hpr-knowledge-base/hpr_transcripts/hpr1887.txt

Episode: 1887
Title: HPR1887: Coffee Making Basics
Source: https://hub.hackerpublicradio.org/ccdn.php?filename=/eps/hpr1887/hpr1887.mp3
Transcribed: 2025-10-18 10:48:27

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This is HBR Episode 1887 entitled Coffee Making Basics and is part of the series Coffee.
It is posted by first time post just me and is about 11 minutes long.
The summary is reply to HBR Episode 1871 and I'm Coffee Making.
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Hi, this is Jess Me.
I've been in and out of computing since the late 70s.
I'm currently running the latest version of Linux Mint LMDE Mate on this Intel Core
2 Q8300 CPU running at two and a half gigahertz on an AS Rock motherboard with 8G of memory.
Storage is provided by a 120 GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD for the OS and Western Digital WD-22T
hard drive as home and swap.
Videos provided by Nvidia, my monitor is in LGE-2441 widescreen.
I built this box a few years ago and haven't seen a need to modernize it beyond upgrading
the OS because it suits my purpose as well.
Although I'm seriously contemplating switching my desktop to XFCE because Mate is still
too buggy.
Not for about me.
Let's get on to the subject at hand.
I just finished listening to the HPR community news for September 2015, episode 1871, a couple
of days ago.
I listened to the two volunteer hosts talking about coffee, coffee preparation and how hard
it was to get water to the correct temperature for that optimal cup of coffee.
I'd like to ask the two of them a couple of questions before I continue lucidating on
this topic.
The first question is, can you blind taste test the difference between Nescafe instant
and a cup of, let's say, Starbucks brewed coffee, a blind taste test is where someone
prepares cups of coffee without you knowing which cup has which coffee.
Also notice, I didn't say cappuccino or latte.
I said, good old fashioned brewed coffee, drunk black.
Maybe ashamed if you can't, because many people don't have the taste buds for it.
But if you can't, I'd say forget making your own and stay with that crappy Nescafe instant.
You'll save yourself a lot of time and money.
On the other hand, if you can taste the difference, and you live in San Francisco area of California,
then I'd like to ask another question.
Can you taste the difference between Starbucks and Pete's brewed coffee?
If you can, then I propose one more question.
Can you taste the difference between a cup of coffee made with Colombian beans and one
made with Brazilian beans or Ethiopian beans or Costa Rica beans?
A few answered yes to all of these questions.
Then I'd say you should take time to learn how to make a proper cup of coffee.
You'll be rewarded a thousand times over with each cup you drink.
Now providing you've answered all on the affirmative, or you're just interested in listening
to the rest of this podcast, let's digress no further and proceed to the heart of the
matter.
Making a good cup of coffee, just like making a bottle of good wine or a good omelette
takes understanding of the basics and practice in preparation.
The basics of coffee making are simple, freshly roasted whole beans, a good grinder,
proper grind for the type of coffee preparation method, water, water temperature, and brew
time.
I'm not going to go into a step-by-step dissertation on each brewing method.
Suffice it to say, you can take the time for that later, I'll only discuss the essentials
here.
Let me dally a moment longer.
Do you drink wine or beer when you do, or if you do, do you add ice to it?
Do you want watered down beer or wine?
No.
Then why not hell would you add milk or sugar to your coffee, enough said on that subject?
Let's proceed.
One.
By freshly roasted whole beans, I mean just that.
Whole beans that have been roasted in the past couple of days.
Not two, three, four, five, or more months ago.
Beans lose their flavor.
Go stale with time.
Just like day-old bread.
Ground beans lose their flavor even faster.
So use only whole beans and grind them as you need them just before brewing.
In addition to maintaining their freshness, keep whole beans in an airtight bag or container
out of direct sunlight and in a cool, dry place, not refrigerated.
Beans hate time, temperature, sunlight, and air.
Another side note here, how much ground coffee per cup?
General rule of thumb, ten grams of ground coffee per six ounces of water.
The average American cup mug holds about eight to fourteen ounces of water.
So adjust the amount of coffee accordingly, experiment, keep all the other factors the
same and only vary the quantity of the ground coffee until you get that just right cup.
But of course, if you like nescafe instant, you'll like stale coffee beans and add extra
just for fun.
Number two, grinder.
A good grinder is imperative.
The greatest cost is going to be the grinder.
Not all grinders are equal, nor do they grind beans equally well.
So don't be afraid to spend good money for a good grinder.
Look for a conical or a bird grinder, no damn blade grinders.
Blade grinders are for spices and grinding dog food.
And they don't mean kitchen aid or sunbeam or cuisine art or Mr. Coffee or such.
Look for brand names like Mazard, Ranchillo, Gazia, Bun, Maycat, Baratza, spend good money
now.
It'll save you money and ensure years of good service.
Note that each brewing method needs a different grind, coarseness, fineness, experiment, keep
all the other factors the same and only vary the grind until you get that just right cup.
But of course, if you like nescafe instant, don't worry about the grind.
Another side note here.
If you answered yes to all the above questions, I'll guarantee that if I were to prepare
two cups of coffee where all of the factors are the same except for the grinder, one cheap
and one quality, that you would most definitely swear that different beans were used to make
each cup.
No joke, that's the difference a good grinder makes.
It, more than any other factor, will change the flavor of your coffee.
And you'll more likely than not be missing out on a great cup and be constantly played
with shit coffee if you cheap out.
I can personally attest to this fact.
I cheaped out in the beginning that I spent the money to buy a good grinder.
My first sip of coffee using the great grinder knocked my socks off, night and day.
I discovered the great taste of coffee that a great grinder provides, so don't cheap
out.
But of course, if you like nescafe instant, you'll like the cheap blade grinder.
Or hell, do it caveman style.
Just use a hammer to smash the beans.
Three.
Water.
Mountain spring water is a must.
The minerals in it help extract the delicate flavors of the coffee, giving it a much
more fuller, richer flavor.
The stilled water leaves coffee tasting flat and lifeless.
But of course, if you like nescafe instant, you'll like the stilled water.
Number four.
Water temp.
Yes.
Water temp makes a difference.
It's like the difference between scalding milk and burning milk.
Which is delicate flavors require a temperature between 195 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit or 90 to
94 degrees C. To cold, no flavor extraction, flat coffee, too hot, and the oils are extruded
bitter coffee.
First bring water to a rolling boil.
This aerates the water.
Once the water comes to a full boil, remove from the heat.
Take 30 to 40 seconds, then pour it into or over your freshly ground coffee beans and stir.
For an even more accurate temperature reading, use a thermometer.
If you make espresso, the espresso maker will take care of the temp, provided you bought
a good espresso maker and not a cheap cuisine art or the likes thereof.
But of course, if you like nescafe, use boiling hot water.
Five.
Brew time.
Each brewing method's brew time varies, French press, espresso, pour over drip, aeropress,
etc.
As little as 30 seconds, espresso.
To between three to four minutes for the others is needed, so experiment.
Keep all the other factors the same and only vary the brew time until you get that just
right cup.
But of course, if you like nescafe instant, not a steep
for ten minutes.
Does all of this seem like a lot of time and bother just for a cup of coffee?
Hell yes.
But didn't it seem like a lot of time and bother to make that first perfect omelette and
wasn't it worth it?
Once you got the hang of it, it was no fuss at all.
It's just like putting your pants on or brushing your teeth.
You no longer have to think about it.
You just do it.
And once you get the hang of it, the timing and the flow to making that just right cup
of coffee, you'll be able to enjoy a perfect cup every time, without breaking a sweat or
furring a brow.
So here's to you.
Enjoy and maybe next time we'll look at blending beans to create a euphoric
cup of coffee of mull flavors.
Bye-bye.
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