The Good, The Bad and the Ugly … Coffee

[Crusty]

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly … Coffee


I grew up in a family that drank coffee constantly from the first thing in the morning to a quick cup before going to bed at night. Not only did my folks drink coffee all day long, they drank some of the strongest and most bitter coffee I’ve ever encountered. Their method of making coffee was something that I still remember vividly. My folks had a 12 cup Pyrex percolator. They would put 13 heaping 1/2 size scoops of Luzianne coffee (1/2 coffee, 1/2 chicory) in the basket, then turn the gas on high until the pot boiled over. They would then turn the gas down and let the pot percolate for a while until the coffee had the consistency and color of driveway sealer. Then, they considered it ready to drink. The pot stayed on the stove until it was empty. If a bit of time passed since it was hot, the gas was turned back on,until the coffee was boiling again. Once a pot was empty, it would get washed out and the whole process would begin again.

My friend Bill used to love to visit with my folks and have a cup of coffee. He had a line that he reserved for just such occasions; “Let’s go over to your folks’ place and sit around and chew the coffee and drink the fat!”

I wasn’t much of a coffee drinker when I grew up, for some strange reason. When I moved out and began living on my own, I would have one cup of instant in the morning, then drink Pepsi for the rest of the day. As time passed, I got so I would appreciate a decent cup of coffee, but I wasn’t much of a fanatic until I went to Kenya. I fell in love with the local coffee while I was in Nairobi. I would order a White Coffee at a restaurant, and what I’d get was a delightful mixture of steamed milk and coffee. It was a truly wonderful beverage, and when I returned to the States, I really missed it.

In 1984, I was sharing an 8 room apartment in with three other guys, and one of them, Dave Mills was working at Bread and Circus. He informed me that they carried Kenyan coffee beans, so I would buy a pound of beans and grind them at the store. I was able to enjoy the flavor of Kenya grown coffee again. However, when I bought a pound of beans and ground them the flavor would fade by the time I was getting down to the bottom of the bag. Then my brother Tony gave me a coffee grinder for Christmas. I could then enjoy the flavor of fresh ground coffee every day. Kenya coffee remained a staple until I set out on this crazy, but fun, trip of being homeless.

Now, I haven’t had Kenya in a few months, but I’m still a coffee addict. I’ve come to appreciate McDonald’s coffee on an almost daily basis. Blubber King’s coffee is OK, but not as good as the Golden Starches (plus, their free Wi-Fi demands that you interact with their sponsors), which is why I go to Mickey’s in the morning.  Some convenience stores have pretty decent coffee, as well. Duncan Donuts still makes pretty good coffee (even though I think their donuts have gone to hell), as do many other donut shops.

I’m not a big fan of K cups, as they seem so wasteful. The coffee tastes good, but to throw all those pods into a landfill bothers me. Plus, they’re expensive. Still, they do make good tasting coffee.

I’ve never been a big fan of flavored coffee, though my brother David loves it. He mixes a blend of vanilla and hazelnut coffees and drinks that every morning. I drink it, but it isn’t my favorite brew.

However, being on the road as I am, and loving a cup first thing in the morning, I’ve got a setup that works for me while camping. I have an iso-butane stove that folds up to the size of 1/2 a pack of cigarettes, a stainless pot that holds two cups and the stove inside, and I can boil water in just a couple of minutes . I have little tubes of Folgers instant or Taster’s Choice instant, and I get to relax and wake up smoothly and slowly with a cup of mediocre, but acceptable, coffee.

I think I’ll go out to the U-Hose-It Car Wash and clean my filthy motorcycle, then I’ll stop by Drunkin Donuts on the way back.

[sib]

I drink my share of coffee, but I can't stand even the smell of artifically-flavored "hazelnut" coffee.  I stay out of shops that brew the stuff and stink up the premises.  Fortunately, Starbuck's manages to serve flavored coffee without the whole place being permeated with the stuff.

[donn]

I haven't tried it, but the lady of the house likes Starbucks "Via" packets.  I'll drink pretty much anything, or there's always caffeine pills.

Interesting that Kenyan coffee is such a big hit.  I've noticed it can fetch relatively high prices, so you sure aren't the only one, but I haven't been so lucky with it.  The only specific trait that I have noticed every time is that when it's real fresh, the ground beans smell like tomato soup.  We have some Rwanda right now that's very interesting, though.

[Lannis]

I drink my share of coffee, but I can't stand even the smell of artifically-flavored "hazelnut" coffee.  I stay out of shops that brew the stuff and stink up the premises.  Fortunately, Starbuck's manages to serve flavored coffee without the whole place being permeated with the stuff.

I never drank coffee until I was in my 40's; then I moved to an office right next to the office coffee-maker, and the scent beguiled me into drinking it, and I've been on it ever since.   It's a great pleasure of mine and Fay's to fix a pot of coffee each morning and sit either on the patio (in the nice weather) or by the stove (in the winter) and sip away until it's gone.

We have experimented with many different kinds of coffee and with many different ways of brewing it.   We have friends that are great and expert coffee fans, and have made wonderful coffee on camping trips with simple filters and cups.   I also worked for years with former Navy chiefs and sailors who, by plan, never washed their cups and pots, and made the thickest, blackest, bitterest coffee I've ever been near (I couldn't drink it).    (Someone here once told the story of being the "new boy" on the chiefs' mess's Silex and, tired of listening to complaints about his weak coffee, filtered the same coffee through the grounds 5 times and was finally told "Damn, boy, now THAT'S coffee!!"   Loved that story!)

We joined a local coffee club and sampled at least 30 different varieties of coffee from Kenya, Papua, Hawaii, Guatemala, Costa Rica and everywhere else in the world, ranging from $13.95 to $22.95 a pound, a month at a time, both whole bean and ground, and with several different coffee makers from drip to percolator to French press.

One day Fay served me a cup of coffee when I got back from a trip - I took a sip and said the equivalent of "Damn, boy, now THAT'S coffee" but not exactly like that.

Unfortunately for any future reputation I might ever have as a coffee aficionado, this was Dunkin Doughnuts whole bean coffee from Food Lion at $8.00 a pound, brewed in a Kitchenaide drip coffee maker, and it's what we've been drinking ever since.

Lannis

[nunzio]

Cuban coffee

Café Bustelo...put some in boiling water..let it come back to a boil...take it off the burner....let it sit for 5'ish minutes..filter...d rink.

You can get it for around $3.00 for 10 oz. on Amazon or at Walmart

My wife went to Igor City in Tampa and brought back some Cuban coffee and that's all I've been drinking since.

It's got a different flavor.

[Guido Valvole]

There actually *is* a legitimate use for instant coffee -- google "caffenol". Yes, you can develop black & white film with it!

I start my morning with a shot of espresso from my La Pavoni lever machine. Quintessentially Italian, indifferent quality control, cheezy aluminum alloys, gaskets of dubious quality. Easy to rehabilitate and not much different from fixing gaskets and seals in Dell Orto carburetors. Fix it yourself and get it right. Capable of making thick and tasty ristretto the consistency of Guzzi rear-drive oil.

For travel, try an Aeropress with the aftermarket stainless steel filter. Or the venerable Moka Express pot. Neither really can do real espresso but do make good coffee.

Coffee with chicory is good. But boiled down to syrup sounds kinda dubious�
cr

[Sasquatch Jim]

  I used to just chew a mouthful of coffee beans.  But that was when I still had teeth.

[nunzio]

  I used to just chew a mouthful of coffee beans.  But that was when I still had teeth.

Any Connection? 

[Chuck in Indiana]

I (or the Kid) always take a coffee press to the rally. Nothing like crawling out of the tent and knowing you'll have pretty good coffee in a few minutes.. 

[Rough Edge racing]

 Like Lannis I'm a later life coffee drinker. 3 small cups in the morning and never after that. We buy organic Sumatran beans and ground fresh every morning.  Moderate caffeine content.... Yes we are coffee anal...

[Daniel Kalal]

Some may remember Berto, who served the best cafe in Mandello del Lario out of the small building in the park.

[Dilliw]

Coffee is such a tough subject in our house because Kim adds "stuff" and I don't.  We've tried more than a few coffees looking for ones that are smooth enough to not interfere with her raw sugar/non-diary creamer combo and yet have enough flavor that I can tolerate black. 

Currently we are buying Boquete Mountain .  It's a Direct Trade roaster out of Charlotte that also makes a few blends available in bulk at Sams for about $7/lb.  I had their breakfast blend this morning and it's got enough punch for me.  From the dates it's usually about 2-4 months old.

We both agree that the Archer Farms brand at Target has some good coffee at reasonable prices.  It's made by Coffee Bean International and the roasting date is approximately 1 year prior to the "use by" date on the package so you figure out how fresh it is.  Their Kona Blend is nothing like Kona but it's a good morning coffee and will give you some flavor if you press it.

Speaking of Kona about once or twice a year I order my Kona beans.  Even Kim will drink those black!  They are roasted and shipped the day I order and arrive about 3-4 days later at my door with a note that says Aloha George!  I use a hand grinder and press for those bad boys. 

[Bonafide Bob]

I start every day with two cups of Community Dark roast with a little half and half in it. Micky D coffee will do when traveling.
 Bob

[cloudbase]

Any Connection? 

Don't let him fool you.  He was a chief boatswain's mate in the Coast Guard (not like the USN BMs who wear a size 42 jumper and a size 2 whitehat), so he's consumed so much coffee that they had to surgically remove the mug from his hand prior to retirement.

[Sasquatch Jim]

  At least I don't waste money on catshit coffee, it's way over priced.

[swmckinley54]

I drink my coffee black and have done so for the last two years. One day just decided to cut out all the liquid Coffee Mate creamers and reduce the caloric intake of flavored coffee. But occasionally I find nothing better on a hot Texas afternoon than a good ole cup of Vietnamise coffee. The one where they bring Cafe Dumond out dripping into a coffee cup that has condensed milk in the bottom. When it finishes dripping you pour over ice and sit back and enjoy. Just like drinking a liquid Hersey bar.

[malik]

I buy green beans (various single origins) and roast at home. A quarter of the price (guzzi content) for better quality. Ground fresh & brewed in a moka pot. Drunk black.

On the road, I'll take either a moka pot, or a nalgene french press - it also works for tea & chai, or sometimes just an ibrik (for turkish coffee). A decent coffee first thing in the morning is the way to go.

Mal

[rodekyll]

When I was a kid I worked on fishing boats.  Every boat in the ocean has an oil-fired cast iron stove with a rail around the top to keep stuff from falling off in rough seas and a stained percolator full of overboiled, tarry 'coffee'.  My dad didn't drink the stuff, so on his boat it was reserved for other crew or passengers -- I wasn't allowed any.  Sometimes he left it on the stove overnight and just topped off the percolator with water for the next day.  After finally sampling his brew, I realized two things:  The ban on drinking his was the only kindness he ever did me, and boiling coffee is just wrong.

I learned how to carry two full mugs around on the pitching deck without spilling any, keeping one hand for business and the other on a rail.  I got good at it.  Then I figured out that a thick ceramic coffee cup made an excellent hand warmer.  From there it was a matter of a short time until I was drinking the stuff.  I learned that on a boat, coffee that Jesus' brother couldn't walk across wasn't done, that you don't add anything to it -- no sugar, no milk, and no additional water -- and that it's ok to hold onto it until cold (just to warm hands) and then toss it downwind.

Those early years of scorched, overboiled, oily, wretched percolated coffee made me the coffee snob I am today.

I buy the cheap French roast that the local grocery store buys from Costco and marks up.  I think the brand is 'san Francisco French roast' and may be from a starbucks roaster (but I can't verify that).  It comes in a 3# bag for $19 - $24, depending on how the store feels about markup on the day I need some.  I got it at $24 a few weeks ago, and then I saw it again at $19 over the weekend and stocked up.

I grind as much as I need for a day or so in my kitchenaid grain mill attachment to the kitchenaid power head.  I use a very fine grind -- the finest that doesn't plug the metal screen in the coffeemaker.  I used to open the bag of beans, insert the top of the (upside-down) grain mill, and gravity feed it.  I drink less now than I used to so I just store the beans in a canister and pour what I need into the grain mill.

My kitchenaid "artisan" coffee/latte machine is getting old and doesn't like to froth anymore*.  But it still makes the espresso.  So I microwave the milk and espress the coffee.  Although not as good as real steamed milk, the resulting latte gets me going in the morning.  I'm having one now.


*saaaaay . . . . did I just give someone a gift idea?      

[oldbike54]

 A new microwave ?

  Dusty

[SeanF]

Currently I use a Melitta cone filter holder and do the pour-over method using a paper filter.

The only way I can enjoy instant coffee:
Add 1 tbsp of Nescafe Bold to a glass with 1/4 cup milk, stir.
Add sugar and/or vanilla, depending on mood.
Add 5 or 6 ice cubes.
Top off with water & stir.
Iced coffee treat!

A version of this also works at gas stations & convenience stores while traveling. Grab a large coffee cup, nearly fill with ice. Add 2-3 liquid creamers and/or sugar to taste. Add coffee from carafe, the stronger the better.

In Republic of Georgia, while in Tblisi, I ended up staying near a Turkish doner kebab joint that served the best Turkish coffee. Soooo tasty. I've never been able to replicate that taste, either at home or at coffee shops that profess to make it.

[kirkemon]

I'm in love the Peets coffee Not sure if it's known outside of California - available online.
No affiliation, just a very satisfied customer:
http://www.peets.com/

[canuguzzi]

I have a hard time passing a cafe, got to have a cup. At home I switch between a french press, drip and one if those aluminum pressure things they sell at Cost Plus. Great coffee can make a so-so day a good day.

[clubman]

I grew up an arms length from New Orleans where 100's of different coffees from all over the world enter the port every day, a lot of it roasted locally, tons shipped raw, around the country. Some pretty exotic beans end up on local grocery shelves. Spent most of my youth on a fish dock. Drank everything from Maxwell House (locals called it Yankee coffee) to "Golden Key" (serious Tug Boat, 3rd watch, I can't fall asleep or else, don't leave your spoon in it too long) darkest of roast's. Nowadays I mostly drink Community coffee and chicory (medium roast, mellow, low acidity). I once delivered a trailer load of beans to a Starbucks warehouse. Went in the office and there were 2 pots of fresh ground coffee-help yourself. Damn good, but I ain't giving 'em $4/cup at a retail store.

 

[Chuck in Indiana]

I'm in love the Peets coffee Not sure if it's known outside of California - available online.
No affiliation, just a very satisfied customer:
http://www.peets.com/

There's a Peets shop in the strip mall right in front of Dorcia's kid's place in Redondo Beach. When we go out, I get a Peet's card, and stop in every morning for my fix. 
When I was up in Lake Como (Wisconsin) at the Kid's place, he said, "Try this.." It was a Peet's in a Keurig cup. 
The nut really doesn't fall far from the tree..

[Spuddy]

I just love coffee threads.  (And fresh ground French press.)

Spud

[rodekyll]

On a trip I can wear the same socks until they walk off on their own, sleep on picnic tables, drip dry after a deluge, and go the day without eating -- no problem.  But I really like my coffee.  At some point of the day I'll find a kiosk or café that does better than standard drip and fill my travel mug.  It's an indulgence I don't plan to drop.  Yes, there's a cupholder on my bike.

[Wayne Orwig]

Must be winter....

[Chuck in Indiana]

Must be winter....

Hey! A day without coffee is worse than a day without beer sunshine. 

[Gliderjohn]

We are blessed with two independent coffee places within 40 miles. They do not serve coffee, only sell it. They both do their own roasting and blending. We are very spoiled.
GliderJohn

[Sasquatch Jim]

 The only thing that should be added to good coffee is Jamesons 12 year old.