Whether to Stir or not

Not all of the coffee will remain on top, the idea is to have it imersed in the water.

A burr grinder will allow you to grind the beans just before brewing for maximum flavor without pulverizing the beans. This is because the coffee bean acts as a protective layer to retard staling. Once ground you expose a greater surface area to oxygen and also a lot of the flavorful aromatic components are lost.

Keep reading this news group and soon you will be roasting your own beans for maximum freshness.

Welcome to alt.coffee.

I think the standard procedure is to NOT stir the coffee at first. Then let it sit for some certain amount of time. Then DO stir (or swirl the pot). Then let it sit for some more time. Then press and drink. The wait times would depend on how fine you grind the coffee, the finer the grind, the less you let it sit.

For specific instructions on Press Pot brewing, see

You really should grind your own coffee, but you need a burr grinder not a whirly blade type.

-Tony-

It should not be on top of the water. It should swirl all through the water.

Buy a decent burr grinder. Look at the Bodum for an inexpensive ne, or buy one on eBay.

And the coffee should be ground quite coarse such as an American perculator grind -- if you have ever seen that garbage. This, of course, is so it will not pass through the screen.

Miles

Hello to All,

thanks for your advice, that sounds great, I am now off to investigate roasting my own beans, I love the idea of that,

I wonder will I be able to buy 'non roasted beans in Ireland'

Thanks again

Mark

regrets) and I wonder is it better to

Maybe you dont like the sediment in the brew.Have you tried a vacuum pot? They have less sediment and though you still should stir a vac pot brew you dont have to. Bodum makes a good one, and there are others out there. I would definately buy a better grinder- Solis Maestro,Bodum Antigua etc. Roasting your own is the next step up and I am sure you will be pleased with the results. The learning curve is fast and it is well worth the time and trouble IMHO.

Bon Chance

Stewart

Hopefully you will find them. Check the phone book commercial pages for coffee roasters to see if there is a local small roaster near you that would sell you a small quantity of beans -- also you will need to experiment with blending which is three-quarters of the fun. Miles

"Miles"

Hmm. Had me worried and then i checked my cafetieres. The plastic one I use at work (cleaning staff proof.......) has a plastic seal to scrape down the side of the container - not the spring type. The holes in the wire mesh are too small for salt let alone the "between salt and sugar" i suggested. My work grinder (my old Petra) is set for the grind i suggested.

The bodums i have at home have the spring circumference thing - but again the mesh are too fine for salt and the mesh scrapes the wall so the spring is not relevant. The home grinder (the 166/aka *$ barrista etc) is set slightly coarser presumably becuase i haven't changed it since i last did napolitain or Cona

The grounds of this size doesn't go through - sludge does but i reckon that is inevitable and you just don't drink the last dribble.

anyway - the alt.coffee church is broad - the important thing as barry recently said is to "just drink it".

:-)

ken

Not familiar with the plastic seals, but surprised you find the holes in the wire mesh are sufficiently fine. Mind you, I also enjoy heavy bodied coffee (and wine), and if all can settle to the bottom of the cup, that's great, providing you drink it quickly so that the particles in the cup do not continue to give up the stuff they should not.

Miles

What is a burr grinder? I have a Braun coffee grinder...

froglamp

:)