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Taking the plunge

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  • muppet_man67
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    maybe its my brewing method, but I dont find FP as sweet as espresso. 1/4 teaspoon of raw suger brings out some more of the fruity/spice/coco flavours.

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  • robusto
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    An update....

    As John Howard asked his MPs last week after another dip in the polls: "Is it me?"

    Im conceding it is me. Im afraid my palate is accustomed to the intensity and viscosity of espresso, and anything else is just too thin.

    It was probably palatable with a little mlk.

    Luckily french press coffee does not have to be my staple.... But I will try to better my process nonetheless.

    -Robusto

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  • robusto
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    Additional thanks to Mal and Moso. Certainly a lot to digest here, with a variety of techniques. I should try them all!

    --Robusto

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  • moso
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    Some good ideas there on grind and quantity.

    My own way with plunger:

    1. Plenty of coarse-ground coffee.
    2. Water at 85 degrees max, but everything else (cups, plunger, spoon etc) hot.
    3. Pour water very gently on to grinds and do NOT stir. Let a crust form. Pot should be insulated a bit so it can stand awhile, but not too long. The crust itself will help insulate.
    4. Plunge with a scalded plunger and push the crust of grinds so, so gently downward.
    5. This final filtration through undisturbed crust should produce a clear, sweet, hot brew.

    Giotto, vacpot, aeropress, mocha-pot, press-pot...arent  there really just two principles? Dont burn coffee and dont over-extract coffee.

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  • Bullitt
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    Originally posted by robusto link=1185713780/0#9 date=1185797790
    Thanks Luca. Youd think the proportion stays constant, but obviously not. We bought the smallest possible press, so well probably have to downdose.

    All this is making the use of espresso coffee machines a walk in the park by comparison

    -Robusto
    This is great,

    Plunger should be SO straight-forward.....
    and here we are extolling the virtues of grind size, dose amount, water volume,
    just like an Espresso machine .....more suck it and see

    Must admit I have had a range of brews from the plungers that I use,
    some have been pretty ordinary, some have been great.
    Partly because I travel around a bit for work, so often using different hot water supplies,
    also using 2 different plungers depending on where I am, and two different grinders.
    Oh and frequently changing beans....

    Sounds like you are nearly on top of it all Robusto.

    One other point to remember.....you will finish up with more caffeine in the brew,
    as discussed in other posts.

    Regards
    Bullitt

    Leave a comment:


  • Dimal
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    Yeah, its a strange one alright..... I tend to make mine much the same as Lizzis, like a bit of "punch" in the brew. As Luca discovered though, the amount of coffee you use "per cup" doesnt seem to be linear. In order to maintain the same flavour intensity for additional cups, you dont need to use as much coffee per cup, for example....
    When making a brew for my son and me, I generally use about 35 grams total but when theres just me to cater for I use about 20-21 grams to achieve the same level and richness of flavour.

    Mind you, when brewing for two at this nominal grind setting (Castor Sugar/Coarse Salt), the plunger resistance is relatively high and using the same grind for a single brew results in the plunger being much easier to depress so maybe I should be grinding finer for a single brew :-?.... nothings ever as simple as it first appears :-/,

    Mal.

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  • robusto
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    Thanks Luca. Youd think the proportion stays constant, but obviously not. We bought the smallest possible press, so well probably have to downdose.

    All this is making the use of espresso coffee machines a walk in the park by comparison

    -Robusto

    Leave a comment:


  • Lizzie
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    yep, i would agree with Luca there, Robusto, the 25gm per 300ml makes for an intense drink!!
    i will admit i like drinking my FP coffee "with hairs on"....

    L

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  • luca
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    Hi Robusto,

    I ran a "cupping" course for some friends using only french presses a few weekends ago. I found that the sweet spot was 54g for a "6 cup" french press, with a very coarse grind, a 3-4 minute steep time and water starting at around about 95C. When I tried out a "3 cup" french press, using 1/2 that amount seemed to make the brew too intense, masking some of the flavour ... I think that something like 18g was probably right.

    Hope that helps,

    Luca

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  • robusto
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    Thanks again, Muppetman, Lizzi. Looks like the sink is going to be the beneficiary of my experimentation for a while.

    Also, the quantity: having to drink in excess of 60 mls is going to be a novelty.

    The things we are compelled to do in the name of...curiosity.

    -Robusto

    Leave a comment:


  • Lizzie
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    Robusto, the "average" is 10 gm per cup, 300 ml plunger generally 2 average cups=20 gm.
    i use 25-30 gms of coffee for my 300ml plunger, that give me a biiig, full-bodied cup, 250ml.

    the Rocky is sitting at 8-9 for espresso, and 20-22 for the plunger, although i have had it at 35 for dark roasted beans with oil.
    my grind level is such that i get a significant amount of resistance, i have to really "lean into" the plunger... too little resistance and the grind is too course.

    i suppose the way to start would be to pick a quantity of coffee you think would be enough for your (2?) cups, and start with a grind which produces caster sugar... and work your way up or down from there.

    L

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  • muppet_man67
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    a good rule is you want to find the finest grind possible, where when you push the plunger down you dont feel any resistance. otherwise, go to a coffee roaster and ask them to grind some plunger for you so you know what to aim for.

    Leave a comment:


  • robusto
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    Thats all very good advice. I am in much need of it.

    What does a 20 - 28 on a Rocky equate to -- I gather it is rather coarse.

    Is there a non-Rocky way to adjusts grind, something along the lines of "if you get a 10" gusher from the portafilter, that is just right for the plunger."..?

    Is there a grams of grinds per volume of water? rule

    -Robusto

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  • Bullitt
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    I regularly use a plunger when at work.

    I usually add milk,
    either like a normal instant coffee, (but tastes better),
    or here at the office, we have a boiler that we can steam milk with,
    a relatively strong plunger brew,
    with steamed milk,
    (havent mastered microfoam with the the 4 hole tip yet) isnt bad

    Generally I use about 10g per person, with my Rocky which has true zero pretty close to zero on the dial, I typically grind around 28 - 30 setting,
    or use my old hand grinder which isnt as good,
    but does allow me to grind just before I make the brew

    Generally I am trying to get grind as fine as I can, while still allowing reasonable resistance to pushing plunger down. (If too easy to plunge grind finer, etc)

    I find that stirring the brew for up to 90 seconds helps with the brewing, and then wait no more than another 30 seconds or so before plunging.

    Regards
    Bullitt

    Leave a comment:


  • Lizzie
    replied
    Re: Taking the plunge

    great stuff, Robusto... 8-)

    not wanting to teach you how to suck eggs, but:
    maybe the quantity of coffee needs to be upped a bit to get the richness/depth of flavour you want: i use about "2 very fat fingers worth" in my 300 ml plunger, with the grind on the Rocky set at 20.
    also, pressing down very firmly (instead of gently pushing ) improved the flavour considerably, probably because the force of the water passing through the mesh helped release the volatile oils.
    i dont rest my brew, but pour immediately.... again, IMHO the flavour is fuller that way.
    perfect decaf evening succour....

    L

    Leave a comment:

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