Yet another endorsement for a conical burr grinder. I like good coffee, without believing my pallet is that sophisticated, but I recently switched from a blade grinder and couldn't believe the difference (and consistency of results, probably the main point).
Keep the blade grinder around though; they're still good for spices :)
That's because most people dilute their coffee until it's nothing else. Most people don't like coffee - they like milk and sugar.
A good cup of coffee should taste wonderful without anything added. Of course, I know nothing about making my own - the coffee shop around the corner makes fantastic coffee and espresso :)
The grind especially matters, and burr grinders can pay for themselves, if you're concerned about the rising cost of good beans (places like Stumptown, Ritual in SF, Victrola in Seattle etc. are doing coffees pitched - and priced - more like wine than coffee). Take a look inside your blade grinder sometime - odds are you'll find entire halves of beans still kicking around in there. That sure isn't getting you maximum value out of your beans.
Re:Things Worth Knowing About Coffee
by stephencelis on Friday November 13, 2009 @09:21AM
(#939995)
Most coffee is still good when it was roasted a week ago (whole-bean, of course, and true, a week is starting to push it). The problem is that plenty of places—Starbucks, etc.—sell several-month-old beans.
Re:Things Worth Knowing About Coffee
by stcredzero on Friday November 13, 2009 @11:50AM
(#940217)
Two weeks is the outside for me. A big problem is that even sitting in an airtight container, the stuff still ages.
This is exactly where I am on the coffee spectrum. Cheap everything, fresh beans, plus a $40 investment on ebay to nab a burr grinder.
Be aware that there are different kinds of burr grinder. IIRC, it is preferable to have one that holds the grinding elements/surfaces (burrs) in what is referred to as a "conical" configuration. A quick google will elucidate; sorry, I'm still waking up...
EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_preparation#Grinding
Yeah, it's good to bring that up. I got lucky on the auction and grabbed a conic burr: the Bodum Antigua.
http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&client=safari&r...
Works fantastic so far. Pretty highly recommended by me.
Re:Things Worth Knowing About Coffee
by stcredzero on Friday November 13, 2009 @07:48AM
(#939891)
I'll have to borrow a burr grinder from a friend sometime and give it a try.
However, a Burr grinder is good investment, especially if you need the finer grinds. The cheapest one you can find will do fine, however.
The blade-grinder will beat randomly around all your beans for the entire grind-time. This will kick the crap out of the aromatic oils, and you lose some flavour. The Burr grinder "crunches" each bean once and never touches it again, leaving the oils alone.