Tag: coffee

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In March of 2018, the ebb Kickstarter campaign raised $18K to develop and manufacture the ebb Coffee Filter, a cloth based coffee filter made specifically for pourover coffee brewing.

I received my ebb Coffee Filter several months later, on September 28th, 2018. This is probably the first Kickstarter I have backed that has delivered on expectations on time and in the same year that the campaign was launched. Thank you, ebb!!

The version of the filter I received was designed for use with Chemex coffee brewers. The campaign created versions for other types of pour-overs but Chemex is the type I use.

The filter arrived on Friday in a small envelope. The filter package itself was also compact holding the cloth filter, a postcard with ebb Brew Guide for Chemex and instructions for use, and a CLOTHESFORCOFFEE coupon for discounts. Brew guides for other brew methods can be found on the Brew Methods website.

The material feels soft but sturdy. I expect it will stand up to multiple brews and wash cycles. Before I could use the filter, the instructions recommend boiling the filter in water for five minutes. I assume this is to remove any impurities from the manufacturing process. Once complete, I put the filter to dry, ready to make coffee the next day.

For the Chemex I have two recipes; one for use with a traditional Chemex paper filter and one for use with an Able Kone filter. The paper filter produces a clean cup with very little particulate matter. However, even though they are biodegradable and clean up is easy, I was not happy tossing these paper filters into the garbage.

I purchased an Able Kone filter — another Kickstarter — a few years ago. It does not produce as clean a cup as the paper filters; there is a little silt at the bottom of the cup and suspended in the coffee. I’m not certain but I assume the ebb cloth filter will produce a cleaner cup than both the paper filter and mesh filter.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 36.5 mm, f/2.8

I use the Press coffee app when making my daily brew. Over time, and with experimentation, I have created recipes for making coffee via Chemex, French Press and AeroPress. I have included a link to my initial brew recipe for the cloth filter. It’s the same as my paper filter recipe but with the grind adjusted to 21 instead of 16. I expect I’ll tweak this to find the right balance between grind and brew time.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 51.6 mm, f/2.8

I always brew with the freshest beans I can find. I have been a member of a number of online coffee delivery clubs in the past but in the last few years, I have settled on obtaining fresh beans from a local brewer. I enjoyed trying different single original coffees from around the world but I wanted to support my local brewer whom I know personally.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm, f/2.8

I started with 45g of fresh ground beans. I use a scale to weigh the coffee and I use a Baratza Encore coffee grinder which I bought a few years ago. In a kettle, I heat water to between 91ºC (195ºF) and 96ºC (205ºF).

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm, f/2.8

Before putting the ground coffee into the filter, I poured some of the hot water through the filter to wet the filter and warm the Chemex.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm, f/2.8

After putting the coffee into the filter, I reset my scale, I start the Press app timer and start pouring water; about twice the weight of the ground coffee. After 45 seconds, I continue pouring water in slow circular motion, making sure to saturate the grounds.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 55 mm, f/2.8

Ideally, the water should stop flowing through the grounds when the timer is complete.

ebb Coffee Filter—FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ 41.4 mm, f/2.8

I dumped the grounds into the trash and washed out my filter. It was stained by the coffee grounds and I expect this to darken with use.

The coffee was delicious with no hint of sediment. A clean cup.

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Thick-cut bacon, eggs, whole-grain toast and a mug of freshly brewed coffee.

A Simple Breakfast

  • Servings: 1
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Bacon, eggs, toast and a mug of freshly brewed coffee.



Based on the information I compiled from FatSecret my breakfast had about 507 calories, 24.77g of carbohydrate, 30.58g of protein, and 32.94g of fat.

Ingredients

  • 2 slices Dave’s Killer Bread Thin-Sliced Organic Bread 21 Whole Grain & Seeds
  • 3 slices Farmland Foods Thick Sliced Bacon
  • 2 large eggs

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Arrange the bacon slices in one layer on top of the oven rack.
  3. Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
  4. Bake until the bacon is golden brown and crispy, 12 to 20 minutes. The exact baking time will depend on the how thick your bacon is and how crisp you like it.
  5. Remove bacon from oven and set aside on a paper towel to cool.
  6. Re-use some of the bacon greases and add to a cast iron skillet on medium-low heat.
  7. Beat the eggs with a whisk.
  8. Scramble eggs in cast iron skillet.
  9. Make toast.
  10. Make coffee.

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Foreign Objects Wet Gravity
Want To Live To Be 90? Drink Coffee (And Beer) (Sprudge)
According to Paste, the “90+ Study” (not to be confused with the Ninety Plus Study) was performed by researchers at the University of California, Irvine who were trying to find common factors in those still alive and kicking past the ripe old age of 90. To do this, researchers spent the past 15 years surveying over 14,000 nonagenarians about their “diet, activities, medical history, medications and numerous other factors,” with follow up visits every six months to perform “perform neurological and neuropsychological tests,” according to the study.

They found that moderate (two cups) daily consumption of both coffee and beer led to a decreased likelihood of “premature death, by 10 percent and 18 percent, respectively, over those who abstained from those liquid fun parts of life. The study also found that exercise and having hobbies—two things that have been widely accepted as beneficial—also lead to a longer life. It stands to reason, then, that if coffee is your hobby, its effects will double. Or maybe they increase exponentially. I’m neither a doctor nor a mathematician so I can’t say for sure, but it sounds pretty airtight.
  • Aperture—ƒ/1.8
  • Credit—Khürt L. Williams
  • Camera—NIKON D5100
  • Taken—17 February, 2018
  • Focal length—35mm
  • ISO—100
  • Shutter speed—1/320s

My grandparents lived long lives and loved coffee. I’ve been drinking coffee since I was a young child. I didn’t realize I was extending my life with each sip. In recent years I’ve discovered craft ale. I’m adding more years to my life with each pint of New England IPA. If I drink a coffee cream stout will I extend my life some more?