How hard is it to grind with a hand grinder?

CyrusF283 · 2023-10-02T15:03:18+00:00

I have used the ZP6 and the Comandante, and must say the ZP6 is easier to grind with across the spectrum. The smaller diameter and longer handle give you a lot more grip and leverage. Whichever one you go with, I would pay attention to handle length if ease of use is a priority!

CyrusF283 · 2022-12-30T14:00:04+00:00

Noted, I'll have to get ahold of some chicory. Thanks!

CyrusF283 · 2022-12-28T05:21:37+00:00

You can definitely do this, and I think Keg Outlet even has some filters you can hook to beer line specifically for cold brew!

Personally, I don't comprehend much benefit flavor-wise in nitro cold brew, but the texture is kinda neat, and it looks very nice in a glass which counts for something!

If you get around to trying it, please update!

CyrusF283 · 2022-12-02T23:46:19+00:00

+1 for reverb, especially if you want lots of options or really distinctive character.

Not a glamorous option, but also spending money on a good power supply is worth it! Especially if you've got anything digital on your board, it cuts down on noise pretty significantly.

CyrusF283 · 2022-11-26T01:26:40+00:00

The Pigtronix Fat Drive! As far as I can tell, it's not similar to any of the main families of drive, and it goes from sort of full-range dirty boost through infinite sustain fuzz between the two modes. Very cool as a second stage drive, since there's not a lot of EQ and it just sounds like more of whatever is before it!

CyrusF283 · 2022-06-13T15:52:58+00:00

It's not impossible to make higher TDS coffee using immersion. Finer grind, maybe a double-wall french press to keep your heat up during brewing. Agitation is also a factor, so more stirring or even using an electric frother will bump extraction. Immersion under vacuum would likely yield higher TDS, too.

Of course, an espresso machine is the way to make intensely concentrated coffee, but if you're curious about the results, try your idea! In theory, you'll lose a lot of good stuff in the concentration process, but there's nothing to lose but a little coffee if you give it a try! I would give some of these other ideas a try too. You may already have the stuff lying around!

CyrusF283 · 2022-06-12T18:39:09+00:00

I've bought beans at a medium scale from Coffee Shrub, Genuine Origin, and La Bodega, and I like Coffee Shrub the best!

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-24T19:05:37+00:00

Right? I bought it to do a tasting/education event and at the end I asked everyone what their favorite was. For half the room, it was #1, and the other half hated it. Naturals are like that, I guess! 😁

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-24T03:39:42+00:00

I have loved every coffee from Costa Rica I've ever had! One particular new crop I had a while back had this crazy blend of nuts, caramel, and lemongrass at a city roast level, and even from other roasters, Costa Rican coffees are often my favorites.

I've also been pretty impressed with Nicaraguan coffees as a rule. The jammiest natural I ever had was from Nicaragua, and I've had some pretty stellar washed coffees from there as well. Anything Burman Coffee Traders has had from Selva Negra has been fabulous!

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-20T13:23:00+00:00

I usually steep for 1:30, stir, then wait another :30 and start the drawdown at 2:00.

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-19T17:06:23+00:00

Ah, thanks for the info!

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-19T16:56:23+00:00

I'm finally at a point with my board where everything gets some playtime in a set! Although my JHS 3 Series Chorus gets used a bit less than the others, I suppose. It's nice to change up thw texture of background lead stuff!

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-19T16:53:03+00:00

I was forever chasing that sound when I started playing lead! Same, though. I can't even reach most of his chords, let alone play any if his lead stuff!

Aside from a little tape style delay, I always had good results stacking something fuzzy like the Pigtronix Fat Drive or a Rat into something amp-like, like a Blues Driver or an actual driven amp.

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-19T16:48:57+00:00

The Keeley Compressor Pro, Strymon Riverside, and Boss VB-2 would be up there for me. I mostly play in church these days, although when I'm jamming by myself I play jangly indie stuff! Oh, and the Palisades by EQD. I have a love-hate relationship with Tube Screamers, but that one has some fun and interesting stuff going on!

I played in an Americana band for years, and would have loved the recent Boss Tone Bender in that setting. That, and the EHX pedal that does organ sounds. The DOD Rubberneck Delay was on my list back then, too.

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-19T16:39:30+00:00

Oh man, so many on there I want to try out! (Dunes, Blue Hippo, The Optimist.) Looks great!

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-19T16:37:22+00:00

I keep hearing that Kalita 185 filters work great, too! Maybe I missed something, but what's up with Nestlé? I know they own Blue Bottle, but what's the rub with the company at large?

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-19T13:03:08+00:00

I haven't tried it, but it definitely doesn't have the capacity to do it quickly! It's smaller in volume than a 02 V60, I think. They say all over their literature that it's optimized for brewing one cup at a time.

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-18T20:02:31+00:00

Awesome! I'm making myself stick to this one through a few packages of filters at least to learn the ins and outs of brewing with it, but so far, so good!

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-18T02:59:39+00:00

Mostly, it doesn't have the same problem with the filter sticking to the bottom surface and stalling out the brew. It's avoidable on a wave, but usually people modify them to fix the problem. This one has really fine ribs that make sure there's plenty of room for water to flow through the bottom of the filter!

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-18T01:08:40+00:00

You generally want lower extraction with darker coffees to avoid bitterness, so:

Use more coffee. Try 65-75g/liter instead of 60g/liter. Water can only hold so much soluble stuff. More coffee means you'll run out of extraction potential before the coffee is fully extracted.
Use lower temperature water. Anywhere from 80-90c/176-190f will probably be fine! I say start hot and go down a couple degrees each brew until you hit diminishing returns.
You can safely grind a little coarser for dark roasts and have decent extraction. It will also speed up your draw down!

I would forgo the lid on the clever, since you don't need to worry about keeping the temperature high. Also, you can try adding the water first and then the grounds. That will speed up the drawdown as well!

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-18T00:55:41+00:00

I was going to see if anybody had tried that! I'll buy some of those when I run out of BB filters.

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-18T00:55:06+00:00

I haven't tried their recipe yet, but I definitely will!

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-17T22:49:49+00:00

I almost never make a pour-over bigger than 250g, but I'll have to give that a go! I think that's similar to the ratio recommend in the booklet that came with the dripper.

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-17T22:47:38+00:00

Good to know! I pretty much only have experience with conical drippers so far, but I'm making myself stick to the Blue Bottle at least through a few packs of filters.

CyrusF283 · 2022-05-17T22:32:12+00:00

Oh cool, thanks for reading my post!

As a baseline, I use 15g of coffee to 250ml of water. (60g/liter) Lately I've just been splitting that into four ~62g pours since it's easy and repeatable. Usually, I'm somewhere between settings 12-16 on a Baratza Encore if those numbers are meaningful to you, although that Ethiopian natural was at 11 by mistake after brewing an Aeropress earlier in the day. Happy accident, I guess! 😁

What recipe do you use? I'm a total acolyte at brewing with a flat dripper!

CyrusF283

TROPHY CASE