Converts to cold press coffee

[John Ranalletta]

We're not coffee snobs, i.e. we don't buy the coffee made from nuts excreted by an endangered monkey in Asia. However, we can tell good coffee from that brewed from pencil sharpener shavings.

 

Read an article about cold press coffee and we've been using the method for a week and I'm won over. Couldn't be easier. Mix ground coffee of choice in cold water overnight. In the AM, strain the coffee and microwave as many cups as desired. We put the coffee carafe in the frig and use from it all day.

 

Even using grocery store brand coffee, it tastes richer and more flavorful; and, I find I'm drinking fewer cups. Next we'll try distilled water to see if it's better than un-softened tap.

[Twisties]

Interesting.

[szurszewski]

Uh-oh. If you're starting to mess with the water, you'll be on to weasel-poop beans in no time. Run off to the store immediately and buy some Sanka - turn back while there is still time!

[John Ranalletta]

Jan, I supposed the water simply has more time to leach out the coffee oils than in a conventional perk setup. The coffee grounds "grow" overnight, so don't fill the soak vessel to the top.

 

We had a "gold" metal mesh filter that is supposed to replace paper filters in the conventional coffee maker. It does a great job of filtering out the grounds.

[John Ranalletta]

"Instant" coffee is the bane of mankind. The process removes all the flavor.

[Mike]

We use one of these:

 

[Bud]

"Instant" coffee is the bane of mankind. The process removes all the flavor.

 

Well Star(buck$) doesn't agree.

 

Last summer I did a 8 day Boundary Waters canoe trip with my son and some of his friends. Used a Jet Boil to heat up water for everything.

 

Had Star(buck$) Via.

 

Here is what they say on their web site.

 

At last there's an instant coffee you can enjoy at home that's as good as fresh-brewed Starbucks® coffee.

 

I would say it isn't as good as a cup of coffee in their store, but it did have decent coffee flavor.

 

But you can temper your response to my comments because I use FRAM filters on my bikes.

[John Ranalletta]

There's no accounting for tastes...buds. I'll drink it if it's the only coffee available, but I'll drink major American beers if there's no craft or European beer available.

 

Use Fram oil filter? Hell, I used to make them! Actually, I was HR Mgr at the Fram filter plant in Greenville, OH for 9 months 'til I ran away screaming from the most poorly-managed company I ever knew. Then, it was owned by Bendix.

 

The people at the Greenville plant were the best though.

[Bud]

There's no accounting for tastes...Bud. I'll drink it if it's the only coffee available, but I'll drink major American beers if there's no craft or European beer available.

 

Use Fram oil filter? Hell, I used to make them! Actually, I was HR Mgr at the Fram filter plant in Greenville, OH for 9 months 'til I ran away screaming from the most poorly-managed company I ever knew. Then, it was owned by Bendix.

 

The people at the Greenville plant were the best though.

 

Fixed it for you.

[Bud]

There's no accounting for Bud's taste. I'll drink it if it's the only coffee available, but I'll drink major American beers if there's no craft or European beer available.

 

Use Fram oil filter? Hell, I used to make them! Actually, I was HR Mgr at the Fram filter plant in Greenville, OH for 9 months 'til I ran away screaming from the most poorly-managed company I ever knew. Then, it was owned by Bendix.

 

The people at the Greenville plant were the best though.

 

Someone thought my first correction wasn't clear enough.

 

 

[beemerboy]

I use a French press to brew French Roast coarse ground beans provided by a local barista. This has been my morning ritual for almost 15 years after having been introduced to the process by a good friend. I can't imagine venturing away from this morning wake up however, having had a sample of what you describe, I can see its merits. Thanks for the reminder!

[elkroeger]

There's a million ways to skin a cat. Money's been a little tight the last few years at our house. We got off the top drawer stuff and started drinking Folgers. After a couple days - Hell, coffee's coffee. I'm living in Kona now. I've had this super expensive Kona coffee, brewed by the coffee house. As far as I can tell, it tastes like Folgers.

 

Pretty much any way to brew coffee is fine, except for the percolator and cowboy coffee. It's too easy to burn it. But then if you're using a percolator, you have other problems. If you're making cowboy coffee, you don't really give a crap about anything anyway.

 

A chemist friend of mine tells me that you're likely to not extract as much caffeine with the cold method.

[Jake]

We're not coffee snobs, i.e. we don't buy the coffee made from nuts excreted by an endangered monkey in Asia.

 

Confessed coffee snob here, guilty as charged. I was raised in a family of foodies, and older sis lived in Berkeley which was near ground zero for the current US coffee obsession. We've been grinding the stuff since the 70s. That said, I was turned on to the cold brew process a while back and have used the Toddy that Mike illustrated. Neat process, each person can vary the strength of their own cup according to their tastes, it's efficient and it's highly portable. The only thing I have found - since I am a bitter SOB - is that the coffee tends to be on the smooth side. Not a critique, just a feature.

 

I'll drink major American beers if there's no craft or European beer available.

 

I'm fine with diner coffee as I leave my coffee expectations at home, but I will not drink major Amercian beers, a man has got to have his limitations.

 

When you are next in Miami, I will treat you to a cup brewed by these folks. Truly a spoiling experience. Panther Coffee. Best enjoyed when you are wearing your BMW Whale Foreskin Riding Suit.

 

[Bud]

We're not coffee snobs, i.e. we don't buy the coffee made from nuts excreted by an endangered monkey in Asia.

 

Confessed coffee snob here, guilty as charged. I was raised in a family of foodies, and older sis lived in Berkeley which was near ground zero for the current US coffee obsession. We've been grinding the stuff since the 70s. That said, I was turned on to the cold brew process a while back and have used the Toddy that Mike illustrated. Neat process, each person can vary the strength of their own cup according to their tastes, it's efficient and it's highly portable. The only thing I have found - since I am a bitter SOB - is that the coffee tends to be on the smooth side. Not a critique, just a feature.

 

I'll drink major American beers if there's no craft or European beer available.

 

I'm fine with diner coffee as I leave my coffee expectations at home, but I will not drink major Amercian beers, a man has got to have his limitations.

 

When you are next in Miami, I will treat you to a cup brewed by these folks. Truly a spoiling experience. Panther Coffee. Best enjoyed when you are wearing your BMW Whale Foreskin Riding Suit.

 

 

 

[Bud]

Makes one wonder. Is coffee oil safe to use in a bike with a wet clutch?

 

[Glenn Reed]

Makes one wonder. Is coffee oil safe to use in a bike with a wet clutch?

 

 

There he goes again, trying to stir things up!

[ArmyGuy]

Makes one wonder. Is coffee oil safe to use in a bike with a wet clutch?

 

 

Where is the 'LIKE' button when you need one?

[4wheeldog]

But you can temper your response to my comments because I use FRAM filters on my bikes.

 

OCD (Orange can of death), or "Toughguard"?

[Bud]

But you can temper your response to my comments because I use FRAM filters on my bikes.

 

OCD (Orange can of death), or "Toughguard"?

 

Yes.

[Bud]

Makes one wonder. Is coffee oil safe to use in a bike with a wet clutch?

 

 

Where is the 'LIKE' button when you need one?

 

Your sense of humor must be as twisted as mine.

[MT Wallet]

I've been using distilled water for coffee for years. It makes a difference. Let me know how it works brewing the regular way and then with the cold method.

I recently met a flight surgeon who claims the distilled water leeches minerals out of the bones. I assumed he meant if one drank the distilled exclusively vs. drinking tap or spring water.

[Francis]

If you look at a gound of coffee under a magnifying glass you will see it looks like a sea sponge. The coffee oil is held in the pockets of the sponge. Water leaches the oil out of those pockets and you have a cup of coffee. Coffee oil is volatile so over heating the water or letting the coffee pot sit on the heating element will vaporize the the lighter oils and change the character and taste of the coffee.

 

An overnight cold water soak gives the coffee oil an opportunity to dissolve into the water. Water ratio to coffee, and how strong you like your coffee are a factor here. The real change to the coffee will occur when you heat up the water the next morning. Temperature control will be important to maintaining as much of all the coffee oils, and hence flavors, from the beans you are using. Over heat it or boil it and you lose flavor.

[Endobob]

If you look at a gound of coffee under a magnifying glass you will see it looks like a sea sponge. The coffee oil is held in the pockets of the sponge. Water leaches the oil out of those pockets and you have a cup of coffee. Coffee oil is volatile so over heating the water or letting the coffee pot sit on the heating element will vaporize the the lighter oils and change the character and taste of the coffee.

 

An overnight cold water soak gives the coffee oil an opportunity to dissolve into the water. Water ratio to coffee, and how strong you like your coffee are a factor here. The real change to the coffee will occur when you heat up the water the next morning. Temperature control will be important to maintaining as much of all the coffee oils, and hence flavors, from the beans you are using. Over heat it or boil it and you lose flavor.

 

Don't tell Bernie Echt but I like cold brew coffee. Your comments help me understand why.

 

I find cold brew coffee amazingly simple to make and that it allows me to have coffee ready to go at any time without having to buy a machine and "K" cups!