Another C30A. Unit heated up immediately at the shop so I got it. Filter rod and spring were separated but they go back together easily. The basket filter came from some whole other coffeemaker, not this one. Lid is a different bakelite design than my current one. Cord is a little different too but in good shape. No dents or scratches, the chrome will polish up fine. Best of all, the seal is about as PERFECT as can be expected for its age, even better than my current unit. That's worth $18 right there.
Cleaned it up last night, found all seals to be in good shape. This morning I brewed 4 cups of 50/50 Toasted Almond/Southern Pecan from Harris Teeter. Left the top off as the rocket launched (that is what the thing sounds like once it fires up; the upper compartment becomes a boiling cauldron of churning coffee). My wife, who is not particularly discerning in matters of fragrance, said it smelled wonderful and that the taste was excellent, better than when I do this mix in the usual drip unit. Once again I say, if you find a working C30A for a good price, get it -- you won't be disappointed!
Cool double-bubble there, gorgo. I was lazy this morning...two scoops of super dark in the ol' Zassenhaus and dumped into my Braun.
When my wife and I were in Emkhuzweni (Swaziland), South Africa; The only coffee we could easily get was Nescafe. We were 70 mile from the closest city and you could only get the absolute basics at a tiny store 2 miles from us. We grew to really like it. You come to the point and say "It's not coffee, it's not cocoa, but it's still good."
Fixing the weak link in my morning coffee routine: the grinder... For years, I've been using a Capresso Infinity— an inexpensive (less than $100) but highly-rated home burr grinder. It's done an adequate job of producing a variety of grinds for both French-press and drip. Easy to operate; reliable and hassle-free (with the minor exception of the annoying static cling of grounds in the plastic receptacle!) After years of daily use, however, the quality of the grinds has dropped, resulting in both uneven grinds and murky cups of coffee. I could purchase new burrs ($75+) for the unit, but even then, as I move toward espresso-making, I'm looking for more uniformity in the end and a broader grind range to choose from. A local coffee roasting business, Zolo Coffee Roasters, who supplies our church with five pounds of their freshly-roasted beans weekly, recommended I look into the newest model from Baratza—especially if I'm looking to expand into home espresso. So, bottom line is I ordered a nicer new unit that should be arriving in the next 3-5 days (ships in from Seattle). The Baratza Sette 270 More than I originally wanted to spend on a grinder, but picking it up at cost was too good a deal to pass up on... Ability to hold a portafilter or cannister.
Lately I have been boiling water in an electric kettle and pouring the water over the ground coffee through a Melitta filter and filter holder, right into the cup.
I have a few of those manual-crank hand-grinders. I use one occasionally for french-press. Last night after dinner, I was sitting with my youngest son — a barista with Starbucks and he was fascinated with two of the old crank models I had out. I measured out 18g of beans (one double-espresso shot) and we timed how long it took two of the grinders to finish. One took about one minute; the other...a full 5 minutes.
Been using a simple pour over unit lately. Learned the hard way that the water must be exceedingly hot to pull out the flavor in the very short time it runs through the grounds.
I do the same, but then in an insulated pot. It is better when you let the temperature of the water come down a little bit. Boiling water makes it taste bitter, in my experience. All YMMV, as always.
I home roast, also. Just roasted some Kenya, my favorite country of origin. Should be getting in an order from Coffeebean Corral today. Where do you get your beans? I use a stovetop popper. What's your gear?
I can't afford to buy the green beans that often, anymore, but I look for deals or when a particularly good crop comes available. Otherwise, I just drink store bought. But that makes the home roasted that much better by comparison. lol
Some of the best coffee comes from Kenya. I used to love the Kenyan Peaberry when I could get it. But I haven't had it for about 8 years.
