Blacker than a moonless night, hotter and more bitter than hell itself...that is

[Don Flamenco]

COFFEE

TALK ABOUT COFFEE

OMG JUST GOT HOME FROM THE ROASTER AND GOT A BAG OF MY FAVORITE (COSTA RICAN TARRAZU) AND THEY JUST FINISHED ROASTING IT BEFORE I GOT THERE AND I DIDN'T WANT TO DRINK A CUP AT 8PM BUT HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET THAT SHIT FRESHLY ROASTED AND I'VE BEEN USING MY AEROPRESS ANY EXCUSE I GET. 

SO GO, TALK ABOUT COFFEE, TALK ABOUT IT, TALK TALK DON'T WASTE TIME

CELEBRATED DRINKERS OF COFFEE

PHILIP J. FRY - DRANK 100 CUPS AND ATTAINED MATRIX-LIKE SPEED




GODOT FROM PHOENIX WRIGHT - THE BEST PHOENIX WRIGHT CHARACTER WITHOUT A SET OF KNOCKERS




BRAD PITT IS SO BIG THAT MUGS WE CONSIDER NORMAL ARE SMALL TO HIM





TYPES OF COFFEE -

LIGHT, MEDIUM, DARK CONTINUUM - TALK ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE

DARKER IS MORE BITTER, THICKER, STRONGER

MEDIUM IS MEDIUM

LIGHT IS LIGHT

ACIDITY LEVELS, CAFFEINE CONTENT, FLAVORS VARY BY VARIETY, BREWING METHOD ETC.  PEOPLE ARE OBSESSED WITH THIS SHIT.  I WONDER IF ANYONE MAKES A LIVING ENTIRELY OFF OF BEING A LATTE ARTIST YET.

STARBUCKS IS GROSS, BUT FRAPPUCINOS ARE THE BEST MILKSHAKES

YOU CAN MAKE IT WITH A PERCOLATOR, DRIP MACHINE, DRIP MANUAL, FRENCH PRESS, AEROPRESS, COLD BREW TALK ABOUT HOW YOU MAKE IT

YOU'LL WANT TO GRIND IT HOWEVER IT'S RECOMMENDED TO BE GROUND FOR YOUR PREFERRED BREWING TYPE, SAME WITH TEMPERATURE, BREWING TIME, ETC. 

IT CAN BE SWEETENED WITH SUGAR

LESS ACIDIC AND SMOOTHER WITH MILK, CREAM

TOO MUCH OF EITHER AND IT'S DISQUALIFIED FROM BEING COFFEE THOUGH



GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GOGOGO-;U08

[Van Cruncheon]

i used to be a snob but now i don't care, gimme my hexa-shot venti americano at the bucks every morning

and then two red bulls

fuck you

[Phoenix Dark]

I thought this would be about Himuro

[BobFromPikeCreek]

I don't know shit about coffee beyond the fact that I need it to function.

[chronovore]

Going to give myself an Aeropress treat in a moment or two.

Cormacaroni's devotion to his drip style is not misplaced though; I am also a fan of The Drip Making technique.

In either case, pre-heating your cup is an easy win.

[Don Flamenco]

The aeropress is the first time I've put much thought into my beans, brewing style, etc.  It's helped me spend a fraction of the time brewing in the morning, so I put some effort into the prep, to wake up my brain.  and it's made me crave the stuff all day.   I've pulled a couple all-nighters in the past few weeks just for the hell of it.     

I got a coarse grind with my first pound, but then I saw in the Aeropress instructions that you're supposed to get fine drip.  So this next pound will taste even better!


I have been preheating my cup after seeing you mention that-- definitely keeps it warmer longer.  and when the press is sitting on the cup waiting for the water, it gets warmed up too. 

[Cormacaroni]

I got the Aeropress inverted thing down now. Basically it just allows for a proper brew and proper heating of the press. Still doesn't make a man cup of coffee though so boo. And it ends up not being any faster than drip due to all the palaver.

I should take some pics of my various bits of gear actually. I've tossed so much coffee shit over the years...kind of amazing how many BAD ways there are to make the stuff

[Cormacaroni]

wait, you're having it ground by the shop? Child please, get a grinder. Your roast can be as fresh as the morning sunrise today but that won't matter in 2 weeks when it's rancid. You have to grind fresh for each cup. Non-negotiable

[Don Flamenco]

can you guys describe the inverted way again?   You put the plunger in a little, then flip it over? 

[Don Flamenco]

wait, you're having it ground by the shop? Child please, get a grinder. Your roast can be as fresh as the morning sunrise today but that won't matter in 2 weeks when it's rancid. You have to grind fresh for each cup. Non-negotiable

i'm lazy and i drink it in a week.  Stored in a air tight jar in my fridge, only opened to go in the press.  I warm the scoops in the press up with a couple drops of hot water while the water heats up on the stove. 

But your other suggestion to get a water thermometer-- got one coming from amazon tomorrow.   I'll see how close my estimation was to 175f

[Pringo]

Question for the health conscious coffee drinkers here (mostly Cormac probably). What do you put in your coffee or do you just drink it black? I put a bit of milk and sugar into mine but I'm assuming that's probably a health no no so I'm wondering what are some better options.

[Groogrux]

I make mine with heavy whipping cream and some Splenda.  When that tax money gets in, I'm buying myself an electric kettle and an aeropress though.  Normally i drink it drip style because it's convenient, and make a French press when I have more time to enjoy it.

Its true though about grinding your own beans.  Just don't waste money on a blade grinder.  Burr grinders aren't that much more expensive, they last longer, and you can choose what kind of grind you want.

[Cormacaroni]

wait, you're having it ground by the shop? Child please, get a grinder. Your roast can be as fresh as the morning sunrise today but that won't matter in 2 weeks when it's rancid. You have to grind fresh for each cup. Non-negotiable

i'm lazy and i drink it in a week.  Stored in a air tight jar in my fridge, only opened to go in the press.  I warm the scoops in the press up with a couple drops of hot water while the water heats up on the stove. 

But your other suggestion to get a water thermometer-- got one coming from amazon tomorrow.   I'll see how close my estimation was to 175f

Man, you're a squealer aintcha. Don't worry, i have experience bringing your type to heel

Serious coffee people will tell you that you need to brew within TEN MINUTES of grinding. A week is    The more you drink, the more you will realize how crappy your old grounds taste vs the new ones.  Get a grinder, IT'S THE LAW

The inverted way (which, let's face it, HAS to be The Bore standard basically) -

- put the plunger in the end of the brewer to seal it (I advise a test run with cold water...)
- put the grounds into the brewer from the top
- add a little water to the grounds, stir for 20-30 secs
- fill up to the top, leave for another 30 secs or so to brew
- add the filter and cap to the top of the brewer
- CHECK THAT IT IS FIRMLY CLOSED
- flip it over onto your cup and press it out
- never do it the other way again

[Don Flamenco]

I do own a grinder, I just got lazy at some point last year.   But I will try a taste test.  This bag ground vs. whole bean next bag.  I'll buy the whole bean bag and make a shot with the last scoop of the ground stuff.  It'll be a week to 9 days old, but stored like I said the whole time.  I'll sip a shot of one black, clear the palette, try the other.  and i'll report back. 

I'll post the temperature test tomorrow.     
 

[Cormacaroni]

of course it has to be a GOOD grinder, and you have to find the right grind for that type of bean and brewing method (as you have discovered). So if you're going to do it right, it'll take a lot more than a single taste test.

But as i said in that other thread, that's the fun of it. You're never just like OK DONE I HAVE PERFECTED COFFEE AND ON THE 7TH DAY I SHALL MOFUCKIN REST

[Don Flamenco]

this one:
http://www.amazon.com/203-42-Electric-Coffee-Grinder-Stainless/dp/B00004SPEU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360670419&sr=8-1&keywords=coffee+grinder


but i'm gonna guess that you are talking about a grinder with settings for exact grind specifications or something?  I'd probably draw the line before that.

[Groogrux]

For $29.99, you can get this one right here, and it would do everything you needed it to.  There's no need to pay a TON of money for one, just as long as it's a burr grinder and it has a lot of options.

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Coffee-BVMC-BMH23-Automatic-Grinder/dp/B004T6EJS0/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1360670953&sr=1-2&keywords=burr+coffee+grinder

[Cormacaroni]

Your best option on a budget is manual -

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-MSS-1B-Mini-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B001804CLY

I have this and it is pretty great. Pain in the ass grinding manually of course but you get what you pay for. If you get into espresso (which is the heart and soul of coffee IMHO) you'll need something with consistency, fine control and a wide variety of settings.

[Don Flamenco]

yeah, i'm not grinding my coffee manually first thing in the morning.  I already don't like grinders because they're too loud in the morning.

I could live with that $30 one though, thanks!   added it to my wish list.

[Brehvolution]

Coffee should be an option, not a necessity.

I used to drink coffee all day. I have one cup at work per day. 2 if I'm a little hungover. Then I just drink water the rest of the day.

[Cormacaroni]

Cool story bro

[Groogrux]

In this thread, we drink liquid gold or GTFO

[Cormacaroni]

Question for the health conscious coffee drinkers here (mostly Cormac probably). What do you put in your coffee or do you just drink it black? I put a bit of milk and sugar into mine but I'm assuming that's probably a health no no so I'm wondering what are some better options.

Butter / heavy cream / coconut oil if I'm treating it as a meal substitute. I think fat is healthy, YMMV. Most of the time I only want it black though

[Verdigris Murder]

Interestingly enough, it's viewed by the scientific community as the preferred hot beverage of choice by people who were molested when young.

[Cormacaroni]

Like your mom

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Oh shit, sorry guys. Coffee was just rendered obselete.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mountain-dew-introduces-breakfast-drink-050318239.html

[Mr. Gundam]

I make Americanos during the week and then pull out the French press on the weekends.

[Don Flamenco]

Question for the health conscious coffee drinkers here (mostly Cormac probably). What do you put in your coffee or do you just drink it black? I put a bit of milk and sugar into mine but I'm assuming that's probably a health no no so I'm wondering what are some better options.

Butter / heavy cream / coconut oil if I'm treating it as a meal substitute. I think fat is healthy, YMMV. Most of the time I only want it black though

have you tried sweetened condensed milk?   It's a bit too sweet but really good if you're in the mood for a super sweet carmel-ish coffee.

I'm gonna try an inverted cup now. 

[Mr. Gundam]

Condensed milk and coffee is a treat that I don't allow myself to have very often. Sooo good, though.

[ToxicAdam]

Liquid meth for the sophisticant.

[Don Flamenco]

After trying my new thermometer and using that new technique-- 175 f, inverted coffee is awesome and that'll be my standard from now on.   Came out with a perfect americano with a bit of cream and sugar.  I gotta chill out on drinking it at all hours of the day and night though     I'm thinking of getting a decaf blend for night.  The same place I got the tarrazu has some nice swiss decaf.

[Don Flamenco]

Liquid meth for the sophisticant.

whatever, meth is perverted and deadly coffee for the trailer trashese.

[Cormacaroni]

Vietnamese-style coffee with condensed milk was a big deal in Tokyo for a hot minute. It's not bad but I just don't eat anything much sweet except occasional bits of fruit or dark chocolate. (hey we were talking about healthiness, you asked for it).

[Cormacaroni]

After trying my new thermometer and using that new technique-- 175 f, inverted coffee is awesome and that'll be my standard from now on.   Came out with a perfect americano with a bit of cream and sugar.  I gotta chill out on drinking it at all hours of the day and night though     I'm thinking of getting a decaf blend for night.  The same place I got the tarrazu has some nice swiss decaf.

Naw, the good news is you are far from perfect

I'm guessing your coffee is at least as good as in most chain stores like Starbucks now though (is there even another one left in the US?)

[TakingBackSunday]

I use a Keurig 

[Flannel Boy]

I drink plain, black luke-warm instant nestcafe coffee because I hate myself.

[Cormacaroni]

You might want to upgrade your mugs/cups too. I like these a lot, although they are obviously fragile. Double-walls keep hot drinks hot and cool drinks cool:



Heavy ceramics are also good at retaining heat. I like these Illy cappucino cups for espresso and small cups of coffee (i.e. Aeropress style)


I've mostly gone back to this Hario V60 dripper vs the Aeropress. The Aeropress is no faster once you factor in heating cups and adding a longer brew time etc. And it's fiddly and accident-prone if you use the inverted technique. Drip into a glass mug is infallible, 'cause you can always see how much room you have left in the mug

[Cormacaroni]

I drink plain, black luke-warm instant nestcafe coffee because I hate myself.

I knew both of these things without you having to spell 'em out

[Don Flamenco]

After trying my new thermometer and using that new technique-- 175 f, inverted coffee is awesome and that'll be my standard from now on.   Came out with a perfect americano with a bit of cream and sugar.  I gotta chill out on drinking it at all hours of the day and night though     I'm thinking of getting a decaf blend for night.  The same place I got the tarrazu has some nice swiss decaf.

Naw, the good news is you are far from perfect

I'm guessing your coffee is at least as good as in most chain stores like Starbucks now though (is there even another one left in the US?)

No way.  I got a nice, thick double shot out of it.  They pay even less attention to what they're doing there than I do to how i'm brewing mine.  Their beans are also worse and their americano would be way more watered down.  And that bitter after taste just doesn't go away.  And yeah, in major metropolitan areas in the U.S., Starbucks is fucking everywhere.  They do have them across the street from each other and on each corner and all over the place in downtown Chicago.  The sidewalks are that traffic heavy in the morning, to where this layout really does double/triple/quadruple business in the space of a few blocks.  And everyone's running in and out of them all day.    Pretty much any commercially and residentially developed area has one.  Starbucks has a hold on the market that Nintendo had a flirt with during the wii's lifespan---the soccer moms and kiddies.  A lot of average American parents just kinda suck at saying "no" to a huge coffee milkshake with a cup of whipped cream on top and a fucking fried snickers bar sticking out of it for their chubby 8 year old. 

But there are tons of local and higher quality places too, so it's not like there's a problem getting something better.  People just drink a shitload of fuckin' coffee.  It's insane.

edit: I'd love to buy new cool mugs, but nah.  That's on my after I move list.

[Cormacaroni]

You also want a proper pouring kettle for pour-over coffee. These are cheap and well worth it. Without one of these you can forget about pouring in small circles which is one of those things you'll all say is silly and fussy until you actually do it and curse how much time you wasted not doing it

here is a decent guide to using it: http://vimeo.com/28697855

Note how he uses the extraction time and the weight of the beans to work back to what kind of grind he uses. This is the same for espresso or any other type of coffee. If you time how long it takes, you will then know whether you should try grinding finer (to extract slower) or coarser (faster). Note that the extraction time varies depending on time off-roast, which is another reason why you shouldn't have the beans ground for you. Freshness aside, even if it is awesome the first day, it won't be the right grind setting for a week later most likely.

[Mr. Gundam]

Lots of great chains in the Seattle area. Herkimer, Zoka, Stumptown (from Portland and also in NYC), Lladro, Lighthouse Vita, etc.

It's funny, we pass seven coffee shops on the way to our neighborhood Herkimer location.

[Groogrux]

Got my Aeropress yesterday and made a cup with it last night and...

IT WAS FUCKING AMAZING.

[chronovore]

I'm not seeing an image load there. You might want to re-host.

I bought a cone filter for drip to see how I feel about it; I was using this pretty hardcore at the Japanese job, left it there for my fellow addicts. Using the new one today, I remembered why I like this; it's perhaps even a little more meditative a process than the aeropress.

But I like feeling like a mad scientist, and syringe-like gear aids me in that.

Coffee should be an option, not a necessity.

I used to drink coffee all day. I have one cup at work per day. 2 if I'm a little hungover. Then I just drink water the rest of the day.

You may be in the wrong thread.

[Groogrux]

I'm not seeing an image load there. You might want to re-host.

I bought a cone filter for drip to see how I feel about it; I was using this pretty hardcore at the Japanese job, left it there for my fellow addicts. Using the new one today, I remembered why I like this; it's perhaps even a little more meditative a process than the aeropress.

But I like feeling like a mad scientist, and syringe-like gear aids me in that.

Coffee should be an option, not a necessity.

I used to drink coffee all day. I have one cup at work per day. 2 if I'm a little hungover. Then I just drink water the rest of the day.

You may be in the wrong thread.

Fixed it the simple way.

[Diunx]

A necesary evil.

[Mr. Gundam]

Got a pound of Stumptown Holler Mountain this morning, on my fourth cup. Ohhh yeeeeaaahhh....

[Don Flamenco]

Bought a 1/4lb espresso blend cause I was feeling adventurous-- goddamn, it's so good. 

and now I realize that the problem with starbucks is not just that they serve bad coffee, but they ruin people's perceptions of coffee as well.  I just made a thick double shot of espresso, brewed as we've discussed, and not only is it not bitter, but it tastes incredible.  Dark, but not burnt to shit and cut with shredded tires.

[Cormacaroni]

you didn't make espresso in your Aeropress, dude - it's simply not possible.

[Cormacaroni]

I've had pretty good espresso shots at Starbucks in Japan ('cause minimum wage workers here care a lot more than you'd expect) but considering the price, they're sub-par. In general their coffee isn't outright awful or anything but people almost never taste it 'cause of all the milk/cream/flavored sugar in it so why bother?

[chronovore]

Yeah, Aeropress can make a pretty thick brew, and you can do a few things which make it espresso-like, but the actual process differs from espresso, in that the amount of water and the level of pressure are both significantly different.

[Don Flamenco]

i just like coffee brehs

I'm going back to foldger's.   Every time I make coffee, I have Cormac over my shoulder going "nope, no, awwww, what are you doing?!   Your technique is terrible--don't go to wipe off the stirrer while it's still brewing, you're wasting time!   Look, look!  10 seconds over the limit, that batch is not fit for human consumption, pour it out, do it again."  And chronovore's with him, pointing and laughing as I collapse into tears in my kitchen.


(but that is good to know so I don't look dumb irl   )

(Image removed from quote.)

You also want a proper pouring kettle for pour-over coffee. These are cheap and well worth it. Without one of these you can forget about pouring in small circles which is one of those things you'll all say is silly and fussy until you actually do it and curse how much time you wasted not doing it

here is a decent guide to using it: http://vimeo.com/28697855

Note how he uses the extraction time and the weight of the beans to work back to what kind of grind he uses. This is the same for espresso or any other type of coffee. If you time how long it takes, you will then know whether you should try grinding finer (to extract slower) or coarser (faster). Note that the extraction time varies depending on time off-roast, which is another reason why you shouldn't have the beans ground for you. Freshness aside, even if it is awesome the first day, it won't be the right grind setting for a week later most likely.

I hear eating bread permanently puts yeastogens in your saliva stream, which can create a bitter flavor when they come into contact with the coffee's precious sub-oils.  Should I stop eating bread? 

[Cormacaroni]

My wife - obviously a contender for 'Thickest-Skinned Women in Entire Universe' already, i mean she lives with me and is a vegetarian - will straight-up make Nescafe in front of me and be like What? It's delicious

[Don Flamenco]

My relatives serve it to us, it's kinda okay.  The best part is that my brother and I had no idea and thought it was some decent coffee.  My cousin has some weird way of whipping it up with milk and sugar to make a really strong shot of it that tastes way better than preparing it normally. 

[Cormacaroni]

i take the view that not eating meat has destroyed the part of her brain that registers taste

Nescafe is vile but for 20 years it was the only experience of coffee I had. Then I came to Tokyo and got served 1,000 yen coffee in Ginza with gold flakes in it and I was lost

[Lan]

<3 coffee. I even made a collage of coffee in the shape of a coffee cup in Photoshop.

[Don Flamenco]

i take the view that not eating meat has destroyed the part of her brain that registers taste

Nescafe is vile but for 20 years it was the only experience of coffee I had. Then I came to Tokyo and got served 1,000 yen coffee in Ginza with gold flakes in it and I was lost

When I went to Europe, the most shocking experience was seeing NesCafe Cafes.  That's just not right. 

[Mr. Gundam]

Seeing Europeans drink nothing but NesCafe at home melted my brain.

i just like coffee brehs

I'm going back to foldger's.   Every time I make coffee, I have Cormac over my shoulder going "nope, no, awwww, what are you doing?!   Your technique is terrible--don't go to wipe off the stirrer while it's still brewing, you're wasting time!   Look, look!  10 seconds over the limit, that batch is not fit for human consumption, pour it out, do it again."  And chronovore's with him, pointing and laughing as I collapse into tears in my kitchen.

[chronovore]

My wife - obviously a contender for 'Thickest-Skinned Women in Entire Universe' already, i mean she lives with me and is a vegetarian - will straight-up make Nescafe in front of me and be like What? It's delicious

In fairness, you straight up cook bacon in front of her and, are like, "WAT? EET EES DELISHUS."

i just like coffee brehs

I'm going back to foldger's.   Every time I make coffee, I have Cormac over my shoulder going "nope, no, awwww, what are you doing?!   Your technique is terrible--don't go to wipe off the stirrer while it's still brewing, you're wasting time!   Look, look!  10 seconds over the limit, that batch is not fit for human consumption, pour it out, do it again."  And chronovore's with him, pointing and laughing as I collapse into tears in my kitchen.

(but that is good to know so I don't look dumb irl   )

(Image removed from quote.)

You also want a proper pouring kettle for pour-over coffee. These are cheap and well worth it. Without one of these you can forget about pouring in small circles which is one of those things you'll all say is silly and fussy until you actually do it and curse how much time you wasted not doing it

here is a decent guide to using it: http://vimeo.com/28697855

Note how he uses the extraction time and the weight of the beans to work back to what kind of grind he uses. This is the same for espresso or any other type of coffee. If you time how long it takes, you will then know whether you should try grinding finer (to extract slower) or coarser (faster). Note that the extraction time varies depending on time off-roast, which is another reason why you shouldn't have the beans ground for you. Freshness aside, even if it is awesome the first day, it won't be the right grind setting for a week later most likely.

I hear eating bread permanently puts yeastogens in your saliva stream, which can create a bitter flavor when they come into contact with the coffee's precious sub-oils.  Should I stop eating bread?

Ah, no! No, boo! I'm just happy you're drinking coffee which you're enjoying more. And I've called the stuff coming out of Aeropress "espresso" by mistake as well, which is why I felt compelled to chime in.

Also, at "yeastogens."

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

Bumping this shit.

I got an Aeropress of my own and some faggoty fair trade coffee.  I took it into work, ground some coffee up, and made a cup.  It was  :krs in my mouf.  One of the ladies stopped in and was curious about the Aeropress.  I showed her how to use it and she was all :krs about it.  Word soon spread and people were using the Aeropress all throughout the day.  Once I told them where to get it, most of them sent me a message or told me that they ordered it.  You guys should get a commission off of these sales, good work.  Great coffee.

[Cormacaroni]

remember, inverted or go home (see my post above)