I never really liked coffee, it was always a bit too harsh and the effort involved in adding a myriad syrups to lessen the blow never really seemed worth it. However, in late 2024 I was visited by a close online friend who lives in Aotearoa. Being adjacent to Australia, there is a bit of a culture of coffee snobbery. The morning after her arrival tried to have a cup from Mr Coffee machine’s pot and almost spit it out. We went out and she bought single-origin grounds (no actual grinder was at available) and using my digital electric kettle instead of the Mr. Coffee heating element, she brewed the first pot of coffee I actually cared enough to finish unadulterated. That experience, along with the fact we will likely see each other again and I do not wish to offend her most delicate sensibilities (🩵), has caused me to actually take a crack at coffee.
Equipment#
It’s pour-over coffee stuff, but for posterity:
- Hario V60 Switch Immersion Dripper (Size 03)
- Hario V60 Coffee Server (Size 03/1000mL)
- TIMEMORE Chestnut C2 Manual Coffee Grinder.
- The digital electric kettle I got like 3 years ago at Costco.
Coffee#
On a lark, I went to Whole Foods and bought two bags of store-brand single origin beans (Colombia and Costa Rica). Both are light roasts as they are being immersed in water, which will cook the grounds a bit, so dark roasts would likely burn.
Results#
| Date | Beans | Temp1 | Ratio2 | Pour | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-04 | WF Costa Rica Light | 80 | 1:15 | Immersed until the largest of the bubbles popped (≤5 seconds) then drained | Initial test; I don’t have anything to compare it to. |
| 2025-01-07 | WF Costa Rica Light | 80 | 1:15 | [My actual-chef partner made this one] Filled drip feeder entirely, let sit for ~2 seconds, then dropped (repeated around 3 times for 650mL) | Initial test; I feel as though I could actually taste the notes on the package, which I assumed was just flavour text. |
| 2025-01-08 | WF Costa Rica Light | 80 | 1:15 | I attempt to emulate my partners steps as they were outlined above, however I feel I dropped the coffee much longer than after 2 seconds. | Bitter, burnt. I messed up and I know it. I think if I were as deft a hand as my partner I would have had a repeat of yesterday but alas. |
| 2025-01-14 | WF Colombia Light | 80 | 1:? | My chef-partner eyeball’d the ratio, seemed to be maybe 30g beans but I didn’t see how much water was added. | He has the magic touch, however. It was very sweet, I thought sugar was added but no, it was unadulterated. |
| 2025-01-15 | WF Colombia Light | 80 | 1:14.89 | Under partial supervision of NZ friend (very late in Aotearoa as I did it so she may not have paid the best attention). Water was filled to bloom, agitated with the back side of a plastic spoon, and then drained. As it drained the water was refilled without stopping the drip until ~350mL was in the pot. | Not as burnt as the 8th, but not good. Tastes like the very best of coffee-machine-coffee, but nowhere near as magnificent as what I otherwise get to experience. |
| 2025-05-14 | WF Colombia Light | 88 | 1:16 | Made by visiting NZ friend. Left initially to bloom for 30 seconds and then dropped, topped off continuously until all water was added (3 times). Checking the date, I will note that both coffees are a month or two past their best-by date. | It was fine. I made the mistake of immediately adding creamer as I forgot my procedure specifics and I got distracted by something and forgot to drink it while hot. |
| 2025-05-15 | WF Costa Rica Light | 92 | 1:20 | Another by NZ friend. Left to sit for 60 seconds before dropping due to more being brewed, continuously refilled after. | A bit bitter, but not burnt. This has me questioning if the bitterness is more a trait of the coffee than the maker. While this establishes a hierarchy of me < NZ friend < my partner in terms of talent, I still lack enough data to emulate my betters. |
