Making decent coffee

[shesells]

I got a Nespresso machine before Christmas and it was the best thing I invested in. I wouldn't be drinking coffee daily but with the coffee is fantastic and fairly cheap at 33c per cup after you guy the unit. Three people who used my machine went on to buy them in the last couple of months. Would highly recommend it.

I'm with you on this, I love my Nespresso machine. Great coffee and no cleaning to do either!!

33c for good coffee at home v €2+ to buy it out, or God knows how much in bags of Espresso bought for previous coffee machine, and binned because it wasn't what I wanted!

 

[aldark]

I use Tesco coffee beans, a Bodum grinder and a Bosh filter machine.
It always tastes bitter though, sometimes completely undrinkably so.

What's a bosh filter machine - is that one of those drip thingies where you put coffee into a basket and hot water drips through the grounds?

If so, I'd suggest binning it entirely. You'll get much better results from a plunge pot (cafetiere).

Bitter coffee means over- or under-extraction. Under extracted coffee is watery, bitter; over extracted coffee is sharply bitter/acrid. Either way, the grounds are not spending the right time in water at the right temperature.

For all coffee, the key is ensuring an even ground size - if its mixed, then the big grains will under extract and the small ones over extract resulting in mostly bitter coffee.

Next is the water - too hot=overextraction, too cool=underextraction so it must be at 92C - under boiling point

I'd say this is very difficult to do with a blade grinder and a drip filter. With a cafetiere, grind size must be quite large (but still even) and when its ready, pour it off. Get a burr grinder, even a hand operated one!!

If you're using a blade grinder, you could try grinding for short bursts and shaking the contents for better distribution.

 

[Diziet]

I'm with you on this, I love my Nespresso machine. Great coffee and no cleaning to do either!!

33c for good coffee at home v €2+ to buy it out, or God knows how much in bags of Espresso bought for previous coffee machine, and binned because it wasn't what I wanted!

I did a quick calculation for comparison - Lidl coffee beans (peruvian blend in green bag is one of the best I have found) - €3.99. I use a burr grinder and Gaggia coffee machine. Fabulous coffee for under 6c per cup. So 33c is certainly expensive, but if it's to your liking, it is still cheaper than having it outside the house.

I never have coffee outside the house these days, as it is never nice enough.

 

[extopia]

Himself though, turns out a beautiful pot of coffee using exactly the same ingredients and equipment.

There's the answer right there. Watch him carefully next time he's brewin'

 

[Bubbly Scot]

What's a bosh filter machine - is that one of those drip thingies where you put coffee into a basket and hot water drips through the grounds?

If so, I'd suggest binning it entirely. You'll get much better results from a plunge pot (cafetiere).

It's a drippy thing we bought in South Africa when we lived there. It was consigned to the cupboard for years while we bought different ones but it came out again last year cos himself prefers the coffee from it to anything else.

Extopia, you'd think that would be the answer but we're both exasperated with me trying to pick it up from him....and it's kindda hard on a Saturday morning when he's making coffee......and I'm still in bed

I fancy trying one of those Nespresso machines.