History Channel - Modern Marvels 8pm EST

[OpusEx]

Thought all you coffee nuts might enjoy this. Hope some of you see this in time to catch it.

Tune In:
Wednesday, September 14 @ 8pm ET/PT

Traces the origins of this tasty drink from Ethiopia over 1,000 years ago to the espresso-fueled explosion of specialty coffee stores like Starbucks today. Along the way, we'll see how American companies like Hills Brothers, Maxwell House, Folgers and MJB grew to be giants. Discover how billions of coffee beans make their journey from coffee farms and plantations, and are processed in gigantic roasting and packaging plants before showing up in coffee cups all over the world. Details the invention and production of instant coffee, decaffeinated coffee and freeze-dried coffee, and the espresso machine. Also, we explain how coffee made shift work in factories possible, while coffeehouses provided a creative cauldron that brewed political and artistic progress in the 18th and 19th centuries. And, we also provide tips on how to make a better cup at home! TVPG cc

[Scott1966]

I'm watching it now - very interesting.

[DrStrangelove]

Originally Posted by Scott1966

I'm watching it now - very interesting.

Watched ealier tonight, learned quite a bit myself.

[Mister Moo]

I enjoyed it. If anyone out there is still using a percolator, you better cut it out.

[Andyman]

what is wrong with a perc machine... just curious???

[CJupdike]

Originally Posted by Andyman

what is wrong with a perc machine... just curious???

the problem is it continually recycles the water/coffee through the grounds even after brewing is over. or at least that's how I remember what they said on the show.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Andyman

what is wrong with a perc machine... just curious???

They said (and I agree, except for certain camping trips) it is the worst possible way to make coffee; continuous recirculation and extraction make for bitter taste. Can't remember if they were critical of water temp (too high, I think). Ideal temp to brew is sub-boiling (200-205F approx) which is probably why french press and vacpot users like their coffee so much. Some drip machines hit brew temp just right; you can tell when water temp is right - the coffee is a lot better. Hard to miss with a vacpot or french press.

Perked coffee is forum-less. Bazillions forum-up for vacpot, press and espresso coffee. I think it's the same reason there are no forums dedicated to the Swisher Sweets. They might be great for sentimental reasons (or certain fishing trips) but most cigar smokers won't write poetry about them.

[whodat1]

Originally Posted by Andyman

what is wrong with a perc machine... just curious???

Also the constant reheating of the coffee itself.

[Andyman]

thanks for the info guys.. I love my french press..

[catfishm2]

Crap, I missed it.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by catfishm2

Crap, I missed it.

CFishM2 - about a year ago you posted that you'd never really had a good cuppa coffee, but were not prepared to start home roasting. Now I see you're sorry you missed a coffee documentary. (This isn't the Discovery Channel Show, but close - http://makeashorterlink.com/?D59D23ECB)

It sounds like a process...

You found some good beans Virginia?
Bought a grinder?
Are now roasting your own?

What have you done if you don't mind me asking?
How much better is the coffee than a year ago?

[darkness449]

man i missed it. modern marvels is one of my favorite shows. I love the engineering history behind the shows.

[catfishm2]

Originally Posted by Mister MaDuroo

CFishM2 - about a year ago you posted that you'd never really had a good cuppa coffee, but were not prepared to start home roasting. Now I see you're sorry you missed a coffee documentary. (This isn't the Discovery Channel Show, but close - http://makeashorterlink.com/?D59D23ECB)

It sounds like a process...

You found some good beans Virginia?
Bought a grinder?
Are now roasting your own?

What have you done if you don't mind me asking?
How much better is the coffee than a year ago?

I've been drinking coffee for well over 30 years, but it had always been Maxwell House off the grocery store shelf. I guess for alot of those years I didn't know there was anything else. After getting involved here at CS, I kept hearing members talking about roasting their own and how good it was. So I started going to places like coffee geek and a few more and reading as much as I could. I finally took the plunge and bought this combo, http://burmancoffee.com/holiday.html. For a small investment I could get into roasting on my own. Although I'm still learning, the coffee I drink now is head and shoulders above what you get in the grocery store. So no, I really had never had a good cup of coffee until now. For me it was like going from a Tampa Nugget to a PSD4. The green beans are readily available from lots of places. And the aroma of roasting and grinding fresh beans is heaven. Home roasting is one of the best things I've ever done, besides going from drugstore cigars to hand rolled ones. Good questions, hope I answered them.