Let's Talk About Coffee Machines ....

[CBJ]

Making espresso requires the water to be passed through the coffee grounds under pressure. That's what gives it the strength and depth of flavour, and also the "crema" on the top. The water pressure produced by a percolator is nowhere near high enough.

[Hank001]

CBJ:

Making espresso requires the water to be passed through the coffee grounds under pressure. That's what gives it the strength and depth of flavour, and also the "crema" on the top. The water pressure produced by a percolator is nowhere near high enough.

I'll have to dig it up but there's serious science out there on just the right H2O temp, injection pressure, coffee grind, etc. Formulas that make it look like rocket science. (Though I think half the space program runs on caffine anyway)

[Morkonan]

Making espresso requires the water to be passed through the coffee grounds under pressure. That's what gives it the strength and depth of flavour, and also the "crema" on the top. The water pressure produced by a percolator is nowhere near high enough.

I thoughts those were basically little steam systems. Perhaps they just bathe the coffee, instead? My neighbor in college (dormitory) used to make this for us, so I don't recall actually doing much of it, myself. (I'm sure I did, several times, as I recall borrowing it. But, I don't remember noticing how it worked. )

[jlehtone]

Moka pot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot has water going [up] through the coffee exactly once. That does have some pressure.

Percolator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_percolator has water falling through coffee. No pressure at all, just gravity. You can keep circulating water through the coffee multiple times.

Traditional coffee pot had water and coffee mixed. No filtering through. Just cooking. Percolator has more control on how much you brew.

[Morkonan]

Moka pot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot has water going [up] through the coffee exactly once. That does have some pressure.

Percolator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_percolator has water falling through coffee. No pressure at all, just gravity. You can keep circulating water through the coffee multiple times.

Traditional coffee pot had water and coffee mixed. No filtering through. Just cooking. Percolator has more control on how much you brew.

Ah, the mocha pot! That was probably it, as internal design looks similar! Thanks for the info on that - I now consider myself more informed in the ways of coffee, which is always a good thing. (Drinking coffee from an "automatic drip" coffee-maker, right now.)

There are two coffees I won't drink. One is "chikory" which isn't friggin' coffee, and the other is "Chock-Ful-O-Nuts."

I challenge that statement!

WTF is "decaffeinated coffee?" That's - That's illegal, isn't it? (Sorry I missed your post earlier.)

[Hank001]

Morkonan ponders:

WTF is "decaffeinated coffee?" That's - That's illegal, isn't it? (Sorry I missed your post earlier.)

Decaf: Coffee with essential ingredients removed or to quote David Letterman: "warm dirty water".

[jlehtone]

Decaf: Coffee with essential ingredients removed or to quote David Letterman: "warm dirty water".

Tea?

Drinking coffee from an "automatic drip" coffee-maker, right now.

Where gravity pulls water through coffee (at most) once. No pressure.

[brucewarren]

Tea?

Now you've done it. While I don't drink the black stuff myself I get the impression that to some people it's rather important.

A certain Empire was pretty much built on it, a certain group of rebels caused a war when they threw it into the sea and most importantly of all:-

All British tanks have carried a device for making tea for over half a century so that soldiers don't have to risk their lives getting out of the vehicle when a brew up is required.

[Hank001]

brucewarren notes:

All British tanks have carried a device for making tea for over half a century so that soldiers don't have to risk their lives getting out of the vehicle when a brew up is required.

And US Air Force cargo planes fly with built in coffee makers. Guess they can't go hopping out to build a fire either.

[Aye Capn]

Decaf is illegal above the drinking age of 16. Giving someone decaf is assault and battery.

[Hank001]

Aye Capn:

Decaf is illegal above the drinking age of 16. Giving someone decaf is assault and battery.

Assault with intent to swill?

[Hank001]

Waking up this forum with an update on those coffeemakers I said the US Air Force have in their bigger aircraft. They made the news:

$1300 Coffee Pots Heat Up

(3D printers to the rescue!)

[Aye Capn]

Speaking of military-grade coffee anyone have any "war stories" about their military-ration coffee?

A lot of military guys swear by sucking the coffee grounds chewing-tobacco-style. Is that really a thing?

[Hank001]

@ Aye Capn
Back up search the old posts by me. We've been over my wartime experiences with MRE coffee.

[Morkonan]

Waking up this forum with an update on those coffeemakers I said the US Air Force have in their bigger aircraft. They made the news:

$1300 Coffee Pots Heat Up

(3D printers to the rescue!)

BWAHAHAHA!

And, they re-order the same damn cup? What? Nobody respecc'd out that darn cup, yet?

There's gotta be something hot in there. They've got heaters. Heck, I bet that radio gets hot! Cook off some flares? Something, somewhere, gets hot and someone will use it. There isn't a soldier issued that hasn't found a way to make a cup of hot coffee... Ain't no such animal. Some Airman, somewhere, is heating up his coffee right now using non-approved means to do so and his crew chief doesn't give a crap because he's waiting on it, too. So, figure out what they are doing and just do that and be done with it.

What are those handles made of, Bakelite?

[Hank001]

@ Morkonan
Nah. Those pots click onto a bulkhead mounted hotplate so the pot is secure during turbulance. I worked on a crash team and was at the site of a C-141 crash in Tennessee. No survivors, but the coffee pot was still clasped securely to the hotplate. (True Story) The whole rig; Pot, Hotplate, etc cost $1300 USD. I'd imagine the pot prices out to around $500 to 600 USD. I'll tell you the God's Truth. The handles? Yes they get broken. FREQUENTLY. Why? They are not dropped. Oh no. Crew and PAX forget/don't know to unlatch the pot BEFORE they grap the handle and try to yank out the pot. So they grab the handle, yank and... Oops!

Seen it happen... More than once.

[BigBANGtheory]

brucewarren notes:

All British tanks have carried a device for making tea for over half a century so that soldiers don't have to risk their lives getting out of the vehicle when a brew up is required.

And US Air Force cargo planes fly with built in coffee makers. Guess they can't go hopping out to build a fire either.

I really don't want to know how the steam for a Latte is prepared on a nuclear submarine

[Hank001]

@ BigBANGtheory:

Hey you know? Glow in the dark latte foam? Might catch on.

[Morkonan]

@ Morkonan
Nah. Those pots click onto a bulkhead mounted hotplate so the pot is secure during turbulance. I worked on a crash team and was at the site of a C-141 crash in Tennessee. No survivors, but the coffee pot was still clasped securely to the hotplate. (True Story)

One survivor, then...

(My apologies, it had to be said. And, my condolences to those involved. There is no humor involved, there, just the pain of gathering up the pieces.)

The whole rig; Pot, Hotplate, etc cost $1300 USD. I'd imagine the pot prices out to around $500 to 600 USD. I'll tell you the God's Truth. The handles? Yes they get broken. FREQUENTLY. Why? They are not dropped. Oh no. Crew and PAX forget/don't know to unlatch the pot BEFORE they grap the handle and try to yank out the pot. So they grab the handle, yank and... Oops!

Seen it happen... More than once.

You're friggin' right! I have no doubt of it at all - That's what is happening and they're blaming a knock/drop for it.

I saw the little cubby behind it and figure that's what it was for, but didn't think about extra restraints. I thought the back plate somehow latched into the plug in the back on the bulkhead. I can easily see someone just grabbing that handle and yanking... You should write an anonymous letter, debriefing them on wtf is "really" happening.

BUT, IMO, there's some officer in charge, here, that wants to make his mark by pushing in new 3D Printing tech to solve the problem and then expand its use to anything he can think of as a means to "save money." Knob broke? PRINT IT! Snappy ring spacer thingie broke? PRINT IT! "It worked for the coffee pots and I can make it work for all sorts of other things, too!" "

"Thank you, Colonel. Meritoriously move to the top of the promotion list and collect your medals... and your new staff car."

It's not a bad idea, as long as there aren't material issues that present design problems. Don't want that new switch melting, do we? In fact, I'm in favor of "just in time manufacturing." It saves a lot of cash when it's logistically possible. And, if you can do it "on location, on demand?" That's a huge bonus, too. The advances in 3D printing if it had a truly beneficial military application would simply skyrocket and bring it closer to being what it really could be - A new market possibility. (I've long been in favor of having 3D printers in all the major "Do it yourself" stores. It's just the supply and support problems that's an issue. This could make solutions much more possible.)

But, if those printed handles melt or the screws/rivets pull out too easily or they fall apart in certain common environmental conditions, it's "not a solution" and a waste of money. Better to take that money and invest in better coffee... Friggin' "Chok-Full-O-Nuts" or whatever the lowest bidder supplies just ain't right.

[Hank001]

Morkonan says:

But, if those printed handles melt or the screws/rivets pull out too easily or they fall apart in certain common environmental conditions, it's "not a solution" and a waste of money. Better to take that money and invest in better coffee... Friggin' "Chok-Full-O-Nuts" or whatever the lowest bidder supplies just ain't right.

Back 8n the day it was generic in a white go'ment can that said Coffee, Ground and the Federal Stock Number. If you looked at the fine print it either said Nabisco or Folgers. But somebody always brought real coffee. Helped if you wanted your seat upgraded.