The Wednesday Wellness threads are meant to encourage users to ask for and provide advice and motivation to improve their lives. It isn't intended as a 'containment thread' and any content which could go here could instead be posted in its own thread. You could post:
-
Requests for advice and / or encouragement. On basically any topic and for any scale of problem.
-
Updates to let us know how you are doing. This provides valuable feedback on past advice / encouragement and will hopefully make people feel a little more motivated to follow through. If you want to be reminded to post your update, see the post titled 'update reminders', below.
-
Advice. This can be in response to a request for advice or just something that you think could be generally useful for many people here.
-
Encouragement. Probably best directed at specific users, but if you feel like just encouraging people in general I don't think anyone is going to object. I don't think I really need to say this, but just to be clear; encouragement should have a generally positive tone and not shame people (if people feel that shame might be an effective tool for motivating people, please discuss this so we can form a group consensus on how to use it rather than just trying it).
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
I don't think I want any plastic in contact with hot water. :-I An Aeropress made of other materials might be interesting though. Do you mind saying a bit more about how you notice the difference in taste, compared to, say, insta-coffee, which any enthusiast apparently refuses to drink?
I'm considering a Chemex ("pour-over" made of glass, with paper filters you have to buy from the same producer at not insignificant running cost) but it looks a bit too hipster-y for my liking. And having to tie that leather knot, hmm. Not sure...
There's an alternate model of Chemex that just has a glass handle, no leather knot involved. My husband, who's enough of a coffee snob that he buys green coffee beans to roast at home, is a great fan.
And speaking of roasting your own beans, it's not too troublesome or expensive to get started - the company we buy from, Sweet Maria's, has instructions for roasting beans in a cheap air popcorn popper - though be warned that home roasting creates a strong burning smell so it's best done outside.
Yeah I've ended up on the Chemex with a glass handle in my research, just not sure if I can go with the so-called 3 cup version (which is max 450 ml, I think) or if I need a bigger one. Most of the time I'll only be brewing for 1-2 persons.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
They offer one made out of glass. It's 10x the price of the normal one.
More options
Context Copy link
I think using freshly ground beans just results in a much richer, smoother flavour compared to instant coffee. I'd say the flavour has more to do with the fact of using beans rather than the brewing implement used - if you gave me a blind taste test of an americano brewed using an AeroPress and another brewed with a French press (but using the same beans in the same quantity), I'm not sure I'd be able to tell the difference. The main advantages of an AeroPress lie in its ease of use, its robust, non-fragile design compared to the French press, and the fact that it's better-suited to making espressos than French presses (as my preferred coffee is a cappuccino). But if plastic in contact with hot water is a no-no for you, I don't know what other advice I can offer, other than that I've heard moka pots tend to burn the coffee.
Out of curiosity I looked up whether AeroPresses contain BPA or phthalates, and apparently not, which is a relief as we've just recently replaced almost all of our plastic lunchboxes with glass ones for this very reason.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link