The Reading Room

Good blending karma.  I seem to have stumbled onto another nice blend of blends.  Every morning I make my wife a cup of drip coffee.  She knows a ton about coffee, but does like her average bean darker than I...

This is the second of posts on the coffees I'm working my way through. This time I’m discussing Deep Cello's Black Tie blend. I don't make espresso (I just have a cheap machine that I haven't used since I got...

The Timolino Ingeni coffee maker. I have a confession.  I often say that I am using a clever dripper to make brewed coffee, but in fact I am not, I am using a clever style dripper.  I use an alternative...

I just managed to finish off an entire 12-oz. bag of Counter Culture’s Finca Mauritania all by myself. Well, unless you’re counting the 80 grams or so that I froze at 4 days post-roast for future enjoyment, but I have...

A follow up on Velton’s Bonsai Blend.  I have now been pulling the Bonsai blend for a few days.  It has continued to improve each day that I have used it.  It is still what I would consider a big...

The Coava DISK is a perforated stainless steel filter designed to replace the paper filters for the Aeropress. The idea is that the paper filters (even after rinsing) may inpart a slight taste to the coffee as well as filter...

Olympia Coffee roasters,  carried here on ROASTe, roasts some fine coffees. I've had a couple and have been pleased. Like a lot of other roasters, they've had their baristas place well in brewing competitions. If I remember correctly, one of...

The basics of pourover are well known. You can find some basic techniques on BrewMethods.comI thought that I'd write about some things that are not as well known.Pourover size. It's best to match the size of the pourover dripper with...

I no longer use a vacuum pot--I prefer the quality and simplicity of pourover--but I understand its appeal. To get the most out of the unit with minimal fuss, here's how I would proceed. A nice upgrade is a two-part...

I'm currently drinking Los Lobos, a Costa Rican bean that was roasted by Barismo, a small-batch roaster located in Arlington, MA. They distribute to a number of cafes in the Boston area, such as Simons and Hi-Rise, and you can...

Grinding for a lever.  I often read people who suggest that when grinding for a lever machine the key is to grind especially fine and tamp lightly.  I agree that on any machine lever or not you can get away...

Blue Bottle, Blue Bottle, Blue Bottle, oh how the people adore you. I am very fortunate to live in the backyard of one of the biggest roasters in gourmet coffee, Blue Bottle. What I find so interesting about Blue Bottle...

After a long day of waiting, unexpectedly my Hario mini mill hand grinder has shown up today at my door step! Boy, it is going to be an exciting day! I'm planning to spend today to dial this grinder in...

Coffee brewing and the art of pulling espresso are both marked by curious methods, techniques, and rituals. Lately I've been questioning and revisiting some widely accepted coffee brewing practices that have worked their way into my morning ritual. First I'll start with...

Accidental glory – a blend of blends I have two really good coffees for espresso at home right now.  One is Velton’s Bonsai Blend and the other one is Klatch’s World Best Espresso blend.  Neither one is quite ready yet...

Caffe Pronto Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere District What I am drinking now might be a bit of a misnomer.  In some sense this is more what my wife is drinking now.  I drink much more espresso than brewed coffee, but my...

How Much does your Espresso shot weigh? If you are not weighing your shots then the correct answer is "I have no idea." A less correct answer is "I have no idea and I do not care."  Why should you care?...

photo: haunted coffee counter in San Antonio Hauntings aren’t just for old creaky houses anymore. Many of today’s upscale ghosts are attached to coffee houses. Maybe a person or former owner died mysteriously on the premises and the spirit just...

Now after I had made that last post about my not so clever dripper I figured that I needed to pick one of these up as I have wanted one for the longest time and people keep raving about them....

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31%2BmkPFvFIL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 300px; float: left;" /> Finally after much contemplating and online forum research, I finally bought the Hario Mini Mill. From what I have been reading, people are reporting that this grinder is excellent companion to the...

It’s been a long time since I’ve had coffee prepared anywhere except by me at my house. This morning, I had to make a long road trip to attend something for school and so I found myself away from all...