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Aeropress/French Press help please? - 2007/05/24 16:26Hi all,
I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this, but I found another post regarding the Aeropress on this one, so here goes...
I just got my Aeropress and a French Press, but I am a complete coffee newbie. I have a burr grinder, which seems to work fine, but my problem is that every cup of coffee I attempt to make (with either AP of FP) seems to come out bitter.
I have tried different grinds, different temperatures, different amounts of coffee/water/time...but I can't seem to get that killer combo. What am I doing wrong?
Could the beans be the problem? At the moment, the only beans I can get hold of are ones that may have been sitting at the store for a while. I'm in the UK, and it's hard to get fresh beans. I'm about to order some from a web site which will roast and post, but if that's not the problem, I don't want to get the beans until I solve it.
Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
DF
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colin
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Re:Aeropress/French Press help please? - 2007/05/24 16:30It is the beans.
Coffee beans are only good for 7-10 days after roasting... There are no exceptions.
The U.K. is notorious for bad coffee. You may need to find a local roaster over there that is willing to POST you some better bean.Colin is the Senior editor and creator of the CoffeeCrew.Com Website
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colin
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Re:Aeropress/French Press help please? - 2007/05/24 16:32Also: If you have a paper drip filter holder, try this...
Make some coffee with a paper filter and a drip cone. Make sure you water is JUST OFF THE BOIL.
Do not mess with your brew TEMP... as there is only ONE range -- 196-210F or 96 - 100 F
If your drip brew tastes bad, then all other methods will taste bad too.
I am almost convinced that your beans are the weak link!Colin is the Senior editor and creator of the CoffeeCrew.Com Website
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deadfolk
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Re:Aeropress/French Press help please? - 2007/05/24 16:40WOW - thanks for the fast response!
There is a place on the web that will post freshly roasted beans. I'll order a pack and see how I get on.
Thanks again.
DF
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dave
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Re:Aeropress/French Press help please? - 2007/05/24 17:12deadfolk,
The beans are likely responsible for at least part of your problem. Are they very dark, lots of oil on the surface of the beans? Do they smell burnt? Can you write with them? (sorry for that last one, couldn't help myself )
What make/model of burr grinder do you own? How fine are you grinding for your french press, how much coffee to water are you using, and how long do you steep the coffee before pressing?
DaveDave is an Ottawa resident and Coffee Expert
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deadfolk
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Re:Aeropress/French Press help please? - 2007/05/25 04:28Hi Dave,
Beans: Some are burnt Starbucks. Others come from a UK tea/coffee speciality chain store, but they certainly weren't roasting them on-site, so they may well be old. They are named origin, though (Monsoon Malabar, Kenyan Peaberry, etc.). I'll check for oiliness when I get home.
Grinder: Krups GVX2 I started with the middle setting and have gone about halfway in either direction (fine/coarse).
Water/Coffee: FP: 1.5 to 2 7g scoops for a 12oz mug. AP: 1 to 2 of the supplied scoops, water to 1 or 2 on the AP markings. Dilute remainder to fill 12oz mug.
Steeping: FP: 2.5 to 4 minutes
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dave
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Re:Aeropress/French Press help please? - 2007/05/25 14:35deadfolk,
I hate to say it, but it is likely that your krups grinder is contributing to the bitterness in the coffee by producing a large amount of "fines," or very small particles of coffee that become over-extracted in your brew process. The more uniform the grind, as achieved by higher quality burr grinders, the greater clarity and better taste you will achieve from your french press. The french press method is sensitive to grind quality, just like espresso or other methods.
Also, you probably want to use more coffee in your French Press (haven't used the Aeropress myself to comment, but Colin can). Try nearly TWICE as much coffee. At least 3 scoops as a minimum for your 12oz brew, and more likely 3 1/2. Using too little coffee will result in over-extracted and bitter results in the cup. Once you solve your main problem, you can adjust according to taste.
Your steep time sounds good. Experiment to find where you like your coffee best. If you are getting bitter results, even when using more coffee, try grinding coarser and/or steeping for a shorter time. Also consider using a slightly lower water temperature, for example waiting 15-20 seconds off of a low boil.
Let us know how you are making out!
DaveDave is an Ottawa resident and Coffee Expert
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dave
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Re:Aeropress/French Press help please? - 2007/05/25 14:38colin wrote: Coffee beans are only good for 7-10 days after roasting... There are no exceptions.
Just to be difficult: I would say that there are exceptions, especially for light roasts. Ask Alistair how long he rests his espresso from 49th.
As a general rule of thumb, though, not a bad place to start.Dave is an Ottawa resident and Coffee Expert
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deadfolk
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Re:Aeropress/French Press help please? - 2007/05/26 03:52Hi Dave,
I think you hit the nail right on the head. Although the beans did seem to be one problem (I got some fresher ones, and make a drinkable cup with the AP), the grinder seems to be the issue for the FP.
I tried a shop-ground bag of coffee from Starbucks, and although it wasn't the freshest in the world, the result was at least drinkable, without a hint of the bitterness. Just visually comparing the result of the coarsest grind from my Krups with the stuff ground in the shop, it is obvious that the stuff I am grinding is far finer.
Guess I need to find a better grinder!
Thanks for the help, guys...you definitely know your stuff. I would never have thought to question the grinder.
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dave
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Re:Aeropress/French Press help please? - 2007/05/26 09:28Thanks for the update and sorry for the bad news. To throw out another 'rule of thumb,' I usually suggest the following for any non-trivial coffee appliance:
"If it's being sold in a department store, it unfortunately just won't fit the bill."
The reality is that you are probably looking at close to a couple hundred dollars before you start seeing better burr grinders. In this camp, you will find grinders like the Solis Maestro, Baratza Virtuoso (though the early model I tried and use every day doesn't fare well on the coarse end of the spectrum; Colin since tested the latest redesign), refurbished higher-quality grinders, and at one time the Cunill Tranquillo at the bargain price of USD$200.
It used to be that you could get a Zassenhaus hand grinder for less money that did an amazing job, but their quality has since been questioned and they are more difficult to find. Note that many other models of hand-grinder will not be suitable (poor consistency).
FYI -- beware the Gaggia MM grinder, which isn't really any better than your Krups. The Gaggia MDF has a good burr set, but the build quality is not as good as the Rancilio Rocky (otherwise virtually the same burrs, I believe).
You can see an example of several burr sets at Ken Wilson's page, including the cheap "bean crushers" fake burrs employed on grinders like the Krups KMM30, Gaggia MM, and likely your GVX.
DaveDave is an Ottawa resident and Coffee Expert
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