Technivorm KBT-741 Filter "Action" Shots
(A Look at the Mixing and Stirring of Water and Coffee)
(Al
Ruscelli -- April 2007)
Photographs Copyright Al Ruscelli Photography
The two following photos are examples of the "fill and stir" technique of allowing the filter/filter holder to fill part way with hot water, then giving the combined water and coffee a good stir before allowing the brew cycle to complete. In the first photo, the KBT-741 filter holder switch has been switched to the "closed" position to allow the filter holder to fill with hot water. Once it has filled half way (or a bit more), the contents are stirred to a bit of a slurry, then the drip switch is opened and the brew cycle completes. This method tends to bring out a bit of extra flavor in the coffee as it ensures better saturation of the coffee.
The Major Components of (or Near) the Filter Holder
The 5 to 6 Minute Brewing Cycle
(Paper Filter, Coffee Ground with a Blade-Style
Grinder)
The following photos show the KBT-741 going through it's standard cycle without the aid of the "fill and stir" technique. In this set of photos, about 24 ounces of water and three Technivorm scoops of coffee (roughly an ounce of coffee) were used. This shows how the unaided saturation and brewing process might look (over the course of about a 5-minute time span).
Sadly, the coffee in these photos was from beans ground in a Mr. Coffee blade-style grinder, so the beans were whacked into a combination of dust and small coffee bean boulders rather than a nice grind from a burr-style grinder. (Next test will be with coffee from a nicer grinder.)
The 5 to 6 Minute Brewing Cycle
(Swiss Gold Filter, Coffee Ground to a Coarse
Grind with a Mazzer Mini Grinder)
Here's a more uniform and coarse grind from the Mazzer Mini run through a Swiss Gold filter. The filter switch was kept closed for about a minute after water started to flow, then the coffee/water was stirred, the switch opened, and the brew process continued.
The 5 to 6 Minute Brewing Cycle
(Paper Filter, Coffee Ground to a Fine Grind with a Mazzer Mine Grinder)Here's a very fine grind from the Mazzer Mini using a paper filter. The filter holder switch was kept closed and water was allowed to fill the filter holder about three quarters of the way full. This water/coffee mix was stirred, the filter holder switch was opened and the brew cycle continued. This mix was stirred a second time before the drip process completed.
Close-Up Photos
Here are a bunch of close-up crops from several of the above photos. Nothing here is done with a macro lens (unlike much of my other photography).
Coarse and Fine Ground Coffee After the Brewing Cycle
Close-ups of the coffee grounds the drip brewing is complete. Left photo is from a blade-style grinder. Middle photos (top and bottom) are a coarse grind from the Mazzer Mini (great for the Swiss Gold filter). Right photo is a very fine grind from the Mazzer Mini, too fine for a Swiss Gold filter (unless you want a really murky cup of coffee), but workable for a paper filter if you don't mind a slow drip finish. .
And Here's a Macro Lens Look After the
Brewing Cycle
(Mazzer Mini Grinder, Medium Grind)
Want to see my review on this coffeemaker at www.coffeegeek.com ?
Here's the link: http://www.coffeegeek.com/reviews/drip/technivorm_clubline/varuscelli_II/4134
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