Oddbean new post about login | logout Dude, 10 points to that! That grinder in particular looks great. I have been grinding beans and filter-brewing for years now, and there is no way I'm going back to coffee shop espresso o even worse, capsules. Only thing I would tell you guys is to try with a reusable stainless steel conic filter instead of paper. I switched a couple of years ago and it works a lot better for me. Paper filters are a bitch to deal with, and despite what they say, even if the paper didn't impart a flavor to the coffee, I can still smell it.
I have one of these, specifically: https://mycoffeegator.com/products/coffee-gator-pour-over-brewer/
Japanese grinder is excellent quality. I mentioned your comment about the paper to my wife.......her initial thought is the finer grains might leek through and the seep may be too fast without paper. Preventing the finer grains getting through would require a coarser grind which would reduce some of the aroma/flavour in the final brew. For the darker roasts that is likely of less issue but for these very light roast beans the profile is influenced by even the most subtle changes. The filters she uses are again a Japanese brand which (supposedly) specifically do not impart any flavour. If you get the chance to try some of the "Honey Process" beans particularly famous are the varieties in the "Musician Series" from Costa Rica. If you haven't experienced them it's actually quite a shock to know that the fruity/candy like flavours can be found in coffee. 🫡
Her intuition about the finer grind is correct. If you grind the beans too fine, as for espresso, or not even that fine, yes, you'll have a not so clear cup, with some fine deposits at the bottom. These filters work best for filter/pour-over, which will usually be ground coarser. In my 11 step grinder, where the finest espresso grind is 1, I set it at 6-6.5 for best flavor and cleanest cup. However, as you already noticed, stainless steel filters have a superfine mesh in them, which is the actual filter. It's not like a simple perforated colander. So there isn't a real difference in steeping time and extraction with paper filters, and the residues that make it through are really really fine and can even be drunk without problem if you want. As for the Japanese brands -- they just do everything better!
re Japanese brands...couldn't agree more. Of the things I miss most about my home it's the ability to get quality Japanese goods quickly and relatively cheaply. Maybe a budding entrepreneur will spin up an online nostr Japan goods store that accepts sats and ships worldwide! If any such entrepreneur is reading let me be selfish and request Japanese woodworking hand tools as a start!😜