Cleaning with Vinegar

Question

From Gale

Hi ,
Our BUNN coffee maker is 25 yrs. old. How can we clean it
inside? Can we run vinegar through it? Please advise.

Thanks,
Gale's Garden Center

Answer

Cleaning your brewer internally would require a service technician. I'm not sure if your unit is a pour-over or automatic (plumbed) . Vinegar is a light form of acetic acid and in some cases will remove small amounts of mineral deposit. My suggestion would be to contact a local service center with trained service technicians.

Happy Brewing,

Dr. Brew

Quick Brew

Question

From Ben

Are you likely to produce something to rival the Clover Brewer? Is there a way to successfully reduce brew contact time to under 2 minutes and still get a rounded brew flavour profile?
Thanks
Ben

Answer

Ben,

The advancement of a better cup through brewing technology has always been a priority. The coffee basics have stated the recommended brew time for filter-drip brewing with "fine" grind at one to four minutes since the 1950's. With that said, we can answer yes.

Espresso, for an example, is brewed in approximately 25 seconds, resulting in a great cup. Matching grind to contact time and brew method is essential for the best cup possible.

Time, temperature and turbulence are the essential variables to a great cup.

Happy Brewing,
Dr. Brew

Perk Up

Question

From Shawn

I am frequently asked to brew 30 and 50 cup urns, you know the kind, percolator that takes two hours to finish. How many grounds do I use per 30 and 50 cup pot? I know the grams per cup, but what I want is measures for cups of grounds per filter. Please use a quantity that is palatable to most average people. Not too much not too little. Thanks! It has been a source of contention for too long around here.
Signed,
Shawn

Answer

Brewing coffee with the percolator may not be the preferred method for the best cup, but since this is the brewer you have available let's discuss your question. The time you mention is long generally due to low wattage and a considerable amount of water to heat. Water expands approximately 4% when heated from 65 degrees to 200 degrees F. Adjusting the water volume down by 4% would adjust brew volume to coffee ratio. Assuming the cup or serving size is 5 ounces (30 cups =150 ounces), the brew formula would be approximately 7 ounces (an 8 ounce measuring cup holds approximately 3 ounces of ground coffee) of coarse-ground coffee (increase or decrease for your taste). You may experiment with preheating the water to reduce the coffee to water contact time. You will also want to reduce the temperature as soon as the brew water has cycled through the coffee grounds for approximately six minutes.

Happy Brewing,

Dr. Brew

French Press?

Question

From Justin

Is French Press the best way to brew coffee? If so, why?

Answer

I enjoy all brew methods, French Press is likely as close as you get to cupping profile. The mouth feel and flavors from the sediments and oils that pass through the screen filter are more intense than those that pass through a paper filter commonly used in filter drip. As for the best way to brew, I look at the entire process. Depending on the style of French Press you chose -- glass, stainless steel, single wall or thermal -- pre-heating is recommended. Determining grind size for the time of contact allowed before cooling occurs is a challenge. Coffee brewed in a French Press dictates a quick dispense/consumption due to the ground coffee continuing to release solubles. As with any brew, proper execution of the method to reduce variables results in the best cup. I am spoiled and prefer filter drip with no sediments in the bottom of my cup.

Happy Brewing,

Dr. Brew

Better Brew

Question

Ian, from the United Kingdom

What a great way to have a blog – can I be the first person from the UK to ask a
question ? How do I explain very simply to my customers that BUNN equipment has a better extraction than other machines ?

Thanks.

Ian

Answer
Ian,

Thanks for your question and yes, Ian you are the first from the UK.

There is more to a great cup of coffee than better extraction as an indicator. Brewed filter-drip coffee is a balance of strength and extraction. How the equipment and the coffee work together to produce a uniform extraction from the ground coffee is the most important aspect. Testing in the lab as well as with the consumer has proven that a uniform extraction range of 18%-22% by weight from the ground coffee provides the desirable flavor profiles. Strength (percentage of the beverage that is dissolved coffee) on the other hand, is a choice that each of us makes.

The Specialty Coffee Association of America, Speciality Coffee Association of Europe and the Norwegian Coffee Association all agree on the 18-22% extraction, although each has a range for strength (1.15%-1.35% SCAA/1.20%-1.45% SCAE/ & 1.30%-1.55%NCA) as a standard.

Happy Brewing,

Dr. Brew

Soft response

Question

Linda from Des Moines, Iowa:

We have a customer with a twin brewer they have been using for a year—now it is filling less than a pot on a brew cycle. They want to know why. I told them that I think it may be a lime issue—what do you recommend?

Answer

Linda,
A loss in brew volume can occur for many reasons. General maintenance of removing and cleaning the openings in the spray head(s) daily is a good place to start. The upper mid-West of the United States is known for hard water (above 6 grains). The minerals dissolved in water precipitate out in the form of calcium and magnesium deposits, when water in heated to brew temperature. A good place to find out about your water is your local municipal water provider. Water with a slight hardness(3-6 grains) is recommended for brewing coffee. As a point of reference 1 grain of hardness is equal to 17.1 mg/Liter or Parts Per Million (ppm).

Dr.Brew

Sweet response

Question

Chris from Santa Paula, California, wrote --

We get many questions about acid in coffee.

We know that acidity can be a desired character (Kenya), but what about the PH of coffee? Many find it acidic believing it upsets their stomach.

Can you give us the" word" on acids in coffee? When asked about acid free coffee, we refer customers to the ‘Todd’ method, the cold extract that makes very flat coffee.

Answer

Chris,

You are right in the statement that acidity is a desired trait in many coffees.
Most brewed coffees have an acidity of approximately 5.0pH (7.0pH is neutral).

Acidity can be reduced by brewing at lower temperatures.

The correct grind (acidity generally decreases with coarser grinds) for the brewing equipment used is important as well.

I personally have found that brewing with a lower coffee to water ratio tends to be a weak and acidic brew. By adding more coffee to the ratio, a higher strength brew with lower extraction percentage make for a better brew. For more information, check out Coffee Research.org.

Happy Brewing
Dr. Brew