jeffjudge.com

i promised this post to a friend a fews weeks back after i wrote my steaks are for lovers post.

quick caveat - i’m no coffee expert. yes, it is true that i bought a big fancy espresso machine five years ago and plumbed it into the wall (for convenience). i even posted photos to this site at the time, and all of my coworkers had a good laugh because the photos were akin to espresso porn. in truth, i’m really just a dude who loves a good cup of coffee, and a great shot of espresso.

so here’s the skinny on coffee - it’s all about freshness. you can brew a cup of coffee a lot of different ways, but if you don’t start out with the right beans than the end product won’t matter. figure out how many pounds of coffee you brew up in a week, and buy that fresh every week. erin and i buy about a pound per week.

you ask: where do i procure said beans? well, if you live in any decent size city, you’re sure to have a local roaster. track them down, figure out what they’re all about and try lots of their coffee. if you don’t like their stuff, then have a chat with one of the roasters to see what’s up and how they can help. you probably won’t have any problems though. here in chicago, we have two fantastic roasters: intelligentsia and metropolis. these guys both offer a hearty selection of beans, all of which are roasted daily. intelligentsia’s roasting facility is over at 1800 w fulton, and metropolis roasts in their store up in edgewater (although I hear they just hooked up a big andersonville space). i remember riding by intelligentsia’s roasterie a few years ago and i thought it would be cool to stop in and check it out. next thing i know i’m getting an tour from one of two guys working that day, and he capped it off by pulling me a world class shot in a tasting room upstairs. so you get lucky sometimes - it was pure happenstance that this guy had enough time to hook me up.

if you don’t have a local roaster, then look for an organic grocery store. i often buy from whole foods (who sources from intelligentsia and metropolis locally).

and if you can’t buy local, then buy via mail order. try zoka out of seattle - in fact i just ordered two lbs from their website a few nights ago and got the UPS email a few minutes ago. i’m super stoked.

on to the brew…there are few ways it can be done at home:

(1) automatic drip: machine + paper filter + grinder + beans
this is a fine way to go as you’ll get super consistent coffee every time. don’t spend any money on a fancy machine, just get a $20 jobber at target. $10 more buys you a machine w/a timer so you can can wake up to a fresh cup.

(2) manual drip: cup + cone + paper filter + grinder + beans + kettle
i’ve been digging this lately. using a metal latte picture and a plastic cone, i first boil water, then put some finely ground grinds into a paper cone. then i pour hot water (use the kettle to bring water to a boil) over the grinds until the water is about two thirds the way up the paper cone. i keep repeating the pour until i have the right amount of coffee for the amount grinds i’m using.

(3) french press: glass cylinder + press + grinder + beans
the ultimate in easy. you can grab a french press (any coffee house or target has a bodum, which is a popular brand). coarsely grind your beans and dump them in the french press. boil water. let the water cool for a 30 seconds after it’s begun rapidly boiling, and then pour into the french press. stir with a spoon, knife or some other utenstil for a minute, then let site for 3-4 minutes and press. voila!

get a grinder. don’t use a grinder at the grocery store. don’t buy beans from a grocery store unless you know their fresh. don’t buy beans from starbucks (funny, i say this and own their stock) get a $20 grinder from wholelattelove.com. i’ve been using the same grinder that my three sisters gave me for christmas my freshman year in college 10 years ago.

so go get some good coffee and give it a shot. let me know if you have any questions.