My Current Favorite Home Coffee Brewing Equipment, or...

Why you SHOULDN'T buy that expensive coffee brewer... YET.

I get a lot of folks asking me for recommendations for their next coffee maker. Which one do I like, which one should they get.

I think this would be a great time to talk about brewing equipment, being that Father's Day is right around the corner, and we all know how Dad's love gadgets/equipment/tools etc. So with that in mind, here we go…

A lot of folks will ask me to recommend a really great brewer, they say they are ready to invest in a nice piece of machinery that brews a really great cup of coffee. My philosophy has always been that a great cup of coffee, brewed at home, always starts with the coffee itself, not the brewer. I know the concept sounds a bit self promotional, but sincerely, a great cup of coffee at home starts with top notch coffee beans. A lot of you are already purchasing great, fresh coffee from Cobblestone, so you've already taken the first step. So then, on to the brewers, right? Nope. My next advice: invest in a decent grinder BEFORE you dive in to that great brewer.

I would much rather you purchase a really nice conical burr grinder, rather than invest in a brilliant brewer and keep that "whirlybird" blade grinder that is 10 years old. If you buy top of the line, freshly roasted coffee beans, and use a quality conical burr grinder to grind your beans just before you brew, then you are already 80 percent of the way to a great cup of coffee at home.

Grinding your coffee just before you brew, and grinding specifically and consistently for your brewers filter or brew method with a gravity fed conical burr grinder will make you the coffee 'Brew Master' of your block, no matter WHAT brewer you are using, or method you are using to brew.

BUT… add a great brewer that brews your coffee at the proper temperature all the way through the brew cycle for the proper length of time, and you become a coffee brewing Deity that all of your friends, family, and neighbors will worship, and Cobblestone will be contacting you regarding employment here at the roastery.

Remember, it all starts with the coffee, and it's crucial to grind (properly) just before you brew. Not the night before, not last week, grind it just before you brew it. Very important.

Okay, so you want to be a coffee rock-and-roll star? Well then listen now to what I say.

Here's my current favorite grinder and brewer: all available at your favorite online store and some higher end brick and mortar stores, and each for under $150:

Grinder: Capresso Infinity Conical Burr Grinder Model #565. The metal housing, not the plastic version. Pour in the beans, set the setting for your brew method, turn it on, then out comes beautiful, consistently sized coffee particles. Ahhh, smell the goodness. I just Froogled a best price of around $135 online as I write this on June 8th.

Brewer: The one and only Capresso MT-500. I love this brewer. I hear you saying "Hmmm, Capresso again?" Okay, relax Sherlock. It's a complete coincidence. When I rewrite this article later, we'll see who's still on my favorite list. I love this brewer. It maintains the proper brew temperature of 198 to 203 degrees all the way through the entire brew cycle, from start to finish. This baby's got heating coils to handle the job, time after time. Next, it comes with a gold toned metal filter basket (preferred over paper filters), and brews in to a stainless steel thermal carafe that goes anywhere. After the brew cycle is finished, you can say see ya later to the brewer and take the carafe anywhere, coffee stays hot. You can purchase a second carafe separately, and brew one while you take the other. I love this brewer.

Well there you go, my current favorites, just in time for Father's Day, with a little bit of instruction to go along with it. Hope you enjoy your coffee no matter what equipment you are using, just remember, it all starts with the coffee. ;-)

By Dave Earnest, Owner/Craft Roaster, Cobblestone Coffee Roastery, LLC / CobblestoneCoffee.com.



(c) Copyright 2007 Cobblestone Coffee Roastery, LLC. Reprint by permission only.


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dave@cobblestonecoffee.com