Coffee help

NUTMEG

NUTMEG

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 Sep 2009
Messages
1,923
Location
Essex
www.theblindsailor.co.uk
Recently given a Moka pot and electric grinder and have fallen in love with fresh coffee. Now thinking I would like to make it afloat. Can anyone suggest a good manual coffee grinder? Read opposing views of those mills on top of a wooden box. Any opinions or suggestions most welcome.
 
Sophie19 said:
Recently given a Moka pot and electric grinder and have fallen in love with fresh coffee. Now thinking I would like to make it afloat. Can anyone suggest a good manual coffee grinder? Read opposing views of those mills on top of a wooden box. Any opinions or suggestions most welcome.
Click to expand...

i will admit to vacuam packed with a Whittards insulated s/s cafeteria both o/b & at home.
its surprising how many English make do with that ersatz muck out of a jar :eek:
 
Sophie19 said:
Recently given a Moka pot and electric grinder and have fallen in love with fresh coffee. Now thinking I would like to make it afloat. Can anyone suggest a good manual coffee grinder? Read opposing views of those mills on top of a wooden box. Any opinions or suggestions most welcome.
Click to expand...

These aren't terrible though they require a huge amount of effort - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stellar-Sta...PC/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1343935538&sr=8-11

Make sure you buy a grinder with ceramic burrs.

The problem is that for a Moka pot you ideally want a fine grind and with a manual grinder the finer the grind the more the work. In reality you won't want to go for anything other than a fairly course drip/filter grind with a manual grinder.

So.... rather than taking the Moka pot on board, why not try manual filter? It can make incredibly nice coffee and it's very tolerant of grind. Just use a filter holder, a gold (NOT paper) filter and pour into a thermos flask.

I personally don't like cafetieres because unless you drink the coffee immediately it inevitably ends up over brewed and bitter. Carefully made manual filter coffee isn't bitter at all and never needs milks or sugar.

Finally I'm sure you are, but make sure you are using high quality beans roasted to order :) http://www.hasbean.co.uk/ (no connection other than happy customer etc).
 
jamesjeffrey said:
These aren't terrible though they require a huge amount of effort - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stellar-Sta...PC/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1343935538&sr=8-11

Make sure you buy a grinder with ceramic burrs.

The problem is that for a Moka pot you ideally want a fine grind and with a manual grinder the finer the grind the more the work. In reality you won't want to go for anything other than a fairly course drip/filter grind with a manual grinder.

So.... rather than taking the Moka pot on board, why not try manual filter? It can make incredibly nice coffee and it's very tolerant of grind. Just use a filter holder, a gold (NOT paper) filter and pour into a thermos flask.

I personally don't like cafetieres because unless you drink the coffee immediately it inevitably ends up over brewed and bitter. Carefully made manual filter coffee isn't bitter at all and never needs milks or sugar.

Finally I'm sure you are, but make sure you are using high quality beans roasted to order :) http://www.hasbean.co.uk/ (no connection other than happy customer etc).
Click to expand...

Only buy Arabica beans
NEVER NEVER robusta that is terrible stuff
 
James, can you dry me out behind the ears, and tell me what's wrong with paper filters? Is the 'gold' filter your refer to one of the perforated metal reusable sort? Thanks.
 
Thanks for the link, Vic. I think my wife gave me one of those recently, and I found it a pain to clean out the wet grounds compared to binning the paper filter. Clearly, in order to guarantee complex and lively coffee I'd better persevere.
 
Some interesting links. Not allowed to 'pinch' the moka pot so will look into a filter wotsit instead.

Thanks all

Steve.

PS. New film posted on blog if avoiding Olympic coverage!
 
Corribee Boy said:
Thanks for the link, Vic. I think my wife gave me one of those recently, and I found it a pain to clean out the wet grounds compared to binning the paper filter. Clearly, in order to guarantee complex and lively coffee I'd better persevere.
Click to expand...

Vic's link said exactly what I was thinking. It does make a difference - especially with high quality fresh (fresh roast and fresh ground) coffee...

For washing the filter out... I'm afraid I just turn the filter upside down and hold it under the tap to wash the grounds down the sink. Whether I *should* be doing that I'm not sure but it's effective.
 
Last edited:
We use a cafetiere and generally, it's OK. I can't imagine going to the effort of grinding coffee every time I want it, good though the result would be. If you want to keep ground coffee you should really put it in the fridge since the flavour elements are mainly in the oils and left at room temperature these simply go rancid.
 
Life's easy if you are happy with instant.

A packet of the real stuff for Xmas is then a treat.

Anybody still use a Cona ?
 
Back when I drank coffee regularly I use to use one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/SwissGold-Coffee-Filter-reusable-KF300/dp/B0056ZVVHA

41lh3Ej8g8L._SL500_AA300_.jpg


It made excellent coffee (assuming you used decent coffee and didn't pour boiling water into it) and was very quick to clean up - as mentioned earlier knock the majority of the grounds out (I should think they could go overboard safely) and then a quick run under a cold tap whilst held upside down (the filter, not you - although I guess it's up to you). Every night give it a very quick with washing up liquid and rinse very thoroughly and that's it.
 
VicS said:
Life's easy if you are happy with instant.

A packet of the real stuff for Xmas is then a treat.

Anybody still use a Cona ?
Click to expand...

Yes! Been using my Model C for years. Great talking point, brilliant fun and wonderful coffee. Made in Britain for 100 years! :)
 
Stainless for me

I made do with a large Aluminium (1960's) percolator for a few years and then bought a stainless Moka pot in the azores. Add to that a cream maker and you can have frothy hot milk on a stove, perfect Latte or capuccino.
41MGE4UYntL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

154250.jpg


I spent too long working for French companies where the right coffee was essential and was converted.
 
Last edited:
http://www.pennineteaandcoffee.co.uk

This company sell excellent ground coffee (including decaf) for cafetieres, filters and espresso machines in single portion and multi portion vacuum packed sachets, so it is really fresh when you use it. It really is good, especially if you are singlehanded, as a small pack of coffee does deteriorate in a boat's cabin. They also sell instant coffee in the tear-open sticks you see in B&Bs (they supply hotels and B&Bs), so again, it is always fresh. Likewise portion packs of sugar, whitener and such.

They also do Suchards hot chocolate in individual foil packs, which is delicious.

I also bought one of their single size stainless steel cafetieres, which is boat-proof.

No connection other than as a satisfied repeat customer.
 
Tropic Cat said:
Surprising thread. I thought all of UK drank tea and it's just our side of the pond that has the coffee addiction.

I find that these make very good coffee
Click to expand...

In the UK I (Brit) drank fresh black coffee, filter made but to 'USA' strength, ie not too strong, but always drank tea away from home because Brits generally and restaurants especially make coffee too strong. In France or Spain I would ask for 50% coffee and 50% hot water for the same reason, or again drink tea. On board in the UK we made filter coffee ( hate instant) with a paper filter in a 'manual' cone over a 2L pump action stainless steel vacuum flask. Now living on board a mobo in Florida we have a Mr Coffee filter machine and do use paper filters, with Foulgers coffee, 'classic' blend, it would be nice to use re-usable filters but coffee grounds down boat plumbing is not a good idea and using lots of rinse water the same.

Over here in the USA SWMBO (American) drinks iced tea/sweet tea when we eat out and black tea occasionally on board. The USA has plenty of teas for sale in the supermarkets albeit in contrived flavours in some kind of effort to 'improve' on the natural product, just like if chicken is good it will be better with cheese on top and even better with a three cheese topping... No doubt there are places with 4 cheese chicken, probably with mushrooms and jalapenos. KISS FFS!!!!
 
head over to the cruisersforum (US equivalent to this) and you'll find so many discussions about making the perfect cup of coffee that you'll eventually be able to sift through and find a recommendation for a grinder!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top