Original Santos

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Original Santos

Postby Aadje » Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:02 pm

Woohoo, after a nice visit and chat and Guitar Hero sessions with Joris today he handed me an Original Santos (the word Bodum doesn't really appear anywhere on the glass) he got in a second hand stuff store.
So now I'm eager to try it out. Any tricks of the trade how to get the most out of it?
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RE: Original Santos

Postby lukas » Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:03 pm

Grind finer than for filter, but not too fine. Use Kenyan coffee, really ;), the Gethumbwini! If you grind too fine, the filter clogs and your coffee is gah. If you grind too coarse, your coffee is gah. It's nearly impossible to get the grind right with that plastic filter disc, but when it's right, it's just gorgeous. Only put the grinds in when the water is already fully up (the water coming up initially is really not warmer than 50-60 degC). When the water is in the top, looooow flame, let it simmer for 2 to 4 minutes (depending on grind and amount of coffee used). Afterwards, remove from flame and enjoy the show!

The bad thing is, you'll only really notice at the end wether the grind was too fine or not. With my Cimbali and Mazzer Major, it's always a hit'n'miss, jut because the taste a little off when I grind too coarse so I aim for finer, but that all too often clogs the filter. But when it works, it's really really great coffee (well it can be). A bit clover like ;)
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RE: Original Santos

Postby syscrusher » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:49 am

I'm not getting the best from my Santos. For a long time I was having trouble with the process stalling. Strangely enough, I had been using quite a coarse grind (similar to FP). After doing some recent reading, however, I learned the consensus was the grind should be substantially finer. Although my initial feeling was finer grind = more likely to stall, it turns out the converse was true. Stalling seems to have been eliminated (using the plastic filter disc).

However, I'm not entirely satisfied with the flavour I'm getting. I seem not to be getting a lot of the higher notes, and am emphasising the deeper notes, and also I would say getting some bitterness.

Perhaps the bitterness is a function of overextraction, caused maybe by too fine a grind. The downward journey can be slowish (up to 1 minute), and the end gurgle is not too vigorous (more like someone farting in a bath :D).

Maybe it's a function of temperature - if I leave the water go up top on its own first - should I wait for a particular temperature to add the coffee? Should I start with cold or off-boil water in the bottom?

There are a lot of variables in this which I find are not sufficiently answered by most of the guides out there. Depending on the volume of water used the temperature of the brew water will be very different at the same time in the procedure.

I love the clean smooth cup produced, but at the moment my french press is just making better flavoured coffee.
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RE: Original Santos

Postby lukas » Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:54 pm

I see your pain ... struggle with it myself at times. To get less of the deeper notes, try a shorter overall time maybe, or a little coarser grind. Most often I let the water come into the upper bowl and only then add the coffee. Currently I don't use it very much because when I'm at home I mostly go for single cup brews, e.g. melitta filter or espresso ... need to change that, though :)
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