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How can I make you a good cup of coffee?


Piper
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We are totally not coffee drinkers in this house, so we basically know nothing about brewing it or anything. :laugh: But, we would really like to be able to offer our guests a "decent" cup of coffee. I've heard that instant coffee is not particularly appealing, which I get, but we don't want to invest in a huge coffee maker or Keurig or anything super fancy. Is there something in between - a small grinder? We could keep a bag of nice beans on hand, but I'm really not sure what to look for in terms of "appliances" to make grounds or a decent cup of coffee. So, coffee drinkers, what would you recommend? What would you like to be offered as a guest?? And how would I, as a coffee-ignorant hostess, go about making that?? 

 

Thanks!

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I actually prefer my brand of instant, but I might be in the minority.

 

My parents used to use a coffee cone, a white paper towel (specially folded for a filter), and a teapot.  Put the cone on the teapot, put filter and grounds therein, and pour boiling water over the grounds.  For stronger coffee, pour some of the result out of the teapot and back over the grounds again.

 

This method only requires you to keep a coffee cone and a small can of grounds.

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I love hand poured coffee, but it’s not feasible for more than one cup at a time. If you’re interested in just providing coffee to be hospitable, get a machine at Target. It should be less than $30 dollars. Coffee beans get stale so buy a small amount at a time if you won’t be making it often. The key to using a machine is not skimping on the amount of coffee used.

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Ditto on the French press.

 

Buy very small bags of beans (you’ll need coarse ground for a French press). Small bags because fresh beans are much better than old. Don’t keep them in the freezer, contrary to what you may have heard, instead keep them in an airtight container. And if you only have guests who drink coffee once in a blue moon, just send the bag home with them. Ok, well, if it’s appropriate - like if it’s your mom. :)

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Pour over is the only way for me.I've been using this method for many years and totally before it become the thing in Brooklyn. This because I had no counterspace for, well, anything. I grind beans each time but we don't need to get carried away now.

I now carry my little coffee paraphernalia when I travel...all I need is hot water and I'm happy :)

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Wow, you guys are awesome! 

 

Wouldn't you know it, we had a French press for years (it was a gift) and we ditched it when we moved..."Nah, we'll never use this thing - it's just taking up cupboard space!"   :lol:  So we might get a new one. I"m a bit hesitant to get the full coffee maker, just because then I would have to find it a home. A French press seems to involve less real estate. 

 

Do beans stay fresh longer than grounds? And if I'm buying beans, how do I grind them? Is there a special thingy for that, or do I just throw them in a blender or something?? (Pardon my crashing ignorance on this topic!)

Edited by Piper
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Do not attempt to grind beans in your blender if you want to keep your blender functional!

 

There are specialized coffee grinders but when the one I got as a wedding gift wore out I decided that the taste difference between freshly ground and pre-packaged ground was not worth the cost.

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Get a four cup Melitta cone that you pour boiling water through (and the flat paper filters for it).  That makes about 3 mugs of coffee, but you can use it to make less, too.

You can put it over a widemouthed canning jar if you don't want to dedicate the space to a coffee maker.

You can buy good ground coffee if you keep it in the freezer--Peet's dark French roast is reliably good.  Make it about half again as strong as the directions say.

 

If it cools off in the canning jar, as long as you don't put the lid on you can warm it in the microwave.  If you have extra, you can put the lid on and it will keep nicely in the fridge for about 4 days.  We call that 'vintage coffee' in our house.

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Coffee bean grinder, they're small and the cheap one(I think under $20 on amazon) powers this homeschool 😂

 

Which one do you have? I want to say that when I was looking to replace my wedding gift one, the grinder I had cost at least $75 at the time (so probably more now).

 

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We had the same problem, not being coffee drinkers but wanting to be able to offer coffee. Well, wanting nothing. People DEMAND they're coffee when they're here overnight, lol. Anyways, we have a good coffee maker, one that replenishes quickly, comes to the high temps for good coffee, etc. Honestly it's a pain. We don't mind, but unless you have people who drink a WHOLE POT when they come (which we do, one person, one pot), I'd just get a Keurig and be done with it. The coffee is acceptable to coffee drinkers, and you won't have all the expense and waste of regular coffee. I buy coffee pods, and those work out well in our pot. 

 

Bunn is the good coffee maker. Ours can brew pot after pot with a very short cycle time, which is nice for parties when we don't break out the urn. But seriously, don't bother. Get a Keurig. It will be cheaper in the longrun, less hassle, and your guests will like it just fine. And you can probably score a deal right now. I'll bet you could get one from Kohls with a 40% off coupon right now. :D

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We bought our middle daughter a keurig for her dorm room. She can't stand how it tastes, even filling the refillable basket with good coffee.

 

She found someone on her floor with a French press and now they share a pot each morning.

 

I could have saved my money on the keurig.

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Which one do you have? I want to say that when I was looking to replace my wedding gift one, the grinder I had cost at least $75 at the time (so probably more now).

 

I don't see mine now on amazon but it's something even less complicated than this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004SPEU/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510884978&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=coffee+grinder&dpPl=1&dpID=41NQRigTUdL&ref=plSrch
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I travel with an Aeropress (and a mini Porlex grinder that fits in the press). If you're looking for something that takes up almost no room, an Aeropress'll do ya.

Oh man I need that porlex to elevate my travelling game. I have the Turkish bazar equivalent and it doesn't exactly glide, plus, hefty. I can use it for self-defense, probably.
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I think keurigs are an abomination. I have them in my office and set up a parallel drip contraption because really life is too short.

 

We have a Keurig because in our social circle, guests expect to be offered their choice of K-cups. But we only use it when we have company.

 

For my morning coffee, I use my French Press.

 

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Just a different perspective here.  If you don't drink coffee, don't drive yourself crazy trying to figure out how to give your guests coffee.  My husband and I are coffee drinkers, and we know people who don't drink it. At their houses, we drink tea or whatever else they offer us.   Unless you have a lot of guests who like coffee, I wouldn't bother buying appliances and accessories that you don't normally use. 

 

But I will also say that when we have people over, we give them what we drink:  Costco coffee made in a Mr Coffee-type coffeemaker.  We have a French Press but rarely use it.  No one has complained about our coffee and people continue to come over when invited, and drink coffee when offered, so it seems to be OK.   We do have a grinder 'cause my husband has a marked preference for freshly-ground beans.  It makes no difference to me.  If you want to serve coffee, great, but get something that's easy for you and within your desired budget and don't worry about pleasing everyone; as you can see by the posts there is a wide range of tastes in coffee and coffee-making methods.  :-)

 

 

Edited by marbel
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French press is IMO the best; and I have a big old urn to make a zillion cups for big gatherings, but if you don't want to clutter your kitchen with gadgets you can make a perfectly adequate single portion of coffee with a coffee sock.  I discovered these things in Costa Rica years ago -- they seemed to be used all over; our host family had a much larger one that they used to make a whole ceramic pot's worth -- and they.are.brilliant.  I now travel with one so I need never take the risk of being caught out unable to get my cuppa, lol.

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Well we are a hand grinding, fresh roasted beans, Blue Bottle subscribing, pour over or French press kind of family. But we hardly expect that when we go visiting, lol... My mom makes terribly weak coffee so she will make us a stronger pot when we come over (she thinks its extra special if its Gevalia which tastes like dirt to me...) but she tries so we just smile and drink it.

 

Honestly, for a non coffee loving person a Keurig is a simple solution. I don't love them for my personal use but I have enjoyed them as a guest more than most coffee I am offered by non coffee drinkers when out and about. At least it's consistent and I know what I am going to get. There will be lots of sales at Christmas. They have little mini models that don't take up much space that you might just pull out for company. You can have teas and hot cocoa pods too which is fun for a family party too. I like this cute mint green one:

 

https://www.target.com/p/keurig-mini-plus-brewing-system-oasis-green-k15/-/A-52106804?

Edited by CaliforniaDreaming
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I agree that I don't expect the freshly roasted freshly ground stumptown when I visit someone. Mostly because I like a very lightly roasted coffee and as you'll see from this thread most prefer the dark french roast. I'd be thrilled I was offered coffee in the first place. In your place I'd get a nice medium roast (a place like Trader Joe or Costco will let you grind the beans there), store in freezer and get a very inexpensive Mr coffee or whatever machine.This would be a vast improvement on both instant and the Keurig IMO and also least $$ way

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I agree that I don't expect the freshly roasted freshly ground stumptown when I visit someone. Mostly because I like a very lightly roasted coffee and as you'll see from this thread most prefer the dark french roast. I'd be thrilled I was offered coffee in the first place. In your place I'd get a nice medium roast (a place like Trader Joe or Costco will let you grind the beans there), store in freezer and get a very inexpensive Mr coffee or whatever machine.This would be a vast improvement on both instant and the Keurig IMO and also least $$ way

 

I prefer the lighter roasts myself.

 

In fact, I have to drink very weak coffee anyway (reflux).  And now I drink a low acid coffee, which is not bad, but I imagine would not be well loved by someone who enjoys strong dark coffee.

 

In a pinch I'll drink instant.  I don't expect anyone to keep special coffee in their home for me. 

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I prefer the lighter roasts myself.

 

In fact, I have to drink very weak coffee anyway (reflux). And now I drink a low acid coffee, which is not bad, but I imagine would not be well loved by someone who enjoys strong dark coffee.

 

In a pinch I'll drink instant. I don't expect anyone to keep special coffee in their home for me.

Oh man you've got to try the Guatemalan/Ethiopian/costa rican Stumptown blends. I want to send some to you they're so life giving.
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I have a personal preference at home (cold brew!), but as a guest, I enjoy the variations and am just happy to be offered a cup of coffee, and in fact if you were my friend, I'd hope you wouldn't go to the trouble of grinding for me. Instant coffee is fine for our visit.

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People who like real good coffee won’t turn up their nose at press coffee, just like people who like real good beer won’t turn down an IPA. But those with gentler palates may do better with pour over with a paper filter. I use press for our family, but for someone who isn’t up to press coffee, I use a ready joe and Melitta bamboo filters. I grind fresh Columbian beans. I don’t buy 100% dark roast but breakfast blends are fine. I do have some ground in a can for early mornings when I don’t want to wake everyone up with the grinder. The brand is Chock Full O Nuts. It’s pretty good.

 

Keurig is easy but so overpriced. Pour over is easy and cheap as long as you don’t buy some fancy pour over system. A ready joe and a mason jar is a fantastic system.

 

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwi93qrf8sXXAhVEnsAKHdB2DlwYABABGgJpbQ&sig=AOD64_1OrqYrsSeYpMSZn2HW0abs0_lY4w&ctype=5&q=&ved=0ahUKEwiKs6Lf8sXXAhUC8YMKHbLTBskQwg8IJw&adurl=

Edited by laundrycrisis
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I would be one of those guests who demand coffee!

Keurigs, ugh. Haven’t had s cup,of coffee yet thst I enjoyed out of one of them.

 

Pour Over pots, look,( them up on Amazon) can be inexpensive and small to store. Back when I was first married, I had s metal one. Loved it!

 

French press coffee is good, it I don’t want to deal with coffee grounds mess. Hubby would not be thrilled if I just washed them down the drain like my fiends do.

Pour overs need a filter and come in lots of sizes. You just set it up and pour boiling water over it and let it drip.

 

CHeap coffee makers don’t make good coffee. It tastes burnt.

 

Often you can find good quality coffee already ground T places like Marshall’s and TJ Max .

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My mom does not have a coffee maker.  She just does pour over in a cone that she puts over a coffee thermos.  Pour over works fine for more than just a cup at a time or a couple of cups - you just need a bigger cone (still super-cheap) and a pourable thermos. She has three thermoses, but she often has lots of guests.  One thermos and a filter would be more than enough.  The thermos keeps it warm if your guests want more than one cup, and it can live in your cupboard when not in use.  (I say 'my mom', but she always makes my dad prepare the coffee! :lol: )

 

Yeah, and don't bother with a grinder, just buy pre-ground.  I think you can keep ground coffee in the freezer or fridge to keep it fresh longer if you only use it occasionally.

Edited by Matryoshka
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I’d be another who wouldn't expect fancy coffee at someone's house who doesn’t drink coffee. French presses are messy and annoying to clean, imo. Pour overs are fine for a cup or two and inexpensive if you already have a kettle to boil water. Standard coffee makers are cheap and you can buy ones with a small footprint.

 

I like my Keurig just fine and never buy plastic kcups. I have a reusable filter and use my own coffee which means I waste less seeing as I’m the only one who drinks coffee and only have a cup or two a day. I have a fancier burr grinder and a cheap-o blade grinder. I see no difference. Buy the cheap-o blade grinder. I have one I got 15 years ago that still works. I get out my standard coffee maker when I have guests and know we’ll drink it all.

 

ETA: Coming from a kitchen that recently required significant effort to unclog the pipes, I would never, ever just rinse the french press down the drain. I never did, but I imagine my plumbing issue would have popped up earlier if I had. This is why I say the french press is messy and annoying to clean. So annoying.

Edited by mamaraby
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I think it's nice you want to offer your guests coffee, but not necessary. I'm a coffee drinker but will drink whatever the hosts offer.

 

If you do decide to offer coffee, I think a small drip machine might fit the widest variety of people, plus be the easiest for you to set-up & use for serving -- set it up once, brew the coffee, & then multiple cups of hot coffee are available. (In fact, just point to the machine & supplies & ask one of your coffee-drinking friends to set it up for you when they're over. That way they can determine the strength of the coffee, how much is brewed, etc.) If you look around for sales, you should be able to find one for around $20. You would then need filters (either paper or a gold re-usable one) + ground coffee (+ additions for coffee such as cream or milk, sugar or other sweetener).

 

I don't like the way Keurig tastes (plus the individual cups are environmentally unfriendly) & while French Press coffee tastes good, it is never hot enough imo. Pour-over is fine, but again, there's the heat issue (imo). At least a drip coffee maker provides a heating element to maintain the temperature while the pot of coffee is being used.

 

ETA: And, as you can tell from this thread, all of us coffee drinkers are nitpicky sorts about our coffee. Why you'd want to coddle us is beyond me! ;) :lol:

Edited by Stacia
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 ETA: And, as you can tell from this thread, all of us coffee drinkers are nitpicky sorts about our coffee. Why you'd want to coddle us is beyond me! ;) :lol:

 

 

I'm beginning to wonder myself... :laugh:  ;)  But seriously, thanks for everyone's input. I honestly had no idea how much coffee-making is a fine art!! I might have to go simple...or just stick to offering tea! :)

 

Cheers! :)

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I love French press, but many picky coffee drinkers have sneered at my preference. I can drink anything, pour over, French press, Kerrig, or instant, but others haven't been so accommodating. I'd ask my guests and keep a French press or pour over at hand. Otherwise, point to the nearest coffee shop if they're really that snobby about the taste of coffee. In my experience, most shops coffee tastes terrible.

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I love French press, but many picky coffee drinkers have sneered at my preference. I can drink anything, pour over, French press, Kerrig, or instant, but others haven't been so accommodating. I'd ask my guests and keep a French press or pour over at hand. Otherwise, point to the nearest coffee shop if they're really that snobby about the taste of coffee. In my experience, most shops coffee tastes terrible.

 

This is a general question, riffing off Erin's post.  

 

I've never had a coffee-drinking guest turn down coffee in my home.  Well, there are exceptions such as, late night and I'm out of decaf, or someone is on meds/restricted diet, etc.  But in general, people who are very particular about coffee in their own homes and out at cafes have never given me reason to think I serve inferior coffee.  Reading many of the posts here, it's obvious that I do (at least in some people's opinion).  :-)  Said with a smile,not snark.

 

So I'm wondering - do people really make it known to hosts that they expect coffee (even if the hosts do not drink it) and complain if it's not  up to their (guest's) standard?  

 

A couple of posts seem to imply that but maybe I am misinterpreting or maybe there's a bit of hyperbole going on.  

 

Just curious.

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So I'm wondering - do people really make it known to hosts that they expect coffee (even if the hosts do not drink it) and complain if it's not up to their (guest's) standard?

 

A couple of posts seem to imply that but maybe I am misinterpreting or maybe there's a bit of hyperbole going on.

 

Just curious.

I've had comments, but I've had complaints on the shape of my wine glasses (really... seriously ) so when I point out directions to the local coffee shop, I'm serious.

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So I'm wondering - do people really make it known to hosts that they expect coffee (even if the hosts do not drink it) and complain if it's not  up to their (guest's) standard? 

 

I doubt most people would do that because I assume most have good manners.

 

And, if you like coffee, you will drink coffee however it is served (most of the time anyway). I think everyone is just stating their individual preferences but wouldn't hold a non-coffee-drinking host to those standards. (Heck, my dad has a really old coffee maker that doesn't have auto-shut-off, so he makes it & lets it sit all day long. But, if I want coffee when over there, that's what I drink. It's fine. Not as great as what I fix at home but it meets my coffee need at the time.)

 

I'm not a tea drinker, but if I offered tea in my home, it would probably be in bags, not loose. I'm sure avid tea drinkers probably prefer loose & certain varieties, & different steeping times, etc., but I would assume they would be ok with tea in a bag if they really wanted some.

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