Good Coffee *NGC*

[Crusty]

Good Coffee

In 1980, I went to Kenya and was there for almost 6 months. While I was there, I really got to like the locally grown coffee. I wasn’t a big coffee drinker, I would usually have one or maybe two cups a day, and that would be at Breakfast. But the Kenyan coffee was one of the high points of my trip.
Before I went to Africa and after I got back, I just used instant coffee. (I favored Taster’s Choice) I couldn’t be bothered to go to a lot of trouble to just make one cup of coffee. Plus, Instant was less wasteful.
However, a few years after my trip, I wound up splitting a large apartment with three other guys. One of my room mates worked as a Meat Cutter for Bread & Circus, a local chain of organic foods. He told me that the store had whole bean Kenya coffee. So, I would go down to the store, fill a little brown paper bag with coffee beans, Dump them in the Grinder and bring home a bag of very tasty coffee. I discovered that coffee tends to lose its flavor over time when you grind it. After a week or so, the coffee didn’t taste quite as good as it did on the day I bought it. So I tended to buy smaller bags. 
This went on for a while and I was happy with the coffee, but then my brother Tony gave me a little electric grinder for Christmas. Now, the coffee tasted good all the time. I’ve been drinking Kenya coffee since.
Over the years, I’ve tried assorted other varieties of coffee. Some were good, some I didn’t really care for, but no matter how good the different coffees tasted, I always preferred Kenya.
Now, my Birthday was last week and I like to treat myself on my Birthday This year, in spite of being flat broke, I was pretty lavish. (ain’t credit cards nice?). I went down to the Whole Foods Market in Wayland and got myself a 14 oz. Grass Fed Rib Eye steak. I also got a Huge (18 oz.!) Yukon Gold potato (which I baked in the oven) Then I got an Alden Merrell Raspberry Torte which is a combination of 2 layers of very rich chocolate cake with a thin layer of raspberry jelly on top of each, with a layer of cheesecake in between the two and covered with a fudge frosting that requires a heated knife to cut. Each slice is about a brazilian calories, and tastes heavenly. Especially with a cup or two of good coffee.
I had heard about a coffee shop that was owned by a great coffee aficionado, George Howell. They sell Artisan coffees, and they had two varieties of Kenya coffee, both priced exorbitantly. I’d been wanting to go there for a couple of months, but I couldn’t justify the expense. Since it was my Birthday, I said the hell with it and went over to Newton and decided to splurge on myself. I read the descriptions and I bought a 12 oz. bag of super duper wondrous hand picked and sorted extra delightful Umgwanakickbooty (Actually, it’s Mamuto AA) Kenya coffee for $28.00. I’m worth twenty eight bucks, and I figured it would be the topper for my Birthday celebration.
I decided that I’d check out this Great Coffee the day before my Birthday. After all, I wanted to make sure of it, right? (Bullshit; I just couldn’t wait the extra day). So I brewed a small pot. To cut to the chase, it sucked. Maybe if I was a connoisseur of fine coffee, I’d appreciate it, but to me it tasted pretty lame.
Now, I had the problem of what to do with it. After spending $28.00, I wouldn’t just throw it out; but it wasn’t enjoyable for me to drink it. So, since it had a very mild flavor, I started mixing it with my usual Kenya beans that I get from Starbucks. At about a 3:1 (3 Starbucks, 1 Howell) ratio it tastes pretty good. It smoothes the Starbucks a bit and it actually makes it taste better. I’ll be drinking that mix until the expensive shit runs out. Maybe if I were to get into blending beans, I could come up the perfect coffee? I don’t believe I really want to go to that much trouble, though and I don’t think that I’ll buy any more of it.
Sometimes the more expensive stuff isn’t better. Sometimes it’s just more expensive.
The steak, potato and cake were all worth the price, however; and they all tasted wonderful.

[Lannis]

I have had my Coffee Connoisseur card revoked - torn out of my pocket, ripped to pieces, and stomped on.

I never thought much about coffee until about 5 years ago, when a small coffee bar opened up in town.   They sold locally roasted beans of all roasts and varieties - Guatemalan, Ethiopian, Kenyan, Jamaican, Costa Rican, oh, everything.

We bought the whole beans and ground them ourselves for our french press as well as our drip filters.   We tried all different kinds and blended different varieties.   In 2011, we traveled for 3 weeks on a bike trip with another couple who were REALLY into coffee, and were brewing single cups from custom-roasted and ground beans at every long rest stop.

Then about 6 months ago, Fay brought me a cup of coffee which I tasted and said "This is it.   This is what we've been looking for!   What is it?   Light roast Blue Mountain blended with dark Costa Rican?   Tell me before we forget!"

It came out of a pre-ground two pound bag of "Dunkin Doughnuts" brand "Regular Coffee".

So apparently the nuances are wasted on me, and I will live the rest of my life ordering "A cuppa joe" from Mabel at the truck stop ....

Lannis

[lc4dakar]

Go here

https://www.sweetmarias.com/store/

and buy green coffee beans.  Kenya and Yemen for $6 to $8 a pound.

Then go to Target and get an air popcorn popper to roast it yourself.  You will never go back.
All instructions you need are on Sweet Marias' site.

[Gliderjohn]

We are blessed with two places within 50 miles that sell a wide variety of coffees in either bean or ground form from all over. Love most of the African coffees but I have had a couple that were quite earthy tasting that I didn't care for. Due to the availability I have become quite a coffee snob. One can spend a few bucks on them however but than booze costs a lot too.
GliderJohn

[charlie b]

"Sometimes the more expensive stuff isn’t better. Sometimes it’s just more expensive."

Yep.  Remember Mark Twain.  'The difference between a 5 cent cigar and a 25 cent cigar?  20 cents."

And why do people spend hundreds of dollars on a bottle of wine or scotch/tequila/etc?  Because they can declare their "importance" by spending that kind of money on a consumable.  Doesn't matter if it tastes like s*** or not.

Father-in-law used to host parties.  He'd get the cheapest liquor he  could find (Safeway brand or such) and pour it into expensive name brand bottles.  Then he'd laugh at the so called 'experts' who would rave  about the finer qualities of the drink.

Applies to most things in life.

[Blueboarhound]

Here's an idea.

Step 1:

1  tablespoon coffee beans   
1  tablespoon  white peppercorns   
1/8 teaspoon paprika   
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder   
1/2 tablespoon sea salt   
1  tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning or 1  tablespoon lawrys seasoning or 1  tablespoon  all purpose seasoning

Step 2:

Combine all ingredients in a spice or coffee grinder.
Finely grind the mixture.
Rub onto your favorite steak or tri-tip 30 minutes or more prior to cooking.

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from Charlie b:

"Sometimes the more expensive stuff isn’t better. Sometimes it’s just more expensive."

That can be true. When we have guests I just make up one of the coffees without saying anything. It is fun to watch the first sip or two as the person kind of stops, looks at the coffee cup, sips again and then asks what brand of coffee it is and asks for a refill.
GliderJohn

[Lannis]

Here's an idea.

Step 1:

1  tablespoon coffee beans   
1  tablespoon  white peppercorns   
1/8 teaspoon paprika   
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder   
1/2 tablespoon sea salt   
1  tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning or 1  tablespoon lawrys seasoning or 1  tablespoon  all purpose seasoning

Step 2:

Combine all ingredients in a spice or coffee grinder.
Finely grind the mixture.
Rub onto your favorite steak or tri-tip 30 minutes or more prior to cooking.

Whew!  It's a meat rub.  I thought you were going to tell us to brew it up and DRINK that crap!

Lannis

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Well, you could always drink the cat shit coffee if you're rich.

  Kopi Luwak

[twhitaker]

Jim,

My favorite beans come from your neck of the woods. Kona coffee is like no other.  ;-T

[Sasquatch Jim]

Jim,

My favorite beans come from your neck of the woods. Kona coffee is like no other.  ;-T

  I agree but you should try the Kau coffee.  It's the latest thing here among Konas.
  BTW don't buy Kona blends.  There is currently a scandal on how little Kona added to other coffee makes it labeled Kona blend.
  Some have none at all.  Buy pure 100% Kona or the new Kau.

[Crusty]

I think almost everybody knows about Kopi Luwak from The Bucket List, here's something that's supposed to be better:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/08/20/340154271/no-1-most-expensive-coffee-comes-from-elephants-no-2

[donn]

Yes!  I mean, no, to Kona blends!  Kona blend = rip-off.  Kona is like Kenya, in the sense that, yes, they have a lot of the same letters, and also they can be real premium, distinctive in a desirable way, coffees.  It's also like Kenya in that you can get a bag of stuff that isn't even better than average coffee - and the difference is pretty small.  Now take 3 randomly selected Kona beans, add them to your average coffee and grind it up for a cup.  Worth paying extra for?  Not a chance!

Anyway, most coffee growing regions have their especially good coffee.  Another US island coffee, Puerto Rico is worth a try.  I like Ethiopia a lot, the origin of coffee and more diverse and interesting flavors than anywhere else.  Currently drinking something from (East) Timor that I like a lot.  Some of these origins are more particular about roast level - some just wasted when roasted dark, some kind of sour when roasted light.  I don't know how to roast Kenya right, the main reason I don't ever get it.

[Kiwi_Roy]

I spent a lot of time working in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, they are well known for Goroko Coffee (I probably spelt that wrong), I always bought a few pounds home for the coffee lovers.
On site we would drink Greggs instant coffee from Australia, I opened a fresh jar one day and when the seal broke most of the contents blew out of the jar with the sudden release of pressure at 10,000 ft, I learned to prick it first.

I think Starbucks is crap but the little one cup packets are handy to take when camping.

[segesta]

I think Starbucks is crap but the little one cup packets are handy to take when camping.

One benefit of the USA becoming a northern province of Mexico is that grocery stores now carry the packets of Nestle instant coffee from Mexico, which are just as good/awful as Starbucks', at literally 1/10 the price. Check them out, they actually aren't terrible.

[kevdog3019]

Go here

https://www.sweetmarias.com/store/

and buy green coffee beans.  Kenya and Yemen for $6 to $8 a pound.

Then go to Target and get an air popcorn popper to roast it yourself.  You will never go back.
All instructions you need are on Sweet Marias' site.

:+1  Roast my own.  The only way to make sure it's fresh.  Fresh coffee is the only way to go and the only way to know is to do it yourself.  Blending is great and trying different roast times is fun and adventurous.  Cheaper in the long run.  I have a rotisserie type roaster.
-Kevin

[Sasquatch Jim]

  I suppose that some enterprising vegetarian will begin by eating coffee beans , swallowing them whole and then picking through his
  poop for the processed beans.  When he offers you a cup of coffee saying now this is some good shit, don't drink it.

[davedude]

Most of the "good" beans you find are roasted too dark. That will flat ruin a great bean. I was raised on dark roast coffee, thought it was the best, and anything that wasn't black as tar was Yankee coffee, you know being from Louisiana and all. If you think about it, what makes beans really dark? I'm thinking carbon. lighter roasted coffee is stronger and more flavorful. I do grind my own, use the local brand in a lighter roast, it doesn't cost that much, and it's goo ood.
BTW I was in Honolulu last summer and tried a bunch of 100% Konas; again, the lighter the roast (to a point of course), the better.

Lannis, Dunkin Donuts is using higher quality beans than it used in the old days, that's why it's better than a lot of folks remember.

DB

[lc4dakar]

The darker the roast, the more you taste the roast.
The lighter the roast, the more you taste the actual beans.

[Blueboarhound]

  I suppose that some enterprising vegetarian will begin by eating coffee beans , swallowing them whole and then picking through his
  poop for the processed beans.  When he offers you a cup of coffee saying now this is some good shit, don't drink it.

Thanks Jim, I'll be thinking of you the next time I buy a bag of chocolate covered espresso beans.  ;D

[rboe]

I like a nice light, almost watery coffee. Dunkin' Donuts breakfast blend suits me just fine. Dark Roasts are just too much.

An old girl friends dad also liked his coffee on the "weak" side so one day the gals brewed up some coffee for him. The cup he used was all black on the inside so he had no clue that all they gave him was boiled water. When prompted on how good the coffee was he was quite pleased with it. I'm sure they still tell that story.  ;D

I think I'd rather change oil that roast and grind my own coffee. But we did pick up some nice coffee from the growers on Kauai and the Big Island. We used to get Gevalia Coffee delivered but now settle for Folgers. I'm much more picky about chocolates; but not by much.  ::)

[guzzisteve]

It has to be Columbian, $ to the Cartels, gold will do!!! OH, Coffee day was 2 days ago.

[Guido Valvole]

I start my day with a ristretto shot of whichever medium-roast espresso I have at the time. Since an excellent new coffee place opened in town recently I don't even have to go far for good beans. And espresso is a method of making coffee, *not* the oily 1970s stuff. A proper ristretto is nice and thick, kinda the consistency of what leaks out of a Guzzi transmission or rear drive. The classic La Pavoni lever machine is hard to beat for a good ristretto, but build quality is iffy. Gaskets in particular seem to be sourced from Dell Orto…

Otoh, I refuse to drink instant coffee. It does have it's uses, though:

http://www.caffenol-cookbook.com/

 **C ~;

cr

[donn]

While good coffee is more expensive than the "cans" (Folgers etc.), the weak coffee thing has been a big help in keeping them in business.  It's essentially designed to be served weak, where good coffee is not suited to weak prep, it tastes thin and flat.  So you give someone some of your favorite really good stuff, and they keep it around for months (mistake 1) and occasionally take a little out and brew it too thin (mistake 2), and wonder why you think it's so great.  You serve them coffee made to spec (2 tbsp / 6 oz cup) and they are put off by how strong it is.  I've heard this started in the US Navy in WWII.

Even the good stuff brewed full strength is cheaper than booze, though, you can get a lot of cups out of a pound of coffee.  I drink cheap liquor and good coffee.

Or espresso - really that's the only way for me.  We used to have a classic La Pavoni lever, now have a larger machine.  At home, I'm told Italians typically don't own those things, they just go out for espresso, and at home they use a "moka pot", like Bialetti.  I like that, too, though in regular use the gaskets can be some trouble.

[lc4dakar]

You just have to order a lot of gaskets when you find the right size.

[lucydad]

Crusty,

As a WFM stockholder I thank you for your business.  The grass fed beef is indeed superb.

Coffee, yeah that is a subject. 

One place stands heads and shoulders above in my experience:  Kona, Hawaii.  I spent a week in Kona/Hilo years ago and found a little place with local grown, roasted, ground, strong Kona for breakfast.  Wow, what an experience in complexity, balance and nervosa.  Bought some at a road side stand from a guy before I flew back to Anchorage.  Under the table he offered some Kona bud--and I declined and he was frustrated with me as I had a long beard and looked the customer role.  Little did he know that Barney the drug sniffing beagle at Anchorage International checked out all inbound Hawaii flights.  So, no go, and I have never indulged anyway.

That is my coffee story.

[Guzzidad]

        I like Eight-o-clock whole bean coffee and I grind it when I use it. Big difference to the pre-ground. That's my morning coffee. Afternoon or evening coffee is different though. My wife is Cuban. Cuban coffee is more like a dessert after a meal. Very strong and flavorful, sweetened or unsweetened. 2 OZ. is plenty. Any more and you wont sleep tonight. Flavor wise it's the best I've ever had.

[oldmxdog61u]

I love coffee. Its all good. I especially like grinding a fresh cup, then brewing either a french press, or aeropress cup. If I'm at work I can fire up the espresso machine and slide a creamy shot down.
A cup also tastes wonderful when your hands are shaking from endorphins.

[Blueboarhound]

Cuban coffee is more like a dessert after a meal. Very strong and flavorful, sweetened or unsweetened. 2 OZ. is plenty. Any more and you wont sleep tonight. Flavor wise it's the best I've ever had.

I love Cuban coffee. When I'm in Miami or the Keys I live on it.

[Guido Valvole]

Café Cubano: a good strong shot of espresso and a whole lot of sugar. Your basic energy drink minus the bs…
cr