# Coffee: It's a quest for the best



## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Do you blend your coffee grounds or are you 'brand loyal'?

I blend them 99% of the time. I've found that I just do not like most of the new coffee's of the past decade. Too roasted, too dark, too bitter, too dark a bean to begin with. Overall, more like burnt molasses than coffee.

Currently I mix 2 parts random espress ground to 3 parts whatever's at the dollar store and it makes for a nice pot.

However, I am always open to suggestions on what is palatable.

Rather dislikes:
Foldgers for me is icky period
Shoppers Drug Mart house brand smells so bad I threw it out after one pot
That organic stuff in the black bag, so bad I didn't even bother to learn its name :|

Rather likes (mixed in a tub):
Nabob for the most part
dollar store
most espressos (there was one I didn't but I didn't make a note of the name at the time and I should have)
Maxwell House is ok
IKEA house brand is also surprisingly good


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Brand loyal. We were addicted to Nabob Full city dark but it got too hard to get and costly. We now use PC dark roast. 

Now coffee makers is another thread...


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

I love the Nabob coffees as well, good coffee for the money. Tradition has been my recent fav. I do however, like Kicking Horse, although my husband who drinks his black, thinks it tastes burnt. Maybe I should try blending.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

I think some of the causes for my perceptions are:

20+ years ago the bean most commonly used was the "Robusta" and today the most common bean is the "Arabica". There are differences, and application differences. Robusta was and is a good bean in a drip maker. Arabica is darker, and tends to that burnt flavour. It is early too @[email protected] there are more than just this. It should all be either on the Wiki or on Youtube, there have been some good documentary shows on this.

The other is that someone found a way to chemically treat coffee beans to make them drinkable. There was a grading system, and there was a grade of bean that was used for packing material as it wasn't drinkable, but now it is with chemical processing. I wonder at all the dozens of new makes, and the huge expansion of product lines if a lot of that came about because now there was a far larger quantity of bean available. I may simply be sensitive to that flavour, maybe I can on some level taste it? I don't know 

Yes, Nabob has been a family fav for my entire life. I can make a pot of "just" Nabob. Van Hough is another that is ok on it's own. But I more often just dump into my bucket 3 or 4 pounds of random makes, give it a stir, and go. Its done in 2 weeks, and I do again


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

shoretyus said:


> Brand loyal. We were addicted to Nabob Full city dark but it got too hard to get and costly. We now use PC dark roast.
> 
> Now coffee makers is another thread...


We like the PC dark too, but we buy whatever is on sale. Once upon a time I was a coffee hound and preferred organic/fair trade fresh roasted beans that I could grind myself at home. Now I have kids...

I still have and use a restaurant style Bunn machine in my kitchen though.


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## Jimmypaz (Sep 15, 2009)

PC "West Coast Dark", fresh ground, french press. I can't even drink coffee when out now, unless it's espresso.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I get whatever is on sale when I run out, and occasionally pick up the ritzy stuff if my nostrils are open to suggestion. I like my coffee, and there is nothing like a cup that is brewed perectly, but it is, after all, just coffee, and I'm the only one at home who drinks it. What feels like "the perfect cup" varies from day to day. I should also note that I'm a double-sweetener/double-creme kinda guy. I like my coffee thick. So many of the subtle differences between coffee brands and types simply disappear under the haze of what I stick into the cup. 

At work, the place downstairs from us has a dozen different brew choices. I tend to stick to Sumatra, but it depends on the day. Of course "management" goes to Second Cup, while the recently graduated kids who think they know everything go to Starbucks or Bridgehead. For me, a good cup of coffee should cost a buck. More than that, and you're paying for ambiance. I need ambiance like I need cologne or satellite radio.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

I'm a coffee snob. I usually go for darker roasts (French roasts). Ethiopian, Sumatran, Vietnamese, Hawaiian, and San Augustin from Costa Rica and Colombia. Two years ago I recieved a pound and a half of Jamaican Blue Mountain beans for Christmas! The "Holy Grail" for us coffee freaks. All brewed in my trusty French Press (Bodum) coffee maker. Life is good.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_Blue_Mountain_Coffee

Shawn


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

mhammer said:


> I should also note that I'm a double-sweetener/double-creme kinda guy. I like my coffee thick. So many of the subtle differences between coffee brands and types simply disappear under the haze of what I stick into the cup.


One of *those* guys, eh? I've always been a little suspicious of you guys who like your coffee to taste just like your donuts 9kkhhd


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

So, how does everyone feel about Micky D's coffee? personally I do not like it, it's too weak.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I've been drinking mostly Maxwell House at home for a while, but I've tried a few others and like the Melitta dark and the Nabob coffees are good too.

I can't stand the Folgers. I tried the PC "Canadian" Coffee and didn't really like it.

My all-time favourite coffee is Saigon Dark, which Timothy's distributes. During university, I worked for a small, independent coffee chain (of 3 stores) that sold Saigon Dark, but the chain was bought out by Timothy's and that's the only place that carries it to my knowledge. I only buy/brew this stuff on special occasions, though, cuz $16/lb is more than I want to spend on coffee most weeks


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Rugburn said:


> Two years ago I recieved a pound and a half of Jamaican Blue Mountain beans for Christmas! The "Holy Grail" for us coffee freaks. All brewed in my trusty French Press (Bodum) coffee maker. Life is good.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_Blue_Mountain_Coffee
> 
> Shawn


Y'know, I used to work beside a coffee house that would brew up a mug of Jamaican Blue Mountain for $2.50 upon request, and I had it a few times, but never really thought it was the Cadillac of coffees. It was good, certainly, but not good enough to warrant the ridiculous price (it's like $80/lb or something).


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Starbuck said:


> So, how does everyone feel about Micky D's coffee? personally I do not like it, it's too weak.


Haven't tried it, but a lot of people have told me that I should. I'll reserve judgement til I do, but I'm not optimistic.


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

I can see why people eat candy. I can see why people eat fatty foods. I can see why people drink liquor. I can even see why some people choose to do drugs. But, I just cant get why people drink coffee. Do they put heroin in it so that you go into that long Tim Hortons drive thru just for your fix? What makes this mud drink so popular?............


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Nescafe rich instant for years now. We get it in the big cans that make 240 cups. We just got tired of the drip machines/bodums, this is good coffee with little fuss. Occasionally I like a mocha java though.


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## zjq426 (Aug 23, 2009)

Accept2 said:


> I can see why people eat candy. I can see why people eat fatty foods. I can see why people drink liquor. I can even see why some people choose to do drugs. But, I just cant get why people drink coffee. Do they put heroin in it so that you go into that long Tim Hortons drive thru just for your fix? What makes this mud drink so popular?............


It feels good when you hold something in hand: paper cup or mug.
I will shut up then because im a tea drinker.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

I used to drink Nescafe a LOT and still do on occasion.

I put in about 3 tablespoons of water in a cup, nuke that for 30 seconds. Then a teaspoon and a half of the instant and mix it to dissolve. Then I top the mug up with milk and nuke that for 2 minutes. I just don't do this too often, too much milk all at one time for me to handle.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Rugburn said:


> One of *those* guys, eh? I've always been a little suspicious of you guys who like your coffee to taste just like your donuts 9kkhhd


 Ha ha ... I have this theory..er old guy story... that only one tsp of sugar will dissolve in a cup... look at the bottom .... 


I also love the Bodum but they just don't make em' big enough. I also use a stainless perculator on my sailboat that makes killer coffee. I'd use it in the house but I tends to boil over and has to be watched. Too much of a madhouse here in the morning for that. 

The next pot is now finished.... where's my smokes....


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

hollowbody said:


> Y'know, I used to work beside a coffee house that would brew up a mug of Jamaican Blue Mountain for $2.50 upon request, and I had it a few times, but never really thought it was the Cadillac of coffees. It was good, certainly, but not good enough to warrant the ridiculous price (it's like $80/lb or something).


There's a place here where they'll brew a cup of Blue Mountain for $5-$6. It's not a very good representation of this coffee. It's far too weak. If you want to enjoy this and other fine coffees, you really have to find a *good* coffee shop. One that employs proper Baristas, not to be confused with what Starbucks calls their staff. They are to a proper Barista, what Subway's "sandwich artists" are to a proper garde manger. As far as the price goes, well, yes it's completely rediculous........did I mention it was a gift? :smile: I haven't had a cup of it since.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Accept2 said:


> I can see why people eat candy. I can see why people eat fatty foods. I can see why people drink liquor. I can even see why some people choose to do drugs. But, I just cant get why people drink coffee. Do they put heroin in it so that you go into that long Tim Hortons drive thru just for your fix? What makes this mud drink so popular?............





zjq426 said:


> It feels good when you hold something in hand: paper cup or mug.
> I will shut up then because im a tea drinker.




OH NOES

Really, it is perfectly valid to either not drink coffee or only drink tea  I used to loooooove tea's, still do. I have a small collection of *Yixing* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yixing_clay_teapot tea pots, and a selection of teas, one per pot. I miss going to Coy Bothers on St Paul into the basement and getting loose leaf. Really fab teas they used to sell. To bad it got mismanaged and closed 

I have friends that don't like coffee either. They think it is one of the fouler things on earth. I personally think in part it is because they are in the USA and the leading brand there is Folgers and yea, that stuff is foul to me too. 

However, not everyones tongues sense flavour and taste the same. For instance, I HATE WITH A PASSION pickled fish YUCK! But, I had a room mate from Newfoundland who ate pickled herring with a fork out of the jar. I eat sauerkraut that way but not fish 

I have also had friends that would, on faith grounds, not drink anything with caffeine and some would not drink anything more than juice they squeezed themselves or water.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

Accept2 said:


> I can see why people eat candy. I can see why people eat fatty foods. I can see why people drink liquor. I can even see why some people choose to do drugs. But, I just cant get why people drink coffee. Do they put heroin in it so that you go into that long Tim Hortons drive thru just for your fix? What makes this mud drink so popular?............


I have 1 per day. I like is very strong with 1 sugar and a wee bit of carnation milk. Otherwise I drink Green Tea. I have been known upon occasion to really dig a triple capuccino. I could drink coffee and have a nap. I don't have an answer for you other than ritual maybe?


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Rugburn said:


> There's a place here where they'll brew a cup of Blue Mountain for $5-$6. It's not a very good representation of this coffee. It's far too weak. If you want to enjoy this and other fine coffees, you really have to find a *good* coffee shop. One that employs proper Baristas, not to be confused with what Starbucks calls their staff. They are to a proper Barista, what Subway's "sandwich artists" are to a proper garde manger. As far as the price goes, well, yes it's completely rediculous........did I mention it was a gift? :smile: I haven't had a cup of it since.


For sure. I'd like to try a 1/2lb one day, but I'd feel better if I got it as a gift too. The place I tried it as was (is? I don't know if it's still there) a legit coffeehouse, but they dealt more in organics and specialty teas than anything, so who knows. Plus the $2.50 price tag is from 10 years ago


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

I do not like any store bought coffee any more now that I've tried real, fresh roasted, high quality coffee. I regularly buy 49th Parallel Epic Espresso, Artigiano or Intelligentsia Black Cat (all date stamped and shipped same day), but when I want something relly special I roast my own beans. I just ordered some Panama Esmerelda Gesha for the bargain price of $40/lb (it can go for over $100/lb) 

http://www.sweetmarias.com/coffee.central.panama.php?coffee=PanamaEsmeraldaGeshaLot2Caballeriza2009#PanamaEsmeraldaGeshaLot2Caballeriza2009

Truly fresh roasted coffeee should be consumed within 2-5 days of roasting.

Here's my home coffee "rig". :smile:


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2009)

Coffee snob here too. Some people have wine. Or ports. I've got coffee I guess.

I prefer my coffee pulled short from my espresso machine. If I can't have espresso then french press. And only in desperation will I suffer through a cup of drip brewed coffee.

My in-laws bought a percolator this year. I no longer drink coffee at their house. I opt for tea instead. :smile:

Actually, I shouldn't get too snobby about re-circulating coffee through the beans. Generally that's a no-no, but a good Turkish brew is a helluva nice way to imbibe. If you like your coffee thick you might really enjoy it brewed Turkish style. You use a small brew pot and you boil the grind in the water, bringing it to a bubble exactly three times, and then POUR! It's thick, but quite smooth on your palate.

I'll vary how I drink my espresso. Depends on the bean and my mood. A little drop of cream if I'm looking for something mellow or the bean is really acidic, black if I happened on a low acidic blend.



Rugburn said:


> Two years ago I recieved a pound and a half of Jamaican Blue Mountain beans for Christmas! The "Holy Grail" for us coffee freaks. All brewed in my trusty French Press (Bodum) coffee maker. Life is good.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_Blue_Mountain_Coffee


Oh my YES! There was a local coffee shop here in Kanata called Zavida that used to see Jamaican Blue Mountain by the 1/2 pound -- $50. I splurged at Christmas time and it was worth every penny.

It was sad when they closed down. Although the Mucho Burrito that took over their space makes a mighty fine burrito.

I don't blend my own coffee. I tend to stick to how it was sold to me. For store bought stuff I like Illy espresso blend -- they make an insanely consistent coffee. I usually order my coffee from Dark City or 49th Parallel or I'll buy beans from a local shop. The Kicking Horse stuff out of BC has some very nice roasts. I really liked their Kick Ass beans.


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2009)

Sneaky said:


> but when I want something relly special I roast my own beans.


I've been mulling over trying that myself actually. Do the raw beans keep well enough so you don't have roast many pounds in one go?


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

Sneaky said:


> I do not like any store bought coffee any more now that I've tried real, fresh roasted, high quality coffee. I regularly buy 49th Parallel Epic Espresso, Artigiano or Intelligentsia Black Cat (all date stamped and shipped same day), but when I want something relly special I roast my own beans. I just ordered some Panama Esmerelda Gesha for the bargain price of $40/lb (it can go for over $100/lb)
> 
> http://www.sweetmarias.com/coffee.central.panama.php?coffee=PanamaEsmeraldaGeshaLot2Caballeriza2009#PanamaEsmeraldaGeshaLot2Caballeriza2009
> 
> ...



NICE!!!!:bow:


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

Sneaky said:


>


That is a nice rig!!


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## Big_Daddy (Apr 2, 2009)

I guess I'm a coffee snob, too. Though I'm a cheapskate as well, so that makes it difficult. kqoct It helps that I have a good friend who works at Starbucks and she gives me enough beans on a regular basis that I never have to buy any. My favourites are the Dragon blend and the Christmas blend. I always grind the beans just before brewing.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

iaresee said:


> I've been mulling over trying that myself actually. Do the raw beans keep well enough so you don't have roast many pounds in one go?



The green beans keep well for several months if stored properly (cool dark dry place, not the freezer).

I roast a few ounces at a time - enough for a weekend usually. I just use a hot air popcorn popper for roasting, but I might invest in a proper coffee roaster someday.

Check out this site if you want to get into roasting yer own...

(be prepared to spend a few hours here :smile

http://www.sweetmarias.com/index.php


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

I've roasted beans using my cast iron skillet. Works pretty well, smells AMAZING! I can get green Colombian beans at our local farmer's market.

http://www.angelfire.com/pro2/panroastingcoffee/howtopanroastcoffee2.html/


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Rugburn said:


> One of *those* guys, eh? I've always been a little suspicious of you guys who like your coffee to taste just like your donuts 9kkhhd


Well, as someone who is not allowed to eat donuts anymore, I *need* my coffee to taste like them. Used to be able to drink the black stuff back in the day when I could also have myself some pancakes slathered in butter and syrup. Those days are long gone, though (the big D2). If I make pancakes, I gotta eat them dry, so the coffee takes up the slack. I do draw the line at those flavour thingies, though. It may be sweet and thick, but my coffee tastes like coffee, not like vanilla truffles, or anything else in a Laura Secord box.

I might point out that I'm not a sweetener snob. Splenda is the same as Sugar-Twin or Equal for me***. We grew stevia in the back yard for a while but I never figured out how to prepare it to use with my coffee or baking.

(***There is a great scene in the film "Swimming With Sharks", where Kevin Spacey, as Hollywood mogul, goes off on a tirade at his assistant when the assistant brings the "wrong" sweetener.)

Ultimately, though, I'm not big on luxury of any kind. Just never understood it. "Good enough" is good enough for me, and better than that doesn't do anything for me. I like my $1 coffee. I like my $2.99/lb roasts. I like my Turser Tele. I like my Ford Focus. I like my $9 pants from Giant Tiger.


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## LowWatt (Jun 27, 2007)

Sneaky said:


> I roast a few ounces at a time - enough for a weekend usually. I just use a hot air popcorn popper for roasting, but I might invest in a proper coffee roaster someday.


Can you tell me more about using the hot air popper? Any issues? brand? style recommendations?

THX


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

Ah yes, one of the great coffee "delicacies"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7y9-jqvY6w


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

Ah yes, one of the great coffee "delicacies"


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Big_Daddy said:


> I guess I'm a coffee snob, too. Though I'm a cheapskate as well, so that makes it difficult. kqoct It helps that I have a good friend who works at Starbucks and she gives me enough beans on a regular basis that I never have to buy any. My favourites are the Dragon blend and the Christmas blend. I always grind the beans just before brewing.


...since i don't have a friend who works at starbucks, can someone recommend a place to buy decent but affordable coffee beans?

st lawrence market, perhaps?

-dh


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Accept2 said:


> I can see why people eat candy. I can see why people eat fatty foods. I can see why people drink liquor. I can even see why some people choose to do drugs. But, I just cant get why people drink coffee. Do they put heroin in it so that you go into that long Tim Hortons drive thru just for your fix? What makes this mud drink so popular?............


...ah, geez, that's too easy: coffee helps you do stupid things faster, and with more energy!

:smile:


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

mhammer said:


> I need ambiance like I need cologne or satellite radio.


...not a fan of colgne, but i couldn't live without ambience or satellite radio.

kkjwpw


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...since i don't have a friend who works at starbucks, can someone recommend a place to buy decent but affordable coffee beans?
> 
> st lawrence market, perhaps?
> 
> -dh


Manic Coffee at College & Bathurst sell Intelligentsia Coffee. It may not be what you consider cheap (probably $16-20/lb) but I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Pete


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Sneaky said:


> Manic Coffee at College & Bathurst sell Intelligentsia Coffee. It may not be what you consider cheap (probably $16-20/lb) but I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Pete


...coincidentally, i'll be at college and bathurst tomorrow night.

thanks, pete!

-dh


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## Andy (Sep 23, 2007)

There's a small chain of coffee shops called Coffee Culture. Their Organic Fair Trade coffee is fantastic, and quite affordable -- I think $8/pound or $1.60 for a large.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

This is probably the 5th or 6th recommendation for the Intelligentsia coffee brand. Clearly I'm missing something. I'd best get me to a dealer.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

LowWatt said:


> Can you tell me more about using the hot air popper? Any issues? brand? style recommendations?
> 
> THX



Lots of info here. I use a 1200w model picked up from a garage sale for $2.

http://www.sweetmarias.com/airpop/airpopmethod.php


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Accept2 said:


> I can see why people eat candy. I can see why people eat fatty foods. I can see why people drink liquor. I can even see why some people choose to do drugs. But, I just cant get why people drink coffee. Do they put heroin in it so that you go into that long Tim Hortons drive thru just for your fix? What makes this mud drink so popular?............


Well, as a government worker I can say that it makes some things more...tolerable. I like to refer to it as "a cup of work ethic".:smile::smilie_flagge17:

However, for some reasonably well-understood reasons, coffee has a paradoxically calming effect, even though caffeine is a stimulant. Some 30 or more years ago at McMaster University, a fascinating research program by Dr. Shep Siegel and his students demonstrated the fashion in which seemingly paradoxical effects of drugs behaved exactly like Pavlovian conditioned "anticipatory responses".

Ivan Pavlov, of course, became famous for his slobbering dogs, who would salivate at the sound of a bell (as well as a metronome, and a host of other things). What fascinated Pavlov was that salivation, a reflexive response to food placed *in* the mouth, would occur before the food had even *reached* the mouth. His work laid out the circumstances under which such "psychic reflexes", as he called them, would develop and be maintained. Over the decades. his initial work and ideas became refined, such that contemporary learning and associative theory proposes the following:

Whenever any stimulus or event consistently predicts the occurrence of an internal consequence (and in Pavlov's case, the dogs had been regularly presented with the tone or metronome just prior to the assistant feeding them), the body responds in anticipation of that internal consequence so as to compensate for it. The clearer the relationship between stimulus event and consequence (e.g., they occur close together in time, one starts at exactly the moment when the other stops), the greater the likelihood that the association will be formed and the compensatory response will be more robust.

The generality of the model, and the power of it is really quite startling. It predicts things like overdose deaths, people who start sniffling at the sight of ragweed, why opiates are more addictive when injected than when taken orally, insulin responses to artificial sweeteners, and a bunch of other things in a manner which no other competing theory is able to do.

One of the things it predicts is that organisms will have paradoxical effects of some ingesting some substances, because the anticipated direct chemical effects of the substance are predicted by the stimulus event of taking it. That stimulus event could be the act of getting a needle and some smack ready, the gesture of taking a smoke out of a pack and lighting up, or..yes...the smell and taste and preparation of a nice strong cup of coffee.

If the taste and smell and "ritual" of drinking a cuppa is reliably followed by the stimulant effects of the caffeine, the body will eventually come to react react in anticipation when coffee is smelled/tasted/prepared, and compensate for the anticipated caffeine effects to come by doing whatever it does to calm down. Same thing for smokes. So regular coffee drinkers will grab a cup just to mellow out. Which, I suppose, does make it a bit like heroin.

While we're talking about heroin, Siegel found that when rats were trained to expect an injection of morphine, accompanied by a specific ritual (they would be taken to a specific room with distinctive lighting and smells, and held with a specific distinctive glove during the injection), that animals given just the ritual alone (but no morphine) would show heightened pain sensitivity in comparison to animals that went through the same ritual but had no expectations of getting morphine. The reason was that morphine dulls pain, so the body compensates in the opposite direction.

Of course, if you normally drink "real" coffee, and get fed a cup of decaf, even if you know its decaf, the taste and smell will generally be enough to evoke a calming response. And of course, if it is not followed by the normal effects of caffeine, expect to nod off. It is not the coffee that is putting you to sleep, it is your body's *expectation* of caffeine that does it.

If you're curious or intrigued, look up "conditioned drug tolerance".


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## Big_Daddy (Apr 2, 2009)

> What makes this mud drink so popular?............


Great response, mhammer. In my case it was much simpler....I started drinking coffee at the age of 33 after having a few of Irish coffees during a freezing cold gig in Medicine Hat. The alcohol and whipped cream made the taste of the coffee tolerable. The rest, as they say, is history.


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

Andy said:


> There's a small chain of coffee shops called Coffee Culture. Their Organic Fair Trade coffee is fantastic, and quite affordable -- I think $8/pound or $1.60 for a large.


Agreed! One recently opened a few steps from where I live here in Waterloo. I tried all their beans and thought the Organic tasted the best. Neat place and the couple that runs the place are really nice people.

I have to admit I'm a bit of a coffee snob as well. Doesn't have to be fancy or expensive...just taste good to me. Life's too short to drink bad coffee.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

1PUTTS said:


> Life's too short to drink bad coffee.


My thought's as I chug my first one of the day.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

1PUTTS said:


> Agreed! One recently opened a few steps from where I live here in Waterloo. I tried all their beans and thought the Organic tasted the best. Neat place and the couple that runs the place are really nice people.
> 
> I have to admit I'm a bit of a coffee snob as well. Doesn't have to be fancy or expensive...just taste good to me. Life's too short to drink bad coffee.



Hi 1PUTTS, I live in Waterloo as well, and frankly my experience at Coffee Culture was bad enough that I won't be back. There are at least 3-4 coffee shops within a block of that place that put them to shame. The Princess Twin Cafe, Cafe 1842 (Huether Hotel), Matter of Taste (Waterloo Town Square), the place beside Gen X video and Aroma Cafe at the Uptown Atrium (these guys have the best beans). Give them a try.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

Accept2 said:


> I can see why people eat candy. I can see why people eat fatty foods. I can see why people drink liquor. I can even see why some people choose to do drugs. But, I just cant get why people drink coffee. Do they put heroin in it so that you go into that long Tim Hortons drive thru just for your fix? What makes this mud drink so popular?............


i always wondered the same thing. people said "it's an aquired taste"
wait...you mean i have to _learn_ to like it? why would i do that when there are already alternatives that i already like? i usually add a drop of mint extract to my hot chocolate, or a couple drops of orange extract. 



david henman said:


> ...ah, geez, that's too easy: coffee helps you do stupid things faster, and with more energy!
> 
> :smile:


well, there ya go. that's the LAST thing i need. i'm pretty adept at it already. hwopv


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

cheezyridr said:


> i always wondered the same thing. people said "it's an aquired taste"
> wait...you mean i have to _learn_ to like it?


Depends on the person, I guess. I never had to learn to like coffee, I just did from the very first time I tried it when I was 13 or 14 and never looked back.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

cheezyridr said:


> i always wondered the same thing. people said "it's an aquired taste"
> wait...you mean i have to _learn_ to like it?


...there are a lot of things that are an acquired taste. sashimi, for example. but learning to like it is vastly different from "having" to learn to like it. 

most of my family will only eat white flour, white potatoes, white rice, white sugar and white meat.

they will, however, make an exception for chocolate milk..

-dh


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

cheezyridr said:


> i always wondered the same thing. people said "it's an aquired taste"
> wait...you mean i have to _learn_ to like it? why would i do that when there are already alternatives that i already like? i usually add a drop of mint extract to my hot chocolate, or a couple drops of orange extract.
> 
> 
> ...


Didn't you ever have something that you just knew you weren't going to like before you tried it? Then someone serves it to you in a different way and you find yourself liking it? Sometimes it's the admitting that you finally like something after being so adamant that you hate it that's the hard part.

I absolutely HATED blue cheese until my friend made me the most exquisite beef tenderloin and served it with a wee slice of blue cheese and red wine reduction... Suddenly I don't hate blue cheese.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

david henman said:


> ...there are a lot of things that are an acquired taste. sashimi, for example. but learning to like it is vastly different from "having" to learn to like it.
> 
> most of my family will only eat white flour, white potatoes, white rice, white sugar and white meat.
> 
> ...












The hard one is the one lower left. Uni. It's actually gonads but most cover the fact and call it roe. Roe is the one next to it. I like them all. I don't like mackerel though, because it is such a dirty fish it is always at least partially pickled, and I just do not like pickled fish. Of the four in that pic, I would happily have the vegetarian and the Uni. The roe is ok, the salmon I would save for last only because I don't like salmon all that much (unless that is shrimp, not always easy to tell in a photo). Of course a nice pot of Japanese green tea is also a must !! And now that I say all this, I must go get my Yakisoba from the nuker and I wish I had a cup of green tea instead of coffee LOLOL!




Starbuck said:


> Didn't you ever have something that you just knew you weren't going to like before you tried it? Then someone serves it to you in a different way and you find yourself liking it? Sometimes it's the admitting that you finally like something after being so adamant that you hate it that's the hard part.
> 
> I absolutely HATED blue cheese until my friend made me the most exquisite beef tenderloin and served it with a wee slice of blue cheese and red wine reduction... Suddenly I don't hate blue cheese.


Hmm... I have not yet tried lox and cream cheese on a bagel, maybe there is a means of serving pickled fish that I 'might' like, I am open the idea, but I have some deep seated reservations


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Starbuck said:


> Didn't you ever have something that you just knew you weren't going to like before you tried it?



...that's my family!

"oh, i don't like that!"

"have you ever tried it?"

"no".

-dh

kkjwpw


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

keeperofthegood said:


> ...maybe there is a means of serving pickled fish that I 'might' like, I am open the idea, but I have some deep seated reservations


...stay far away from marinated herring, then.

so far, the only food i have ever encountered that i couldn't even be in the same room with, much less try and put near my mouth.

fortunately, you can't get it here - only in the scandanavian countries.

-dh


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

david henman said:


> ...that's my family!
> 
> "oh, i don't like that!"
> 
> ...


LOL! Are they from the East Coast? All meat, spuds and gravy all the time!


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Starbuck said:


> LOL! Are they from the East Coast? All meat, spuds and gravy all the time!


...was it that obvious?

:smile:

their idea of "seafood" was high liner fish sticks on friday.

my mom used to buy lobster for me, cook it, then everyone would leave the house while i ate it.

same for eels...

-dh


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I have an arrangement with fish. I live on the land, they live in the water, and we don't bother each other.

With respect to the things some people will eat and others won't, the following quip was offered by our shuttle driver on a trip in from the New Orleans airport in 2000.

"Y'all know the diff-runce between a regulah zoo and a Cajun zoo? In a regulah zoo, on each cage they show the name of the animal, and below it they show the name in, uh, saaa-un-TI-fic language. Uh, uh, Latin, y'know. In a Cajun zoo, on each cage they show the name of the animal, and raht below it they shows a recipe."

:smile:


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

I started drinking coffee as a teenager because a girl I had a crush on was drinking it. I had to have cream and sugar to make it palatable, but it didn't take long before I dropped the sugar. To this day, I love strong coffee with the heavier coffee cream, but any sweetened or flavoured coffee just turns my stomach. I buy whole beans and grind them everyday. Starbucks espresso beans, believe it or not, make GREAT drip coffee, or we have a Vancouver Island chain, Serious Coffee, that roasts their own beans every day or two and many of their varieties are good, and I also like some of the varieties of Kicking Horse whole beans we sell at Safeway where I work. To me the grinding the beans daily and using the heavier cream makes my coffee right.
-Mikey
P.S. MacDonalds' new coffee isn't bad in a pinch, at least their new stuff is better than their old, but I found the java in the U.S. Mickey D's sucks..


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...was it that obvious?
> 
> :smile:


Oh yes it was David. :smile:


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## 1PUTTS (Sep 8, 2007)

Rugburn said:


> Hi 1PUTTS, I live in Waterloo as well, and frankly my experience at Coffee Culture was bad enough that I won't be back. There are at least 3-4 coffee shops within a block of that place that put them to shame. The Princess Twin Cafe, Cafe 1842 (Huether Hotel), Matter of Taste (Waterloo Town Square), the place beside Gen X video and Aroma Cafe at the Uptown Atrium (these guys have the best beans). Give them a try.


Thanks, Rugburn. I've tried all those places and they are all very good. One of the perks or living Uptown...lots of good coffee around here!


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## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

Maxwell House, Original Roast, 2 cups at 5:00 a.m., usually while reading this forum.


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## lyric girl (Sep 4, 2008)

Starbucks and Kicking Horse are the only coffees we drink in our house. Unfortunately, I have to drink Tim's while at work...ack.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I keep trying to brew coffee for my wife. Unfortunately, she likes her Nescafé instant made in the microwave more than anything. She doesn't even boil the water, and it has that scummy coating that semi-boiled water from the tap or microwave has. I still don't get it, but it's a big world and I've learned to accept almost everything.

I know some of you folks wouldn't stoop so low, but I have yet to try the "new improved" coffee at McDonalds. Is it any good?


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

mhammer said:


> I know some of you folks wouldn't stoop so low, but I have yet to try the "new improved" coffee at McDonalds. Is it any good?


Lots of people love it, but I find Arabica beans a bit weak.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I forget who it was that recommended the PC Dark Roast here, but thanks! It's a great coffee!

Now I still gotta get my hands on some of that Intelligentsia coffee.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

lyric girl said:


> Unfortunately, I have to drink Tim's while at work...ack.


Nobody HAS to drink Tim Horton's swill. Buy a kettle and bodum and make your own.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

I'm an espresso snob actually.
It may be the hobby of mine that my wife hates more than my guitars, as it invades "her space" the kitchen, whereas the guitars stay in the basement.

I buy and sell espresso machines every a year or so, and experiment with different beans, grinds etc. 
But everyones taste is different. When I went to Chicago last year, I went to Intelligentsia which was around the corner from my hotel and had a shot of Black Cat, and brought back a pound with me to use in my Rancilio Silvia machine. It did nothing for me. Tasted almost identical to some beans I got from Costco once (William Spartivento) for about 1/4 the price. Too fruity for me. I'd take the espresso beans from Second Cup over those any day. Birds and Beans Coffee Roasters in Mimico is quite good as well.

I'm less particular about coffee. Dont care for Tims at all, Starbucks tastes burnt to me, McD's is ok, but ridiculously hot. 

We have a Tassimo and it makes a damn fine cup of coffee in practically no time at all and with little mess. Having a friend who works at Kraft (which produces the T-Discs) helps keep costs in check.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

LowWatt said:


> Can you tell me more about using the hot air popper? Any issues? brand? style recommendations?
> 
> THX


A $15-20 model will suffice. It has to be the kind that pumps the corn out a chute (not the kind with a big bowl over top of it). Google will tell you more about brands/models.
There can be issues, i once put too many beans in and because the air would cirulculate, about a minute later the element burned out, and my wifes favorite popper was heading into the garbage. 
It also tends to smoke the house up a lot, so try and do it outdoors or in a very ventilated area.

Do a google search for the finer points, but getting the timing right so they arent either under done or over done is tricky. Pay attention to "second crack". 30 seconds in either direction can make all the difference. 
And different roasts require different grind settings and more tweaking. Not a lot of places sell green beans either. 

So in the end, I decided it was more trouble than its worth, and bought my wife a new air popper for her popcorn.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Sneaky said:


> I do not like any store bought coffee any more now that I've tried real, fresh roasted, high quality coffee. I regularly buy 49th Parallel Epic Espresso, Artigiano or Intelligentsia Black Cat (all date stamped and shipped same day), but when I want something relly special I roast my own beans. I just ordered some Panama Esmerelda Gesha for the bargain price of $40/lb (it can go for over $100/lb)
> 
> http://www.sweetmarias.com/coffee.central.panama.php?coffee=PanamaEsmeraldaGeshaLot2Caballeriza2009#PanamaEsmeraldaGeshaLot2Caballeriza2009
> 
> ...


Your rig looks familiar  
Older Silvia, modded with a PID. Sold it in the summer.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

Diablo said:


> I'm less particular about coffee. Dont care for Tims at all, *Starbucks tastes burnt to me*, McD's is ok, but ridiculously hot.



There's an interesting story behind the burnt taste of Starbucks' coffee. I read a story in the Globe & Mail a few years back talking about the emergence of "boutique" coffee shops that would challenge the marketplace once dominated by a certain "double-double" purveyor. In the article there were several folks chiming in one way or another. At one point some fellow from Seattle was talking about Starbucks not being as good as it used to be since they became a huge chain. He claimed that in order to ship and store such enormous quantities, the beans were roasted in commercial machines that often made the coffee have a bitter, slightly burnt taste. When I do get a coffee at Starbucks I usually take a bold (dark roast). At times this stuff truly does taste burnt. We have a place here that serves "Seattle's Best", and this is a much better cup of coffee than Starbucks makes.

Shawn


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

Rugburn said:


> There's an interesting story behind the burnt taste of Starbucks' coffee. I read a story in the Globe & Mail a few years back talking about the emergence of "boutique" coffee shops that would challenge the marketplace once dominated by a certain "double-double" purveyor. In the article there were several folks chiming in one way or another. At one point some fellow from Seattle was talking about Starbucks not being as good as it used to be since they became a huge chain. He claimed that in order to ship and store such enormous quantities, the beans were roasted in commercial machines that often made the coffee have a bitter, slightly burnt taste. When I do get a coffee at Starbucks I usually take a bold (dark roast). At times this stuff truly does taste burnt. We have a place here that serves "Seattle's Best", and this is a much better cup of coffee than Starbucks makes.
> 
> Shawn



Yeah that's a good point and I do remember thinking that same thing when visiting Vancouver for the 1st time bout 9 years ago. There were Starbucks everywhere but really no Tims. Turns out that for me it really is an aquired taste. I'd get a Starbucks coffee and immediately I'd think about Vancouver (which I love) so there was an association. now I like it, but then I like dark roast and strong coffees with a bit of canned milk as the cream really puts me off lately. 

At home I usually use Nabob. Everyone who comes to my place always tells me I make great coffee. I think it's the canned mik in place of cream.


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## Big_Daddy (Apr 2, 2009)

Rugburn said:


> We have a place here that serves "Seattle's Best", and this is a much better cup of coffee than Starbucks makes.
> 
> Shawn


"Seattle's Best" is a boutique coffee shop chain as well and they are _"everywhere"_ in Seattle. You literally can't walk a block in downtown Seattle without seeing one or the other or both. Seattlites certainly love their coffee!


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## Guest (Nov 6, 2009)

Has anyone seen the absolutely _fascinating _TVO documentary: Black Coffee?

Really an excellent bit of time spent in front of the TV. I caught it on TVO a few years ago and it was engrossing. I had no idea that, next to oil, coffee is the most highly traded commodity on the planet.


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## zjq426 (Aug 23, 2009)

david henman said:


> ...stay far away from marinated herring, then.
> 
> so far, the only food i have ever encountered that i couldn't even be in the same room with, much less try and put near my mouth.
> 
> ...


I'd like to try..but i dont want to travel that far


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

... just bought a bag of ethiopian beans at, of all places, costco.

i don't know if it falls into the category of first rate, but i was utterly shocked by how delicious this incredibly affordable coffee tastes.

i'll try their sumatra beans next!

-dh


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

david henman said:


> ... just bought a bag of ethiopian beans at, of all places, costco.
> 
> i don't know if it falls into the category of first rate, but i was utterly shocked by how delicious this incredibly affordable coffee tastes.
> 
> ...


Is that the "William Spartivento" stuff? If so, ya its surprisingly good. As good IMO as some of the internet boutique coffees.

Speaking of Costco  I saw an April Wine Greatest Hits compliation cd set being sold there today. I know Costco gives brutal margins to their suppliers, but hopefully you're getting a piece of the action somehow 

Back to the topic, I had a coffee at Ikea this morning. Bloody awful tasting, maybe the worst I've ever had. Like their furniture.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

david henman said:


> ... just bought a bag of ethiopian beans at, of all places, costco.
> 
> i don't know if it falls into the category of first rate, but i was utterly shocked by how delicious this incredibly affordable coffee tastes.
> 
> ...


Yet another reason I need to get a Costco membership (and a car, I guess).


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I really like the new McD's coffee, would drink every day, plenty potent for me.

Dislike Tim's but sometimes it's all I get while travelling. Side note, whatever the Holiday Inn Express chain uses is EXCELLENT, dark, high test, consistent from location to location.

Since last Xmas, we've been using a Keurig single cup maker, with the pre-packaged single servings. After experimenting, I've settled on the Kenyan as my flavourite - dark but not too extremely high test. The Sumatran and the Midnight Magic both a little darker and taste it, but both are WAYYY high in caffeine, I'm shaking like a cold wet dog halfway thru the 2nd cup.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

keto said:


> I really like the new McD's coffee, would drink every day, plenty potent for me.
> 
> Dislike Tim's but sometimes it's all I get while travelling. Side note, whatever the Holiday Inn Express chain uses is EXCELLENT, dark, high test, consistent from location to location.
> 
> Since last Xmas, we've been using a Keurig single cup maker, with the pre-packaged single servings. After experimenting, I've settled on the Kenyan as my flavourite - dark but not too extremely high test. The Sumatran and the Midnight Magic both a little darker and taste it, but both are WAYYY high in caffeine, I'm shaking like a cold wet dog halfway thru the 2nd cup.


The truth of the matter is, dark roast coffee has *less* caffeine. I've explained this to people before, and generally, they decide to continue believing the dark coffees are higher in caffeine. It's not subjective, it's the simple scientific fact that roasting the beans evaporates caffeine. The longer you roast the beans, the more caffeine is removed.


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## doftya (Nov 1, 2009)

For the past year or so I've been drinking the Melitta Deluxe Roast. Didn't like the Traditional at all, but the Deluxe is nice. I find it's more in how you brew. It has to be a strong brew. I detest weak coffee with a passion.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

doftya said:


> For the past year or so I've been drinking the Melitta Deluxe Roast. Didn't like the Traditional at all, but the Deluxe is nice. I find it's more in how you brew. It has to be a strong brew. I detest weak coffee with a passion.


I'll have to give that one a go too. I also tried and didn't like the Traditional.

Anyone know where I can find a bean grinder on the cheap? I'd love to get some whole beans and not have to worry about them going stale as quickly as ground coffee does.


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## NB-SK (Jul 28, 2007)

Favorite brand? I roast my own beans. It's cheaper and, frankly, it tastes so much better. My favorite beans at the moment are organic free-trade from Nepal (very rare, the country produces about 300 bags total per year) and Chili that I buy from a charitable organization. I get the best results with those two (and I've tried dozens of different beans, some of which were from very well-known plantations).

But, if you want good store bought coffee...I recommend you try to get some of these whole beans:

http://www.kopibali.com/

I visited their factory this summer in Indonesia. They roast some truly excellent coffee, very sweet and smokey without tasting burnt. I bought some more of their beans at the grocery store afterward. Although it was very good, it wasn't nearly as nice or fresh as what I'd got at the factory. So, if this interests you, try to order straight from the factory.

PS. Try some of their Balinese-style coffee while you're at it (dissolve the extremely fine grind in water without filtering. Drink black with or without sugar for a drink with hints of chocolate).

When I don't drink coffee, I like to drink Chinese jasmine tea. I really like the jasmine pearls (hand-rolled into pearls before drying). It's much more flavorful than the loose leaf that I've tried. Drinking lots of high-quality jasmine tea is a weird experience because it energizes (caffeine from the tea) and relaxes (the sweet aromatic (and quasi-narcotic) jasmine flower) at the same time. I recommend it to those who feel coffee makes them too edgy.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Maybe someone can enlighten me. Years ago when the fair-trade organic bean thing started to catch on, I did my best to try a lot of different beans and I found them all to have a certain odour and taste that I didn't enjoy. They all smelled like stale sweat and had a bitter/sour taste. I've since stayed away from Organic/Fair-Trade/Shade-grown etc etc.

Is it possible that this sort of bean has improved since the late 90's/early 2000's?

It certainly wasn't a bad batch, because this was over the course of a few years, _however_ all the coffee was purchased from the same retailer, who I won't publicly disclose because it may not be their fault and their service and products were otherwise flawless. 

I'm sure it could be many things, like perhaps they had a bad supplier, but I just wanted to see if anyone else had had a similar experience with certified organic/fair-trade coffee???


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## NB-SK (Jul 28, 2007)

hollowbody,

Nothing to do with being organic or fair trade (in my experience, it's the other coffee that tastes weird).


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i have a question, as well.

in place like kensington market (just one example) they have many, many bins of coffee from around the world, all appropriately labelled.

is there any guarantee that they are not just filling those containers with something that "looks" like the genuine article?

the reason i ask is because many years ago i used to make the trek there to buy "gourmet" specialty beans, and very clearly remember being seriously underwhelmed by the flavour of every coffee i sampled.

-dh

ps here's a similar concern re the fish counter:

http://www.thestar.com/investigatio...fish-counter-you-may-not-get-what-you-pay-for


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

david henman said:


> ...i have a question, as well.
> 
> in place like kensington market (just one example) they have many, many bins of coffee from around the world, all appropriately labelled.
> 
> ...



Good beans won't guarantee good coffee. That's why it really matters who's making the brew. Temperature, timing, and the amount of grounds are all part of the process. There's no one ideal "recipe" for all the many kinds of coffee out there, but a lot of folks will fall into the habit of "X# of scoops to X# of cups of water......".


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

david henman said:


> ...i have a question, as well.
> 
> in place like kensington market (just one example) they have many, many bins of coffee from around the world, all appropriately labelled.
> 
> is there any guarantee that they are not just filling those containers with something that "looks" like the genuine article?


I guess there isn't really a guarantee other than trusting the retailer to not be underhanded.

Coffee the is the second most traded commodity in the world, but does anyone know if there are any policies in place for verifying quality? Certainly, a lot of places have blends, which are like the hot-dogs of coffee with ingredients coming from all over. Some are delicious, others not, but who knows what goes in? There's a few that stand out as "brand-name" type coffees like Jamaican Blue Mountain, which a few people mentioned already, so with a recognizable name like that, and certainly given the price tag attached to it, there must be a Coffee Control Board or something, no?


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

david henman;243782
ps here's a similar concern re the fish counter:
[url said:


> http://www.thestar.com/investigation/article/723956--at-the-fish-counter-you-may-not-get-what-you-pay-for[/url]


Thats nice, thanks for that (I think) The authors solution is to buy something local? I'm not a fish eater per se, but I have been trying to develope a taste for fish other than halibut or haddock.


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## NB-SK (Jul 28, 2007)

Rugburn said:


> Good beans won't guarantee good coffee. That's why it really matters who's making the brew. Temperature, timing, and the amount of grounds are all part of the process. There's no one ideal "recipe" for all the many kinds of coffee out there, but a lot of folks will fall into the habit of "X# of scoops to X# of cups of water......".


Yes, it's easy to botch, especially when roasting. Roasting is the most important step. Roast the beans too little and the coffee will be too bitter, roast them too much and it will have lost all of the beans' characteristics and taste like charcoal. The key is to balance the two, bean and roast flavor. Some beans produce a better cup when roasted slightly darker than others.

As for fooling people with cheap beans labeled as more expensive ones. It's possible, but the beans would have to be from the same region or roasted very dark since coffee from different regions tend to have slightly different characteristics (both appearance and flavour). For example, there's no mistaking an Indian Malabar for a Costa Rican coffee, the former being the least acidic and lightest coloured beans and the latter being some of the most acidic and darkest coloured ones.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...as much as i love the rich flavour of this coffee (below), i've noticed that it really gives me the caffeine jitters, much more so than standard supermarket/restaurant/timmies etc coffee.

has anyone else experienced this from drinking gourmet coffee?

-dh




david henman said:


> ... just bought a bag of ethiopian beans at, of all places, costco.
> i don't know if it falls into the category of first rate, but i was utterly shocked by how delicious this incredibly affordable coffee tastes.
> i'll try their sumatra beans next! -dh


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