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The case for bad coffee (2015)

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Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#271

Post by aaronbrethorst »

zwieback wrote: post #201
staticautomatic wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn’t directed at you/OP, but the anti dark roast thing seems to me to be a distinctively American coffee snob hipster thing. Many places in the world have wonderful dark roast coffee. Honestly, are these people just wandering around Austria, Italy, Vietnam, Cuba, or Turkey complaining about bad the coffee is? Give me a break.

Agree, I don't even order coffee in Portland anymore because everything is "delicate, fruity, floral" light roast aka. tastes like goddam vinegar.

I'd legitimately rather drink Starbucks than Stumptown for all of the reasons mentioned above. Starbucks is 'meh' but at least it doesn't have that sour, floral taste.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#272

Post by tptacek »

technothrasher wrote: post #265
zwieback wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agree, I don't even order coffee in Portland anymore because everything is "delicate, fruity, floral" light roast aka. tastes like goddam vinegar.

Last time I was in Oregon I tried to go into a coffee place and get a cup of coffee. Now, I'm admittedly not a big fancy coffee guy, usually drinking whatever Dunkin Donuts or McDonald's swill I can get, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out what the hell I was supposed to order. It was all fancy names on the menu and nothing that was just "coffee". I finally just said, "I want, like, normal, I don't know, Eas…

Presumably the eye-roll was about the manner with which you asked, conveying confusion or distress about the menu, and not the drip coffee order; coffee places are happy to serve you a drip coffee (it's easy for them).

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#273

Post by hamandcheese »

staticautomatic wrote: post #125
ryanSrich wrote: post #105

I’ve gone through several coffee phases, some bordering on extreme — extremely sensitive weighing, timing, $2,000 grinders, $10k espresso machine, etc. My happy medium is just doing basic pour overs, but with really good locally roasted coffee. To me, this is the cheapest and best approach. In fact, even if pour overs require too much work (weighing, timing), then just do drip. But do it with quality coffee. Quality…

This isn’t directed at you/OP, but the anti dark roast thing seems to me to be a distinctively American coffee snob hipster thing. Many places in the world have wonderful dark roast coffee. Honestly, are these people just wandering around Austria, Italy, Vietnam, Cuba, or Turkey complaining about bad the coffee is? Give me a break.

Discovering that coffee could taste good (aka light roast) is what led me to become a slight coffee snob.

At the time I didn’t even know what light roast was, but I sure as hell liked it.

(Providing this anecdote since many others here are hating on light roast)

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#274

Post by PheonixPharts »

I'm currently a home roaster, which I suppose is the direct opposite end of the spectrum from instant "bad" coffee. But I'm a long time drinker of coffee and had phases of everything from instant mixed with hot cocoa mix, to six teaspoons of sugar in diner coffee, to loving starbucks and to hating starbucks (to not caring when I need a cup of coffee). I've never been a coffee snob in the sense that I've never cared what other people drink and if you offer me a cup coffee in your house in the morning I'll happily drink it with no complaint even if it is as close to dirty dish water as can be while still being coffee.

The one thing I found slightly odd about this article from my perspective is that the majority of the anecdotes are about buying coffee and coffee as a commodity. My coffee takes about as long to make as instant and while roasting takes about 1 1/2 hours a month or so it's a bit of a wash time wise considering how often I used to have to run out to get coffee from the grocery store. Really good green beans are also very cheap, $6/lb for premium to $2/lb for frankly incredible bag ends. I only really buy new beans a few times a year.

I don't even consider myself a huge coffee nerd (I used to), I just like roasting, grinding and brewing my own coffee each morning because it's something I consume everyday that I can make as much from scratch as possible for a product that fundamentally depends on global trade. I feel about coffee the same way I do about grilling a hamburger in the evening for dinner. I suspect if I grilled hamburgers every day I'd get a meat grinder and just grind my own beef.

When I drink coffee in the morning, my daily brew is probably some of the best coffee I've ever had, but I don't spend much time thinking about it. Most of the time what I'm drinking in the morning is no different than the cup of instant described in the post, just something in the background of every breakfast while my wife and I chat about the world. But, we do sometimes pause and note that it is a really good cup of coffee.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#275

Post by codefreeordie »

staticautomatic wrote: post #125
ryanSrich wrote: post #105

I’ve gone through several coffee phases, some bordering on extreme — extremely sensitive weighing, timing, $2,000 grinders, $10k espresso machine, etc. My happy medium is just doing basic pour overs, but with really good locally roasted coffee. To me, this is the cheapest and best approach. In fact, even if pour overs require too much work (weighing, timing), then just do drip. But do it with quality coffee. Quality…

This isn’t directed at you/OP, but the anti dark roast thing seems to me to be a distinctively American coffee snob hipster thing. Many places in the world have wonderful dark roast coffee. Honestly, are these people just wandering around Austria, Italy, Vietnam, Cuba, or Turkey complaining about bad the coffee is? Give me a break.

It's actually kind of funny, because I've noticed that there is one little coffee subculture in America that is big on dark roasts -- you'll find a pretty decent variety of dark roasts at the right-wing-political coffee roasteries. I'm not sure how we turned coffee roast level into a partisan political issue, but somehow we did.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#276

Post by tootie »

hamandcheese wrote: post #273
staticautomatic wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn’t directed at you/OP, but the anti dark roast thing seems to me to be a distinctively American coffee snob hipster thing. Many places in the world have wonderful dark roast coffee. Honestly, are these people just wandering around Austria, Italy, Vietnam, Cuba, or Turkey complaining about bad the coffee is? Give me a break.

Discovering that coffee could taste good (aka light roast) is what led me to become a slight coffee snob. At the time I didn’t even know what light roast was, but I sure as hell liked it. (Providing this anecdote since many others here are hating on light roast)

You probably say that because you don't like the slightly harsh, bitter taste of dark roast coffee and prefer the subtle fruity notes and aroma you can get in lighter roast. I, for one, love the harsher, bitter style. Same reason I eat 90% dark chocolate. De gustibus non est disputandum.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#277

Post by pier25 »

PheonixPharts wrote: post #274

I'm currently a home roaster, which I suppose is the direct opposite end of the spectrum from instant "bad" coffee. But I'm a long time drinker of coffee and had phases of everything from instant mixed with hot cocoa mix, to six teaspoons of sugar in diner coffee, to loving starbucks and to hating starbucks (to not caring when I need a cup of coffee). I've never been a coffee snob in the sense that I've never cared w…

I'm into espresso and also roast at home. Just wanted to say I agree with everything you wrote.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#278

Post by jcpst »

smeyer wrote: post #130
ryanSrich wrote: post #105

I’ve gone through several coffee phases, some bordering on extreme — extremely sensitive weighing, timing, $2,000 grinders, $10k espresso machine, etc. My happy medium is just doing basic pour overs, but with really good locally roasted coffee. To me, this is the cheapest and best approach. In fact, even if pour overs require too much work (weighing, timing), then just do drip. But do it with quality coffee. Quality…

How much do you spend per cup for your "happy medium"? I ask as a happy non-coffee drinker.

About $0.90 per 250mL cup. I have multiple coffee subscriptions- I get a pretty good deal on on a monthly order that ends up costing $13 per 12oz bag. Then I regularly buy one-offs that average around $20 per 12oz bag.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#279

Post by kortilla »

grapeskin wrote: post #245
ryanSrich wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean people can drink coffee however they want, but dark roasting beans absolutely destroys the majority of flavors within the bean. There’s no denying that. It’s similar to eating a steak well done. People do it, and it’s even very common in certain countries. But it’s removing the majority of flavor. I don’t see how anyone could deny that.

I like my steaks borderline completely raw, but I’ll admit it’s because I’ve been around steak snobs and a voice in the back of my mind won’t allow it any other way. But I’ll also admit that heavily browned beef has a distinctive flavor and quality very different from barely cooked steak. Imagine a sandwich with slightly crispy, well cooked beef and all its drippings. Now imagine one with a slice of meat that’s rare…

>Now imagine one with a slice of meat that’s rare and soggy.

Bit of a false dichotomy here. I would take a medium sandwich here. Medium gets you the firmness that you’re hinting that you want for a sandwich without turning it into beef jerky.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#280

Post by jgalt212 »

tptacek wrote: post #272
technothrasher wrote: post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Last time I was in Oregon I tried to go into a coffee place and get a cup of coffee. Now, I'm admittedly not a big fancy coffee guy, usually drinking whatever Dunkin Donuts or McDonald's swill I can get, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out what the hell I was supposed to order. It was all fancy names on the menu and nothing that was just "coffee". I finally just said, "I want, like, normal, I don't know, Eas…

Presumably the eye-roll was about the manner with which you asked, conveying confusion or distress about the menu, and not the drip coffee order; coffee places are happy to serve you a drip coffee (it's easy for them).

I don't think Blue Bottle does--only pour over. For cold brew, I think they sell drip.
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