We're halfway through a two-pound bag of your Thunder Cloud blend. Our family attended one of your Saturday barista classes about 20 years ago, and over the decades, we’ve tried just about every coffee preparation method out there—from espresso makers to the Hario Switch.
Ultimately, brewing with a low-tech, unfiltered percolator fits us best. Controlling the timing allows us to avoid bitterness, and percolation leaves the natural oils intact with no paper filter taste. We have thoroughly enjoyed how Topeca has roasted this Thunder Cloud blend.
Our percolator routine:
Grind to a French press coarseness.
Heat water to a boil and establish a perk before adding the coffee.
Drop in the basket containing the coffee and distributor plate.
Start a 4-minute timer.
Slowly lower the flame to maintain a slow perk within the 1stminute.
Pull from the heat exactly when the timer ends.
Using a percolator this way gives a very specific start and end to the brewing process. It extracts the acidity, sweetness, and caffeine beautifully while strictly limiting the bitterness. Next up, we want to try the Italian Roast Blend!
— Doug & Vicki Massey