Question for the list: how do you deal with the bloom when using an Aeropress? I use an AP when travelling, love the ease of cleaning and what-not, but I hate how difficult it is to control the bloom. I can't use more than 2 scoops of coffee because it overflows. here's what i'm doing, so tell me what i'm doing wrong: I wet the paper filter assemble AP, put 2 scoops of ground coffee in chamber pour in water slowly. if i do this well, i might have half coffee, half bloom. if i pour water in too fast, the bloom goes over the sides. let sit for 10 seconds, then stir. but half the time, the bloom is over the top, trickling down the sides. this drives me nuts. press it out. any way to tame the bloom? seems like this device was made with P&G coffee in mind... any help is appreciated bill Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
This is probably not kosher, but here is what I do: I only pour about half the water into the AP and then stir for 10 seconds. The bloom calms down and then I pour the rest of the water and plunge. YMMV, but it works for me. Bill Allison |
does that over-extract or is it ok? thanks for your technique.bill On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 7:38 PM, Bill Allison wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
There is no bitterness, and the coffee is not exposed to the water any longer than it is when doing it per the instructions, so, if I correctly understand the term and its symptoms, it is not over-extracted. And, it is very good. In fact, I have an AP at the office and I made my assistant a cup this afternoon. She told me that it was the best cup of coffee she had ever had. I started doing it this way because I didn't like having he grounds in my coffee cup when the bloom caused overflow. Bill Allison P.S. Are you in New Orleans? |
I brew a 16 oz Steinway using a 16 oz Captain Morgan stein and 25g of grounds in a #4 Gold mesh filter in the TechniVorm basket. With the valve closed and the whole basket preheated in a pan of boiling water, I set the coffee grounds-filled filter into the basket. I dribble boiling water (201° F) into the grounds. I stop adding water when the bloom is near the middle of the mesh, and I spin the basket in its holder on the TV to settle the bloom a little. Dribbling the water into the bloom really knocks it down, so I can fill the basket/filter nearly brim full with no overflow. After two minutes, I open the valve to 1/2, and let it drain into the handy stein sitting under it on the hot plate. The hot plate isn't, because I'm only using the TV for an expensive ring stand- don't even need to turn it On for a Steinway. Cheers, Mabuhay -RayO, aka Opa! Got Grinder? On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 7:41 PM, Bill wrote: <Snip> ee <Snip> ee.com <Snip> ee.com <Snip> ee.com <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee=.com Homeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/=gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=7820 |
I do it the same way. When I'm awake enough to pay attention to the timing & temperature the coffee is outstanding, otherwise it's only excellent. -- Dave Some days... It's just not worth chewing through the leather straps On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 6:38 PM, Bill Allison wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Odd question, New Orleans... nah, good ol' Cheyenne, as in wyo and thanks for the info on the ap. hope that others chime in on this thread and let me know what they do... thanks Bill bill On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 8:44 PM, Bill Allison wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
On Apr 7, 2008, at 9:26 PM, Bill wrote: <Snip> I use less than 2 scoops ;) - allon Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I roast small amounts of coffee. I often allow myself to run out before I roast, so I usually get a lot of bloom. My solution: I pour the water Slowly down the tube and around the edge of the coffee. It seems to cut down on the amount of air trapped in the ground coffee, which keeps it from bubbling up so much. It also causes it to be more evenly soaked. I still get some bloom, but not nearly as much. The amount of bloom varies, so I don't pay much attention to how much water I've poured. If there's more bloom and I use less water, it makes a more concentrated cup, but that doesn't seem to affect quality. I just add water to taste after I plunge. As long as I watch it carefully I can keep it from running over. Then I proceed as usual. This probably accomplishes the same thing that Bill Allison's method does, but from another angle. Jeff Bill wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
I have the same problem when using my little 3T pres spot. Well, not coffee all over the place, but due to the bloom, not enough room for water to yield an eight ounce cupful. On Tue, Apr 8, 2008 at 12:12 AM, Allon Stern wrote: <Snip> -- Paul Helbert Prepackaged, roasted & ground coffee,,, One of the worst ideas since sliced bread. Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Bill, First, 2 scoops of grounds seems a lot. I use the scoop to measure out 2 scoops of beans, not grounds. Second, I pour just a small amount of water in to wet the grounds first. This lets them off-gas a bit. Ideally, you just want to add enough water so that the grounds swell. Stir, wait 10 seconds or so, then fill up close to the top. It doesn't completely get rid of the bloom, but it does help mitigate it. Best, Kris McN On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 6:26 PM, Bill wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Hmmm. Must be another Bill. Or, maybe I'm Hallucinating. |
I have been using a Stainless Steel Milk Frothing Pitcher (seehttp://www.sweetmarias.com/prod.espresso.shtml#frothpitcher- long handle 12oz size). I put the coffee in the pitcher, pour in the water, wait, stir and then pour into the AP. Yes it's one more item to clean but it solves the bloom problem nicely. -Marc On Tue, Apr 8, 2008 at 5:59 AM, Bill Allison wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
Marc, Very interesting solution. I pretty much follow Dave and Bill Allison's technique above. I just use less water to prevent the overflow and add water to get the strength I want. JoeR On 4/8/08, Marc wrote: <Snip> -- Ambassador for Specialty Coffee and pallet reform. Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://lists.sweetmariascoffee.com/listinfo.cgi/homeroast-sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures 9upload yours!) :http://www.homeroasting.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |