Talking about Coffee

[-DLC-]

can you tell me why you have no desire to try something different? you said something really similar about beer before.

anyway, i don't think it's really anything new. i just think people are now realizing there's actually no need to buy corporate swill that is unethical and made for profit without consideration of quality and ingredients.

why you would parallel 'caramel and nutmeg' with monkey pooh and drool is beyond me. caramel and nutmeg, IN SPECIFIC, have been made with coffee for AGES, as a variation of the age-old Scottish drink Grog, which sailors used to mix into their alcohol. the flavour combination is timeless and so working class that you can even find grog coffee at walmart. don't worry, nobody will think you're a snob

try it sometime deb

you're going to like it

I know I'm a weirdo and not the norm...normal people like sampling different flavours and expanding their taste. I have sampled some, and perhaps that's why I run back to my good old faithful/boring. People close to me are the opposite of me...they're really into trying different beer, tea and coffee - constantly pushing them at me. Hated every single one I've tried (except a recent spiced pumpkin tea).

I'm very rigid in it...it's ridiculous. I even hate Starbucks and anything to do with it (except their spinach/feta wrap). But I do understand that most people don't get it, especially when there's such a variety out there. I am trailer trash boring.

[FramingDragon]

Hot chocolate is way better.

?

[GLASSJAW]

I know I'm a weirdo and not the norm...normal people like sampling different flavours and expanding their taste. I have sampled some, and perhaps that's why I run back to my good old faithful/boring. People close to me are the opposite of me...they're really into trying different beer, tea and coffee - constantly pushing them at me. Hated every single one I've tried (except a recent spiced pumpkin tea).

I'm very rigid in it...it's ridiculous. I even hate Starbucks and anything to do with it (except their spinach/feta wrap). But I do understand that most people don't get it, especially when there's such a variety out there. I am trailer trash boring.

someone needs to put you in a psychologist's chair and get to the bottom of this

[The Bookie]

these days, mostly Salt Spring or Kicking Horse beans, in a stainless steel french press I've had for almost a decade. seems to be indestructible.

I have a stovetop and keep some espresso around but don't use it that much, it's for the real desperate mornings.

best beans I've ever had were from Papua New Guinea and (surprisingly) Hawaii, but I haven't seen those in victoria yet.

[-DLC-]

someone needs to put you in a psychologist's chair and get to the bottom of this

Lost cause, too far gone...

Someone recently brought me back some coconut coffee from Maui. Hated it.

[aGENT]

Ethical Bean Classic Roast.

Outstanding.

Sorry, typo.

Also enjoy Ethical Bean. I get their "Lush" roast from Costco which lets me enjoy a "quasi-boutique" brand/flavour at closer to mass produced price.

Always brewed (fresh, burr ground) with an Aeropress and usually in the form of a latte (frothed milk with a splash of pure vanilla extract and cinnamon).

[Aladeen]

I don't drink much but this is the one I like:

[Monty]

Had my first cup of coffee this morning in almost a year. Mistake.

[Aladeen]

Had my first cup of coffee this morning in almost a year. Mistake.

Had the poops in traffic? Hate that!

[avelanch]

aren't k cups full of chemicals flavouring?

only if you get the flavoured cups.

[avelanch]

also, never much cared for dark roasts (which is weird, since i love dark beer). for coffee, give me a blonde roast. the best coffee i ever had was in guatemala. the beans went right from the field into the roaster at the hotel and into our coffee in the morning. i've never had coffee that good ever since.

[aGENT]

Had my first cup of coffee this morning in almost a year. Mistake.

Get/make better coffee.

[aGENT]

also, never much cared for dark roasts (which is weird, since i love dark beer). for coffee, give me a blonde roast. the best coffee i ever had was in guatemala. the beans went right from the field into the roaster at the hotel and into our coffee in the morning. i've never had coffee that good ever since.

The only time I've ever like lighter roasts is when it's SUPER fresh. ^^^ That would be a good example. For anything mass produced, roasted, transported etc I pretty much always prefer a medium to dark roast.

[otherwise]

Can't go wrong with Nabob ground coffee or Melitta beans. Ground coffee is best in a typical drip style machine, beans that you grind yourself are best in a French press. I'll go for almost any brand when it's on sale other than Folgers and Maxwell House.

I'm curious if anyone uses a percolator? I have an old one sitting in my cupboard that I need to take for a test run one of these days.

My parents have one for camping and I prefer it to drip coffee.

I've never had french press though.

Normally I have milk/cream and sugar in my coffee and then whatever kind of med. roast I can find that is on sale.

Something that I think anyone who loves coffee should try is coffee with ginger in it. The first time I had this was at an Eritrean coffee ceremony.

edit: for spelling

[Monty]

Get/make better coffee.

No.

[ckamo]

I guess I will be the first to admit to using a single-cup machine. Our family had a Nespresso back in Vancouver, and I've been missing it since I moved out. Nespresso's pods are aluminum and they've got a recycling program, but coffee-wise these machines make a mean cup of espresso. Their milk frother's also probably the best the best alternative to actually steaming milk I've tried.

[avelanch]

the wife and i are going to be buying a k-cup machine this black friday after getting one for her dad this past christmas and experiencing just how easy, fast, and good the coffee is. especially if you have one of those reusable cups that you load your own coffee into.

[-DLC-]

I just bought Kicking Horse coffee beans and ground them up (in my coffee grinder with no lid...used a plastic peanut butter lid, how I roll).

Then realized I had no coffee filters...used a paper towel.

Not sure if I'm winning or losing this battle. Tastes good though.

This is something I'm going to throw out there: coffee has an expiry date but I've recently grabbed a whole bunch of TH's drip in a can marked down from $8 to $2 because it expired in May. I know it should be used very quickly after opening (no worries, I devoured it...I can't live without coffee in the morning). But how do you guys feel about expiry dates? I know freshness is huge in coffee...but if it's vacuum sealed and outdated, yay or nay? I've used it all and it was delicious, but as a general rule is this a no no? And I'm notr playing with you, seriously looking for honest feedback. Not that it matters - I'll continue to look for these deals, out of necessity. But how do others feel about buying sealed, outdated coffee?

(FTR, the Kicking Horse was also expired but marked down to $3.99 from $17.00).

I'm with Av on the dark roast thing...I don't like a really strong/bold coffee. I'm not trying to troll here, I'm interested in learning and, perhaps, gaining a proper appreciation for coffee. As it is now, I just need 2 cups in the morning or I'll die. You'd be appalled at what I've drank as a result, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Reasonably priced coffee is important to me...I'm on a tight budget. So mellow, inexpensive coffees are what I seek out. And, if I can save 50-75% for expired coffee, I buy it. Is this something others would sneer at, or am I a smart cookie?

[Aladeen]

I just bought Kicking Horse coffee beans and ground them up (in my coffee grinder with no lid...used a plastic peanut butter lid, how I roll).

Then realized I had no coffee filters...used a paper towel.

Not sure if I'm winning or losing this battle. Tastes good though.

This is something I'm going to throw out there: coffee has an expiry date but I've recently grabbed a whole bunch of TH's drip in a can marked down from $8 to $2 because it expired in May. I know it should be used very quickly after opening (no worries, I devoured it...I can't live without coffee in the morning). But how do you guys feel about expiry dates. I know freshness is huge in coffee...but if it's vacuum sealed and outdated, yay or nay?

(FTR, the Kicking Horse was also expired but marked down to $3.99 from $17.00).

I'm with Av on the dark roast thing...I don't like a really strong/bold coffee. I'm not trying to troll here, I'm interested in learning and, perhaps, gaining a proper appreciation for coffee. As it is now, I just need 2 cups in the morning or I'll die. You'd be appalled at what I've drank as a result, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Reasonably priced coffee is important to me...I'm on a tight budget. So mellow, inexpensive coffees are what I seek out. And, if I can save 50-75% for expired coffee, I buy it. Is this something others would sneer at, or am I a smart cookie?

I think if its vacuum sealed there is no problem past it's expiry date. I know a lot of Coffees have the little push button on them so people can smell them but still as long as it isn't moldy I am sure even the most refined coffee aficionado would have trouble differentiating coffee a little past its expiry date.

Anyways there is probably someone out there that sells moldy coffee as a gourmet blend at 10 times the price

Totally go for the expired coffee, I would make sure it is Vacuum sealed and the whole bean rather than previously ground. Less surface area probably lets the coffee last longer IMO.

[aGENT]

No.

I suppose I had that coming

I just bought Kicking Horse coffee beans and ground them up (in my coffee grinder with no lid...used a plastic peanut butter lid, how I roll).

Then realized I had no coffee filters...used a paper towel.

Not sure if I'm winning or losing this battle. Tastes good though.

This is something I'm going to throw out there: coffee has an expiry date but I've recently grabbed a whole bunch of TH's drip in a can marked down from $8 to $2 because it expired in May. I know it should be used very quickly after opening (no worries, I devoured it...I can't live without coffee in the morning). But how do you guys feel about expiry dates? I know freshness is huge in coffee...but if it's vacuum sealed and outdated, yay or nay? I've used it all and it was delicious, but as a general rule is this a no no? And I'm notr playing with you, seriously looking for honest feedback. Not that it matters - I'll continue to look for these deals, out of necessity. But how do others feel about buying sealed, outdated coffee?

(FTR, the Kicking Horse was also expired but marked down to $3.99 from $17.00).

I'm with Av on the dark roast thing...I don't like a really strong/bold coffee. I'm not trying to troll here, I'm interested in learning and, perhaps, gaining a proper appreciation for coffee. As it is now, I just need 2 cups in the morning or I'll die. You'd be appalled at what I've drank as a result, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Reasonably priced coffee is important to me...I'm on a tight budget. So mellow, inexpensive coffees are what I seek out. And, if I can save 50-75% for expired coffee, I buy it. Is this something others would sneer at, or am I a smart cookie?

It probably won't taste quite as fresh (obviously) and likely won't last as long as something less dated once opened but if it's been vac sealed it should be largely fine as long as you use it up quickly. You're probably losing a touch of richness and adding some bitterness but it shouldn't be night and day. And expired, vac sealed good coffee beans are probably still miles better than mass produced/pre-ground stuff.

What are you using for a grinder? I HIGHLY recommend getting a burr grinder if you want rich, good tasting coffee.

If you're making coffee for one (or even two) I also can't recommend the Aeropress enough. Makes better coffee IMO (when brewed properly) than even high end coffee shop espresso machines or auto K-cup etc machines.

It's a bit more work than the ease of those cup machines but if you're serious about you're coffee, it's worth it IMO. It's also a LOT cheaper to buy than those or espresso machines. Easy as hell to clean/no maintenance too.