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The case for bad coffee (2015)

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Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#21

Post by michaelchisari »

WastingMyTime89 wrote: post #8
CptFribble wrote: post #4

Like most things, coffee is subject to diminishing returns. I have also owned nearly every device invented to make coffee - as I'm sure many others here have - and I've settled on a simple over-the-mug pour-over cone, but mainly because there's no moving parts or tubes to worry about cleaning. I don't even know what "correct" pour-over technique is, so I'm basically making bog-standard single-serving drip coffee with…

You can take my espresso machine from my cold dead hands. Then again I don’t understand why Americans pay so much for their coffee. Here 1kg of fairly good single origin coffee is 22€ and the quality is miles ahead of instant. You don’t have to become an insufferable snob to enjoy better coffee.

Those little stove-top espresso makers that Italians use make the best espresso.

Apparently they're called Moka Pots, never knew that.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#22

Post by spread_love »

racl101 wrote: post #13

I've never felt the need to pay extra for whole-bean, locally, ethically roasted, gourmet coffee. Even when I started making way more money I've stuck with the can of ground coffee. The reason is cause most days I just down the cup really quickly, black. Or with a little cream. I don't savor it. To me, coffee is a utility. Not a lifestyle. I just need a couple of cups to stay awake and do my job. But after that I don…

Why would that change how you felt toward buying ethically-grown coffee?

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#24

Post by apcragg »

racl101 wrote: post #13

I've never felt the need to pay extra for whole-bean, locally, ethically roasted, gourmet coffee. Even when I started making way more money I've stuck with the can of ground coffee. The reason is cause most days I just down the cup really quickly, black. Or with a little cream. I don't savor it. To me, coffee is a utility. Not a lifestyle. I just need a couple of cups to stay awake and do my job. But after that I don…

It sounds like you'd be better served by caffeine pills then. No need to bother with a delivery mechanism you don't enjoy when there are easier solutions out there!

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#25

Post by xioxox »

I certainly like instant coffee and prefer it over many other types I have tried. It took a few tries to find a good one, however. Perhaps it's because I mostly like coffee quite milky, which might cover over any quality issues.

Developing a taste for good coffee (or wine, etc) doesn't seem attractive to me. You end up needing more and more equipment. You need expensive high quality beans. It's typically messy, time consuming, takes up valuable kitchen space and expensive. I'd rather something ok, which is quick, cheap and convenient.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#26

Post by spread_love »

michaelchisari wrote: post #21
WastingMyTime89 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can take my espresso machine from my cold dead hands. Then again I don’t understand why Americans pay so much for their coffee. Here 1kg of fairly good single origin coffee is 22€ and the quality is miles ahead of instant. You don’t have to become an insufferable snob to enjoy better coffee.

Those little stove-top espresso makers that Italians use make the best espresso. Apparently they're called Moka Pots, never knew that.

Technically not espresso, they operate at a relatively low pressure

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#27

Post by majormajor »

WastingMyTime89 wrote: post #8
CptFribble wrote: post #4

Like most things, coffee is subject to diminishing returns. I have also owned nearly every device invented to make coffee - as I'm sure many others here have - and I've settled on a simple over-the-mug pour-over cone, but mainly because there's no moving parts or tubes to worry about cleaning. I don't even know what "correct" pour-over technique is, so I'm basically making bog-standard single-serving drip coffee with…

You can take my espresso machine from my cold dead hands. Then again I don’t understand why Americans pay so much for their coffee. Here 1kg of fairly good single origin coffee is 22€ and the quality is miles ahead of instant. You don’t have to become an insufferable snob to enjoy better coffee.

What exactly do you mean by "pay so much"? E.g. I could buy a KG of single origin that I'd call "fairly good" for about $33 bucks - which recently would've been like 28 Euros though it's about 1-to-1 now - is that what you mean? Or are you meaning much more than that? Like comparing to retail "fancy coffee shop" US drink price?

(There's a lot of range in what one person might call fairly good compared to the next, too, of course.)

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#28

Post by blowski »

michaelchisari wrote: post #21
WastingMyTime89 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can take my espresso machine from my cold dead hands. Then again I don’t understand why Americans pay so much for their coffee. Here 1kg of fairly good single origin coffee is 22€ and the quality is miles ahead of instant. You don’t have to become an insufferable snob to enjoy better coffee.

Those little stove-top espresso makers that Italians use make the best espresso. Apparently they're called Moka Pots, never knew that.

You’ve given me my opportunity to be a pedantic coffee snob… those don’t make espresso as they don’t generate enough pressure. But they do make fantastic coffee.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#30

Post by lostlogin »

WastingMyTime89 wrote: post #8
CptFribble wrote: post #4

Like most things, coffee is subject to diminishing returns. I have also owned nearly every device invented to make coffee - as I'm sure many others here have - and I've settled on a simple over-the-mug pour-over cone, but mainly because there's no moving parts or tubes to worry about cleaning. I don't even know what "correct" pour-over technique is, so I'm basically making bog-standard single-serving drip coffee with…

You can take my espresso machine from my cold dead hands. Then again I don’t understand why Americans pay so much for their coffee. Here 1kg of fairly good single origin coffee is 22€ and the quality is miles ahead of instant. You don’t have to become an insufferable snob to enjoy better coffee.

Those same beans are about half that price when green. It's not snobbery so much as laziness that has me get 10ish kgs of a variety of types delivered every few months.
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