Variations in amount of grounds used????

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Date: 15 Feb 2007 05:19:22
From:
Subject: Variations in amount of grounds used????

I roast my own most of the time, but because of the weather, was
forced to buy some Dunkin Donuts beans.
When I'm roasting my own, I use 5T per quart in my French press. When
I use DD, I find I need to use 8T.
Can anyone speak to this difference?

Date: 16 Feb 2007 08:23:34
From:
Subject: Re: Variations in amount of grounds used????

> Because you are looking at it backwards. DD tastes best at "proper"
> strength, while your home roast tastes best at half-strength. It would
> be presumptuous of me to tell you that there is something wrong with
> your home roast, but I can tell you as a general proposition that
> people compensate for bad coffee by brewing it weakly. Check the
> instruction on the superket "cans."
>
> Here's the best reality check. Buy some roasted coffee from one of the
> premier roasters (you'll find lots of recommendations on alt.coffee).
> Brew it at their recommended strength (it will be 2T to 6 oz.) and see
> if you like it better than your home roast.
>
> shall

In addition to what shall said, I would add this: You indicated
comparing DD to two TJ coffees, both of which are dark roasts. You
may find that you like the 'bite' that dark roast provides, and find
that you can obtain that bite when brewing to weaker strenghts.
Because DD is a medium roast designed to be very smooth, you can't get
that bite when brewing at weaker strengths, and need to make it
stronger to have the flavor you want come through.

Just my $.02
Anthony.

Date: 16 Feb 2007 10:31:12
From: Ed Needham
Subject: Re: Variations in amount of grounds used????

Did DD grind the beans at the store?
If so, I'd say that the grinder at the store is going to be a commercial one
with a large grinding burr. The grinder at the store might be grinding
differently than the one you use at home. Maybe larger particles, maybe
it's dull and you're getting more dust, who knows. A larger grind will
require more coffee to make the same strength of brew.
The other thing I was thinking was that your homeroast might be more
flavorful and fresher, so less grinds gives you more taste.
--
*********************
Ed Needham®
"to absurdity and beyond!"
http://www.homeroaster.com
(include [FRIEND] in subject line to get through my SPAM filters)
*********************

<mhorowit@cox.net > wrote in message
news:1171545562.735161.80970@a34g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>I roast my own most of the time, but because of the weather, was
> forced to buy some Dunkin Donuts beans.
> When I'm roasting my own, I use 5T per quart in my French press. When
> I use DD, I find I need to use 8T.
> Can anyone speak to this difference?
>

Date: 16 Feb 2007 06:59:51
From: Flasherly
Subject: Re: Variations in amount of grounds used????

On Feb 15, 8:19 am, mhoro...@cox.net wrote:
> I roast my own most of the time, but because of the weather, was
> forced to buy some Dunkin Donuts beans.
> When I'm roasting my own, I use 5T per quart in my French press. When
> I use DD, I find I need to use 8T.
> Can anyone speak to this difference?

Coffee beans do vary across origins, as well, roast. The FP is a
constant (grind and make it essentially the same). Were they mine, I'd
like to think I'm roasting better beans than Dunkin' Donuts. Last cup
of DD coffee I did have was nearby while testing a truck for
restoration from a junkyard. A DD COF that tasted suspiciously
flavored (mabe it was, I don't know much about that aspect, blending
other than coffee to pronounce coffee taste), apart from the engine
oil and grease, objectively speaking. I'm going to give you an
at'aboy. Your home-roasted coffee is superior in strength and
flavor. Yes, it's so good, for DD to even come close, you've simply
compensated by adding more.

Date: 15 Feb 2007 11:21:06
From:
Subject: Re: Variations in amount of grounds used????

On Feb 15, 10:24 am, shall <mrf...@ihatespamearthlink.net > wrote:
> On 15 Feb 2007 05:19:22 -0800, mhoro...@cox.net wrote:
>
> >I roast my own most of the time, but because of the weather, was
> >forced to buy some Dunkin Donuts beans.
> >When I'm roasting my own, I use 5T per quart in my French press. When
> >I use DD, I find I need to use 8T.
> >Can anyone speak to this difference?
>
> Yes. Up until now you have been brewing coffee at half strength,
> possibly because your green beans or your home roasting technique need
> improvement. The Dunkin Donuts beans are tasting better at near full
> strength. You should be using about 10 T, by the way.
>
> shall

Using 2T per 8-10 oz water (http://www.sweetias.com/
brewinstr.frenchpress.html)
of my own roast, or Trader Joes's French Roast or Trader Joe's Double
Dark has been
giving me very good results.
Dunkin Donuts seems to be the variable. - Mike

Date: 15 Feb 2007 19:51:56
From: Marshall
Subject: Re: Variations in amount of grounds used????

On 15 Feb 2007 11:21:06 -0800, mhorowit@cox.net wrote:

>On Feb 15, 10:24 am, shall <mrf...@ihatespamearthlink.net> wrote:
>> On 15 Feb 2007 05:19:22 -0800, mhoro...@cox.net wrote:
>>
>> >I roast my own most of the time, but because of the weather, was
>> >forced to buy some Dunkin Donuts beans.
>> >When I'm roasting my own, I use 5T per quart in my French press. When
>> >I use DD, I find I need to use 8T.
>> >Can anyone speak to this difference?
>>
>> Yes. Up until now you have been brewing coffee at half strength,
>> possibly because your green beans or your home roasting technique need
>> improvement. The Dunkin Donuts beans are tasting better at near full
>> strength. You should be using about 10 T, by the way.
>>
>> shall
>
>Using 2T per 8-10 oz water (http://www.sweetias.com/
>brewinstr.frenchpress.html)
>of my own roast, or Trader Joes's French Roast or Trader Joe's Double
>Dark has been
>giving me very good results.
>Dunkin Donuts seems to be the variable. - Mike

Although I have the utmost respect for Tom, his French press method is
a bit eccentric, as it relies on very finely ground coffee and an
extremely short brewing time (2 min.). You will find that 2T (or more)
of fairly coarse-ground coffee to 6 oz. of water, brewed for about 4
minutes is a pretty standard method. I encourage you to confirm this
with a Google search.
http://www.thecoffeefaq.com/1thebasics.html#howmuchground
http://www.barefootcoffeeroasters.com/category/cupping/
http://www.coffeeresearch.org/coffee/brewing.htm

shall

Date: 15 Feb 2007 18:08:31
From: Michael Horowitz
Subject: Re: Variations in amount of grounds used????

On Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:51:56 GMT, shall
<mrfuss@ihatespamearthlink.net > wrote:

>On 15 Feb 2007 11:21:06 -0800, mhorowit@cox.net wrote:
>
>>On Feb 15, 10:24 am, shall <mrf...@ihatespamearthlink.net> wrote:
>>> On 15 Feb 2007 05:19:22 -0800, mhoro...@cox.net wrote:
>>>
>>> >I roast my own most of the time, but because of the weather, was
>>> >forced to buy some Dunkin Donuts beans.
>>> >When I'm roasting my own, I use 5T per quart in my French press. When
>>> >I use DD, I find I need to use 8T.
>>> >Can anyone speak to this difference?
>>>
>>> Yes. Up until now you have been brewing coffee at half strength,
>>> possibly because your green beans or your home roasting technique need
>>> improvement. The Dunkin Donuts beans are tasting better at near full
>>> strength. You should be using about 10 T, by the way.
>>>
>>> shall
>>
>>Using 2T per 8-10 oz water (http://www.sweetias.com/
>>brewinstr.frenchpress.html)
>>of my own roast, or Trader Joes's French Roast or Trader Joe's Double
>>Dark has been
>>giving me very good results.
>>Dunkin Donuts seems to be the variable. - Mike
>
>Although I have the utmost respect for Tom, his French press method is
>a bit eccentric, as it relies on very finely ground coffee and an
>extremely short brewing time (2 min.). You will find that 2T (or more)
>of fairly coarse-ground coffee to 6 oz. of water, brewed for about 4
>minutes is a pretty standard method. I encourage you to confirm this
>with a Google search.
>http://www.thecoffeefaq.com/1thebasics.html#howmuchground
>http://www.barefootcoffeeroasters.com/category/cupping/
>http://www.coffeeresearch.org/coffee/brewing.htm
>
>shall

I concur. With my 12 oz French Press. I use 2T of grounds for 4
minutes and get good results. For my 32 oz press, 5T for 4 minutes
gives good results. But only with my roast, or that from TJ's.
I'm still puzzled why it takes 2x the grounds for DD grounds. - MIke

Date: 17 Feb 2007 22:32:22
From: Marshall
Subject: Re: Variations in amount of grounds used????

Date: 18 Feb 2007 19:58:46
From: Jeffrey Pawlan
Subject: Re: Variations in amount of grounds used????

shall wrote:

>
> I also recall there is a school of thought that a coarse grind is best
> for bringing out the natural sweetness in French pressed coffee.
>
> shall

Yes, I was shown this when ty Curtis was here in October. He ground
the coffee about as coarse as pepper and brewed a bit longer than I used
to in my French Press. The result was the sweetest coffee I had ever
tasted, with no bitterness.

Jeffrey Pawlan

Date: 16 Feb 2007 01:15:00
From: Marshall
Subject: Re: Variations in amount of grounds used????

On Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:08:31 -0500, Michael Horowitz
<mhorowit@cox.net > wrote:

>I concur. With my 12 oz French Press. I use 2T of grounds for 4
>minutes and get good results. For my 32 oz press, 5T for 4 minutes
>gives good results. But only with my roast, or that from TJ's.
>I'm still puzzled why it takes 2x the grounds for DD grounds. - MIke

Because you are looking at it backwards. DD tastes best at "proper"
strength, while your home roast tastes best at half-strength. It would
be presumptuous of me to tell you that there is something wrong with
your home roast, but I can tell you as a general proposition that
people compensate for bad coffee by brewing it weakly. Check the
instruction on the superket "cans."

Here's the best reality check. Buy some roasted coffee from one of the
premier roasters (you'll find lots of recommendations on alt.coffee).
Brew it at their recommended strength (it will be 2T to 6 oz.) and see
if you like it better than your home roast.

shall

Date: 15 Feb 2007 10:13:58
From:
Subject: Re: Variations in amount of grounds used????

On Feb 15, 10:24 am, shall <mrf...@ihatespamearthlink.net > wrote:
> On 15 Feb 2007 05:19:22 -0800, mhoro...@cox.net wrote:
>
> >I roast my own most of the time, but because of the weather, was
> >forced to buy some Dunkin Donuts beans.
> >When I'm roasting my own, I use 5T per quart in my French press. When
> >I use DD, I find I need to use 8T.
> >Can anyone speak to this difference?
>
> Yes. Up until now you have been brewing coffee at half strength,
> possibly because your green beans or your home roasting technique need
> improvement. The Dunkin Donuts beans are tasting better at near full
> strength. You should be using about 10 T, by the way.
>
> shall

Wow! and I thought I've been doing this successfully for 5 years!
I'm roasting past the first crack and up to the first indication of
the second crack beginning.
You're suggesting something is wrong???? - Mike (open to suggestions)

Date: 15 Feb 2007 15:24:26
From: Marshall
Subject: Re: Variations in amount of grounds used????

On 15 Feb 2007 05:19:22 -0800, mhorowit@cox.net wrote:

>I roast my own most of the time, but because of the weather, was
>forced to buy some Dunkin Donuts beans.
>When I'm roasting my own, I use 5T per quart in my French press. When
>I use DD, I find I need to use 8T.
>Can anyone speak to this difference?

Yes. Up until now you have been brewing coffee at half strength,
possibly because your green beans or your home roasting technique need
improvement. The Dunkin Donuts beans are tasting better at near full
strength. You should be using about 10 T, by the way.

shall