# Softbrew soft option??



## AliC (Jan 9, 2014)

I have been looking for a brewed coffee process that will give me a more refined cup than my French preses but more control than my Krups automatic filter machine.

I have come across the Sowden Softbrew and wondered what folks thoughts on it are. I see Jeebsy said in another thread that he was looking at getting one.

Whilst I like the idea of a Chemex, one concern is how to make a decent coffee after having friends round for dinner and being a couple of bottles of claret worse off when I try to jump through all the hoops of making a good chemex brew...

Also, I tend to make up a large (1-2 litre) airport of coffee when I go out for a days dog training. No way am I putting up with instant coffee on top of being cold and wet. So I am drawn to the behemoth 12 cup (1.8 litre) Softbrew pot.

I am making progress through Scott Rao's Everything But Espresso which is a big help in improving my understanding of the extraction process.

Any tips or helpful advice gratefully received.

Thanks.


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I've just started using mine today - decided a week in the new job was long enough to bust out the coffee gear. So far only one " that's a fancy teapot!".

MJWB (sorry if that's not right) uses a large Sowden and seems to get on great with it. I'm still in the honeymoon phase so trying to find the sweet spot but it's very easy to use and clean, gives a nice cup with a decent amount of body but still decent flavour clarity.


----------



## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

Which country measures things in airports?

Doha?


----------



## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

AliC said:


> I have come across the Sowden Softbrew and wondered what folks thoughts on it are. I see Jeebsy said in another thread that he was looking at getting one.
> 
> Whilst I like the idea of a Chemex, one concern is how to make a decent coffee after having friends round for dinner and being a couple of bottles of claret worse off when I try to jump through all the hoops of making a good chemex brew...
> 
> Also, I tend to make up a large (1-2 litre) airport of coffee when I go out for a days dog training. No way am I putting up with instant coffee on top of being cold and wet. So I am drawn to the behemoth 12 cup (1.8 litre) Softbrew pot.


For dinner guests, get the brew on about 50minutes before you expect to drink the coffee. You need a fairly even grind. Don't know how the Softbrew coffee will fare after a long steep & decanting to an airpot? The coffee's great, but a lower temp than auto-drip?

Discard the first 1/4 to 1/2 cup at the end of steeping.


----------



## AliC (Jan 9, 2014)

MWJB said:


> For dinner guests, get the brew on about 50minutes before you expect to drink the coffee. You need a fairly even grind. Don't know how the Softbrew coffee will fare after a long steep & decanting to an airpot? The coffee's great, but a lower temp than auto-drip?


Cheers for that. I have now taken the hopper of the SJ and stuck a lens hood gubbins on which makes life so much easier swapping beans and grinds. Think Ill have to splurge on Londinium decaf for when we get folk round.

I'll probably go for a much shorter steep when I taking the big flask out (Stanley something or other but good for well over 12 hrs, warm stiff after 20). Folk won't care too much about flavour clarity, just that it's hot, free and not Nescafe...

Thanks for the responses. So far no one has said it's a waste of dosh so I'll order one up in the morning.


----------



## AliC (Jan 9, 2014)

AliC said:


> Also, I tend to make up a large (1-2 litre) airport of coffee


Flipping autocorrect!!!

We should start a new thread for comedy auto spelling nonsense, kicking off with the slightly dubious "wife rimming".


----------



## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Lol. Comedy . I might confuse my local cafe and ask them for an airport of coffee


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Psyduck, v60 grind, 8-10mins brew time. Very tasty indeed.


----------

