
I had the opportunity to taste some very expensive and seriously delicious coffee yesterday. Peet's Coffee is bringing some of their blends to grocery stores in Philadelphia, and so they've come to town with their coffee educator Erica Hess to promote the availability of their products around the City of Brotherly Love.
My first exposure to Peet's coffee was Christmas when I was 14 years old. My cousins, knowing that I was getting an espresso maker from my parents, brought with them a pound of espresso roast from Peet's down from Berkeley as a gift. I remember it as excellent coffee and the fact that its availability was sort of limited in those days made it seem that much more special.
We got to taste three varieties of coffee yesterday, Major Dickason's blend (their most famous), a dark, oily French Roast (my standard choice) and the Panama Esmeralda, which sells for right around $50 a pound. It was citrus-y, delicious and reminded me that coffee doesn't need a dollop of cream to taste wonderful.
The best part of the tasting for me wasn't actually the opportunity to taste the coffee but was instead the fact that I got a bunch of coffee tips directly from a coffee professional. Erica is passionate about coffee and knows her stuff. She is a fan of the French Press and recommends using two tablespoons of beans, ground fairly coarsely for every six to eight ounces of water. For the 32 ounce press she was using during the demonstration, she used ten tablespoons of beans. It seems like a lot to me, but she said that by using more beans you avoid over extracting the beans, which is what can make coffee bitter. If using that amount of beans makes coffee that's a little too strong for you, try adding a little hot water into your cup. Never add more hot water into the press, as that will lead to that dreaded over extraction and no one wants that.
She also reminded me of something that I had once known and then forgot, which was that you never want to pour rapidly boiling water over your beans. Always let the kettle sit for 20-30 seconds before introducing the water to the grounds. When filling up a French Press, fill it halfway and then wait, letting the grounds bloom a little before finishing the pour. When all the water is in, give it three minutes to steep before plunging. Use steady, even pressure when plunging so that you trap all the grounds. Follow those instructions and you'll have a great cup of coffee every time (although you might go broke using 10 tablespoons of beans for every pot).











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-03-2007 @ 10:42AM
shelterpaw said...
Your right, those extra tips are a nice insight on how to properly use a french press. It makes me want to pull out mine and throw some of my Peets coffee in it. I love Peets Coffee.
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10-03-2007 @ 2:09PM
jon said...
I really enjoy your posts, thanks...
As an alternative of the french press, check out the Aerobie Aeropress. I am a believer. Inexpensive apparatus ~$30 and phenomenal coffee. The only thing is the filter removes some of the oils that presses leave behind, which is apparently great for removing some bad chemicals related to higher bad cholesterol. A smooth cup with a "velvety" texture.
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10-03-2007 @ 3:26PM
Wes said...
Another plus of the press pot: it works best with the grind I use for cold brewed coffee.
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10-03-2007 @ 6:30PM
verdegrrl said...
Peets coffee is indeed excellent. However, I am spoiled by Diedrich coffee. Imagine the leap between Starbucks and Peets. Now Diedrich is the next leap beyond Peets. Very intense flavours. A bit like Scotch, it may be an acquired taste. The Huehuetenango and Bantu are my favourites.
http://www.diedrich.com/
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10-03-2007 @ 11:36PM
Jamie said...
If you really, really like coffe, you might want to consider roasting your own. Heck, even if you only liek coffee, you should consider roasting it yourself.
The equipment is cheap ($20 for a hot air popcorn popper) and the coffee is extremely inexpensive - you can buy that same Esmeralda Geisha for under $8/lb as green beans. The roasting process only takes about 10 minutes and gets enough for a couple pots.
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10-04-2007 @ 11:14AM
shelterpaw said...
Jamie... You take it to the extreme and I love it.
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10-04-2007 @ 6:36PM
Gwen Philippe said...
I definitely agree that the french press is one of the best methods for making drip coffee (American coffee).
Coffee for One, or Two: Simple Brewing Instructions
http://www.coffeeandbookreviews.com/sept0307.html
And, here's a link to a review of another California coffee company called Caribbean Coffee:
http://www.coffeeandbookreviews.com/sept1707.html
They're much smaller than Peets and so the freshness factor is outstanding (and they'll ship to you!).
Hmm...maybe I should go make another cup of coffee now...
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10-17-2007 @ 12:13PM
rockycha said...
Great Article, I'm just "digging" ya now. Because of your article, I'll add Peet's Coffee to my squidoo lens. Thanks! carrie
http://www.squidoo.com/coffeeworld
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11-22-2007 @ 12:22AM
Stan said...
The first time I had Peet's coffee, I swore that I wasn't actually drinking coffee - it was so good that it makes other coffee taste like dishwater in comparison!
Stan
www.localjava.org
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