The case for bad coffee (2015) • Hacker News Board

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#71

Post by abstract_put » Sun, Jul 17, 2022, 10:33 PM UTC

criddell wrote: post #41

Thanks for posting this. I really enjoyed reading it. I can totally relate to the what the author is saying. I went through a mini-version of the same journey. For a while I was buying expensive beans, grinding them on a Baratza Vario (a mid-level grinder) to make espresso in my E-61 based heat exchanger machine. I made some excellent coffee with that setup and more than a few sink-shots. I gave it up though because…

I experienced a very similar thing. With the pandemic I've been splurging on coffees, exploring different types, finding ones I really enjoy. Then I went out into the world and had a coffee from a regular ol' sandwich shop style cafe. Boy was it not what I was hoping for.

It turns out that over the course of the pandemic I've really refined what I actually like in coffee (for myself, not trying to say it's generally better) and basically nowhere serves it. Now I'm in a pickle - I absolutely love love love the coffee I get to have every morning when I wake up, and I don't generally enjoy the bulk of the coffee that's available in the world at large.

Before I enjoyed coffee so much I was able to enjoy coffee much more broadly.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#72

Post by echelon » Sun, Jul 17, 2022, 10:34 PM UTC

xboxnolifes wrote: post #70

jrockway wrote: post #66

I'm a little ashamed to admit this, but I've never had a cup of coffee I didn't like. There have been some pretty terrible tasting ones. I drank them anyway. All in all, pretty good beverage.

> ...I've never had a cup of coffee I didn't like. There have been some pretty terrible tasting ones. I don't understand. How are these not directly conflicting statements?

You can hate something and still enjoy doing it.

Smoking, a bad partner, bitter coffee.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#73

Post by quercusa » Sun, Jul 17, 2022, 10:34 PM UTC

intrasight wrote: post #50

I went shopping last week and my go-to whole bean was $20/bag. I bought it, but I also went online to look for some cheaper options. Any suggestions?

Costco Colombian, about $5-6 per pound.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#74

Post by jstx1 » Sun, Jul 17, 2022, 10:34 PM UTC

ethbr0 wrote: post #56

collaborative wrote: post #55

All coffee is good. It just shouldn't ever cost more than $2. Coffee is not a luxury. It's bread and butter

Modern commercialism is the art of convincing everyone they should pay 50% more for a staple in order to be cool. Starbuck's prices are insane, and most of what they push isn't even coffee.

After the first sentence I thought you were talking about fancier coffee - like buying freshly roasted specialty beans instead of coffee from the supermarket - turns out that you were talking about Starbucks.

Anyway, the specialty beans are worth paying extra for imo.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#75

Post by elefanten » Sun, Jul 17, 2022, 10:35 PM UTC

xboxnolifes wrote: post #70

jrockway wrote: post #66

I'm a little ashamed to admit this, but I've never had a cup of coffee I didn't like. There have been some pretty terrible tasting ones. I drank them anyway. All in all, pretty good beverage.

> ...I've never had a cup of coffee I didn't like. There have been some pretty terrible tasting ones. I don't understand. How are these not directly conflicting statements?

Gp could dislike the taste and still enjoy the experience of the beverage overall, satisfying the condition of the original statement.

Also, it was probably written that way as a bit of a joke.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#76

Post by xboxnolifes » Sun, Jul 17, 2022, 10:35 PM UTC

echelon wrote: post #72

xboxnolifes wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> ...I've never had a cup of coffee I didn't like. There have been some pretty terrible tasting ones. I don't understand. How are these not directly conflicting statements?

You can hate something and still enjoy doing it. Smoking, a bad partner, bitter coffee.

I'd argue you don't actually hate it if you enjoy it. Or in the case of addiction, you don't actually enjoy it, you're just addicted.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#77

Post by ninkendo » Sun, Jul 17, 2022, 10:35 PM UTC

jrockway wrote: post #66

I'm a little ashamed to admit this, but I've never had a cup of coffee I didn't like. There have been some pretty terrible tasting ones. I drank them anyway. All in all, pretty good beverage.

I’m similar, but I would describe it as “I’ve never had a cup of coffee I could distinguish from any other cup of coffee.”

They all taste more or less the same to me. Maybe there are minor differences but if I’m not intentionally trying one cup right after a different one, I’m not going to notice. It all tastes like “coffee” to me. (I drink it hot and black. I can’t stand the taste of any coffee if it’s just warm.)

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#78

Post by jfim » Sun, Jul 17, 2022, 10:38 PM UTC

lisper wrote: post #46

Good grief. If you enjoy it then by definition it is not bad, it is good, even if it didn't cost you an arm and a leg and you got it at the grocery store or the diner. The coffee snobs can just go fuck themselves. I had two life experiences that beat the culinary snobbery out of me. Many years ago I was a tea-totaller but I decided I wanted to develop a taste for wine (because social pressure) so I started a wine tas…

In my opinion, it's really about whether or not one wants to pay particular attention to it or not, and that applies to coffee and other things.

If I want to sit down and enjoy a nice cup of coffee at the coffee shop, then of course I'll want something that's a bit more interesting than Maxwell House. But if it's a weekday and I'm just looking for something to drink with my breakfast before a Zoom meeting with Germany at some ungodly hour on the west coast, then just about anything that's dark and coffee-like will do.

It's the same thing with food, going to a fancy restaurant is about the food and experience itself, while going to Taco Bell is about satiating hunger in a perfectly acceptable way.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#79

Post by scruple » Sun, Jul 17, 2022, 10:39 PM UTC

jrockway wrote: post #66

I'm a little ashamed to admit this, but I've never had a cup of coffee I didn't like. There have been some pretty terrible tasting ones. I drank them anyway. All in all, pretty good beverage.

Ever tried a cup of Folgers decaf? I'm pretty similar, in that I don't think I've met very many cups of coffee that I wouldn't drii, but that stuff is horrible.

Re: The case for bad coffee (2015)

#80

Post by NoboruWataya » Sun, Jul 17, 2022, 10:40 PM UTC

lisper wrote: post #46

Good grief. If you enjoy it then by definition it is not bad, it is good, even if it didn't cost you an arm and a leg and you got it at the grocery store or the diner. The coffee snobs can just go fuck themselves. I had two life experiences that beat the culinary snobbery out of me. Many years ago I was a tea-totaller but I decided I wanted to develop a taste for wine (because social pressure) so I started a wine tas…

> Good grief. If you enjoy it then by definition it is not bad, it is good, even if it didn't cost you an arm and a leg and you got it at the grocery store or the diner.

I consider myself a slight coffee snob. I regularly browse /r/coffee, /r/espresso and /r/pourover, and also enjoy YouTube videos from well-known coffee snobs such as James Hoffmann.

Basically every opinion I have encountered in any of those channels concurs with your statement that it's about what you enjoy, and not how much it cost or where it came from. If anyone feels judged by coffee snobs (or wine snobs, or whatever) for their tastes, I suspect that comes more from a place of insecurity than actual experience of being judged.