Keeping it clean for better coffee
Monday, January 12, 2009 | 01:16 PM ET
by Kevin Yarr, CBCNews.ca
Making my first pot of coffee after Christmas with my new coffee grinder I was amazed at how much better it tasted. The grinder was a step or two up from my old model, but could a more even grind really make that much of a difference?
I was pleased when I opened the grinder Christmas morning. It had become impossible to adjust the grind on the old one, meaning my Turkish coffee and espresso makers were mouldering in the cupboard, but it still appeared to make a passable pot in the French press.
But then I learned it wasn't, or that at least it was only just passable, and set out to determine why.
I settled on the question of cleaning. I had not been able to clean the old grinder in a long time. As a side effect of being unable to adjust the grind, I also could not remove the top burr. While I am careful about cleaning the French press, the need to clean the grinder had escaped me.
But even with the new grinder there is a problem. You can remove and scrub down the top burr, but not the bottom, and no amount of dabbing with the included brush will get all the coffee off the bottom burr.
Turning to the internet I found several sources that suggested running uncooked white rice through the mill. I wasn't keen on trying this on the new grinder, but figured there would be no harm in experimenting on the old one.
Eager to do a proper job, after a great deal of struggle I managed to wrench off the top burr and wash it. Returning it, I ran about a quarter cup of rice through, then a couple of tablespoons of coffee to push through any clinging rice.
And yes, the coffee was much improved - though not as good as on the new grinder. Perhaps the grind is better on the new one; maybe there are limits on just how well you can clean one of these things.
What are your top tips for making a better cup of coffee?
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Amber Hildebrandt writes for CBCNews.ca in Toronto. Growing up on a farm in Manitoba, she acquired an insatiable appetite, but it was during a stint in Japan that she developed her discerning tastebuds and "foodie" ways.
Andrea Chiu is an associate producer at CBC Radio Digital. Though she loves to eat, cook and discuss food,
don't ask her to bake. It never turns out well. She tweets as @TOfoodie on Twitter and organizes food and wine events in Toronto called FoodieMeet.
Tara Kimura is the consumer life reporter for CBCNews.ca, covering a wide range of issues that range from rising food costs and the growing organic movement, to new trends in the marketplace.
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Jessica Wong is a CBCNews.ca writer who loves to eat and cook, as well as discuss, read and watch programming about food, sometimes all at once.
Kevin Yarr, CBCNews.ca's writer in Prince Edward Island, wrote about food and beer for national and regional magazines before joining the CBC. He acquired a desire for new tastes on his first trip to Europe, and an appreciation of eating locally and in season when he finally settled down on P.E.I.
Elizabeth Bridge is a writer with the CBC Digital Archives in Toronto. She first ventured into the kitchen as a child to indulge a sweet tooth by baking cookies and making fudge. A student budget compelled her to be a vegetarian (for a while) and instilled in her an ongoing curiosity about food and cooking.
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Comments
Canbyte - William Stephenson
Even though we clean our coffee grinder carefully the coffee is sometimes poor.
We are going to try the uncooked white rice.
Posted January 13, 2009 08:54 AM
Mark
Hamilton
A French press makes the best coffee in our house - of course freshly groung is better. Now the coffee matters - I love Birds and Beans Nicaraguan - its fairtrade and organic too. I love my milk frother and make a cup of half coffee half frothed milk. No sugar unless I make my own vanilla simple syrup with a vanilla bean.
Posted January 13, 2009 03:10 PM
BillyMiners girl
I have found that using the unbleached paper coffee filters produce better cup of filtered.
Posted January 14, 2009 11:43 AM
AnonY.Moose
Vancouver
You can also use Grape Nuts cereal to clean your grinder.
You shouldn't ever use water to clean any grinder components! Use pipe cleaners or a wire brush, but never get it wet!
I use a Zassenhaus burr grinder from Germany; there are various importers in North America that sell them.
Posted January 16, 2009 01:26 PM
james
toronto
i find that freshly roasted coffee is the single most important factor in a good cup of coffee. i got a coffee roaster for christmas, and now i doubt i'll ever frequent a starbucks again.
Posted January 21, 2009 12:11 PM
Lucien Marcelet
Top tips for best coffee:
1- Roasted not less than 48 hours ago and not more than 3 weeks.
2- Use a good quality espresso maker. Not one you keep on the shelf but a real one with an electric pump and a heavy brass boiler. This will set you back at least $300 dollars, but is well worth it.
I use a burr grinder I bought for 30 bucks and I have never cleaned it.
Posted January 23, 2009 12:15 PM
Stephen Lahman
Toronto
During Chrismas I took apart my OLD expensive Faema Family Burr grinder as I know the build up of rancid grinds gets bad over 6 months of the daily grind. It can contaminate the fresh grinds the way this unit is designed. Anyway, I had never done such a total cleaning in the 20 yrs plus that I have had this grinder. I normally would just clean it 2x/yr without any dissasembly. Upon getting it open i found lots of cemented grinds plus 20 yr old old grinds glued to the sides. Results are that I'm getting totally fresh, smoother tasting espresso as there is better control with the settings for the Crema level.
BTW,The best beans I have ever had for espresso ( that's all I drink ) Are from Balzacs and Whole Foods who roast in small batches. Don't freeze or refrigerate, just keep the beans well sealed. SHL
Posted February 3, 2009 05:38 PM