Coffee

RyanB

RyanB

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Is it just an acquired taste or do people actually like flavor of it? I love the way it smells, but hate the way it tastes. Way too bitter for my liking, yet I can eat kale with no problem...weird.
 
Ryanb said:
Is it just an acquired taste or do people actually like flavor of it? I love the way it smells, but hate the way it tastes. Way too bitter for my liking, yet I can eat kale with no problem...weird.
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A proper maple latte is good
 
I used to think the same thing for the first 30 years. Now I truly look forward to my morning cup of coffee. i often have a cup of decafe on the evening.
 
James331 said:
A proper maple latte is good
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Here’s the deal. I’ve been carrying around $30 in Starbucks gift cards for several years now that someone gave me, because they apparently thought I liked it there.

Happened to go by Starbucks today and for whatever reason decided to stop in and get a coffee. I ordered a medium roast and when I took a sip I almost spit it out. It was the most bitter tasting beverage I’ve ever had.

After I knew that I didn’t like it, I figured it might make a good air freshener in my car and it served that purpose pretty well for a couple of hours. I lost a total of $2.02 on this experience, so I’ll probably end up carrying the remaining balance on the gift cards with me for another few years until I decide to give it another try.
 
I suppose it is an acquired taste, just like alcohol is. I'm a coffee geek and drink my coffee black. The key is fresh beans from a reputable roaster. Follow the 15 rule - beans once ground are good for 15 minutes, roasted beans are good for 15 days. There are many different varieties of coffee beans, typically associated with various parts of the world. My favorite varieties typically are from Ethiopia, which tend to have a very tea like taste (although not always). This time of year I will often buy a bag of Geisha, which is fairly expensive, but very good. Anyways...I could go on for a while about coffee.

My favorite methods of brewing are AeroPress, Chemex, V60, and French Press. They all make very different cups of coffee. It's actually a lot of fun if you like experimenting. Good water is the most important part. I actually make special "coffee" water for brewing. A good scale and a good grinder are very very important as well. Cheap blade grinders don't allow for good grind distribution (lots of fines which leads to uneven extraction). I personally use a Orphan Espresso Lido ET, which are handmade by a guy in Idaho. Amazing burr grinder for the price. Your going to spend a pretty penny for an electric grinder that will give you the same quality grind.

Wow I must sound mental, but I've actually really enjoyed it LOL

BTW Starbucks is horrid coffee. People only like them because people love sugary coffee drinks. Not the actual coffee lol.

I believe Nauga is a big coffee guy as well - roasts his own beans too.

Man I had a variety a while back that had a very strong sugary plum taste...so good. I think it was a Bourbon from Columbia or El Salvador.
 
I had a REALLY (pay attention to the caps) bad experience with a cup of coffee when I was 16.
I haven't been able to swallow ANYTHING (pay attention to the caps) that tastes like coffee since.
Yet I love the smell of ground coffee.
Go figure.
I'm a tea drinker.
And single malt whiskey.
And beer, wine, vodka,.
Come to think of it, anything but coffee.
 
Try a chai latte with soy milk. Magic whether you like coffee or not.

I drink 3 cups of black dark roast coffee every morning. Love it.
 
Shepherd said:
I had a REALLY (pay attention to the caps) bad experience with a cup of coffee when I was 16.
I haven't been able to swallow ANYTHING (pay attention to the caps) that tastes like coffee since.
Yet I love the smell of ground coffee.
Go figure.
I'm a tea drinker.
And single malt whiskey.
And beer, wine, vodka,.
Come to think of it, anything but coffee.
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That’s me. Living in the south my whole life has made me a tea drinker.
 
If I go to Starbucks I get a cafe mocha. I used to think coffee was too bitter. Slowly started drinking it with cream and sugar. Then just cream. Now I can’t get it black enough. I have wanted to experiment with other methods like CC but haven’t done it yet. Right now I like a Columbian roast. I just use a drip coffee maker for my morning and work coffee and a kcup if I just want a cup before bed.
 
Ryanb said:
Here’s the deal. I’ve been carrying around $30 in Starbucks gift cards for several years now that someone gave me, because they apparently thought I liked it there.

Happened to go by Starbucks today and for whatever reason decided to stop in and get a coffee. I ordered a medium roast and when I took a sip I almost spit it out. It was the most bitter tasting beverage I’ve ever had.

After I knew that I didn’t like it, I figured it might make a good air freshener in my car and it served that purpose pretty well for a couple of hours. I lost a total of $2.02 on this experience, so I’ll probably end up carrying the remaining balance on the gift cards with me for another few years until I decide to give it another try.
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I make my own, those little machines are a great buy
 
If you wanna use the gift cards get fraps.
Grande caramel frapaccinos are good not coffee drinks
 
Add plenty of cream and sweetner. Also I think Stabucks cooffee sucks and is not a good starter. I can drink it but do not seek it out. Find a breakfast blend and fresh grind it. Use a french press or a common drip. Alton Brown’s Good Eats has an entire episode on what it takes to make a good cup of coffee. I grind my own every day. I look forward to a coffee with Amaretto or Bailies Irish Cream as an occasional treat. It is a social nucleus also, much like beer. Try again.
 
I guess it's an acquired taste... I was a tea drinker, then somehow acquired a taste for espresso in my mid 20s... and backed into regular coffee, which I've always taken black, no sugar. But it's gotta be good coffee, Mocha-Java, Jamaica Blue Mountain, etc., no commercial canned crap, no Starbucks.
 
Spend a couple of K and get a Jura.

Starbucks haters are less about coffee and more about needing a social statement. Starbucks is great coffee. Especially out of a Jura!
 
I think it's an acquired taste but it isn't very hard to acquire.

I used to hate coffee, but then I joined a tech company that had a burr grinder and espresso machine. I learned how to pull my own shots, steam the milk and even pour a bit of latte art. I still won't drink American style coffee and am too cheap to buy a latte or cappuccino, but if someone else is buying or I have a chance to pull my own shots I'll enjoy a cup.
 
It's just like cigarettes... the first one (maybe the first 20) are awful. You buck up because its cool... after that its the addiction not the taste that brings you back

Coffee does not have an orgasmic flavor... but the caffeine addiction keeps bringing you back...You NEED (not want) a cup of coffee in the morning,,,
 
Ryanb said:
Here’s the deal. I’ve been carrying around $30 in Starbucks gift cards for several years now that someone gave me, because they apparently thought I liked it there.

Happened to go by Starbucks today and for whatever reason decided to stop in and get a coffee. I ordered a medium roast and when I took a sip I almost spit it out. It was the most bitter tasting beverage I’ve ever had.

After I knew that I didn’t like it, I figured it might make a good air freshener in my car and it served that purpose pretty well for a couple of hours. I lost a total of $2.02 on this experience, so I’ll probably end up carrying the remaining balance on the gift cards with me for another few years until I decide to give it another try.
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Next time, try an Americano. Get a small or a large if you like it weaker. It's a shots per ounce thing. The medium (grande) would have the most coffee in it. It's a lot different than their brewed coffee. If you don't like that, just get a scone and a hot chocolate. They have lots of non coffee drinks. Or find a friend to trade gift cards with. I have to do that with iTunes, since I don't do apple
 
Paging Nauga... assuming his head didn’t explode from some of the posts above.
 
FlySince9 said:
It's just like cigarettes... the first one (maybe the first 20) are awful. You buck up because its cool... after that its the addiction not the taste that brings you back
,
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You just described my love life..... o_O:cool:
 
Dude get a caramel latte! It is technically coffee, but the people who drink it black will turn their noses up at you. Delicious!

(Basically it's coffee, cream, caramel, and maybe whip cream? not sure.)

ps. otherwise put cream, until it's just a little tan, and then sugar until it's delicious. Go slowly on the sugar! too little and it's bitter, too much and it's too sweet.
 
The more bitter, the better. Espresso, French-roast coffee, IPAs, mmm/mmm
 
If you like decadent? Ask for cold whip. Really good on a mid day iced latte!
 
Shepherd said:
I had a REALLY (pay attention to the caps) bad experience with a cup of coffee when I was 16.
I haven't been able to swallow ANYTHING (pay attention to the caps) that tastes like coffee since.
Yet I love the smell of ground coffee.
Go figure.
I'm a tea drinker.
And single malt whiskey.
And beer, wine, vodka,.
Come to think of it, anything but coffee.
Click to expand...

I take it you don’t like Porters/stouts as far as beer goes . . .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Ryanb said:
Is it just an acquired taste or do people actually like flavor of it? I love the way it smells, but hate the way it tastes. Way too bitter for my liking, yet I can eat kale with no problem...weird.
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I used to be exactly like that until about a month ago. Always loved the smell but never understood why people liked it.

Next time get some cream added to it. Enough to make it a light tan color and maybe just a little sugar if you like sweet stuff. I only do cream and I find myself wanting a cup every morning. Just be ready to hit the bathroom if your stomach is anything like mine!
 
I have one cup in the morning unless I'm eating breakfast out. I can easily not have it either, no addiction to it at all.
 
If I ever need 1,400 calories shoved into my bloodstream ASAP, maybe I'll swing by Starbuck's for one of their trendy venti grande fru-fru half caff quarter soy full hip double whip cinnamon sprinkle hot cocoa candy cane pumpkin latte mochas, hold my nutsack. Until then, I drink my coffee black, because I love coffee, and there are, as noted above, several ways to make a great cup of coffee. Put simply, the only reason that electricity should be involved in the brewing process is possibly to heat the water, otherwise you're only going to get 75% of the potential greatness out of that bean. Pour-over and french press methods are quite arguably the best ways to make coffee, but it's all about the temperature of the strike water and the grind of the bean.

And then there are coffee stouts and coffee porters... ;)
 
Starbucks? I like the caramel macchiatos and caramel fraps (no whip), but I'll suffer through their bitter drip coffee when I'm feeling guilty about the calories. At home I'm happy with Costco's Kirkland brand Breakfast Blend in the K-cup. As an alternative I like the Teeccino herbal coffees.
 
Given a choice, I'll add milk, cream, or half and half vs straight black. The milk seems to tone down some of the acidity for me.

I don't mind Starbucks drip coffee, I generally stay away from the fancy coffee drinks.

KC has a local place called The Roasterie that makes outstanding coffee.
 
I don't like coffee, and I don't like chocolate. They both have what I would describe as an alkaline taste.

My sister doesn't like chocolate either, maybe it's genetic.
 
I don't like black coffee or kale. Lattes and cappuccinos are OK as long as I add sugar. I'll also drink coffee with half and half or cream (not milk) and sugar. On the other hand I don't like the super-sweet confections at Starbucks or anywhere else.
 
CC268 has it right. ... and if you don’t like bitter coffee, there is a way... without sugar and cream or green coffee beans that have been roasted to charcoal (I’m lookin’ at You, Starbucks).
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Light roast beans ... that were just roasted by a reputable local shop. (or fedex some Counter Culture coffee to your front door - I might recommend Idido)

Hario V-60 is a great place to start with pour-overs. Chemex is also good and will take a little larger grind size. both the unit and the filters for it can be bought online.

199 deg water. - the bonavita kettle that you can select temp is ... wonderful.

grind as your water heats up to temp... burr grinder - you can actually get a decent ceramic burr hand grinder on Amazon for cheap. It’ll be good enough. a good start is a grind size slightly smaller than big, raw, coarse salt.

Ratio of beans to water matters AS does grind size ... which dictates how long the extraction process will take (how long until all the water goes through the grounds). For instance, I use 26grams of coffee beans to 420grams of water.


Pre rinse your filter (unbleached) before you put the coffee in. - pour out the rinse water.

Time your pours...shake your grinds flat and put a dimple in the middle with your index finger. Pour very lightly in a circle - just until all of the grounds are wet. You should see it bloom up like a chocolate muffin. (no bloom?... then the coffee is not fresh). Wait a few seconds (10-15) and resume pouring in a slow, gentle circle. If your pour takes longer than 3:45, you will probably notice some bitterness creeping in. Make the next grind a little more coarse (large) and that will cut your time down. My personal taste is a pour that takes a little under 3:30.

like traditional teas, don’t even think about squeezing the filter bag when you are done!! As the coffee cools down from 199, you’ll start to really taste the flavor profile... my favorite is a coffee where the berry notes come alive.
________________________

I’ve said too much. There is so much more... but the interwebs have the knowledge ready and waiting. - I don’t live too far from KJWN. If I’m in town when any of you come through, I’ll make you a cup of coffee anytime.
 
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Ahh yes I have the Bonavita Digital Kettle...a must.
 
Ryanb said:
Is it just an acquired taste or do people actually like flavor of it? I love the way it smells, but hate the way it tastes. Way too bitter for my liking, yet I can eat kale with no problem...weird.
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It should taste the way it smells. If it doesn't it wasn't brewed properly. It shouldn't be bitter. I've had better coffee at a gas station than at Starbucks.
 
HATED the taste of coffee and not a big hot drink fan...but wanted (needed) the caffeine so would drink iced white mochas and iced vanilla lattes...loaded with milk, sugars and crap.

Decide to force myself to drink iced coffee black...only has like 5 calories. Took two weeks to be able to stomach it...another two weeks to be tolerable.

THEN I discovered Cold Brew coffee...now that I can do and actually like! Since it never touches heat it is less bitter and less acidic then brewed coffee which is two things I hated. Some people dismiss it as a gimmick, but when made correctly it truly is different.

So for me...acquired taste till I found something I liked. Starbucks used to have a great cold brew blend...they changed it and it sucks now IMO. Best part is I can brew a batch at home and it lasts two weeks in the fridge.

Still can't do a cup of hot black coffee.
 
I visited a coffee plantation where they ground and brewed various roasts in front of you. Then we were supposed to sample. I tried not to wince as I was drinking the finished product, and I was very tempted to ask for cream and sugar.
 
Ryanb said:
Is it just an acquired taste or do people actually like flavor of it? I love the way it smells, but hate the way it tastes. Way too bitter for my liking, yet I can eat kale with no problem...weird.
Click to expand...

I do like a little bit of coffee with my cream and sugar... And my favorite store at the mall is Gloria Jean's.

I chalk it up to my parents not being coffee drinkers, so my first exposure to a coffee-flavored product was coffee ice cream. And my favorite flavor of ice cream today is Ben & Jerry's Coffee Toffee Crunch... How do you make coffee ice cream better? Add heath bars!

Seriously, I don't know how people take the black stuff. Then again, I don't know how people drink beer either.

AJN said:
I used to be exactly like that until about a month ago. Always loved the smell but never understood why people liked it.

Next time get some cream added to it. Enough to make it a light tan color and maybe just a little sugar if you like sweet stuff. I only do cream and I find myself wanting a cup every morning. Just be ready to hit the bathroom if your stomach is anything like mine!
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https://theoatmeal.com/comics/caffeine

Lachlan said:
If I ever need 1,400 calories shoved into my bloodstream ASAP, maybe I'll swing by Starbuck's for one of their trendy venti grande fru-fru half caff quarter soy full hip double whip cinnamon sprinkle hot cocoa candy cane pumpkin latte mochas, hold my nutsack.
Click to expand...

:rofl: Okay, that's the funniest damn thing I've read all week! :rofl: :rofl:

Pilawt said:
Starbucks? I like the caramel macchiatos and caramel fraps (no whip), but I'll suffer through their bitter drip coffee when I'm feeling guilty about the calories. At home I'm happy with Costco's Kirkland brand Breakfast Blend in the K-cup.
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Yes! As a cream and sugar aficionado, nothing makes me happier than NOT buying crazy expensive coffee that tastes just as awful as the cheap stuff (if not worse). So, a big ol' box of Kirkland every couple of months works great.

I'm finding that I prefer the creamer/sweetener stuff that can be found in the dairy section of the grocery store. My current favorite is the Reese's flavored one. Sorry, coffee snobs, I just like it that way!
 
Starbucks is just about the worst coffee out there. Most hole-in-wall donut shops have better coffee. Heck, quite a few gas stations do too. Yes, it is an acquired taste, but it is a lot easier to acquire if you're drinking a properly roasted (not burned) and brewed cup. Start with grinding your own beans so it is fresh ground, and get a light roast. Many Kona blends are good and generally not bitter, but it does vary by brand.
 
Ryanb said:
Is it just an acquired taste or do people actually like flavor of it? I love the way it smells, but hate the way it tastes. Way too bitter for my liking, yet I can eat kale with no problem...weird.
Click to expand...

If you hate the way it tastes, it is probably just bad coffee. Most commercially available ground coffee is nasty and bitter. Freshly roasted Arabica beans, ground slowly in a burr grinder and properly prepared in a french press will taste wonderful with no foo foo added. Pour over works great also, as long as you control the amount of grounds- too much equals strong, but smooth coffee. That is usually too much for those not accustomed to drinking coffee.

Try some Dunkin' whole bean for a nice cup.

Oh, and Starbucks is overpriced garbage. No amount of Latte/mocha/frappa/pumpkin spice can make it better. Lipstick on a pig. [gagging sound...]
 
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