How do you brew coffee?

[MS Fowler]

I imagine this will be a hot topic; probably as controversial as "which is the "correct" oil for my Benz".
I work in a office with about a dozen people. There seems to be little agreement on coffee strength.
First off--the euipment:
The office has a BUNN machine, as well as a few older, home style, smaller drip machines. But this is about the BUNN, since it is used the most, and is what produces most of the coffee we drink.
Strength: I've cleaned out the basket when someone else has made the coffee, and I've seen the basket almost filled to its top with grounds. I consider that too strong; others think its just right--then they add about 4 ounces creamer and 6 teaspoons of sugar! I've researched the topic a bit on the web--again no agreement--the most interesting instruction was to use and EXACT amount of coffee ( between 1/2 and 4 tablespoons) per each EXACT amount of cold water, ( between 3 and 8 ounces). That's not much help.
As a starting place, can anyone weigh some of the sealed pouches that commercial establishments use? I have balances that weigh to .01 grams, but no access to the pre-measred coffee.
Is there any sort of agreement as to how strong coffee "should" be?

[Kuan]

I use one tablespoon fine grind per 6oz of water. That's just about right for me. I drink it black. I don't like the 2T/6oz water folk who dump cream and sugar in the coffee. Nobody drinks coffee black like that unless it's espresso. Maybe Stefano, not me.

I like to break this out at dinner parties:

http://www.hariousa.com/conavacuumepot.html

[pxland]

Tablespoon per cup.

Paul X.

[TN-W124 Diesel]

When I was in the service my Sgt would come in and drink the day old coffee that was left in the pot. YUK! I like mine strong too, 3 scoops per pot...

[TwitchKitty]

I bought a big nice commercial stainless steel bunn coffeemaker and have it at home. Now I quit drinking coffee except as an occasional treat. I would recommend quitting to everyone.

[MikeTangas]

At my office we also have a few who feel the filter must be filled to the top to make coffee, but that only makes it bitter. I drink mine black and start off the morning with 3.5 scoops of coffee (home style Bunn machine) and a full load of water. For me that is perfect, but the boss needs to doctor up with cream and sugar.

For the second pot of the day I just throw on 2 heaping scoops and the third gets an additional 1.5 scoops. Fourth pot starts over fresh. The coffee strength never lessens and the recycling of prior grounds stretches the coffee can. Around the 6th pot the swing shift crew comes in and they start making it their way, by then I've had enough to keep me calm the rest of the day.

[Larry Delor]

At home I use a Melitta coffee maker with a good sized teaspoon of Melitta coffee per cup.

Commercial coffee comes in different sizes, usually ranging between 3 and 4 ounces - depending on the quality of the coffee, and how cheap the restaurant is. I always tried to go for the heavier packages, because 3oz is definately weak in my opinion.
For a while (don't know how popular they became) the coffee people were offering "pouches" ...On the one hand they are somewhat "Idiot proof" no spillage, ease of installation. On the other, the coffee produced, is usually weaker (coffee weight being equal).

[H2O2]

Just buy the best coffee and all will be resolved.

[sfloriII]

When in a hurry in the morning, it's french press for me. I can't say the amount exactly: it's four heaping teaspoons of beans which I then ground, then enough water to reach just below the little lable on the side of the press. Unscientific, but it's what I've found yeilds the right strength for me.

When time allows, it's a cup or two of cappuccino. I prepare it in my pride and joy: a La Pavoni Professional Espresso Machine.

But I also have several "antique" espresso machines that I use for variety from time to time.

Coffee: it does the mind and body good.........

[J. R. B.]

To have good coffee you have to have good water. The best water IMHO is spring water. Not the so called spring water you get in your local grocery store in plastic jugs, but the real spring water that comes out of a hill side like mother nature intended.

[pxland]

Originally Posted by J. R. B.

To have good coffee you have to have good water. The best water IMHO is spring water. Not the so called spring water you get in your local grocery store in plastic jugs, but the real spring water that comes out of a hill side like mother nature intended.

North Dakota has hillsides?

Careful, you don't know where that water has been.

Paul X.

[J. R. B.]

Not all of N.D. is a pancake. Where I live we have hills, a few trees, and water that comes out of the ground so cold and clear most city people would kill for it. Don't ask me where it is because I'm not telling.

[luvrpgrl]

If you have a number of people using the same machine, I say you have to go with the people who like it the strongest. Onced brewed, you cant make it stronger, but those who dont like it so strong can dilute it with hot water.

[G-Benz]

For years I never had to make coffee in the office...someone else already started a pot!

Many years ago (before prepackaged servings) I had to come in to work very early, so being the first in the office, decided to try my hand at making coffee.

Never saw anyone else do it, so I simply inserted the filter, grabbed the can of Folgers, and filled the filter up to the brim and pressed the "brew" button.

Man!

The whole department wondered who made the rocket fuel that morning!

[Botnst]

Buy CDM coffee or in a pinch, Community New Orleans Style.

Shut-off alarm.

Start 7 cups of water bioling.

Get newspaper.

Pet dog.

Pull your drip coffee pot out of the sink where you left it, intending to wash it last night like you told your wife you were not going to forget to do.

Dump the grounds from yesterday into the compost trash bucket and rinse the crude out of the sieve and bottom portion.

Put 3 heaping tblsp of coffee into the pot.

begin reading front page of newspaper.

Pour boiling water into the top when the kettle shrieks at you.

Wait for it to drip--5-6 minutes.

Pour two mugs 3/4 full of coffee.

Top-off with Half and Half.

Add a ice cube to the missus' cup.

Drink your cup while completing the front page.

She comes staggering out having been awakened by the shrieking kettle, and takes a long sip of the coffee. Give her the front page, go for the comics and Ann Landers. Here come the kids.

Domestic bliss.