<p>Hey, that sounds good!</p>
<p>xiggi, thanks for these tips. I plan on trying out different types of coffee, and different grinds. I just never did since I enjoy my drip coffee.</p>
<p>If you like coffee, it’s fun to experiment with different blends and brands, as well as different methods.
After a vacation in Hawaii several years ago where the French press was brought to our table full of the best Kona coffee we’d ever tasted, we were hooked on that method for awhile. It’s fun, but best if you’re only making a couple of cups at a time. Then last fall after drinking Illy brand espresso all throughout Italy, we were enchanted with Illy coffee, which you can find here at upscale markets and Whole Foods. There are so many great blends and brands available now!
If you’re planning on having several coffee drinkers and need six or more cups, you can get a very good result with an automatic drip coffee makers after experimenting with different blends and strengths. I think it’s important to use cold spring or filtered water as well as fresh grounds. I honestly can’t tell the difference between coffee I have ground myself and that which I grind at the store and freeze. A pound seldom lasts more than a week at our house, so I usually just grind it at the store.
The proportion of coffee to water, and the quality of the coffee as well as the water seem to make the biggest difference. So much is a matter of personal taste, which is why experimenting is the key.
At our house we like Illy’s Dark Roast Espresso (you use 1 scoop per 12 ounces instead of 6 for American style coffee), Peet’s Major Dickenson’s Blend and their French Roast. Sometimes we’ll splurge for an expensive Hawaiian Kona for a treat.</p>
<p>Here is what I do…every week when I go shopping I buy a pound of fresh coffee (the one where you pour out and put in the grinder) Make sure they look oily…that is a sign of freshness, if they have no shine their old and not worth it, that’s when I buy Seattle’s Best (that is in the aisle, I have never had a problem). Both of them are strong. Keep in the fridge or freezer doesn’t matter!</p>
<p>Now the true trick that I learned in Alaska for a great cup of Coffee…Very cold water and a clean coffee maker. To clean the coffee maker brew 1 cup of vinegar with 7 cups of water, clean the grime with a paper towel inside the water holder, and the coffee grind container…rebrew with just water 2 more times, wiping it clean each time…this removes the old grounds that become acidic). If you have an automatic coffee maker set it up the night b4, but add ice cubes with the water so they melt during the night, creating cold water!</p>
<p>If you don’t like Italian/Seattle/Alaska coffee blend the fresh with folgers/maxwell house, you will get that great brown color when milk is added, but not the jolt! </p>
<p>As everyone has stated the proportion grinds/water is taste, but the coffee really makes the difference. </p>
<p>I also have started buying the Dunkin Donuts brand at the grocery store and tastes just like if I showed up at the shop minus the donut!</p>
<p>BTW The trick for iced coffee… is to quick freeze it as soon as you make it so the acidity doesn’t come out…diluting it with ice cubes dilutes the coffee…putting 1 cup in the freezer to cool down for later on is much better.</p>
<p>I’ll chime in with our 25+ years of brewing experience. We’ve tried it all: fancy machines, espresso, french presses… and find that for us, the most consistently flavorful coffee is always made the old fashioned way: close-to-boiling water poured into a filter-lined cone and over freshly ground coffee beans.</p>
<p>katliamom, that’s exactly the method I use. I’m the only one in the house who drinks coffee regularly, so I just make myself one large mug to start my day. It’s delicious every time, and there’s very little to clean up afterwards.</p>
<p>^ the Melita pot. I just replaced my ancient Melita cone, which had holes in it after all these years, with a newer one. It’s a cheap pot but makes great coffee.</p>
<p>I had to laugh about the coffee insecurity. My grandma always drank tea, and when we went though her things after her death, we found note after note titled “how to make coffee”.</p>
<p>My other side of the family gets into arguments about coffee. Anyone else’s?</p>
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<p>You should see my mug…no lie…it holds 4 cups, think a cereal bowl with a handle…I drink it all day and by noon I am adding in ice-cubes!</p>
<p>I will admit in the winter I do like using a french press…something about it being cold and dark!</p>
<p>There are lots of ways to make good coffee (as the many interesting posts above illustrate). Be willing to experiment! I happen to prefer the French press with Peet’s ground coffees. I like Sumatran in addition to the aforementioned French Roast and Major Dickinson’s Blend. But I’ve also had good luck mixing Dunk’n Donuts with various Starbucks French Roast Coffee in drip coffeemakers. And yes, good clean water makes a big difference. Good luck. Have fun!</p>
<p>New Hope, H and I have mixed some Starbuck’s coffee and Dunkin Donuts. This is how we compromised on our different tastes in coffee, but know he just uses his K cups.</p>
<p>My H makes the coffee, and only on weekends when he’s home. Or the college boys will make it when they’re home.</p>
<p>The only thing I know is what kind I like, and it’s not dark roast. We have had great success at pleasing everyone with IKEA’s “Mellanroast.”</p>
<p>Sometimes for fun we make Turkish coffee in a little pot on the stove. Espresso grind, water, bring to a boil a few times, add sugar. Cardamom is a nice addition to the mix.</p>
<p>Well, we do have very good–and cold–water from our deep well, so I have a head start on that.</p>
<p>crossposted with mommusic</p>
<p>We were just given a Turkish coffee maker (the little copper vessel with a handle to heat over flames). Because we have a gas cooktop, I was able to make some good Turkish coffee. Very strong though–wouldn’t want to drink it in the evening, or even the afternoon! We were also given 2 tiny cups and saucers and a beautiful tray. Makes the coffee taste even better.</p>
<p>ek</p>
<p>What do you mean by a full press vs a partial press?</p>
<p>After many drip machines we’re back to using a French Press in our house again, it’s really my favorite. I personally like Starbuck’s Verona, dh prefers Kenya and when I buy other brands l like a mix of half French Roast and half Columbia.</p>
<p>For the last couple of years we’ve bought green beans and roasted our own. Don’t start, though, unless you plan to continue. It’s really hard to go back to buying (and drinking) pre-roasted.</p>
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<p>While I did not post that comment. I think that EK4 means to avoid pressing down only 1/2 the way down, pour some coffee, and then push it down later. The theory is that one should fill the pot with water and pressing it down at once to ensure that all the “used” coffee is pushed all the way down.</p>
<p>I would agree that french press is more full flavored. However, there has been research linking french press coffee to higher cholesterol levels, specifically LDL. Paper filters out the oils which contain the compound. </p>
<p>Probably not a big deal if you have normal cholesterol levels. If high, not the best idea to drink french press. </p>
<p>[How</a> Coffee Raises Cholesterol](<a href=“http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070614162223.htm]How”>How Coffee Raises Cholesterol | ScienceDaily)</p>
<p>Wow, jasmom – you roast your own coffee? I bow in admiration. So… just how different in flavor is the coffee you roast yourself? And what does it involve?</p>
<p>I don’t drink coffee and my H has one cup a day, so guess what kind of coffee maker we have–a full size, restaurant supply, two pots with warmers, Bunn coffemaker! It’s huge! H has always wanted one; he contends home brewers don’t get hot enough and after 18 years of marriage he wore me down. I must say, it’s great when we entertain–makes great coffee fast. I also enjoy doing my diner waitress schtick. “Can I warm that up for you, hon? Regular or decaf?” Yes, we have both the orange handle and the brown handle pots.</p>
<p>chintzy–that has to be great for parties! I’ve never yet been able to make enough coffee fast enough for even a medium sized group of people using a regular, home-coffee machine.</p>
<p>Cute re: the colored handles!</p>