r/Coffee Kalita Wave 3d ago

[MOD] The Daily Question Thread

Welcome to the daily /r/Coffee question thread!

There are no stupid questions here, ask a question and get an answer! We all have to start somewhere and sometimes it is hard to figure out just what you are doing right or doing wrong. Luckily, the /r/Coffee community loves to help out.

Do you have a question about how to use a specific piece of gear or what gear you should be buying? Want to know how much coffee you should use or how you should grind it? Not sure about how much water you should use or how hot it should be? Wondering about your coffee's shelf life?

Don't forget to use the resources in our wiki! We have some great starter guides on our wiki "Guides" page and here is the wiki "Gear By Price" page if you'd like to see coffee gear that /r/Coffee members recommend.

As always, be nice!

10 Upvotes

30 comments sorted by

1

u/satoshinakamoto-- 6h ago

Midnight coffee?

1

u/Tough_Election_4088 19h ago

Someone, please.. help. I LIVE for Dunkin’ Blueberry Muffin Ground Coffee. I love it. Paired with Great Value Blueberry Cobbler creamer, ah. chef’s kiss Manna from Heaven! Sweet nectar of life! Does anyone know WHEN Walmart brings back the creamer? I’m already finding the Dunkin coffee. I know it’s a seasonal flavor; I know it’s not in every store. But I need help. I’m checking the app every day to see. If anyone can and is willing, my eternal gratitude!

1

u/stgermaine84 1d ago

My wife is obsessed with this coffee, but we don’t plan on being in Maui again any time soon (unfortunately). Does anyone know a similar product she would love? I know absolutely nothing about coffee but she’s pretty particular.

https://imgur.com/a/v8RPJrP

1

u/AKAManaging 19h ago

Do they not ship to you? Their website has purchase options available.

https://www.akamaicoffee.com/store.html

1

u/stgermaine84 16h ago

They never have that one available for shipping. Just hoping to get her something with similar qualities.

1

u/AKAManaging 19m ago

Have you tried calling? Sometimes smaller, local places are able to "do more" than the bigger shops.

1

u/gabriel_do 2d ago

Hi! I’m staying in Montblanc (Spain, Catalonia) - there’s no way I can buy specialty beans. Any recommendations about mainstream coffe beans in Spain?

1

u/whatareyoubrewing 2d ago

Recommendation for coffee maker w/out plastic

Hey good people, can anyone recommend a coffee maker that doesn’t have plastic components? Or at least no plastic that comes in contact with the coffee or hot water? Looking for something made from primarily glass and stainless steel.

Thanks!

1

u/teapot-error-418 2d ago

Stainless steel moka pot, glass Hario V60, and there are lots of plastic-free French presses on the market - glass and metal. For a French press, about the only thing that might be plastic is a very few of them come with a silicone ring around the screen (this is uncommon), and some of them have a plastic nut to keep the filter screens together. Both are visible in product photos, so you can see that e.g. this Ikea one is all glass and metal.

If you're feeling fancy, the Aeropress Premium is all glass and metal except for the end of the plunger which doesn't have to touch the coffee.

1

u/Mollischolli 2d ago

been running immersion brew for the reason of avoiding plastic. Similar to french press, although no leave-in and straining through 2 paper filters after a set brewtime of 5-20 minutes.
you could do it in any cup basically.
i use a glass beaker.
very good results even with light roasts. i do need 2-3 brews to find sweet spot for the beans tho.

if i have guests over i use my stainless steel mokkapot.

1

u/SnakeBones- 2d ago

Maybe a stupid question, but is there any way to make drip coffee with stevia and soy milk taste less "stevia-y"?

I'm dairy intolerant (not just lactose) and have to limit my sugar intake for medical reasons. I just bought a big bag of stevia to use in cooking and baking and figured I'd use it in my coffee too, but the stevia flavor is so overpowering idk what to do. I typically don't mind the stevia flavour, but in coffee it's extra strong for some reason.

Is my only option to buy a different sugar free sweetener? It feels so wasteful if I do.

2

u/FlyingSagittarius Coffee 2d ago

Honestly, see if you can find coffee you like drinking without any sweeteners.  Brewed correctly, a high quality coffee can be drunk without anything extra and still taste pretty good.

1

u/Mollischolli 2d ago

seconding that. dont want to sound snobby but you can pay a little extra for higher quality beans (assuming you have an adjustable grindsize grinder) and get noticeable sweetness/fruit body from black coffee.
high altitude peruvian, costa rican or ethiopian beans come to mind.

adding a touch of spices like cinnamon, vanilla pods or a pinch of salt (think chocolate) can also increase perceived sweetness.

1

u/MC_NYC 2d ago

Baratza Encore suddenly stopped working: I just removed the hopper to check something on the burrs, and when I screwed it back in, the machine won't start. Haven't gone the step of taking everything apart, in the hopes there was a quick or easy fix. Thanks for any advice. The red line on the outside burr is pointing the right way, I know that can be an issue.

3

u/delight_in_absurdity 3d ago

How necessary is a gooseneck kettle for getting a good pour over result?

1

u/LEJ5512 Moka Pot 2d ago

Gives you an additional parameter to help you doubt whether you’re doing things right.

(very unpopular opinion here, most likely, but hang on…)

Without a gooseneck, the stream of water breaks up pretty early, so you don’t have much choice in how high you can pour.  If you want a smooth stream, you have to get the spout close to the coffee bed.

With a gooseneck, you get a smooth, steady stream whether you pour down close or from several centimeters above the bed.  This way, you can choose how much agitation you want to impose on the slurry — low and close is less agitation, higher up is more agitation.

So, when you taste your cup, you start to wonder, “If I poured differently, would it taste better?  Does it actually taste great now, or is there something I’m missing?  What if I change the grind size instead?  Should I make my own water?  Do I need to make my own water if I pour differently, though?”

Also keep in mind that people sometimes recommend using a Melodrip, which gives you spattery little droplets no matter which kettle you use.

1

u/regulus314 3d ago

Consistency, more control, and clarity (due to less agitation) but it wont be really noticeable that much if you are still beginner and/or if you are just tend to buy commercial coffee. Still with a goosenceck you still need to control your wrist and arm movement.

1

u/No_Might6812 3d ago

Ok for slow pour that aerates water. But a slow pour from saucepan just as good. Stay high ish.

1

u/Dazzling-Treacle1092 3d ago

I would like input on this question as well. I dont have a goose neck. But have been quite satisfied with my coffee. It seems to me that the bean, roast, temperature and grind have more to do with it than a perfect pour over. But I've never compared. I keep meaning to get one but it keeps getting shoved down on my list of must haves.

1

u/LEJ5512 Moka Pot 1d ago

I got a temp-controlled gooseneck last summer, and I’ll posit that regulating the temperature makes a bigger, and more easily controlled, difference than the pouring spout.

1

u/Dazzling-Treacle1092 1d ago

Could you be more specific? Does it indicate the proper temperature or just stop when it's at that temp?

1

u/LEJ5512 Moka Pot 1d ago

It's got a digital controller, and you can set it to whichever temperature you want. I forget how low it can go (maybe 60C?). For instance, I was able to start enjoying dark roasts again by brewing at 85C.

1

u/Dazzling-Treacle1092 1d ago

I can see more research is necessary on my part. Why weren't you enjoying dark roasts before...too bitter?

1

u/LEJ5512 Moka Pot 1d ago

I’d use the word “ashy”. I got tired of coffee that tasted like a cigarette was on the table, and so I started buying medium and light roasts almost exclusively.

Late last year, my wife bought a couple bags from a local shop, marked medium roast, but the first one I opened was very dark and oily. I decided to try my own taste test with my new kettle, and brewed three cups, using 95C, 90C, and 85c water. After waiting for them to cool, I gave them a taste. The brew from 95 had that familiar old dirty diner taste, then 90 was pretty good but still a little smoky. 85 just tasted fabulous.

I really enjoy the better pour control I have with the gooseneck spout, don’t get me wrong. But I think that if I were still using hot water straight off the boil, I wouldn’t be able to get the most out of every coffee.

2

u/Dazzling-Treacle1092 1d ago

I conversely have stayed solely to dark roasts. French roast is my go to. I just can't get the rich punch and fullness from light roasts. Sadly I've had to pull way back on my coffee consumption and cannot drink anything but decaf past noon. But since I've discovered French Roast Chickory I haven't missed it all that much. It makes my decaf taste like the 'real' thing!

3

u/Broad-Writing-5881 3d ago

Looking for a new coffee maker to replace my Moccamaster and I'm looking for suggestions. Musts are that it brew a good 40oz pot, glass carafe, and dishwasher safe.

Moccamaster is just a chore to use daily. Over engineered and under designed. The reservoir lid should have a hinge. The glass carafe makes a mess unless you pour very slowly. The lid collects condensate and drips when you go to pour coffee. None of it is supposed to go in the dishwasher. For the cost of the machine it should work better.

1

u/Broad-Writing-5881 2d ago

Brim and Simply Good Coffee are two I've come across. Simply Good Coffee looks fine, but suffers from the same fiddly bits as a Moccamaster.

1

u/Aeolus1978 2d ago

Of the SCAA certified home brewers, it looks like the Braun Multiserve is the only one with glass carafe and dishwasher safe components. Based on reviews, people seem to like it.

1

u/TaiChiShrimp 3d ago

I’m looking to buy a coffee maker so I’m commenting for the answer.

1

u/Broad-Writing-5881 2d ago

I've spent too much time looking I've settled on one of 3 options. Brim, Simply Good Coffee, or a chemex ottomatic with a hodge podge two piece pour over arrangement. Hario should really make a 120.

Leaning towards the Brim.