# coffee-fi



## radiohlite

only talking about COFFEE itself, not gadgets or preparation or milk/sugar etc.

 were talking brands/varieties within same brand, or just 'types' for lack of a better word.


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## doctordk207

Jamaican Blue Mountain~!!!!!!!


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## Joelby

I'm into some South African Fair-Trade coffee at the moment. And, as with all Canadians, I have an addiction to Tim Hortons...


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## diogenes

I like the fruity coffees, especially Yemen origins.
 Also, the crisp, clean taste of Costa Rica coffee is nice.

 JBM is overrated and overpriced. I have had Colombian coffee that rivals it in taste etc.

 Edit:

 To clarify JBM has a nice taste, but for the price the marginal taste difference in some good Colombian coffees I see the marginal cost to be too high.


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## Zaubertuba

My favs, in order....

 French Roast
 Kenyan AA
 Sumatra


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## Bob_McBob

I buy green beans from Sweet Maria's and roast them at home. I've been using their Monkey Blend for espresso, and I keep a large selection of other coffees for normal drinking. I am quite partial to Yemeni coffees (mattari!).


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## olblueyez

Whole bean Dunkin Donuts coffee, nothing better. For Me


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## Currawong

If you live in Australia, get your coffee from coffeeco.com.au. Best coffee I've found. Regrettably, though I love Yemen Mocha, the only place I found it here over-roasts it. So locally I have Guatemala or some or another variety of mocha.


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## Tech2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Joelby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm into some South African Fair-Trade coffee at the moment. And, as with all Canadians, I have an addiction to Tim Hortons..._

 

It's not just a Canadian thing. All I buy is Tim's fine-grind. I know it's not exotic, but I love it. I like Dunkin' Donuts too. I can't drink Starbucks, waaaay to bitter for my taste. Bleh....

 I haven't tried any of the so-called 'good' stuff except for some Jamaican that I brought home from a vacation there. I suppose ignorance is bliss in this instance and is very likely saving me a few bucks on my hot beverages.


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## hypoicon

Paradise Roasters changed my life. I've never bought anything from them that didn't just floor me with it's quality. No other roaster has come close (for me). I like the heavier espresso varieties, myself-- Jamaican Blue Mountain tastes like water to me-- really expensive water.


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## Canman

One of my favorite coffees is Deep Disco from Gimme! Coffee - Home Page.

 I like to use Illy but at over $20/pound its too pricey. Sometimes I buy a can of Illy decaf because I don't use it that much.

 Right now I'm using Mayorga Cafe Cubano roasted in Rockville MD. Its about $12 for 2 lbs at Costco but its excellent stuff. 

 I make my coffee in an esspresso machine. I do a double long shot so its closer in consistency to regular coffee than esspresso. Except that it has a nice layer of crema on top.


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## Twoguns

I love a roast called Espresso Diablo. You can get it from a few places online.. it lives up to the name.


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## soulrider4ever

I like Green Mountain coffee K-Cups with the Keurig brewer, off the hook!


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## smallcaps

if in the uk, Monmouth coffee is hands-down the best i have tasted in the world:

Monmouth Coffee Shop - Frome - Coffee Shops - Qype


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## beerguy0

I've been home roasting for almost a year. This morning we had Sulawesi AA Wet-Process Toarco at home, then for my second cup I had Guatemala Oriente Dry-Process. This is an amazingly intense coffee, lots of dark chocolate. Very different from typical WP Guatemalan coffees. I currently have around 10 varieties on hand, and typically roast 2-3 each week.


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## xnothingpoetic

Black Cat from Intelligentsia and French Vanilla from Papa Nicholas are my go to beans. Both locally roasted too.

 I only drink coffee (mainly lattes) maybe once or twice a week, so it's sad to see some of the coffee go past its prime before I finish it.


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## scud80

it's a bit more work, but if you *really* like coffee you should roast your own. after a bit of playing around you can get the beans consistently roasted exactly how you want them and in the end you'll actually save a lot of cash vs. buying pre-roasted beans. very little waste as well as you can just roast beans at the rate you use them. unroasted beans stay good for a long time (often up to 2 years).


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## coredump

Dunkin Donut Dark Roast is pretty darn good.


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## S Smith

Munduk, Bali native roast.

 I've been to the island a few times. Each time I bring as much of this back as I can fit in the luggage. It's a very light roast as bean roasting is a "primitive technology" there. None the less, the flavor is my favorite, bar none!


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## Alex_O Rules

I love making my own espresso at home. LaMarzocco Linea + Mazzer Major + great coffee + skill = bliss.


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## bass_nut




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## rhythmdevils

interesting thing about the Jamaican coffees- you can't get them in jamaica! I tried getting the famous green (or is it blue?) mountain coffee when I was there, and only thing I could find was a friend who brought me some raw green beans. Not to useful when you're camping in the jungle! 

 I've found this to be true in other places that grow good coffee too. In Ecuador, all you can get is Folgers. My memory is a little hazy about Guatemala cause I was sick most of my time there, but I don't remember seeing any good coffee.


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## cafe zeenuts

Mountain Top Estate Bin 35


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## oldskoolboarder

My go to is Barefoot Roasters, Element. Consistent and hearty.

Barefoot Coffee Roasters - Element

 I ran into Ritual Roasters the other week and really like them as well. Their Sweet Tooth Espresso is phenomenal.

Ritual Coffee Roasters | Sweet Tooth Matalapa La Cidra, El Salvador

 I've used Illy in the past and actually, I like it for coffee in a can.

 I've also got a stash of Arabic coffee that an Israeli friend brings me from Israel. I use my iBrick for that but only when I have time to watch it.


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## rhythmdevils

I know a guy who works at Ritual in San Francisco, and coffee to him is what headphones are to us. Really could just talk and talk about coffee. Seemed to have a similar impact on his appreciation of the commonly available coffees (headphones) too because after knowing really good coffee, it seems he was able to taste mistakes in many so called gourmet coffees (Bose)


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## oldskoolboarder

Yeah, I met one of the barristas at the Alemany Farmer's Market last Sat. She gave me the quick rundown on the beans I was buying. They know their stuff.


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## fkclo

Interesting that no one mentions Nespresso - the coffee expert from Switzerland.

Nespresso Coffee Premium Blends: Coffee Origin

 I have a demanding job and am glad that Nespresso fills my life - now I have very good coffee without having to spend the time on it.

 My personal opinion about coffee is that it is like wine - it is all in the blending.

 F. Lo


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## Lead Ears

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rhythmdevils* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_interesting thing about the Jamaican coffees- you can't get them in jamaica! I tried getting the famous green (or is it blue?) mountain coffee when I was there, and only thing I could find was a friend who brought me some raw green beans. Not to useful when you're camping in the jungle! 

 I've found this to be true in other places that grow good coffee too. In Ecuador, all you can get is Folgers. My memory is a little hazy about Guatemala cause I was sick most of my time there, but I don't remember seeing any good coffee._

 

You raise an interesting point...I'm guessing most of it is exported because the industry can make a lot more profit that way...the locals are probably priced out of their own product.

 I have a friend who goes to Mexico a lot, and found a small roaster in some village inland from Veracruz...I guess the guy will prepare a sample (espresso shot) of any coffee that you might considering buying, and having tried some back here in the States, I'll say that it's damn good! 

 Anyway, point being that there are probably trade-related reasons why it's hard to find in the producing countries, but if you know where to look, it's probably there somewhere.


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## fzman

i roast at home with my gene cafe, and love it. Beans are from Burman's in Madison Wisconson, and Sweet Maria's, and the Captains Coffee. My taste runs more to earthy, rich coffees, no tangy, no tart. This is great fun, and saves money -- how do you beat that?!


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## Bmac

I used to be the bean counter for my friend's coffee roasting/retail business called Francesco's Coffee Company:

Francesco's Coffee Company

 Awesome coffee! My favourites were the Peruvian Fair Trade and a blend called Mocha Del Nonno. His espresso is also very good.


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## rhythmdevils

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lead Ears* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You raise an interesting point...I'm guessing most of it is exported because the industry can make a lot more profit that way...the locals are probably priced out of their own product.

 I have a friend who goes to Mexico a lot, and found a small roaster in some village inland from Veracruz...I guess the guy will prepare a sample (espresso shot) of any coffee that you might considering buying, and having tried some back here in the States, I'll say that it's damn good! 

 Anyway, point being that there are probably trade-related reasons why it's hard to find in the producing countries, but if you know where to look, it's probably there somewhere._

 


 yeah it might be there. But in many of the coffee growing countries, coffee drinking is not part of the culture. It's one of the very unfortunate results of a global economy, that countries wind up producing tons and tons of prodcuts that they don't use or care about. In Jamaica a similar thing happened with Calaloo (like spinach). Local farmers had been growing it for a long time, as it's a favorite food in Jamaica and really really healthy. But the government saw more money to be made by producing sugar cane, so they burned farms where calaloo was grown, and forced sugar cane growth for exportation. Not so good for the villagers except the kids get to chew on it I guess....


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## wavoman

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fkclo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Interesting that no one mentions Nespresso - the coffee expert from Switzerland....I have very good coffee without having to spend the time on it..._

 

x2. Not the top of the coffee chain, but damn good for no work. Better than the other capsule machines by far. I have the old manual model so that I can vary the extraction time and water mix in my Americano ... still under 30 seconds start to finish with zero prep or cleanup. Hard to beat. $.50 a cup. All capsule sleeves clearly dated, freshness is never a problem, many choices available.

 Yes I can beat it with freshly roasted beans from a local roaster (25 minutes each way), my burr grinder, brown paper filter, 190 degree water (I have a laser thermometer), just the right technique (first wet, then wait, then pour, then agitate in the cone, then cover the cone) -- yea, a press would be easier but then you have to clean it -- and I'll do that on Sunday ... but 6 days a week I'm a Nespresso man.


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## SactoMan101

Speaking of coffee-fi, I'm sure some of you have read about Starbucks rolling out their new _Via_ brand instant coffee (they just rolled it out on 29 September 2009).

 I'm *NOT* sure if this is a good idea. It costs US$9.95 for 12 servings, which is a totally ridiculous price considering I can get 64 servings of Nescafé _Taster's Choice_ coffee for US$7.14 (current Wal-Mart price for the 8 ounce package). I actually like _Taster's Choice_--the only instant coffee that doesn't have the subpar taste you normally get from instant coffee.


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## peli_kan

I'd be roasting Santa Maria's, but I'm away from home for now. I'm a fruit bomb whore, Harrar please, I'm happy with the Counter Culture I have access to right now. I wanna like french press but can't, paper drip is good, I have a saeco semi-automatic I'm modding (naked portafilter for now, not much else), I really would like a MMini or an M4, can't though so I'm sticking to a Gaggia MDF.

 I barista'd for a bit, so I have microfoam down pat. I think the best rosette I've made had 40 some slivers of petals.


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## TheMarchingMule

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *SactoMan101* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Speaking of coffee-fi, I'm sure some of you have read about Starbucks rolling out their new Via brand instant coffee (they just rolled it out on 29 September 2009).

 I'm *NOT* sure if this is a good idea. It costs US$9.95 for 12 servings, which is a totally ridiculous price considering I can get 64 servings of Nescafé Taster's Choice coffee for US$7.14 (current Wal-Mart price for the 8 ounce package). I actually like Taster's Choice--the only instant coffee that doesn't have the subpar taste you normally get from instant coffee._

 

My Communications Professor was just talking about it yesterday. He said it's his new form of crack. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Apparently you just drop the stuff into either water or milk, stir, and ta-da. And according to him, it tastes just like, if not better than, the stuff they normally churn out for you behind the counter.

 I wonder if somebody has actually tried to snort it yet...


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## radiohlite

It's so true about the coffee-producing countries not having any decent ones for home consumption. I lived in Mexico for a couple years and it's very hard to get anything unless you actually purchase from the growers directly. All they got at the store are cheap instant, or the 'big company' ones. Luckily I had a few family connections and enjoyed some very nice Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Chiapas coffees...

 and yeah, the people there don't seem to give a crap about quality. my family over there is reasonably 'educated' (they're teachers, lawyers, doctors, government officials, etc) and when they'd see me going through the whole 'ritual' of preparing the stuff they thought I was a nut, and when I tried to open their eyes as to what real coffee tastes like they thought it was gross.
 On the other hand, it also goes pretty much the same for wine. There's very good selection, but the general population doesn't care for it. only for christmas or getting-real-drunk-special-occasion parties. for 'normal' drinking tequila/rum/vodka/whisky rules.


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## peli_kan

Someone strip me of my geek badge please, I've lost my will to live. I tested my chops at Starbucks today with their VIA coffee challenge, where guests try to pick out which of two brewed coffees is instant. I failed. 

 AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 I DOES KNOWS MY COFFEEEES, I've tasted hundreds of varieties, the rosettes I can pour are spoon-fed hax, this is like mixing up a pair of Skullcandy Lowriders with Staxes in a blind hearing test...

 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 *dies*


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## wantmyf1

I wouldn't be too worried peli_kan. If you can produce an instant that tastes the same as your drip coffee, IMO that tells you more about your drip quality than anything else.

 I roast my own using a popcorn popper and beans I get from a local roaster. My favourite of his offerings is the Kawai estate. Very similar to Kona without the heftier price. My top choice when I can't roast my own is Kenyan. And I use a vaccuum brewer. Very cool way to do coffee. Friends love to watch it brewing. Looks a little odd with 5 guys in a kitchen watching a coffee maker!


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## JadeEast

I'm loving the Hario pour over I've been using this week. I think the cloth filter does a great job in letting enough oils through but no silt like a press. Takes a bit of time but right now I like spending the time to slow down a bit.


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## peli_kan

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JadeEast* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm loving the Hario pour over I've been using this week. I think the cloth filter does a great job in letting enough oils through but no silt like a press. Takes a bit of time but right now I like spending the time to slow down a bit._

 

YES, that's a wonderful way to make coffee. I've always wanted to say that I love presses, but I can never get around the silt they leave and just go back to drip or espresso instead.


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## wantmyf1

Never tried the Hario, but would like to. My vaccuum brewer does let some silt through, but not much, nothing like a press. The filter is a very fine nylon mesh. If I'm making coffee for myself and friends, I just make sure I don't get the last cup


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## coredump

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *peli_kan* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Someone strip me of my geek badge please, I've lost my will to live. I tested my chops at Starbucks today with their VIA coffee challenge, where guests try to pick out which of two brewed coffees is instant. I failed. 

 AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 I DOES KNOWS MY COFFEEEES, I've tasted hundreds of varieties, the rosettes I can pour are spoon-fed hax, this is like mixing up a pair of Skullcandy Lowriders with Staxes in a blind hearing test...

 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 *dies*_

 

I wish I could have done the challenge. I've tried it by itself and to me it still taste like instant coffee. It's better than others I've tried but there is something in the aroma and taste that reminds me of instant. I made it in my dedicated instant coffee mug at work so it's possible my opinion was influenced by that.


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## wantmyf1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *coredump* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I wish I could have done the challenge. I've tried it by itself and to me it still taste like instant coffee. It's better than others I've tried but there is something in the aroma and taste that reminds me of instant._

 


 x2. Though I would like to A-B the Via as well. I have tried it, but to me it still has that thin appearance & taste of an instant. It also doesn't hang around the taste buds long enough to give you that second or third hit of flavours. And that's the very thing that makes coffee so great.


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## Bob_McBob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *peli_kan* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Someone strip me of my geek badge please, I've lost my will to live. I tested my chops at Starbucks today with their VIA coffee challenge, where guests try to pick out which of two brewed coffees is instant. I failed. 

 AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

 

Starbucks brewed coffee isn't all that great. Maybe they both taste equally bad?


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## coredump

Anyone use Lavazza? Amazon had it on sale a while ago and I got th Crema E Gusto. It's really good but almost too smooth.


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## TheMarchingMule

Hey guys, I'm kind of bored here at work, and I could go out for a few minutes and get something. What kind of coffee should I try first? My friend dared me to try the most bitter kind (straight drip?), but I want to come back to work right after, not stay in the bathroom. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 FYI the only "coffee" I've had really so far is that Starbucks mint frappuccino of some sort.

 I think my college's coffee station has pretty much every basic kind of coffee, so any recommendations within the next few hours would be appreciated!

 EDIT: Just talked to my buddy and he recommended a latte. Should be interesting...


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## spahn_ranch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TheMarchingMule* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_EDIT: Just talked to my buddy and he recommended a latte. Should be interesting..._

 

Don't bet hard earned cash on it. Milk is fine but make the coffee count, just sayin. 

 And we're Swedes here, drinking the most amount of coffee per capita, that's worldwide in recorded history. Simply put we know these things. Yet, you probably won't find a place in Europe more anxious to keep up with the [coffee] habits of the continent. We had our lattee phase. Trust me if just this once, you don't want latte.


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## watchluvr4ever

I'm really enjoying the Caribou coffees out of my Keurig.


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## wantmyf1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bob_McBob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Starbucks brewed coffee isn't all that great. Maybe they both taste equally bad?_

 

Agreed. But I have to credit Starbucks for getting me into my wonderful specialty coffee hobby in the first place.

 TheMarchingMule just get some regular coffee. If this is it for you, at least taste the actual beverage. A latte is more like a slightly coffee flavoured hot chocolate.

 If you really want a flavour kick, do straight espresso!!


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## TheMarchingMule

Guyyys, I got a cold latte or whatever, and it was nasty and bitter as hell. I'm not exaggerating that if I ever need to throw up in the future, I'll just down a whole cup of that stuff. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But it was a college-run cafe, and they gave it to me in a minute, so I'm guessing that the process was anything but "authentic."


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## peli_kan

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TheMarchingMule* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_EDIT: Just talked to my buddy and he recommended a latte. Should be interesting..._

 

Pansy. Knock off those training wheels and get yourself some straight shots, or at the least shots with a dollop of milk froth. That way, the baristas know there's nothing for them to hide behind and give you the good stuff instead.

 Back when I got paid to pull shots, I always saved my best for the drinks I loved to make most i.e. caffe lattes with whole milk at 140 F. Gave me the chance to flaunt my sickest stuff in the cup.


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## irjoe

I've been a serious coffee addict for the past 2-3 months, and I've been drinking 4-6 cups a day of just black coffee. I usually drink costa rican, and just for giggles, i just bought a 2 pound bag of costco's vanilla nut coffee for $13.

 Usually get beans from either Peets, Starbucks, or my local fairtrade coffee shop called Moto..

 My friends been trying to get me to drink less by telling me this stuff causes cancer. Are there really mutagens in coffee that can cause cancer? Or is this debunked yet? (the articles that i find from a quick google search dates to 2006... well,  3 years, im sure some progress has been made to save the coffee addicts from deprivation of their natural coffee intake)


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## jenneth

PT's Coffee Roasting Co. has some pretty decent selection.

Ecco Caffe's good too, their beans are a little cheaper, though their selection isn't quite as big.


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## peli_kan

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *irjoe* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I've been a serious coffee addict for the past 2-3 months, and I've been drinking 4-6 cups a day of just black coffee. I usually drink costa rican, and just for giggles, i just bought a 2 pound bag of costco's vanilla nut coffee for $13.

 Usually get beans from either Peets, Starbucks, or my local fairtrade coffee shop called Moto..

 My friends been trying to get me to drink less by telling me this stuff causes cancer. Are there really mutagens in coffee that can cause cancer? Or is this debunked yet? (the articles that i find from a quick google search dates to 2006... well,  3 years, im sure some progress has been made to save the coffee addicts from deprivation of their natural coffee intake)_

 

The quantity of antioxidants is coffee is actually considerable. Caffeine itself isn't a mutagen, though it has other strong effects, both positive and negative.


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## Punnisher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TheMarchingMule* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Guyyys, I got a cold latte or whatever, and it was nasty and bitter as hell. I'm not exaggerating that if I ever need to throw up in the future, I'll just down a whole cup of that stuff. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But it was a college-run cafe, and they gave it to me in a minute, so I'm guessing that the process was anything but "authentic."_

 

I think you need to start drinking black coffee.

 I prefer my coffee black after having coffee at work for the last few years. My co-worker buys his beans green from overseas and roasts them himself, so I've had some fine brews.

 In a world where everything is sweetened to the max, it's difficult to drink anything without milk and sugar. If you are able to break yourself from this, you'll be able to enjoy a much larger variety of coffee. I guess it's easier for me since I haven't had mainstream soda in four years. It was difficult and even disgusting for a while but I acquired a taste for black coffee and I love it. Adding anything to it just dilutes the flavor that's there.

 With that said, I still enjoy a sweetened latte every now and then.


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## MD1032

I disagree. I'll drink coffee black if there's no sugar or half-and-half around. I like coffee either completely black or with a tiny bit of cream and loads of Splenda in it (I use six splendas in my four-cup travel mug on average, that's for extremely strong coffee). Most of the time, I just prefer cream and sugar... it tastes better to me, although it does somewhat mask the flavor of the coffee (cream, especially... it's very easy to use too much and ruin the coffee, IMO).

 Right now I'm burning through as much Starbucks Anniversary roast as I can while it's available. This stuff is gooood... make it just right, and it's like drinking dark chocolate!

 As I posted in the other thread, I highly _do not recommend_ Starbucks's Komodo Dragon Blend. I got a pound of it and ended up throwing away the bottom of the jar because I've had it with that crap. It tastes like low-grade Sumatra that's roasted into oblivion.


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## Bob_McBob

The only time I've ever added sugar to coffee is in low-end diners and such where it's not worth choking down otherwise. I can certainly understand why people who have only been exposed to instant and heater burned coffee would routinely add sugar to their cup. If you have to do this just to mask the bitterness and get it down, you should be drinking better coffee.


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## coredump

There are only a few types of coffee that I've enjoyed black. I like to use creamer to counter the acidity.


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## peli_kan

I drink coffee black, but I'm a sucker for both sugar and cream when it comes to drip. Nothing beats straight espresso though.


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## MD1032

Live, thread, live! I found a local coffee shop in my area called "Mill Mountain Coffee", it's in Blacksburg, VA and they have no affiliation with the shops by the same name elsewhere. They source and roast their own coffee, and it's quite good. I was very surprised by how good their in-house coffee was. Normally I reject Starbucks' customary free coffee when I buy their coffee at the store because it's so terrible in the store, but this place's in-house coffee, even their house blend, was tolerable. I bought a pound of their Sumatra and was surprised by its quality. Same price as Starbucks, but for some reason it's just way, way smoother. I am very impressed as this is somewhere between the Starbucks Sumatra and their Anniversary Blend (which they now admit is simply their Sumatra, aged) in quality.

 I've never seen another coffee shop like this before. I've also really gotten into a local high-end beer shop in Blacksburg, lately. I must admit, I'm very spoiled by the whole "college town" thing and all of the high-end goods so readily available to me that I have no idea how to get a hold of where my home is in NJ. I'm going to miss this when I leave at the end of this year.


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## XxATOLxX

I'm planning on trying every flavor of canned coffee at Trader Joes.

 I'm really liking their Bali Blue Moon medium roast which has a bold chocolatey flavor/aroma. I also tried their French Roast which was also pretty good. Dark, but not bitter.

 The only one I'm not too big of a fan of is the Colombian Supremo. I didn't think it had very much body or boldness in flavor, in fact, I found it to be kind of boring.


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## wnewport

I've tried a lot of coffees, but having a college student's budget, I usually get some Kenyan beans at Whole Foods and write a cheaper code on the bag to make them half price.

 I either French press or use my aeropress for espresso. I've tried Whole Foods espresso blends, Black Cat, local stuff from my favorite roasters in Kansas City and they were all good. Then I tried Barismo which is close to my campus. Holy ****. Smoothest, most complex and fruity espresso I had ever had, and I don't like "fruity" coffees. Unfortunately it's quite expensive. I paid something like $16 for a 12 oz bag.

 I'm usually skeptical about the actual differences with coffees. They usually really come out in espresso and stay hidden in the press. I did a blind taste test with fresh Whole Foods espresso roasts, Broadway's roast (from KC), Black Cat, and Barismo, and the Barismo was the clear winner. The difference is akin to Woodford Reserve and Jack Daniels.

 It's really the only coffee in a long time I've felt compelled to recommend. 

barismo


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## grokit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *scud80* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_it's a bit more work, but if you *really* like coffee you should roast your own. after a bit of playing around you can get the beans consistently roasted exactly how you want them and in the end you'll actually save a lot of cash vs. buying pre-roasted beans. very little waste as well as you can just roast beans at the rate you use them. unroasted beans stay good for a long time (often up to 2 years)._

 

I agree. I roast fair trade/organic green beans to avoid toxicity and the whole institutionalized slavery thing, when I drink coffee, which is not as often these days (drinking yerba mate tea instead). I still have a soft spot for Keynan AAA Peaberry, but it's hard to find with the above conditions in place. Sumatran is very good. From my experience, green beans never go bad if they're properly cured and kept dry and out of direct sunlight, in a well-vented location.


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## Drag0n

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wnewport* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I've tried a lot of coffees, but having a college student's budget, I usually get some Kenyan beans at Whole Foods and write a cheaper code on the bag to make them half price.


barismo_

 

Isnt that stealing? Buy cheaper coffee until youre out of college and can afford whatever you want.


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## mossman

I'm a BIG coffee fan, and luckily know Steve Leighton very well. He is one, if not THE best coffee roasters in Europe, up there with the best in the US too.

 He has an ace email course on coffee >> Coffee 101 by Has Bean Coffee Ltd Home Coffee Course which is excellent and informative. He spends a lot of time in South America, Africa getting coffee from the families who grow it


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## Born2bwire

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Drag0n* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Isnt that stealing? Buy cheaper coffee until youre out of college and can afford whatever you want._

 

Yeah, What? How much of an ******* can you be to steal coffee?


----------



## rawrster

I'm still fairly new to the coffee scene that isnt dunkin donuts, starbucks, etc.

 recently ive been buying coffee from fairway(its a supermarket mostly in NYC or New Jersey) and their Kenya AA has been pretty good so far. I been using a press on it and it tastes great. I think once I find something good I stick with it and dont have much variety. Its also pretty cheap compared to other places here at 9 bucks a pound. One of these days I'm gonna have to try their different kinds of coffee.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wnewport* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I've tried a lot of coffees, but having a college student's budget, I usually get some Kenyan beans at Whole Foods and write a cheaper code on the bag to make them half price._

 

That is just lame, and illegal! Guess we have a thief aboard... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Enjoy your coffee. Hope it has a bitter taste...


----------



## Drag0n

...bitter taste

 Haha, you QUACK me up!


----------



## rawrster

lol..thats the first time ive ever heard of someone stealing coffee beans

 u could always just buy less expensive ones until you get a source of income coming in


----------



## DLeeWebb

Dunkin' Donuts coffee, 'nuff said!


----------



## rawrster

hahaha 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 i like them better than starbucks but they put way too much sugar in my coffee..for some reason when i go there i always get it light and sweet but at home i make it black


----------



## Aevum

actually, dunking donuts coffee seems to be one of the better fast food place coffes, i like it, 

 anyways, disapointed with the aeropress, im waiting for philips to return my senseo dripper.


----------



## RedLeader

Waiting for the Freshroast SR500 to show up, I've got some Indian Monsoon Malabar just itching to be roasted!


----------



## Drag0n

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rawrster* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_lol..thats the first time ive ever heard of someone stealing coffee beans
_

 

And advertising He did it...lol, 
 A confession!


----------



## vagarach

This never even occurred to me, but how do you visually tell coffee beans apart? Is it possible? The Kenyan vs. the cheap stuff college kids usually drink?

 It's one thing to be particular about where your coffee or tea is grown and how it's processed, but to do so while price altering?? Wow.


----------



## rawrster

visually i cannot tell one type of coffee bean from another. if they weren't labelled i would no have no idea what they are. the only way i would tell its a different kind than what im used to is when im at home and making coffee and i drink it.

 the kenya aa i drink is pretty damn cheap so im guessing you are talking about another one.


----------



## Born2bwire

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vagarach* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This never even occurred to me, but how do you visually tell coffee beans apart? Is it possible? The Kenyan vs. the cheap stuff college kids usually drink?

 It's one thing to be particular about where your coffee or tea is grown and how it's processed, but to do so while price altering?? Wow._

 

I've never noticed a difference in the beans in terms of quality. Maybe sometimes the oil levels or the color of the beans may slightly vary but I have not associated such differentiations as indicators of quality. Tea though can be visually inspected for quality at least. Cheaper teas have damaged leaves with insect bites, burn marks or bruising, and are torn up as opposed to whole leaves.


----------



## beerguy0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *XxATOLxX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm planning on trying every flavor of canned coffee at Trader Joes.

 I'm really liking their Bali Blue Moon medium roast which has a bold chocolatey flavor/aroma. I also tried their French Roast which was also pretty good. Dark, but not bitter.

 The only one I'm not too big of a fan of is the Colombian Supremo. I didn't think it had very much body or boldness in flavor, in fact, I found it to be kind of boring._

 

Colombia has a rather bizarre system of rating coffee beans. The beans are grouped by size, with Supremo being the largest bean size, and has absolutely nothing to do with quality.


----------



## RedLeader

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vagarach* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This never even occurred to me, but how do you visually tell coffee beans apart? Is it possible? The Kenyan vs. the cheap stuff college kids usually drink?

 It's one thing to be particular about where your coffee or tea is grown and how it's processed, but to do so while price altering?? Wow._

 

Much easier to tell when they're green. Here are 4 types I had kicking around: from left to right
 Costa Rica - Helsar de Zarcero (Cattura Microlot)
 Sumatra - Takengon Aceh
 India - Monsoon Malabar AA
 Thailand - Doi Chaang AA


----------



## cbax19

Every couple of months I treat myself to a cup of Blue Mountain. Beats the he11 out of the instant Nescafe that I drink on a daily basis! 

 The best coffee I have ever had was in Vietnam. They place a small device with a metal filter and loaded with fresh roasted coffee on top and drip directly on ice and condensed milk. The coffee is strong, complex and fragrant and I can most closely describe it as a chocolately flavor! 

 Vietnamese coffee FTW!


----------



## khaos974

To me the best coffee in the world is "Bourbon pointu" from the French overseas department Reunion Island.

BOURBON POINTU(ƒuƒ‹ƒ{ƒ“ƒ|ƒƒ“ƒgƒD) 2009ŒöŽ®ƒTƒCƒgb UCCã“‡àÛàè
http://www.cafe-reunion.com/?lang=en

 Good luck finding it though outside japan though, I actually have friends from there, so I tasted it myself. I would not say it's the best coffee in the world since I did not test them all but it certainly went above the Jamaican Blue Mountain for me.


----------



## MD1032

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vagarach* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This never even occurred to me, but how do you visually tell coffee beans apart? Is it possible? The Kenyan vs. the cheap stuff college kids usually drink?_

 

One difference I've noticed between the high-grade Sumatra from my local coffee shop and the Sumatra from Starbucks is that the local shop's beans are just physically coated in a layer of oil that comes out of the coffee beans over time. You can just tell visually what kind they are because the beans are glossy whereas the Kenya from Starbucks, which I also have some of (avoid, made my stomach nauseous) has a very dull finish which I assume is due to the difference in the beans themselves.


----------



## beerguy0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MD1032* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_One difference I've noticed between the high-grade Sumatra from my local coffee shop and the Sumatra from Starbucks is that the local shop's beans are just physically coated in a layer of oil that comes out of the coffee beans over time. You can just tell visually what kind they are because the beans are glossy whereas the Kenya from Starbucks, which I also have some of (avoid, made my stomach nauseous) has a very dull finish which I assume is due to the difference in the beans themselves._

 

The difference is roast levels. The oily sheen comes form roasting dark, like Vienna or French roast. Lighter roasts don't show this. Also, roasting dark reduces acid levels (Sumatra coffees are low acid to begin with).

 Kenya coffees are higher in acid, especially at lighter roasts, so that might be why it upset your stomach.


----------



## grokit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *beerguy0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The difference is roast levels. The oily sheen comes form roasting dark, like Vienna or French roast. Lighter roasts don't show this. Also, roasting dark reduces acid levels (Sumatra coffees are low acid to begin with)._

 

I would definitely agree; the oil is inside the un-roasted bean, and roasting brings the oil to the outside of the bean as it caramelizes


----------



## beerguy0

Enjoying a freshly brewed (manual drip) cup of DP Ethiopia Guji Sidamo, roasted on Sunday. I took the roast just to the end of Full City, just before 2nd snap. Amazing cup, a real fruit bomb. Love the dry-processed coffees, especially the Ethiopian and Yemen coffees.


----------



## RedLeader

Just pulled out a 60% Java LTD 40% Indian Malabar double shot, and I think I've found the sweet spot. The Malabars musty overtones can overshadow other coffees, but if you pair it with something smooth and distinct, you get the tones without blasting away the paired coffee. Perhaps I should toss in ~15% Terrazu, see what happens.


----------



## XxATOLxX

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cbax19* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Every couple of months I treat myself to a cup of Blue Mountain. Beats the he11 out of the instant Nescafe that I drink on a daily basis! 

 The best coffee I have ever had was in Vietnam. They place a small device with a metal filter and loaded with fresh roasted coffee on top and drip directly on ice and condensed milk. The coffee is strong, complex and fragrant and I can most closely describe it as a chocolately flavor! 

 Vietnamese coffee FTW!_

 

Just so you know you can order that at most Vietnamese restaurants.

 I'm not so sure about the quality of the coffee though. Its worth a try anyways.


----------



## bixby

I know decaf coffee is probably sacrilege, but I like the taste and can't have the caffeine. Anyone know where I can mail order good decaf whole bean coffee that is organic?

 I have one of two choices near home but the price is high and the type changes so no "go to" one other than a blend.

 My favorite is sumatra, BTW.

 thanks


----------



## EchoRepairs

This tread is NUTS! haha.... id love to make my own coffee roaster and make my own cuppas... for now ill use what i have


----------



## Paganini Alfredo

Okay, I like coffee and want some honest answers; what's so terrible about buying beans from Starbucks? I'm not a coffee hipster and just was wanting some suggestions about some better beans, cause reading through this thread it seems like coffee from Starbucks is the devil. And I really have no idea where else to get coffee from save the grocery store. To me it tastes fine, am I missing something?


----------



## Wired_Gargoyle

It's all about frame of reference, I think. If all you know is supermarket and Starbucks coffee, that's what you think coffee tastes like. People who claim to know what coffee is supposed to actually taste like tell us that coffee from those places is poor coffee. Finding a local or online roaster, a higher end market or going to a non-Starbucks independent coffee shop and trying their coffee to compare the taste will give you an idea of what the Starbucks haters think coffee should taste like.
   
  Personally, I think Starbucks coffee is a bit bitter with a mild charred/burnt taste. When I go there it's usually for a cold drink or tea, if it's an emergency I'll grab coffee. I'm Canadian so the two chains that take up every corner are Starbucks or Tim Horton's, so my convenience choices are limited. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I buy coffee that I have ground at my local market to brew at home since I've found a blend and a method that tastes ok to me. I can tell the difference between 'common' coffee and coffee made by people who like to drink good coffee, my parents drink Taster's Choice and my wife thinks all coffee tastes the same and why am I spending $20 on a bag of beans!?
   
  Check some local grocery stores, some are beginning to stock some smaller sources. If they have a grinder in the store, pick up some beans and try brewing yourself a couple cups. Alot of stores have areas with various beans loose that you can fill a bag and grind them, getting charged for only as much as you grind.


----------



## grokit

Or buy whole beans and get yourself a grinder, you can spend as little or as much as you want on one of those. If you are near a Costco, they are an excellent source of whole roasted beans, as well as some gourmet pre-ground varieties. They also have a big grinder for your whole beans, but your coffee will taste better if it is freshly ground at home right before you brew it. They have Starbucks brand, Rainforest Organic, and their own fair-trade Kirkland varieties as well as a locally-roasted brand among a few others where I live.
   
  Get yourself a 2-3 lb. bag and keep most of it the refrigerator, and let the beans come up to room temperature before grinding/brewing. I find the organic and fair trade varieties taste better, as non-organic coffee beans have some of the highest toxic loads of any crop. Now you are becoming a true connoisseur; the next step would be to buy your beans in green (raw) form and roast your own!


----------



## Paganini Alfredo

Thanks guys. I have been brewing my own at home using a grinder and a french press, so I need to simply find another brand than Starbucks for beans? The organic coffee has my interest now, I'll have to keep an eye out for that. Usually I've been buying a pound of coffee and just brewing it fresh. Coffee tastes like coffee to me too as well, but I've found I prefer more bold flavors.


----------



## Headlab

I love me some local (South African) fair-trade beans, which I grind myself.
   
  What made a huge difference though was dumping my electric grinder and using a manual grinder from the 1940s that I found in my grampa's garage. It's a bit of a workout to get enough for a whole pot but damn does it taste good!


----------



## grokit

One basic fact about coffee flavor and caffeine content that most people are not aware of is the fact that the longer the bean is roasted, the more robust flavor it will have due to caramelization. But there is an inverse relationship as far as caffeine content. Basically, you roast in the flavor, and roast out the caffeine.
   
  An "American", or "breakfast" blend is lightly roasted, and usually brewed on the weak side because of the poor flavor. Espresso beans, which are brewed under high pressure and therefore much stronger, are usually dark roasted. There are many different darker roasts that are brewed for flavor, like Italian, Turkish (damn near burnt), and French. But if you want any caffeine pickup at all, you will have to brew it on the strong side. For a real caffeine buzz, you would take a lightly-roasted bean do the same.
   
  Acidity can also be a factor for those of us with sensitive stomachs. One of the the best ways to get around this is the cold-brew system, which makes a low-acid liquid concentrate.
   
  Also, the type of grinder you use can make a big difference.


----------



## Paganini Alfredo

Feel free to call me crazy but I purchased some organic fancy beans and, after several cups, came to the conclusion that the difference is close to nil with brands like Starbucks.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





paganini alfredo said:


> Feel free to call me crazy but I purchased some organic fancy beans and, after several cups, came to the conclusion that the difference is close to nil with brands like Starbucks.


 

 You're definitely not "crazy", lol. Starbucks taste fine, but you are supporting an oppressive multi-national corporation and ingesting toxins. I do drink Starbucks at airports, but I would rather buy toxin-free organic or fair trade beans for brewing at home.


----------



## El_Doug

heaven forbid!  not a corporation!!!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  what toxins are you referring to?  now i'm concerned, as I have been a huge supporter of Starbucks' movement towards fair trade beans, but if there are odd chemicals in there I will feel very cheated  
  
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> You're definitely not "crazy", lol. Starbucks taste fine, but you are supporting an oppressive multi-national corporation and ingesting toxins. I do drink Starbucks at airports, but I would rather buy toxin-free organic or fair trade beans for brewing at home.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





el_doug said:


> what toxins are you referring to?  now i'm concerned, as I have been a huge supporter of Starbucks' movement towards fair trade beans, but if there are odd chemicals in there I will feel very cheated


 

 Non-organic coffee beans have one of the heaviest "toxic loads" of any agricultural product, meaning that they carry an above-average amount of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides into your body when you drink it. Fair trade guidelines vary from country to country concerning more natural growing methods, but are generally seen to conform to, or at least approach, organic practices.
   
  Starbuck's "movement" towards fair trade beans is nothing but lip service. You may be able to convince the odd outlet to actually brew a pot, but it's not something the majority of them do on a regular basis.


----------



## jax

I've been using Vivace (Espresso Vita) for the past two years.  They roast daily and are masters of their craft. I have not found anything better and I live in Seattle where drinking coffee a form of survival of those terminally wet, gray winters (kind of like tea to the Brits).  Portland's Stumptown Roasters are pretty good, as is our own Cafe Senso Unico (a very close second to Vivace).  The best, for me has been Vivace's Vita though.  Absolutely agree that a good grinder makes a huge difference, as does a bit of knowledge, skill and a good machine.   I've never had a really good cup of coffee from any Starbucks, but they are convenient and unavoidable sometimes when you need a fix.  Not horrible, but their coffee is a world away from a cup from any of the three I mention above.


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## El_Doug

Finally got a pound of the Starbucks Anniversary that everyone raves about... maybe it would be better through a drip, but with my press this coffee is awfully sour!  I have used several brew temperatures from 208 through 195, and all of them are sour to the point of being offensive. 
   
  Waste of money :/  I shouldnt be so surprised given it is a starbucks coffee, but this is truly disappointing


----------



## CoryGillmore

Quote: 





jax said:


> I've been using Vivace (Espresso Vita) for the past two years.  They roast daily and are masters of their craft. I have not found anything better and I live in Seattle where drinking coffee a form of survival of those terminally wet, gray winters (kind of like tea to the Brits).  Portland's Stumptown Roasters are pretty good, as is our own Cafe Senso Unico (a very close second to Vivace).  The best, for me has been Vivace's Vita though.  Absolutely agree that a good grinder makes a huge difference, as does a bit of knowledge, skill and a good machine.   I've never had a really good cup of coffee from any Starbucks, but they are convenient and unavoidable sometimes when you need a fix.  Not horrible, but their coffee is a world away from a cup from any of the three I mention above.


 

 This comment makes me want to pack up and move to Seattle! I love cool, gray and wet! And coffee! I live in the hot, humid and sunny redneck conservative infested south. Being a liberal atheist in the south is truly a horror. The only way it could be any worse is if I were gay. lol


----------



## Endless

Blue Mountain is the best.
   
  Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks got nothing on a well made cup of Blue Mountain coffee.


----------



## Bob_McBob

Quote: 





el_doug said:


> Finally got a pound of the Starbucks Anniversary that everyone raves about... maybe it would be better through a drip, but with my press this coffee is awfully sour!  I have used several brew temperatures from 208 through 195, and all of them are sour to the point of being offensive.
> 
> Waste of money :/  I shouldnt be so surprised given it is a starbucks coffee, but this is truly disappointing


 

 People who don't know any better rave about all sorts of crap when it comes to coffee.  It sounds like you really should have known better.


----------



## Bob_McBob

Quote: 





endless said:


> Blue Mountain is the best.
> 
> Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks got nothing on a well made cup of Blue Mountain coffee.


 

 I assume we are talking 100% Blue Mountain, top grade, in good condition from one of the better producers, freshly roasted and ground?  Probably not...  Blue Mountain and Kona are both fairly boring and overpriced coffees under the most favourable conditions.  Much of what is sold under either name is blends that may actually have barely any of the named beans in them.  Just makes it sounds fancy and expensive.
   
  Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks got nothing on a well-made cup of pretty much any decent quality coffee.


----------



## El_Doug

So I just purchased the Starbucks "Three Region Blend," which was much hyped about.  I was especially surprised to see it was 100% arabica, though I have never minded a bit of robusta in my blends.  So I filled up my Vario, and pulled a shot...
   
  YUCK YUCK YUCK YUCK YUCK!  This is a new low, even for Starbucks.  Beyond bitter AND sour at the same time, with strong notes of lemon pith and overboiled collard greens, with a hint of glue on the nose.  This was disgusting beyond description! 
   
   
   
  My next order from Velton's doesn't arrive until Thursday... I don't know what I'm going to do this week  
   
   
  edit:  a few scoops of ice cream later, the coffee is STILL on my palate, but now resembles old leather + acetone.  i'm going to have to gargle some Listerine


----------



## AVU

Starbucks isn't bad - it's much better than your average supermarket coffee.  They have some decent blends and I pick it up when I'm travelling and there's nothing else available.  
   
  But it makes a huge difference whether you're making coffee or espresso. I tend to drink espresso, and you need to have blends that work for the very fast extraction times of espresso machines. For regularly coffee, make sure to use a French Press - about a hundred times better than most drip machines, and easier to clean - and buy from some place that roasts often and ships quickly, if you're not buying local.
   
  When I lived in SF, I loved Peet's Coffee.  When I lived in Chicago, I fell in loved Intelligensia Coffee.  Because I'm cheap and drink lots of coffee, I tend now to buy from Gimme! Coffee.  If I want to splurge, I get Blue Bottle or something from George Howell's Terroir (see below).  If you can find a really good coffee shop near where you live, see if you can buy beans from them - it's easier and cheaper than paying for shipping.   If you don't have one nearby, or they won't sell to you, you can always go here:
   
  http://www.terroircoffee.com/
   
  They have amazing coffees, but they're pretty expensive and you have to pay shipping.  I've had a number of different coffees from them, both espresso and regular, and they've all been quite accurately described and very good.


----------



## El_Doug

ok AVU, I'll give the "Three Region Blend" a go in my press... but if this is even half as gross in the cup as it was as a shot, I'm coming for you!


----------



## AVU

Wait, I never said that SB's 3 region blend was going to taste good!  Don't blame me!  I've never even heard of the stuff!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  God, that sounds terrible.  You sure you pulled the shot right?  Espresso machines are notoriously hard to get perfect, especially when you're trying a new blend.  I used to have a fit seeing how much great coffee the people at Intelligensia wasted just making sure their shots were perfect!
   
  But I was just walking around my neighborhood after reading this having run out of coffee and the decent place was closed so I had to find something new.  Good god everything is "fair trade" this and "organic" that.  Sorry people, but if you want taste, forget the fair trade and organic and find yourself a great roaster.  THEN, if and only if that roaster sells fair trade and/or organic, try it.  There is a serious boatload of crap coffee out there flying under the liberal-do-gooder "fair trade/organic" flag and ripping people off by selling $3/lb coffee for $12+/lb.   Don't buy it.  You can get real coffee for this price.


----------



## Hase

I'd recommend everyone who really wants to get into coffee, go to your local roaster or shop for a cupping (usually a free event).  Learn what you like about what you're tasting.  Just like acoustic signatures, "I like that one" means less than "I prefer a brighter coffee with more clarity." 
  Once you understand what you're perceiving, start trying everything you once liked/disliked.  Try it blind if you can, bring some to a cupping for everyone to try.  In my experience, when people do this, they _tend_ to stop liking Starbucks and Blue Mountain as much _and can explain why._ 
  The coffee roaster my wife works for does blind cupping constantly and we all get better from it; it helps get past hype.  They bring in coffee amateurs and do the same to make sure it's not just their "experienced" taste preferences.  I've never heard of them choosing Starbucks blind but they did recently vote a preference for a commercial dripper (that was admittedly, fine-tuned) to a single cup pourover; blasphemy in eyes of current coffee trends.
   
  After all this, you might still like Blue Mountain and that's great!  I think coffee is more like music than it is headphones; there's lots of different kinds because there's lots of distinct preferences (even though certain qualities tend to be a little more frequently preferred).
   
  So, to answer the OP:
  The last great espresso I had was extracted from a Columbia Monserrate roasted by Kaldi's in St Louis; light citrus with vanilla and spice, and excellent body and very attractive crema.  It's a fairly forgiving coffee and is pretty good even when not dialed in (grind/dose/temp/volume) but can be a little salty.  When it's extracted well, it loses the salt and explodes!  (Nicole Call competed with it in the US Barista Championship this year.)
   
  The last great drip I had was an El Salvador from Cuvee Coffee; very fruit forward, sweet and acidic with very little bitterness or tartness.  It wasn't great in a french press, better in a V60, but really delivered in a Chemex.  (I think it was used in the Brewers Cup Nationals this year but I don't recall; thanks to Jenna White from Caffe Medici for sharing it!)


----------



## MD1032

Starbucks only makes two good kinds of coffee, their "Sumatra", and their "Anniversary Blend" (which is mostly their sumatra blend, aged), which is actually really good.
   
  Our local grocery store, Acme, recently started carrying Peet's Coffee. I heard about it from a fellow coffee freak a while ago but never bought it since they charge outrageous shipping rates (granted, it's very fresh when it arrives). They don't carry the Sumatra (Sumatran coffee is my favorite, bar none), only French Roast (meh), Major Dickason's Blend, and House Blend, which is a slightly more neutral version of the Major Dickason's Blend with many similarities. The Major Dickason's Blend tastes a lot like Sumatran coffee...wouldn't be surprised if it was the backbone of the blend. It's an extremely high-quality coffee, I gotta say, and it's been my go-to lately, even beating out my favorite pound of coffee from a local coffee shop in Blacksburg, VA where I went to college that I brought back home with me when I last visited. Grind it coarse, french press this stuff, you will be in absolute heaven, I guarantee it.
   
  I have a really nice Cuisinart drip brewer that makes very strong coffee (it takes forever to brew, but it's worth it) and I switch between that and my "Bodum" cheapie french press. I love both ways - the french press coffee has a more balanced flavor with more "bottom" to it but the drip brewer makes just plain stronger coffee (I still have yet to determine why that is, as I'm aware that it should be the reverse).


----------



## warubozu

Quote: 





bob_mcbob said:


> I assume we are talking 100% Blue Mountain, top grade, in good condition from one of the better producers, freshly roasted and ground?  Probably not...  Blue Mountain and Kona are both fairly boring and overpriced coffees under the most favourable conditions.  Much of what is sold under either name is blends that may actually have barely any of the named beans in them.  Just makes it sounds fancy and expensive.
> 
> Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks got nothing on a well-made cup of pretty much any decent quality coffee.


 
  Not true with Kona coffee as I can tell you that what goes into Kona coffee is tightly regulated and inspected regularly by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture who owns the trademark name "Kona Coffee". Kona coffee like Blue Mountain is expensive especially if it is 100% unblended because they both are grown in a small part of the world and are unique to a specific region. I have friends who are currently employed with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture who oversees what goes into Kona coffee and how it is being labeled on their packages. Also Kona coffee is a mild character coffee that has no bite or harshness to it. So if you prefer a coffee with more bite or balls to it, Kona coffee might not meet your coffee fix.
   
  I'm told by that if Kona coffee is a blend, it has to state on the package just how much Kona coffee (a minimum of 10% Kona coffee is required to be in the blend) is in the blend and what other blends are in the mix. If it's 100% Kona or 100% Kona Peaberry, the beans used to make that coffee needs to pass specific quality and moisture content criteria. The coffee is also checked to make sure that it's indeed 100% and unblended. Not all coffee beans grown in Kona can be considered "Kona Coffee". Only coffee beans that is of the varietal Typica, grown and harvested from coffee plantations in Kona and passes quality inspection can be legally labeled Kona coffee. The high prices for Kona coffee has caused many to try and scam others in to thinking that they are paying for 100% Kona coffee when in reality what they are getting might be less than 10% Kona in the blend. To protect buyers from being scammed of their money and to insure the quality and integrity of a product that is unique only to Kona Hawaii is just a few reasons why Kona coffee is tightly regulated.


----------



## grokit

Sumatran is also one of my faves as well as Kenyan Peaberry but I like Blue Mountain too lol.
   
  How about those beans that ferment in a bird's @ss, has anybody tried those?


----------



## nick n

Quote: 





khaos974 said:


> To me the best coffee in the world is "Bourbon pointu" from the French overseas department Reunion Island.
> 
> BOURBON POINTU(ƒuƒ‹ƒ{ƒ“ƒ|ƒƒ“ƒgƒD) 2009ŒöŽ®ƒTƒCƒgb UCCã“‡àÛàè
> http://www.cafe-reunion.com/?lang=en
> ...


 

 I have friends coming over in a month from Japan! Thanks for the heads up!!!!!!!!!
   I love trying new types, especially if they are hard to find. Currently I am stuck on the Intelligensia Black Cat Espresso Blend, but it is sort of pricy@ $22 a lb, so think I will branch out to try others. Doi Chaang was impressive, they also have *that special blend they feed to the jungle Cat then collect from droppings and roast*. I really don't know who would actually try it , but there's a market for everything. Apparently the whole berry goes in and the digestion /enzymes change the flavour of the collected finished product. Luckily it's not available here or it would be like a train wreck. I would have to look into it. YEP ITS FOR REAL! ===>
http://www.doichaangcoffee.com/doi-chaang-civet-coffee/wild-civet-coffee
  ..."
 Bean Brothers Cafe in Vancouver is now selling and serving     Doi Chaang Authentic Wild Civet Coffee!  "  "the most rare, unique, and highly coveted coffee available"  IF ANYONE TRIES THIS TELL US we won't laugh.
  I wonder how it will go over. It may give new meaning to """this coffee tastes like S!!T" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Or you'll have people saying, "yeah it does and I love that..." Imagine the confusion.
   
    Incidentally there was just last year here some store brought in a bit of that $80 a lb ( or was it higher ) rare stuff---no not the cat crap one--, and had limited amounts of shots for $10 a piece I think it was. Does anyone know what that was?
  I don't know what your areas are like, but this city has at least 2 freaking coffee places per block I have no idea how they can make a profit. Down the road from me, in a 2 block area there are SIX places to get the stuff, one being a convenience store with organic blend ready to go, the other a fancy bakery with fancy coffees,  and the other 4 are dedicated COFFEE places.  And they are all busy ALL the time.At least it lets me try a ton of different ones. It is like the micro-brewery thing now, everyone is roasting locally. I think I will go make an Americano now that I think of it. This time it's Camino Espresso blend.
  Do any of you take into account the Fair Trade or Beyond Fair Trade aspect when you buy it?
   Also I would like to know , of those that use it for shots, what do you prefer for that? Dark/medium/light roast and which one in particular?. I am going to have to reread the entire thread properly not just skim through. Thanks.
   
  I can't understand why folks still go to Charbucks when for the same price or lower, you can usually find a better more interesting place. If the americano is ready for me before I can even walk to the serving area, then it's not a place i will bother with. There's more to an espresso than pushing a button. Thanks for the picture there EL DOUG!!!!!!!!! I may attach that to some emails.


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

What do you guys use for kettles? I'm thinking about starting to brew my own coffee and while I'm finding a lot of information about different methods, no one seems to mention what kettles are the best. They do, however, keep saying what temperature the water is at is important... Does the kettle just not matter?


----------



## endless402

i'm happy with the sumatra brewed in a clover. that's my usual drink at starbucks.
  i did quite like the kona at starbucks and have sampled the blue mountain that's coming out next month there. (the starbucks reserve stuff)
   
  also a fan of JJ bean stuff in vancouver but it's a bit far of a walk


----------



## JadeEast

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> What do you guys use for kettles? I'm thinking about starting to brew my own coffee and while I'm finding a lot of information about different methods, no one seems to mention what kettles are the best. They do, however, keep saying what temperature the water is at is important... Does the kettle just not matter?


 
  It really depends on the brewing method. I'm a big lover of the pour-over style of making coffee with the Hario V-60. So the style of pouring kettle is somewhat important. I do boil my water in a Electric kettle transfer it to an old copper kettle with a nice spout for pouring and use a thermometer to monitor temperature when I'm being picky. The electric kettle is quick, and the old one I like the way it pours.


----------



## JadeEast

Quote: 





endless402 said:


> also a fan of JJ bean stuff in vancouver but it's a bit far of a walk


 

 I really like the cappuccinos at this place on Robson called "MICHI waffles" constantly the best I've had. If you're downtown check it out also. Elysian on broadway has been very good when I've gone.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> What do you guys use for kettles? I'm thinking about starting to brew my own coffee and while I'm finding a lot of information about different methods, no one seems to mention what kettles are the best. They do, however, keep saying what temperature the water is at is important... Does the kettle just not matter?


 
   
  I heat my water with one of these:
  http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-40870-Electric-Kettle/dp/tags-on-product/B002QXOF7I
   
  I brew my coffee by the cup with one of these, more like an Americano:
  http://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK
   
  If I want to make a pot for company, I still heat the water the same way but brew in a french press.


----------



## Currawong

My wife found some Guatemala which, much to our shock, arrived ground, off of Amazon from a Japanese company which is fantastic. Since the grind is course, I've broken out the coffee syphon again and am re-learning how to get just the right strength of brew again (I normally use a filter, pre-wet to prevent it absorbing the flavour).   I've tried a few Guatemala blends lately which have been spot-on with a good balance of flavours and strength.


----------



## El_Doug

ZOJIRUSHI
   
  Everything else is second rate
  
  Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> What do you guys use for kettles? I'm thinking about starting to brew my own coffee and while I'm finding a lot of information about different methods, no one seems to mention what kettles are the best. They do, however, keep saying what temperature the water is at is important... Does the kettle just not matter?


----------



## nick n

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> What do you guys use for kettles? I'm thinking about starting to brew my own coffee and while I'm finding a lot of information about different methods, no one seems to mention what kettles are the best. They do, however, keep saying what temperature the water is at is important... Does the kettle just not matter?


 


  I use one of these. Feel like they will last forever though. Probably a once in a lifetime purchase at least I'm hoping
http://www.lecreuset.ca/Cookware/Enamel-on-Steel/Teakettles/Whistling-Teakettle-17L/ 
  enamel lined

   
  Also I have a Lifetime ( Westbend ) stainless water distiller so that's the source of my water, which can play a factor in the final result a bit I'm told.


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

Thanks, I kind of get the feeling that it's more a personal preference as to the kettle and there's no, "this brand is better because of X" sort of thing.
   
  Thanks, the HB one should do the trick.


----------



## iLoveMyuzik

I haven't had any quality cups of coffee, other than the random brands that I find around my house. My sister seems to love coffee and goes out of her way to buy something that's decent. Haha.
   
  Besides that, I work at a Robek's and we make a drink with espresso and coffee beans blended in to it. Not exactly "coffee", but it's a taste that only coffee enthusiasts seem to enjoy. xP I doubt that it even compares to higher quality stuff. Not even close.


----------



## nick n

You owe it to yourself to go grab some decent beans and at least a cheapo grinder to grind them fresh so they don't oxidize. That will make it a far more rewarding experience. Jeeze even a halways decent whole bean freshly roasted will be better than pre-ground. And good cream if you like that.
  You should listen to your sister about decent stuff, or split the cost with her? I would, or you can ignore everything I just mentioned, but you are missing out.


----------



## LegendaryLvl1

I used to be a professional barista in a small cafe called coffee alchemy (in sydney). 
  Before we roasted our own beans, we used to use illy (expensive stuff!). Which later, I found to be quite tasteless at such a significant price.
   
  I found that vittoria coffee beans were of the same standard (if not better) for FAR LESS!
   
  In the end, the only thing I learned was that price does not matter in the coffee industry.


----------



## grokit

Did you guys know that coffee beans are the number two commodity in the world, right behind petroleum? Fair trade petroleum FTW!


----------



## iLoveMyuzik

Quote: 





nick n said:


> You owe it to yourself to go grab some decent beans and at least a cheapo grinder to grind them fresh so they don't oxidize. That will make it a far more rewarding experience. Jeeze even a halways decent whole bean freshly roasted will be better than pre-ground. And good cream if you like that.
> You should listen to your sister about decent stuff, or split the cost with her? I would, or you can ignore everything I just mentioned, but you are missing out.


 


  I agree, but I personally don't drink coffee enough to buy something for myself, but my sister and brother-in-law do, so maybe they'll be interested in something better. Any suggestions for something good that won't break the bank?


----------



## LegendaryLvl1

Quote: 





ilovemyuzik said:


> I agree, but I personally don't drink coffee enough to buy something for myself, but my sister and brother-in-law do, so maybe they'll be interested in something better. Any suggestions for something good that won't break the bank?


 
   
  I don't know where  you live, but where I live you can get simple roasted Arabica beans from the local coffee chain (Gloria Jeans). Don't know about starbucks


----------



## grokit

Costco has great deals on 2-3 lb bags of high-quality roasted beans, from organic and fair trade to locally roasted and even Starbucks et al. Some stores even have roasters set up in them for their Kirkland house brand. I keep a small quantity of beans at room temperature for grinding and the rest in the fridge to preserve freshness. They have great deals on biscotti too!


----------



## iLoveMyuzik

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Costco has great deals on 2-3 lb bags of high-quality roasted beans, from organic and fair trade to locally roasted and even Starbucks et al. Some stores even have roasters set up in them for their Kirkland house brand. I keep a small quantity of beans at room temperature for grinding and the rest in the fridge to preserve freshness. They have great deals on biscotti too!


 


  Hmm, I'll try heading to Costco.


----------



## Bob_McBob

As far as I know, there are no federal regulations governing the use of the "Kona" name.  Hawaii has state legislation that doesn't allow anything less than a 10% blend to be sold as "Kona blend".  Even this is a major sore point for Kona producers, because consumers buying Kona blend coffees often think they are buying a blend of Kona beans, rather than an undetectable amount blended with cheaper coffee and sold at a large mark-up.  Outside Hawaii there is no requirement to even use 10%, and many blend manufacturers don't state what percent is Kona.  In fact, the Kona Coffee Farmers Association recently called for a boycott of mainland Safeways because they are selling Kona blend coffee suspected of containing even less than 10% Kona.  They have also been trying for many years to get the Hawaii state legislature to revise the Kona blend requirements to 75%.
   
  There are also plenty of shady "Kona" stores online selling coffee that may more may not be legitimate Kona.
   
  None of this changes the fact that the way the average consumer buys coffee means any flavour benefits of even 100% Kona are largely negated.  If you are getting stale, probably pre-ground coffee, it doesn't matter how great it was to begin with, it's still crap coffee.  Freshly roasted, from a good producer, Kona can be a great cup, if somewhat uninteresting to people who drink a wider variety of single origin coffees.  I think it's great that Hawaii has the geography necessary to produce good coffee, and from what I've read there will be interesting developments in the coming years.
   
   
   
  Quote: 





warubozu said:


> Not true with Kona coffee as I can tell you that what goes into Kona coffee is tightly regulated and inspected regularly by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture who owns the trademark name "Kona Coffee". Kona coffee like Blue Mountain is expensive especially if it is 100% unblended because they both are grown in a small part of the world and are unique to a specific region. I have friends who are currently employed with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture who oversees what goes into Kona coffee and how it is being labeled on their packages. Also Kona coffee is a mild character coffee that has no bite or harshness to it. So if you prefer a coffee with more bite or balls to it, Kona coffee might not meet your coffee fix.
> 
> I'm told by that if Kona coffee is a blend, it has to state on the package just how much Kona coffee (a minimum of 10% Kona coffee is required to be in the blend) is in the blend and what other blends are in the mix. If it's 100% Kona or 100% Kona Peaberry, the beans used to make that coffee needs to pass specific quality and moisture content criteria. The coffee is also checked to make sure that it's indeed 100% and unblended. Not all coffee beans grown in Kona can be considered "Kona Coffee". Only coffee beans that is of the varietal Typica, grown and harvested from coffee plantations in Kona and passes quality inspection can be legally labeled Kona coffee. The high prices for Kona coffee has caused many to try and scam others in to thinking that they are paying for 100% Kona coffee when in reality what they are getting might be less than 10% Kona in the blend. To protect buyers from being scammed of their money and to insure the quality and integrity of a product that is unique only to Kona Hawaii is just a few reasons why Kona coffee is tightly regulated.


----------



## Redcarmoose

This last month my great coffee find was Arabic yellow coffee. The beans are blond and are not roasted. You make it different than Turkish coffee in that you boil the beans on the stove for 10 min.
  My other great find has been Turkish coffee from Kuwait. My friend is just too kind and brings me some really great teas directly from Kuwait every other month.


----------



## warubozu

Yup, there is no federal regulation regarding the branding or content of Kona coffee. There are quite a few vendors out there that sell crap coffee and passing it of as the genuine article. Those who have been a victim to those vendors have a bad impression on what is actually a great coffee.
   


 Quote:Originally Posted by *Bob_McBob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  
  As far as I know, there are no federal regulations governing the use of the "Kona" name.  Hawaii has state legislation that doesn't allow anything less than a 10% blend to be sold as "Kona blend".  Even this is a major sore point for Kona producers, because consumers buying Kona blend coffees often think they are buying a blend of Kona beans, rather than an undetectable amount blended with cheaper coffee and sold at a large mark-up.  Outside Hawaii there is no requirement to even use 10%, and many blend manufacturers don't state what percent is Kona.  In fact, the Kona Coffee Farmers Association recently called for a boycott of mainland Safeways because they are selling Kona blend coffee suspected of containing even less than 10% Kona.  They have also been trying for many years to get the Hawaii state legislature to revise the Kona blend requirements to 75%.
   
  There are also plenty of shady "Kona" stores online selling coffee that may more may not be legitimate Kona.
   
  None of this changes the fact that the way the average consumer buys coffee means any flavour benefits of even 100% Kona are largely negated.  If you are getting stale, probably pre-ground coffee, it doesn't matter how great it was to begin with, it's still crap coffee.  Freshly roasted, from a good producer, Kona can be a great cup, if somewhat uninteresting to people who drink a wider variety of single origin coffees.  I think it's great that Hawaii has the geography necessary to produce good coffee, and from what I've read there will be interesting developments in the coming years.


----------



## rroseperry

If you want to spend the time (not so much money, depending on how you go about it), try roasting your own coffee. I've been buying coffee from Sweet Maria's for about five years. You get to try a lot of different types, and for control freaks, you'll get exactly the roast you want. 

They're also really nice people. I like going down to the warehouse to pick up my order when I can.


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

That's rather weird. I know, for example. that anything that says "Vermont Maple Syrup" has to be 100% pure organic maple syrup from the state of Vermont. That's why you should always buy the Vermont stuff, kids. If it's got the state logo you know it's the good stuff.
   
  How does arabic yellow vary from the more typical dark coffees? Other than preparation, of course. One issue I've had with coffee is it tends to be a bit more bitter than I'd like. I'm getting more used to it and acquiring a taste, but if there were some varieties that weren't so bitter I'd prefer that, I think.


----------



## grokit

Kona is great if as has been said you can find 100% genuine (not blended), fresh-roasted whole beans. Not cheap that way though, it ranges from $20 to just under $50 per pound. Fortunately, Kona isn't the only game in the islands. Kauai for example has been busy replacing the sugar cane that used to grow in their abundant farming fields with coffee plants since the 1980's.
   
  Here is the website of Kauai Coffee, by far the island's biggest producer:
  http://www.kauaicoffee.com/index.php?page=faqs
   
  As good as Kona is, for island coffee I still prefer Jamaican Blue Mountain.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> That's rather weird. I know, for example. that anything that says "Vermont Maple Syrup" has to be 100% pure organic maple syrup from the state of Vermont. That's why you should always buy the Vermont stuff, kids. If it's got the state logo you know it's the good stuff.
> 
> How does arabic yellow vary from the more typical dark coffees? Other than preparation, of course. One issue I've had with coffee is it tends to be a bit more bitter than I'd like. I'm getting more used to it and acquiring a taste, but if there were some varieties that weren't so bitter I'd prefer that, I think.


 

 I have to say that this yellow Arabic was packaged in the Middle East and placed in a suitcase. I think it is hard to get in most places in the World but the Middle East. They use a lot of cardamen in what I have tried so far, so it is a heavy different taste. The coffee when you look at it is green leaves(cardamen) and yellow bean halfs. You have these pieces in your cup as one way to make it. Everything settles like Turkish and you drink whats on top. When typical coffee is roasted the sugar is what turns brown in the bean. These beans don't look roasted to me but I'm no expert here. I am interested in seeing weather the Arabic coffee is roasted at all? The taste is strange to get used to at first. I would also like to find some with out the cardamen added.
   
  It is clear almost like yellow tea. They told me to be careful as it is really powerful. All I can say it is a pure coffee buzz. Almost not like coffee. It is a fantastic high. I will be in Kuwait for ten days soon so I'll be buying a bunch.
   
  Not to get off subject but the tea from Kuwait is amazing too. I have been into tea most of my life and would consider myself an experienced tea person. The Ahmad Tea Brand Black Tea and the Cardamon Tea is by far the best tea I have ever had. Ever. You can get Ahmad tea in the US but I think this is a little different. There is also a lot of Turkish coffee from Kuwait which is really good. The Turkish is heavy in Camdamen or Cardamon but really different from what you can buy in the States.


----------



## warubozu

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Kona is great if as has been said you can find 100% genuine (not blended), fresh-roasted whole beans. Not cheap that way though, it ranges from $20 to just under $50 per pound. Fortunately, Kona isn't the only game in the islands. Kauai for example has been busy replacing the sugar cane that used to grow in their abundant farming fields with coffee plants since the 1980's.
> 
> Here is the website of Kauai Coffee, by far the island's biggest producer:
> http://www.kauaicoffee.com/index.php?page=faqs
> ...


 
   
  Agreed, there are many other good coffees grown in Hawaii besides Kona that aren't price as high. Waialua Estate Coffee (the same producers of Waialua Single Origin Chocolate) is grown on the North Shore side of Oahu on former pineapple fields;
   
http://www.waialuaestate.com/our-chocolate.html
  
  Coffees grown on the island of Molokai and Maui are also great;
   
http://www.coffeesofhawaii.com/plantations/molokai
   
http://www.mauigrowncoffee.com/StoreFront.bok


----------



## Skanda

Not a fan of fruity coffees ala the Yemense blends. I LOVE south american coffees with their nice bitter notes and full chocolatey/smokey bodies. I like to add a bit of cream to round out the edges and smoothen out the drink. Unfortunately south american blends are really easy to brew poorly, too many places make it too watery or too bitter :/
  ...thats why i brew it myself ...


----------



## hung8489

Vietnamese iced coffee (cafe sua da) FTW


----------



## noway

Usually a Tim Horton's every day but start the day with Taster's Choice instant.  (I need something quick...I even nuke the water for this to save time!)


----------



## motrix

agreed, in the morning i need something quick as i always seem to be running late.  i hated setting up the my brewer the night before and finally invested in a nespresso citiz with frother as a christmas present to myself.  now i can have a nice strong cup with a push of a button.


----------



## nick n

I screwed up and posted a coffee-fi topic thing in the Coffee Gadgets section
   
  Here it is:
   
   
   
  I just picked up a lb of a special edition coffee beans for hi-fi lovers! Now that deserves some support as far as I can see.

   
   
  The regular Black Cat Espresso is crazily good enough, but this. Awesome logo too.
   A vacuum tube.
   The guy said they advertise it's qualities as *Perfectly Calibrated* hahah
   
  It's a single origin bean, really cool as they also have the actual names of the farmers, name and location of the farm, the altitude range grown at, and of course its beyond fair trade I think. Yep Direct trade.
  Can't wait to give this a shot.

  Anyone else tried it?


----------



## GarageBoy

Intelligentsia puts out top notch stuff
  Recently, I'm in love with west coast roasters right now
   
  Ritual
  Heart
  Four Barrel


----------



## Endless

Well, my university has these "dining points" that allows me to go to Starbucks to grab coffee. Well, we all know how much Starbucks coffee tastes, too bitter / too watered down, never perfect. Thus, I always just go there to buy their coffee beans. Sumatra and Komodo Dragon blend are my favorites. 
   
  Anything made with the Aeropress is simply amazing.


----------



## skimminst

For me and my family it's "Darboven Café Intención" what could be bought in serveral supermarkets.
  It is organic and traded fair so it leaves good karma 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  On the run we brew our coffee with a Saeco Odea Go but on weekends or when there is plenty of time we are using Bialetti moka makers:
   
  For Latte:
  Mukka Express

   
  Or "café solo"
  Cuor Di Moka


----------



## Maverickmonk

Bumping this, so as not to muck up the coffee-GADGET-fi thread with discussion of the bean itself. Anyone have any suggestions for a cheap, but tastey espresso blend for a college kid? So far, my opinions go as follows: Lavazza > Cafe Bustelo > Wegmans blend > Starbucks > Dirt.  I really like the Lavazza, it has a nice citrus-y note to it, although I've had some (including my family) say it was too acidic for their taste. The Cafe Bustelo is good for mixed coffee drinks, but is a bit bitter and flat for straight espresso (I'm a cappuccino in the morning, American macchiato at 5, espresso at night kind of guy). Basically, the Lavazza is 4x the price of the cafe bustelo, and I want to find something in between the two, affordable yet enjoyable on its own


----------



## bixby

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Costco has great deals on 2-3 lb bags of high-quality roasted beans, from organic and fair trade to locally roasted and even Starbucks et al. Some stores even have roasters set up in them for their Kirkland house brand. I keep a small quantity of beans at room temperature for grinding and the rest in the fridge to preserve freshness. They have great deals on biscotti too!


 
  You may wish to rethink the fridge idea.  Probably the worst place to store coffee.


----------



## grokit

Well you don't want to freeze your dark-roasted beans; the oils are too close to the surface and the hull can crack, promoting rancidity. I always make sure the beans are up to room temp before grinding.


----------



## Nikkihasclaws

I went looking for coffee-fi after seeing tea-fi very close to the top since I really enjoy both sources of caffeine 
   
  Today I'm drinking Ethiopian Konga from Fratello Coffee in Calgary, Canada 
   
  Fruity, sweet, clean and light bodied...very refreshing acidity


----------



## Urbex Girl

Hi
   
      I am new coffee and music addict in this forum


----------



## doublea71

Has anybody tried cold-brewing coffee, New Orleans-style? It produces a very smooth brew (hot water releases much more of the acids from the bean than does cold) that doesn't need any sugar at all (perfect for those who must watch their blood-sugar). Here's my latest recipe:
   
  Ingredients:
   
  250 grams ground medium-roast coffee (roughly equal parts ground coffee and water by volume)
  5 heaping tablespoons ground chicory (I figured let's really represent The Big Easy - this is my 'mod')
  1/2 liter clean (duh) water
   
  Pour the coffee into a sizable pot, big enough to allow stirring (and obviously the water)
  Stir in water until mixed
  Wait about 10 minutes and some grounds should rise to the surface - give it another stir
  Set aside and cover at room temperature for 24 hours.
  Strain coffee with a fine mesh sieve into a receptacle you can seal and fit in your refrigerator and be sure to squeeze every last drop of the nectar from the wet grounds.
  Mix with equal parts water or milk over ice and enjoy. (If you opt for water, a lot of folks swear by a very small pinch of kosher salt - I haven't tried this yet).
  Keeps for 2 weeks, but it'll never last that long.
   
  There are many recipes out here on the internets if you google 'new orleans cold brew coffee'
  My concoction is by no means the only way to mix a batch, just my latest attempt.


----------



## doublea71

Sorry, guys - I didn't read the first post before I put up that cold-brew recipe. Anyways, I go for the cheap stuff here in Saigon - 2 dollars for about a half pound, and it isn't bad at all (yeah, it's robusta). They also sell weasel coffee here, but it's very expensive and I'm attempting to be frugal (to afford more headphones).


----------



## grokit

I like cold brewed coffee, we used to make the cold concentrate with a slightly different technique:
   

   
  No chicory was involved so I suppose it wasn't New Orleans style. And it was basically slow-dripped overnight. But it still has a very mellow taste, and is great for low acid diets.


----------



## grokit

The Keurig brewing system has finally caught my interest:


----------



## disastermouse

I haven't been able to read the whole thread, but who else here uses a Chemex to brew their coffee?


----------



## doublea71

Just checked their website (Chemex) - cool stuff.


----------



## TrollDragon

Hey All!
   
  The Chemex looks really great for a social evening, but to get stuff kicked over in the morning we use a nice high speed, 3 minutes a pot Bunn NHB.


----------



## fzman

never had a good cup, or even a decent one, for that matter, from one.  I have not tried a self-fill with real coffee though.  YMMV
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> The Keurig brewing system has finally caught my interest:


----------



## fzman

Quote: 





disastermouse said:


> I haven't been able to read the whole thread, but who else here uses a Chemex to brew their coffee?


 
  I do, from time to time.  It makes a nice cup - less bite than other methods - has a similar smoothness/density to French Press.  Make the whole pot, and transfer to a thermal carafe or thermos to keep it hot without applying heat.


----------



## beerguy0

Quote: 





grokit said:


> The Keurig brewing system has finally caught my interest:


 
   
  I bought one of these, since we have a Keurig at work, and I roast my own coffee, but I have to say I was unimpressed. It's hard to get the grind fine enough to get a strong enough cup, plus you get a bunch of silt. I much prefer to use my CCD (Clever Coffee Dripper)  and a filter to make coffee for myself at work.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





beerguy0 said:


> I bought one of these, since we have a Keurig at work, and I roast my own coffee, but I have to say I was unimpressed. It's hard to get the grind fine enough to get a strong enough cup, plus you get a bunch of silt. I much prefer to use my CCD (Clever Coffee Dripper)  and a filter to make coffee for myself at work.


 
   
  Do you use a blade grinder or a burr grinder? I would think that the silt would mostly be a problem with the blade-type (spice/coffee) grinders.


----------



## Nikkihasclaws

I use a 1977 La Pavoni Europiccola and a 1930's Peter Dienes hand grinder


----------



## beerguy0

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Do you use a blade grinder or a burr grinder? I would think that the silt would mostly be a problem with the blade-type (spice/coffee) grinders.


 

 I use a burr grinder (Baratza Virtuoso).
   
  I was looking at the one I have, and it's not the same as the one in your photo. Mine is an Ekobrew, for Keurig machines. The one pictured in your post looks like it might do a better job, since it appears to have a restrictor at the bottom of the filter holder. The Ekobrew fits in the K-cup holder, but it pretty much lets the water run right through.


----------



## disastermouse

fzman said:


> I do, from time to time.  It makes a nice cup - less bite than other methods - has a similar smoothness/density to French Press.  Make the whole pot, and transfer to a thermal carafe or thermos to keep it hot without applying heat.



The Chemex is the only coffee maker I have. If I don't have time for the ritual of coffee then I don't have time for coffee just then. I've taken to brewing iced coffee for first-thing-in-the-morning wake up drinks, though.


----------



## DxBecks

Quote: 





disastermouse said:


> I haven't been able to read the whole thread, but who else here uses a Chemex to brew their coffee?


 
  I use a Chemex and an Able Brewing Kone V3 Filter.


----------



## disastermouse

dxbecks said:


> I use a Chemex and an Able Brewing Kone V3 Filter.



I have a similar steel filter and use it occasionally. You have to grind finer and what you get is closer to French Press coffee than it is if you use a paper filter.


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





doublea71 said:


> Sorry, guys - I didn't read the first post before I put up that cold-brew recipe. Anyways, I go for the cheap stuff here in Saigon - 2 dollars for about a half pound, and it isn't bad at all (yeah, it's robusta). They also sell weasel coffee here, but it's very expensive and I'm attempting to be frugal (to afford more headphones).


 
   
  I wouldn't worry about it.  The thread went off topic by post #39 (years ago).
   
  The concept of creating a thread called "coffee-fi" but restricting people to only talking about the beans themselves was not realistic.  It would be like creating a thread called "audio-fi" and forcing people to only discuss songs.
   
  The thread should have perhaps been more appropriately called "coffee bean & blend-fi".


----------



## doublea71

I'm enjoying a glass of cold-brewed Vietnamese Robusta brewed with ground chicory.....if you haven't tried adding chicory, it imparts a really nice flavor that goes well with coffee. It's popular in New Orleans - first time I had it was at Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter.


----------



## El_Doug

you ENJOY pure robusta!? 
   
  Quote: 





doublea71 said:


> I'm enjoying a glass of cold-brewed Vietnamese Robusta brewed with ground chicory.....if you haven't tried adding chicory, it imparts a really nice flavor that goes well with coffee. It's popular in New Orleans - first time I had it was at Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter.


----------



## doublea71

Absolutely - it's not half-bad in Vietnam, especially if it's cold-brewed with some chicory as I mentioned. And it's very, very inexpensive.


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





doublea71 said:


> Absolutely - it's not half-bad in Vietnam, especially if it's cold-brewed with some chicory as I mentioned. And it's very, very inexpensive.


 
   
  It confuses me why drinking 100% robusta is so uncommon.  It's very trendy in the US coffee world to adventure way outside the center of the flavor spectrum, with bright as the sun sour espresso bombs and sweet ultra fruity zero body single origins.  I think the anit-robusta snob factor left over from the 90's still lingers and just won't die despite robusta having something unique to offer.
   
  I find a good high grade robusta to be very fun on occasion with great mouthfeel, super big & full body, a bakers chocolate and earthy flavor, ending on an occasionally strong  bitter note.  It's comparable to gueuze in the beer world; a very good style of beer that just isn't to everyones taste.
   
  It makes sense you can find good quality robusta for cheap in Vietnam as it's one of the worlds largest producers.


----------



## JadeEast

We should make 100% robusta the cool coffee- "fourth wave."


----------



## doublea71

It could happen with a bit of a marketing push by the right companies. Vietnam has an unbelievable amount of coffee shops - they are ubiquitous and it's very ingrained into their culture, partially as a result of French colonialism (based on what I've read - I'm not a historian!).


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





jadeeast said:


> We should make 100% robusta the cool coffee- "fourth wave."


 
   
  Let's do it!  We can throw in Turkish style coffee and grinding with a mortar & pestle for good measure.


----------



## dsound

I'm drinking Sulawesi Kalosi right now (Costco believe it or not).  In the past I've used the Peet's variety and this is very comparable.
   
  There's nothing like listening to Bill Evans through a nice set of cans while drinking coffee in the A.M. IMO...


----------



## dsound

Oh, and the Sulawesi also tastes great when cold-brewed (as reported by the Mrs.)


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





dsound said:


> Oh, and the Sulawesi also tastes great when cold-brewed (as reported by the Mrs.)


 
   
  What method do you use to cold-brew?  Cold brewing is one of the few areas I have not yet explored.
   
  I've been eyeing the Yama for a while but can't figure out where the heck I would put it (1/3rd of the counter is already full).


----------



## JadeEast

My cold brewing is done with a v60 filter holder. Use half the amount of water normally used and add the same weight in ice to the pitcher or glass. The hot coffee hits the ice and cools down. I'm surprised by how good the coffee made this way is.


----------



## Currawong

There's a coffee shop here that has a Yama or similar, but for display only possibly. It's one of those up-market places that roasts its own coffee, has comfy chairs, sells equipment and even has a private room. I usually order beans online, but when I forget I sometimes go there instead. They had Yemen Mocha for $14/100g ($62/pound or $3.90/ounce) which was too tempting despite being 3x the usual amount I pay for good beans.
   
  I've been thinking about trying cold brewing but it would tempt me too much to drink coffee all day and I need to stick to no more than 1 or 2 cups a day.


----------



## doublea71

Cold-brewed coffee is a bit too easy to drink - it's just so smooth and it doesn't even need sugar...the bitterness is almost non-existent. I've even read one recipe where the author says to add a small pinch of kosher salt (if it's w/o milk, just ice) and says "trust me." I haven't tried it, but cold-brew is the new frontier for me. I went back to Starbuck's last night and had what I used to get (iced mocha) and it was not enjoyable, just a total sugar bomb. I knew it was in the past, of course, but having gotten accustomed to unsweetened cold-brewed coffee, its sugary taste was just awful. Starbuck's is like drinking cheap white zinfadel while cold-brew is a nice malbec. Or something along those lines.


----------



## doublea71

Quote: 





jadeeast said:


> My cold brewing is done with a v60 filter holder. Use half the amount of water normally used and add the same weight in ice to the pitcher or glass. The hot coffee hits the ice and cools down. I'm surprised by how good the coffee made this way is.


 

 This is not cold-brewed coffee. Cold-brewing uses cold or room-temperature water. This reduces the amount of acid released by the beans by about 2/3 and makes for a much smoother cup of coffee. The coffee must soak in the water for anywhere from 12-24 hours (but I'm sure there are other recipes that call shorter or longer soak times). It is truly an awesome way to make coffee - I'm using robusta and it tastes fantastic at  slightly under 4 dollars a pound (especially with some chicory added - I can't recommend the chicory enough as it adds a bit of a caramel-like flavor to it. If you've ever been to Cafe du Monde in New Orleans' French Quarter, than you know what I'm talking about).


----------



## JadeEast

You're right it's iced coffee. My fault.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





currawong said:


> I've been thinking about trying cold brewing but it would tempt me too much to drink coffee all day and I need to stick to no more than 1 or 2 cups a day.


 
   
  If it's because of acidity see above, cold brewing greatly reduces that. Not sure how the caffeine compares with hot water methods of extraction.


----------



## dsound

I use an Iwaki to make my wife's cold coffee.  It takes about 2 minutes to set up and about 2hrs to make a batch.  It's a true cold extraction so while it takes a while to make coffee, the results are fantastic:  smooth + low-acid content.
   
  I believe it's ~$70 (after shipping) from Ebay sellers.  There are more expensive units with variable drip controls but I've had good success with the Iwaki so far so I'm not looking to upgrade yet.
   
  Quote: 





caffeinatedx42 said:


> What method do you use to cold-brew?  Cold brewing is one of the few areas I have not yet explored.
> 
> I've been eyeing the Yama for a while but can't figure out where the heck I would put it (1/3rd of the counter is already full).


----------



## Redcarmoose

This was the Coffee I had this AM.


----------



## doublea71

Here is my method for cold-brewed coffee. There are many ways to do this, but this is what I do and I think it's pretty damn good. If you decide to use Arabica beans, I suggest getting a lighter roast.
   

 Put 500 grams (about a pound) ground robusta and 10 tablespoons of ground chicory into a large pot or container that has a lid.
 Add 1.5 liters cool/room temperature water.
 Stir until all grounds are soaked and cover.
 After about 15 minutes, stir again to make the partially-soaked coffee that has floated to the top sink.
 Wait 24 hours.
 Strain grounds from coffee using a fine mesh filter (or whatever device is handy) into a receptacle with a lid or cap.
 Place in the fridge and keep cold.
 When making iced coffee, mix brew with equal parts water or milk over ice OR heat coffee to desired temperature and prepare as desired. Add sugar to taste (I use none).
 In your mind, thank the city of New Orleans and enjoy!


----------



## hodgjy

Thanks for procedure.  I am definitely going to try this.  With summer approaching, I definitely want iced coffee.
   
  Quote: 





doublea71 said:


> Here is my method for cold-brewed coffee. There are many ways to do this, but this is what I do and I think it's pretty damn good. If you decide to use Arabica beans, I suggest getting a lighter roast.
> 
> 
> Put 500 grams (about a pound) ground robusta and 10 tablespoons of ground chicory into a large pot or container that has a lid.
> ...


----------



## doublea71

Let us know if you like it, eh? One more thing, I've seen one person recommend a very small pinch of kosher salt (yes, salt) if it's iced coffee without milk. The guy who wrote the article said "trust me." I haven't tried it, but maybe you will be the proverbial guinea pig? Cheers!


----------



## hodgjy

Salt cuts down on the bitterness of coffee.  Shocking, but it does work.
   
  Quote: 





doublea71 said:


> Let us know if you like it, eh? One more thing, I've seen one person recommend a very small pinch of kosher salt (yes, salt) if it's iced coffee without milk. The guy who wrote the article said "trust me." I haven't tried it, but maybe you will be the proverbial guinea pig? Cheers!


----------



## zomgpront

My favorite coffee style is still Vietnamese.  Tried it as a kid and fell in love with it.  Something about the bitterness clashing with the sweetness of the condensed milk.
   
  Still, I try not to drink too much coffee.  Caffeine doesn't do much for me, so its all empty calories for me.


----------



## Currawong

You can save a pot of nasty, bitter hot coffee with a teaspoon of salt. I think it acts as a kind of emulsifier, I don't recall, but I did see a thing on it on Japanese TV. I did try it with coffee that had gone cold and bitter and it did work.


----------



## doublea71

Vietnamese coffee is very tasty, but my body is telling me to lay off sugar. The cold-brew allows me to continue enjoying coffee without the sweet stuff. I may try the pinch of salt thing today as an experiment. I no longer drink alcohol, so coffee is my social (actually, usually anti-social) beverage of choice.


----------



## beerguy0

Quote: 





doctordk207 said:


> Jamaican Blue Mountain~!!!!!!!


 
   
  I've had JBM, back in the 80's when you could still get it. Good coffee, but very delicate. Not a lot of flavor, IMO.
   
  Quote: 





diogenes said:


> I like the fruity coffees, especially Yemen origins.
> Also, the crisp, clean taste of Costa Rica coffee is nice.
> 
> JBM is overrated and overpriced. I have had Colombian coffee that rivals it in taste etc.
> ...


 
   
  ^This. Overrated, overpriced. Lots of better coffees for nowhere near the price of JBM.
   
  Quote: 





bob_mcbob said:


> I buy green beans from Sweet Maria's and roast them at home. I've been using their Monkey Blend for espresso, and I keep a large selection of other coffees for normal drinking. I am quite partial to Yemeni coffees (mattari!).


 
   
  I'm partial to Ethiopian coffees, especially the dry processed ones. I also buy from Sweet Marias and home roast. My current favorites are the DP Worka Sakaro, followed by the Saris Abaya. I have some Yemeni coffees, but prefer Ethiopian.


----------



## beerguy0

Quote: 





currawong said:


> You can save a pot of nasty, bitter hot coffee with a teaspoon of salt. I think it acts as a kind of emulsifier, I don't recall, but I did see a thing on it on Japanese TV. I did try it with coffee that had gone cold and bitter and it did work.


 

 Salt masks bitterness in foods. This is one reason that processed foods (canned soups, for instance) are so high in sodium - the packaging process tends to make food bitter, and the salt hides the bitterness.


----------



## hodgjy

I did not know this.  Very interesting.  I always assumed it had to do with preservation.  But, it makes perfect sense.
   
  Quote: 





beerguy0 said:


> Salt masks bitterness in foods. This is one reason that processed foods (canned soups, for instance) are so high in sodium -* the packaging process tends to make food bitter, and the salt hides the bitterness.*


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





hodgjy said:


> I did not know this.  Very interesting.  I always assumed it had to do with preservation.  But, it makes perfect sense.


 
   
  It's why salt on bitter pineapple will make it sweeter.


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





beerguy0 said:


> I've had JBM, back in the 80's when you could still get it. Good coffee, but very delicate. Not a lot of flavor, IMO.
> 
> 
> ^This. Overrated, overpriced. Lots of better coffees for nowhere near the price of JBM.


 
   
  Word.  Though some of the reason for this is that 90% of JBM is extremely sub-par compared to the very best of it, which rare and hard to find.  Even at it's highest potential it's still little more than an interesting, though enjoyable, curiosity for me. I've never bought a full pound of it and not been bored by the end.


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

This week's choice; an old favorite I enjoy via siphon pot, clevercoffeedripper, and press pot.


----------



## grokit

The best single-origin coffee I ever had was Kenya AAA peaberry freshly roasted in downtown Nairobi. But I tend to prefer blends.


----------



## beerguy0

Quote: 





caffeinatedx42 said:


> Word.  Though some of the reason for this is that 90% of JBM is extremely sub-par compared to the very best of it, which rare and hard to find.  Even at it's highest potential it's still little more than an interesting, though enjoyable, curiosity for me. I've never bought a full pound of it and not been bored by the end.


 
   
  That's one thing most people don't get. There are good producers and bad producers of anything. Saying a coffee is JBM is like saying a wine comes from the Napa Valley, without specifying the vintner. Could be good wine, could be swill. The best of the JBM goes to Japan, because they're willing to pay top dollar for it.
   
  (This is one reason I like buying from Sweet Maria's - when you buy beans from them, you are getting coffee from a specific producer, be it a farm, a co-op, or whatever. Most places sell coffee in the generic sense, like Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, without specifying the producer. There are dozens of producers in any region, some better than others.)


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





beerguy0 said:


> That's one thing most people don't get. There are good producers and bad producers of anything. Saying a coffee is JBM is like saying a wine comes from the Napa Valley, without specifying the vintner. Could be good wine, could be swill. The best of the JBM goes to Japan, because they're willing to pay top dollar for it.
> 
> (This is one reason I like buying from Sweet Maria's - when you buy beans from them, you are getting coffee from a specific producer, be it a farm, a co-op, or whatever. Most places sell coffee in the generic sense, like Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, without specifying the producer. There are dozens of producers in any region, some better than others.)


 
   Very well put.


----------



## warubozu

Quote: 





beerguy0 said:


> That's one thing most people don't get. There are good producers and bad producers of anything. Saying a coffee is JBM is like saying a wine comes from the Napa Valley, without specifying the vintner. Could be good wine, could be swill. The best of the JBM goes to Japan, because they're willing to pay top dollar for it.
> 
> (This is one reason I like buying from Sweet Maria's - when you buy beans from them, you are getting coffee from a specific producer, be it a farm, a co-op, or whatever. Most places sell coffee in the generic sense, like Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, without specifying the producer. There are dozens of producers in any region, some better than others.)


 

 Agreed, you could have the best beans in world but it would make a poor cup of coffee if it's from a poor producer or a retailer who doesn't properly store them.


----------



## Kiont

beerguy0 said:


> That's one thing most people don't get. There are good producers and bad producers of anything. Saying a coffee is JBM is like saying a wine comes from the Napa Valley, without specifying the vintner. Could be good wine, could be swill. *The best of the JBM goes to Japan, because they're willing to pay top dollar for it.*
> 
> (This is one reason I like buying from Sweet Maria's - when you buy beans from them, you are getting coffee from a specific producer, be it a farm, a co-op, or whatever. Most places sell coffee in the generic sense, like Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, without specifying the producer. There are dozens of producers in any region, some better than others.)




Indeed, unfortunately most of it goes into canned or instant coffee :mad:


----------



## beerguy0

Quote: 





grokit said:


> The best single-origin coffee I ever had was Kenya AAA peaberry freshly roasted in downtown Nairobi. But I tend to prefer blends.


 
   
  Coffee designations are interesting. The AAA, AA, and AB designations of Kenyan coffees refer to bean size, and has nothing to do with the quality of the bean. The same holds true for Colombian Supremo - Supremo is just the largest bean size.
   
  Ethiopian coffees are often designated a Grade 1, Grade 2, or Grade 3. These designations actually do refer to the quality of the coffee, but coffees are often downgraded one grade to save on taxes. Dry Process Ethiopian coffees are rarely Grade 1, although they do exist and are excellent. I've had Grade 3 DP coffees that are amazing - heavily fruited, with plenty of funk. (The Belgian Ales of the coffee world.) They tend to roast unevenly, but that's what you get with hand-processed coffees.


----------



## meyner

btw where is the best place to get cheap black coffee that is readily available? I personally prefer a strong taste compared to a light taste. I also have a coffee machine is a good black coffee recommendation for that would be welcome as well as long as its readily avilable.


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





meyner said:


> btw where is the best place to get cheap black coffee that is readily available? I personally prefer a strong taste compared to a light taste. I also have a coffee machine is a good black coffee recommendation for that would be welcome as well as long as its readily avilable.


 
  Where do you live?


----------



## grokit

That was a cryptic inquiry, I can't even tell if *meyner *is after roasted beans or a prepared cup.


----------



## Destroysall

A Hot Mocha with a shot. Its from one of my favorite local coffee shops. This pic is old (took it over a year ago), but I love this place. I just wish it wasn't far..


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> A Hot Mocha with a shot. Its from one of my favorite local coffee shops. This pic is old (took it over a year ago), but I love this place. I just wish it wasn't far..


 
  I thought I was having a flashback from the recreational drugs I did in the early 70s. Then I realized it was a photograph of a recreational drug from early 2012.


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Making my morning brew.  Today it's Counter Cultures 1922 Mocha & Java blend via CleverCoffeeDripper.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Looks like a cell phone camera?


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I thought I was having a flashback from the recreational drugs I did in the early 70s. Then I realized it was a photograph of a recreational drug from early 2012.


 

 LOL.


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> Looks like a cell phone camera?


 
   
  I haven't used a "regular" camera in at least four years.  
   
  It's funny; I purposely put a robe on because I knew one of you would try to find a reflection of me in the photo.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





caffeinatedx42 said:


> I haven't used a "regular" camera in at least four years.
> 
> It's funny; I purposely put a robe on because I knew one of you would try to find a reflection of me in the photo.


 
   
  THX for that robe detail. The great one was the guy who reflected himself in a mirror in a photograph of a dinning table for sale on E-bay.


----------



## Happy Camper

I'm getting into coffee for the first time in my life and I am anxious to find the differences in flavors of the bean from different climates. I liked the coffees from the central American countries (Costa Rican/Mexican/JBM) and Hawaii. The French roasts are too strong. I am using a Kuerig machine with a K cup and have been buying 1/2 lb samples at a local International store in Cincy (Jungle Jim's). Can someone offer a site to learn about the different coffee growing regions and their climates? I'm curious to see what impact the different climates have on character of flavor.


----------



## grokit

This could be a good place to get started: http://www.sweetmarias.com/library/


----------



## Kiont

grokit said:


> This could be a good place to get started: http://www.sweetmarias.com/library/




+1

Have been a SM's customer for a long time
Lots of good info on their website


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





happy camper said:


> I'm getting into coffee for the first time in my life and I am anxious to find the differences in flavors of the bean from different climates. I liked the coffees from the central American countries (Costa Rican/Mexican/JBM) and Hawaii. The French roasts are too strong. I am using a Kuerig machine with a K cup and have been buying 1/2 lb samples at a local International store in Cincy (Jungle Jim's). Can someone offer a site to learn about the different coffee growing regions and their climates? I'm curious to see what impact the different climates have on character of flavor.


 
  The roast in French Roast just refers to the darker bean resulting from the amount of time the bean is roasted. The sugar in the bean becomes caramelized thus making the taste seem more strong. If one is ever to experience white middle eastern coffee, they have blond roasts where it seems the bean is either roasted very little or not at all. The coffee is clear yellow/white like tea yet very strong with caffeine, yet you would not know it from the taste.
   
  As it turns out it is really the altitude that the bean ripens at which determines the caffeine level and the roast affects the taste in general. At sea level the beans get a lot of oxygen thus ripens fast, at high altitudes more caffeine is produced due to an extended ripening in process. You can actually have dark roast coffee which taste strong but has very little effect. This is why the high mountains of South America are so good for coffee production, the soil and thin air.
   
  Cardamom can also be added to middle eastern coffee and due to the light roast takes over the taste.


----------



## Happy Camper

That answers some of my questions, thanks RCM. How does the amount of moisture impact the flavor? Soil types? I'll start digging on the site suggested and thank you guys.


----------



## Redcarmoose

Quote: 





happy camper said:


> That answers some of my questions, thanks RCM. How does the amount of moisture impact the flavor? Soil types? I'll start digging on the site suggested and thank you guys.


 
  That's all I know about coffee..lol


----------



## buttons252

I spend about $1200 a year going to star bucks. i dont really care what beans they use as long as it has three pumps of chocolate and 160 degree milk


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





buttons252 said:


> I spend about $1200 a year going to star bucks. i dont really care what beans they use as long as it has three pumps of chocolate and 160 degree milk


 
   
  That's the equivalent of saying "I spend $1200 on iTunes and only listen on Beats-by-Dre.  I don't really care about sound fidelity so long it's loud and has bass.".
   
  There's nothing wrong with that, but it isn't "coffee-fi".


----------



## JadeEast

Milk and sugar are like using eq.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





caffeinatedx42 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Yeah that's not coffee that's dessert.


----------



## dsound

+1
  Quote: 





jadeeast said:


> Milk and sugar are like using eq.


----------



## Redcarmoose

I don't know why folks are so down on Starbucks coffee? First off so many people go there making them the largest and best known coffee retailers. Obviously a lot of people love them too.
   
  They are amazing in that any place you go in the world the Starbucks tastes exactly, absolutely exactly the same. Very few products are that consistent. They figure that if folks get used to how something tastes then the goal is to always produce it. The way they do it is by combining beans from all over. This allows them to maybe not be held hostage by one suppler. The beans are roasted to what would be equal to french roast dark.
   
  Obviously there are better tasting coffees out there. I really like their espresso better than their coffee. Still I think they are OK for what they do.


----------



## grokit

I didn't see anybody knocking Starbuck's, just someone that posted that they spent all of their money on mochas, and the rest of us pointing out that the "coffe-fi" component is lost in a concoction like that.
   
  I certainly don't hate them politically like I used to. They will never take the place of a good independent roaster/barista but they are a welcome sight at an airport if the line isn't too long. If it is, let's face it Pete's or Seattle's Best or any of the other premium chains are just as good. But Starbucks is coming around politically somewhat and that's a good thing IMO. And I agree that they have consistency down but a bit of mystery and discovery can be a good thing too. Still, Micky D wrote the book on consistency and they do pretty good so there's definitely a place for it.
   
  Personally I wasn't even knocking mochas, just pointing out that there's a big difference between that and a good cup a joe.


----------



## RamblinE

Have been buying the 1lb bags of Starbucks Tribute the past few weeks. 
   
  On a side note, while Starbucks has 'Dark Roast' up on their menu it's never available in the evening lately when I'm taking some top-down drives of some nice local roads and want a warm companion to sip along the way.


----------



## Kiont

The reason they are consistent is because they started using automatic machines
They do everything from grinding, tamping, extracting with the push of a button.

You sacrifice a lot of quality that way, yes they are OK at making espresso based drinks. But that's it. Their espresso is heavily masked with gallons of milks, syrups, fruits and whatever they put in there now.
Most people like that and it's fine. They have a target audience.
But for people wanting to experience a real espresso or coffee, sbucks is not the place I would suggest.

I'm not hating on Starbucks though, they have their place, just like picking between McDonald's and a Steakhouse to eat a burger.


----------



## phoenixrising2

+1 Tim Hortons


----------



## OmegaRed1723

I've been on a Guatemalin Atitlan kick lately.  I'm fortunate to live in an area with several local coffee roasters, one of which roasts these beans every Monday.  It has such a wonderful aroma: caramel sweetness, but also what I would consider an earthy quality.  My brewing method is nothing fancy—just an inverted Aeropress which gets the job done quickly, simply, and with consistent results.


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





kiont said:


> The reason they are consistent is because they started using automatic machines
> They do everything from grinding, tamping, extracting with the push of a button.
> 
> You sacrifice a lot of quality that way, yes they are OK at making espresso based drinks. But that's it. Their espresso is heavily masked with gallons of milks, syrups, fruits and whatever they put in there now.
> ...


 
   
   
  Well stated.


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





redcarmoose said:


> I don't know why folks are so down on Starbucks coffee? First off so many people go there making them the largest and best known coffee retailers. Obviously a lot of people love them too.
> 
> They are amazing in that any place you go in the world the Starbucks tastes exactly, absolutely exactly the same. Very few products are that consistent. They figure that if folks get used to how something tastes then the goal is to always produce it. The way they do it is by combining beans from all over. This allows them to maybe not be held hostage by one suppler. The beans are roasted to what would be equal to french roast dark.
> 
> Obviously there are better tasting coffees out there. I really like their espresso better than their coffee. Still I think they are OK for what they do.


 
   
   
  I quite enjoy Starbucks coffee (not espresso).  It's not spectacular by any means but it is definitely in the upper 5% of all coffee sold in the US (not counting Starbucks market share).  Their bean sourcing is good, as is their blend recipes.  The reason why they are not capable of achieving "high fidelity" level of coffee production is that they buy in mass quantities , roast in bulk volumes by timer (rather than by hand), will use beans that are weeks old, and only make coffee via a single "old standby" paper filter drip method.  It is, as you point out, 100% consistently pretty good.  Given the choice I would make my own or go into a better coffee shop, but when Starbucks is the only option (which is often) I don't turn my nose up at it.  The only time it's genuinely bad is when they don't toss it and make a fresh batch as often as their procedures dictate, which leads to a sour/burnt cup.
   
  Their actual straight espresso, though, is somewhere between awful and mediocre.  Not undrinkable, but not anything any espresso aficionado would describe as "good" or even "passable" in the world of quality espresso.  However that's masked by the milk and syrups which is how 99% of all their espresso drinks are sold.  For a milk based drink "not undrinkable" is all that's needed.  It's pretty rare to see anyone buy a straight espresso from Starbucks.
   
  To continue my earlier analogy, it's the iTunes & Beats of the coffee world.  I listen to iTunes enjoy it in the car; my wife only buys music on iTunes so much of what we own is in their format.  I don't, though, have any illusions about it being audiophile.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





caffeinatedx42 said:


> *I quite enjoy Starbucks coffee (not espresso).*  It's not spectacular by any means but it is definitely in the upper 5% of all coffee sold in the US (not counting Starbucks market share).  Their bean sourcing is good, as is their blend recipes.  The reason why they are not capable of achieving "high fidelity" level of coffee production is that they buy in mass quantities , roast in bulk volumes by timer (rather than by hand), will use beans that are weeks old, and only make coffee via a single "old standby" paper filter drip method.  It is, as you point out, 100% consistently pretty good.  Given the choice I would make my own or go into a better coffee shop, but when Starbucks is the only option (which is often) I don't turn my nose up at it.  The only time it's genuinely bad is when they don't toss it and make a fresh batch as often as their procedures dictate, which leads to a sour/burnt cup.
> 
> Their actual straight espresso, though, is somewhere between awful and mediocre.  Not undrinkable, but not anything any espresso aficionado would describe as "good" or even "passable" in the world of quality espresso.  However that's masked by the milk and syrups which is how 99% of all their espresso drinks are sold.  For a milk based drink "not undrinkable" is all that's needed.  It's pretty rare to see anyone buy a straight espresso from Starbucks.
> 
> To continue my earlier analogy, it's the iTunes & Beats of the coffee world.  I listen to iTunes enjoy it in the car; my wife only buys music on iTunes so much of what we own is in their format.  *I don't, though, have any illusions about it being audiophile.*


 
  Starbucks isn't all that terrible. I can't deny myself a Frappucino when the opportunity/craving arises. I prefer Chemex coffee myself and my favorite local places both excercise the Chemex method, extending the wait time for a cup of coffee. But I know it's worth the wait, so I dare not complain. 
   
  On the note of iTunes not being audiophile, I find it as a decent competitor in terms of a (free) dedicated source. Of course, this is another topic not related to subject of coffee. Please mind me.


----------



## NZtechfreak

Ooh, yet another gear-fi thread made for me that I have somehow missed for a long time.
   
  I have an Expobar Brewtus II (known as the Minore in some markets, and something else again in the UK), mini mazzer grinder, espro tamp, naked bottomless portafilter etc. I get my Coffeelab beans couriered to me twice a week on their roasting days, and occasionally try out the single origins stuff they bring in.
   
  Agree with others that Starbucks have their place, exactly like choosing between McDonalds and a steakhouse for eating a burger. I feel bad for those of you in the US though if Starbucks is truly in the top 5% of coffees there as someone suggested above, it isn't remotely close to that here in New Zealand.


----------



## doublea71

I think it depends where you are; if you're in a metropolitan area, you'll be able to find an independent coffee house that knows what they're doing pretty easily. Starbuck's is considered the premium brand for chain stores, but not necessarily on par with what the little guy is doing.


----------



## proton007

Quote: 





doublea71 said:


> I think it depends where you are; if you're in a metropolitan area, you'll be able to find an independent coffee house that knows what they're doing pretty easily. Starbuck's is considered the premium brand for chain stores, but not necessarily on par with what the little guy is doing.


 
   
  Starbucks is mostly filled with Macbook wielding crowd who seem to be glued to their seats. I've been to starbucks probably thrice, and do not wish to go there again.
   
  Oh, and their Tea is the worst I've had. Especially in Asia, where you can find better tea in small tea shops for less than a third of the price.


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

Quote: 





nztechfreak said:


> Ooh, yet another gear-fi thread made for me that I have somehow missed for a long time.
> 
> I have an Expobar Brewtus II (known as the Minore in some markets, and something else again in the UK).


 
   
  Nice Nice!  If I were ever to get a semi-automatic machine it would most likely be in the Brewtus line.


----------



## Oregonian

radiohlite said:


> only talking about COFFEE itself, not gadgets or preparation or milk/sugar etc.
> 
> 
> were talking brands/varieties within same brand, or just 'types' for lack of a better word.




Costco COLUMBIANO Supreme - fresh roasted and ground in store. Best I've had.


----------



## doublea71

Quote: 





proton007 said:


> Starbucks is mostly filled with Macbook wielding crowd who seem to be glued to their seats. I've been to starbucks probably thrice, and do not wish to go there again.
> 
> Oh, and their Tea is the worst I've had. Especially in Asia, where you can find better tea in small tea shops for less than a third of the price.


 

 I've certainly had worse...if I have a layover for a flight in Kuala Lumpur, it's a welcome sight even though it's not my fave.


----------



## Pudu

If I had a layover in KL, I'd walk straight past S'bucks and head straight for a teh tarik and roti canai every single time.


----------



## proton007

Quote: 





pudu said:


> If I had a layover in KL, I'd walk straight past S'bucks and head straight for a teh tarik and roti canai every single time.


 
   
  Teh tarik is nice, I also like Teh O', Kopi O' and Ipoh White Coffee (you can also get them in Sg).


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

nztechfreak said:


> Ooh, yet another gear-fi thread made for me that I have somehow missed for a long time.
> 
> I have an Expobar Brewtus II (known as the Minore in some markets, and something else again in the UK), mini mazzer grinder, espro tamp, naked bottomless portafilter etc. I get my Coffeelab beans couriered to me twice a week on their roasting days, and occasionally try out the single origins stuff they bring in.
> 
> Agree with others that Starbucks have their place, exactly like choosing between McDonalds and a steakhouse for eating a burger. I feel bad for those of you in the US though if Starbucks is truly in the top 5% of coffees there as someone suggested above, *it isn't remotely close to that here in New Zealand*.




I hate to burst your bubble but Starbucks is definitely in the top for New Zealand as well. Nestle and Nescafé account for 80% of the coffee consumption market share in New Zealand. Unless the remaining 20% is comprised primarily of ultra high quality boutique/small scale roasters Starbucks is likely in the top 5% for Kiwis too.

Back to coffee-fi though, bravo on the impressive home espresso setup! I've long had my eye on the Expobar's but just don't have the counter space and enjoy my fully manual lever machine too much; the Brewtus would be excellent for entertaining guests though, my machine is only good for three shots at most before it overheats and cooks the shots.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





proton007 said:


> Starbucks is mostly filled with Macbook wielding crowd who seem to be glued to their seats.


 
  Or iMac wielding


----------



## warubozu

Some very very old Kona coffee 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




...


----------



## ab initio

Quote: 





radiohlite said:


> only talking about COFFEE itself, not gadgets or preparation or milk/sugar etc.
> 
> were talking brands/varieties within same brand, or just 'types' for lack of a better word.


 
  Oh! I just found this thread and I'm shaking with excitement! Err.... at least i think it's excitement.... could just be the caffeine....
   
   
  It's all about the sweet beanie taste of a good light roast. Supermarket morning blend beats the pants off of the uberdark starbucks house blend as far as im concerned. Gotta make sure you dont overgrind or over soak either!
   
  Cheers


----------



## doublea71

Quote: 





radiohlite said:


> only talking about COFFEE itself, not gadgets or preparation or milk/sugar etc.
> 
> were talking brands/varieties within same brand, or just 'types' for lack of a better word.


 
  I like to pretend you didn't say this.


----------



## mosshorn

I'm a big fan of https://amavida.com/shop/new-coffee-test/

Light, citrusy, and clean. Makes an excellent pour over, and an insane siphon. The Ethiopia Idido is technically my all time favorite. It literally tastes like strawberries.

Also, I can vouch for this coffee, I work for the company and prepare/drink it nearly every day  Message if you're interested, I can probably help out.

As far as non-employed companies go, I also enjoy Red Bird Brazil Sweet Blue. Before Amavida, it was my daily drinker.


----------



## johnman1116

Hello everyone, 
 I just recently "got into coffee". Bought myself a clever dripper, seemed more practical over the pour over and valued flavor clarity over the body of a french press.
  Anyways, looking at getting some coffee recommendations. I browsed roughly the first and last 5 pages of the thread and the only coffees (?) that we seconded were the jamacian blue mountains and sweet maria (and dunkin and hortons). I think I can make a trip up to Oakland and get some samples from sweet maria but was wondering if there were any common or well-known recommendations for good coffee.


beerguy0 said:


> That's one thing most people don't get. There are good producers and bad producers of anything. Saying a coffee is JBM is like saying a wine comes from the Napa Valley, without specifying the vintner. Could be good wine, could be swill. The best of the JBM goes to Japan, because they're willing to pay top dollar for it.
> 
> (This is one reason I like buying from Sweet Maria's - when you buy beans from them, you are getting coffee from a specific producer, be it a farm, a co-op, or whatever. Most places sell coffee in the generic sense, like Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, without specifying the producer. There are dozens of producers in any region, some better than others.)


 

  Does this mean Ethiopian coffees, for example, do not share a similar taste to other Ethiopian coffees or are we just saying that producer X can produce "better" coffee beans than producer Y although both can be considered Ethiopian coffee based on taste and location?


----------



## IcedTea

What do you guys usually drink your coffee with?
   
  I'm just really used to "Vietnamese" coffee so that's how I drink mine lol


----------



## dsound

Recently, I've been enjoying my coffee with either Bill Evans' "Israel" or Beck's "The Golden Age".
   
  As for the coffee itself, I take it black


----------



## warubozu

I take my coffee with a little sugar and cream most of the time. I also take it black depending on what variety I'm drinking.


----------



## RedLeader

Hey guys, I'm actually starting a coffee roaster up here in small town Canada!  Turns out that particular hobby has grown up into a fully fledged business!


----------



## JadeEast

That's awesome news. Way to Go! Do you have a name?
  What town?


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





warubozu said:


> Some very very old Kona coffee
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Sue me, but I've never tried Kona. How is it?


----------



## NZtechfreak

Quote: 





caffeinatedx42 said:


> I hate to burst your bubble but Starbucks is definitely in the top for New Zealand as well. Nestle and Nescafé account for 80% of the coffee consumption market share in New Zealand. Unless the remaining 20% is comprised primarily of ultra high quality boutique/small scale roasters Starbucks is likely in the top 5% for Kiwis too.
> 
> Back to coffee-fi though, bravo on the impressive home espresso setup! I've long had my eye on the Expobar's but just don't have the counter space and enjoy my fully manual lever machine too much; the Brewtus would be excellent for entertaining guests though, my machine is only good for three shots at most before it overheats and cooks the shots.


 
   
  I was referring to quality, not consumption. If consumption is the yard stick it will fare better, naturally, as you suggest. 
   
  The Brewtus is indeed fantastic for entertaining, the thermal stability on that thing is utterly sublime. Pull 30 shots in a row with next to no variation in temperature? Sure thing.
   
  Which fully manual lever do you have? I sometimes think about getting one, but then I wonder whether I would tire of the romance after a time...


----------



## warubozu

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Sue me, but I've never tried Kona. How is it?


 

 Kona coffee is a mild coffee when compared to coffees from Sumatra or Ethiopia. I enjoy it's smooth and mellow characteristics, however whether or not it's one of the world's best coffee is a matter of personal opinion. The key is to buy 100% pure Kona coffee (Kona peaberry if possible) from a reputable seller as some of the blended Kona coffees out there is total crap. Coffee drinkers who enjoy coffees with sharp characteristics may find Kona to be bland and boring. Kona is however one of the rarest coffees grown as only beans that are grown and harvested in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii can be considered Kona coffee.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





warubozu said:


> Kona coffee is a mild coffee when compared to coffees from Sumatra or Ethiopia. I enjoy it's smooth and mellow characteristics, however whether or not it's one of the world's best coffee is a matter of personal opinion. The key is to buy 100% pure Kona coffee (Kona peaberry if possible) from a reputable seller as some of the blended Kona coffees out there is total crap. Coffee drinkers who enjoy coffees with sharp characteristics may find Kona to be bland and boring. Kona is however one of the rarest coffees grown as only beans that are grown and harvested in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii can be considered Kona coffee.


 
Interesting. Is there a known reputable seller in the U.S.? I usually shop at World Market, Sprouts, or Trader Joe's. While I personally love World Market's coffee, I do know that they grow most of their beans here in the U.S.  Thus I'm not sure if they have pure 100% Kona. 
   
Another coffee I've always heard about but have yet to try is Blue Jamaican.  Seems like I still have a world of coffee to discover.


----------



## warubozu

Quote: 





destroysall said:


> Interesting. Is there a known reputable seller in the U.S.? I usually shop at World Market, Sprouts, or Trader Joe's. While I personally love World Market's coffee, I do know that they grow most of their beans here in the U.S.  Thus I'm not sure if they have pure 100% Kona.
> 
> Another coffee I've always heard about but have yet to try is Blue Jamaican.  Seems like I still have a world of coffee to discover.


 
   
  Not sure if any of those U.S. retailers sell top grade Kona coffee, I do know that World Market sells (or least at one time they did) Kona coffees by Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee Co. Hawaiian Isles Kona coffee is ok, they are more main stream and what you would expect to find in stores on the U.S. mainland. There are better Kona coffee growers than Hawaiian Isles but they don't have a wide distribution. Which is why nearly all of the best Kona coffees are only available in the state of Hawaii. For the some of the best Kona coffees available, I would recommend that you buy your coffee from a online retailer that is from Hawaii or has a strong connection to a Kona coffee farm. That way you can be assure that you are getting top quality Kona coffee and not something that is stale or blended down with other crap grade coffee. Some of the online retailers I would recommend are listed below, all of them are from the state of Hawaii:
   
  Honolulu Coffee Company:
http://honolulucoffee.3dcartstores.com/
   
  Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation:
http://honolulucoffee.3dcartstores.com/
   
  Sir Wilfred's Hawaiian Coffees:
http://www.sirwilfreds.com/about/
   
  Island Vintage Coffee Company:
http://www.islandvintagecoffee.com/
   
  Some of the retailers listed above also sells great Hawaiian coffees besides Kona that are grown on plantations on Maui, and the Big Island of Hawaii. Cheaper and not as rare as Kona and still a great coffee. I haven't had the opportunity to try Jamaican Blue Mountain but from what I've heard it quite good. Jamaican Blue Mountain like Kona is a rare coffee, grown and produced in small quantities in only one specific region of the world. Which is why prices for a pound is quite high when compared to other coffees.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





warubozu said:


> Not sure if any of those U.S. retailers sell top grade Kona coffee, I do know that World Market sells (or least at one time they did) Kona coffees by Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee Co. Hawaiian Isles Kona coffee is ok, they are more main stream and what you would expect to find in stores on the U.S. mainland. There are better Kona coffee growers than Hawaiian Isles but they don't have a wide distribution. Which is why nearly all of the best Kona coffees are only available in the state of Hawaii. For the some of the best Kona coffees available, I would recommend that you buy your coffee from a online retailer that is from Hawaii or has a strong connection to a Kona coffee farm. That way you can be assure that you are getting top quality Kona coffee and not something that is stale or blended down with other crap grade coffee. Some of the online retailers I would recommend are listed below, all of them are from the state of Hawaii:
> 
> Honolulu Coffee Company:
> http://honolulucoffee.3dcartstores.com/
> ...


 
  Interesting.. I must thank you warubozu, I feel I've learned a lot about true Kona coffees already.  I think I might just give in and order the Kona Peaberry 16 oz coffee bean bag and just endure the joy I know it will give.  
   
  Looking on the World Market website right now, they do have Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee.  Maybe I can get this too and do a comparison taste test.  However, I'm sure Hawaii is still the better place for Kona Coffee.  Thanks again, warubozu!


----------



## warubozu

Anytime, Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffees makes a enjoyable cup so do give them and some of the other Kona plantations a try. Enjoy the brew, that is what it's all about.


----------



## Destroysall

Quote: 





warubozu said:


> Enjoy the brew, that is what it's all about.


 

 Indeed!


----------



## RedLeader

Anomaly Coffee, up here in Hanover.  I'm very excited about it, and I've got some test ordering up on the website as I ramp up and buy equiptment, etc.


----------



## ethan7000

Enjoying Bel Canto and a few others from Coda here in Denver http://www.codacoffee.com/


----------



## nxtgenlva

My local coffee house does this continental blend, 4.20 for a cafitere for two, gosh is it good.


----------



## johnman1116

Question:
 Would coffee from different geographical locations have different levels of caffeine per bean?
  for example, south american beans are more caffeinated than beans from africa.
   
  sweet maria is pretty delicious


----------



## Happy Camper

I've had a Kona blend and a Costa Rica blend from my last purchase and I prefer the Costa Rica blend. It has a more robust flavor. Kona is kind of weak in comparison.


----------



## bumeibuhuo

I keep a large selection of other coffees for normal drinking. I am quite partial to Yemeni coffees


----------



## johnman1116

http://z6mag.com/featured/drinking-coffee-may-reduce-the-risk-of-tinnitus-1624663.html
  
 coffee drinkers rejoice!


----------



## tinkertailor

Anyone from Canada (and parts of US) try Tim Hortons dark roast? its not bad for tim hortons (less watery, thicker tasting)


----------



## squallkiercosa

tinkertailor said:


> Anyone from Canada (and parts of US) try Tim Hortons dark roast? its not bad for tim hortons (less watery, thicker tasting)




I prefer tim hortons double espresso than Starbucks and it's cheaper.


----------



## johnman1116

I had a friend bring some Kona back from Hawaii and, at least with this current sample, i am not really diggin' it. 
It seems too "rich" and "thick" to the point where it is masking the flavors. I am still messing with the measurements and brew but has anyone had similar experiences? 

Using Cleaver Dripper. 300g of water with 18g of coffee with 4 minutes brew time. 
I've always wanted to try Tim Horton's coffee!


----------



## warubozu

johnman1116 said:


> I had a friend bring some Kona back from Hawaii and, at least with this current sample, i am not really diggin' it.
> It seems too "rich" and "thick" to the point where it is masking the flavors. I am still messing with the measurements and brew but has anyone had similar experiences?
> 
> Using Cleaver Dripper. 300g of water with 18g of coffee with 4 minutes brew time.
> I've always wanted to try Tim Horton's coffee!


 

 What brand of Kona coffee did you receive? Is it a dark or medium roast? Like other coffees not all Kona coffees are equal, some are better than others. Can't say that I've had a cup of Kona where it's characteristics were "rich" and "dark". Unlike other coffees Kona is a mild tasting coffee and can taste bland when not brewed correctly. Make sure you use the right type of grind for your method of brewing. I typically use a coarse grind and a French press when I'm brewing some Kona. In general it's recommended that you use 2 level tablespoons per six ounces of cold water or 1 tablespoon per cup (4 oz.).


----------



## beerguy0

destroysall said:


> Interesting. Is there a known reputable seller in the U.S.? I usually shop at World Market, Sprouts, or Trader Joe's. While I personally love World Market's coffee, I do know that they grow most of their beans here in the U.S.  Thus I'm not sure if they have pure 100% Kona.
> 
> Another coffee I've always heard about but have yet to try is Blue Jamaican.  Seems like I still have a world of coffee to discover.


 
  
 Jamaican Blue Mountain is incredibly rare. The vast majority goes to Japan, because they're willing to pay top dollar. I haven't had it since back in the 80's, but while it's an excellent cup, it's also extremely mild and delicate. If you're looking for real coffee flavor it's best to look elsewhere. I favor Ethiopian coffees, especially the dry processed ones.


redleader said:


> Anomaly Coffee, up here in Hanover.  I'm very excited about it, and I've got some test ordering up on the website as I ramp up and buy equiptment, etc.


 
  
 Nice. As a home roaster I'm always glad to see someone take it from a hobby to a business.


johnman1116 said:


> Question:
> Would coffee from different geographical locations have different levels of caffeine per bean?
> for example, south american beans are more caffeinated than beans from africa.
> 
> sweet maria is pretty delicious


 
  
 Arabica coffees are much lower in caffeine than Robusta coffees. Also, roast level is a factor in caffeine content. The caffeine gets burned off during the roasting process, so the darker the roast the less caffeine in the cup. Not sure if any specific origins have more or less caffeine than others.


----------



## SeEnCreaTive

I live in the Kootenays here in BC.  We have about 5 (that I can think of off the top of my head), Small scale roasting companies here. Coffee is a big thing. My favorite so far is litterally called "Kootenay Coffee". Organic, fair trade, nice rich flavor for all their roasts. Another good local one would be "Oso Negro" nice dark deep coffee types. Something like Starbucks but better flavor. Roasted right in my home town at their coffee shop.
  
 And as many have mentioned before. Im Canadian. Tim Hortons addiction is nearly born into us


----------



## DW75

I love dark roast. I never buy the same pound of coffee twice in a row. This way, I always end up with a continuous variety, and will never get tired of one. We have a roaster here on the island called Fresh Cup Roastery Cafe. Right now, I have a pound of their Peruvian Dark, and a pound of their Sumatra Ultra Dark. These guys roast the beans and ship the same day. They offter free shipping across Canada. Both of these roasts are fantastic. Some other brands and types I like are Kicking Horse Grizzly Claw Dark Roast, Kicking Horse 454 Horse Power Dark Roast, Salt Spring Island Dark French Roast, Salt Spring Island Sumatra Dark Roast, Fernwood Strongback Dark Roast, Doi Chaang Single-Estate Dark Roast, and Level Ground Tanzania Dark Roast. These are all great beans. The profiles I love the most are rich and bold, dark chocolate notes in the swallow, cocoa notes, nutty notes, or that very smoky taste. I do not like "flavored" coffee though. I always drink my coffee black, strong, and with no cream or sugar.


----------



## CaffeinatedX42

@beerguy0 - Nice to meet a fellow home roaster.  What equipment do you use?


----------



## iamxLn

Just found this thread. We have been really stepping up our coffee game over the last two years. Always loved coffee, but never took the time to read about how to make a better cup. We use a chemex and aero press in our home, used those for two years, they both give a different taste and mouth feel for me with the aero being a thicker feel and the chemex being cleaner. We are lucky enough to have some great coffee roasters in town. I'm awaiting my hand grinder that I ordered off Kickstarter! It should be here sometime in December. We've just been using a little cheapy grinder thus far.


----------



## hitead

I'm glad to have found this thread.  Big fan of coffee an currently have my career(distributor/sales) around it.
  
 Have you guys heard of cold-brew coffee?  It's picking up some steam here in So.Cal.  Basically coffee grinds(regular drip setting) that is stepped in room temp(or cold) water for 16-24 hours.  The process extracts more flavors and has a concentrated amount of caffeine, basically 3-4x the amount of caffeine of an 8oz. cup of coffee.


----------



## grokit

hitead said:


> I'm glad to have found this thread.  Big fan of coffee an currently have my career(distributor/sales) around it.
> 
> Have you guys heard of cold-brew coffee?  It's picking up some steam here in So.Cal.  Basically coffee grinds(regular drip setting) that is stepped in room temp(or cold) water for 16-24 hours.  The process extracts more flavors and has a concentrated amount of caffeine, basically 3-4x the amount of caffeine of an 8oz. cup of coffee.


 

 I didn't know that about the difference in caffeine content, thanks. Cold-brew coffee is also great for people that want to avoid the acidity of regular coffee.


----------



## iamxLn

In Omaha we are seeing a lot of the shops introduce nitro tap coffee. Which is a cold brew attached to a nitro tap (think Guinness) it has a velvety mouth feel and is just amazing. They generally serve it in a tulip glass.


----------



## hitead

Nitro infused cold-brew is amazing, mainly due to the creamy texture from the nitrogen.


----------



## jodgey4

Summermoon's wood-fired beans here in Austin .


----------



## iamxLn

wood roasted? just went to the website might have to order some of that.


----------



## jodgey4

Yeah, it's incredible stuff. They make a "007" and "Moonraker" iced coffee with their signature moonmilk that is perhaps the best coffee drink I've ever had. I've tried about half of their beans - Blue Blazes and Velvet Blaze I think are their main beans IIRC. Really smooth when prepared in a vacuum process IME!


----------



## iamxLn

Right on, I'll add it to my list. Bean smith and archetype are pretty legit here in Omaha.


----------



## serman005

Fortunately, we have many go-to places out here in Portland. My favorite is called Stumptown Coffee. They do an unwashed Salvadoran bean that is just out of this world. I honestly did not realize coffee could have so much and such complex flavor after years of Starbucks swill. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 High-quality coffee=good.


----------



## swspiers

sub'd


----------



## fuego

For me, I prefer Death Wish Ground Coffee. I drink roughly 2.5 cups per day, not sure if that makes me a heavy user, but Death Wish didn't turn me into Jason Statham in "Crank." I don't know if Death Wish really is double the strength as regular coffee, or if I'm just immune to caffeine, but I cannot say that this coffee affected me differently than any other coffee. If that's why you're buying Death Wish, you have been warned - after all, 19.99 is steep for 16 ounce bag of coffee. My heart stayed at sub hummingbird levels, I was able to operate heavy machinery, and I didn't stay up till 4 in the morning. In conclusion, I lived with a Death Wish, and I survived.


----------



## dockie7

I love Batangas Kapeng Barako.


----------



## stevemoore

Death wish coffee high in caffeine great in taste.


----------



## koenoe

Sitio Capoeira, Natural, Jeriquara, Brazil


----------



## Redcarmoose

My God! That photograph makes we want some! Coffee porn!


----------



## koenoe

I'm really into the South American coffees lately.
The other day I bought this one after a cupping session with some friends: https://foundrycoffeeroasters.com/products/finca-san-francisco-costa-rica
Never finished 1kg so fast!


----------



## plazzo

Love this thread Other day tried the poopy one from that animal on holiday. found my new love


----------



## alota

this month i´ll try the famous american coffee LOL


----------



## Henley2

Bezzera Magica with Mahlkoning grindr and fresh roasted beans


----------



## Markfm (Apr 19, 2018)

Another home roaster here.

I use Bodhi Leaf for my beans, they have a decent sale on a different bean each week.

El Salvador and Nicaragua beans have been consistent winners for me, nice chocolate and berry notes.

Last weekend's run was El Salvador Bello Horizonte and PNG Arokara.


----------



## siberianman

Tim Horton's coffee for me!


----------



## Tinnitus Man

I used to own a Gaggia Classic.

But now I'm lazy, I have one of these.


----------



## Ariaudio

When I have the time (weekends), I'm all about my 6-cup Chemex, Hario V60 Electric, Jennings CJ4000, and a fresh pouch of coffee from Counter Culture or Philz. Workdays it's Keurig sludge


----------



## MichaelXX2

Ariaudio said:


> When I have the time (weekends), I'm all about my 6-cup Chemex, Hario V60 Electric, Jennings CJ4000, and a fresh pouch of coffee from Counter Culture or Philz. Workdays it's Keurig sludge



What's so bad about Keurig coffee?


----------



## Ariaudio

Well, to be fair all my work gets is Starbucks K-cups. I keep begging for Peets to no avail...


----------



## Whazzzup

Black ivory coffee comming the worlds rarest and most expensive.


----------



## bfreedma

Whazzzup said:


> Black ivory coffee comming the worlds rarest and most expensive.



You’re on your own with that one.  Naturally refined by elephants just doesn’t seem appealing.

What’s really scary is some of the pricing on, um, traditionally processed coffee. I’m a big fan of George Howell, and they certainly carry coffee in the $20-$30 a pound range, but I’m starting to see microlots for $250-$300 a pound.  I’m willing to spend outrageous prices on collectable whiskey, but personally drawing the line on that kind of pricing for coffee.

That said, enjoy the Black Ivory and post some tasting notes.  Don’t forget to add the Coffee mate


----------



## Whazzzup

I figured blue mountain check, Hawaiian kona check, black ivory soon to check. Why should ritz Carleton patrons only have the try. Course notes and photos to follow. 300 lb produced world wide in 2017.


----------



## bfreedma

Whazzzup said:


> I figured blue mountain check, Hawaiian kona check, black ivory soon to check. Why should ritz Carleton patrons only have the try. Course notes and photos to follow. 300 lb produced world wide in 2017.



300lbs of beans or 300lbs of elephant remnants?  It certainly does bring new meaning to washed processing.

Sorry, I’ll stop and let you enjoy.

I’ve really been liking what’s coming out of Guatemala recently.  There seems to be a new generation of coffee growers who are turning out some fantastic beans.  The Pulcal has been exceptional recently.


----------



## Whazzzup

well black ivory is a full cherry bloom type coffee so it has that slight bitter cherry taste with chocolate tones.sorry for the pun.....Ok so the ritz can charge 50$ a coffee for this, realistically its 20 bucks per coffee at home. Not quite my thing as other cheery bloom lots like iota from brazil dentura farms. Im more into buttery hawaiian kona or jamaica blue type coffees. But after me and mine had a few cups we still have a couple of packs left, so our bottom feeding isn't done, har har


----------



## bfreedma

Whazzzup said:


> well black ivory is a full cherry bloom type coffee so it has that slight bitter cherry taste with chocolate tones.sorry for the pun.....Ok so the ritz can charge 50$ a coffee for this, realistically its 20 bucks per coffee at home. Not quite my thing as other cheery bloom lots like iota from brazil dentura farms. Im more into buttery hawaiian kona or jamaica blue type coffees. But after me and mine had a few cups we still have a couple of packs left, so our bottom feeding isn't done, har har




At least you can say you’ve tried it.  What method did you use to brew it?

Was lazy this morning and went to La Colombe for a cappuccino.  It’s nice to have one of the best roasters locally and they recently opened up a coffee shop near home.  If I’m out food shopping on a weekend morning, it’s a nice option for a great cup on the run.


----------



## Whazzzup

I have a jura 1 cappuccino maker with pour options. Use a separate frother. All auto so fairly handy. Got it through airmails a decade ago, it keeps on ticking so just stay with the danish cap maker


----------



## Ariaudio

Tinnitus Man said:


> I used to own a Gaggia Classic.
> 
> But now I'm lazy, I have one of these.



She's a beaut! How have you been liking it?


----------



## rawrster

Those of you who work in offices - outside of buying from coffee shops how do you get your coffee? I have terrible coffee at work (Keurig or some Dunkin donuts brew). I've been struggling between purchasing a $5 latte (or similarly priced Expresso drink) or dealing with what I have at work. 

I've been toying with the idea of a portable french press for a while and ended up purchasing the espro travel cup as it was on sale at Starbucks. If all goes well I'll purchase a small airtight container so that it can fit around a week or so of coffee grinds and keep it at work. I'll use the espro more like a small french press than anything portable since I'll keep it at work.


----------



## Markfm

I have a microwaveable French press carafe at work, with a small mason jar to store ground coffee, though much of the time I'll bring in a stainless steel container of cold brew that I keep in the office refrigerator..  About 2/3 mug of cold brew topped off with water, 90 seconds in the microwave, results in an excellent drink.


----------



## blackdragon87

two cups of straight black coffee 30 minutes everday before the gym


----------



## Tinnitus Man

Ariaudio said:


> She's a beaut! How have you been liking it?



I like it.  It's easy to use, easy to clean, and quick.  The thermos jug here gives me coffee that remains hot pretty much all day long.


----------



## tempwave

Chemex guy here. Use a small one at work throughout the week.  Primarily buy beans from the local roaster.


----------



## Playstation

Community Coffee - breakfast blend


----------



## Nolbert0 (Feb 7, 2019)

Popcorn popper to roast.
Aeropress to brew.

Can't beat the cost performance... If you can put in the time and effort

Edit: currently drinking Kenyan Blue Mountain and Ethiopian Sidamo.


----------



## donato

I'm a home roaster (10+ years) using a Gene Cafe.  This morning, I'm really enjoying Ethiopia Uraga Wolichu Wachu Station (sourced from Sweet Maria's).  I use a Bonavita porcelain pour over with the stopper so I can let it steep for a few minutes to get a bit more extraction.


----------



## protoss

2 cups and 1 cold brew  

Sometimes bullet coffe and flavour coffee to mix it up.

All black all day


----------



## Waxy

to me, coffee is the nectar of the gods! love picking out the beans, roasting them and, most importantly, drinking it. right now, my favorite for drip is Ethiopian dry processed yirgacheffes. also some wonderful harrars. very fruit forward with a wine-like complexity. I know what sounded like a douche, but there you have it.


----------



## Ariaudio

tempwave said:


> Chemex guy here. Use a small one at work throughout the week.  Primarily buy beans from the local roaster.



Pour over at work, you sir, are a lucky man.


----------



## Redcarmoose

I have found myself now at the bottom tier?


----------



## mikaell

A good Flat White is always a good companion to a Flat EQ. Really enjoy both!


----------



## Nolbert0

Currently on Kenyan Blue Mountain at around 'city roast' with popcorn popper. I prefer the lighter roasts because there's a lot less bitterness which in turn, allows the subtler flavours to reach the palate.

Recently discovered Guatemalan to be easy/predictable to roast also.

I've a coffee roastery (is that even a word, or did I just make it up?) within walking distance so I have access to decent fair trade green coffee beans.

My cup of choice is a black Americano (well, sort of... I use an aeropress).


----------



## Redcarmoose (Sep 14, 2019)

I’ve resisted “coffee-pods” forever, though a new machine is maybe winning me over. Expresso “in-hand”......about sixty seconds after switching the on switch? Strange it’s smoother than using the same coffee brand in my regular expresso machine? There has to be a downside here?

The only thing is it’s limited to single shots at one time.


----------



## Redcarmoose

*This is getting out of hand.*


----------



## xenoVa

Starbucks flat white w/ extra shot. My favorite


----------



## Whazzzup

Ahh coffee


----------



## fzman

Sold my Behmor to a friend and bought a Kaldi Wide, with the chaff collector/bean cooling unit....   I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!


----------



## Redcarmoose

https://www.amazon.com/Number-One-Original-Thai-Iced/dp/B00712N6II


Thai Tea! The ultimate coffee replacement.


----------



## sola

Any k cup coffee recommended?


----------



## donato

sola said:


> Any k cup coffee recommended?



Not a fan of k cups except purely for convenience sake, but I can recommend Peet's (disclosure: I used to work in the home office).  They would overnight these huge (> 100lbs) sealed bags of freshly roasted coffee from the roastin plant to Keurig Green Mountain to be made into K-cups.  Freshness still makes a difference.


----------



## Ash

MichaelXX2 said:


> What's so bad about Keurig coffee?


Stale, overpriced and horrible for the environment.


----------



## RONJA MESCO

everyone should have the pleasure of using a moka pot for coffee in the mornings...making some cuban coffee is the best joy in the world.


----------



## Broquen

I've been working for quite some years in the coffee world and appreciate specially arabic (arabiga variety) ones. Nespresso facility in Switzerland is something to take a look at. Big vacuum room where the best green coffees are toasted, ground and encapsulated. The whole coffee system is (or was at least) conceived as a closed system that grants always same toast degree, machine pressure, grain measure and consistent final product, buying the best plantations in the world along with Starbucks. Although they are very different animals (espresso vs. long -more water plus saviors- coffe). But at the end, in regards to the coffee origins, the height at which it was grown is the most important thing when looking for the best green coffee quality.
Jamaican Blue Mountain is considered to be one of the best varieties, but the production is very short and there're a lot of places that claim to sell it when they're selling fishes for chickens. Not too much people has had the chance to taste it for real. 
Anyway, espresso format always for the win hehe.


----------



## donato

Broquen said:


> Jamaican Blue Mountain is considered to be one of the best varieties, but the production is very short and there're a lot of places that claim to sell it when they're selling fishes for chickens.



It's been awhile since I've had JBM.  I got into the hype of it many, many years ago because it's certainly expensive although my understanding is that a large part of that reason is because 80% goes to Japan and the rest of the world has to make due with the minimal remaining 20% supply.  If you want something low in supply, go buy some kopi luwak (more a novelty than great coffee in the 2 times I've had it).

I'm partial to Ethiopian and Kenyan beans and sometimes Guatemalan Gesha (I haven't seen Panama Gesha available anywhere except in Panama).


----------



## Broquen

donato said:


> It's been awhile since I've had JBM.  I got into the hype of it many, many years ago because it's certainly expensive although my understanding is that a large part of that reason is because 80% goes to Japan and the rest of the world has to make due with the minimal remaining 20% supply.  If you want something low in supply, go buy some kopi luwak (more a novelty than great coffee in the 2 times I've had it).
> 
> I'm partial to Ethiopian and Kenyan beans and sometimes Guatemalan Gesha (I haven't seen Panama Gesha available anywhere except in Panama).



You're right. I'm lately trying a lot of different AA quality beans from different places and opened a lot my mind in the last years. I drink a lot of coffee (1-2 coffee with milk + 5-7 spresso a day at least) and love to be able to choose between different tastes, intensities, etc. 
Nowadays it's possible to drink very good decaffs too, so since some years ago, I'm no longer looking for rare beans from very short harvests unless the opportunity presents itself unexpectedly.



Spoiler


----------



## eaglerock

Another coffee geek here  took some savings to get a nice setup. I enjoy trying a lot of different roasters from around the world 🤩


----------



## Broquen

eaglerock said:


> Another coffee geek here  took some savings to get a nice setup. I enjoy trying a lot of different roasters from around the world 🤩



Cheers! 
Gorgeous! 
Happy 2021!


----------



## Garak

Broquen said:


> I drink a lot of coffee (1-2 coffee with milk + 5-7 spresso a day at least) and love to be able to choose between different tastes, intensities, etc.



5-7 single shots? Just trying to gauge how ridiculous my personal consumption is lol


----------



## Broquen

Yes. In my case always in ristretto format (very short). But I think that the important thing here is to enjoy it in everyone's preferences, despite format or quantity


----------



## Garak

Ah! OK, that's not so bad  I will typically have 2-3 (double shot) espressos a day, depending on the day. But I'm in grad school so caffeine is part of the job description lol.


----------



## ahaadam

Does anyone use a coffee subscription they'd recommend? Currently use HasBean and they're pretty great value.


----------



## bhschap

ahaadam said:


> Does anyone use a coffee subscription they'd recommend? Currently use HasBean and they're pretty great value.


I would definitely recommend Go Get Em Tiger out of California (GGET).  The co-owner is a barista champion and finalist for many years.  Their roaster knows what they are doing and always shares tasty stuff.  I think they strike a great value in taste/cost per month.


----------



## Lolito

Mine:


----------



## cddc

Lolito said:


> Mine:




Very nice expresso machine!

The Adam monitor above makes it Head-Fi pre-approved...LOL


----------



## cddc

I see lots of talk here, but barely see coffee/expresso making machines posted (except the above one).

Please post more pics on them...


----------



## chaosMonkey

Highly recommended, if extravagant, pandemic coping mechanism. Vermont has some fantastic micro-roaster, but the *Vivid Coffee* crew in Winooski is a real eye-opener. They started a subscription service when the pandemic broke. They've given bags of beans to overworked crews at the local hospital. They've donated funds to out-of-work baristas. But it's the coffees and the roasting that first caught me.

https://vividcoffee.com/

If you are ever in Middlebury, seek out https://www.royaloakcoffee.com/home for an amazing cortado.


----------



## Lolito

cddc said:


> Very nice expresso machine!
> 
> The Adam monitor above makes it Head-Fi pre-approved...LOL



Thanks!! It's a great machine, bought it refurbished, was 10 years old already. Makes great coffee and can be tinkered, requires a tiny little bit of love, like audio stuff. Then it rewards you with a great thing. Another day I post the grinder, used Mazzer turned into single doser.


----------



## cddc

Lolito said:


> Thanks!! It's a great machine, bought it refurbished, was 10 years old already. Makes great coffee and can be tinkered, requires a tiny little bit of love, like audio stuff. Then it rewards you with a great thing. Another day I post the grinder, used Mazzer turned into single doser.




What's the brand of the machine, is it also a Rancillio?


----------



## Lolito

No. Mine is a BFC Junior Plus. Levetta in USA. Just a heat exchanger espresso machine, with E-61 group, and thermomenter installed later. 1100€ new.


----------



## mammal

So don't hate me, but I am one of those "Starbucks" caramel macchiato drinkers. Now that it is not possible for me to go and buy a cup, I decided to grind my own, make two shots of espresso and then steam/foam some milk, with vanilla sirup and caramel topping, liking it even more than Starbucks, haha.


----------



## swspiers

mammal said:


> So don't hate me, but I am one of those "Starbucks" caramel macchiato drinkers. Now that it is not possible for me to go and buy a cup, I decided to grind my own, make two shots of espresso and then steam/foam some milk, with vanilla sirup and caramel topping, liking it even more than Starbucks, haha.


There's no shame in Starbucks! They are the gateway to amazing things, and I think most people discover good coffee through them. Kind of like beats headphones...

Sounds like a great drink, enjoy!


----------



## chrisgtl

I need to join in here.

I've been meaning to upgrade, this has got me looking into them again. For sure it needs to be mirror finish with an analogue gauge (right ticks my box, sir!).

My beans are from a local company to me called 'Coffee Brothers'. Based in Huddersfield, W.Yorks here in the UK. The blend is 'Lovely Louie's'. Blue Mountain as a treat when I pass my fav bean supplier.

Love coffee! Love life!!


----------



## OceanRanger

chrisgtl said:


> I need to join in here.
> 
> I've been meaning to upgrade, this has got me looking into them again. For sure it needs to be mirror finish with an analogue gauge (right ticks my box, sir!).
> 
> ...





The headphone hobby makes the coffee hobby seem pretty affordable….


----------



## OceanRanger

trying to beat the heat with an espresso and tonic. who would have thought that bitter + bitter would be so good?


----------



## chrisgtl (Jul 24, 2021)

OceanRanger said:


> The headphone hobby makes the coffee hobby seem pretty affordable….



This forum has this strange power to abuse my bank...........

My upgrade....


----------



## chrisgtl

Ah. My new coffee machine is pants!

Going to try send this back as unfit for purpose. What a messy, scruffy, horrible bit of kit.

You need at least 4 Wheatabix before attempting to secure the grounds handle. You need need to eat another 8 Wheatabix to remove it.

Once removed expect a splattering of wet coffee grounds over anything in a 5 mile radius.

Once that ordeal is over a large bucket is needed to catch the non-stop drip/splatter of water.

Absolutely useless! Looks awesome though.


----------



## fzman

Sorry to hear that.  Gonna replace it with same machine, or something completely different (with apologies to Monty Python)?


----------



## chrisgtl

Not sure yet. Pretty sure this one is boiling water at 135 instead of 95 even with the steam turned off.


----------



## fzman

I hope it works out for you.


----------



## chrisgtl

Note to self; only use a CC for expensive purchases.


----------



## chrisgtl

Bought the Lelit Victoria. Just waiting for it to arrive.


----------



## fzman

Fingers crossed.


----------



## OceanRanger

For those interested in cool caffeinated drinks for hot days, I've been enjoying both of the below
Caffe Shakerato
Espresso Tonic

Both are non-alcoholic and quite tasty. I haven't bothered making my own tonic from scratch.


----------



## chrisgtl

In the voice of Clarkson. What a maaachiiine!


----------



## kadinh

Everyone here posting their awesome espresso setups...I'm here thinking the coffee I make with the $8 Hario V60 tastes great.


----------



## AudioCats (Apr 2, 2022)

a review of low budget coffee gear

*USB-rechargeable portable burr grinder*.
Model "C-grind, 13w". Conical Burr. Detachable mid-hopper style. This type of USB portable grinder is being sold on Amazon for about $25, under several different "brands", they are probably all from the same factory.









*The good:*
-- grind consistency is good, similar to store bought ground coffee. Now I can get freshly-grind ground right before the brew, instead of weeks-old factory grounds.
-- wide enough fine/coarse adjustment to accommidate from espresso to drip (coffee maker) needs.
-- automatically stops when (it thinks) grinding is finished.

*The bad:*
-- there has been report of upper E-clip falling off (then jammed/damaged the burr) --> Needs modification.
-- the ground collection jar is not locked into place, it is held only by friction, can fall off if not careful.

*The not-sure:*
-- light-weight build, feels kind of flimsy.
-- plastic gears, not sure how durable it can be.


The hopper holds 26~27g of whole beams (Boyers espresso roast).

*fine/coarse adjuste*r is at the end of the burr shaft. There are "steps", not very definitive but there.

(There is no marking on the adjuster. I made up the step #'s. #1= adjuster turned all the way in)
#1, about the same size/consistency of a store-bought espresso ground, say, Lavazza Rossa. Works well in my little Salton EX-96 (a basic, manual machine with non-pressurized portafilter).
Actually it is maybe a little too fine for the Salton, the pressure builds up quickly and the pressure-relief valve in the cap trips non-stop.
#2 espresso or moka pot.
#4 about the same size/consistency as pre-grounded coffee (eight o'clock etc), so I guess it is medium. We use it in a "Mr Coffee" coffee maker at work, with good results.

ground uniformity is pretty good up to this point. Not too much powdery fines, no boulders.
It can do coarser grinds but uniformity starts to suffer.

Ground doesn't stick to the collection jar. (slow grind, not much static build up).


*Grind time*:
(Boyers espresso roast whole beans)
#1 setting: 7~8 minutes to do 25g
#3 and #4 setting: 5~6 minutes to do 25g. There are usually some whole beans left in the hopper when it auto-stops, I have to shake the hopper a little then start again.

*Noise level* is not bad. To reduce the noise I just put it into the fridge and close the fridge door..... it will auto-stop anyway.
Or put a towel/blanket over it.

*Charging and battery*:
Charging is done via the USB-C port. The power switch ring flashes red when charging, turns solid blue when fully charged.
It will not grind while charging.







Battery voltage after two 25g grinds = 3.96v. According to info on the web this suggests there is ~70% capacity remaining, so each 25g grind uses ~15%
--> a full charge should be able to do 6 such grinds.
power consumption estimation: each grind uses 1250mAhx15%x4v=0.75wh, over 6 minutes --> ~7.5w

*Internals*:
to disassemble the top/motor assembly, first pry out the power button







then pry out the sub-frame/insert (probably not the proper name, but you get the idea). The plastic material is kind of soft, similar to what is used in a sports water-bottle, no risk of cracking here.




















Marking on the silver Lipo pack shows 1250mAh.





gears are made of white plastic, don't know how durable but I suspect they will outlast the battery pack.







*Mod:*
there are two E-clips on the square drive shaft, the top one holds pressure during grinding (pressure from the coffee pieces jamming between inner and outer burr). There is a report in Amazon reviews showing this e-clip falling off during grind.
I replaced the e-clip with a lock ring after reading about this problem.

The locking ring was made using a flat washer with 4mm center hole. I cut a slot in the washer then widened the gap so it will slide over the drive shaft to the groove spot. Then clamp it into the groove.




The e-clip in the middle of drive shaft only holds light pressure from the adjuster tension spring, I left it alone.

This is a very light-duty grinder but the grind result has been very good. I bought it for work use, maybe 2~3 grinds a day. Lets see how long it will last in that role.


----------



## AudioCats (May 7, 2022)

another low budget grinder review...

*USB-rechargable portable coffee grinder, fixxed top hopper, stainless body, (no brand, no model #)*




This grinder was bought off Amazon for around $25. No model #, no brand.
I bought it because the grind adjustment is external, by turning a ring in the middle of the body. (The "C-grind" reviewed above works well but grind setting is done at the burr head so not convenient to set or check.)

*Summary:
**conclusion: not recommended

the good:*
-- grind quality is pretty good (for ultra-fine to Moka pot size).
-- top hopper, easy to add beans. hopper and the chute below hold about 65gs when full.
-- sturdy build with stainless steel outer shell.
-- no electrostatic build up.

*the bad:*
-- requires special charging cable. It can only be charged with the included cable. The power jack is of the micro-USB "type" but it is recessed in the body requiring a longer tip to reach it.
-- very slow grinding.  ~15 minutes to grind 25g of dark-roast beans at the coarsest setting; ~30 minutes to do 25g at the finest setting.
-- beans can get stuck in the chute and not reaching the burr ---> burr spinning but nothing coming out ---> requires shaking the grinder once every 2 minutes or so to resettle the beans.
-- ground container is held in place by a silicon o-ring, easy to fall off when shaken ( --> coffee ground everywhere).
-- no auto-off, needs to turn on/off manually.

the maybe:
-- grind size adjustment range is very small. Adjustment is done by turning the middle ring, there are 5 steps. It goes from very fine (fluffy and powdery, finer than espresso) to medium-fine, not quite coarse enough for coffee maker.
** grounds from the finest setting yield about the same extraction time as xx3.0 setting on my j-max, (xx3.0 is supposedly 12x8.8uM=105uM). Too fine for espresso, probably not fine enough for turkish coffee.








battery capacity is supposedly 1200mAh.

30mm white ceramic burr.








Noise level is ok, the sound is probably a little less than the C-grind above, but at a higher pitch, so actually more annoying. Plus the grind time is now 3x longer so it can become very irritating.

internals photos:














the center chip has no marking.


----------



## ThEvil0nE

☕cheers!


----------



## DJW50

OceanRanger said:


> The headphone hobby makes the coffee hobby seem pretty affordable….


Good to see another lever fan here, I have a La Pavoni Esperto Abile I roast my own beans too having just bought a Sandbox home roaster.
Once you get to this stage the coffee is superb and very fresh.


----------



## AudioCats (May 2, 2022)

*quick review, 1zpresso J-max*

the good:
-- has very very fine adjustment steps. Adjustment is done by rotating the top ring, total adjustment is four and half turns. each turn has 9 #'s, (8.8um per #, according to izpresso), and 10 click per # (0.88um per click).
-- solid build, very heavy duty.
-- fast grinding, less than 1 minute to do 18g of dark roast at very fine settings.

the not so much:
-- getting the ground out is kind of messy. I wish the metal is un-coated stainless so there is less electrostatic build up. grounds stick to the inside of ground container and around the burr area, requiring using a small brush to get them out.
-- This grinder is really only suitable for fine grinds. Grounds from large setting (*****0.0, which is 4x90x0.88=316um) have kind of a flake/slice shape.


The extra-fine adjustment capability turns out to be a must for my espresso experiments. For the kind of beans I am using, the usable setting range is **3.5 to **6.5  ( ** means the 2nd turn, **3.5 is (90+35) x 0.88=110um, **6.5 is (90+65)x0.88=136um), just 26um difference, in this j-max there are 30 clicks in between for fine tuning.






overall very good as a reference grinder for espresso experimenting


----------



## AudioCats (May 9, 2022)

gear review, *Cafflano Kompresso*

simple yet effective design. Just a cup, a basket/portafilter assembly (non-pressurized, 46mm ID), a stainless screen, a water tube (28mm ID), and a piston/handle.

pressure #'s: the tube ID/piston OD is 28mm => cross section about 1 square inch
5 bars=5x14.7psi=73.5psi, need ~74LB of force on the piston
9 bar = 9x14.7psi=132psi, need ~132LB force.
doable when pressing down using body weight.

This little press *requires very fine grounds*, much finer than a typical espresso machine. When using the C-grind (USB rechargable grinder), My Flair Pro2 uses setting #3 or #4, while the Kompresso needs #1, the finest, (and even that is barely fine enough).
maybe the basket is too wide and too shallow.


The result:
(13g of Peets French roast, grinded using C-grind @ #1 (the finest setting);
60mL of hot water,
20 seconds pre-infusion;
actual press time: ~30 seconds using maybe 80LB of force.)
 juice temp was 55C, measured in the cup, about 1 minute after pressing.
Juice yield was about 1oz, about a 1:2 ratio.



higher dosage than 13g requires double-tamp.

random photos:










shower-screen


----------



## MeiLing

I am a firm believer that there could not  be life before coffee kind skeptical about the Adam and Eve story . The best coffee I have had was just roasted coffee on a Kenyan coffee farm , second to that a coffee shop in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam a great coffee culture there . (All subjective though it was a beautiful day in the Kenyan Highlands and 6 months in Vietnam was an adventure) I usually use a Moka Pot or AeroPress or  a Greek/Turkish stove top pot and prefer dark roasted coffee blends of robusta and arabica. I never pass a new coffee shop by some never to enter again.


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## theredmantra

JadeEast said:


> Milk and sugar are like using eq.


I literally laughed out loud reading this. Thank you!


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## theredmantra

I read this entire thread from beginning to end over two cups of coffee grown in Burundi. Oro Yeast Natural Process with a medium style roast. Coffee is really something I'm passionate about and it's nice to see so many preferences here. It's a deep hole one can climb into. Some interesting things you might want to explore:

*Origin* - Single, mixed lot, blended etc. Some coffees are from a region and some can be traced down to a single farm.

*Process* - There are so many ways to process beans before they are roasted. Natural, Washed, Honey, Anaerobic combinations, Sugar Cane Decaf, etc etc. Explore these!

*Roasted on date* - A good rule of thumb is if a coffee has a roasted on date it may be a better quality roast. I buy coffee the day after roast and notice that the flavor can change for up to the first 8 weeks. I usually don't drink it for the first few days and grind each serving as I need it.

*Oily beans* - When coffee is roasted it goes through different phases. Browning, or Maillard Phase is when the green bean starts to turn brown like a tasty vegetable in a pan. Depending on how long your beans are roasted they can get darker and eventually release oils. That is not inherently bad but it does decrease shelf life for my preference. I like my beans dry. Some process like Sugar Cane Decaffeination do cause oilier beans but that isn't a bad thing if it's what you like.

*Roast* - Blonde, Light, Medium, Dark, Extra Dark, Starburnt (haha). Roasting a bean changes the flavor more than the caffeine content in any substantial amount. I don't roast coffee but I do have different ones custom roasted locally for my company. I've been able to learn quite a bit about different roasts and ultimately I find there is a preference for all of them. Think "sound signature" but with flavor.

*Brew Method *- Too many to name. Different brew methods do better with different grinds. I like to grind my coffee to angel dust when I use my Aeropress and a nice course grind is great for French Press. A good grind is the second most important thing after a good bean. Look at a cheap conical burr grinder instead of a spinning chop chop blade. Steep times also vary by method, grind and water temperature. Play around! You're dialing in YOUR favorite.

If I can leave you with one thing from this rant it would be support your local roasters/baristas. And I don't mean sugar-fat drinks with a splash of coffee that come from a shack on a corner designed to not block the flow of traffic. Try different coffees. Origins, roasts, brew methods. Engage with your barista. Try DIFFERENT shops. Support your local coffee scene.

My favorite setup for the money (and the scale is no longer in use, I found it to be unnecessary for me):
Aeropress
Electric Kettle - Bonavita (purchased on Drop.com! haha)
Burr Grinder - Capresso Infinity


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## JadeEast

I've migrated back to Hario V60 paper filter for the last bit from a flannel dripper. Been going higher ratio 20g to 250ml and *gasp* not blooming, doing a single pour, and agitating by stirring at the end of the pour with a chopstick. Weird.


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## ThEvil0nE (Jun 21, 2022)

Place of business back room is my little corner of Japanese machines. Top (teal) is a totally silent drip brewer. It is a hefty under 2 minutes tiny little brewer.  Bottom is a steam press brewer. It’s like a french press and aeropress but using steam pressure, even fits aeropress filter. Brew time around  3-4 minute depending on bloom time setting.

Also, 2 blocks down from me is an air roaster/coffee shop.


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## gimmeheadroom

JadeEast said:


> Milk and sugar are like using eq.


Indeed, and you will find further measurements here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/coffee-fi.421368/post-16955618

<FACEPALM> coffee is exactly like hifi


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## ThEvil0nE

gimmeheadroom said:


> Indeed, and you will find further measurements here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/coffee-fi.421368/post-16955618
> 
> <FACEPALM> coffee is exactly like hifi


Without the snake oils.. it don't work with coffee lol


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## gimmeheadroom

ThEvil0nE said:


> Without the snake oils.. it don't work with coffee lol


What do you think they use at the factory to lubricate the steel grinder burrs? If you buy ceramic, you can avoid this problem


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## ThEvil0nE

gimmeheadroom said:


> What do you think they use at the factory to lubricate the steel grinder burrs? If you buy ceramic, you can avoid this problem


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## JadeEast

B
You have to use a nonconductive method of attachment when using a crystal on your grinder or it won't work


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## TimSchirmer

AudioCats said:


> gear review, *Cafflano Kompresso*
> 
> simple yet effective design. Just a cup, a basket/portafilter assembly (non-pressurized, 46mm ID), a stainless screen, a water tube (28mm ID), and a piston/handle.
> 
> ...


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## TimSchirmer

radiohlite said:


> only talking about COFFEE itself, not gadgets or preparation or milk/sugar etc.
> 
> were talking brands/varieties within same brand, or just 'types' for lack of a better word.



Okay, so I have a little contribution here. As many of you know, my second home is Colombia. I just returned with some amazing coffees from the Sierra Nevada mountains such as Finca Tawa, Divino de la Sierra, Mina Rica and Cafe San Rafel. One of the bigger issues finding coffees from Colombia without actually being there is that there are very few places you can get the good stuff shipped overseas, as many of the better coffees are only sold domestically there. (Think of how the Japanese Domestic Market works, but with Coffee instead of good Audio-Technica, Luxman and Denon). So I'll leave a few good options that ship overseas here because it breaks my heart to see you guys paying lots of money for stuff like Peet's with all this fancy coffee gear!

Juan Valdez
This not one particular company but is actually the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia and has been around since the late 50's. They were formed to promote Colombian Coffee around the world. Nowadays, they operate cafes all around the country and are as popular as Starbucks there, and are kind of like Colombia's coffee mafia, so the majority of coffee goes out of the country it gets their stamp of approval. That said, they have some incredible coffees and cafes all over the country and are probably one of the easier ways to get the good stuff exported. This goes double if shipping anywhere outside the U.S. and Canada.
https://www.juanvaldezcafestore.com/

Cafe Colo
This is a newer company, but they stand out to me because their primary purpose is to preserve the cultivation of non-commercially viable coffee strains. Their fanciest coffees are the "Ancestros" line with very difficult to find varietals like trapiche, geisha.etc. The "Diversos" line has coffees from growing areas around different parts of the country, and the "contempporaneos" are coffees made with cutting edge manufacturing techniques. They also offer operate two of the best cafes Usaquen in Bogota. They have varieties that are nearly impossible to find anywhere else.
https://us.colo.coffee/collections/

Mina Rica
This is a cool woman-owned coffee company that sells lovely coffees from Los Andes. I'm sipping a cup now and it's truly wonderful. I had the opportunity to try it at their cafe in Medellin, and while their page is a bit minimal, they roast very fresh and they do free shipping to the U.S.!
https://minarica.co/

Cafe Tio Conejo
I haven't been there myself, but have tried their coffee which came highly recommended by friends I trust in Manizales, and they ship to the US at a reasonable price.
https://cafetioconejo.com/

Good luck and I hope you guys enjoy some Colombian Coffee. I'll edit this post every few months as I find more myself, but getting this stuff shipped here has been a great life hack.

*One quick note about brewing methods... The fancier coffee places in Colombia have all sorts of pour over gear, crazy glass hario contraptions.etc, but the standard nationwide is the old school Italian style stovetop brewer. Think moka pot by Bialetti. This is what you'll see most Colombians using for their morning coffee with arepas.


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## whitedragem

JadeEast said:


> B
> You have to use a nonconductive method of attachment when using a crystal on your grinder or it won't work


I have read that ‘dampening’ in this way can kill the ‘highs’.


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## whitedragem (Jun 28, 2022)

further reading on the topic suggests that using a ‘hemp’ material to couple the equipment, whilst aligning the output lines towards Sirius, will restore sufficient high level energy.

JB hifi has the breville Duo boiler going for 1050$(Australia) (this is like half price)- the problem is I know once we go ‘that level of temp/pressure control’ that we need a $700+ grinder. (bugger!)

edit: added the “+”


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## gimmeheadroom

Dual boilers are probably more trouble than they're worth unless you need to make a lot of milk drinks in a row.

And, a good HX machine deserves a great grinder- not just double boilers


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## whitedragem

gimmeheadroom said:


> Dual boilers are probably more trouble than they're worth unless you need to make a lot of milk drinks in a row.
> 
> And, a good HX machine deserves a great grinder- not just double boilers


actually, missus wants something akin to the crystal featuring device..
we went shopping yesterday for our ‘replacement’ _family member_, and she decided on some utilitarian tools (that we could even take ‘camping’…)

We gave up milky coffee ‘awhile ago’; before we met I had only ever been a straight black ‘person’ (actually a wee bit scottish, so this statement is purely humorous, and unfouded in truth)


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## gimmeheadroom

whitedragem said:


> actually, missus wants something akin to the crystal featuring device..



I didn't understand.



whitedragem said:


> We gave up milky coffee ‘awhile ago’; before we met I had only ever been a straight black ‘person’ (actually a wee bit scottish, so this statement is purely humorous, and unfouded in truth)


Oh in that case, double boiler is absolutely a terrible idea. They're only for heavy-duty steaming, are harder to descale, and have other disadvantages.


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## JadeEast

whitedragem said:


> actually, missus wants something akin to the crystal featuring device..


If it's a hand grinder you're after, that one's been great for pour overs. Don't do espresso at home so no idea how it would do on that. But 1Zpresso seems to make a nice product. No regrets. Got it when wife was working from home and I had to get coffee going without interrupting her zoom meetings a few meters away from the kitchen.


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## fzman

I bougfht one of these for the emergency, No-electricity coffee making solution:  Orphan Espresso Apex Manual Grinder.  (Not an active link).  It is relatively easy to crank, especially when bolted to a cutting board, and you can grind 555-ish gram loads for a pot of drip or chemex, etc. in relatively short amount of time.  if you can heat water without electricity- you are golden


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## swspiers

What a pointless and ridiculous article. Sadly, it probably represents what people think...

https://www.tastingtable.com/106335...sting-table-this-is-the-worst-brewing-method/


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## Elegiac

Supermarket Turkish/Greek. So Al ameed w/ Cardamom, or Oasis. 
I've got an electric Briki that I shamefully bash out a morning cuppa with. And a traditional Briki for the stovetop if I want to be more proper.


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## richoval

gimmeheadroom said:


> Oh in that case, double boiler is absolutely a terrible idea. They're only for heavy-duty steaming, are harder to descale, and have other disadvantages.


or you just buy one like this, where you can selectively switch on the second boiler if you want to steal milk.


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## gimmeheadroom

^ bad idea


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## richoval

why?


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## gimmeheadroom

Because it has all the disadvantages of a double boiler + added complexity.

Easy guideline- if you make milk drinks for one or two people, get an HX machine. If you make milk drinks all day long for multiple people, or you are a perfectionist who wants the best steaming possible and are willing to do preventive maintenance and deal with water quality, then get a double boiler. And go for name brands, not some cheap piece of junk no matter how fancy it looks.


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## richoval

well you might be more experienced than i, but i own an profitec pro 300 at home (and a rocket in my office) and it‘s perfect for what i use it for. i use filtered water only, so i think i‘m fine from a water quality point of view. it‘s ready to go in 5min which is the main reason i bought it for home, the only downside for me so far is, that the steamer is not super strong (ok for a single cappuccino, just takes longer than my rocket). also profitec is a daughter company of ecm, and afaik, they deliver great quality. but again, you might have more insights in that. and finally, 1300 bucks is a great price for it, leaves some more bucks for a really good grinder. 

what espressomachine do you own? just out of curiosity… anyway, it‘s time for a nice cappucino, have a great sunday!


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## gimmeheadroom

richoval said:


> well you might be more experienced than i, but i own an profitec pro 300 at home (and a rocket in my office) and it‘s perfect for what i use it for. i use filtered water only, so i think i‘m fine from a water quality point of view. it‘s ready to go in 5min which is the main reason i bought it for home, the only downside for me so far is, that the steamer is not super strong (ok for a single cappuccino, just takes longer than my rocket). also profitec is a daughter company of ecm, and afaik, they deliver great quality. but again, you might have more insights in that. and finally, 1300 bucks is a great price for it, leaves some more bucks for a really good grinder.
> 
> what espressomachine do you own? just out of curiosity… anyway, it‘s time for a nice cappucino, have a great sunday!


I have an ECM Technika V Profi PID and a Eureka Mignon Specialita grinder which is low/zero retention, I use it for single-dosing. There are some things I like about the ECM machine but for the money I'm a bit disappointed. I'll upgrade in a few years. The grinder is good so far, especially for the price, since I got a large discount for the grinder when I bought the ECM.

The point is more about when you need a double boiler. Just because your HX machine doesn't steam as much as you want is likely because it is not a high-end HX, not because it needs a double boiler. If you go double boiler you have more complex maintenance and if your water has minerals they can be harder to descale.

My ECM steams perfectly fine while I'm pulling shots. But I don't pull shots all day long.

It has a very fast warm-up, 5 minutes, and I leave it on all day.


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## richoval

gimmeheadroom said:


> I have an ECM Technika V Profi PID and a Eureka Mignon Specialita grinder which is low/zero retention, I use it for single-dosing. There are some things I like about the ECM machine but for the money I'm a bit disappointed. I'll upgrade in a few years. The grinder is good so far, especially for the price, since I got a large discount for the grinder when I bought the ECM.
> 
> The point is more about when you need a double boiler. Just because your HX machine doesn't steam as much as you want is likely because it is not a high-end HX, not because it needs a double boiler. If you go double boiler you have more complex maintenance and if your water has minerals they can be harder to descale.
> 
> ...


I think profitec has a great bang for the buck. But to be honest, the rocket appartamento is amazing for it‘s pricepoint (if you can live without pid and a very small drip tray, you can change the plastic cup frame): it costs 1000 bucks in switzerland, don‘t know if you can get a better machine for that pricepoint… 

but to your point, you‘re right, it‘s not like everybody needs a dual boiler system and it may have relevant disadvantages in comparison to a heat exchanger. 

what are you thinking to upgrade to? the flagship machines are often to big for me... a friend bought a dalla corte studio, super expensive, but a great machine…


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## gimmeheadroom

richoval said:


> I think profitec has a great bang for the buck. But to be honest, the rocket appartamento is amazing for it‘s pricepoint (if you can live without pid and a very small drip tray, you can change the plastic cup frame): it costs 1000 bucks in switzerland, don‘t know if you can get a better machine for that pricepoint…



I think a PID is essential in getting consistent shots but I know the Rocket machines have a lot of fans.



richoval said:


> but to your point, you‘re right, it‘s not like everybody needs a dual boiler system and it may have relevant disadvantages in comparison to a heat exchanger.
> 
> what are you thinking to upgrade to? the flagship machines are often to big for me... a friend bought a dalla corte studio, super expensive, but a great machine…


Yeah, I don't have so much space for it either and the ECM is way heavy and came in a gigantic box that takes up space in my storage room.

Probably La Marzocca but I have a few years to decide. And I have my eye on the Ceado but I really don't need it.


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## richoval

gimmeheadroom said:


> I think a PID is essential in getting consistent shots but I know the Rocket machines have a lot of fans.
> 
> 
> Yeah, I don't have so much space for it either and the ECM is way heavy and came in a gigantic box that takes up space in my storage room.
> ...



to be honest, i tried espressos out of machines with and without pid and i couldn‘t really tell the difference… but anyway, i‘m still working on the perfect extraction. just bought a bottomless portafilter and it was very revealing to say the least…. la marzocco gs3 would be my dream, but definitly can‘t justify the cost… would love to have a machine with a rotatory pump, just think it sounds so smooth… have a look at dalla corte, also expensive but smaller than marzocco. Ceado only make grinders no?


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## gimmeheadroom

richoval said:


> to be honest, i tried espressos out of machines with and without pid and i couldn‘t really tell the difference… but anyway, i‘m still working on the perfect extraction. just bought a bottomless portafilter and it was very revealing to say the least…. la marzocco gs3 would be my dream, but definitly can‘t justify the cost… would love to have a machine with a rotatory pump, just think it sounds so smooth… have a look at dalla corte, also expensive but smaller than marzocco. Ceado only make grinders no?


Espresso is about pressure, temperature, and time. So the PID is critical. But unless everything else is perfect you have to eliminate all the variables to notice it.

Yeah, I meant if I buy a new machine and also a new grinder.


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## cuprajake

Here's my setup, 





ACS Evo lever dual doiler, mazzer major with SSP burrs 83mm and a niche zero.

In terms of machines dual boilers offer a temp stability that no hx can match. 

Piss are important too, don't forget with a dual boiler you can turn the steam boiler off, I've had hx machines in the past and they can swing quite alot 

Water wise make your own and you will never have to descale 😁😁😁


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## richoval

i would love to have a niche… but they are not available here…. make your own water??? very nice (and clean!) setup!!


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## cuprajake

I thought they were world wide? 

Yep I use reverse osmosis water. 😁


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## richoval

ähm, are you talking about your pee??? 😅


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## gimmeheadroom (Nov 8, 2022)

Here's my setup:

ECM Technika V Profi PID
VST 20g competition basket
Eureka Specialita (zero retention, perfect for single-dosing)
ECM tamping stand
Asso leveler
generic dosing cup and grain spoon
Felicita scale (after hating many scales found one that I love. Battery charge lasts forever and it's perfectly repeatable)
The usual brushes, tool, towels etc.

I have ECM branded espresso and cappucino cups but also some house brand and Loveramics cups for cappucino, latte, Americano etc. (not shown)


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## Trihexagonal

Coleman Camping Stainless Steel Percolator


​


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## AudioCats

just in case somebody wants to start home roasting on the cheap.....

you can use a Klarstein vitair air fryer, currently $40~60 on ebay or amazon. I am talking about the type that looks like a huge space helmet. There is no plastic parts in the "hot chamber", the inner dome is thick glass and the removable bottom pan is sheet steel, so this thing can handle the roasting temperature. 

Drum rotation speed is not adjustable, ~2RPM, not great but at least there is some rotation. 

Just set to 450F and preheat and load the drum and roast away. batch size is small, only 1/4~1/3LB each run. With 1/3LB of Ethiopian beans, the first crack usually happens around 10 min and I end it around 13 min for a medium roast. 
The evenness is surprisingly good. 
This is probably considered as "air roasting with (some) drum agitation".

The only down side is.... the thermal fuse inside is a 157C/15A, so two batches back-to-back is about the max without popping this fuse. And this fuse is bolted above the halogen lamp plate, it is a real pain to replace. I just changed one to a 200C/15A.


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## cuprajake




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