The BEST Cup of Coffee

[Smokin Don]

I have tried many ways to brew coffee over the years and I've drank a lot of bad coffee too! For years  Mr. Coffee was used. Then I bought a French Press; used hot water method and used that for a long time grinding my own coffee. That made pretty good coffee. Then I read where you could use the French Press to cold brew To be honest I really didn't think it was much better.

Then our son and wife had a Kurig and after drinking some of that I had to get one. After going through the sampler pack that came with it I tried some Newman's Own and that hit the taste for me. I guess I'm the oddball here but that's my story! Don

[teesquare]

French Press method and Cold Brew don't work together. Unless you left the press unit full of water steeping the coffee for AT LEAST 12 hours - and I prefer 24.....

Just like good BBQ...it takes time to get all of the best flavor from the coffee.

[muebe]

So after debating and reading tons of reviews I pulled the trigger on the OXO. I like that it has a stainless steel gold plated re-usable mesh filter and a paper media filter too that you use in combination. For $3 I got 50 disposable filters with it.

It also uses a on/off switch to drain into the carafe after steeping. No need to pull out a plug or cork. I figure less mess/fuss.

Looks simple to use and clean. Everyone really seems to like it.

What made me want one is not only Gene's opinion but the taste of the cold brewed coffee from Starbucks. They just started offering it recently and so I want to make that kind of coffee at home.

The syrup being used for other things is a plus too.

Not to detract from the Filtron but after reading up seemed the OXO is a better fit for me.

Here is a link to the OXO on Amazon for those that are interested. The price is about the same everywhere else. Prime qualified.

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Coffee-Maker-Clear/dp/B00JVSVM36/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466706967&sr=8-1&keywords=oxo+cold+brew+coffee+maker

[Pappymn]

Are you coffee people about done so we can get back to talking about meat.

[Smokin Don]

French Press method and Cold Brew don't work together. Unless you left the press unit full of water steeping the coffee for AT LEAST 12 hours - and I prefer 24.....

Just like good BBQ...it takes time to get all of the best flavor from the coffee.

Yes mine did set for 24 hours and yes Pappy I am done! Don

[hikerman]

The brand of the cold brewing system  is not as important as simply choosing to cold brew IMO. My history with Filtron is 25 years and counting. I'm sure they are all capable, as is self-styled as Pam has done. I do know of two others to avoid. One which I never saw but heard about was bought by a workfriend (who I turned on to cold brew) she loved it and bought a Filtron, but her daughter wanted the yuppie-version. It made 16 oz at a time, was a pretty aquamarine blue, and had a very stylish shape. This lasted 2 months before cracking. Sorry but don't recall the brand.
The other to avoid is Toddy. I bought one after I already had the Filtron, the toddy was going to be my camping setup. I made 3 batches before the rubber stopper cracked the bottom from the plastic being flimsy. If I were to ever get divorced my wife would want our Filtron. I would buy another Filtron in a heartbeat. It's tough, it's basic, no moving parts to wear or break and I know it will never let me down.
In 25 years of using this brand I have not once ever enjoyed a cup of coffee that wasn't cold brewed!

[muebe]

My cold brewer will be here on Saturday. I plan on having some cold brew on Sunday

[hikerman]

My cold brewer will be here on Saturday. I plan on having some cold brew on Sunday

Hope you enjoy it Mike!

[DWard51]

You can cold brew without buying one of those commercial "kits".   You just need to mix your coffee to water in about a 1/4.5 ratio (1 part coffee to about 4.5 parts water) and let it steep in a closed container for 12 to 24 hours (longer being better).  Then you can filter it through a regular paper coffee filter to get the grinds out. Or if you have a french press, it will work for most of the grinds and then run it through the finer paper filter to finish. Start with 1 part of the coffee base to 3 parts water (hot or cold) and adjust that ratio to your taste.

So if you want to try it, you can make a small batch before jumping in with both feet. 

That being said, I still use the Bunn single serve MCU (with ground Batdorf and Bronson AA Kenya most of the time) and Bonavita 1900 at the house.   I need to give this a try.  Oh, and use good quality freshly roasted beans!!!!!  Not the on sale grocery store ones.

Edit.....

I found a website with a great set of BIG how to photos (for us old guys with sucky eyes) on using the filtron unit.   Looks pretty dang easy.  I may have to test a small batch in my "mason jar" version and will probably end up investing in a Filtron (not expensive at all).

https://www.stumptowncoffee.com/brew-guides/filtron

Oh, and if you are close to a Batdorf and Bronson store or a store that carries their products, it's really good stuff.  I'm lucky, a few years back they built a East Coast roast house in Atlanta and have several store fronts here now!!!  I love picking up beans that were roasted just hours before.

https://www.batdorfcoffee.com/

[teesquare]

Dward..BAtdorf and Bronson sell the filtron...that should convince you to try it....

[DWard51]

As many times as I've been in their store on Ponce de Leon in Decatur, I guess I never noticed it.  I remember the various french press, pour over, and other coffee makers.   Next time I get low on beans, I may have to double check to see if they have one in stock.  Thanks for pointing out they carry them!

One thing I did not really understand is why the course "breadcrumb" grind?  I would think a finer grind would allow for more extraction especially since you are not concerned about the volitle compounds being extracted (takes heat).  I know grind size can tip the flavor profile of hot brew into the bitter end of the range, but it's the heat that is the main culprit for that (too much heat on too fine a grind = oils you don't want being extracted).  That's not 'supposed' to be as much of a problem with the SCAA certified brewers like the Bonavita and the Bunn.  I guess a finer grind would possibly be more of an issue with the filters though.  If you go too fine, you need pressure to flow through the grinds once they pack down.  But I would think something like a medium "drip" grind would be OK?   Any experience or thoughts on that?

[tailfeathers]

My apparently uneducated palate likes Tim Horton's.

[teesquare]

As many times as I've been in their store on Ponce de Leon in Decatur, I guess I never noticed it.  I remember the various french press, pour over, and other coffee makers.   Next time I get low on beans, I may have to double check to see if they have one in stock.  Thanks for pointing out they carry them!

One thing I did not really understand is why the course "breadcrumb" grind?  I would think a finer grind would allow for more extraction especially since you are not concerned about the volitle compounds being extracted (takes heat).  I know grind size can tip the flavor profile of hot brew into the bitter end of the range, but it's the heat that is the main culprit for that (too much heat on too fine a grind = oils you don't want being extracted).  That's not 'supposed' to be as much of a problem with the SCAA certified brewers like the Bonavita and the Bunn.  I guess a finer grind would possibly be more of an issue with the filters though.  If you go too fine, you need pressure to flow through the grinds once they pack down.  But I would think something like a medium "drip" grind would be OK?   Any experience or thoughts on that?

 ;DYeah...and it's kind of strange, funny and just embarrassing. You probably saw my post early on in this thread about what a coffee head I was. I still have several pieces of "European" barista grade  stuff..Heck - I used to find commercial Italian machines and restore them, play with them and then sell them for profit - of course...
And  - I still have my roasting equipment. TO wit.....The thing about cold brewing - is it is sorta like Sous Vide...You know how we say that with Sous Vide - the cheaper the cut of meat - the more you see how well it works? I have found that Chock Full 'O Nuts - NY Roast - ground is AWESOME.... - And Duncan Donuts ground is pretty good when cold brewed.
Now the Chock Full 'O Nuts is a medium percolator grind - and the DD is fine....The water penetrates the DD in no times - and the concentrate comes thru the filter in the Filtron with a faster rate than with the more coarsely ground Chock Full 'O Nuts!!!! I know...it seems backward. But the finer DD wets out faster - and steeps beautifully.

All of this is not to say that great quality - fresh roasted AA Peaberry or a medium-dark Sumatra would not be better.... But - it is a fair statement to say that you will be amazed how much better cheap, blends of grocery store canned coffee will be using a cold brew method. You have to try it.

[muebe]

So then what inexpensive/quality coffee should I try my first run with?

Sounds like Tee would say Dunkin Doughnuts or Chock Full O' Nuts

[sparky]

I just ordered one for my wife.  Now I need a Fulton t-shirt.