A question for the French Press coffee maker users

[Mr.Mow]

Honestly, I think preparation and beans are bigger factors than whether the coffee has been ground in the last 20 minutes. It's a factor, but I don't mind grinding coffee a week in advance. Now, coffee that is ground, packed, and shipped has always been disappointing to me, even when they use those magic bags with the 1 way valves... (which prevent the bag from blowing up btw.)

 

 

Yeah but still let all the goodness out!!

I know what you are saying about Starbucks, here in Melbourne we have always had a really strong cafe thing going, its very easy to get really good coffee everywhere (thanks to a big italian/greek community), but still I see people scoffing down the mega jumbo decaff skinny caramel mocha lattes while fantastic coffee shops are just next door..

 

But.. people here are learning! Starbucks have been closing stores here in Melbourne due to lack of business..

You guys have some great roasters in the States, especially it seems in Seattle.. I guess Starbucks wins via pure numbers though.. brute force.

[Mr.Mow]

In the nicest possible way, the whole barista thing is truly over the top, a way to make people blow money on coffee. Making good coffee isn't rocket science. You need very hot limestone free water (not boiling), well roasted beans (not burnt), regular grinding. Expresso machine needs to push a lot of pressure very quickly. That's about it. Quality and diversity come from good beans. They guy pressing the buttons on the boiler isn't very important.

Sure its not rocket science.. But there is a fair bit more to it than just pushing buttons.. If that was the case great coffee would be easy to get everywhere.

But thats like saying wine making isn't rocket science either.. pretty easy to make some bloody awful wine! (look at us Australians, we have become masters of marketing crappy beer and wine to the world!)

[BEAD]

Sure its not rocket science.. But there is a fair bit more to it than just pushing buttons.. If that was the case great coffee would be easy to get everywhere. But thats like saying wine making isn't rocket science either.. pretty easy to make some bloody awful wine! (look at us Australians, we have become masters of marketing crappy beer and wine to the world!)

Some of your crappy wine is very drinkable, although most of it is a bit sweet.

Your crappy beer is awful, and should be consumed by nobody.

[Jazz Ad]

I think wine is more complicated than rocket science.

Coffee's not. Good beans, that's it

There are some very good wines in Australia BTW.

[BEAD]

Quality and diversity come from good beans. They guy pressing the buttons on the boiler isn't very important.

*spent years perfecting his dry soy cappuccino steaming technique*

[Mr.Mow]

Some of your crappy wine is very drinkable, although most of it is a bit sweet. Your crappy beer is awful, and should be consumed by nobody.

he he.. you know the {censored} we send over is not what we drink here! I was shocked to see Fosters everywhere in the US.. NO ONE here drinks that crap!

[Mr.Mow]

I think wine is more complicated than rocket science. Coffee's not. Good beans, that's it There are some very good wines in Australia BTW.

I dunno.. Without even getting into the roasting side (which is a whole different thing).. being able to understand moisture levels in the beans to adjust the grind (which can change throughout the day), temperature levels in the machine, adjust the tamp (how hard you press the grind) based on said things.. Epecially when you get into the lever style machines.

I've watched old baristas at work in Italy and theres an awful lot of experience going on there that blows my mind, a lot of sublety that only years of practice can achieve. Coffee from some of these guys was bordering on biblical.. it was like a lightbulb .. oh so THIS is what its about.. Like a fine scotch or something!

Like playing the Bass right? Easy to pickup, but a life time to master.. or something?!

[bholder]

Around here, grinders pretty much belong to the past. It's easy to get very good ground coffee in airtight containers. Grinding is too much of an hassle for the little it brings in terms of quality. I'd pass on the grinder and use the money to get better coffee in the first place. If nothing else, Starbucks made USA realize that coffee wasn't supposed to be tasteless colored water.

 

 

Starbucks made me realize coffee wasn't supposed to be burnt charcoal crap. I can't believe you think that's good coffee. Overpriced. overpromoted, poor quality, burnt junk.

[Jazz Ad]

I don't think Starbucks make that good of a coffee.

But it is indeed real coffee, not the crap you could find in most US bars before they developed.

[bholder]

I don't think Starbucks make that good of a coffee. But it is indeed real coffee, not the crap you could find in most US bars before they developed.

 

 

Ah, well, perhaps, but I was already into good coffee well before they hit the scene. For what it's worth, even Dunkin' Donuts had better coffee than Starbucks when they came out. Unfortunately, DD tried to "respond" to the trend and in doing so, ruined what they had. And perhaps not so strangely, the best coffee around here can currently be found in a greasy spoon old-style diner, not some self-important "barrista" place.