OK I Admit It - I'm a Coffee Snob. Who Else??

[seenred]

Ok...so I know we're on a meat-smoking forum, and this strays pretty far outside that...so please bear with me here.

I'm wondering how many of y'all are as passionate about your morning cup as I've become in recent years.

I've been a coffee drinker most of my life. Since I was a teenager, I can't start my day without some strong, hot black coffee. But somewhere around 15 years ago, something happened that really opened my eyes about this subject. Up until this event, I had been blissfully, ignorantly happy with my Folgers, brewed in my cheapo Mr. Coffee machine. Didn't know any better - it's what I grew up drinking.

Now, it's not like I didn't know there was this whole Starbucks phenomenon happening. It seemed you couldn't turn a corner in America without running into another Starbucks! But like I said, I'm a strong, black coffee drinker...and I tried Starbucks black coffee a couple times - tasted like crude oil cut with turpentine to me...so the whole Starbucks craze was just lost on me.

Now I don't want any of my friends thinking I'm poo-pooing the latest frothy, foamy, foofie blend that your local Dutch Brothers or 7 Brew is offering...my wife loves that stuff! And I've tried 'em a time or two - they're not too bad. But I just love a nice, hot, strong black cup over all those concoctions that taste more like a milkshake to me than a cup of coffee.

So anyway, I digress. It was sometime in the mid to late aughts (I'd guess it was 2008 or there-abouts), an employee gave me a small coffee bean grinder as a Christmas gift, along with a small bag of medium roast "gourmet" coffee beans. After trying the coffee I made from these beans, I went to the cupboard, took the Folgers can out, and threw it in the trash. So much more flavor and richness than what I'd always considered to be good coffee! From then on, I've sought out and tried dozens of different coffee beans, of different roasts and blends. My current favorite coffee bean is Southern Weather. It's from Onyx Coffee Labs - based not far from me in NW Arkansas. It's a very rich, smooth, medium roast breakfast blend that Mrs. Red and I both like a lot.

Then I learned that it's not just the bean (and the grind - but that's another story) which makes a great cup of coffee. Maybe more important is your brewing method. I now know more about french presses, pour-over systems, drip times and temperatures, etc. than I care to admit. The Mr. Coffee ended up in the same bin as the Folgers a long time ago. I'm embarrassed to say what my current coffee maker cost me - but it sure makes the best cup of coffee I've ever brewed at home.

So how many of y'all are coffee "aficionados"? (sounds better than "snobs", right? )

For those who grind their own, what are your favorite beans? I'm always looking for new roasts and blends to sample. I tend to favor a mellow, smooth medium roast bean, which is just what Southern Weather delivers.

Cheers and Good Night! Let's get together again in the morning - after I've had my first cup!

Red

 

[SmokinEdge]

I’ve been a coffee snob for a long while. I buy local roasted coffee and grind it. Most always in a blend. Lately it’s a French roast mixed with Dark Canyon (black magic) I drink my coffee black, no sugar or creamer. I still use a filtered drip system but grind size does matter. Yeah I’m like that. Like my cup of Joe.

 

[Chris_in_SoCal]

I guess I am on the opposite position on this one. In my late teens I was working with my girlfriends family in the auto repair world where everyone but me could not start their day without coffee

I did my best at the time to get along and do as they do but I found it foul tasting and wanted no part in that drink.

I needed something to wake me up and started drinking ice tea. Maybe now I am an ice tea snob because I make it a gallon at at time which lasts about a week.

I use an electric kettle to boil reverse osmosis water then pour it into a Japanese tea pot with two screens to sive Teatly loose leave tea. Once it cools a bit I mix it with raw sugar then top it off with more ro water.

I don't go a day without it.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

For morning I just use my Bunn drip and use a grinder for the coffee. Make decent coffee. I like San Francisco Bay fog chaser. I have never been to star bucks but always thought Micky D's had decent coffee. During the day i use the Nespresso. I had the Costa Rico yesterday and liked it.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I've been a coffee drinker most of my life. Since I was a teenager, I can't start my day without some strong, hot black coffee.

I had been blissfully, ignorantly happy with my Folgers, brewed in my cheapo Mr. Coffee machine.

I still drink Folgers every morning...black...

I tried Starbucks black coffee a couple times - tasted like crude oil cut with turpentine to me...so the whole Starbucks craze was just lost on me.

Yeah I don't get it, either. Definitely not a customer...

For morning I just use my Bunn drip

Me too, I love my Bunn...

 

[chp]

I have also taken a long coffee journey, but while my tastes have changed, I have had at least a cup every day since my teens. My early years it didn’t matter much what it was, I drank it for the caffeine. My wife and I ended up going to college in Seattle, so we adjusted to the Starbucks type brews. I have brought my own coffee to work in a thermos for a lot of years. About 3 years ago, I took a similar dive into coffee. I ended up with a pour over setup, an adjustable conical burr mill grinder, and I am always trying different beans. We have a local place where we normally buy our beans, but we usually bring back a bag if we take a trip somewhere. I definitely prefer much lighter roasts than the Starbucks stuff these days and I enjoy doing the pour over process. Yep…I have also become a coffee snob.

 

[MJB05615]

I used to grind beans in the 80's. Then stopped for some odd reason. Over the years, cannot get my day started without coffee since I was a young Man of 14, lol. Used Maxwell House original for years, then Chock Full O' Nuts for a few years in the late 80's. Found some last year, I didn't know they were still around. Now Folgers and Chock alternately. I have a Kitchen Aid maker that also has a single serve K Cup type of thing as well, which I use at night. I have no trouble sleeping even after coffee at night. I only use Chock K Cups though. Outside of the house if I get Coffee, I prefer Dunkin' Doughnut coffee, it's always smooth. Funny thing, the Mrs. makes the best coffee, and she doesn't even drink it, she drinks Green Tea. I like Iced Coffee too in the Summer. Coffee, is there anything it can't do? LOL.

 

[Alsta]

Tried Starbucks - Way too bitter for my taste. I don't think that I am a snob, or an aficionado, but I do know what I like.
back in 2011, I discovered this then small company from upstate NY called Death Wish Coffee Company - They claimed to be the worlds strongest coffee. Well, being former USMC, and have had my share of strong coffee, I had to give this a try.
For me - it did not disappoint. It allowed me to smell the color 9 without problems. The first time I drank it before heading to work, I was making record time getting there and then I realized I had forgotten my car at home......
Smooth, yet strong - provides a kick in the butt no matter how I make it ( Drip / Kuereg / French Press )

 

[Marknmd]

I could write a book on this - going back to when my Dad retired and moved from Maryland to Seattle in the late 70s. That was my introduction to Starbucks beans.

Visiting my daughter in San Francisco maybe seven-eight years ago, I had the best cup of my life at Philz - the original store on Mission St. That cup changed my life



I became determined to figure out how to make something like this at home. I've become very close but it took lots of patience and practice.

Today I grind my own every morning fresh and do direct pour at home, either with a Chemex or a Hario. My coffee brand is Mayorga.

 

[hoity toit]

I like the Costa Rica or the Honduras Especial. Both are my morning cup of Joe.

HT

 

[gmc2003]

I took a sip of coffee once in the early-mid 70s, and couldn't stand the stuff. Haven't touched it since and I'm turning 63 this year.

Chris

 

[xray]

I grind my own beans in a conical burr grinder. I was on a coffee subscription from Counter Culture for awhile, good coffee but it was too much of a hassle to change bags and then the past few times they never shipped my order…so it was a perfect time to cancel and try new roasters.

My tastes change thoughout the year. I’m currently going through some Stumptown Roasters Holler Mountain, I’ve been digging the Ethopian beans lately.

I mostly use an Aeropress for my coffee. I do have a nespresso but I don’t use it often, mainly because of the price of pods…but I’ll have an espresso every now and then after dinner.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I grind my own beans in a conical burr grinder. I was on a coffee subscription from Counter Culture for awhile, good coffee but it was too much of a hassle to change bags and then the past few times they never shipped my order…so it was a perfect time to cancel and try new roasters.

My tastes change thoughout the year. I’m currently going through some Stumptown Roasters Holler Mountain, I’ve been digging the Ethopian beans lately.

I mostly use an Aeropress for my coffee. I do have a nespresso but I don’t use it often, mainly because of the price of pods…but I’ll have an espresso every now and then after dinner.

I have put the areopress a side when got the nespresso recently. My plan is to reuse the pods but might turn into a pain. What is your procedure for the areopress?

 

[xray]

I have put the areopress a side when got the nespresso recently. My plan is to reuse the pods but might turn into a pain. What is your procedure for the areopress?

I do 20g of coffee. I wet the paper filter add the 20g (if I don’t feel like measuring, it’s about 3 spoonfuls).

I have a hot/cold water cooler. I fill a glass measuring cup with hot water and microwave it for about 45 seconds, that puts my water temp at about 200F.

I fill the Aeropress to the number 2 on the side, stir to mix everything, place the plunger on and slightly pull up to create a vacuum so no coffee drips through.

I let it sit for about 1 minute and 45 seconds before I start pressing. I like Americano style so I add the remaining hot water to the concentrated coffee in the mug. My coffee mugs are about 8oz.

If you’re looking for a stronger cup, you can try the inverted method where you place the Aeropress upside down, add coffee and fill the press up to the top and screw on the filter and cap. I’ll do this every now and then, and it’s stronger because there’s no dilution.

 

[JLeonard]

A friend I worked with years ago got me hooked on Death Wish coffee. Its got a TON of caffeine but a mellow taste. I also like Black Rifle coffee. There are a couple of roasters local to me that I like also.

Jim

 

[halleoneagain]

San Francisco Bay French Roast, the beans coming from Costco. I grind them in a 15-year-old Braun grinder, and brew in an 18–20-year-old Cuisinart coffee maker. Heaven forbid the grinder or coffee maker ever die on me!

 

[seenred]

I guess I am on the opposite position on this one. In my late teens I was working with my girlfriends family in the auto repair world where everyone but me could not start their day without coffee

I did my best at the time to get along and do as they do but I found it foul tasting and wanted no part in that drink.

I needed something to wake me up and started drinking ice tea. Maybe now I am an ice tea snob because I make it a gallon at at time which lasts about a week.

I use an electric kettle to boil reverse osmosis water then pour it into a Japanese tea pot with two screens to sive Teatly loose leave tea. Once it cools a bit I mix it with raw sugar then top it off with more ro water.

I don't go a day without it.

View attachment 663773

Hey, I'm a southern boy - I love my sweet tea too! We steep our own by the gallon too! I've drunk sweet tea with lunch and dinner every day for most of my life (it's starting to sound like I must be a caffeine addict lol).

Red

 

[fltsfshr]

I like good coffee. I sold my coffee business 40 years ago and moved to Florida. I know a bit about coffee.

 

[seenred]

For morning I just use my Bunn drip and use a grinder for the coffee. Make decent coffee. I like San Francisco Bay fog chaser. I have never been to star bucks but always thought Micky D's had decent coffee. During the day i use the Nespresso. I had the Costa Rico yesterday and liked it.

Me too, I love my Bunn...

I used a Bunn for a few years. Brews a decent pot...and faster than most machines we've owned. We finally had to throw it out when the reservoir started leaking.

 

[seenred]

I ended up with a pour over setup, an adjustable conical burr mill grinder, and I am always trying different beans. We have a local place where we normally buy our beans, but we usually bring back a bag if we take a trip somewhere.

I'm intrigued by pour-over setups, but I guess I haven't yet given up liking the convenience of a good drip machine - and an adjustable conical burr grinder is the only way to go!

And we always bring back some beans from any place we travel too! It's gotten to the point where our family members know we like to try different beans, so many of them will bring us beans back from their trips as well.

Red