Coffee Beans what's in your grinder ???

[Rick P]

I wonder if she tried the coffee before she sent it to you.

I was reading about Kona day before yesterday, and apparently, it's easy to get scammed. That might be the explanation of what happened to you. Here is a paste from what I was reading:

...the Kona name sells the coffee, not the quality of the cup. For example, the most widely available “Kona” coffees sold in Hawaii are Kona blends that, by law, only need to contain 10% actual Kona coffee. Thus the Kona coffee inside these bags exists for only one reason, which is to legally justify the Kona name on the outside of the bag. The rest of the coffee in the bag could be, and is, from anywhere: Central America, Brazil, Colombia. Often these non-Kona blend components are inexpensive, low-quality, even tainted coffees; occasionally they are good coffees, so good that 10% Kona blends sometimes taste better than much more expensive but still carelessly produced 100% Kona coffees. Because, again, the name sells the coffee, regardless of its quality. Finally, there are the “Kona Style” or “Kona Roast” blends that contain no actual Kona coffee whatsoever.

Hawaii and Kona Coffee Ratings and Reviews – Coffee

Click here for Hawaii coffee ratings, reviews and information about coffees from Kona, K’au and other Hawaii coffee growing regions.

www.coffeereview.com

It's possible....that said...she's a local who has lived there for the past 30 years and a very pretentious food snob (that puts us to shame), who would only deign to drink coffee if the beans were picked by virgins at the apex of the Harvest Moon, blessed by Lono, (the Hawaiian god of food) and roasted over coals made with old growth sugar maple wood..... so I'm leaning toward "no" But I never say never! All I know is that the coffee was horrific. My Mom, a real coffee connoisseur, thought it was crapola too...

 

[LMichaels]

Yeah, I've tried Kona myself. Have had better Instant Maxwell House.

 

[JohnTak]

After trying multiple medium and medium dark roast coffee beans from multiple roasters I’m back to this one. Peerless French Roast was good but I still like this the best. I guess I’m a dark roast guy.

 

[LMichaels]

After trying multiple medium and medium dark roast coffee beans from multiple roasters I’m back to this one. Peerless French Roast was good but I still like this the best. I guess I’m a dark roast guy.View attachment 107192

That is a really good coffee. Definitely darker than ones like Kirkland Signature House Blend, or the Member's Mark I just tried or the Cameron's Velvet Moon. So the SF Bay has a little more of a "roasty" character. But, not "burned" tasting like Starbuck's. I am beginning to find (at least with my collection of coffee makers (both the drip and espresso machines), I am enjoying the slightly more "chocolaty" notes that those medium dark roasts are giving me. And while each has a different character, I cannot put my finger on one and say "I like this best or better". I like them equally. Just for different reasons.

 

[timothy]

After trying multiple medium and medium dark roast coffee beans from multiple roasters I’m back to this one. Peerless French Roast was good but I still like this the best. I guess I’m a dark roast guy.View attachment 107192

How does that work with your coffee grinder bin full?
Reason I ask is I only add like 5 T of beans which equals 50g and that takes about 30 sec to grind.

 

[JohnTak]

How does that work with your coffee grinder bin full?
Reason I ask is I only add like 5 T of beans which equals 50g and that takes about 30 sec to grind.

My grinder is a little short so I use the 8 Tbs for 7 Tbs and is pretty close when I do measure for control. I figured out on my Moccamaster to use 7 Tbs for the 8 cups water mark to make my perfect coffee. I spin the grounds basket during the water release to evenly saturate the basket of grounds. I think the button settings for Tbs is an electronic timer on my grinder, also I grind at medium coarse grind.

 

[LMichaels]

I keep mine full but it doesn't last long. I usually need 64 grams or 72 grams depending on my morning needs. Typical weekday is 64 grams ground to 40oz water brewed. Weekends typically 72g to 45 oz water. So far for the roast levels I have been buying and whichever brewer I use that has been doing quite well. Though I do notice if I brew in the Breville which on 40oz water or less uses a cone filter, on Gold setting it brews a little faster than the OXO machines which both try to mimic pourover by allowing a bloom, but also pausing 2 or 3 times during the cycle. The OXO 9 cup seems to pause slightly more often, and for longer periods than the OXO 12 cup which depending on the water level will pause 2-3 times after the bloom period whereas the 9 cup (which only uses a cone filter) will pause 4 times or so. Both machines make some really full bodied and rich coffee. The Breville is faster, no bloom on Gold setting 8 cups or less #4 cone, 9 cups or more requires the large (commercial size filter used by the large OXO). You can play with settings on the Breville and have it bloom for up to IIRC a full minute, set the temp, set the brew speed and fine tune it if you want to use basket filters on smaller batches.
But base setting (Gold) it just keeps the pump running until the pot is brewed. So, while still REALLY good coffee, it tends to be a little "lighter" bodied than the OXO machines. One day, I will have to play around and see how closely I can have it mimic the OXO machines by playing with the temp, the brew speed and bloom times. All 3 machines though make the best coffee I've ever drank though. Cannot say enough good about them.

 

[timothy]

So with a full hopper do you go by time (and grind) to get your proper percentage?
Again reason is it takes my grinder 30 sec to grind 50 g of beans.
If I fill the hopper and hit 30 sec I should get 50g of ground?

 

[LMichaels]

So with a full hopper do you go by time (and grind) to get your proper percentage?
Again reason is it takes my grinder 30 sec to grind 50 g of beans.
If I fill the hopper and hit 30 sec I should get 50g of ground?

I've found Kirkland Sig beans harder to grind and even with my grinder set to full on time for XX cups it will not grind right amount so I have to play around. I bought myself a nice color display scale. I tare out my grind container, and basically I can then fine tune my grinder to get within one gram every time. (though I typically shoot for slightly over than under). Thing is every time (if I change) the grind I then have to fine tune to grinder. So trial and error I've found a grind level for drip on the 3 beans I like and keep it there and then grind to the weight I want

 

[Mark_E]

It's possible....that said...she's a local who has lived there for the past 30 years and a very pretentious food snob (that puts us to shame), who would only deign to drink coffee if the beans were picked by virgins at the apex of the Harvest Moon, blessed by Lono, (the Hawaiian god of food) and roasted over coals made with old growth sugar maple wood..... so I'm leaning toward "no" But I never say never! All I know is that the coffee was horrific. My Mom, a real coffee connoisseur, thought it was crapola too...

Once I bought Kona coffee on Woot. But when I got it, the package said "Kona blend." It did not say that in the listing! Eff that . I tried to return it, and woot tried to fight me on it. This was a long time ago. I had to fight with them for maybe six weeks. I eventually got my money back. I never opened it so I don't know what it might have tasted like. But all the other Kona coffees I've had, I've really enjoyed. They were really good, a level or two above most coffees.

Another really good Hawaiian coffee is Ka'u, which is only 70 miles south of Kona, on the same mountain side facing the same direction as Kona. It's excellent, but the public really doesn't know about it yet. Only the locals. And so that makes it less expensive.

 

[LMichaels]

Was chatting with "da boss" last night. So asked her how she's liking the new MM coffee in the red bag. She said I should get 3 or 4 more bags and stock up. Was a bit shocked she showed that much "enthusiasm" especially her being from Minnesota where if you get a "not too bad" compliment that is the highest praise one can receive in the Minnesotan language
But, all kidding aside. If you are a Sam's member give it a try. I doubt you'd be disappointed. So as of now my 3 favs (especially budget considered) are the new Member's Mark, Kirkland Signature House Blend, and Cameron's Velvet Moon.
Yeah I am sure there are some high tone blends out there at many more $$$ per pound that are a better. But these 3 just really hit great on all points Value, Taste, availability.

 

[LMichaels]

So was at Costco yesterday. And IMO this is a shocker. Not long ago this was $10.99. Oddly right next to this was the KS Espresso Blend at the $10.99 pricing.

 

[Mark_E]

This morning I'm sipping Ka'u Darkwood from Big Island Coffee Roasters. It's a dark roast. It's good but not my fave.

 

[JohnTak]

This coffee is decent. I still like SF Bay French Roast as my favorite but this one is okay.

 

[LMichaels]

So I saw these new additions at Costco today. Had never heard of it. Thought WTH it's only money. Actually pretty reasonable (if they're really good). Only a bit over $14 for 2# bag.

 

[BobH-SCW]

Haven't seen the red bag at Sams out here, Larry but no surprise. Used the small grinder I got after you originally recommended, and it worked like a champ. Only had to stop once to let it cool down but it still does a great job.
I have liked the MM Columbian beans btw.

 

[LMichaels]

Haven't seen the red bag at Sams out here, Larry but no surprise. Used the small grinder I got after you originally recommended, and it worked like a champ. Only had to stop once to let it cool down but it still does a great job.
I have liked the MM Columbian beans btw.

I really wish these big stores would distribute their products more universally. I get some regional things, but something with say the Kirkland or Member's Mark name should be universally distributed

 

[LMichaels]

Well, I tried the Mother Earth beans this AM to see if I want to buy more as usually Costco doesn't keep good deals on the shelf for long. These are labeled as Medium roast whereas the other beans I've been using as my "special blend" (the Cameron's and the Member's Mark) are both labeled as on the higher end of medium dark. Seems a little under extracted on my first attempt. Maybe tomorrow AM I will try grinding a touch finer and see if I get a better extraction from the OXO which usually does a great job thanks to how it mimics a pour over method with the "stop/start" type brew method the OXO brewers use (yes I have 2 FYI) and both use that pour over type cycle to brew. The big one (12 cup) has a glass tank with a hot plate and sensor inside. There is pre-heats the water to about 170-180 degrees. Then, a valve opens to a secondary heater and pump, which brings it to about 200 (as near as I can measure), and pumps it up and over the bed in a large diameter shower head. Doing a nice 30 sec bloom, at first, then doing secondary pauses as it brews.
The smaller 9 cup one uses a simpler design and heat displacement to move the water up and over. But it too, gets to 200 prior to actually brewing and holds very tight.
In any case unlike the Breville I have I cannot get very "granular" in the "control" dept. All I can do is select how large a batch I will make.
On the Breville I can choose flow rate, water temp, cone filter or basket, bloom time, and so on. It too makes drop dead great coffee but, does not extract quite as much as the OXOs. I'm funny. I am constantly switching off between brewers and always have 2 set up to choose from.
I know I am weird.

 

[Mark_E]

Ahh, the weekend.

The Hario V60 is an outstanding direct pour coffee maker. Engineered by the Japanese, it allows water to flow out not just from the bottom of the dripper, but the sides as well. What makes it great is you can make any minor change very easily, and you can taste the result in the cup. The change can be water temp, ground particle size, amount of coffee in grams, amount of time brewing, length of time during the bloom. And so on.

This morning, we had Cuatro Sombras which is from Puerto Rico. Medium roast. It's really an excellent coffee, not well marketed, but it might be that way on purpose due to supply limits. It's not on Coffee Review either. But it stands up to any of the Hawaiian coffees.

Our second cup was Jacob's Wonderland from Philz Coffee in SF. Dark roast. It is very good. Not quite as good as above though.

 

[LMichaels]

Well, truth be told, while I believe the Mother Earth coffee I tried to be very well made, there is just something in the flavor profile I'm not taking to. Much more preferring the more chocolate and richer profile of a darker roast i.e. a Med/Dark as opposed to an on the lighter side medium as this product is.
Not a full on super dark like a lot of Starbuck's which tastes like "charcoal" to me, but just those "richer" more chocolaty tones with the profiles more resembling, something like the Columbian Supremo blends Sam's and Costco carry, their House Blends also appeal to me as well as Costco's Signature Espresso roast. Or the Verena Street dark roasts from Dubuque IA IIRC they have one called Nine Mile Sunset I quite like the profile of.
But that lighter side of medium Mother Earth is just not "there" for me