Perfecting your coffee experience

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LoveTheRunner

LoveTheRunner

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Basic food group, the real black gold. I was a hold out for a number of years, but junior year cracked me. Now it's mutual love. Since I'm relatively new to the delicious little treat, I'm asking for your take on the perfect coffee. What I've learned so far:

1) Starbucks is not good. For espresso addicts & hipsters.
1a) Get a grinder, buy whole beans, and make your own.

2) French/dark roasts only. Light roasts are little more than a weak diuretic.

3) No more than 1 cream / 1 sugar per 10 oz of cheap coffee. Less if it's better quality. Better yet, man up and go black.

4) If you live / go to school in a small community, coffee shops may be places for studying. Otherwise, it's a good chance you're like that guy at the gym just looking for an excuse to wear a muscle shirt (except you have a computer or something).

5) 10 pm lab coffee is heaven.

Anyone with a favorite brand they'd like to share? I'm looking to expand.
 
LoveTheRunner said:
Basic food group, the real black gold. I was a hold out for a number of years, but junior year cracked me. Now it's mutual love. Since I'm relatively new to the delicious little treat, I'm asking for your take on the perfect coffee. What I've learned so far:

1) Starbucks is not good. For espresso addicts & hipsters.
1a) Get a grinder, buy whole beans, and make your own.

2) French/dark roasts only. Light roasts are little more than a weak diuretic.

3) No more than 1 cream / 1 sugar per 10 oz of cheap coffee. Less if it's better quality. Better yet, man up and go black.

4) If you live / go to school in a small community, coffee shops may be places for studying. Otherwise, it's a good chance you're like that guy at the gym just looking for an excuse to wear a muscle shirt (except you have a computer or something).

5) 10 pm lab coffee is heaven.

Anyone with a favorite brand they'd like to share? I'm looking to expand.
Click to expand...

Totally random first post.

Checkout some of the small roasters you can snag at your local big supermarket...i.e wegmans if you are in the NE. I like Kimberton coffee roasters.

French roast isnt always the best.

The roast doesnt change the caffeine content of the bean.

I def recommend home grinding with a burr grinder only.

If you are really that into it snag a good espresso machine. They will cost you about 350 at the entry level. I had one and calcium scaling totally fd up the inside so I tossed it after many attempts to dissolve the deposits. They are perfect for pulling a quick shot or two or three....before studying/the gym.

I have been drinking coffee for about 15 years now and I still think black coffee tastes like ish. I use about one tablespoon of sugar and a decent amount of plain coffee mate (less calories/fat and still tastes like cream IMO)

Coffee is good ****. Until you dont drink a cup one morning and end up with a killer headache.



oh and FYI...I think starbucks has a decent cup of coffee....not the best...but certainly not the worst. I prefer their coffee over Dunkin any day of the week. Anyone who chastises starbucks and says their coffee is complete **** is truly a hipster/douche.....and we have PLENTY of hipsters in philly so I deal with their species a lot sadly.
 
LoveTheRunner said:
2) French/dark roasts only. Light roasts are little more than a weak diuretic.
Click to expand...

False. The darker the roast, the less caffeine the coffee contains. Go for a medium roast for maximum flavor/ caffeine!
 
Damn some of you people talk about coffee with the same adoration of drug addicts to their substance. Drink some cherry coke
 
Roast level doesn't have a significant impact on caffeine content. At higher roast levels, individual beans get bigger and lighter, and lose a small amount of caffeine. If you measure your coffee beans by weight when you're preparing your coffee, dark roasts have a bit more. If you're measuring by volume, lighter roasts come out ahead. It's a small difference either way.

Also, different coffees taste better at different roast levels. A freshly roasted Yirgacheffe at a City+ roast can be heavenly.
 
JFK90787 said:
Damn some of you people talk about coffee with the same adoration of drug addicts to their substance. Drink some cherry coke
Click to expand...

Cherry coke? Barf I never really get why people pound soda to study...specifically mountain dew. After all we all know what yellow 5 does hehehe 🙂
 
Nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to roasting your own beans.
If you can, buy a decent coffee roaster, or you can look up how to use an air popcorn popper to roast them. Buy the beans green and roast them yourself. Truly, the best cup of coffee I have ever had. Nothing else even comes close (but I'll drink pretty much any kind).
 
Never was a big fan of coffee. In all honesty, I can't drink even a cup without getting sick. But that's cause never in my life have I actually drank soda. I tried it a couple of times, but for some reason, I've always hated it. So pretty much my body doesn't like caffeine. Makes me sick. Sometimes I'll drink an energy drink and fight through the nausea, but then I get like 2 or 3 hours of bouncing off the walls.
 
willen101383 said:
Totally random first post.

Checkout some of the small roasters you can snag at your local big supermarket...i.e wegmans if you are in the NE. I like Kimberton coffee roasters.

French roast isnt always the best.

The roast doesnt change the caffeine content of the bean.

I def recommend home grinding with a burr grinder only.

If you are really that into it snag a good espresso machine. They will cost you about 350 at the entry level. I had one and calcium scaling totally fd up the inside so I tossed it after many attempts to dissolve the deposits. They are perfect for pulling a quick shot or two or three....before studying/the gym.

I have been drinking coffee for about 15 years now and I still think black coffee tastes like ish. I use about one tablespoon of sugar and a decent amount of plain coffee mate (less calories/fat and still tastes like cream IMO)

Coffee is good ****. Until you dont drink a cup one morning and end up with a killer headache.



oh and FYI...I think starbucks has a decent cup of coffee....not the best...but certainly not the worst. I prefer their coffee over Dunkin any day of the week. Anyone who chastises starbucks and says their coffee is complete **** is truly a hipster/douche.....and we have PLENTY of hipsters in philly so I deal with their species a lot sadly.
Click to expand...


This. Speculating on the "classiest" cup of coffee is all fun and good, until you become so addicted that you need to carry instant-coffee packets around to avoid the headache monster. 🙁

Also, I used to think I was cool for not drinking Starbucks, but I've gotten over it. Now I actually prefer their coffee over many...
 
Coffee = YUCK haha.

That's just my opinion I suppose. I prefer Diet Pepsi 🙂 Regular sodas are way too sweet for me

Oh and if you must drink coffee, go for the Scotch Coffee lol. I hear it's a good morning time pick-me-up
 
Emikosma said:
False. The darker the roast, the less caffeine the coffee contains. Go for a medium roast for maximum flavor/ caffeine!
Click to expand...
👍 This is completely true.


Also, Starbucks DOES suck. How do I know? I used to work there.

They don't even pull their own shots anymore. The drink quality has gone down the drain. The coffee is mediocre at best and the espresso is pretty much crap.

If you can find any of this stuff it is delicious. http://www.thehealthybean.com/

I don't know if I buy the whole "we put extra stuff in the coffee to make it healthy!" but it doesn't matter...it is tasty coffee.

If you like espresso drinks, (most) Peet's locations care more about the individual drink quality than the other chains out there.

I've still never found a home espresso machine that met my standards, but if anyone else does, by all means let me know.

People who use Vanilla Soy instead of Original are masking the flavor of bad coffee. Lame.

Also....I heart tea.
 
Last edited:
I'm still holding out on the coffee craze. 22 years strong so far and it still smells like crap!
 
CougarMD said:
👍 This is completely true.


Also, Starbucks DOES suck. How do I know? I used to work there.

They don't even pull their own shots anymore. The drink quality has gone down the drain. The coffee is mediocre at best and the espresso is pretty much crap.

If you can find any of this stuff it is delicious. http://www.thehealthybean.com/

I don't know if I buy the whole "we put extra stuff in the coffee to make it healthy!" but it doesn't matter...it is tasty coffee.

If you like espresso drinks, (most) Peet's locations care more about the individual drink quality than the other chains out there.

I've still never found a home espresso machine that met my standards, but if anyone else does, by all means let me know.

People who use Vanilla Soy instead of Original are masking the flavor of bad coffee. Lame.

Also....I heart tea.
Click to expand...
👍 100% agree

Here is the thing with my coffee, I love espresso, but I cannot shell out that much $$$ for a machine. I use this "espresso" maker (it's really not espresso, but I'll take it for what it costs)
20-9-Bialetti-ME.gif


It makes 6 shots (One person usually takes a double shot, so it's good for 3 people). I drink a double shot in the morning, and pour the rest out and mix with boiling water to make a Caffe Americano.

I love coffee. I found that Starbucks is average, but the best are the Peet's Beans. I'm sure there are tons of beans out there that taste WAY better than Starbucks, but I like Peet's stuff.

I take very little whole milk, and one packet of sugar if it's a regular cup. If it's espresso, it's straight up black
 
I actually really like lattes from Starbucks. And The White Chocolate Mocha
 
If you're in TX:

Katz Coffee-- locally roasted, good stuff. Not ridiculously expensive.

If you're anywhere:

French Press FTW. It uses more coffee beans than a drip machine, but you don't end up burning the coffee and I think it does a great job extracting flavors.

I like a medium roast, roughly ground (keep your whole beans out of the freezer and grind before brewing), with a little bit of whole milk to cool it down before I drink it.

I heard somewhere that if you can drink black coffee, it means you have a lower concentration of taste buds or something-- I can drink black coffee, and often do. Does this mean I'm missing out on all the flavors everyone else gets to fully experience?

What I really want is a coffee-brewing setup like the lab assistant in this season's Breaking Bad had going. So cool.
 
Klemptor said:
This. Tea is way way better than coffee. I'll take a strong cup of Yunnan over coffee any day. 🙂
Click to expand...

I like both of them pretty equally. My favorite tea is Rooibos. I recently got a little loose-leaf kit and I really dig it. My best friend is completely geeked out over coffee, so over the years I have tried a few places. I was in Chicago last week and really digged Intelligentsia. There's a place that opened up recently in town called Serrano Social Club, which is pretty good.
 
there was a thread on coffee on SDN a year or two ago, and people kept mentioning Peet's. I'd never heard of it, but a couple months later I spotted it at a supermarket and decided to give it a go . . . now I can't drink any other kind! it really is good. I wish Peet's (cafes) would expand to Chicago.

. . . ok actually i just looked it up and it looks like there are now 2 Peets locations in Chicagoland!! There is hope! The two are still really far from me, but hopefully once people realize how superior it is to Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks, they will open more 😍

i dont really like starbucks but it seems a lot stronger than what i make at home, so i resort to it when i am desperate.
 
Phosphorus Ylide said:
I like both of them pretty equally. My favorite tea is Rooibos. I recently got a little loose-leaf kit and I really dig it. My best friend is completely geeked out over coffee, so over the years I have tried a few places. I was in Chicago last week and really digged Intelligentsia. There's a place that opened up recently in town called Serrano Social Club, which is pretty good.
Click to expand...

Funny thing - rooibos isn't actually tea as it doesn't come from the camellia sinensis plant. A lot of people don't realize that. Tea made from rooibos is actually a tisane, or an herbal infusion. I personally don't like rooibos as it tastes like tobacco to me, but I know a lot of people that just love it.

Sorry to share unwanted info but I'm a huge tea nerd, I couldn't help myself 😳
 
I am a big Wawa junkie, they give all fire/ems personnel free drinks around the clock where I live.....and I do happen to love the coffee they have (yes, enough to buy it when I'm not on duty)

I use the latte machine and my own personal recipe:
3/4 caramel
1/4 french vanilla
shot of french vanilla cream
2 shots of irish cream

I love it, but boy does it make me have to piss like seabiscuit
 
Personally, I think the only way to truly enjoy coffee is with no sugar, no cream.
Definitely grind your own beans.
I dont really know what advantage roasting them yourself gives to the taste.
To really get the flavor, and all sorts of oils from the beans, which give the coffee a more rich flavor, try using a french press.
 
french press 👍
peet's 👍

what recently revolutionized my life:
the nespresso machine my sister got for graduating from med school (we live together). part of me feels the pods are wasteful, but it completely overcomes the cleaning/maintenance/time invested in brewing downfalls of traditional machines. and at 40c a pod, my wallet is much thicker. the different blends are distinctive and delish. 😍

although we like our coffee black and espresso... espresso, it was bundled with a very nice/quiet/effective milk steamer/frother that works for hot/cold drinks.
 
Dark roasts are boring. They lack the same complexity as light roasts and don't have as much caffeine. I'll pass.
 
EMS5 said:
I am a big Wawa junkie, they give all fire/ems personnel free drinks around the clock where I live.....and I do happen to love the coffee they have (yes, enough to buy it when I'm not on duty)

I use the latte machine and my own personal recipe:
3/4 caramel
1/4 french vanilla
shot of french vanilla cream
2 shots of irish cream

I love it, but boy does it make me have to piss like seabiscuit
Click to expand...

Dude whyd you have to mention wawa. Now I want a hoagie/sub. grrrrrr
 
Hands down best: Boston Stoker (brand) - Highlander Grogg (flavor)

Well, really anything from Boston Stoker is phenomenal. Based in Dayton, OH. Woohoooo, local!

😍
 
Philz Coffee in San Francisco... speaking of hipsters.
 
I made myself some coffee this morning (had to even grind up the beans).

Totally realized I had no milk... so I put in a dash of coca cola.

Tasted pretty dam good.

(Though I also enjoy dark beers and coca cola mixed together -- apparently this is a big thing in Germany, otherwise this girl was just b.s.ing me. haha)
 
Klemptor said:
Funny thing - rooibos isn't actually tea as it doesn't come from the camellia sinensis plant. A lot of people don't realize that. Tea made from rooibos is actually a tisane, or an herbal infusion. I personally don't like rooibos as it tastes like tobacco to me, but I know a lot of people that just love it.

Sorry to share unwanted info but I'm a huge tea nerd, I couldn't help myself 😳
Click to expand...

Ok, well then Rooibos is my favorite herbal infusion. Whatever.
 
willen101383 said:
Dude whyd you have to mention wawa. Now I want a hoagie/sub. grrrrrr
Click to expand...


Hmm.....I vote we start a Wawa thread...ahh the things I would do for a slushy and a hoagie right now
 
LoveTheRunner said:
Basic food group, the real black gold. I was a hold out for a number of years, but junior year cracked me. Now it's mutual love. Since I'm relatively new to the delicious little treat, I'm asking for your take on the perfect coffee. What I've learned so far:

1) Starbucks is not good. For espresso addicts & hipsters.
1a) Get a grinder, buy whole beans, and make your own.

2) French/dark roasts only. Light roasts are little more than a weak diuretic.

3) No more than 1 cream / 1 sugar per 10 oz of cheap coffee. Less if it's better quality. Better yet, man up and go black.

4) If you live / go to school in a small community, coffee shops may be places for studying. Otherwise, it's a good chance you're like that guy at the gym just looking for an excuse to wear a muscle shirt (except you have a computer or something).

5) 10 pm lab coffee is heaven.

Anyone with a favorite brand they'd like to share? I'm looking to expand.
Click to expand...



CoffeeBeanery is the best they make the best coffee
and i completely agree with you on the getting whole beans and getting a grinder. I used to have a grinder at our old place and i used to grind fresh every morning

 
crixx said:
If you can get over the image of Starbucks, they actually make a good cup of joe. And to all the coffee nay-sayers, if you're a male, drinking lots of it could help prevent cancer 🙂

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=alAhmT2SZ8Yg
Click to expand...

Nevermind the image. I just focus on the fact that their black coffee tastes like crap. Waaaay over-roasted and burnt tasting. I'll go for a mocha or caramel macchiato from time to time, but I steer clear of their brewed coffee at all costs.

😴 getting myself a cup of the good stuff here in a minute - could use the pick-me-up!
 
Mmmmm WaWa

For this reason alone, I hope to get into a Philly school...
and if Wawa exists outside of Philly, please let me know (so I can apply to those medical schools)

FutureDr -- what would you call ice cream + coffee?
Ice cream is the best type of creamer.
 
Avoidthetiger said:
I made myself some coffee this morning (had to even grind up the beans).

Totally realized I had no milk... so I put in a dash of coca cola.

Tasted pretty dam good.

(Though I also enjoy dark beers and coca cola mixed together -- apparently this is a big thing in Germany, otherwise this girl was just b.s.ing me. haha)
Click to expand...

Dis-gus-ting on both counts.

Although it doesnt beat what this girl was telling me her dad drinks- yogurt with beer (mixed)!! that is way beyond disgusting.
 
Avoidthetiger said:
Mmmmm WaWa

For this reason alone, I hope to get into a Philly school...
and if Wawa exists outside of Philly, please let me know (so I can apply to those medical schools)
Click to expand...

Definitely exists outside of philly, we've got them all over the place where i live
 
i prefer 1 cup of coffee, mixed in with 1/4 can of monster, 1/2 red bull, 1 5-hour energy, 2 caffeine pills, and a half pill of adderall in the mornings👍
 
Apply to OHSU. Portland is a mecca for coffee and beer enthusiasts. With our weather, you would soon understand why.
 
This thread reminds me of this:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfFyfG8BmV4[/YOUTUBE]
 
LoveTheRunner said:
Basic food group, the real black gold. I was a hold out for a number of years, but junior year cracked me. Now it's mutual love. Since I'm relatively new to the delicious little treat, I'm asking for your take on the perfect coffee. What I've learned so far:

1) Starbucks is not good. For espresso addicts & hipsters.
1a) Get a grinder, buy whole beans, and make your own.

2) French/dark roasts only. Light roasts are little more than a weak diuretic.

3) No more than 1 cream / 1 sugar per 10 oz of cheap coffee. Less if it's better quality. Better yet, man up and go black.

4) If you live / go to school in a small community, coffee shops may be places for studying. Otherwise, it's a good chance you're like that guy at the gym just looking for an excuse to wear a muscle shirt (except you have a computer or something).

5) 10 pm lab coffee is heaven.

Anyone with a favorite brand they'd like to share? I'm looking to expand.
Click to expand...

Actually, lighter roasts are stronger than darker roasts. When beans are roasted at high temp's to turn them dark, much of the caffeine content sublimates out. Which is why I never drink dark roasts.
 
A perfect cup of coffee can also be achieved by putting a normal amount of coffee beans in the coffee maker with only a half cup of water.

The result? A cup of blackened coffee sludge. mmmmmmmmmm good
 
I've yet to find a coffee that I actually like unless it is heavily diluted with milk / chocolate. I find black coffee to be disgusting, can barely get it down. I still go out and try a new coffee every so often, maybe some day I will find one that my strange taste buds mesh with.
 
The best coffee I have ever had was fresh Blue Mountain coffee in Jamaica. Unfortunately, here in the states it is ~$100/lb. No matter what coffee though, black is definitely the way to go. I just never have liked the flavor sweetener or creamer gives the coffee.
 
Water and green tea on some occasions!
 
Sometimes I daydream of caffeine and coffee while in class. Instead of doodling, I just draw the chemical structure of caffeine.

Peet's is good. A lot of the baristas there know their coffee. Starbucks, well, is just special. Best coffee on the west coast so far is a place called Philz. It's only in the Bay Area. Started in San Francisco, 1 in Palo Alto, and 1 in San Jose. Best coffee ever! Started by a photographer in San Francisco actually. Gotta love Tesoras. 1-drip coffees. None of that diluted stuff. What else do I have to say?
 
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