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c/coffee-enthusiasts

18

zaranelson•5d ago

Had a Baratza Encore burr seize up on me mid-pull last Tuesday.

I was grinding some Ethiopian beans for my morning v60 and the motor just started making this awful screech then stopped completely. Took it apart and found a tiny rock stuck between the burrs. Never thought to check my beans for rocks before. Spent 2 hours cleaning everything out and reassembling. Runs fine now but I'm paranoid. Anyone else ever find random stuff in their beans?

11

shane_morgan•5d ago

Tried a French press at a diner in Tulsa and the grinds were everywhere

I ordered a French press coffee at a random diner last week and the plunger was so loose that half the grinds ended up in my cup. Now I'm wondering if I should just stick with my $20 Mr. Coffee at home. Has anyone else had a bad French press experience at a restaurant?

15

flores.mark•5d ago

French press vs pour over, I finally picked a side

I spent about three months going back and forth between a French press and a pour over setup. Every morning I'd brew one way, then the next day try the other. The French press gave me a thicker, heavier cup but I kept getting grit at the bottom. The pour over was cleaner but felt like it took too much time to get right. After 45 days of testing, I realized the pour over just made my mornings feel more deliberate and the flavor was way brighter. Anybody else find one method just clicks better for their routine?

15

henryr45•6d ago

PSA: Don't buy that $80 electric pour-over kettle

I dropped 80 bucks on a fancy temperature-controlled kettle last month and honestly my old stovetop one makes better coffee. The electric one heats unevenly and the spout drips everywhere. Anyone else go back to a basic kettle after wasting money?

18

cora813•6d ago

Friend told me my pour-over technique was "aggressive" and I had to rethink everything

She came over last week and watched me make coffee. Said I was pouring too fast and too close to the grounds. I thought I was being efficient. Turns out I was just blasting the coffee bed like a fire hose. Changed to a slower spiral pour from higher up and the flavor improved a ton. Has anyone else had someone point out a basic flaw you didn't even notice?

19

max_schmidt77•7d ago

Hot take: I was cleaning my burr grinder wrong for two years

I always washed the burrs with soap and water after every second bag of beans. Then last week a buddy who roasts coffee saw me drying them with a towel and said I was probably rusting the inner surfaces. He told me to just brush and vacuum the burrs instead. Has anyone else been scrubbing theirs down with soap this whole time?

14

andrew_baker9•9d ago

Gave up my french press for a moka pot after 8 years

I used the same french press every morning since college, but after moving to a smaller apartment with a tiny kitchen counter, it just took up too much space. The moka pot makes a stronger, thicker coffee that I actually like better now, even if it took me two weeks to get the heat right. Anyone else switch brewing methods and discover they prefer the new one?

12

grantc80•9d ago

Thought pour-over was just hipster theater until I tried one at a shop in Boise last week.

I always figured it was just overpriced drip coffee, but the clarity on that cup was something else. Anyone else get converted by a specific shop or setup?

14

parker_webb•10d ago

Picked a manual lever machine over a semi-auto for home espresso

I had to choose between a La Pavoni lever machine and a Breville Barista Pro for my home setup last month. Went with the La Pavoni because I wanted more control over pressure. Any other home espresso guys regret going full manual or find it worth the learning curve?

9

blake_kelly19•10d ago

Used to hate pre-ground coffee until the shop in Portland showed me their grinder settings

I was that guy who insisted on grinding beans fresh every single morning. Drove me crazy waiting for the kids to get out the door. Then the barista at Heart Roasters in Portland let me taste their batch brew from beans ground 4 hours earlier. I honestly couldn't tell the difference blind. She said their grinder is dialed in perfect and they store it in an airtight container. I'm not saying I'll never grind fresh again but for rushed mornings it actually works. Anyone else found a specific shop or roaster whose pre-ground blew your mind?

11

robin896•13d ago

Hit 1000 pounds of coffee roasted on my little drum machine

I've been roasting coffee in my garage for about 2 years now, just messing around with a 1 pound drum roaster I found on Craigslist in Chicago. Last Sunday I finally hit the 1000 pound mark total, which is honestly wild to think about since I started just trying to make better morning cups for myself. Most of it went to friends and a few coworkers who kept paying me in random stuff like homemade bread and old records. Has anyone else tracked their total output and had that moment where you realize you've done way more than you thought?

27

fisher.jessica•14d ago

The woman at the cafe who only drank drip coffee from a gas station thermos

I was standing in line at a local shop in Portland last month, and this woman behind me started talking about her morning ritual. She told me she brings her own gas station thermos because she thinks $6 pour-overs are a waste of money. But then she admitted she comes to this cafe every day just to smell the beans and watch the barista work. So which side wins - the experience or the actual drink? Has anyone else met someone who seems to be in two different camps at once?

23

dylanrodriguez•15d ago

The pour-over guy at the coffee cupping who got under my skin

I went to a cupping at this shop in Austin called Third Coast Roasters last month. About 20 people were there, mostly home baristas and a few cafe owners. This one guy kept making comments about everyone else's brewing methods, acting like he had it all figured out. He spent five minutes explaining why his V60 technique was superior because he pre-wets the filter with hot water from a gooseneck at exactly 205 degrees. Then he pointed at someone using a Clever Dripper and said that was for people who didn't care about flavor clarity. The room got quiet and nobody really responded. I asked him if he had ever tried a cupping spoon to taste his own water temperature, which sort of deflated his whole bit. Was this guy just insecure or is that kind of gatekeeping normal at these events? Anyone else run into a person who makes coffee feel like a competition?

23

henry_anderson54•18d ago

The barista at Blue Bottle changed my mind about pour-overs

I always thought pour-overs were just fancy drip coffee with extra steps. But last week the guy at Blue Bottle in SoHo spent 5 minutes showing me how the water flow matters, and after tasting his batch I bought a V60 on the spot. Anyone else have a coffee shop employee flip your opinion on something?

8

the_riley•19d ago

Bought a $30 hand grinder and a $300 burr grinder on the same day

I kept seeing posts about how the grinder matters more than the machine itself, so I got curious. Picked up the cheapest ceramic burr grinder at Target and also ordered a nicer hand grinder online just to see if there was a real difference. Made two cups back to back using the same beans from a local roaster downtown, same water temp, same pour method. The cheap one gave me a bunch of fines and the coffee turned out kinda muddy and bitter. The $300 one made a cleaner cup with way more sweetness and clarity. Has anyone else done a side by side test like this and been surprised at how big the gap is?

23

henryr45•20d ago

Hot take: That little coffee stand in Portland changed how I think about pour-overs

I was visiting Portland last month and stopped at this tiny coffee cart downtown, just a window on a corner. The barista handed me a pour-over that took like 6 minutes to brew and I almost walked away. But I waited and the cup was completely different from anything I've made at home. The flavor was super clean and sweet, not bitter at all. I asked what they did different and they said they use a specific grind setting and water temp that I never even think about. Now I'm questioning every cup I've made for the last 3 years. Has anyone else had a coffee experience that made you redo your whole routine?

9

logan_anderson40•21d ago

Had to pick between a burr grinder and a blade grinder for my morning routine

I spent like two weeks going back and forth on whether to drop $60 on a cheap burr grinder or just keep using my roommate's blade grinder from 2019. Finally caved and got the burr one after reading some dude on here say it changed his whole morning vibe. Has anyone else felt like the grind consistency actually made a difference in taste or is it just placebo?

1

hernandez.gavin•21d ago

Tried grinding my beans with a mortar and pestle as a joke and actually liked the result

I was camping last weekend and forgot my hand grinder at home. Used a heavy granite mortar and pestle from the camp kitchen to crush the beans for my morning brew. Took forever and the grind was super uneven, but I swear the flavor had this wild, almost spice-like complexity I've never gotten from my regular grinder. Has anyone else tried a totally different grind method and actually gotten a drinkable surprise out of it?

23

sullivan.quinn•22d ago

I finally realized why my pour over was tasting bitter

I kept getting this harsh bitterness on the tail end of my morning cup. Turns out I was pouring the water way too aggressively and agitating the grounds too much. I slowed down my pour to a gentle stream and kept the water level more steady. Now the coffee tastes smooth and clean. Has anyone else figured out they were overdoing the pour and fixed it by just backing off a bit?

14

william_craig7•25d ago

My whole pour over setup just got wrecked by a single clumsy move

I was making my morning coffee at my kitchen counter and somehow knocked my Hario V60 off the stand, shattering the ceramic dripper into like six pieces. I mean, I had just ground 22 grams of this really nice Ethiopian bean from my local spot, The Daily Grind, and the whole thing was just gone. Had to scramble and use my old French press, which was fine I guess, but it totally threw off my whole routine. Anyone else ever have a gear disaster right when you were looking forward to that perfect cup?

16

grantnelson•26d ago

Rant: My local shop ran out of my usual Ethiopian beans for a week straight

I had to try three different blends from them, and the last one tasted like burnt cardboard. What's your go-to backup bean when your favorite is gone?

4

finley_smith•26d ago

Honestly, my morning coffee went from okay to amazing after I switched to a burr grinder

Tbh, for like 6 months I was using a cheap blade grinder and my pour-overs were always kinda bitter and weak. Last week I got a Baratza Encore and started grinding fresh beans from that roaster in Seattle, Olympia Coffee. The difference is crazy, the flavor is so much cleaner and brighter now. Has anyone else had a grind upgrade make this big of a change for them?

34

garcia.mila•27d ago

I heard a barista in Portland say something that stuck with me

I was waiting for my pour-over at a small shop and the barista was talking to a regular. She said, 'I don't think about making coffee fast, I think about making time taste good.' That simple line really hit me. It made me slow down my whole morning routine today. Instead of rushing, I focused on each step of grinding and brewing. Has a simple phrase ever changed how you make your daily cup?

20

craig.parker•27d ago

My barista friend insisted I try a $15 bag of Ethiopian beans, and I was so wrong to doubt her.

She told me to grind it fresh right before brewing and use water just off the boil. I'd always bought the pre-ground stuff from the grocery store. The difference was insane. It tasted like blueberries, not just bitter water. Has anyone else had a single piece of advice completely change their morning routine?

8

the_elizabeth•29d ago

Overheard a barista in Denver say they judge people by their coffee order

I was waiting in line at this little spot last Tuesday and the barista told their coworker, 'Anyone who orders a quad shot with a splash of oat milk is having a crisis.' I ordered exactly that. It made me laugh but also think about how we put meaning into tiny choices. Has anyone else had a coffee order get a weird reaction?