Coffee

[jjhardygirl]

I have recently discovered a deeper interest in coffee (probably because I'm drinking more of it black and not disguising the flavour with milk and tonnes of sugar) so, my question to coffee lovers is which flavours/styles/types do you recommend for a newbie to try and why.

 

[johnny13334]

Are we talking filter, instant, ground?

 

[Naruto4ever]

Instant and ground. I'm a bit fussy over my instant as crappy instant can make me feel a bit queasy. I have a cafetiere somewhere and am planning on buying a cafetiere mug so I can make 1 cup at a time as and when I want it.

 

[cowokinsyaf]

I use both a filter machine (sans filter, just in the sieve) and a cafetiere but I have to say my step father's Nespresso machine makes a quicker awesome cup of coffee.

 

[TiredOfVikes]

I'm not a fan of overly bitter coffee, so use a gold blend for instant and for filter I use the cafe brasilla, take it easyand cafe imperial range from taylors of Harrogate, which is available from Tesco.

http://www.taylorsofharrogate.co.uk/subcatcoffee.asp?catid=128

 

[ToniB]

I've heard a number of people recommend Taylor's stuff. I used to drink Whittard's flavoured coffees, years back and am planning on getting some more next time I make to to the nearest branch. Currently I've got some Nescafe instant Espresso and Sainsbury's instant Organic in the kitchen.

 

[moniquer]

My rule is that (a) it's very hard to have too much cream, and by that I do mean cream from a cow, not fake chemical crap, but (b) if I have to add cream or anything else at all to make the coffee taste good, then I don't want the coffee. If it doesn't taste good black, then throw it away.

Yes, I'm a purist, and proudly so. With that said, it's mild or medium only. Don't touch "dark" or "French roast" (same thing). The dark roast is literally over-cooked. It's burned. For real. And it tastes burned. That's why people add flavoring and sugar to it. Only buy mild or medium roast. Of the two, mild gives the better flavor.

Pure Kona coffee is probably the best in the world, but it's also expensive. You'll pay for the flavor, but yes, it's really that good.

Columbian is always a safe bet. There's something about the hills in Columbia where coffee grows. The stuff is good.

I've had great experience with Ethiopian coffee, too. After Columbian, it's my favorite right now.

I don't know that you'll ever find it in the UK, but there's this pinon bean coffee from New Mexico, USA that I sometimes buy. I don't really know what pinon is (I could google it, but why?), but it's cooked in with the coffee beans to make this coffee, and I really like it.

Folgers is cheap, but surprisingly good. That might only be an American brand, though.

 

[awesome1239]

Like aikiMack, If I need to add anything to my cup of coffee to make it taste better, then it's a bad cup of coffee.

In the Middle East we had a way of making coffee on the stove. It was born from the nomadic lifestyle of the Bedouin who traversed vast deserts. It's incredibly strong (think espresso on steroids) and its flavor is very rich. I treat myself to that once a week.

Directions:

-Start with cold water, about 8-10 oz
-A heaping tablespoon of freshly ground coffee
-An equal amount of sugar
-Heat on MEDIUM heat; stir occasionally. Keep an eye on the coffee.
-After steam starts rising begin to stir regularly, every few minutes, until a brown layer appear; reduce to LOW heat.
-Stop stirring and wait for the first bubbles to break the surface. That indicates that coffee is ready.
-Place half a teaspoon of cold water and let coffee settle for a few minutes.
-Pour in small espresso cups, think espresso shots, drinking the whole thing is not recommended. When pouring, do it slowly so that the ground coffee in the bottom doesn't end up in your cup.
-Enjoy!

 

[iil0veey0uub0yy<3]

Firstly, if you care about coffee you can't drink instant. Ever. Don't argue, it's the rule and everyone knows it's true When I've hosted JWT for my club in the past I've brought my filter machine along rather than have instant when we break for lunch...

Taylor's Columbian High Andes is a fantastic coffee for use in a filter. I'm slurping a mug as I type, from my Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles mug as it happens.

Filters and cafetieres both make a good coffee, but another excellent method is a stovetop maker like a Bialetti. For these you can use a normal coffee or go for an espresso. I like the Illy tinned coffee, though it's expensive. If you make an espresso, a good alternative way to drink it is to allow it to cool a little then pour it over ice; very good on a hot day

Mitch

 

[AndreaG]

This is all far too high brow. So here's my advice:

Never, under ANY circumstances, even if you're jonesin' so bad you'd kill a hobo if he had a cup of coffee, even if you'd consider doing the nasty with... *shudder*... Mitch...

Never...


EVER...

Buy Sainsbury's Rich roast instant coffee.

Oh my God, it tastes like bark and brown*. I'm not even sure how something can taste of brown, but this does.



*The colour, nothing else...

 

[Bombstae]

I'm going to be honest here, I drink instant at work. I'd love to be able to be a proper coffee snob about it, but I don't have the time. Clipper do pretty good instant, as well as a good range of teas. I maligned instant myself for a long time, but, it's not so bad, you just have to think of it as a different drink, and expect different flavours. Because it's going to taste entirely different whether you expect it to or not...

 

[JojoH]

It's mellow birds for me. That's coffee right?
Truth be told I like some coffee with my sugar and milk rather than the other way round.
Coffee is like wine and whisky. People like to pretend they know what's good and bad and the way they like it is the epitome of quality, to seem more discerning than they actually are, but it all essentially tastes the same.
Flame away!!

 

[Ta202e]

Columbian for me and done the Italian way in the pot on the stove but has anyone tried the way that the Asians do it? realy Strong cold coffee with sweet condensed milk.

 

[kitkat7243]

Flame? There aren't enough words in the thesaurus to express the depths of my loathing for your heinous attitudes!

Eh, I know what I like in wine, I know what I like in whiskey, that's good enough for me, no-one's paying me to tell them what THEY like

However they most assuredly do not all taste the same! I'd call you a philistine if it wasn't for the fact that they were actually culturally advanced for their time...

 

[ColbyL]

You obviously haven't tried Sainsbury's rich roast. I quite like Nescafe instant. I'm certainly not a coffee snob. I just get coffee from the jar or the coffee shop at uni. Don't even know where it's from!

Oh, and don't try Sainsbury's rich roast (am I getting the message across?)

 

[rochellew]

Coffee pod machine. Sainsburys sell a selection of pods or....

http://www.coffeepodshop.co.uk/

Yum yum, pigs bum!

 

[dreababy]

Sorry, real coffee only, i've got to the point where i find it very hard to drink instant. Buy the beans, grind your own, if necessary grind them before work and take them with you and a cafetiere- thats what i do.
Black, strong, anything less than flavour 4/5 is for wimps who prefer coffee flavoured drinks to the real thing.
Jamaican Blue mountain is the best imo but i can rarely afford it.
Sumatran Gaya Highlands is my usual available from Suma, dark, rich and earthy!
Also makes great Sticky Coffee Fudge cake!

 

[Lauraaaaa]

You're getting a message across.

 

[SallyNoir]

Well, beggars can't be choosers - that'll do!

 

[thedoc]

http://sorrentinacoffee.myshopify.com/products/pyrex-stove-top-vacuum-syphon-coffee-maker-6-cup-1960s-cona-kona-glass-filter

This is what I use to make coffee with... not as fast as a filter but top grades for taste. I have a few different types of glass/ceramic filters for it.. I use filters as well... melita or the vietnamiese equivalent :

http://www.trung-nguyen-online.com/about-vietnamese-coffee-filter.html


Love coffee!!

Hate to say it but I am big on Vietnamese coffee and the closest I can get here is Hot Lava Java that is 6 out of 5 on the darkness scale :' D

I do have Italian expresso makers etc...

Try not to drink instant coffee... oddly enough when I arrived in the UK I was told the British had the best instant coffee in Europe (no one had the heart to tell them no one else would drink the stuff :' P ).

FWIW

LFD