Changing methods... Help, please.

[Journeymanjohn]

Hello.

It's my first post here. I hope I am posting in the correct forum.

Have been using an old Technivorm Moccamaster for many years now, at the house. On the road (where I spend an incredible amount of time), I typically suffer with the cheap and crappy convenience store blends and motel room coffee makers. Better than nothing I guess. Used a Breville smartgrind with the TV, and have it dialed in just how I like it at 53.5 grams per liter and just a pinch of salt. Keeping the basket closed until the grounds are completely covered and bloomed nicely, then opening completely. This provides, to my taste buds anyway, a good strong coffee, without bitterness or sourness. My typical morning routine is to preheat with a liter, which in turn preheats a 1 pint thermos. Make the brew, fill the thermos, drink a mug full at home, where I prefer my Ozark Trail Stainless Travel Mug (the short one), and another driving to work. Have a nice little Barrista scale too. Not sure of the model, as Ive bben using it so long now.

All the equipment is a bit much to travel with though, so decided to downsize to an electric kettle and pour over. Went with the Hario Switch #3 size, as it appeared to be a very similar operation to the TV. Downsized the grinder to a Timemore Grinder Pro.

Have really been struggling to get a good cup since making the switch. Basicly, I just quartered everything. So, that would be about 13.3 to 250ml of water. Have been using water at 200 F*, which is a bit warmer than the TV, which actually was robotic at slightly over 180, temping while in the basket with grounds. Have experimented with brew times from 2-4 minutes

I'm not entirely happy with the switch. Seems that the grounds typically clog the filter much more than the TV with the same grind size. I guess this is due to the pointy shape and everything being funneled to that pointy end. Seems I need to stir a bit to get it to drain. Never had to stir with the TV.

Another issue I am facing,... making a full liter. I guess, to do that I would either need to find a 250 ml recipe that work for me and repeat it about four times, get a caraf and do a full liter (starting to get away from the advantages of not traveling with the TV, being size and footprint), come up with two recipes,...so I can make both 250ml batches, and 1 pint batch for the thermos, or find a new system all together.

I just thought I would throw this out there for dicussion. Possibly someone else travels extensively and has found a solution to the traveling with great coffee problem, and/or has advice on dialing in the Hario Switch.

I'm thinking/guessing I can maybe improve the flow rate by switching to a pour over that doesn't come to a point, and has a hole or holes placed more similarly to the the TV basket. Maybe I would be better off with a press?

Anyway, thoughts and comments, please.

Thanks.

 

[Musicphan]

Looking at your coffee/water ratio, you are using an 18.8:1 ratio - I would suggest something like 1:15 or 1:16 for an immersion brewer. And remember the smaller the final output, you have to use a tiny touch more. The reason, is coffee is somewhat like a sponge; in order to extract, it will absorb and saturate first, then extract. You will never get a 1:1 water in > coffee out.

Your water temp and grinder should be fine, and I assume since you are as knowledgeable as you are fresh coffee isn't an issue.

 

[Journeymanjohn]

Well, I've been getting some decent cups, once I bumped up the grind weight to 16.6 to 250ml H2O. Funny (strange not haha) how the ratio changes from the TV to the Switch, both essentially the same method, with minor differences... mainly being the batch size... as I've only been doing 250ml at a time, instead of 1L.

I'm still not really happy with the Switch though. Even though I also increased the grind size quite a bit, as the brew drains the grinds seem to stop up the flow. Even when stirring them up at the end of the process. I guess there is a bit at the very tip of the filter that my spoon/whatever doesn't agitate up to clear the blockage. Consequently, I end up wasting a decent amount. It's not a clean process for sure.

Does anyone here use regular #4 filters that dont come down to a point at the bottom of the "cone", instead of the typical Hario ones? I know it's a rather inexpensive experiment for me to try, but still thought I might ask about others results.

It seems to me that much water would not steep in the grounds, but be held beneath them between the filter bottom and the ball stopper on the switch. And that would likely throw the whole process off.

Other solutions for avoiding the blockage caused by the grounds in the tip of the filter are appreciated.

Am considering moving to an Aeropress instead. I see they have a model big enough to fill a pint thermos in one brew now.