SingleServeCoffee.com Forums

steve771 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Posts: 84 Location: North Las Vegas

Has anyone ever tried a flavored coffee in this thing?

hoofdpijn · Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Posts: 29

The thing with me is that, while I enjoy flavored coffee, I don't drink it enough. It's mostly stale by the time get halfway through the batch. I'm inclined to think it would taste pretty darn good in this little gadget though.
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-Elliott-

Hodaka · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 1478 Location: Rolla, MO

i had been vacuum sealing my fresh roasted beans in bags and keeping them in the freezer. However, once i got my aeropress, I found I was using beans a lot quicker. I went and got some of those vacuum sealer canisters and have been using those with my beans and they work great..

i tried the mason jar attachment with my vacuum sealer and found I'd go check the jars later on and they'd have lost their seal..
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own:
* Nespresso C100 (my new toy!)
* Aerobie Aeropress
* Bunn My Cafe (home)
* Keurig Ultra B50 (going to sell!)
* 3 Senseos (2 black, 1 blue)

rasqual · Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 1

Noob to the forum, here.

Sounds like the Aeropress is selling itself pretty fast over here. Wink

One thing that has impressed me, aside from the obvious things everyone here's already been talking about, is that within bounds the Aero is pretty forgiving with respect to the classic variables of a brew. With a genuine espresso maker, for example, grind is crucial, and temperature must be precise. But the aero can achieve a superb cup even if you don't have your grind nailed perfectly, or the temperature just so.

With respect to the grind, it's simple -- if you see that the press is going too fast, just pause to allow for more extraction and vow to grind finer next time. If it's too fine, yeah, you may be in trouble. I went too far to the left on my Solis Maestro Plus and had a total clog. Five spots finer than drip is about right for me with that grinder.

I tried a whirly to achieve this fine grind at work, but that was a big mistake. The inconsistency of a whirly grind ensures a solid clog when taken that fine (the particles are much more efficient at filling space when so inconsistent).

[pause to brew one]

One other thing. With espresso, the old "pull" type makers required a lot of skill even if you were controlling the other variables. Shot quality could vary wildly. Oddly enough, I think the manual nature of the Aero makes it EASIER to get a good shot from it -- because you can quickly see and feel whether your other variables are a bit off, and compensate easily by pressing the shot more or less quickly.

Fascinating machine. Good to hear the buzz over here!

Anyone from Chicago or thereabouts?

hoofdpijn · Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Posts: 29

Thanks for the great tips rasqual and let me be the first to welcome you to the forums! I have either a Solis Maestro or a Baratza Virtuoso on my list of desires for my next (insert gift giving holiday here).

Are you happy with the Maestro?

Hodaka,

I've been eyeballing the vacuum sealers every time I go into Target but haven't bitten the bullet yet. Which one do you have?
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-Elliott-

Hodaka · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 1478 Location: Rolla, MO

steve771 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Posts: 84 Location: North Las Vegas

Well, I purchased an Aeropress. It arrived today, and I had to give it a whirl right away. I didn't have the freshest coffee, but I must say, it did a great job. The result was smooth, with no bitterness and I'm looking forward to giving it a go with a fresher grind. I'm a "cream & sugar" coffee drinker, but I did taste the coffee pre-cream, and I can honestly say that I might go black, the brew was that good. BTW, I purchased my Aeropress online at Kitchen Fantasy as they had the best price w/ shipping figured in, at least for me. My order was processed quickly and arrived well packaged. I have no previous association with Kitchen Fantasy, I just like to recognize good service when I get it.

I had bought a MyPod to handle loose coffee in my Senseo, and while the results were ok, it wasn't great. This little device is the way to go for loose coffee, at least for me.

scottdburnett · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 3

I've always been a little disappointed with my Senseo. I like two kinds of coffee most: dry cappucino/espresso with foam on top/machiattos and good flavorful dark roast drip coffee.
I can get pretty good Senseo cups with dark roast pods from Cool Beans, but was lacking in the machiatto department.
I've had the Aeropress for about 6 weeks now and I use it daily for my first cup. I can make some pretty tasty espresso shots with a fine grind dark roast bean using the 2 cup mark on the press. I then just froth a little milk or 1/2 and 1/2 with a Bonjour frother and I'm very, very happy.

I'm also impressed with the versatility. If I use a regular drip grind and enough water for 3-4 cups by the marks on the press, I can get a very nice 12 oz cup of coffee.

The thing is so easy to use and clean up is nothing. I like to cook and see making a good cup of coffee as cooking. My wife doesn't use it because she likes the simplicity of the Senseo. Anyways, it takes her a cup of coffee or two before she would even be awake enough to use the Aeropress.

4 1/2 stars.

hoofdpijn · Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Posts: 29

must....resist ....urge to.......buy milk frother.....girlfriend....will explode.....ahhhhhhhhhhhh
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-Elliott-

Bucfanmike · Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 1618 Location: Duluth, MN

hoofdpijn · Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Posts: 29

Thanks Mike!!
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-Elliott-

hoofdpijn · Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Posts: 29

Well I finally got around to picking up small cheapo french press to try out the milk frothing capabilities. I bought a small, all plastic Bodum from World Market for 13 bucks.

I'd just received a fresh bag of Major Dickasons blend from Peets so I was all good to go. First I ground up some beans while the milk was heating in the microwave and pushed a single shot through the Aeropress into one of the tiny little Senseo cups I have. I then furiously frothed the the hot milk and combined it all into a 1/3 expresso, 1/3 milk, 1/3 foam combination.

In all seriousness, it may be the best ...anything....I've ever made myself. What a treat. It's as good as anything I've gotten at Starbucks. I know the experts won't find that to be much of an endorsement but I'm as pleased as punch. I've never even TRIED to make a cappuccino before today.

So, thirty bucks for an aeropress, thirteen for the milk frothing french press coffee maker and I'm making cappucino on par with what I get at Starbucks.

Now I just have to figure out how to make those fancy designs with the foam. Laughing

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-Elliott-

scottdburnett · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 3

Thought the curious out there would be interested in seeing the aeropress in action.

This first picture is of 2 cups of water brewed with a coarser, drip style grind:
[img=http://img124.imagevenue.com/loc24/th_01044_DSC02564.JPG]

The next two pics are of three cups of water brewed through a fine, almost espresso grind:
[img=http://img131.imagevenue.com/loc24/th_01048_DSC02572.JPG]

[img=http://img136.imagevenue.com/loc24/th_01057_DSC02573.JPG]

Yummy....

hoofdpijn · Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Posts: 29

Mmmm...coffee porn. Laughing

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-Elliott-

Marci · Joined: 30 Jul 2005 Posts: 2195 Location: California

THAT...is GROSS!
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OPOD & Romeo