Hot Idea In A Cold House

[peter]

Well, I was fixin' to do some side by side press pots of the same bean (Panama Natural- thanks Monito!) to see if my insulated press pot was actually having any effects on my brews.  But decided before I do that I should measure the temps both ways. 

I tested the probe first in boiling water, and it read 210 deg, which at this sea level is pretty close.

First the insulated pot.  It only dropped 3 deg during a 3:15min. steep.  Started at 194 deg, which tells me the ground coffee and glass beaker are sucking some heat.  But then it only dropped to 191 deg.  I was psyched that my cozy was doing its job.

Then, the stock press pot, and this was the next day so that the pot was at the same room temp.  BTW, ambient temp in my house during the winter in the daytime is 65 deg.  To my astonishment, the stock unit only dropped two more degrees than the insulated model.  My only guess is that the air surrounding the beaker is not as good a conductor of heat as I imagined.

So I said screw it with the insulation (scientific phrasing there)  The bulk and awkwardness of the insulating blanket didn't offset the 2 degrees I was saving.  My hot idea turns out to be not so hot after all.

And just for fun, I checked the Yama 5-cup two minutes into the water up nort' with coffee steeping... 199 deg.

[Tex]

...To my astonishment, the stock unit only dropped two more degrees than the insulated model.  My only guess is that the air surrounding the beaker is not as good a conductor of heat as I imagined.

Or would it be more accurate to say that glass is a poor conductor of heat? What would've happened if you'd preheated both units by filling them with boiling water & let sit for ~3 minutes?

Just another brain:fart:

[peter]

Or would it be more accurate to say that glass is a poor conductor of heat?

I'm sure that enters into it, but both trials had the same glass, so the only variable was w/ or w/o insulation.

What would've happened if you'd preheated both units by filling them with boiling water & let sit for ~3 minutes?

I've often thought about that, but my lazy butt won't jump through the hoops necessary to preheat.

[opus]

I pre-heat it before I fill it.  Plus, it stays plenty hot for the amount of time there is coffee in it.  I dont let it sit more than 15 mins til its empty.  If its just me drinking, I only make half portion.