• LAVA Moderator: Mysterier

Serious Coffee Discussion

i’ve started getting straight expresso from the bakery next door. it’s so fucking good. has a tang and bite to it. i remember going into a cuban bakery and cafe on the first floor of an apartment building and being envious of those who lived above. a month or two later this venezuelaian bakery opened next door to me.

my mother introduced me to coffee, telling me when i was a little kid that i was allowed to drink coffee if i wanted but it meant i’d grow up to be a few inches shorter. drank a cappuccino and said worth it.

being raised on cappuccino, that’s been my drink whenever going to a cafe. french press in college because that was not time for fancy. when i got a little older i started ordering them with less steamed milk. then i studied in spain and discovered the joy of drinking top notch expresso straight. they give you a shot of expresso and a shot of water to chase at a bar without seats.

when i came home i started making the same using my mother’s expresso machine. once in a while adding a touch of half and half to make it last longer, but that’s not the way.

here in chicago, i discovered cortado. which is a cappuccino made the way i prefer, with only a touch of steamed milk. yesterday, in a rush, i ordered plain expresso instead. reminding me that if it’s good beans and well pulled, that’s the best way.
 
I was raised on the coffee you mentioned, it's my daily motivator (I still put in at least 8 hours a day productive activity... even at my age). I go through at least 2lbs a month. It's so good tasting I can't help myself. Rich and flavorful, both as a bean and as a beverage.

I also purchased some "Matte Verde" (un-smoked leaves of matte yerba tree) which I am enjoying immensely. It is much more clear tasting than traditional matte yerba, not that there is anything wrong with the traditional preparation. I've been drinking the traditional Matte Yerba since the late 60''s courtesy of an introduction by my ex-wife. I like mine straight (no cream or sweeteners)
 
i went through a period of drinking yerba mate made in my french press. i like it, but need to add sugar to get it good. trying to cut back on sugar and i prefer coffee without.

what hipped my to yerba was a cafe in savannah that made a cappuccino with half yerba and half expresso. my friend ordered it and told me i’d be a fool to order anything in lieu at this establishment. was amazing. i’m not sure if it was their source, the way they brewed it, or a combo, but i’ve never been able to replicate.

pretty sure i primarily bought unsmoked as well, to avoid carcinogens.
 
I find yerba mate to feel weak in a certain way. Like I'm not quite sure if I'm caffeinated or imagining it. A lot of people tell me they find it better/stronger than coffee, but for me it's not even close. And as you mentioned at the end of your post, something most people don't know is that a lot of it is smoked/toasted, which produces carcinogens.
 
I'm not sure about it's potency either Xork, it certainly seems smoother, for sure. Less jittery, but I am still as motivated as far as getting things done. I wasn't concerned about strength as much as a taste alternative :) Variety makes the world go 'round, right?
 
I’ve had coffee with yerba mate in it, and it was great. I should get some more. It makes you zippy. 😜
 
went to get a piece of red velvet cake from the cafe next door. before i left, i put water on the stove so i could have a cup of coffee with the cake. was gonna go with the trader joes french roast in my cupboard, which is more for cold brew. then the barista gave me some beans from his personal stash. even got out a scale and weighed exactly 40 grams. he found them in phoenix and was excited. told me a bunch about them. i don't remember any of it. they're good. sweet with a strong taste of fruit. a lighter roast. i will be able to report back tomorrow that i'm impressed.
 
I have never really been into any light roasts I've tasted, I like dark roasts personally. But I'd be open to trying whatever.
 
To me, coffee is coffee the cheap £1 shit (which personally I dont notice any difference to the expensive brand its the same active ingrediant) or the more expensive stuff its all the same I do love me some coffee though but I also love tea so dont make me choose coffee in morning no afternoon snoring tea at night and belly delight
 
The cheap shit stimulated you just like the nice shit, but it tastes like garbage whereas good coffee tastes... really good.

I mean I just use caffeine pills, it's like 10 times cheaper than the cheap coffee. But if I drink coffee I want it to be a pleasant experience so I try to drink the good shit.
 
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made my first pour-over coffee today. already had the scale for selling cameras on ebay and the gooseneck kettle as a present from many years ago that i then did not know the purpose of.
 
motherfuckers on reddit saying my grind is inconsistent so i ordered this thing ...

17261

replacing a hario skerton, which has ground thousands of cups of coffee over the last dozen or so years.
 
I used to have a burr grinder like that, it was a different brand though, I can't remember anymore.
 
I use a similar set up for my morning coffee but my dripper is a generic 4 cup porcelain. I have used those V60's in a retail environment though, they are great for the 90 second pour over. I like to keep it as simple as possible. Or else the kitchen strats to fill up with grinders and lever machines.

I dont have a favorite coffee, but I love a honey process Central American, a good Kenya SL-28, and I love PNG for island coffee.
 
i guess the shot of expresso i've been getting from the cafe next door doesn't have much caffeine in it. it's all i've been drinking as of late. today, i additionally drank a keurig cup kinda coffee at the office where i volunteer. i feel surprisingly sick.
 
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Peets is really good, my ex's mom will only drink it (she lived around where it started when it was just one location).
 
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