Coffee

[Max Rockatansky]

As a singlehander, one 'Bobble-full' is usually all I'll drink in the AM. If I want more, or have company, it only takes 3-4 minutes to hot up some H2O for another. Never have to drink old, oxygenated brew that way, is what I like most about it. I also prefer my brew to rank just below espresso on the 'strong, dark' scale. Being able to make it single serve also keeps wastage to a minimum; I go through an 11.5 oz bag of grind in two weeks, give or take.

+1 plus the cleaning simplicity of AP: eject puck of grounds and rinse the device, yer done. Also is small, for easy storage.

Another saver: enclosed kettle. We live aboard and use a 10lb bottle of gas maybe every 60 days. It helps that I’m not heating more water than the two cups necessary, also

 

[CapnK]

+1 plus the cleaning simplicity of AP: eject puck of grounds and rinse the device, yer done. Also is small, for easy storage.

FWIW - You can easily and safely reuse the paper filters in the AP - just peel it off the grounds prior to total 'ejection' (<- some fun can be had with that, I'm sure ), and let it dry out. Good as new on the next use, if a bit darker in color. I wanted to see if it was possible, as I imagine AP filters may not be easy to find everywhere.
Used one filter for several weeks, it was still working fine when I was finished experimenting.

 

[jacrider]

I am still dialing in the coffee and grind a bit, but it is my favorite brew atm - rich strong coffee with no silt.

How much milk by volume is in a lattee?  Edit - looks like google says 1:5 or 1:6 by volume, so yes, I exactly see how you get 4 perfect lattee's out of this.

I just made a brew in 4 cup pot - This is the entire output in an American size mug*.  I will add like two table spoons of half and half.  I'm not complaining at all - it is terrific - I just think American's thinking which size pot to buy need some frame of reference or they may be put off.

View attachment 443372

* edit: and yes, I fill to just below the valve.  I do pour it immediately as it starts to sputter so I do miss a tiny bit of volume from early pour but I think that keeps the flavor best. and yes, I just double checked that is the 4 cup pot.

Glad you are enjoying it.  Yes we are likely 4:1 or so when we make a latte.  Bialetti has a milk frother that goes on your stove.  So on one burner, we have the mocha pot, and the frother on the other.  Nice morning ritual.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

FWIW - You can easily and safely reuse the paper filters in the AP - just peel it off the grounds prior to total 'ejection' (<- some fun can be had with that, I'm sure ), and let it dry out. Good as new on the next use, if a bit darker in color. I wanted to see if it was possible, as I imagine AP filters may not be easy to find everywhere.
Used one filter for several weeks, it was still working fine when I was finished experimenting.

I have metal mesh filters for my AP, they eventually tore, and then I ended up with a perforated metal disc that seems to be more durable.

ive got a bobble on order. Whole thing is the same price as the fellow brand valve, so I’ll give the Bob a try

 

[gewoon ik]

mmm . . . "A regular Italian espresso is about 2 oz.."

You will note in my picture - I did not fill the Demitasse  to the brim.

I honestly think I am using the correct 'reference size' here.

I have drunk coffee and espresso quite a few places around the world

but  . . . whatever . . . I was just trying to help people understand the sizing so they bought the right one for them.

doens't really matter. As long as the coffee is good.

 

[gewoon ik]

they are crosseyed

 

[CapnK]

ive got a bobble on order. Whole thing is the same price as the fellow brand valve, so I’ll give the Bob a try

Keep us posted. One thing I can pass along - when 'smooshing' the coffee, go slow and use a little wobble technique on the presser part. Otherwise you can create a hot coffee volcano effect.
I also swirl mine a couple times before smooshing it, and that seems to help make it go down really easy. Maybe it gets some of the grounds to sink away from the steel perf mesh of the press.

 

[Spinsheet]

The French Press on a friends boat is the best "boat" coffee maker I've ever used - small * stores easily, S/S so as unbreakable as possible, makes coffee quickly and well etc. etc.

Basically no downside except only 3 cups at a time.

One table spoon per cup and that's it. If you don't get a cup you like, change coffee.

+1000

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

If you like "see through" coffee, sure.

 

[Mizzmo]

I tried the inverted AP method this weekend. It made really, really good coffee. Thanks SA. Thats now my go to method. The only issue is with stability, I could see issues with a rolly anchorage, and will stick with the standard method when underway. 

 

[Alex W]

I tried the inverted AP method this weekend. It made really, really good coffee. Thanks SA. Thats now my go to method. The only issue is with stability, I could see issues with a rolly anchorage, and will stick with the standard method when underway. 

That makes sense.

The rubber plunger also ages over time and makes for a much looser fit.  When that happens it is a lot easier to have accidents with the AP (especially inverted, but also regular way).  I've noticed that my office Aeropress is in especially bad shape right now.  Luckily there are replacement ones available.

 

[Alex W]

In looking for a new rubber plunger I noticed this product, which says it allows for inverted-style brewing while keeping the AP upright:

https://www.amazon.com/Fellow-Pressure-Actuated-Attachment-AeroPress-Espresso-Style/dp/B079YBT2LJ/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?crid=6UZB537FS03J&dchild=1&keywords=aeropress+plunger&qid=1622569696&sprefix=aeropress+plung%2Caps%2C216&sr=8-4-spons&psc=1&smid=AXZZ7POD1A829&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFFM1VKMERZRFUxWjMmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5NzE1ODA0NjVSUkpXRjZKNjQmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDY5ODIzMzFaVkVEVTFVS0hFSEUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

It looks pretty great, I'm going to order one and will report back.

 

[penumbra]

I have enjoyed the many trials and tribulations. Our beloved GSI french press had the insulating cover fail and my wife tossed the whole apparatus. Why? No idea.

When we have company aboard, e.g. the degenerates for deliveries, I add this oversized bastard to the kit and like it:

https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Stay-French-Press-48oz/dp/B07L6LQHB4/

However, it's huge. As well, the kettle we've been using is very wide and it's difficult to squeeze it and the frying pan on the stove at the same time. So, we tried this guy last weekend:

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Adventure-All-French-Press/dp/B07L6MLC6J/ref=sxin_10

Garbage. Utter garbage. Fatally, the rather nifty plunging mechanism allows the brewed elixir to sneak around the seal and come out under the spout. Also, you can't keep the lid on while boiling, or it least the rubber seals seem unlikely to survive.

I might go percolator next as the GSI unit, which used to be a fair $25 or so, is now $40+. The aeropress, which I love at home, is not a great option on the boat, in my mind.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

I tried the inverted AP method this weekend. It made really, really good coffee. Thanks SA. Thats now my go to method. The only issue is with stability, I could see issues with a rolly anchorage, and will stick with the standard method when underway. 

Just put the rig in the sink. Falls over, so what?

I am sipping at the new Bobble while I write this. It’s heavy. Seems well made. I suspect that cleaning is not quite as simple as the AP; the gasket for the plunger is wide and not that easy to get off, and the strainer part seemed to be binding up on the plunger apparatus but both may ease with use. the bobble certainly will be far safer aboard than the AP and about the same storage space. And the entire bobble is the same price as the valve offered for the AP

 

[10thTonner]

so, I have used pretty much all the methods here except the Bialetti.  I stayed away because they offer it in packaged with spare parts (like a gasket and some other stuff) and I did not want to have to do 'maintenance' on my coffee system.

So, for those who have used them - how frequently do you have to do something 'maintenance like' - is it more like 'only once a decade' or 'once a year', or?

And how does the coffee compare to the best drip (I have a Japanese glass Kalita Wave that I really like) or to the aeropress. I'm on the euro (more French than Italian)/stronger end of the taste spectrum.

We are on our first set of everything with our stainless „6 tazze“ Bialetti at home. Use it every day for about 20 years. We may have changed the gasket once, or was that on the „4 tazze“ I had before? It took two minutes, so I don’t know anymore... 

Really, you cannot go wrong with a Bialetti. 
 

 

[CapnK]

Max - to take apart strainer/plunger, for me it works best to spread the forces around the perimeter of the strainer part as equally as possible while unscrewing. I hold it in left hand, put fingertips of right hand into the 'cup' area at bottom of the plunger, then spread them apart and twist to unscrew it.
Once the 'cup' is off, the gasket slides on/off easily.
That said, it rinses well enough that not much gets left behind, so I only disassemble every few uses.