Strong coffee

[whistlepig]

I quit drinking regular Folgers for a little while because it started tasting bitter to me and it didn't seem to have any flavor going for it other than the bitterness. I have tried a few stronger higher quality coffees since then and am getting much more flavor without the bitterness. I would have though the dark, full flavored coffee to be more bitter but I am finding out that's not the case.

 

[seenred]

I usually go with a heaping tablespoon per cup, which mostly fills the basket in our drip coffee maker for 8 cups.

You can't stand a spoon up in a cup but it's strong enough for our liking when using a dark roast.

My drip machine claims to make 10-12 cups...but the brew basket won't hold enough coffee to make that much - at least not if you make a good cup. I usually make only a half-pot, and fill the basket pretty close to as full as I can get it without ending up with an overflow mess.

Red

 

[whistlepig]

We have a Kuerig K-Cup. Wife really likes the K-Cups. Filter cups for ground coffee are available and that's what I use. I use 6 oz water per filter cup. I am grinding whole bean coffee now which I much prefer.

 

[fxsales1959]

We're Keurig folks. We get Columbian Supremo pods at Sam's. $29.00 for 100.
however, on Sunday morning I go to the Latin grocery/meat place and get a colada(cuban coffee)
Cuban coffee will give you a jolt.

 

[okie sawbones]

I'm surprised no one mentioned Green Mountain. Good stuff. I would like to support Black Rifle, but they are just too expensive.

 

[Jim_C]

We buy dark French in the five pound bag from Thanksgiving Coffee, Fort Bragg, CA. We have been drinking their coffee since shortly after we were married, going on 30 years now.

Of course it doesn't mean you would like their coffee. Coffee is very personal. Dark French can be all over the map, even with the same producer. They have a number of different types of coffee. They source their beans from South America. We have toured their roasting facility. It's down by the harbor. Nice folks, and a down-home operation.

 

[Jim_C]

I love a strong cup...but for me, all the dark roasts I've tried tended to be on the harsh and bitter side. Just my peculiar taste buds, I'm sure. I found a very rich and bold medium-roast bean that I like very much. Southern Weather, by Onyx Coffee Labs - based in Fayetteville, Arkansas...but they ship everywhere.

For me, the secret was learning how to brew a good cup. For years, I didn't realize I wasn't putting enough coffee in the filter. SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) recommends a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:18 - or one gram of coffer grounds for every 18mL of water. When brewing a whole pot, my little drip coffee maker can't do that because the brew basket isn't big enough to hold the recommended amount of coffee. But it does outstanding on half-pots, where I can get the ratio correct.

Red

This is great information.

We use an 1/8 cup measuring cup. I weighed the amount of coffee we add to the filter. It's four scoops which weighs 37 grams. We make 8 cups of coffee.

If the 1:18 ration holds then 8 cups = 64 oz = 1893 ml divided by 18 = 105 grams of coffee.

That is three times as much coffee as we use. I'm not certain I could drink coffee that strong.

Is my math off?

 

[seenred]

This is great information.

We use an 1/8 cup measuring cup. I weighed the amount of coffee we add to the filter. It's four scoops which weighs 37 grams. We make 8 cups of coffee.

If the 1:18 ration holds then 8 cups = 64 oz = 1893 ml divided by 18 = 105 grams of coffee.

That is three times as much coffee as we use. I'm not certain I could drink coffee that strong.

Is my math off?

No, your math is correct, according to SCA standards. And yes, I too was pretty surprised when I realized how weak the coffee was that I'd always made - at least according to SCA standards. But I have to say that now that I follow those standards, I'm enjoying a much better cup of coffee than ever!

Red

 

[Jim_C]

My drip machine claims to make 10-12 cups...but the brew basket won't hold enough coffee to make that much - at least not if you make a good cup. I usually make only a half-pot, and fill the basket pretty close to as full as I can get it without ending up with an overflow mess.

Red

I had the same suspicion. I just got out the jigger and measured 8oz water. It registered 2 cups on the Cuisinart coffee maker we have.

That means the "8 cups" we have been making is actually 32oz. This cuts the math in half to 52 grams of coffee. That's not so far off from the 37 grams of coffee we use today. Half again. Another 15 grams. The math makes more sense to me now.

 

[radioguy]

Keurig user here. Wife subscibes to auto delivery to save $$. Really like Black rifle, Beyond Black and BlackBeards Delight
Black Rifle owned and operated by US Veterans.

RG

 

[DougE]

For Keurig users, this is the best one I found for using your own ground coffee.

It does require paper filters made for it, but they are pretty cheap. Best pod for using your own coffee I ever found when we were using a Keurig.

 

[whistlepig]

Our Kuerig is only about three weeks old. Purchased when our Cuisinart K-Cup bit the dust after less than a year. I checked out the EZ-CUP but unfortunately our Kuerig requires a filter with (5) holes in the lid and the EZ-CUP only has one hole.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I have a Nespresso machine, that makes my espresso.

I start the day with a double shot of Peets , either the Nerissimo, Ristretto, or Crema Scura.

 

[Jim_C]

I have a Nespresso machine, that makes my espresso.

I start the day with a double shot of Peets , either the Nerissimo, Ristretto, or Crema Scura.

Love Peet’s. Nice thing about Peet’s……..after a large cup I don’t need a ladder to paint the ceiling.

 

[mcokevin]

I have a Nespresso machine, that makes my espresso.

I start the day with a double shot of Peets , either the Nerissimo, Ristretto, or Crema Scura.

Nespresso is the only pod coffee or espresso I've had that actually tastes like the real thing. We have one at work, and every now and then I take a hit from it in the early afternoon. I bring my own coffee from home in the morning!

 

[normanaj]

I don't drink coffee but the wife does.

She uses Vermont Coffee Company Extra Dark. She buys the whole bean and grinds it herself and either brews it in a percolator or french press. Pretty inexpensive relatively speaking.

 

[Colin1230]

I'm really enjoying this thread, learning a lot. I'll post what I've been doing shortly.

 

[zwiller]

Nespresso here too but wife doing the Keurig. I would say a lot of people craving a good strong cup would love a nespresso americano. Shot with water. Add cream/sugar if you want. Heads up nespresso people the pods can be scored for a deal on ebay but you gotta buy bulk.

 

[PolishDeli]

My weekday morning coffee:
Drip coffee.
Favorite brands are Lavazza and Gevalia.
I like a pretty strong brew; in a light or mild roast. Dark roasts taste like burnt cardboard to me.
Sugar. No cream.

Weekend coffee:
Esspresso. (Wife makes excellent flat whites though)
Fellow Opus Conical Burr Coffee Grinder.
De'Longhi ECP3420 espresso maker.
Bottomless Portafilter.
Whole Beans, freshly and localy roasted.

Occasionally we'll usd the Moka pot. In terms of the quality of coffee you get vs the cost of equipment, this is by far the best option. Just get a SS instead if Aluminum. And buy decent brands of coffee.

 

[whistlepig]

The strongest I have tried (and I haven't tried many) is Caribou Coffee, Caribou Blend. It's a medium roast and it's the best flavor I have tried so far. It's pretty strong. Got some Caribou Coffee, Obsidian Blend coming tomorrow. It's a dark roast.