Favorite coffee

wrbix said:
Yessir ....IMHO, brewing in a TechniVorm Moccamaster steps up any coffee a notch or two.
Click to expand...

Probably. But my favorite methods lately are generally simpler (French press, Moka pot). You can’t go wrong with a pour-over or an Aeropress either, as long as your water temps are right.

Everyone should try cold brew at least once.

Backcountry use for any is pretty straightforward.
 
I have a business that sells high-end home coffee equipment so I get to sample quite a few roster's product. These guys (Onyx Coffee) are my current favorite. I have no affiliation with them, I just like their coffee. The Ethiopia Hambela Buku Natural is the one I seem to buy the most of.
 
I took a deep dive into cafe some years ago and have emerged with a few ‘musts’ and ‘shoulds’:

grind your beans just before roasting and get some local FRESHLY roasted beans... no more than a week old.

The rotary grinders are great but I now use a cheapo blade grinder because it’s size and cost saves tears when I leave it behind at a vacation rental. Yes, I travel with a grinder and beans when away from things. Main thing is fresh and grind or grind and tightly seal.

I use bottled water but I’ll have to try Whole Food’s bulk dispensed alkaline water based on comments here.

I’m back to using a drip maker. I like French pressed coffee but it stains my teeth. The temp thing seems funny to me because boiled/steamed water is going to be about 205F by the time it contacts the grounds no matter what kind of device you use short of a percolator.

The water and the coffee should be in contact for about 4 minutes. Longer and it gets bitter. Filling a 12 cup drip machine makes a 10 minute brew, ewww! Put 4 mins of water in the hopper ( about 4 cups) and leave the rest cold in the pot. Zap it to bring it up to drinkable temp. Time your French presses.

Then it’s just a matter of tasting various styles of roasts and kinds of beans and knowing how strong you like it (strong requires more bean, not longer brewing). I know little about this stuff beyond “I really like that stuff!” There’s a Peruvian bean called Feminina going around right now that is my favorite. In a pinch, Dunkin D is pretty good.

Flavored coffee and such? Not my thing.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
My favorite everyday coffee is a nice Columbian. I’ve gotten into using an Aeropress. It gives you a lot of control over the brewing process, which can make an excellent cup of coffee, but if you’re not careful or experiment too much it’s possible to ruin your cup. After a couple years of owning it I’ve got the inverted brew method figured out well enough that I don’t really have to worry about that.
 
Speaking of coffee, I bought one of these today:

44965242757795p

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/...-15-bar-pump-espresso-cappuccino-machine.html

Actually, I didn't so much buy it as got it as a replacement for another machine that started leaking all over the place, which in turn had been a replacement for a previous machine that had started leaking all over the place. The company that made the machine that this one replaced doesn't sell the gasket it needed.

So I took a ride over to Bed, Bath, and Beyond with my receipt and 20 percent off coupon in hand and got this one. I think it cost me $42.00 or thereabouts when all the dust settled. I'm too lazy to go look at the receipt right now. The regular price is $299.00, although other sellers have it for a lot less.

It makes good espresso. Actually, it makes better espresso than the one it replaced. I haven't tried the frothing wand yet so I can't speak for cappuccino or latte.

The somewhat annoying thing about it is that I would have bought the part and fixed the other machine if Cuisinart actually sold the part. It made good espresso, and I'm not the sort who throws things away if they can be fixed. I don't know why we've become such a throwaway culture. Most things can be fixed.

What I do know is that about seven years ago I bought a combined coffee / espresso machine. When it started leaking, I traded it in for separate coffee / espresso machines, one of which is still in service. Now I have traded the replacement espresso machine in for another new machine, which, if it starts leaking, will be traded in for another new machine. The original machine was $299.00. The first two replacements were a wash. This replacement cost me about $42.00.

So for about $342.00, I've purchased a total of five coffee machines over the course of seven years. Not bad. Bed, Bath, and Beyond must hate me.

Rich
 
CC268 said:
The best coffee is going to be coffee that is freshly roasted and preferably single origin (actually sourced by the roastery). I have a local roastery here in AZ called Cartel Coffee. They source all their coffee and roast on the day of or the day after your order (if you are ordering online).

The reality is there are a lot of "junk" coffee shops out there. In fact, I'd say a very small percentage of coffee shops actually carry good quality single origin coffee beans that are actually freshly roasted. Roasted coffee beans degrade in taste very quickly after 14-15 days. Hence why you really need freshly roasted beans.

However, possibly the most important thing, in addition to beans, is good water. Reddit has some really interesting reads and articles on coffee water (like full on research articles). The jist is that good coffee water NEEDS certain minerals (magnesium, calcium, bicarbonate) for best extraction of the flavor. So filtered water (reverse osmosis, carbon filters, etc) does not give you the best cup possible. In fact, I have found filtered water/bottled water makes a rather bad cup. You can either make your own coffee water using epsom salt, baking soda, and distilled water (https://www.reddit.com/r/Coffee/com..._wizard_making_water/?st=jf8bhbe4&sh=2d1152db) or simply buy distilled water and add a mineral packet such as Third Wave Water. Sounds nuts, but the difference is incredible. I can make the same exact V60 pour over with typical filtered water, bottled water, etc and then make it with my own "coffee water" and the difference is huge.

I see your in Kansas City. PT's is supposed to be one of the best roasters in the US.

https://www.ptscoffee.com/collections/single-origin-coffee

Oh and as Nauga stated, Ethiopian is typically my favorite. Probably the most unique coffees.

Another thing...ALWAYS grind at the time of brewing. Don't buy ground beans. A good quality burr grinder is a must. I personally use a LIDO ET, which is a hand grinder.
Click to expand...


I'm sure I've had PT's, but not recently. I like Black Rifle Coffee, but I can't use 5 lbs and 12 oz bags aren't enough. We have the Roasterie here which is decent, but I fundamentally disagree with comments the owner recently made on something I'm passionate about.

I have heard the best temp is 202 for coffee. I am not that much of a connoisseur of coffee, but I enjoy a decent cup.

I'm surprised that temp has that much of a difference in taste. I don't seem to notice that much difference between fresh ground, temp vs. ground and whatever temp the coffeemaker spits out. Then again, I'm no connoisseur.

Thanks for all the advice.
 
60% Sumatra Aceh Mandheling, 25% Kona, 15% Yemen Mokha Harasi. Roasted to just past second crack. Cooled and then stored in vacuum pack for about a week. hard to find decent Yemeni beans these days. My favorite Sumatran beans were harvested from the Aceh area the year after the tsunamai.
 
These make really good coffee.
Original-Costa-Rican.jpg


When I was in Honduras, the locals used the frugal but excellent option of filtering through an sock. According to my associate from PR, the coffee sock must never be washed... it takes a while to get the real coffee flavor into it.
 
getlstd-property-photo.jpg
Flyingfanatic said:
What's your favorite coffee for home?

I'm looking for suggestions as I'm switching coffee at home. Not doing Starbucks. I've tried Black Rifle, which is good, but they sell 12 ounce and 5 lb. Looking for a 2-2.5 pound bag, if possible.

So what do you drink?
Click to expand...

In KC?

The best is The Roasterie:

https://www.theroasterie.com

They sell at grocery stores all over town.

Kinda hard to miss their downtown location.
 
Resurrecting an oldie, but I’m curious if Kona coffee is worth the hype? I’m tempted to pull the trigger on some that I found online, but given the shipping costs and such, I’m debating whether or not it’s worth it. Opinions?
 
RyanB said:
Resurrecting an oldie, but I’m curious if Kona coffee is worth the hype? I’m tempted to pull the trigger on some that I found online, but given the shipping costs and such, I’m debating whether or not it’s worth it. Opinions?
Click to expand...
Around here we can find Kona in the supermarket. Not bad but not my favorite, a little on the acidic side.
 
I have only drank Kona a couple times at a friends house. I believe it was a Kona K-cup version.
Very good though, both times.
As with airplanes, take it for a test drive ... but much cheaper ;)
 
I love Kona (probably my favorite) coffee but for some reason it ALWAYS gives me the jitters.
 
simtech said:
I love Kona (probably my favorite) coffee but for some reason it ALWAYS gives me the jitters.
Click to expand...

I was drinking Bustelo espresso ground for a while because I liked the taste. Had to switch though...almost lost some friends lol.

Funny as it may sound, I now do a home version 50/50 blend of (insert whatever's on sale name) and Tim Hortons decaf, as a daily driver. Not too shabby, and helps keep my (and others) blood pressure down ;)
 
Skyrys62 said:
I was drinking Bustelo espresso ground for a while because I liked the taste. Had to switch though...almost lost some friends lol.

Funny as it may sound, I now do a home version 50/50 blend of (insert whatever's on sale name) and Tim Hortons decaf, as a daily driver. Not too shabby, and helps keep my (and others) blood pressure down ;)
Click to expand...
We do the Bustelo as well at times in the espresso machine. Either that or Lavazza. Nothing shakes me up like Kona though. But yeah maybe a blend with a decaf could knock that edge off??
 
I have gotten Ethiopian in Ethiopia and do like it.

A couple of my other favorites are Laotian with Vietnamese not far behind.

Easier to get is Cafe Britt. It is a Costa Rican coffee coop. They take the beans from smaller farms and clean, roast, package, and market the coffee. You can order it online.

For what I can get in local stores, I have been enjoying Gevalia. Their Costa Rican is quite good. And their regular stuff is pretty good. And Safeway has 20 ounce bags.
 
Pinecone said:
I have been enjoying Gevalia. Their Costa Rican is quite good.
Click to expand...
That is pretty good. At least as far as commercial grade goes. There was some on sale at Publix a few weeks ago and I enjoyed it.
 
I went to the big island did the coffee tours should have stayed away. I loved folgers till the ladies at the hotel…I tipped at the free coffee bar and so they started giving me the good kona coffee. Two weeks later and i am headed home with a couple of pounds of kona lasted two weeks. And folgers black silk no longer cut it. I asked around bought several grinders learned how to roast and now i buy kirkland gound coffee it scratches my itch best cheap stuff i have found. I edited to say i do the Costa Rican pour over. Have ten presses and one pour over use it every day.
 
Last edited:
Went to Key West and acquired a taste for the Cuban coffee they have down there. Be careful, though, it's concentrated caffeine.
 
Hot fresh is my favorite. Cooked and ready when I get out of the tent while camping is even better.
 
In the morning any coffee with caffeine will do ( with some creamer of course ) , in the afternoon it is either decaf or Black Russian tea.
 
RyanB said:
Resurrecting an oldie, but I’m curious if Kona coffee is worth the hype? I’m tempted to pull the trigger on some that I found online, but given the shipping costs and such, I’m debating whether or not it’s worth it. Opinions?
Click to expand...
Kona coffee, imo is worth it…. i ot addicted the two weeks i was in hawaii…
 
Bill Watson said:
I took a deep dive into cafe some years ago and have emerged with a few ‘musts’ and ‘shoulds’:

grind your beans just before roasting and get some local FRESHLY roasted beans... no more than a week old.
Click to expand...
I assume you mean grind just before brewing. You don't want to grind before roasting.
 
nauga said:
Ethiopian, any variety, bought green in 5lb bags and roasted between full city and french on the back patio.

Nauga,
who still drinks swill but likes the good stuff better
Click to expand...

Agreed. Ethiopian varieties tend to be more... peppy, and light roast Ethiopian generally have so much flavor!! Madcap coffee and Onyx coffee are both great beans.
 
I have no idea how their coffee is, but they have hella cool videos. Check out the movie Range 15 on Youtube. No I can't post the link for that one here.

 
My favorite coffees don't have cool names. Just the origin and maybe a process or two on the label. I just got 10lb of Ugandan coffee I've never tried before, but I'm hopeful.

Nauga,
who says, "hit my smoke"
 
WBI Flyer said:
Agreed. Ethiopian varieties tend to be more... peppy, and light roast Ethiopian generally have so much flavor!!
Click to expand...
If my coffee is lightly roasted it means I'm not finished. :cool:

Nauga,
who is not as rich as his coffee
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top