# HELP! (With Office coffee: brewed)



## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Following impatience with the Clever, a v60, and previously an Aeropress I though I would try the Brazen.

I tried it today and the coffee was bad.

Does anyone have an idiot-proof guide to using this successfully please?

I suspect my Hario Skerton hand grinder is limiting me, but I don't feel inclined to throw any more money at brewed right now - any/all advice welcome.

THANKS!


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## h1udd (Sep 1, 2015)

Why was it bad ? ... Flat, thin, bitter, sour, strong, weak

and what ratios / setting you using


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

If it helps (and it has worked for me so far) -

55g/l at a coarse sand grind (1.8ish in Feldgrind)

1m30s pre-soak if beans are really fresh. Reduce down to 30s as they get older.

92-93C - test which tastes better

I have started using the Kalita 185 filters - which I wet slightly and centre before spread to the edges (a bit like filling a pie dish with pastry). Before this I just used supplied filter basket and it worked fine.

Pour in coffee, making sure nice flat bed.

Press button

About 4-5mins later it beeps and tasty coffee awaits.

The foolproof nature of this has been one of its best features for me so far. Haven't had to bugger around with the general recipe much.

Persevere - it makes very good coffee.

p.s. If you want to invest in a Feldgrind then I have one that you can have. One of MBK's new burred crop now surplus to requirements as the person I bought it for changed their mind. I can post it with your LSOL beans if you like.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I haven't made a bad brew with the Brazen...some better than others, but never anything undrinkable


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

As others are saying what are your parameters?

I use a Hario Skerton for brewed and whilst it isn't the best I get some pretty tasty brews with it. Bear in mind at a coarser grind the burrs 'wobble' more giving more fines and inconsistency, I keep it a bit tighter to prevent that.


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

NickdeBug said:


> If it helps (and it has worked for me so far) -
> 
> 55g/l at a coarse sand grind (1.8ish in Feldgrind)
> 
> ...


Thanks Nick!

What do you want for the Feldgrind? I'm getting sucked into purchases here









"The foolproof nature of this has been one of its best features for me so far" - this is what I NEED!


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

h1udd said:


> Why was it bad ? ... Flat, thin, bitter, sour, strong, weak
> 
> and what ratios / setting you using


Thin, weak, possibly slightly bitter.

I used 47g to 900 ml with the flappy Skerton.



jeebsy said:


> I haven't made a bad brew with the Brazen...some better than others, but never anything undrinkable


It's not terrible; it's just a bit lacking.


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

I haven't got my phone here to take a photo - but I've got a little divot in the centre of the grinds...


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Quite a low ratio, grinding loads on a Skerton is a pain but try going up to 54g


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

I haven't even opened the package yet, so could accurately be described as new!

Cost me £90 + the daft postage cost that MBK added on.

If you still want half the LSOL then I can work out what the postage of the two together would be. So would be - £90 (Feldgrind) + £10 (LSOL) + postage at whatever the best rate I can find is.


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## h1udd (Sep 1, 2015)

I would also guess over extracted, up the dose. As jeebsy says 54g would give you the 60g/l ratio that most people prefer. Depending on water quality you may need to go higher still


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

NickdeBug said:


> I haven't even opened the package yet, so could accurately be described as new!
> 
> Cost me £90 + the daft postage cost that MBK added on.
> 
> If you still want half the LSOL then I can work out what the postage of the two together would be. So would be - £90 (Feldgrind) + £10 (LSOL) + postage at whatever the best rate I can find is.


Happy with that in theory but may have to wait until pay day - can you wait (please) - understand if you'd rather not!?


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

h1udd said:


> I would also guess over extracted, up the dose. As jeebsy says 54g would give you the 60g/l ratio that most people prefer. Depending on water quality you may need to go higher still


Using Volvic? I think my grind might be a bit too coarse maybe!?


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

jonc said:


> Using Volvic? I think my grind might be a bit too coarse maybe!?


Change your dose first and see how that goes. Changing multiple things at once is a surefire way to get frustrated.


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## h1udd (Sep 1, 2015)

Mine was when I went to brewed, I only discovered what it should be like when I went on a training course for brewed.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

jonc said:


> Using Volvic? I think my grind might be a bit too coarse maybe!?


Divots are where you still have standing water over the bed, whilst more brew water is being added. If you were on the coarse side you wouldn't have a divot. Not that I'd read too much into divots, as Jeebsy says, aim for a ball-park brew ratio first. The extracting power of the water will affect grind more than dose/brew ratio.


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

If your brazen is fairly new, or new, then it can give the coffee a, how shall i say, strong bitter taste until a few brews gone through.

If not this then what temp are you brewing at as dropping to 92c rescued a kenyan I really did not like at all and this opened it up so much so as to save it from the bin! ( it was bitter and not at all pleasant at 94c). Would not have believed what a profound difference 2 degrees C would make an even now swapped the display over to F as gives a little more latitude.

There was a list that some kind soul posted up from Behmor that gave temps for types of beans,can't have been more than 2 weeks ago, may be of some help.

Hope of help

John


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Round 2 is brewing!


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

I never guessed 7g would make such a difference - this is actually quite good to my palate!

Thanks for guidance all!

Now I need to remember some coffee I had as brewed recently - it was described as having "juicy red fruit" as I recall, maybe from Rave/Has Bean or Foundry, that'd be lovely on this - anyone any ideas please?


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

OK so folks - more help needed please!

I have now got Nick's Feldgrind but the coffee made today is a bit sour I'd say - what's the magic bullet for solving that - finer grind?

I may be using Feldgrind wrong - started on 0 and moved to 1.5 which I thought was right - but I had to go a whole dial turn to get to the next 1.5 before any grinds came out; have I missed the point?

THANKS!


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

HasBean Ethiopia Sakiso Fully washed.

Kalita wave 185 filter papers.

Just to give you an idea of grind size. That was using a Rhino v1, so yours out of a felgrind should be more even.

52.5g - 55g/litre - paper filter

60 to 62.5g/litre - gold filter

You can if you like, pour boiling water into the centre of empty filter paper to rinse prior to dosing ground coffee directly into filter paper

30 sec pre-infusion

93 degrees c

Sour sounds over-extracted so wouldn't you need to go courser rather than finer as the latter would take even longer to brew?


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

I thought sour was more often under-extraction?

I'm using the metal filter - got no paper (in all senses)!


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

What are you brewing , with what recipe and with what Brewer


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Sourness can be a function of under extraction or Temp or other factors ...going coarser isn't the best move - but recipe etc will help


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Mrboots2u said:


> What are you brewing , with what recipe and with what Brewer


Rave Brazil Fazenda Londrina

Behmor Brazen Plus (Just using the standard programme)

54g > 900ml


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

So temp is 93


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Mrboots2u said:


> So temp is 93


I believe so.


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## Nod (Sep 7, 2013)

\ said:


> HasBean Ethiopia Sakiso Fully washed. Kalita wave 185 filter papers. Just to give you an idea of grind size. That was using a Rhino v1' date=' so yours out of a felgrind should be more even. 52.5g - 55g/litre - paper filter 60 to 62.5g/litre - gold filter You can if you like, pour boiling water into the centre of empty filter paper to rinse prior to dosing ground coffee directly into filter paper 30 sec pre-infusion 93 degrees c Sour sounds over-extracted so wouldn't you need to go courser rather than finer as the latter would take even longer to brew?[/quote']
> 
> This is bang on what I do... Although now don't bother washing papers before... Def get kalita wave papers... Sour is under extracted so tighten the grind a little bit - not much a small change can change the taste with he brazen
> 
> Also just to say it again the brazen is awesome... I have now mothballed my acacia scales, bonavita kettle, kalita wave pot and Chemex... ??


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Yeah, I don't rinse the filter papers in my Brazen, was just mentioning you can if you prefer.

I do however rinse the filtropa size 4 filter papers in my CCD.


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