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How do you make tasty coffee at home?

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SD-Ness

Member
For years, I have bought multiple cups of coffee throughout the day at various shops—Sbux, DD, Chock full o'Nuts, etc. All types of drinks, both hot and iced.

In attempt to cut back on spending, I've tried to start making coffee at home. I have one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001G8Y2X6/?tag=neogaf0e-20

But I haven't really been digging the coffee that it's been producing. I'm not sure why. Does anyone else taste a difference in what you get at the store and what you make at home? If not, what do you think I'm doing wrong?

I've tried all sorts of beans, and while I've had some luck with certain brands, it's still not the same.
 

DJ_Lae

Member
For coffee at home you can't beat a french press. They're dirt cheap, and produce pretty damn good coffee compared to a standard drip maker. You'll need to grind the beans yourself too for freshness and so you'll have the coarser grind the press needs.

Then there are whole other avenues like cold brewing and so on but that's a bizarre hole of coffee geekery that I've avoided.
 

Arjen

Member
Although i know it's a sin in the eyes of people who like coffee i just use a senseo at home.
It's just so damn easy for making a quik cup i can deal with it not tasting that good.
Maybe you could try changing your filters? They come in different kinds and brands.
 
For years, I have bought multiple cups of coffee throughout the day at various shops—Sbux, DD, Chock full o'Nuts, etc. All types of drinks, both hot and iced.

In attempt to cut back on spending, I've tried to start making coffee at home. I have one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001G8Y2X6/?tag=neogaf0e-20

But I haven't really been digging the coffee that it's been producing. I'm not sure why. Does anyone else taste a difference in what you get at the store and what you make at home? If not, what do you think I'm doing wrong?

I've tried all sorts of beans, and while I've had some luck with certain brands, it's still not the same.

I have that same coffee maker and I enjoy the coffee it makes. Maybe I'm no connoisseur though. I like the fact that I don't have to pre-grind the beans so they stay fresh. I use like 4 scoops per cup.

Are you pressing the "1-4 cups" button when appropriate?

edit:
4 scoops for the first cup. Then 1-2 afterwards.
 
I love my Keurig but many coffee snobs hate it. Makes a consistent cup every time and I have a few k cups that I really like.
 

MisterNoisy

Member
I use the Aeropress with the Able filter disk in conjunction with my microwave and a burr grinder. If you're willing to spend the time tinkering with your variables (beans/grind, temperature, steep time, etc.), you can make a pretty good cup in under 4 minutes with a single paper towel used for cleanup.

I'll occasionally use a traditional coffee press, but only if I need to make more than one cup at a time.
 

neorej

ERMYGERD!
Although i know it's a sin in the eyes of people who like coffee i just use a senseo at home.
It's just so damn easy for making a quik cup i can deal with it not tasting that good.
Maybe you could try changing your filters? They come in different kinds and brands.

Senseo is nice, if you're used to "slootwater".

I have Nespresso at home and it's delicious, but I also use the good old percolator from time to time. My regular cup a joe comes from the old-school coffee-machine; ground coffee, filter, hot water, done.
For my next kitchen, I'm aiming for a real espresso-bar and reach god-tier-level cups of coffee.
 

Rootbeer

Banned
Learn from the best.

http://www.bluebottlecoffee.com/preparation-guide/

I prefer single-cup drip (pour over). It's very easy to master, equipment is cheap and it tastes amazing.

find a local roaster, buy fresh weekly, grind your own at home for each brew. Whole foods usually has a good selection of local stuff in their coffee section if you need something more convenient.
 

EVOL 100%

Member
Yeah, grind yourself, that can't be stressed enough. Also, keep your beans as fresh and dry as you can.

Personally, I use a espresso machine that does the job quite nicely. I buy beans from my local cafe and the coffee turns out pretty much identically.
 
I really enjoy my drip filter (either machine or just the funnel-like apparatus I pour hot water into. Trick for me is getting locally roasted beans. I don't have a grinder yet so I get the ground bag, but I hope I get a grinder for Christmas.
 
DO NOT get a Cuisinart coffee maker. I've owned 2 and they both crapped out in about a year. The on/off switch stops working (gets shorted out due to water leaks). Way too expensive for their mediocre performance.
 
omino_bialetti_mondocarosello.jpeg
 

CrankyJay

Banned
I always add 1 more tablespoon of coffee than I have cups of water for a more robust taste.

Starbucks House blend is my regular coffee at home
 

morningbus

Serious Sam is a wicked gahbidge series for chowdaheads.
No one has offered this advice yet: get better beans. You probably have a local coffee roaster that will sell you excellent quality, if somewhat slightly more expensive, beans.
 

EVOL 100%

Member
No one has offered this advice yet: get better beans. You probably have a local coffee roaster that will sell you excellent quality, if somewhat slightly more expensive, beans.

Well, that's kind of a no-brainer. :p

There isn't any need to buy super expensive shit but avoid cheap beans at all cost. Might as well drink instant coffee if you're going to cheap out.
 

therapist

Member
Have a keurig and just bought a tassimo real cheap too.

Most kcups are just awful imo , some are quite good but its rare and good lord they cost too much.

So tassimo > Keurig for me.

(50 cents a tass max vs 60-75 for kcups , which dont even taste as good)

FOr tassimo im loving the americano damn its good , kcups tullys extra bold italian roast is really nice too
 
Another common mistake people make is keeping coffee beans in the freezer. That increases moisture in the beans, making them tasteless. Keep them in an air-tight, dry container.
 
Another common mistake people make is keeping coffee beans in the freezer. That increases moisture in the beans, making them tasteless. Keep them in an air-tight, dry container.

Who would do that? I had never heard of that. Maybe it's because no one in my country does it. I thought it was common sense.

Also, seriously, Costa Rican coffee. So good. Either that or Colombian.
 

TheExodu5

Banned
virtuoso.jpg


+

AeroPressInAction.jpg


+

Fresh locally roasted coffee.

Not really a setup for saving money though. Fresh roasted coffee costs me about $18/lb, and at 20g per cup, that's nearly $1/cup. Beats anything I can get at the store though...anything but a fresh americano at a specialty shop.

I use this

8199147604.jpg




and a holder of course.

My mom has that. It makes even better coffee than the Aeropress, actually. Takes a bit more skill to use, though.

Another common mistake people make is keeping coffee beans in the freezer. That increases moisture in the beans, making them tasteless. Keep them in an air-tight, dry container.

Those people also tend to buy tasteless coffee. Any coffee you buy at the grocery store is already well beyond stale.
 

TheExodu5

Banned
I know I posted about avoiding cheaping out when it comes to beans, but Costa Rican and Colombian coffee's just too expensive :(

I've never seen locally roasted Colombian beans before. I had always assumed Colombian beans are cheap since most of the cheap coffee places claim to use that.

I was very happy with the Costa Rican coffee I bought at my local roaster though.

You sure you aren't just missing some additives?

The better the coffee, the less additives it needs. I only ever need to add milk if I screw up my brew.
 
My mom has that. It makes even better coffee than the Aeropress, actually. Takes a bit more skill to use, though.

It's the best coffee one could get. Seriously, coffee doesn't need bs machines. It's something so simple and cheap to do. And if the person needs it just add cream or what you like later.

I know I posted about avoiding cheaping out when it comes to beans, but Costa Rican and Colombian coffee's just too expensive :(

But on the rare chance you get to drink it.. Heavenly.

I've always taken it for granted because I'm from Costa Rica, I didn't know it was very expensive outside or more expensive than other brands.

It's really great coffee.
 

zoukka

Member
The better the coffee, the less additives it needs. I only ever need to add milk if I screw up my brew.

I agree, but if he likes the taste of coffee from cafes, it might be because they have added sugar or other additives to the regular coffee.
 

EVOL 100%

Member
I've never seen locally roasted Colombian beans before. I had always assumed Colombian beans are cheap since most of the cheap coffee places claim to use that.

That's probably it. Here the average decent 200g bag of coffee beans costs the equivalent of $10, while Colombian beans costs about $20. I mean, sure, it tastes incredible, but that's too expensive for me.
 

MechDX

Member
For years, I have bought multiple cups of coffee throughout the day at various shops—Sbux, DD, Chock full o'Nuts, etc. All types of drinks, both hot and iced.

In attempt to cut back on spending, I've tried to start making coffee at home. I have one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001G8Y2X6/?tag=neogaf0e-20

But I haven't really been digging the coffee that it's been producing. I'm not sure why. Does anyone else taste a difference in what you get at the store and what you make at home? If not, what do you think I'm doing wrong?

I've tried all sorts of beans, and while I've had some luck with certain brands, it's still not the same.

I have an older model of that maker. Maybe its your beans? We get ours from Sams Club. Beans are always fresh, never dried out and smell awesome.
 
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