Totally Dependent on Gram Scale which just failed

[SJM]

Including
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/doers/2012/11/the_secret_to_making_great_coffee_revealed.html

[Ray T]

Hey peeps. One cubic centimeter of water weighs one gram. You don't need to weigh water.
Curly

Does hard water weigh the same as soft water 

[grinderz]

I'm simply astounded by this thread.  <shakes head in amazement>  I'm lucky if I bother to break out a measuring scoop to measure for my french press. For espresso, I usually just level off at the top of the basket unless the beans need a little tweaking. Even then it's strictly seat-of-the-pants-o-meter.

[SJM]

Well now, I'm curious:  youse guys who don't measure, did you ever?  or never? 

I came to weighing as a way to eliminate the variables when I was learning to use my first Gaggia.  Seemed to me it was important to keep only change one variable at a time while I tried to find out which one was possibly keeping my shots from being just right. 

Once I started I found it impossible to start.  I guess I'm an addict.....

[SJM]

I'll repeat my post above. One cubic centimeter (cc) weighs one gram. NO NEED TO WEIGH

Well of course not;  weighing is just another way of measuring.

[BoldJava]

Well now, I'm curious:  youse guys who don't measure, did you ever?  or never? 

...

Why weigh?  I know volume line -- the coffee tastes good.  Grams with finished volume.  Done.

[ecc]

I'll repeat my post above. One cubic centimeter (cc) weighs one gram. NO NEED TO WEIGH

This is only true as an approximation.  One cc of water at about 4 C (water at maximum density) is roughly a gram.  Water heated from room temperature to boiling expands 4 or 5 percent.  So that proves we aren't being too picky! 

[mp]

I think sometimes people get overly technical at performing tasks.

Once you determine intuitively what important factors give you a good shot you just run with them. Through trial and error I learned how much coffee to put in the portafilter and pull a great shot. Once I learned that I always stuck with this knowledge I had acquired. Will there be exactly 16 grams of coffee in the portafilter ... maybe not ... but ... who cares. My shots are 85% or better good shots and when the 15% takes on up then I take it in stride and move on.

Learn the biggies, repeat them over and over, then you will enjoy good coffee.

My 2 cents.

 

[ecc]

I'll repeat my post above. One cubic centimeter (cc) weighs one gram. NO NEED TO WEIGH

This is only true as an approximation.  One cc of water at about 4 C (water at maximum density) is roughly a gram.  Water heated from room temperature to boiling expands 4 or 5 percent.  So that proves we aren't being too picky! 

So getting used to weighing on (relatively) a expensive scale, with risk of breaking it because it can't take the heat, is better than getting used to measuring volume with a $2.00 measuring cup?
When you know the volume you like use that as your benchmark.

I think that's a different argument, and one that is harder to argue with.

Better coffee is better coffee.  Stay thirsty my friends.

[SJM]

Where when and how this thread turned into a discussion of the right or wrong way to do things I don't know and I hope I had nothing to do with it.

Like Chris, I do it the way I do it because I like to do it that way. 

I'm outta here...

Susan

[ecc]

Where when and how this thread turned into a discussion of the right or wrong way to do things I don't know and I hope I had nothing to do with it.

Like Chris, I do it the way I do it because I like to do it that way. 

I'm outta here...

Susan

Ahhh c'mon, we're just playing. Tex hasn't even gotten here yet!

[peter]

No mention of right or wrong in any post. I just see people stating their preferences and opinions. Good healthy debate. I'm sure what I've said will not change the habit and preferences of others entrenched in their ways as I am.

Ditto.  Nobody said anything about right or wrong.  Crazy, maybe, for not doing it like I do, but not wrong.   

My dad had a favorite saying, "It's a free country."  He'd use it to justify his vices and habits, but I've come to use it to, mainly to keep myself from not giving others latitude in their choices.

[SJM]

Sheesh....
You are right....
Too tetchy....
Always have been...
Workin' on it...

Nite all...
Susan

[SJM]

As for Tex? 
No way he'd weigh no stinkin beans....
He thinks I'm a sissy....

[John F]

Well now, I'm curious:  youse guys who don't measure, did you ever?  or never? 

I think I measured everything for a long time but then slowly gravitated away from the geeking and more towards going with the flow. I think measuring everything is important until you have a good feel for things.

Now I just know what a scoop of coffee looks like for a mug of coffee and I know that once my cup is full it's time to stop filling. 

I put 3 scoops in for a pitcher I have that makes 2.75 mugs and once it's full I stop pouring just like the single cup.

I overfill portafilter baskets and level off.

Same scoop that goes into a pourover goes into FP, AP, and Viet brewer.

I don't use the vac pot often enough to eyeball that so I'd have to measure the coffee for that but still don't see myself weighing the water......geeks.