Coffee, grind your own?

[DeaconKC]

Okay Ladies and Gents, who else here goes through the extra effort to grind your own beans? I have to admit that it is worth it to me to spend the extra clean up effort to get that freshest taste possible.

 

[Undertow]

I have a grinder for the honey and me, but we haven't used it yet. I'm waiting to get a hold of some really decent Brazil beans.

 

[ButteMT61]

Yep, I use a good burr grinder and fresh beans. I go between Peet's and a local roaster. It makes a difference to me. It all depends on you and your taste. I use La Pavoni lever machines which are very old-school. I enjoy the process of making and drinking!

 

[gdc]

I've been grinding for a few years. My first grinders were inexpensive blade grinders, then a Cuisinart burr and I bought a KitchenAid Pro-Line recently. A proper grinder really helps the flavor. I also roast my own beans but that's another thread.

 

[fortworthgal]

Yup, we've used a burr grinder at home for years. Myself and my husband are both big coffee drinkers.

I was given a 5 lb bag of Nicaraguan French Roast organic fair trade beans by my coworkers for Christmas. They joked it looked like I was carrying a baby, the way I was clutching it and carrying it around the office. :lol: It won't last long at my house!

 

[rue]

I have to use the grinder at the grocery store, because I use a percolator. I like 8 o'clock coffee best

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Coffee beans, pick your own from the tree?

 

[ButteMT61]

I have to use the grinder at the grocery store, because I use a percolator. I like 8 o'clock coffee best

I love the look and sounds of a percolator, but there is no better way to destroy coffee than to use one!

 

[Johnnysan]

Definitely! Not every day, but it really makes for a great pot of coffee and for special occassions, we break out the french press. We're not sold on any particular brand or roast, but have become quite fond of Cafe Brit's Dark roast.

 

[Yeps]

Coffee beans, pick your own from the tree?

For Christmas I got my father a grow your own coffee kit, with miniature greenhouse included.

 

[ButteMT61]

For Christmas I got my father a grow your own coffee kit, with miniature greenhouse included.

"Coffee"? lol

 

[Yeps]

"Coffee"? lol

Ha ha.
It's from ThinkGeek

 

[gdc]

Go Bold!

Yeps, I doubt he will get much coffee from this as one mature tree only yields a pound annually. They are beautiful plants, especially in bloom.

Here's my OCD thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTsC6JWM0qU

Beans can be found on-line or sometimes through a local shop dealing in beer brewing supplies.

I roast fairly dark, grind coarse and brew in a French Press.

Although it may look like lots of work it really is worth it! There is nothing like a great cup of coffee in the morning, noon, afternoon or evening.

 

[Tomasso]

I always grind my own and used to roast as well, though rarely these days.


This is the roaster I have; it's virtually fool proof.

[video=youtube;uwsCrH0hyuw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwsCrH0hyuw&feature=related[/video]

 

[gdc]

Roasting can be a royal pain as I can't do it indoors due to the smell. Kansas City winters make it a challenge, although it may hit 60 today!!

 

[Tomasso]

Roasting can be a royal pain as I can't do it indoors due to the smell.

I agree, it stinks. And you really don't want to do it outside where wind and cold can effect the process. I would usually use the garage. Another problem with home roasters is that the relatively small yield requires constant almost daily roasting and if you miss a couple days......

 

[skyvue]

Some of the coffee aficionados in this thread might enjoy reading my wife's work at SeriousEats.com. She writes a weekly coffee column there. Here's the first column she wrote (in April 2010), and if you search the site using her name, you'll find dozens more.

 

[ButteMT61]

Some of the coffee aficionados in this thread might enjoy reading my wife's work at SeriousEats.com. She writes a weekly coffee column there. Here's the first column she wrote (in April 2010), and if you search the site using her name, you'll find dozens more.

Very good! Will check it out. I like finding women who enjoy coffee on that level. Usually, it's men - don't know why? I can barely get my wife to have an eggnog latté over the holidays let alone like coffee.
I don't have the room/desire to roast my own (yet) but there's plenty of places where I can get great beans locally. I've been drinking it since I was ~10 years old. My father is a geologist and I started drinking "field coffee" with condensed milk as a kid. I've probably read 100 studies on coffee as it's really my only vice to speak of these days. Pretty much one of the safest things you can enjoy unless you're an elderly female with osteoporosis and drink more than 5 cups a day. I'm safe - well, only 'cause I'm not a woman lol

 

[Doctor Strange]

I grind on the weekends, usually just A&P Eight'o'Clock 100% Columbian beans, though occasionally something more exotic. (Already-ground is fine for when I stumble into the kitchen at 5:30 on weekdays! Besides, I usually don't drink more than a half cup before rushing off to work.)

Interestingly, I'm using a Waring grinder that my ex already had when I met her in 1982. Talk about well-made!

 

[gdc]

Skyvue, thank you for that nice reading. I have a Nespresso machine and Moka pot for espresso when I need a shot but never really got into that side of the habit. Espresso is a whole other world from French Press.

A.C., I experimented with a heat gun and large stainless bowl and was able to roast about two pounds in an hour.
This was done in the garage on a cool day and the result was great! However, I burned out the gun in the process so it's back to the air popper. In the winter, I take advantage of warm days and roast enough to last a few weeks. Sure, it loses some flavor but still makes a nice cup.
At under $5/lb for beans it's also a nice value.