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Medium Format and Coffee

GeorgeBo

Well-known member
Thanks Dave! I have been using that roaster for about 7 years now. Has paid for it self several times over for sure. Especially with the cost of coffee now.

Po

Very cool, George!!! A great thing to do!!! And thanks for the image… I wish I could do that!:)
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Interesting question to consider:

My quest for my personal favorite of all cameras, the black paint Leica MP will always remain a dream and still it reminds me of the quality, beauty and simplicity of 35mm film cameras. It is a camera that will last a very long time in use as intended. And in a hundred years, it will be a popular collector’s item I am sure.

With coffee makers, is there a match of sorts to a fine camera like the MP?

This is one of those “sultry mornings on the back porch conversational here in the Deep South topics” that has me thinking about the disposable appliances and things we all have and I am growing weary of seeing them tossed aside, including cars. (Ever driven through the countryside and noticed all the junk cars around rural homes and in fields?)

As I enjoy the early morning light in the rose garden with a cup of coffee, I recall the hard work and ethics involved with establishing a small garden of sorts, all of which are good for the planet: recycling , repurposing, repairing, replanting, and rethinking. Over a cup of coffee, my mind is free to wonder.

I am now wondering about those disposable Keurig cups in the kitchen, but also about the coffee makers themselves? Are all coffee makers destined for the landfill?:(

My Moka pot has a fairly long life span I think. It is already a classic decor piece and can easily be passed down to grandchildren. LOL.

Pour overs? Maybe… glass, metal…

Espresso machines? I don’t have a clue…

Time for me to get back to work. Wishing everyone a grand week starting… now!:)
 

GeorgeBo

Well-known member
Dave,

Great post and I enjoyed reading it.

I started my coffee drinking in the Navy (1980). Back then I would drink pretty much anything that had caffeine in it to keep going through the midnight watches. So my bar was set pretty low from the start 😄

Over the years I tried a lot of machines and gadgets here and there. But I finally settled down to two things about 15 years ago. One for espresso and one for every morning coffee.

For espresso I have a Gaggia Classic. Nothing fancy and I can pull a shot that satisfies my wife's and my taste buds. Are there better machines out there? Absolutely, but we are not every day espresso drinkers.

Now for brewing every day and sometimes multiple times a day I use the Chemex pour over. I don't think I will ever go back to an automatic maker. Yes, I also have a Moka pot and french press in the cabinet that I got over the years and do use them from time to time for variety and we do have a Keurig that is used occassionally when it is grab and go and when guests are over.

So the short answer for me is: Chemex pour over. No moving parts, no electronics to break. Paper filter, coffee, hot water. Perfect cup of coffee :)

Hope you have a great week too.




Interesting question to consider:

My quest for my personal favorite of all cameras, the black paint Leica MP will always remain a dream and still it reminds me of the quality, beauty and simplicity of 35mm film cameras. It is a camera that will last a very long time in use as intended. And in a hundred years, it will be a popular collector’s item I am sure.

With coffee makers, is there a match of sorts to a fine camera like the MP?

This is one of those “sultry mornings on the back porch conversational here in the Deep South topics” that has me thinking about the disposable appliances and things we all have and I am growing weary of seeing them tossed aside, including cars. (Ever driven through the countryside and noticed all the junk cars around rural homes and in fields?)

As I enjoy the early morning light in the rose garden with a cup of coffee, I recall the hard work and ethics involved with establishing a small garden of sorts, all of which are good for the planet: recycling , repurposing, repairing, replanting, and rethinking. Over a cup of coffee, my mind is free to wonder.

I am now wondering about those disposable Keurig cups in the kitchen, but also about the coffee makers themselves? Are all coffee makers destined for the landfill?:(

My Moka pot has a fairly long life span I think. It is already a classic decor piece and can easily be passed down to grandchildren. LOL.

Pour overs? Maybe… glass, metal…

Espresso machines? I don’t have a clue…

Time for me to get back to work. Wishing everyone a grand week starting… now!:)
 

buildbot

Well-known member
Dave,

Great post and I enjoyed reading it.

I started my coffee drinking in the Navy (1980). Back then I would drink pretty much anything that had caffeine in it to keep going through the midnight watches. So my bar was set pretty low from the start 😄

Over the years I tried a lot of machines and gadgets here and there. But I finally settled down to two things about 15 years ago. One for espresso and one for every morning coffee.

For espresso I have a Gaggia Classic. Nothing fancy and I can pull a shot that satisfies my wife's and my taste buds. Are there better machines out there? Absolutely, but we are not every day espresso drinkers.

Now for brewing every day and sometimes multiple times a day I use the Chemex pour over. I don't think I will ever go back to an automatic maker. Yes, I also have a Moka pot and french press in the cabinet that I got over the years and do use them from time to time for variety and we do have a Keurig that is used occassionally when it is grab and go and when guests are over.

So the short answer for me is: Chemex pour over. No moving parts, no electronics to break. Paper filter, coffee, hot water. Perfect cup of coffee :)

Hope you have a great week too.
The Gaggia Classic is a great yet simple machine, I have had mine for ten years now. The pump broke a few years back and it was very easy to install an upgraded one myself.

For pour over, I went a little bit extra….(the Gaggia is hiding behind :) ) Also no moving parts! Or plastic :)
CBB871FD-124B-4487-BD0F-4B79CCBEFE58.jpeg
Shot with a Rollei Hy6, 120mm lens + Sinar emotion 22 DB. Converted to DNG before editing in Capture One.
 
Last edited:

fjablo

Active member
For pour overs I recently acquired a Hario Switch. It must be one of the most fail-safe coffee brewers out there. Almost impossible to mess up the brew with wrong grind size etc as long as the coffee is good and fresh.

The Moka pot is of course a classic and I enjoy the texture. But it's better suited for darker roasts imo. And/or for milk drinks.

Nespresso... it's convenient and the taste can be good, but for me that's where the good points end quickly: I find the texture extremely unsatisfying, esp. the crema is somehow just wrong -pretty sure it's being formed by air instead of CO2 in a 'true' espresso (also less oily than the true thing?). Very expensive per kilogram of coffee. Intransparent supply chain, likely shady business practices by Nestlé. Lots of waste...

I would always recommend a simple espresso machine like the Gaggia classic, a scale and a good hand grinder over Nespresso. But espresso always requires some amount of work and I can see how that's not for everyone.
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Am I the only one?:unsure:

Yesterday, I stopped by a coffee shop and ordered a double shot espresso. It has been 7 or 8 months since I have had an espresso and, wow!… it was amazing… everything about it was intense!:):):) It was quite a divine experience.

Later in the evening I decided to have a regular coffee at home… after an early dinner. I was so disappointed with my usual coffee, I didn’t even finish it!

It has been months now since I have actually enjoyed a regular coffee and I have been trying different brands, types and roasts. In retrospect, I really have little to say about any of them, they almost seem like nothing more than bitter, or tasteless hot water.

In the past, I would abstain from drinking coffee for a long time and then return to having a cup each morning. It worked ok, as my taste seemed to recover.

But a real espresso yesterday was an interesting experience. Wow!

Am I the only one who has to reset the coffee experience periodically to allow my taste for my favorite coffees to return?

In a similar experience, my interest in immersing myself in film photography this year has resulted in a keen appreciation of certain films and developers. When I tire of using one film, I simply try another and sometimes I use a different protocol or even a different developer… or just take a break. I think that is normal. :)

Coffee… is another matter. My dear friends in Milan, Italy, are content with their Moka pot and either Lavazza or Illy coffees. They never change.

Does anyone else “need a periodic change” to continue their enjoyment of coffee?:)
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Actually, Dave, my experience is the reverse. I can only drink espresso at home.


A
I understand.:)

Here, the Moka Pot just is working out for me. Regular coffee isn’t either.

Espresso is something that I can only get from a local coffee house.
 

MartinN

Well-known member
I understand.:)

Here, the Moka Pot just is working out for me. Regular coffee isn’t either.

Espresso is something that I can only get from a local coffee house.
Once a week a trip for an espresso, and the other days moka or brewed ?
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
It seems I always have to take a rest with coffee. Three days a week an espresso at the coffee shop sounds great.

Abstinence for awhile (weeks?) will probably fix my home coffee!

I don’t know why this is…:)
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
It’s cold here! Better for coffee…:):):)

So, tell me about the best pour over coffee equipment (and coffees for a pour over). I have recently tried some pour overs at a local coffee shop and we both love the difference.

I am ready to jump into the PO world!

Life is too short for boring coffee.:)
 

GeorgeBo

Well-known member
Dave - yes the cold is here too and looks like it will stay for the next week. I am having a cup of PO right now :)

I use a Chemex 8 cup model since I make it for my wife and I both each morning. *large mugs. They also make smaller and larger sizes.
I use the natural brown paper filters. I find I get a better pour vs the bleached white.

You will find there are as many ways to do pour over as there are to adapt lenses to mirrorless cameras. So it will come down to what is best for you and you will probably end up with different varieties. Equally you will find there are many variations regarding grind size, filters, brew times, etc. Again, experiment and find what works best for you.

Since I am always brewing for multiple cups, I use a larger grind. Close to but not quite as course as a french press. Sort of like sea salt or kosher salt. This allows for a quicker extraction and better brew for me.

I use a 15:1 water to coffee ratio. 15 grams of water for each gram of coffee. For my typical two mug brew, I grind about 45g of coffee to 700g of water. I heat the water to 200 degrees F in a kettle (electric gooseneck style works great). Pour times vary depending on the roast I am brewing, but as a rule of thumb, I initially pour in 150g of water to allow the coffee to bloom (release residual CO2 and saturate with water) for about 30 seconds. Then I pour in about 100g - 125g of water at intervals completing the full 700g of water in about 4 minutes total. Again, this is just my rule of thumb and varies based on type of coffee and roast and I am always learning/tweaking. Usually my wife can tell when I have tried something different so it is not all in my head that a little thing makes a difference 😄

George




It’s cold here! Better for coffee…:):):)

So, tell me about the best pour over coffee equipment (and coffees for a pour over). I have recently tried some pour overs at a local coffee shop and we both love the difference.

I am ready to jump into the PO world!

Life is too short for boring coffee.:)
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Dave - yes the cold is here too and looks like it will stay for the next week. I am having a cup of PO right now :)

I use a Chemex 8 cup model since I make it for my wife and I both each morning. *large mugs. They also make smaller and larger sizes.
I use the natural brown paper filters. I find I get a better pour vs the bleached white.

You will find there are as many ways to do pour over as there are to adapt lenses to mirrorless cameras. So it will come down to what is best for you and you will probably end up with different varieties. Equally you will find there are many variations regarding grind size, filters, brew times, etc. Again, experiment and find what works best for you.

Since I am always brewing for multiple cups, I use a larger grind. Close to but not quite as course as a french press. Sort of like sea salt or kosher salt. This allows for a quicker extraction and better brew for me.

I use a 15:1 water to coffee ratio. 15 grams of water for each gram of coffee. For my typical two mug brew, I grind about 45g of coffee to 700g of water. I heat the water to 200 degrees F in a kettle (electric gooseneck style works great). Pour times vary depending on the roast I am brewing, but as a rule of thumb, I initially pour in 150g of water to allow the coffee to bloom (release residual CO2 and saturate with water) for about 30 seconds. Then I pour in about 100g - 125g of water at intervals completing the full 700g of water in about 4 minutes total. Again, this is just my rule of thumb and varies based on type of coffee and roast and I am always learning/tweaking. Usually my wife can tell when I have tried something different so it is not all in my head that a little thing makes a difference 😄

George
Wow! Thanks! Great information here…:):):) I’m copying this to keep for reference. I have looked at a lot of pour overs online but Chemex somehow stands out. I will decide soon which way to go. There seems to be a lot of choices so it may take awhile.

Loving this idea of a crafted coffee, it kind of reminds me of developing film! LOL :):):)
 

dave.gt

Well-known member
Apparently, a Chemex can be used to brew a single cup. :)

But the kettle choice is confusing… electric or not? If not, how to know the temperature?
 

GeorgeBo

Well-known member
Absolutely 1 cup is doable in the Chemex. If I were only doing one cup at at time, I would probably go with the smaller 3 cup version.

Re: the kettle, because of time and simplicity, I prefer electric with a simple temperature setting. It gets it to temp quickly and will hold it there during the pour. I can put the water in and will be ready by the time I measure and grind and set up the Chemex. Of course stove top is cheaper and I did use that until I got the electric kettle 4 or 5 years ago. With stove top just take it to a boil and pull it off the stove. It will come down in temp pretty quickly. Precise temperature control = repeatability but without it you will still get a great cup of joe ;) I am always a fan of use what you already have.

But with that said, a goose neck style kettle (electric or stove top) will give you an easier and more controlled pour.
 

peterm1

Active member
I came across this thread while enjoying a morning latte made on my Rocket Cellini espresso machine - a beautiful machine over ten years old and still going strong (will post a pic). I use a local roaster's espresso beans. I also use a Jura E8 when I want a cup of coffee or when making coffee for my wife - they are nice machines although the milk wand doesn't make steamed/frothed milk like the wand on my Cellini can. Then I have a Technivorm Mochamaster 1-Cup I occasionally use for one-cup pourover style coffee, a larger Capresso machine with 10-cup carafe for company, and a manual pourover kit I got from Blue Bottle which I rarely use.

It's kind of like my closet full of camera bags - gotta have something for every situation! :ROFLMAO:
 
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