Starbucks is dialing me in...should I worry?

[kexodusc]

For more paletable strong coffee, try the cold brew method, sometimes called totty style (no, not with alcohol). Its where you put espresso grind into cold water a steep for 24 hours, then filter. Produces a good strong shot of espresso with less than half the acid that heat brewing does.

Interesting...conventional wisdom is too much time for extraction sucks the baddies out of the grinds as well and ruins the character. Of course that's with the presence of heat. There's not much varietal distinction in a typical espresso roast anyway. I'll have to try that when I get home - thanks 3LB!

Hmmm...do you heat it later when you're ready for it or drink it cold?

[3-LockBox]

Hmmm...do you heat it later when you're ready for it or drink it cold?

Either - its waaaay smooth

[Swish]

I am a huge fan of coffee, but I've never been able to stomach Starbucks. Not sure what it is. It makes my insides fight hard to be on the outside. Sounds like fun to be able to shop for music while sipping my morning brew though.
Anyone ever go to Barnes & Noble to sit and read in their coffee section?

They make a dark roast, let's call it burnt for lack of a better description, and it tastes bitter to me as well and never satisfying. That is not the way coffee should taste! I like mine stroing and with very little cream, but not burnt. I can't understand how they can charge 1.90 + tax on a 12 ounce cup of coffee, but they do. Most of my amigos here know that I own a coffee shop (I rarely work there, my wife and her best friend run the place), so I truly believe I've been a coffee snob. As an independent, we can buy our beans from any wholesaler, but our favorite is in NJ and he does a fantastic job. We do sample many others, and Coffee Pacifica is coming on strong, although their organic products are pretty expensive for the average person.

Swish

[kexodusc]

They make a dark roast, let's call it burnt for lack of a better description, and it tastes bitter to me as well and never satisfying.
Swish

Lol...Yeah, I get the feeling their beans are stored in a wharehouse for distribution and can be anywhere from 60-180 days old by the time they hit the stores. The charred black super-dark roast has always been their thing - they sorta revolutionized it and the espresso for North Americans....well the mainstream anyway. People think it's some exotic species or or blend, but it's just what happens when you cook all the flavor out of coffee. Though you can find a half decent mass market espresso there from time to time.

As an independent, we can buy our beans from any wholesaler, but our favorite is in NJ and he does a fantastic job. We do sample many others, and Coffee Pacifica is coming on strong, although their organic products are pretty expensive for the average person.

For less than what many would pay for sub par fast-food coffee per month, people can invest in a quality mill grinder and join a "coffee club" that will roast and ship the beans of your choice to you within a day or two of roasting. If you're lucky, you might have a few in your area. That's hard to top...unless you roast them yourself.. It's pretty easy to do, but almost has to be done outdoors.
Poor guys like me have to deal with snow 4-5 months a year...there's limits to how far I'll go for coffee.

[GMichael]

They make a dark roast, let's call it burnt for lack of a better description, and it tastes bitter to me as well and never satisfying. That is not the way coffee should taste! I like mine stroing and with very little cream, but not burnt. I can't understand how they can charge 1.90 + tax on a 12 ounce cup of coffee, but they do. Most of my amigos here know that I own a coffee shop (I rarely work there, my wife and her best friend run the place), so I truly believe I've been a coffee snob. As an independent, we can buy our beans from any wholesaler, but our favorite is in NJ and he does a fantastic job. We do sample many others, and Coffee Pacifica is coming on strong, although their organic products are pretty expensive for the average person.

Swish

I like to buy the Kona whole coffee beans and grind up just enough for my morning pot. I've tried many others but always end up back with the Kona.

[GMichael]

Lol...Yeah, I get the feeling their beans are stored in a wharehouse for distribution and can be anywhere from 60-180 days old by the time they hit the stores. The charred black super-dark roast has always been their thing - they sorta revolutionized it and the espresso for North Americans....well the mainstream anyway. People think it's some exotic species or or blend, but it's just what happens when you cook all the flavor out of coffee. Though you can find a half decent mass market espresso there from time to time.



For less than what many would pay for sub par fast-food coffee per month, people can invest in a quality mill grinder and join a "coffee club" that will roast and ship the beans of your choice to you within a day or two of roasting. If you're lucky, you might have a few in your area. That's hard to top...unless you roast them yourself.. It's pretty easy to do, but almost has to be done outdoors.
Poor guys like me have to deal with snow 4-5 months a year...there's limits to how far I'll go for coffee.

It's been getting harder and harder to find Kona whole beans for sale at stores. I may have to go online for them soon.

[kexodusc]

It's been getting harder and harder to find Kona whole beans for sale at stores. I may have to go online for them soon.

Kona - geez, you don't mess around. Once in awhile I spoil myself with Kona or Jamaica Blue Mountain, etc, but I have to order mine. I order a two week supply, sometimes monthly. I experiment a lot to keep things interesting, this month it's Kenyan...

You live in NY, though, how hard can it be to find a decent roaster?

[GMichael]

Kona - geez, you don't mess around. Once in awhile I spoil myself with Kona or Jamaica Blue Mountain, etc, but I have to order mine. I order a two week supply, sometimes monthly. I experiment a lot to keep things interesting, this month it's Kenyan...

You live in NY, though, how hard can it be to find a decent roaster?

We moved to PA. Did you miss all those threads? Don't you remember Yogi?
The closest place for us to get Kona beans is in NJ now. It's not that far, but you never know when they may stop selling them and we have no alternates near by. A few places we used to get them from stopped. We'd have to go back into NY to get them.

The Jamaica Blue is good. I've had a few others that I like but not as much.

[Slosh]

The Jamaica Blue is good. I've had a few others that I like but not as much.

Some friends of mine get their coffee beans from Jamaica via some unknown to me internet site. Not sure if Jamaica Blue is the same stuff they get but if so, I agree that it's very good.

NP:

[kexodusc]

Some friends of mine get their coffee beans from Jamaica via some unknown to me internet site. Not sure if Jamaica Blue is the same stuff they get but if so, I agree that it's very good.

NP:

Yeah, if it's legit Jamaica Blue Mountain (there are a lot of sites that sell Brazil/Columbian beans in Jamaica/Kona packages), it's one of very few estates in Jamaica (1 or 2) that make what is considered by many to be the finest coffee in the world. Even a lot of the other highland estates in Jamaica produce exceptional coffee - it's something to do with the altitude/moisture.

Not my personal favorite - but it's usually the most expensive. Worth it? Maybe to some people. I've bought it a few times- once a few years back at christmas to treat my visiting in-laws, who drink watered down coffee with cream and sugar
- and once just to see if it was the real deal. It's quite good, but isn't among my favorites, some of which are significantly cheaper.

[kexodusc]

We moved to PA. Did you miss all those threads? Don't you remember Yogi?
The closest place for us to get Kona beans is in NJ now. It's not that far, but you never know when they may stop selling them and we have no alternates near by. A few places we used to get them from stopped. We'd have to go back into NY to get them.

The Jamaica Blue is good. I've had a few others that I like but not as much.

Sorry GM...forgot about the big move temporarily.

I should have mentioned - Jamaican Blue I believe is the 2nd most expensive/best coffee in the world, according to some.
That Kopi Luwak stuff is supposedly the $hit...literally.

[GMichael]

Sorry GM...forgot about the big move temporarily.

I should have mentioned - Jamaican Blue I believe is the 2nd most expensive/best coffee in the world, according to some.
That Kopi Luwak stuff is supposedly the $hit...literally.

I do remember a few years back, I went into a "hi-end" coffee store. They were selling Kona at $40 a pound! Yikes! They also had another bean that they were selling at $40/lb and yet another at $60/lb. I don't remember which was the highest, but one of them was Jamaican bean. Maybe the other was the Kopi Luwak.???

[kexodusc]

I do remember a few years back, I went into a "hi-end" coffee store. They were selling Kona at $40 a pound! Yikes! They also had another bean that they were selling at $40/lb and yet another at $60/lb. I don't remember which was the highest, but one of them was Jamaican bean. Maybe the other was the Kopi Luwak.???

Keep going...

The last place I saw Kopi Luwak being sold by the lb, it was $400 per...the good stuff goes for more than that, some of the cheap stuff might be as low as $100? That's insane.
I guess the Japanese upper class just love the stuff.

[GMichael]

Keep going...

The last place I saw Kopi Luwak being sold by the lb, it was $400 per...the good stuff goes for more than that, some of the cheap stuff might be as low as $100? That's insane.
I guess the Japanese upper class just love the stuff.

They can keep it. I'll settle for my Kona.

I can't see spending as much on a pound & a half of coffee as I did on my sub.

[kexodusc]

They can keep it. I'll settle for my Kona.

I can't see spending as much on a pound & a half of coffee as I did on my sub.

Why anyone would spend hundreds of bucks on a pound of cat droppings is beyond me anyway...I don't think I'll ever get my head past that in order to try it.

[GMichael]

Why anyone would spend hundreds of bucks on a pound of cat droppings is beyond me anyway...I don't think I'll ever get my head past that in order to try it.

Cat droppings? Now THAT'S a strong cup of coffee.

[Swish]

I like to buy the Kona whole coffee beans and grind up just enough for my morning pot. I've tried many others but always end up back with the Kona.

Well, not really cheap, but about half of what you would pay retail. Really. That's one of the benefits of owning a shop. In fact, we got some free samples of it in the past.

As for Kona, I do like it, but prefer Columbian Supremo and Sumatra Mandheling, the former being my staple with rich, strong flavor, and the latter have the smoothest taste with very low acidity. Highly recommend for those with weak stomaches.

Our main roaster is awesome. If we order today, he roasts it today and we have it tomorrow, and it's free shipping for 150 lbs. or more, and we always order more than that. I always have plenty of fresh beans at home and grind them right before brewing.

Swish

[GMichael]

Well, not really cheap, but about half of what you would pay retail. Really. That's one of the benefits of owning a shop. In fact, we got some free samples of it in the past.

As for Kona, I do like it, but prefer Columbian Supremo and Sumatra Mandheling, the former being my staple with rich, strong flavor, and the latter have the smoothest taste with very low acidity. Highly recommend for those with weak stomaches.

Our main roaster is awesome. If we order today, he roasts it today and we have it tomorrow, and it's free shipping for 150 lbs. or more, and we always order more than that. I always have plenty of fresh beans at home and grind them right before brewing.

Swish

I do like the Columbian Supremo also. I don't remember if I've tried the Sumatra Mandheling.
So, where is this coffee shop of yours? East? West? North? South? PA is a big place. I'm as far east as you can go before crossing into NY or NJ. The place I buy my Kona is in a mall called The Tri-state Mall.


I do love a good cup of coffee.

[Swish]

So, where is this coffee shop of yours? East? West? North? South? PA is a big place. I'm as far east as you can go before crossing into NY or NJ. The place I buy my Kona is in a mall called The Tri-state Mall.I do love a good cup of coffee.

...but it's in the town where I live, and most of the long-term members here know my home address from all the comp trading we've done in the past. It's probably about a 90+ minute drive from the NJ border via the turnpike or Route 78, so it's not like you can just drop in for a cup. We've owned it for over 6 years and bought it from the original owner who had it for just over 4 years. He was the first in our town and had a great location and a great idea, but he was not the sharpest as far a business goes, and he lacked the energy to make it into something special. We put a ton of $ back into it and made it into a great place for a quick breakfast or lunch. All kinds of new equipment, built out a real kitchen, new flooring, painting, you name it. Can you tell I'm proud? Ha!

Swish

[kexodusc]

...but it's in the town where I live, and most of the long-term members here know my home address from all the comp trading we've done in the past. It's probably about a 90+ minute drive from the NJ border via the turnpike or Route 78, so it's not like you can just drop in for a cup. We've owned it for over 6 years and bought it from the original owner who had it for just over 4 years. He was the first in our town and had a great location and a great idea, but he was not the sharpest as far a business goes, and he lacked the energy to make it into something special. We put a ton of $ back into it and made it into a great place for a quick breakfast or lunch. All kinds of new equipment, built out a real kitchen, new flooring, painting, you name it. Can you tell I'm proud? Ha!

Swish

Lucky you Swish, that's great. Coffee is one of my other hobbies...if I had the benefits of economies of scale from owning my own shop, well, I'd probably never sleep and I'm sure I wouldn't run a profitable operation but..

Sumatran coffees I used to love, heavy body, almost like a nutty syrupy taste. With some of the disasters in the last few years I've found it harder to get, and not as good as years past, but it's been awhile since I've ordered it. Columbian Supremo - meh, nothing inspiring here - though the finest Columbian is well regarded. Most of Columbia's coffee is destined for Folgers tins or used as fill in blends. Sometimes with some fine white coffee grinds.

I recommend coffee clubs or buying from a roaster directly to anyone who really enjoys their coffee - you'll not only save money compared to buying at coffee shops, you can get a better brew with a bit of care most 17 year old employees can't offer. Or find your favorite little shop like Swishy's got here and get to know the owners.

I'm envious...

[GMichael]

...but it's in the town where I live, and most of the long-term members here know my home address from all the comp trading we've done in the past. It's probably about a 90+ minute drive from the NJ border via the turnpike or Route 78, so it's not like you can just drop in for a cup. We've owned it for over 6 years and bought it from the original owner who had it for just over 4 years. He was the first in our town and had a great location and a great idea, but he was not the sharpest as far a business goes, and he lacked the energy to make it into something special. We put a ton of $ back into it and made it into a great place for a quick breakfast or lunch. All kinds of new equipment, built out a real kitchen, new flooring, painting, you name it. Can you tell I'm proud? Ha!

Swish

I'll brew a pot in your honor when I get home tonight. You should be proud. That's what doing things for yourself is all about.

[GMichael]

Lucky you Swish, that's great. Coffee is one of my other hobbies...if I had the benefits of economies of scale from owning my own shop, well, I'd probably never sleep and I'm sure I wouldn't run a profitable operation but..

Sumatran coffees I used to love, heavy body, almost like a nutty syrupy taste. With some of the disasters in the last few years I've found it harder to get, and not as good as years past, but it's been awhile since I've ordered it. Columbian Supremo - meh, nothing inspiring here - though the finest Columbian is well regarded. Most of Columbia's coffee is destined for Folgers tins or used as fill in blends. Sometimes with some fine white coffee grinds.

I recommend coffee clubs or buying from a roaster directly to anyone who really enjoys their coffee - you'll not only save money compared to buying at coffee shops, you can get a better brew with a bit of care most 17 year old employees can't offer. Or find your favorite little shop like Swishy's got here and get to know the owners.

I'm envious...

Kex, know of any good roasters you could share?

[kexodusc]

Kex, know of any good roasters you could share?

Well, none that are in your neck of the woods, maybe Swishy's got the inside track?

There was a pretty good mail-order one I used when I lived in Maine a few years back - I'll try and find their site. When I lived in Atlanta I used to just shop at a few places.

Here's a great website that should help you find one nearby.
http://www.lucidcafe.com/cafebystate....html#roasters

Lot's of good info on his site - I have 2 of his books that I'd recommend if you're remotely intrested:
http://www.lucidcafe.com/aboutcoffee.html

I'm not as dedicated/fussy when it comes to roasters as most real connoisseurs, I just find one close by and deal with them - if you have a few options, try them all and stick with whoever treats you better.
If you're like me and only order a few pounds a month, some places almost couldn't be bothered with ya, while others treat you like you're their biggest client.

[GMichael]

Well, none that are in your neck of the woods, maybe Swishy's got the inside track?

There was a pretty good mail-order one I used when I lived in Maine a few years back - I'll try and find their site. When I lived in Atlanta I used to just shop at a few places.

Here's a great website that should help you find one nearby.
http://www.lucidcafe.com/cafebystate....html#roasters

Lot's of good info on his site - I have 2 of his books that I'd recommend if you're remotely intrested:
http://www.lucidcafe.com/aboutcoffee.html

I'm not as dedicated/fussy when it comes to roasters as most real connoisseurs, I just find one close by and deal with them - if you have a few options, try them all and stick with whoever treats you better.
If you're like me and only order a few pounds a month, some places almost couldn't be bothered with ya, while others treat you like you're their biggest client.

Thanks Kex,

I see a couple of places that aren't far.