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The TSC Coffee Shop

@richgem we're not so hifalutin 'round these parts. How can you beat a great big mug of Maxwell House (brewed less than six hours ago, of course) in a Mr. Coffee maker along with a dozen OREO Mega Stuf Chocolate Sandwich Cookies?
 
Percolated coffee is often considered the best by enthusiasts for its ability to produce an intensely bold, hot, and full-bodied cup with a rich, nostalgic aroma. This method uses a continuous brewing cycle, passing near-boiling water through the grounds multiple times, which results in a stronger, higher-caffeine brew compared to standard drip methods.
Key Reasons Why People Love Percolated Coffee:
  • Rich, Intense Flavor: The recirculating method extracts more flavor, resulting in a stronger, bolder cup.
  • Full-Bodied Mouthfeel: Because they typically use metal filters rather than paper, essential oils pass into the cup, providing a heavier, richer body.
  • High Caffeine Content: Studies show that percolation can produce up to 20% more caffeine than drip coffee.
  • Versatility & Durability: Stovetop percolators work anywhere (no electricity required), last a lifetime, and are easy to clean.
  • Customizable Strength: Users can control the strength by adjusting the length of the brew time, allowing for a personalized, robust taste.
Best Practices for Perfecting the Brew:
  • Grind Size: Use a coarse or medium-coarse grind to avoid excessive bitterness.
  • Roast Choice: Medium roasts are highly recommended, as they maintain flavor without becoming too bitter.
  • Avoid Boiling: The coffee should "perk" gently rather than boil vigorously to prevent over-extraction.
 
My employer generously provided both kinds of coffee at work - Maxwell House and Folgers. I averaged four mugs a day, so I drank just over 3,000 gallons (57 drums) of coffee during my time there.

Nevertheless, we had to provide our own Oreos.
 
I love using my stove-top percolator. Not only does it make great coffee, it also makes the kitchen smell fantastic.

Fill up my cup, and please pass the Oreos.
I have an electric one it was given to me by a friend made by faberware. Works great and provides a great cup of coffee. I usually grind my own beans bring them into work and easy Peezy.
 
Got in my Hoop pour over thingie. Per the internet experts (the best kind of experts) the filters that come with it are too fine causing you to use a very coarse grind to get the appropriate brew time. So I got some more coarse filters to so I can use the same grind I use with my standard pour over.

Also got a new kettle as the other one died in an incident related to a teenager. If you ask her, it still worked, you just needed to squint, hope the light was right, and have x-ray vision to tell what the temp was set at. This one has a bunch of features the other didn’t which will mostly be unused. There is fancy stuff like being able to set what altitude you’re at and instead of changing the degree settings you can click through preset temps for different uses.

To use the Hoop, you just put the grinds in the middle where the filter is and pour water in the outer section. There are small holes that allow the water to enter the center. I have to say, it did a good job. But I’ll have to try it once at work to see about the clean up. I don’t have a sink in my department so the aeropress is awesome because all the grounds are pushed out and I can just wipe out the rest with paper towel. With the Hoop, you still have a cylinder with wet grounds in it. The cylinder does screw out, so if I do it upside down over the trash, it still might be just a wipe clean situation. Hopefully this week I’ll get around to comparing with Hoop and the Aeropress side by side.
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...Again for Coffee discussions this week, Dusted off the Breville.. some DM Dark Roast Espresso Beans from Kona, HI and a Toffee Pine Sugar Latte and Eclair Donut for a Lazy Sunday Morning.

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Comparisons for me will be based on Time, Convenience, and when you can really enjoy. My tests for the next few days.

Breville Extraction
Aeropress
Percolated
K-Cup ( self ground )
K-cup (Store Bought)
Drip.
French Press

Tune in Tuesday Night for rankings

Dont currently have a pour over so it has been omited for time being
 
First day of real world testing of the Hoop. I did a head-to-head with the aeropress. Yesterday I realized the water/grounds ratios were a bit different as I used the recommendations for the Hoop and my standard for the V60. For the V60 I use a 16:1 ratio and the Hoop was 16.8:1. Today I did my usual 15.6:1. This was based on starting with 16:1 but then maximizing what fits in my mug and how many grounds comfortably fit in my travel tube.

Anyway, there are some logistical issues with the Hoop. First bottom of the center section where the filter is drops below the edge that rests on the sides of the mug over an inch. So you need a mug big enough that to happen. It turns out the mug I have at work I knew would have plenty of space, is also just a smidge too wide and the Hoop couldn't sit 100% flat. Likely not a major issue though. The guide I'm using also says to try to hit a 4min brew time. That seems much too long for me, and much less time than I leave the Aeropress for. But again, this is real world use, not lab experiments. Because the filters are also obviously different too with the filters I got for the Hoop feeling twice as thick as the Aeropress.

Clean-up was "ok". It can definitely be cleaned with just a paper towel, but does take significantly longer than the Aeropress. Now, we will discuss flavor differences tomorrow on Drinks & Daves, but I will say despite some operational issues, one bonus over the Aeropress is the water is flowing through. So if one gets distracted during the brewing process, it's self limited whereas with the Aeropress, you might be stuck with a 10min brew time.

*edit to add paragraphs for Mark
 
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First day of real world testing of the Hoop. I did a head-to-head with the aeropress. Yesterday I realized the water/grounds ratios were a bit different as I used the recommendations for the Hoop and my standard for the V60. For the V60 I use a 16:1 ratio and the Hoop was 16.8:1. Today I did my usual 15.6:1. This was based on starting with 16:1 but then maximizing what fits in my mug and how many grounds comfortably fit in my travel tube. Anyway, there are some logistical issues with the Hoop. First bottom of the center section where the filter is drops below the edge that rests on the sides of the mug over an inch. So you need a mug big enough that to happen. It turns out the mug I have at work I knew would have plenty of space, is also just a smidge too wide and the Hoop couldn't sit 100% flat. Likely not a major issue though. The guide I'm using also says to try to hit a 4min brew time. That seems much too long for me, and much less time than I leave the Aeropress for. But again, this is real world use, not lab experiments. Because the filters are also obviously different too with the filters I got for the Hoop feeling twice as thick as the Aeropress. Clean-up was "ok". It can definitely be cleaned with just a paper towel, but does take significantly longer than the Aeropress. Now, we will discuss flavor differences tomorrow on Drinks & Daves, but I will say despite some operational issues, one bonus over the Aeropress is the water is flowing through. So if one gets distracted during the brewing process, it's self limited whereas with the Aeropress, you might be stuck with a 10min brew time.
How I felt reading all that..

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If there weren't enough variables already, I'm almost out of my Nurse Dave blend now that I've gone back to using it at work. I'm torn between just ordering more or trying of the blends from Equator that are used in of the restaurants around here.
 
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