The coffee thread

[PopTodd]

Okay, let's get this out of the way, I drink decaf. Okay? When seizures are an imminent threat, you do what you have to do. Still, when you don't drink it side-by-side with regular, you can't really tell much of a difference.

Now that that's over with, I gotta say that I love my coffee. It's (obviously) not the caffeine that gets me going, it's the ritual, the aroma, the heat.

 

Recently, after hearing some friends singing its praises, I picked up a can of this:

Cheap, strong and delicious.

 

And, I take my coffee like I take my women, black and in a really big cup!

(had to get the joke out of the way, too.)

 

So, yeah, that's my kick these days, but my all-time favorite coffee is still Intelligentsia. Back when they had their one and only roaster in the middle of the store on Broadway in Chicago, it was so good that it was unreal. Since they've expanded their operation, the quality has dipped a bit, but it's still some of the best coffee out there.

 

Oh, and I just brew in your typical drip machine.

 

How about you?

[theashtraysays]

In typical VC style, I will now attempt to hijack this thread by responding to a simple, direct question with a non-answer... that's just what we do around here, and I hate to break tradition.

 

I stopped drinking coffee about 3 years ago and started on Chinese tea. Much easier on the stomach, and helped a lot with indigestion issues.

 

I drink a type of tea called "Iron Buddha" that is fairly common in southern China. Similar to oolong. Stronger than green tea; kinda between green and black. I have amassed a small collection of travel mugs which have strainers in the top to filer out the loose leaves, and also have some of the 3-piece ceramic mugs/strainers/lids for weekend use at home. I have not found a good source for getting the tea I like in the US or even on the internet, but I can find enough people traveling back and forth to keep my supply in good shape.

[PopTodd]

In typical VC style, I will now attempt to hijack this thread by responding to a simple, direct question with a non-answer... that's just what we do around here, and I hate to break tradition.

 

I stopped drinking coffee about 3 years ago and started on Chinese tea. Much easier on the stomach, and helped a lot with indigestion issues.

 

I drink a type of tea called "Iron Buddha" that is fairly common in southern China. Similar to oolong. Stronger than green tea; kinda between green and black. I have amassed a small collection of travel mugs which have strainers in the top to filer out the loose leaves, and also have some of the 3-piece ceramic mugs/strainers/lids for weekend use at home. I have not found a good source for getting the tea I like in the US or even on the internet, but I can find enough people traveling back and forth to keep my supply in good shape.

I like tea, too.

Go start a tea thread. This is the coffee thread.

[lamradio]

Can't go wrong with good old Starbucks.. Yeah it's expensive but there's nothing quite like it... French blend is my favorite.

 

I'm a morning and evening drinker.. Yeah probably should be doing decaf, but it just isn't the same... But I agree that if it was all I drank, I'd probably stop noticing the difference.

[Atticus]

I drink the coffee that comes out of the thing in the office. with cream. through the mouth.

[PopTodd]

I drink Safeway brand coffee singles during the week. They come 19 to a pack for less than $3, and do not taste particularly good.

I drink them entirely for the caffeine and to conserve $.

 

 

On the weekends, I drink Folgers. I make a whole pot and drink it throughout the morning. Much of it is for the ritual. I love watching NFL Countdown and then football games while drinking a bunch of coffee.

 

That Café Bustelo is actually cheaper than Folgers. Give it a shot and then tell me what you think. I think that you'll be happy.

[Guest Speed Racer]

I don't care for Starbucks at all, and since I'm a major tightwad I hate buying coffee in general. That being said, I'll buy from Dunn Bros. or Caribou when I buy because I only buy downtown and they're short on independent places.

 

But I usually make and drink my own, usually with fair trade French Roast from the bulk section of our grocery store. Or this other blend that's equally dark.

 

But if it's free, or if I'm ordering a drink at a restaurant, I'll drink anything that's brown and I'll drink a lot of it. I used to go through about two pots a day, but I think I'm down to about one, or only half a pot on the weekends. Sometimes one, sometimes two.

 

I drink a LOT of coffee.

 

ETA: I also LOVE Dunkin Donuts coffee. Not the shit in the bag at the store - the brewed stuff. Even though I prefer my coffee dark as night and thicker than glue, there's something about Dunkin I love - so much that I will take an unnecessary stopover in Atlanta to have a cup at the airport on my way to my parents' house in Florida, because they don't have it in MN.

[PopTodd]

Where can I buy Cafe Bustelo? Jewel?

You can, in some neighborhoods. If it's not at your local Jewel, it shouldn't be too hard to track down.

It's about $5 a can. And, since it's espresso grind, you don't have to use as much per cup.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Yeah, I recall seeing that stuff at Dominick's and Jewel growing up.

 

Also, I grew up on this stuff, because Hayes roasted in Oak Park: http://www.hayescoffee.net/

[Ghost of Electricity]

I'm partial to Hazelnut, which isn't available where I live. The last time I was back, though, it seemed that the quality had dropped, not just of one brand but of the several i tried.

 

I go for the arabica beans, given the choice, and generally drink the standard drip variety. occasionaly my wife will bust out the italian espresso on the stove machine thing, but if i had that everyday i'd get spoiled.

 

Caffeine is a must. Every time i try decaf it tastes like i'm drinking coffee out of an ashtray.

[Moss]

I usually got to Pete's coffee given the chance but I like anything strong including starbucks. Never really could tell a difference between regular and decaf but I rarely drink decaf, even at night. Pretty much drink coffee all day long and part of the night so not even sure the caffeine does much anymore.

 

We have Seattle's best here at work which is not too bad at all for free work coffee.

[calvino]

I buy the whole bean Fair Trade Organic Love Buzz (a dark roast), grind it home, make it in a french press, and drink it black.

[embiggen]

whatever it is, I want it light and sweet!@

[Moss]

Oh, and no sugar tonight in my coffee... or ever. But cream is ok.

[Guest Speed Racer]

I've been drinking coffee since I was three, begging sips off my parents at night. I started making pots for the family when I was 5, using a step stool. I was drinking it every day by 10 and black by 13. When I come home for Christmas, we make about 5 or 6 pots a day. We're a coffee family.

[calvino]

I've been drinking coffee since I was three, begging sips off my parents at night.

 

Yeah, same here. I remember waitress's giving me funny looks when I ordered a cup of coffee at a restaurant when was a young kid. They never believed me when I said I wanted a cup a coffee and would turn towards my parents in a funny disbelief manner and my dad would say "give the kid a cup of coffee."

[Lammycat]

That's a lot of coffee over a long period of time. Agree on DD coffee, though. I've always liked their coffee.

 

I don't drink alot of coffee and get tweaked on more than one cup of regular on any given day. Makes me jittery. That Starbuck's coffee is pretty dang good, too.

[bobfrombob]

At home it's normally the Three Sisters blend of Kicking Horse. Once I get to work, it's tea.

 

On the road, I always need Tim Horton's, extra large, two cream. I think they add heroin and/or nicotine because it is very addictive.

[ih8music]

My morning coffee is what I call a poor man's latte - cup of hot milk, 2 or 3 tbsp of instant coffee, dash of honey. Makes instant coffee actually tasty.

 

On weekends or when I have guests I break out the whole beans & my grinder. I typically buy beans from Costco and get either their French roast or espresso roast. If I'm going through the effort to brew, I want it bold and strong.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Yeah, same here. I remember waitress's giving me funny looks when I ordered a cup of coffee at a restaurant when was a young kid.

 

I don't think I could tell the difference from that and the way they usually looked at me. On Saturdays, when I was 9 until 12 or so, I used to walk a mile and a half to my favorite local greasy spoon and read the paper and eat breakfast by myself at 6:30 on the nose. In the summers, I'd walk to the farmer's market instead and grab a coffee and pick up donuts and fruit for the family. I was a peculiar kid.

[Lammycat]

Well, it was "The Roaring 20s" and all...

[Sir Stewart]

I used to buy Equal Exchange Organic Mind, Body and Soul beans in Boston but can't find it here in the sticks. So I do Peet's or Starbuck's beans.

I brew it and drink it black.

[merkattack]

No love around here for the French Press? It's pretty much the only way I brew my drink these days.

[okp greg]

I used to drink D&D mostly, but I switched to McDonalds. Why? Because it's Newman's organic coffee, and it's a dollar for whatever size you want. Plus, in the morning on my way to work the two Dunkin Donut's I pass have about 8 people in line each whille the McDonald's is always empty, and moves faster if there is anyone.

[Winston Legthigh]

French press every morning. I add a big shot of milk. I usually wait until the coffee has cooled down a bit, then I gulp down a big mug.