So, this looks like the start of a relatively new community (at least for me), and we surely have some new people coming over from the coffee subreddit, so let’s get some conversation going!
What’s your current favorite brew method? I’ve been really getting into my flat bottom brew lately, with the Stagg XF. I just feel it’s been a bit more forgiving than my v60, and it’s been pulling out some pretty solid tasting notes in my latest beans.
What’re y’all brewing with?
EDIT: I absolutely love the traction this post got! And I love seeing all the methods everyone is using daily. Thank you all
I like to think I know a little about coffee, but this thread shows that I don’t really know anything. My brew method? I have a shitty little $50 espresso maker I got as a birthday gift a while ago, and use that to make the best damn lattes I’ve ever had.
use that to make the best damn lattes I’ve ever had.
Hey man, that’s all that matters
Right now it’s aeropress and it will remain aeropress until I make a shit cup or have a bad morning, then it’ll switch to v60 and repeat the same process until I switch to chemex. Then, eventually we will come full circle back to aeropress and start everything all over again. The circle of life. The ouroboros of my morning coffee, if you will.
My second cup of the day is and will always be an espresso.
Nothing too fancy. Kettle and a french press.
That’s what I have done for decades.
This is the way
I’m no coffee snob. Gas station dark roast, little cream no sugar. Under a dollar in a hurry.
Hey man, sometimes you just need that bittrr punch of caffeine. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.
I roast my own, and I still buy regular old coffee from wherever sells it. No reason not to!
Bialetti Moka pot. I switched from espresso to the moka pot over a year ago and it is my favorite brew now.
My go to is my trusty v60. I used to scale and weigh everything before grinding. Now I just eyeball everything.
Great idea! I use a La Pavoni Europiccola (lever espresso machine) when I have time, Bialetti Moka pot or pour over when I don’t.
I’ve wanted a Europiccola for so long but I’ve currently had a Cafelat Robot for the last year and a half. Did you get a new one or vintage?
Ours is vintage, got super lucky and found it at Goodwill. It’s a pre-millenium model from about 1980. A little descaler and new gaskets, and it works great.
I wish it had a bigger portafilter, but it’s really not a big deal for us.
Majority pourover (Mugen most often, V60 sometimes, and I just got an Orea that I’ve used a couple of times so far), espresso if I’m feeling up to it (Uniterra Nomad), usually as a small milk drink or sometimes an aerocano, occasionally straight espresso. If I want a milk drink and don’t feel like actually dealing with espresso workflow, aramse sofi south indian filter.
I like the use of “aero”cano. I’m going to start calling it that. Thanks!
I’ve been doing a kind of play it by ear, 4:6 method. I use a scale and timer but kind of listen to the flow? I’ve been thinking about how pour overs can be like espresso, where I flow profile, and so I want to have the highest flow on the first pour after wetting. Sometimes I wet the ground twice. No swirling. Idk what I’m doing really.
Ain’t that the fun tho? The experimentation? It’s what I love about it.
AeroPress for its versatility. I also rarely use moka pot for home lattes, it’s good but not as much controllable.
I’ve got a stupidly expensive espresso machine and several stupidly expansive grinders. I used my machine every day for about 5 years. But lately I’ve been pouring water from my kettle into a plastic cone like my dad did in the 80s. Haha. Full circle. I’ve upped my bean quality though.
Hey, pour over is just a good old classic. You can’t really repeat the ritual or flavors you get with it anywhere else. And sometimes the most simple is the most enjoyable.
Cold or hot, V60 is my jam.
Manual brew? V60 and flat bottom if at home (use them alternately), Aeropress if on the road.
I know pour over is seemingly the norm at the moment but I’m still chugging along with my 10 years old Bodum stainless steel french press. Tastes fine to me and keeps the coffee hot decently long. Though I’ve been pondering to do the additional step of pouring it through a Hario filter and see if it refines the taste any further.
Just pouring into another pre-heated vessel to stop the brewing process is the move!
Might use this as an excuse to buy a second french press, thank you!
Yeah that or a thermos or a nice serving vessel is the move! just keep hot water in that while you brew your frenchpress and after you plunge, you can slowly pour it over into the pre-heated vessel! Then you won’t have a bad cup on the last one due to continuous brewing
I love my Flair Pro. I like being able to dial in my pressure profile (basically extraction flow) by hand depending on the beans or just my mood. Other wise I’m a stainless moka pot guy.
Is it easy to control the water temperature? As I heard, Flair Pro must be pre-heated to prevent temperature drops.
Yes, but it isn’t a huge deal. I just have a small pot I put the brew head in while the water heats up to a boil. When the water hits a full boil, I turn off the stove, place the brew head and mug, and then pull the shot, the little bit of time the brew head and water are removed from the heat and poured gets it close enough for me to the right temp.
EDIT: Everyone that is thinking about flair, make sure to get one with a pressure gauge. It would be impossible to know if you are using the right pressure be feel on something you have never used before.
Totally agree. My wife talked me into the pressure gauge and I have no idea how anyone can pull a great shot without it. And most of the fun is experimenting with different pressure profiles. And it’s pretty easy to preheat as @neanderthal said. I put my brew head on top of my open kettle so the steam heats it while the water starts to boil. The brew head itself is very thick and retains heat well. I saw a video that shows you do get a drop in temp over a pull which is usually 30-60 seconds for me. But also I’m at high altitude so while I have a different set of temperature issues to deal with I don’t know that I’m experiencing as dramatic a drop off.
