Using Topl Cup

This sounds like a pretty silly post as I’m certain most people know how to use a cup. Hear me out though because you do want to follow the company’s guidelines on what you can and can’t do with the cup etc. So first off let’s start with a word of advice:

This is NOT a flask, it’s a cup. DO NOT put boiling water in and seal it - that’s not what it’s for.

You can find more info about the cup on their website, but to summarize, here’s what you can’t do:

Don’t lock the lid if the temperature of the liquid is over 65C.

That was an interesting temperature, but it turns out most coffee shops don’t serve coffee past this temperature. I was intrigued but started experimenting. I left a cup of tea to steep, until it was 67C just to see what it was like. 67C is too hot to drink. Ideal drinking temperature of hot drinks for me is around 54 - 58C. With this in mind, plus the guidelines of Topl, I did wonder what does it take to get the temperature down to the right temperature so I can lock the lid and go?

We’ll do a few tests. I’m going to make some hot drinks, some with different devices, and then see what temperature they are when they go into the cup.

Redbush tea

This is a simple test. I take my redbush without any milk, use water straight from the boil. For this test it’s:

1. Boil water and wait for the boiling to stop
2. Teabag in
3. Pour water
4. Wait
   
   

The results for this are where it might get frustrating for people who need to go there and then. Basically it can take a while to get the temperature down before you lock the lid:

5 mins - 83C
10 mins - 74C
15 mins - 69C
20 mins - 64C

For tea like green tea, black tea, red tea - no milk. You pour boiling water in, set a timer for 20 minutes and it’ll be ready to lock and go.

Aeropress Coffee (Black)

I have different methods for using the Aeropress, but for this one, I’m using a medium roasted coffee which I will use as hot as possible water (not boiling) into my brew. For this test here’s what I did:
This is my go to technique for my favourite coffee, so it works with light to medium roasted coffee

1. 16.5g of coffee ground medium fine (18-20 clicks on Comandante)
2. 250g water (boiled and wait for the boiling to settle, roughly 95C)
3. Inverted Aeropress
4. Start a timer, No bloom - water in and steep for 2 mins
5. Invert into TOPL Cup, and swirl (then let it settle till 2:30)
6. Press (35-40seconds)

The resulting temperature of that brew -> 75C. I set a timer for 8 minutes later -> 63C => Ready to rock and roll

V60 Coffee (Black)

For this one I’m using April Coffee’s method. If you have a V60, you really should try this recipe, it’s fantastic.

The test for this:

1. Boil water - wait till it cools to 90C
2. While you wait for the water to cool, grind 12g coffee medium/course, 30 clicks on Comandante
3. Pour your coffee in. Start a timer and pour 50g water, wait 30 secs
4. After 30 seconds on your timer, pour another 50g water
5. After 1:00 minute on your timer, pour another 50g water
6. After 1:30 minute:seconds on your timer, pour another 50g water
7. The resulting brew should finish around 2mins 30 total, and 200g of coffee.
   
   

The resulting temperature of that brew -> 68C. Set a 5 minute timer => Ready to rock and roll

Aeropress travelling (with milk)

This test I done for a friend, as he loves to travel with an Aeropress and makes his coffee with milk. I like my coffee black, but for the sake of this test - let’s try it out for him.

How this test was set up. The first time he did it, he took his milk (not sure the quantity) in a travel mug. And a flask of hot water, plus the Aeropress ready to press. We usually do this when we go for a walk somewhere. To make this a decent test - what I’m doing is this:

55.3ml milk in the Topl and sealed (might have poured a bit too much), we’ll wait an hour to simulate the time we go for a walk.

After an hour, let’s get brewing:

1. Boil water - pour in flask
2. Pour milk in cup and seal,
3. Go for a 1 hour walk.
4. Aeropress ready
5. 12g coffee - medium fine grind (18 clicks on Comandante, friend uses a Hario mini so 8-9 clicks),
6. Invert Aeropress
7. Flask of water - roughly 91C
8. Pour 200mls in
9. Brew 2 minutes
10. Invert into mug, and press 30 secs
    
    

Resulting temperature once stirred/swirled with milk - 58C. This makes it a perfect travel mug for when you need to Aeropress on the go. It works really well for something like a travel vessel for cold/hot drinks.

Take Home

There’s a bit of waiting necessary if you want to travel with this mug. While you have to wait, it far outweighs the time you wait for it etc. If you’re the type of person that can’t wait for your brew to cool down or etc, I’d be questioning why you make coffee at home, just go to a coffee shop and hand them your Topl Cup.

Just keep these timings in mind before you close the lid:

• Hot tea, no milk - set a timer for 20 minutes
• Black Aeropress Coffee or V60 - Set a timer for 8 minutes
• Coffee or Tea with milk - you don’t need to wait
  
  

If you keep these in mind, this cup will more than likely outlive you. It’s a solid built cup, and works very well for hot drinks.