Vacpots, Q's and A's

[SusanJoM]

I think they have a three cup??

I don't think it's a stove-top, though, but maybe I'm wrong.
I'll double-check.
Susan

[BoldJava]

Yama's smallest stovetop is a 5-cup, 22 oz unit.  The smallest unit they make is a 3-cup tabletop which delivers about 14.5 oz.

B|Java

[SusanJoM]

Yama's smallest stovetop is a 5-cup, 22 oz unit.  The smallest unit they make is a 3-cup tabletop which delivers about 14.5 oz.

B|Java

Zat's what I thought....
Boo Hoo Hooooo.....

Susan

[John F]

Yama's smallest stovetop is a 5-cup, 22 oz unit. 

Most of my mugs are 20oz.  

I do have a 24oz that I had custom made but honestly it's unaestheticly large...

20oz mugs are a nice good size that is big but not goofy big.  

[SusanJoM]

Yama's smallest stovetop is a 5-cup, 22 oz unit. 

Most of my mugs are 20oz.  
I do have a 24oz that I had custom made but honestly it's unaestheticly large...
20oz mugs are a nice good size that is big but not goofy big.  

That's just too much coffee for me to drink fast enough for it to stay hot.
My current favorite mug holds 8 oz.

Susan

[John F]

That's just too much coffee for me to drink fast enough for it to stay hot.
My current favorite mug holds 8 oz.

My favorite tea cup is 8oz. 

[peter]

The thing to look at when considering any vac-pot for single cup use is how much water is left in the bottom when the coffee is brewing up top. 

[mp]

The thing to look at when considering any vac-pot for single cup use is how much water is left in the bottom when the coffee is brewing up top. 

Great point Peter ... that is why they have a minimum size to them.

 

[thugmusk]

My wife stopped drinking my morning coffee so I switched back to my smaller Cona Junior, which is a stove top.  It makes one nice healthy mug (16oz).  Or two nice sized cups (10oz ea).  I am not sure I understand the previous comment on the amount of water in the bottom but whether I use it full or for just the one mug, the amount of water at the bottom while brewing is the same as that is determined by they syphon tube/carafe bottom distance, which is fixed.  But we knew that so that's why I'm not sure I understand.  So long as you use the correct/desired ratio in the beginning, it all comes out good in the end.  IMO

I use the double glass walled Bodum Bistro jumbo mug.  Love it although quite fragile.  All glass brewing/drinking except for the stainless steel bottom in the glass kettle which is used to preheat the water.


Unfortunately the Cona Jr has become rare (I grabbed up 3 full sets on ebay years ago) and I already broken a top and then a bottom over the years of use.  I try to pay *extra* close attention while washing now.  I also use it with a Cory rod as it has a larger head piece, making it longer overall and easier to place into the funnel then the Cona rod.  Works great, never had a dead stall.  I have used it on an electric stove in the past too, currently using it on a gas stove.

Interesting to note a new set of instructions I saw for a Cona brewer are now saying to start off with hot water too.  One thing they mention is to wait for the bottom to start boiling before adding the top.  This I find interesting and very hard to pull off using a slightly heavier handed coffee/water ratio as the initial bloom is too large for the size of the funnel.  The water shoots up so fast you cannot stir enough to prevent the killer sized bloom.  A slower rise enables me to stir and prevent too much bloom.  This is using it to its fullest capacity.

The Classicona user on ebay has what he calls spares, one top and one bottom, each for sale.

Rich

[peter]

 I am not sure I understand the previous comment on the amount of water in the bottom but whether I use it full or for just the one mug, the amount of water at the bottom while brewing is the same as that is determined by they syphon tube/carafe bottom distance, which is fixed.  But we knew that so that's why I'm not sure I understand.  So long as you use the correct/desired ratio in the beginning, it all comes out good in the end.  IMO

Rich

There's two things at work here; your mug size, and your last statement about correct ratio.

I'll make a 12oz. mug, and because there's always a few ounces left in the bottom with my Yama the coffee seems to be diluted a bit.  Unless, as you say, you really bump up the water:coffee ratio.  But I can't keep the ratio the same as my 12oz. mug coming from my press pot.  With the full 5-cup Yama, the water in the bottom is less percentage-wise, and it brews better w/o bumping up the amount of ground coffee.  The Cona may leave less water in the bottom than the Yama.

Interesting to note a new set of instructions I saw for a Cona brewer are now saying to start off with hot water too.  One thing they mention is to wait for the bottom to start boiling before adding the top.  This I find interesting and very hard to pull off using a slightly heavier handed coffee/water ratio as the initial bloom is too large for the size of the funnel.  The water shoots up so fast you cannot stir enough to prevent the killer sized bloom.  A slower rise enables me to stir and prevent too much bloom.  This is using it to its fullest capacity.

Something that B|Java taught me to incorporate was to get all the water up north before putting the ground coffee in, but not with such vigorously rolling water that it splashes out.  If you put the coffee in before the water goes north, or when the water is up there but still not hot enough, you'll be soaking your grounds in water that's only around 150deg.  So what I do is get the water up there, rolling slightly but not so much that the Cory rod is dancing, and then adding the coffee.

[thugmusk]

I guess it's the dilution thing that people talk about that I just don't understand or experience.  Let me explain.

Let's say we use 55g per liter of water.

In a vac pot that means the 55 grams is brewing in less then a liter of water as there is always some water in the bottom.  If the 55g is now being brewed with less then 1 liter, the brew in the top should be stronger because you are using less water to brew the fixed 55 gram amount.  So, IMO, this stronger brew equals just right when it gets a little diluted after it travels south.  To me, the end product tastes like, and, is brewed with 55 grams per liter of water.

And that is why I don't understand or experience the dilution thing with a vac pot.

My comment about using more coffee is just a preference, not to offset any dilution thing.  I use the same ratios regardless of brew method, except for cross country driving,,,I'm real heavy on the coffee ratio then.  :-)

Regarding when to add coffee....if I waited to all the water was north, bubbling, then added coffee, I would be cleaning a mess due to the bloom if using it at full potential.


Rich

[peter]

That makes good sense the way you explain it, it just hasn't been my experience with the Yama.  But I will certainly do more research.   

[jspain]

Great thread and discussion. I always wait for the water to be up top, the cory rod settles, and then add coffee. I have never had a mess. I start hot, lower the temp as the water migrates to the top and then lower to brewing temp just as the water is about to finish migration. Always works well for me. I LOVE MY 8 CUP STOVE TOP! My drip technivorm only gets used now when the boss brews decaf.........  Jim 

[BoldJava]

... I LOVE MY 8 CUP STOVE TOP! ...  Jim 

Al Gore will never pry my 8-cup stovetop from my "dead, cold hands."

B|Heston

[Tex]

... I LOVE MY 8 CUP STOVE TOP! ...  Jim 

Al Gore will never pry my 8-cup stovetop from my "dead, cold hands."

B|Heston

vac pots don't kill people - only people kill people