very close to boiling water, over and over again. Hence the full bodied flavor not possible with a French press. If I could tell you how many lab experiments were conducted on this you would laugh out loud. But, trust me. it has been extensively researched.

By the time I drink it, it's going to be a lot less than 160F, no matter what it started out. You can't taste the coffee if you burn all your tastebuds.

Seriously, though, was the research on the temperature of the water in the different methods, or the taste of the coffee in the different methods? The hotter the water when it hits the beans, the more likely you are to extract the bitter flavors, is my understanding. There's a reason why cold brew is so popular.

Cold brew may be popular but it would never stand up in a blind tasting if compared to just about anything made conventionally and then cooled down.

The aromatic esters that come off the beans early and at lower temperature are quite acidic. Very bitter. The higher temperature extractions are quite full bodied and mild. In an instant coffee spray tower, they blow off the esters into a scrubber and discard the condensate. Some makers use the esters in secret process.

You could easily see these principles at work by tasting the french press grounds with a second flush of boiling hot water. It will be unappealingly weak. But not bitter.

I drink my coffee black, no sugar. Cold brew is so far from bitter that it's just short of too sweet to drink. And acidic and bitter are two different things, correlating to two different kinds of taste receptors.

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

wilson10102018 wrote: »

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

wilson10102018 wrote: »

I don't expect any converts, but the reason an electric percolator makes the best coffee is the temperature. A french press starts out around 180F and goes down from there. By the time if is poured it is closer to 160 and that is starting with a boiling kettle.

Electric percolator superheats the water in the base (steam) and delivers very close to boiling water, over and over again. Hence the full bodied flavor not possible with a French press. If I could tell you how many lab experiments were conducted on this you would laugh out loud. But, trust me. it has been extensively researched.

By the time I drink it, it's going to be a lot less than 160F, no matter what it started out. You can't taste the coffee if you burn all your tastebuds.

Seriously, though, was the research on the temperature of the water in the different methods, or the taste of the coffee in the different methods? The hotter the water when it hits the beans, the more likely you are to extract the bitter flavors, is my understanding. There's a reason why cold brew is so popular.

Cold brew may be popular but it would never stand up in a blind tasting if compared to just about anything made conventionally and then cooled down.

The aromatic esters that come off the beans early and at lower temperature are quite acidic. Very bitter. The higher temperature extractions are quite full bodied and mild. In an instant coffee spray tower, they blow off the esters into a scrubber and discard the condensate. Some makers use the esters in secret process.

You could easily see these principles at work by tasting the french press grounds with a second flush of boiling hot water. It will be unappealingly weak. But not bitter.

I drink my coffee black, no sugar. Cold brew is so far from bitter that it's just short of too sweet to drink. And acidic and bitter are two different things, correlating to two different kinds of taste receptors.

I don't think I said a single thing about cold brew being bitter., Its probably the opposite. Just not very good.

DancingMoosie wrote: »

I use a brew'ngo. I also have a stovetop percolator. Really thinking I should have gotten electric. It takes about 15 min to brew in my percolator, and then it is way too hot to drink for a while, and I don't have time for all that.

Whoa! I hope that includes the time it takes to bring the water up to a boil. I grind Mayorga Cubano whole beans every morning into either a three cup or two cup stove-top percolator. Yes, I have several! Once the perk starts, it's four minutes until it's done. ,

Edited to add: I also have a Brew-n-Go, but only use it if I'll be super pressed for time in the morning and will be using the to-go mug that comes with that coffee-maker.

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

wilson10102018 wrote: »

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

wilson10102018 wrote: »

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

wilson10102018 wrote: »

I don't expect any converts, but the reason an electric percolator makes the best coffee is the temperature. A french press starts out around 180F and goes down from there. By the time if is poured it is closer to 160 and that is starting with a boiling kettle.

Electric percolator superheats the water in the base (steam) and delivers very close to boiling water, over and over again. Hence the full bodied flavor not possible with a French press. If I could tell you how many lab experiments were conducted on this you would laugh out loud. But, trust me. it has been extensively researched.

By the time I drink it, it's going to be a lot less than 160F, no matter what it started out. You can't taste the coffee if you burn all your tastebuds.

Seriously, though, was the research on the temperature of the water in the different methods, or the taste of the coffee in the different methods? The hotter the water when it hits the beans, the more likely you are to extract the bitter flavors, is my understanding. There's a reason why cold brew is so popular.

Cold brew may be popular but it would never stand up in a blind tasting if compared to just about anything made conventionally and then cooled down.

The aromatic esters that come off the beans early and at lower temperature are quite acidic. Very bitter. The higher temperature extractions are quite full bodied and mild. In an instant coffee spray tower, they blow off the esters into a scrubber and discard the condensate. Some makers use the esters in secret process.

You could easily see these principles at work by tasting the french press grounds with a second flush of boiling hot water. It will be unappealingly weak. But not bitter.

I drink my coffee black, no sugar. Cold brew is so far from bitter that it's just short of too sweet to drink. And acidic and bitter are two different things, correlating to two different kinds of taste receptors.

I don't think I said a single thing about cold brew being bitter., Its probably the opposite. Just not very good.

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting, but I don't know what else this could mean.

Cold brew may be popular but it would never stand up in a blind tasting if compared to just about anything made conventionally and then cooled down.

The aromatic esters that come off the beans early and at lower temperature are quite acidic. Very bitter.

It means nothing of the kind.

MsCzar wrote: »

Am I the last person on earth to use a stove-top percolator? I own a Krups espresso machine and a good French press. I like them both, but I still prefer my ancient percolator.

I had not used one for years until two summers ago when we started going up to a friends newly purchased fishing lodge in northern Saskatchewan. It needed some work to get ready for guests that year and this year with his expected influx of guests from the US having to cancel, we went again and did further upkeep to some older cabins that he didn’t not plan on using yet. Anyway, the gas stove and perk made such nice coffee I went and found myself an old beat up enamel perk for the camping gear. Cant wait to use it this summer when car camping. Too bad it is too big for my backpacking adventures.

I have a Technivorm Moccamaster. They are great, but silly expensive. Full disclosure - I bought it for its bright school bus yellow color

Before that, I had a Hamilton Beach "professional" 4 cup (ex motel/hotel, I'm sure) coffee maker that was $4 at a thrift store. I think it brewed just as well as the Moccamaster! My husband disagrees. He LOVES the Moccamaster even though he thought I was insane to buy it.

With that said, I dislike Keurigs. My mom has one and I feel like the coffee always tastes odd & wrong.