The New Very Large Coffee Lovers Thread

Coffee is aid.

Aid is good.

Current favorite: Leelenau Roasters Snickerdoodle, Aeropress inverted, 1.5 scoop per 8oz, 45s bloom and 120s brew, ceramic doublewall mug. Black, of course. Subtly sweet and spicy light/medium roast.

What about y'all?

Anyone have a favorite decalf that doesn't taste like chalk? I love the taste of goffee, especially at 4pm, but only can handle 200mg calffiene a day or so.

Yemen dark roast coffee is where it’s at.  Special, not-every-day stuff cause it’s spendy, but damn good.  I have a single cup Bodum press that I really like for ease of use and efficiency (I boil water for the wife’s tea each day) though the stovetop espresso maker does a fine job too. 

Black as the night, hot as the sun.

Tradibanwrote:

Black as the night, hot as the sun.

Such a cutie! 

My son liked the taste of coffee, as a toddler. He'd steal mine, if he could! He would be the one yelling out the order, from his car seat, in the early days of drive through lattes. I'm old. Predate espresso places every two blocks.

The right cup is important!

I end up drinking a lot of Folgers, in season, because that's what Tracy's in Almo sells and I seem to forget to pack coffee every other time I go. Good thing they do. Otherwise it would be back to Burley! It was bad enough driving to Malta for the climbing partner's pack of cigarettes, but hey, gotta keep the rope gun semi sane.

Aeropress, usually, and whatever espresso grind the store has in stock. I keep the ground coffee in the freezer. 

Heaping spoon of coffee (there's probably an official scoop somewhere. Who cares.), get the old coffee out, new coffee in, while the water "boils" in a 2 cup glass measuring cup. Nuke that 5 mins. 

Pour water in, stir. Dunk lid in hot water in measuring cup, slap it on. Don't forget to tighten the lid. It's a seriously bad outcome otherwise.

Invert onto the cup du jour. Squash down. The timing is dependant on if the cat's been fed yet. 

Pour coffee back into the hot water. That now means 24 oz. Americano, enough to peck at for the morningish, and doesn't rule out a latte from a barrista, if breakfast out is happening. The remains of the 20 oz latte get combined with the black coffee sitting on the counter, and into the frig to be nuked the next day.

Anyway.

Smear the coffee dribbles down the cup sides on your pant leg, or lick them off, pour a cuppa, and, if the cat's been fed (usually happens in that 5 minute wait for the water), you're set.

Make sure coffee is topped up before a lap is created by sitting down. Phone should be in reach also, for MP entertainment value. You may be trapped there. If you forget either coffee or phone, harsh negotiations with aforementioned cat will ensue. 

Best, Helen

Italian expresso coffee with glass pour over.   16 oz of heaven.  

Do you folks find that your coffee preferences shift over time? I used to be all about a good, smaller cup of coffee (cortado being preferred when at coffee shops), but lately I’ve been more about volume and having a cup or two with me to slowly ease into the morning. Been starting my day with a basically full french press, and ordering americanos at shops

Emilio Sosawrote:

Do you folks find that your coffee preferences shift over time? I used to be all about a good, smaller cup of coffee (cortado being preferred when at coffee shops), but lately I’ve been more about volume and having a cup or two with me to slowly ease into the morning. Been starting my day with a basically full french press, and ordering americanos at shops

Coffee with breakfast, latte later.  So my preferences do shift over time.

Testing out some new stainless travel mugs that are lined with ceramic so as not to Megadeth the flavor. They also double as tube chocks.

Preferences have gone full gamut of flavors, latte, drip, k-cup, espressos, ect.  Have settled on pour over americano, black with quality beans.  Unless camping then French press or overnight iced coffee. 

My 2 cents,

Buy your own beans, learn how to roast your own coffee, and you will experience how good quality coffee can taste. Generally, i prefer medium roast coffee from high elevation areas in Colombia and Ethiopia.

Coffee sold in supermarkets imo just isn’t consistent in terms of roast level, and you often get dark roasts sold as medium, beans falsely marketed as coming from a specific region, etc.

Brewing matter a lot too!

Definitely a big fan of anything lightly roasted and naturally processed. Washing beans just nukes all the subtle notes. Been ordering from Brandywine for a bit, there coffees are off the hook.

Can’t stand dark roasts!

A nice well-rounded medium roast or floral light roast does it for me. I recommend Intelligentsia El Gallo for anyone looking for an easily attainable yet delicious bean. 

Also, chemex gang. 

as a roaster of coffee from lighter to darker (and a good decaf) as well as making our own instant coffee in house from the same beans, a few thoughts. I find a definite drop in taste in coffee that is more than a month off of roast and definitely feel that within two weeks of roast is best. On our dark roast we go for dark chocolate, medium is smooth and the light roasts we try to highlight the origin notes naturally occurring in the coffee. Happy to chat more about processing, roasting, sourcing and brewing. 

F r i t zwrote:

Current favorite: Leelenau Roasters Snickerdoodle, Aeropress inverted, 1.5 scoop per 8oz, 45s bloom and 120s brew, ceramic doublewall mug. Black, of course. Subtly sweet and spicy light/medium roast.

Wait, Leelanau in northern MI?! I was born in Traverse City, and my mom lives up in that area now! Should I have her ship me some coffee, haha?

Kate Sedrowskiwrote:

Wait, Leelanau in northern MI?! I was born in Traverse City, and my mom lives up in that area now! Should I have her ship me some coffee, haha?

Here's Buju on Boardman Lake yesterday! She likes to run behind me as I phatbike. My parents retired to TC three years ago. I came off the road last spring and have been living with my brother while I take nursing classes at NMC. We live a couple blocks from the library, the Filling Station and the kickass new climbing gym, Elev8.

Definitely solicit a care package with Leelenau (Snicker, Hazel and Carmel Pralines are all good) and some Cherry Republic tourist trap trailmix! And next time you visit, stop in at Elev8 and seek out the lead routes set by Jess.

F r i t zwrote:

Here's Buju on Boardman Lake yesterday! She likes to run behind me as I phatbike. My parents retired to TC three years ago. I came off the road last spring and have been living with my brother while I take nursing classes at NMC. We live a couple blocks from the library, the Filling Station and the kickass new climbing gym, Elev8.

Definitely solicit a care package with Leelenau (Snicker, Hazel and Carmel Pralines are all good) and some Cherry Republic tourist trap trailmix! And next time you visit, stop in at Elev8 and seek out the lead routes set by Jess.

Aww, Buju!! She is adorable and looks so tiny in that setting. I'm not sure I remember Boardman Lake, but that sure looks like home – I spent a few of my early years growing up right on Lake Leelanau!

So cool to find someone on here who lives up in that area! My mom lives in Northport, and I haven't been to visit for a while, but she told me that a climbing gym opened, so I definitely plan to check that out next time I'm there. She always sends me Cherry Republic goodies for holidays (I love that place & all the free samples!), and now I'll have to request some stuff from Leelanau Roasters, too!

Tradibanwrote:

Black as the night, hot as the sun.

Black coffee is just hot bean water. You need a little cream in there…

Kate Sedrowskiwrote:

Aww, Buju!! She is adorable and looks so tiny in that setting. I'm not sure I remember Boardman Lake, but that sure looks like home – I spent a few of my early years growing up right on Lake Leelanau!

So cool to find someone on here who lives up in that area! My mom lives in Northport, and I haven't been to visit for a while, but she told me that a climbing gym opened, so I definitely plan to check that out next time I'm there. She always sends me Cherry Republic goodies for holidays (I love that place & all the free samples!), and now I'll have to request some stuff from Leelanau Roasters, too!

I've met Bujo! She's a sweetie! She is that tiny, but with a BIG personality. Rockstar model looker, too!

 Elev8 is indeed a GREAT gym, with really super people, too. Staff and climbers alike! I was quite impressed. The staff is even oriented toward making people safe as outside climbers. They did not let me (as an out of towner) sail through the lead belay test, and their setting is reasonably graded. The guy testing, kept fishing for one more thing. We both were scratching out heads, trying to guess, throwing out everything we could think of, for this gym lead belay test 

Finally?

He said, "okay, it's not mandatory in the gym, clearly you have plenty of rope, and won't run out here, but it's a good idea to close...."

At that point?

I'm throwing my arms up, in delight, and telling him how happy I am to have him teaching climbers to close their systems.

And? Maybe, just maybe? Saving a life, someday.

A bazillion miles from rock, lol!

Best, Helen

Hey Fritz, let me know if you ever need help with any classes! Are you going for BSN or ADN? Also, to keep in the topic, I’ma heavy caffeinatic on the 12hr ER night shifts, and a double strength, classic Folgers black can usually keep me going strong!!! If I’ve got time, I use a glass percolator with home roasted/ground beans I bring from Uganda. Nothing like wandering the fields, smelling the coffee blossoms at night, and bringing a “couple@ pounds home! Even beats the orange blossoms from back home in Bakersfield, CA! 

Eli Boldmanwrote:

Thanks man! ADN to start, BSN bridge online in my first year of staff nursing so the hospital pays for it. Between scholarships and work, I hope to get all my credentials debt-free.

Here's some Snickerdude by Leelenau Roasting Company in the Aero this morning in Zion! Headed up to link Chastity Crack to Locksmith Dihedral.

Shelburne Falls' Coconut Coffee is one of the best I've had.