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What coffee are you drinking?

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mimikmimikMember
quote:
Originally posted by Wine Canuck:
My go to is Kicking Horse - Kick Ass made in a french press. Today it's grocery store brand west coast dark roast in a french press.


If the store brand is president's choice, I would agree it is an excellent coffee for something from the grocery store.

Thanks to Basecadet's reco, I am drinking espresso roasted by Ritual in California a week prior to it being flown in to Montreal. It is 22$ per 500grams but well worth it.
W wine+artMember
quote:
Originally posted by billhike:
Starbucks Pike Place is my standard at home. I buy whole beans and grind fresh each time I make a pot.


That is the only coffee at Starbucks I do not like, and I really just can not drink it.

I stop at Starbucks Monday - Friday heading to the office and order their bold. On the weekends, we often enjoy coffee we have read about and ordered. We also enjoy espresso and cappuccino more on the weekends.

We have three different coffeemakers in our kitchen, and we get a few odd looks from time to time. Smile

A burr grinder is a must in my opinion for excellent coffee.
purplehazepurplehazeMember
quote:
That is the only coffee at Starbucks I do not like, and I really just can not drink it.



Interesting, as Pikes Place was assumed by many to be response by Starbucks to frequent criticism that they over-roast many of their coffees. I don't mind a dark roast, but do find some burnt flavors in some Starbucks coffees.

quote:
A good burr grinder is a must in my opinion for excellent coffee.


Fixed. And TOTALLY agree.

This morning, Peets Major Dickason's Blend, fresh ground and French Pressed. Delish.

PH
D dieter01Member
The trends in specialty coffee the last 10 years have been a gradual move towards

- single origin coffees rather than blends
- traceability (to encourage higher quality and a better price for those willing to increase the effort
- a lighter roast
- freshly roasted by local roasters
- a focus on drip coffee more than espresso


Freshly roasted, quality coffee is a great treat. A number of micro roasteries are selling their coffee online. You can order excellent coffee and receive it just a couple of days out of the roaster at minimal cost and effort. Check out this list to find one near you:

http://www.home-barista.com/co...roasters-t12125.html
bmanbmanMember
Ummm, Guatemalan Roll Eyes

Frankly, the options here boggle my mind. I've seen coffee from perhaps 10 different places, never mind the blends. I'm tempted to buy a little bit of each and taste them one by one to see if I like one better than another - just in time for me to go home and be unable to get any of them!
G guydavidnewhouseMember
Kingofcool,

I literally just bought a Capresso Conical Burr Grinder online from CutleryandMore for $75 no tax, no shipping. It seems to be working very well. I did not want to try any of the $45 versions that are out there. I think the Capresso model might be 560? Anyway, it is the Black version, not stainless steel.

I have moved away from Starbucks the last year or so. I buy east african coffee's (yirgacheffe/kenya, other Ethiopian) single origins from Johnson Brothers, Counterculture, and Terroir.
bmanbmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by khmark7:
Picked up a coffee maker with a built-in burr grinder and love the new brew! Been buying coffee from some local shops that roast their own beans and trying some Central American beans (other than Colombia).


Not to nitpick, but I am in Central America, while Colombia is not Smile
W winecanuckMember
quote:
Originally posted by Gigond Ass:
Very fresh Ethiopian Yirgacheffe from a local coffee roaster.


GA, I am partial to the coffees of eastern Africa and I find the typical citrus notes play well against baked goods as a pairing.

quote:
Originally posted by Mimik:
quote:
Originally posted by Wine Canuck:
Today it's grocery store brand west coast dark roast in a french press.


If the store brand is president's choice, I would agree it is an excellent coffee for something from the grocery store.


Yes it is, and it's not bad value at all especially when the 2lb bag is on sale for $12.99. Tastes great when freshly burr ground and french pressed.

quote:
Originally posted by kingofcool:
What's a good, affordable burr grinder?


I use a Cuisinart and it does a good job for about $50.

quote:
Originally posted by bman:
Ummm, Guatemalan Roll Eyes


I have a friend who has said the same and is working on importing some to Ontario. What is the nature of your business in Guatemala?

Today is Starbucks Christmas blend. I really like it this year, reminiscent of my favourite; French Roast.
billhikebillhikeMember
quote:
Originally posted by khmark7:
Picked up a coffee maker with a built-in burr grinder and love the new brew! Been buying coffee from some local shops that roast their own beans and trying some Central American beans (other than Colombia).


Curious as to which shops and what your favorites are, if you don't mind sharing. Medium-bold is what I'd be interested in. Four Beans or Arcedium?
Y yhnMember
I'm a big fan of east African and Yemeni coffee and roast my own (in a mini-roaster). Unroasted beans, properly stored, can keep a long time, so I can have a selection and switch types each batch. I roast about once a week.

Favorites include Bugisu Sipi, Harrar, Yirgacheffe, Mokka.

I'm happy with my Capresso burr grinder.

Here's an excellent site for roasted beans and many other culinary goodies: http://www.smallspecialtiesgourmet.com/shop/

A great site for green beans and roasting info: http://www.sweetmarias.com/index.php (And they have a few roasted beans available at any time, plus a roasted beans of the week subscription option. Haven't tried either.)
S sirloinofbeefMember
In my Keurig, Roger's San Francisco Bay Fog Chaser and Rain Forest Blend One-cups, simply becuase I support their attempt to break the K-Cup monopoly that Keurig/Green Mountain has on coffee products for the Keurig brewer.

For my Senseo and Krups Home Cafe machines I make my own coffee pods. Currently I have Tully's French roast pods made up and a few Ambience Italian roast pods in the bottom of the jar from last week.
T tofineMember
Still have yet to find anything that is better than locally fresh roasted espresso beans for my Rancilio Silvia. Close second was a fresh roast from the Green Beanery but, in a side by side, I still like the local bean better. My reco for a burr grinder is the Baratza Virtuoso. Not exactly cheap, but less than the Rancilio Rocky, and it seems to be holding up great after three years of use.
W wine+artMember
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
quote:
Originally posted by wine+art:
Double espresso using Starbuck's Komodo Dragon.

You could smell cinnamon as I was grinding the beans, and there are also hints of cinnamon on the palate. A spicy and nice shot this morning.

One of my favorites. Wink


Well, since you were kind enough to share this coffee with me... Cool
purplehazepurplehazeMember
quote:
Originally posted by NolanE:
I hope this fits into the elitist coffee thread well, but does anyone else use a Keurig and have a favorite K-cup?

Having the Starbucks Sumatra Dark now, went through a box super fast.


I'm far from a coffee elitist, but I've never had anything from a K-cup that was much better than mediocre.

PH
purplehazepurplehazeMember
quote:
Originally posted by NolanE:
Are French Presses very labor/time intensive?


Not at all. Well......maybe compared to a K-cup Wink but pretty quick and easy. And given the quality of the cup, well worth it. If you're OK with coffee solely as a caffiene delivery system, it's probably not for you. I can't imagine a wine lover with a decent palate not "getting" the difference.

PH
purplehazepurplehazeMember
I can have my french press cleaned and ready to reload in a minute. Here's the drill. Do it right after you brew. This way the grounds are wet and loose and everything cleans easier. The coffee is hot as hell anyway, so by the time you're done cleaning your coffee is perfect.

Sink. Hot water. Spin the 3 parts off the stem of the plunger and hand wash quick. Rinse top of plunger and blast hot water into the carafe. Dump grounds and re-rinse to clean. Wipe everything down with paper towel. Donesky.....

PH
J jennj007Member
My neighbor showed me how to roast my own beans about a year ago, and ever since then nothing else compares. I love Intelligentsia (also roasted locally), and Major Dickason's Blend from Peet's, but anything I roasted yesterday is the best thing I could taste today. Drip in the mornings, French press on the weekends (and some afternoons).
wineismylifewineismylifeMember
quote:
Originally posted by Ron Natalie:
I almost exclusive drink home roasted Kona that I buy the green beans from two of my favorite plantations in Hawaii (Lions Gate and Makapueo Farms).


Try Kona Mountain next time and let me know what you think.

I've never been a big fan of Lions Gate. Always came across to me as the Folgers of the Islands.

My favorite is Bong Brothers but I can't get them to answer the phone any longer.
A altaholicMember
quote:
Originally posted by billhike:
A whole bunch of cafes even way out in the far suburbs are now brewing Intelligentsia. It's nice to see people leaning towards fuller flavors.


There are quite a few in the LA area as well.

My standard brew, when I have the time and the beans, is Intelligentsia El Diablo Dark Roast done in an espresso grind and brewed in my Saeco. Sometimes I'll do the Americano thing by adding the boiling water and on other occasions I'll just drink straight up. Another favorite coffee is (was) Leelanau Espresso Blend from Leelanau Coffee Roasting Company. I say "was" because I bought some this past summer while in Glen Arbor and the quality wasn't there as it had been. The Italian Roast was much richer. No sightings of Mario Batali in Glen Arbor though I've seen him there before.


quote:
Originally posted by wineismylife:
My favorite is Bong Brothers but I can't get them to answer the phone any longer.


They're too busy doing bongs.
purplehazepurplehazeMember
My beautiful daughter bought me a Coffee of the Month subscription for Christmas this year. I was a little nervous, since although she's an accomplished cook and a wine lover with a good little palate, she does not drink coffee. Crazy So I was prepared for some Vanilla Strawberry Pizza flavored decaf or something. Nope. Great coffee!!

This past week I've been drinking (and LOVING) the Huehuetenango in the first shipment I received. Next week, from the same box: Yirgacheffe. Should be a good month. Cool

PH
merenguemerengueMember
quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
Great coffee!!

This past week I've been drinking (and LOVING) the Huehuetenango in the first shipment I received. PH


The Huehuetenango; grown in the Cuchumatanes mountains Guatemala no? I am sure bman has had quite a few cups of this one.

BTW, just this weekend I had my first cup of Intelligentsia off a french press. I was really looking forward to it, but when I got it was a watered down catastrophe thanks to the good fellows at Founding Farmers in Potomac. What a waste!!!! Mad
purplehazepurplehazeMember
quote:
Originally posted by RightBankFan:
The Huehuetenango....mountains of Guatemala no?


That's the stuff. Really wonderful coffee. Medium bodied with some floral and fruity notes. I have enjoyed getting into more nuanced and medium roasted coffees over the past few years. Althought I still enjoy the occasionial very dark roasted coffee, I'm finding that many of these overroasted coffees are the Aussie Shiraz of the coffee world. Razz

PH
Last edited by purplehaze
W winosaurMember
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
quote:
Originally posted by winosaur:
How can you super-tasters drink Starbucks? I'm let down Confused

Blue Bottle!!!

Thank God you can ship coffee to Utah!

Blue Bottle is the most overrated coffee out there. If you are gonna knock Starbucks, at least choose a quality coffee like Intelligentsia or Verve.


Not knocking it, just looking for more interesting tasting notes, considering this is a board where some people can identify forest and bedroom floors.
Will try Intelligentsia, was actually looking for good recommendations, ordered some today. But won't indulge the comment that BB isn't "quality", my opinion.
glennkglennkMember
I don’t drink coffee everyday like I used to, but every couple of weeks my buddy from work and I sneak out to an awesome coffee shop near my office. They are serious about their craft and have a Slayer espresso machine which I haven’t seen too often in the US. Lately I have been getting their siphon brewed coffee which might be my favorite coffee ever. It’s very light in body, but the flavor is intense and amazing. To me, Starbucks bold is like the Aussie shiraz of coffee (I think I stole that from PH) and that would make this coffee a grand cru burgundy or aged bordeaux. Only drawback is its expensive for a cup of coffee and it takes like 10 mins to make.
purplehazepurplehazeMember
quote:
Originally posted by Board-O:
bill, that's how I mkae my coffee every morning. I grind the beans and pour them in a filter and pour boiling water through them.


Try letting the water sit for a bit after boiling, Board-O. Ideally, 195-200 degrees is perfect for extracting the maximum flavor from your fresh ground coffee. I bet you'll notice a difference.

PH
S snipesMember
quote:
Originally posted by wine+art:
Starbucks, Tribute blend, and darn good.

Crazy busy at my Starbucks this morning.


I've been buying their 3 regions blend lately and enjoy it quite a bit. I'm also a fan of the Tribute.

I happened to be near a coffee shop by me last week that roasts their own and picked up a bag of Kenya AA. Very tasty. I wish the place was more conveniently located.
glennkglennkMember
quote:
Originally posted by billhike:
GlennK, are you talking about where they set up a filter on a stand and hand-pour the hot water that slowly runs through grounds? I've had this a few times and enjoy it. A local Starbucks actually did this for me when they stopped brewing their bold later in the day.
Something like that. The machine is pretty cool looking and it takes about 10 mins to make because it drips so slowly.
board-oboard-oMember
quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
quote:
Originally posted by Board-O:
bill, that's how I mkae my coffee every morning. I grind the beans and pour them in a filter and pour boiling water through them.


Try letting the water sit for a bit after boiling, Board-O. Ideally, 195-200 degrees is perfect for extracting the maximum flavor from your fresh ground coffee. I bet you'll notice a difference.

PH


I've tried different temps and I prefer boiling. Steam, which is hotter than 212, is used for espresso. I don't think the grounds can be scalded by boiking water.
purplehazepurplehazeMember
quote:
Originally posted by Board-O:
I've tried different temps and I prefer boiling.

To each their own.....said the lady who kissed the cow. Wink

Steam, which is hotter than 212, is used for espresso.

Only in early espresso makers, and now only in lower end units. Pump espresso makers, in addition to using higher pressure which yields better extraction, rarely use temperatures over 205.

I don't think the grounds can be scalded by boiking water.

I'm not sure about boiking.... Eek But in the case of boiling water you are incorrect on this one. 212 is way too hot, and does result in the loss of essential flavor components. This effect, to my taste, is more apparent in less dark roasts - but is noticeable to me across the specta of roasts.


PH
board-oboard-oMember
If and when I am able to get more of the Echo Mountain coffee from Mexico, I'll send you some. I'll be interested in your opinion. I get about 5 pounds once every year or two. It's been over a year since I was able to get any. They don't normally ship to the US, but an American who visits occasionally sends me some. It's my favorite.
irwinirwinMember
quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
quote:
Originally posted by Board-O:
I'll do a side-by-side Sunday morning.


Sounds like a good morning to do it. Cool
Give Yergcheffe (Ethiopia) or Huehuetenango (Guatemala) a run sometime. VERY flavorful coffees, done right, and not weak tasting at all. Lots of coffee flavor but less intense. More complex.

PH


How do you pronounce Yergcheffe and Huehuetenango? Particularly when you first get up and haven't had a first cup?
board-oboard-oMember
I did the side-by-side using Starbuck's Sumatra. I ground the same amount of beans for each cup, using a fine grind. In the first cup, I poured water when the teapot had it at a rolling boil. I then turned off the heat and put the teapot on an unused burner and waited three minutes and poured the water through the grounds on the second cup.

I noticed very little difference, except that the second cup seemed a tiny bit weaker. I figure that was due to the boiling water removing a bit more from the grounds in the first cup. I'm guessing if I ground a few more beans for the second cup, they would have been just about identical.
H hippomonMember
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
la Stazione nutella latte... My gf has been having us try every $4.75 single drip coffee joint in the SOMA area despite the fact we get Starbucks for free. Roll Eyes It was good, not transcendent.

Our favorite places we have been to have been Four Barrel up in Mission and Phillz Turkish Blend.


Do you drink the Turkish blend as Turkish coffee or as ???
T tpewinedrinkerMember
quote:
Originally posted by hippomon:
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
la Stazione nutella latte... My gf has been having us try every $4.75 single drip coffee joint in the SOMA area despite the fact we get Starbucks for free. Roll Eyes It was good, not transcendent.

Our favorite places we have been to have been Four Barrel up in Mission and Phillz Turkish Blend.


Do you drink the Turkish blend as Turkish coffee or as ???

Hi good friend. They serve the Tantalizing Turkish as a very dark, bold blend of beans in a slow-drip coffee, with a dash of cardamom and a mint leaf. I get mine medium sweet with 2%. It is VERY good.
H hippomonMember
quote:
Hi good friend. They serve the Tantalizing Turkish as a very dark, bold blend of beans in a slow-drip coffee, with a dash of cardamom and a mint leaf. I get mine medium sweet with 2%. It is VERY good.

In Hebrew the word cardamom = hell. So When I first ordered Turkish coffee in this country I would order it with hell. Nobody knew what I was talking about and I only got odd looks and responses. Wishing you a wonderful day dear TPE.
T tpewinedrinkerMember
quote:
Originally posted by hippomon:
quote:
Hi good friend. They serve the Tantalizing Turkish as a very dark, bold blend of beans in a slow-drip coffee, with a dash of cardamom and a mint leaf. I get mine medium sweet with 2%. It is VERY good.

In Hebrew the word cardamom = hell. So When I first ordered Turkish coffee in this country I would order it with hell. Nobody knew what I was talking about and I only got odd looks and responses. Wishing you a wonderful day dear TPE.

that is a great story. Always wishing you and Mrs. Hippoman the very best that life has to offer. You are truly deserving.
purplehazepurplehazeMember
quote:
Originally posted by Board-O:
I did the side-by-side using Starbuck's Sumatra. I ground the same amount of beans for each cup, using a fine grind. In the first cup, I poured water when the teapot had it at a rolling boil. I then turned off the heat and put the teapot on an unused burner and waited three minutes and poured the water through the grounds on the second cup.

I noticed very little difference, except that the second cup seemed a tiny bit weaker. I figure that was due to the boiling water removing a bit more from the grounds in the first cup. I'm guessing if I ground a few more beans for the second cup, they would have been just about identical.


Do another test someday with some beans that haven't been scorched..... Smile Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a very dark roast from time to time. It's difficult to detect nuance when drinking the Aussie Shiraz of coffees.... 2 Cents

PH
irwinirwinMember
quote:
Originally posted by hippomon:
quote:
Hi good friend. They serve the Tantalizing Turkish as a very dark, bold blend of beans in a slow-drip coffee, with a dash of cardamom and a mint leaf. I get mine medium sweet with 2%. It is VERY good.

In Hebrew the word cardamom = hell. So When I first ordered Turkish coffee in this country I would order it with hell. Nobody knew what I was talking about and I only got odd looks and responses. Wishing you a wonderful day dear TPE.


Huh? The Hebrew word for "hell" is either "Gehinnom" or "Azazel". ?? Confused
T tpewinedrinkerMember
quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
quote:
Originally posted by TPEwinedrinker:
Kopi Luwak


Picking up any "barnyard"? Wink Or perhaps "forest floor"?

PH

haha! To be honest, it is not my style of coffee, but my gf's family is over and if there is anything we have in spades, it is coffee beans, and they really wanted to try it. It does have a clean taste without any acidity which I love, but even freshly ground, the aromatics are muted. Served black, a slight hint of juniper berries and a little bit of cinnamon, but otherwise not really a strong flavor profile. They loved it, so all is perfect.
vintvintMember
quote:
Originally posted by irwin:
quote:
Originally posted by hippomon:
quote:
Hi good friend. They serve the Tantalizing Turkish as a very dark, bold blend of beans in a slow-drip coffee, with a dash of cardamom and a mint leaf. I get mine medium sweet with 2%. It is VERY good.

In Hebrew the word cardamom = hell. So When I first ordered Turkish coffee in this country I would order it with hell. Nobody knew what I was talking about and I only got odd looks and responses. Wishing you a wonderful day dear TPE.


Huh? The Hebrew word for "hell" is either "Gehinnom" or "Azazel". ?? Confused


The way I read it, he indicated the Hebrew word for cardamom is hell.
irwinirwinMember
quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
quote:
Originally posted by NolanE:
I hope this fits into the elitist coffee thread well, but does anyone else use a Keurig and have a favorite K-cup?

Having the Starbucks Sumatra Dark now, went through a box super fast.


I'm far from a coffee elitist, but I've never had anything from a K-cup that was much better than mediocre.

PH


A friend bought me a Keurig for my office. So far I have found no coffee that is worth drinking. I may just retire the machine and go back to the old method, where I grind the beans, etc.
Anyone have any luck with anything that actually tastes ok from one of these?
J jorgerunfastMember
I tried cold-brewing some coffee for the first time last week and it came out terrible.

Everything I read online talked about how it wouldn't be bitter at all, almost sweet, and it's dummy proof.

I left it out for 23 hours, then moved the concentrate to the fridge, only to find the next morning that it was freekin' disgusting.

I used good-ish coffee that was fresh, and ground moments before cold-brewing.

What did I do wrong? Any experience?

All I can figure is that 23 hours was too long, although all of the recipes tend to suggest 8 - 24 hours of brewing.

What did I miss??
BRRBRRMember
quote:
Originally posted by billhike:
After eating lunch at my desk I stepped out to hit a nearby Starbucks and they had Kimodo Dragon as their daily bold. This is probably at my limit for what I enjoy in a dark roast, but it's very good. The French roast is too much for me.


Agree on the Kimodo Dragon. I'm sure I (we) will get flamed for liking SBUX, but there's one in my office building (very convenient for buying a bag of beans on the way out), and now it appears that their beans are a [relative] bargain. I also like the Yukon Blend (which, to address this thread, is what I gound and brewed this morning).
W wine+artMember
quote:
Originally posted by BRR:


I'm sure I (we) will get flamed for liking SBUX, but there's one in my office building (very convenient for buying a bag of beans on the way out), and now it appears that their beans are a [relative] bargain. I also like the Yukon Blend (which, to address this thread, is what I gound and brewed this morning).


I love Starbucks.

There are better shops, but not in every city and on every corner. They moved the bar for good/better coffee in the U.S. which had terrible coffee compared to many other countries.

I do wish there was an Intelligentsia near my home or office.
purplehazepurplehazeMember
Ah...I see two of my favorite North Texans disagree on Starbucks.

I agree with both of you, in a way.

Yes, I think Starbucks moved the bar for the US and coffee by concentrating on fresh(er) roasts, fresh grinding and attention to quality control and consistency. Kinda like McD's in that, at least you know if you order a grande frappe mocha vanilla peppermint soymilk whatever, it's going to taste the same in Seattle or Portland. Because so many Starbucks drinks are flavored/cut/adulterated coffees I believe they went the super dark roast/espresso based route because if they didn't, you wouldn't be able to taste any coffee in the damn beverage at all.

PH
purplehazepurplehazeMember
quote:
Originally posted by lizardking:
While I have only looked at page one and seven, I'm surprised I don't see kona here....


I think it's a combination of things, lk. First, definitely a QPR issue for most people. At way over $20+/lb. most people just aren't going to spring for that tariff. It takes some searching for as well, at least to find a fresh bag of pure unblended Kona. There are so many "Kona" labelled blends out there, that I'll bet that many who've tried a "Kona" tagged bag of coffee didn't realize that they were getting 3 beans of Kona along with a bunch of generic dreck.... Good, fresh Kona is a really nice cup of coffee, but you can drink very well for less than half the price.

PH
wineismylifewineismylifeMember
quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
quote:
Originally posted by lizardking:
While I have only looked at page one and seven, I'm surprised I don't see kona here....


I think it's a combination of things, lk. First, definitely a QPR issue for most people. At way over $20+/lb. most people just aren't going to spring for that tariff. It takes some searching for as well, at least to find a fresh bag of pure unblended Kona. There are so many "Kona" labelled blends out there, that I'll bet that many who've tried a "Kona" tagged bag of coffee didn't realize that they were getting 3 beans of Kona along with a bunch of generic dreck.... Good, fresh Kona is a really nice cup of coffee, but you can drink very well for less than half the price.

PH


That's why I buy my Kona freshly roasted in a 5lb vacuum sealed bag direct from the plantation on the Big Island and have it shipped Fedex overnight. Smile
purplehazepurplehazeMember
quote:
Originally posted by Board-O:
quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
quote:
Originally posted by Board-O:
I don't order coffee at Satrbucks. I buy their beans and grind them fresh for each cup. I'm very happy with their Sumatra.


How do you take your coffee, Board-O?

PH


strong. 1 mug a day


Black, or with lightener and/or sweetener?

As with you, I'm down to a mug or two a day now, unless circumstances require additional caffeination.

PH
glennkglennkMember
quote:
Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
Ah...I see two of my favorite North Texans disagree on Starbucks.

I agree with both of you, in a way.

Yes, I think Starbucks moved the bar for the US and coffee by concentrating on fresh(er) roasts, fresh grinding and attention to quality control and consistency. Kinda like McD's in that, at least you know if you order a grande frappe mocha vanilla peppermint soymilk whatever, it's going to taste the same in Seattle or Portland. Because so many Starbucks drinks are flavored/cut/adulterated coffees I believe they went the super dark roast/espresso based route because if they didn't, you wouldn't be able to taste any coffee in the damn beverage at all.

PH
Well put. We have to thank Starbucks for starting the coffee craze which has inspired many small local coffee shops to pop up which is a major positive for true coffee fans. We are lucky to have some good local cafes around here so I don’t have to go to starbucks. I like to taste the actual coffee and with starbucks I only taste the roast. For chains, I prefer Peet’s but they are not on every corner like starbucks unfortunately.

For the record I like my coffee black, but occasionally I’ll give it a little splash of milk if it’s too acidic.
glennkglennkMember
I don’t think that comparison works B-O. Steak obviously is better with salt and pepper because they enhance the savory aspect of the meat. Plus the meat has a strong flavor that can stand up to seasonings.

For me, coffee is a bit more nuanced and sugar can mask/change the flavor by throwing some sweetness in the mix. Same for soy and sushi. I personally don’t put soy on sushi unless the chef does it for me as I think it can overpower the subtle flavor of the fish, which is what great sushi is all about to me.

With that said, I live by the rule that people should be able to do what makes them happy. If a dollop of A-1 on a prime ribeye makes someone happy, than that is what they should do.
purplehazepurplehazeMember
quote:
Originally posted by GlennK:
If a dollop of A-1 on a prime ribeye makes someone happy, than that is what they should do.


Just don't let me see you do it at my place! Wink

I agree with GlennK's coffee/steak distinction. That said, I began drinking coffee with sweetener and lightener because I didn't really care for how it tasted at the time. Could have been the coffee, but for most folks initially, coffee; like alcoholic beverages, tobacco products etc. usually don't taste good on the first go-round. I needed a caffeine delivery system (I was a truck driver in those days) and the coffee was available, free and effective. The sugar and cream helped me get it down.

As I learned to like coffee, I found that the better the coffee the less likely I was to mess with it. I prefer my medium roasted, nuanced coffees black. If I'm drinking lesser stuff or if it's really bitter/burnt/over-roasted I have no problem doctoring it up a bit.

PH