Why Storebought Coffee Tastes Like It Tastes

[RONINDICE]

Well it is like this. If I were Keanu I would take the red pill too. Or was it the blue pill. Either way I would wanna know of the ways that I can brew a better cup of coffee. I like my coffee but I do feel there could be an improvement for sure. I also have a mokapot but it is a stainless one and due to my lack of knowledge and lack of good grinder, it usually does not come out all that great. Your helpful instructions in this forum will likely help though. I guess I cant let the prospect of a great cup of coffee pass me by. So do you think my safest bet is to buy a roaster and start roasting my own or is there a way I can get away with buying beans with more freshness, like straight from the coffee shop. I was thinking about ordering my beans online. Any tips would be helpful. Thanks again.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by RONINDICE

Well it is like this ... Any tips would be helpful. Thanks again.

There are a couple of opening considerations: 1) where do you live (i.e. can you get good freshroast locally, without going thru hoops you may not need or have to, and; 2) forgetting everything else, how much do you want to spend for a grinder?

Everything about mokapot or not-paper filtered coffee starts/ends with a passable-to-remarkable burr grinder. IMHO. This really is a slippery slope. I always vote for getting the best burr grinder you can afford and keep it for life - everything else comes after. There are decent grinders for under $100 that will be great for everything except persnickity (the only kind) espressoheads; for really good espresso (from a godshot-quality espresso maker) and all the insanity that goes with it, you need a mid-level to top grinder - say $180 or more.

If you are happy with coffee dripped thru paper, which can be great coffee, a whirley blade for under $20 may be the ticket.

With proper grinder in hand, your mokapot, french press, filter pourover, autodrip machine, vacpot etc. will sing to your tune if you have freshly roasted beans. Lots of us favor home roasting (me, for example) but that is not a route favored by most coffee drinkers. Beans that are both fresh and properly roasted can be had online (from our friend Jerry at killerbeans, for example) or they can often be purchased locally - they don't necessarily cost more (or a lot more) than grocery store "premium" (ho ho ho) coffeebeans.

Homeroasting is a lot of fun or an immense bother, depending on your spin. I think it's a fun hobby with no end of discoveries; most folks would call my idea of fun something else entirely.

[RONINDICE]

I appreciate your input. I will have to look into the burr grinder. Yours is not the first recommendation for those I have read. I will definitely order some Killer Beans. I might even look into roasting my own beans. At least as a small project from time to time. I love coffee and espresso and if I can make it into a fun experience and a satisfying experience than all the better. What would you recommend for a good espresso machine after I get the Burr grinder? Keep in mind it will not be used too often. I read another post where the Gaggia Carezza and Espresso were recommended. Are these good options for a quality limited-use espresso machine? Once again I appreciate your input and help. I am learning a lot and hope to increase my knowledge further.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by RONINDICE

I appreciate your input. I will have to look into the burr grinder. Yours is not the first recommendation for those I have read. I will definitely order some Killer Beans. I might even look into roasting my own beans. At least as a small project from time to time. I love coffee and espresso and if I can make it into a fun experience and a satisfying experience than all the better. What would you recommend for a good espresso machine after I get the Burr grinder? Keep in mind it will not be used too often. I read another post where the Gaggia Carezza and Espresso were recommended. Are these good options for a quality limited-use espresso machine? Once again I appreciate your input and help. I am learning a lot and hope to increase my knowledge further.

Others may disagree but I don't make any sense out of infrequently used low end gear. You need to put a lot of effort into making the lower end hardware produce good, consistent espresso. See my diatribe. My take on meeting the desire for infrequent espresso at home is 1) save the $200-$1000 for a machine and spend it on the odd morning out at a decent coffeehouse. Learning to use, clean and maintain an espresso machine is not like turning a radio on and off.

You may derive greater pleasure and utility, however, from a simple mokapot or AeroPress (I've not used an Aeropress but they sound fun) - or a dozen of them - for the same price of one espresso machine.

In the end you have to answer your own question. I went through a couple of grinders and espresso machines before I figured out what worked (and why) for me. I pussy-footed with cheaper gear because I wasn't sure I was REALLY that interested in making espresso at home. My approach, with hindsight, was a waste of money and time. I should have bought one great rinder and one great espresso machine to begin with; if it hadn't worked out to my expectations, I could have sold them at a loss of less than what I spent on buying and disposing of the crappy gear I burned through.

So, from my 20/20 hindsight position I conclude - get the best grinder you can buy and worry about making espresso in a year or two - or pop for the killer espresso machine right up front and figure you're gonna love it for a long time. You are forewarned. Cupboards are full of low-end gear that people don't use.

Last choice. Ebay.