Coffee people?

[Lebowski]

Although I drink coffee on most days, I do not know a lot about it and would like to further my understanding and would like to get some 'good' stuff to try out. I used to just drink Foldgers, and don't actually dislike it but when I'd run out of coffee I'd pick up something new each time when grocery shopping. I tried the normal stuff, the 8 o'clock brand, Dunkin Donuts, Seattle's Best, etc. Right now I've been drinking Gevalia and love the smell and taste, I just bought a second bag of it when getting groceries last night and am not disappointed (sipping on some now). I don't know what about it is exactly different from the other stuff, but it just smells good and tastes good as well.


Should I get a french press or grind my own beans? I just want a good, strong coffee. I always sweeten mine with (real) honey and a splash of milk, if it matters.

 

[Lebowski]

Derp. Wrong forum. Flagged for request to be moved to Break Room.

 

[IUprof]

I am a coffee lover (snob?) I have a Solis automatic espresso machine and use Lavazza coffee beans to make a wonderful cafe creme every morning! A French press would be a great start to enjoying coffee.

 

[GlockRock]

Why are you up at 0500 drinking coffee on Sunday?!??!?

 

[rausch51]

A blade grinder and a french press is the next logical step. They are both cheap, easy to use, and will give you another way to enjoy your coffee.

If you are really interested, you could start to roast your own beans. I've never done it, but green coffee beans can be bought from local roasters or online. You can roast the beans in a hot air popcorn popper.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Kona. Mmmmm....

 

[Stschil]

My all time favorite is Jacobs Körnig, but I have a very hard time finding it any more. I have to have my son get it from the Army Commisary when he can. It is a very dark, rich roast, finely ground from Europe. Makes a heartily strong but surprisingly not bitter brew. Costco used to have great beans, but sadly they have severed ties with the vendor and removed the roasters from the stores. These days I survive by buying whole bean 8 O'clock and grinding my own for each pot. It suffices, but I'd love to find a bean roasted like the Körnig.

 

[avboiler11]

A blade grinder and a french press is the next logical step.

This.

I personally really like a Guatemala bean, but Kona is about the smoothest you can find (and you'll pay for it too). I generally grind Starbucks Pike Place every morning to brew, but come January/February stock up on Starbucks Casi Celo (my favorite en masse coffee BY FAR).

 

[Expat]

I went through some of the stages myself. Ground my own beans. French press. Espresso machine, espresso stove top... I enjoyed doing it at the time and pretending it made a huge difference in my coffee. Now I just have a good brew machine (Cuisinart) and get good fresh ground coffee (Starbucks, Gevalia, Seattle's Best, etc.). I rotate around for the variety of flavors.

 

[parson]

I stick with Maxwell house and keep a variety of extracts and spices around if I want to add some flavor to it.

The wife used my blade grinder to make some potpourri for her craft projects. I'll just let her keep it.

 

[Mgderf]

Kona. Mmmmm....

Best coffee on the planet, hands down.

 

[snapping turtle]

Basic's

American blends are poor. They use lots of cheap beans. Folgers and such are not for coffee snobs.
The darker the roast the less caffeine the lighter the roast the more caffeine.
Single bean coffee has distinctive taste blends more generic.
As the water oh says high quality H2O is needed for a good pot or cup.

Some of what I have had and love are blue mountain, kona and Sumatran coffee.

That said I am drinking maxwell house 1894 blend right now. Out of a black and decker mAker. I drink lots of coffee so I can't always drink the great stuff. Tonight during the NASCAR rAce the Sumatran will come out.

Coffee has jumped in price as of late. If you find a style you like buy it now. Prices for normal stuff are approaching some of the gourmet styles. Not the best time to be a coffee junkie.

 

[BugI02]

I also have gone through many of the stages of coffee consumption ( except bean roasting ) and have settled on having maybe 1/2 lb of coffee at a time ( enough for a week, my wife doesn't drink the stuff ) ground at "1:30" referencing the dial on the machine like a clockface. This produces a slightly finer grind than the usual drip grind which produces a stronger cup due to the increased area available for extraction. In combination with a good drip brewer and a paper filter (mesh filters don't trap enough sediment) it makes a very reliably good, strong cup. I have a boutique roaster ( Stauf's ) available to me but as its a special trip, I quite often get a good coffee on offer at Whole Foods and grind it myself in the self-serve grinder. If you find a bean supplier that gives info about acidity and body then you might like medium to high acidity. The higher the acidity the 'cleaner' the finish, the less time the taste lingers on your tongue after each sip. And of course you would probably want medium or higher body. At first it seems like a lot of work but pretty quickly, like cleaning a 1911, it becomes a pleasurable routine.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

Tully's

/thread

 

[Stschil]

Let's face it.....I excellence

But, on the budget that most of us have, we can't afford Civet Coffee or this ......

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Call Fuel and tell them you want a pound of Nicaraguan shipped to you and what type of coffee make you use.

Fuel Jack Coffee - Coffee shop downtown in Lafayette, Indiana - Espresso, quiche, bagels and spicy hot chocolate - Home to the Dirty Ivan

My fave is the Columbian, but if you want strong, I'd go Nicaraguan or Tanzanian.

 

[mrjarrell]

Lebowski, I will second Gevalia. We've been using it for nigh on 20 years now. It's delivered directly to our front door. They have a subscription service with a bigger variety of coffees available to members. Costs a bit more than the store bought version but it's well worth it. Right now we're sipping on their Signature Blend, and it's great. They sell ground or whole beans for you. You can't go wrong with them. Nice thing is, with the subscription service is that you get the access to some nice rarities that other people will never get the chance to try.

Premium Gourmet Coffee & Tea | Coffee Makers & Accessories | Gevalia

 

[MTN]

Caribou day break coffee. Out of a kuerig machine.

 

[Colt]

I have been enjoying coffee made from beans I roast myself for about 10 years. For the last 6 years I have been mail ordering my green beans from Burman Home Coffee Roasting - Green Coffee Beans . The variety of beans is always changing. I use an old garage sale popcorn popper to roast my beans. It works great, but wouldn't hesitate to buy a cheap roaster if it burns out. There is plenty of info on the web about using a popcorn popper. You should study it if you are thinking of doing it that way, as there are some safety issues. I am not a snob and am very haphazard in my roasting. Generally, I aim for ending the roast just as the second crack is starting, about 5 minutes depending on the roasting temperature. Sometimes I get sidetracked and end up with a dark roast. IMHO the results are still almost always better than store-bought roasted coffee. Green beans store well for years, which is a big advantage.

 

[Excalibur]

Waking up at 7 everyday for a 50 mile drive to work, I always drive some hard coffee.