By R. Justin Shepherd, spencersbg.tumblr.com
Tuesday, December 10th, 2013 8:00 AM CST
Numbered items are all available at Spencer’s — and while you might find them a buck or two cheaper online, you’ll only get expert help with your purchase from us!
STOCKING STUFFERS:
1) Clever Coffee Dripper: The little brew device that could. A simple cone-shaped dripper with an added drain valve, making coffee in the Clever is simple and delicious: Coarse-ground coffee + hot water + a couple minutes to steep. Then, simply stir and set atop your favorite mug; the brewed coffee drains from the Clever into your cup — and cleanup is a breeze. Uses standard No. 4 cone filters. $20.
2) Aeropress: A barista favorite that’s unlike any other brewing device out there, it utilizes your own (minimal) elbow grease to achieve a pressurized brew with crisp, clean, sediment-free flavor in the cup. Includes 300 filters! $29.
3) AWS SC-KG2A Digital Scale: The little scale that could, the SC-KG2A is small enough to stash most anywhere, but strong enough to support most manual brewers (i.e. Chemex) and accurate to one-tenth of a gram. Weighing your coffee dose is essential to proper brewing! Only $32, and includes two AA batteries as well as AC adapter.
4) Great coffee: This one’s a no-brainer — and if you give coffee this Christmas, you won’t have to worry about drinking swill at the fam’s over the holidays!
MODEST PROPOSALS:
5) Chemex Coffee Maker: A modern classic — beautifully designed glass and a patented thick filter that leads to the cleanest possible cup. Makes up to 50 oz. of coffee. $50 (filters not incl.) And for the best experience, pair it with…
6) Bonavita Electric Kettle: A fast, good-looking electric water kettle with the added bonus of a thin pouring spout. Holds and heats up to 1L of water, and is perfect for manual drip-brew methods like the Chemex or Beehouse dripper. $50.
7) Bodum French Press: Comes in a variety of styles, and is the easiest first step to better-than-average coffee at home. $20-$50.
TOP-NOTCH JAVA LOVE:
8) Bonavita Automatic Coffee Maker: The first autodrip machine we’ve been willing to sell. It heats the water to optimal temperature and distributes the water evenly across the coffee bed, leading to a delicious cup time after time. No bells and whistles — this machine makes great coffee, period. Comes with a two-year warranty! $150.
9) Baratza Encore Coffee Grinder: A great coffee grinder is the most essential part of consistently tasty coffee; unfortunately, there’s not a single widely-available consumer coffee grinder that performs to our standards. Until now! The Baratza Encore is built with commercial quality (it boasts a year warranty and amazing customer service) and and produces cafe-quality results for a fraction of the cost. $140.
Check Spencer’s Coffeehouse out online or fan them at their facebook page.
