Coffee in Pittsburgh (kitchen, metro, Filipino)

[sskink]

Originally Posted by WhoIsStanwix?

The sweet calculus of coffee is alive and well in da 'Burgh!

I'm waiting for ATC to start talking about taking TDS readings to determine ideal extraction ratios

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by sskink

I'm waiting for ATC to start talking about taking TDS readings to determine ideal extraction ratios

Haha I don't think I'll ever go that far for the perfect cup (or to get a God Shot).

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Initial review on Commonplace Voluto:

Very good pour over - I am having the Mexican single source, which is very balanced and smooth
Cool atmosphere - The guys who work here are nice, not snobby at all; there is some music playing too

I will come back here for sure

[Der Schwabe]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Interesting! Do the beans get any flavor from the wood?

I got some coffee coming in the mail today. Among the beans is a Kenya Kagumoini that I'm excited about.

Where do you order online? I'm looking to switch sources.

Originally Posted by UKyank

I've had a nespresso coffee maker for about a year now that I give props to.
I agree that if you drink lots of coffee single serve makers make no sense, but given the fact that I basically only have a cup or so over the weekend it makes more sense to me (plus I'm lazy - it does make a much better drink then anything I've ever had out of a keurig machine as well).

I made the switch from Tassimo to Nespresso a few years back but found the Nespresso to be a little weak. Flavor was good but I never got the buzz that you would get from a freshly drawn espresso. Also prefer to drink more quantity, and you really run through the capsules drinking that way..

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by Der Schwabe

Where do you order online? I'm looking to switch sources.

I order from here: https://www.metropoliscoffee.com/shop/

I found out about it on the coffee sub-reddit. That's about the only thing I use Reddit for is to look for coffee related posts. If you order over $50 bucks the shipping is free.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

I use a Baratza Encore. It's great and even though it is made in Taiwan Baratza has a great customer service reputation.

I purchased this burr grinder on your recommendation. I love it! It is much louder than I was expecting, but about the same volume as the Krups (made in France) blade grinder I have. Made a few rounds of coffee with the burr. Right now I am drinking a Peaberry from Kenya (picture below). It isn't available anymore, but I will be looking for it next year. Great coffee. I drink a AA coffee from Kenya purchased at Trader Joe's sometimes as well. Can't really beat the price and quality of the coffee. Some other notable ones I get are Bali Blue Moon and Breakfast Blend, but as I drink more flavorful coffee the Breakfast Blend gets a little boring. Still a good value/quality ratio. I don't care for a burnt overtone as you find in Starbucks, but you gotta hand it to Starbucks. They found a flavor profile that seems to be very popular and you can't knock such a success. Thanks Aqua!

[gg]

Oh, I wanted to mention the difference in the burr compared to my blade. Obviously the grind is much more consistent, so there is much less sediment at the bottom of my mug after I am through. French Press's are low filter in comparison to a paper filter. I like both for the most part, but a French Press won't break. The consistency in general is better and I don't have to count and hope I ground the beans well enough as I did with the blade. I wish I would have purchased this grinding a long time ago! Hope it lasts a long time. I hope Taiwan is a step up from China. I really think China's quality control is lacking to say the least. Guess time will tell. As I was reading the reviews of the Baratza there was someone that called it quiet and that is a little concerning because I hope mine isn't loud for a quality issue. I guess I could search on Youtube to hear if mine sounds the same?

Enjoy.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Mine is also loud too. In comparison at work they have a burr grinder from some other company (the name escapes me) that is much quieter. However, the grinds on that one can be less consistent. I prefer mine to the one at work and it likely a lot cheaper.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Oh, I wanted to mention the difference in the burr compared to my blade. Obviously the grind is much more consistent, so there is much less sediment at the bottom of my mug after I am through. French Press's are low filter in comparison to a paper filter. I like both for the most part, but a French Press won't break. The consistency in general is better and I don't have to count and hope I ground the beans well enough as I did with the blade. I wish I would have purchased this grinding a long time ago! Hope it lasts a long time. I hope Taiwan is a step up from China. I really think China's quality control is lacking to say the least. Guess time will tell. As I was reading the reviews of the Baratza there was someone that called it quiet and that is a little concerning because I hope mine isn't loud for a quality issue. I guess I could search on Youtube to hear if mine sounds the same?

Enjoy.

HC... since you seem to be a fan of lighter roasts, I'll share some info you might appreciate.

You know by now you're never going to completely eliminate sediment with a press pot. But I learned a couple of things from some experts.

1) Before pressing, remove the top layer of wet grounds. You won't get them all, nor do you need to, but you'll notice your second cup (if using a 16oz press or larger and smaller mug) will be less bitter as you'll stop most of the grounds from overextracing.

2) Try not pressing at all. When coffee professionals judge coffees, they simply add hot water to ground coffee, let it settle, then sip from the top (sometimes getting a ground or two in the spoon). They believe this method is superior to any method using agitation as it shows the coffee in its most unadulterated state. This would be the same method as using a press pot to only strain, not further extract (via agitation from pressing). I've tried it. The coffees I've done this with are typically higher acidity (brighter), and the result is a cleaner, more articulated cup. Not everyone's cup of "tea", but it's an interesting way to get another taste profile from the exact same coffee beans and equipment.

[ForYourLungsOnly]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

I order from here: https://www.metropoliscoffee.com/shop/

Metropolis is excellent. Probably in my top 2 Chicago coffee spots.

Does anyone know of any diners or breakfast spots in Pittsburgh that sell quality coffee? The only one I can think of is Waffles Incaffinated on East Carson. Though I was hungover, I remember their coffee being better than your average diner's brown water. I've eaten at a few places elsewhere that serve Intelligentsia. Once you have experienced bottomless Intelligentsia with your meal, it's hard to look back.