# Looking for a method for several cups



## ToonD (Aug 22, 2013)

Dear forum members,

I've recently acquired a Gaggia Classic with an Ascaso I-steel grinder and I really like the combination even though I'm still learning. However at the moment I am looking for a brew method to make several cups of brewed coffee at once for days when I have friends over or for long nights when I'm studying and I need more coffee







ill try and be clear of what I want:

- several (2-4) cups at once

- I don't want to use my ascaso grinder because it is step less and dialing it in for espresso every single time will be painful and expensive

- I do want to use freshly ground coffee ( am I looking at another cheap/hand grinder?)

- I am okay with spending some (preferably under €100) money

- I am okay with small compromising on quality if it makes it cheaper/easier

After some browsing I've noticed that a French press looks pretty cool but I'm lost in all the different methods (fp, aeropress, chemex, CCD...)

Please help me out!


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

With a name like Toon, are you in Newcastle by any chance!


----------



## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

french press - tricky with a cheap hand ginder (most struggle with consistent, coarse grinds), unless you brew in the FP and filter through a cone to remove fines/grinds (have done this with some success at espresso grind)...& this extra filtering will make the whole process long. You could brew a large brew in the FP, with a so-so grinder, then pour and filter a mug's worth at a time in an Aeropress? If you are not bothered about absolute brew clarity & focus, you can get pretty fair results with a FP and a cheap electric burr grinder.

Aeropress, great for 1 mug brewing, possible to make a concentrate that can be diluted down for 2 mugs, quick clean up.

CCD is probably the safest, least grinder/technique sensitive (largely set & forget), but you'll only get 420-430g out tops. Maybe enough? You may be able to use your Ascaso set for espresso if you watch the temp?

For several mug's worth, a Sowden Softbrew is great, but you really do need a consistent & coarse grind.

For most methods, you'll keep coming back to the grinder...I have heard OE Lidos are currently unavailable, awaiting a redesign, but this grinder would be a big bonus at a reasonable price for any brew methods requiring coarser grinds, up to 60-70g doses. Cheaper hand grinders like Porlex & Hario are good at finer ranges, but then fine grinding for 3-4cups (assuming 9-16g per cup/mug) is a chore.

Hmm, not being a lot of help am I, just reiterating the choices...trouble is they all "work"...it may be a question of deciding what is not tolerable (silt in the cup, 5 minute hand grinds, brewing speed, clean up, etc...) & eliminating brewers based on that?


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Have a look at Amazon - they are selling a five cup syphon for £25.00 inc delivery. IMO,it's the best brew method producing a wonderfully bright clean coffee. It's also great fun to do too - quite a show stopper - not difficult to master. The meths burner is a waste of time but you can get a high quality gas version from Cream Supplies for around £15.00. A five cup syphon gives you 625ml volume output.


----------



## Earlepap (Jan 8, 2012)

+1 for CCD for 2-3 cups

I leave one and a porlex hand grinder at my parent's house for when I visit as it's the simplest to get a half decent cup without needing lots of extras. I weigh 30g of coffee, then fill it up with their disgusting tap water at god-knows-what temperature knowing it'll be around 500ml.

Any larger amount I'd say just get an FP and a cheapo electric grinder, provided you don't mind a fair amount of silt in your brews.


----------



## ToonD (Aug 22, 2013)

dfk41 said:


> With a name like Toon, are you in Newcastle by any chance!


Sorry to disappoint you mate, I'm in Belgium!


----------



## ToonD (Aug 22, 2013)

Thanks for the replies, I'm gonna go for a cheap grinder with a French press and just live with an easy, decent cup!


----------



## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

What about the Siemens Porsche filter coffee machine on here....


----------



## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

ToonD said:


> Thanks for the replies, I'm gonna go for a cheap grinder with a French press and just live with an easy, decent cup!


Try this, a "decent" cup should be easy enough, though great cups should be pretty accessible too. You can obviously play with brew ratio to taste. Timings are for light to medium roasts. Grind as fine & as evenly as you can (not quite as fine as espresso at the finer end), if the sweetness is flattened off by silt/suspended solids in the cup, coarsen up a little. Not kicking up the grounds bed is key...

1.	Fill the pot with hot water (240-250g per mug) at 30 seconds, or so, off the boil.

2.	Add 14g per mug of grounds on top of the water & gently fold in, as if folding whisked egg white in a souffle recipe, wetting all grounds.

3.	When the grounds at the surface are wet give a quick, light stir & fit the lid & plunger. Press the plunger down to submerge the grounds just below the surface of the brew & leave for 10-15 minutes (almost everyone else says, "4-6 minutes" - but this is really rather short).

4.	After 10-15 minutes remove lid & plunger, all grounds should now have sunk. A short, gentle 'pump' of the plunger, or a light stir of the surface will make sure, if any grinds are still floating at this point (don't dig the spoon/stirrer deep into the brew and stir up the grounds bed).

5.	Scoop off any foam & discard.

6.	The very top part will mostlu be oil, pour off the first 1/4 cup or so & discard. Now pour out a little of the coffee into a cold cup, swirl until lukewarm & taste. If you get any metallic/pithy/carbony flavours, give the pot a brief, gentle stir at the surface only & leave a few more minutes. Repeat taste test.

It can often take 20-30 minutes to get in the zone (a double-walled/porcelain/stoneware press may be helpful here, regarding heat retention).

When you pour, *do not press the plunger down into the coffee, just have it level with the top of the liquid, and pour the coffee through it, whilst holding plunger & lid in place (credit to James Hoffmann for this tip). Divide the coffee between the cups (rather than filling one cup, then the next).

Some say decant any extra coffee straight away, to stop it brewing further. I say, "Don't worry about it". I leave the water & grinds in contact for hours, after pouring the first cups, & drink cold 4 or 5 hours later.

*With an Espro press you will have to press the plunger down, as the mesh is so fine it can prevent a significant proportion of the brew from pouring. The fine mesh in the Espro will hold back most of the silt.


----------



## ToonD (Aug 22, 2013)

Thanks for that!


----------

