Best coffee?
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: San Diego
I lud dis place on the corner here. Dunn Bros, it's a chain like Starbucks, cept Dunn Bros puts crack in their coffee, apparently. 
Plus they were one of the first places, way back when, to have the print version of the Onion and to have free Wifi. Free pr0n anyone? 
Plus they were one of the first places, way back when, to have the print version of the Onion and to have free Wifi. Free pr0n anyone?
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From: SJC
Coffee, I've found, is a lot like wine/beer/chocolate. . . there are wayyyy too many flavors and styles: but there are some best of breed:
My favorite "generic" coffee is Peet's Maj. Dickison's Blend. (note: I drink it black, and don't drink coffee that often)
Kona is a strange duck. At once I appreciate it, but I don't care for it's lack of mouth-fill. It's strong, but not "chewy" enough for me. Jamaican Blue is about the only "pure bean" coffee that I've really liked. . . but you pay accordingly for it.
Like wine/beer/chocolate/pie. . . if you get the chance to do a blind tasting, I'd recommend it.
My favorite "generic" coffee is Peet's Maj. Dickison's Blend. (note: I drink it black, and don't drink coffee that often)
Kona is a strange duck. At once I appreciate it, but I don't care for it's lack of mouth-fill. It's strong, but not "chewy" enough for me. Jamaican Blue is about the only "pure bean" coffee that I've really liked. . . but you pay accordingly for it.
Like wine/beer/chocolate/pie. . . if you get the chance to do a blind tasting, I'd recommend it.
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I still want to try a vacuum pot, but until I get around to that French Press all the way. As far as beans... too much variety in roasting styles. Grocery stores are beginning to carry decent coffee, so long as you buy prebagged so it hasn't sat out and oxidized to hell three weeks before you get it. Even more important is the grind. You'll get better coffee from a burr grinder and a cheapo auto drip than you will a $200 coffee maker and a cheapo grinder. Burr grinder + french press or vietnamese coffee dripper are where to start, get good beans later!
And most anything is better than Starbucks...
A bit expensive, but you gotta pay to play. For what it is, it's really not pricey at all. Also, the life span of coffee is 2 weeks. After 2 weeks most of the C02 in the beans is released and with it the flavor. Find a micro roastery it's the only way you will get fresh coffee. Vacuum and nitrogen sealing helps, but it never tastes the same.
http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/
I never cared much for Kona... It's like the sissy bitch of coffee... flavorless with a kick of battery acidic gag me ruffage. If you can handle full bodied coffee go with yemen or sumatran. They're generally better in a blend though.
And yes, Starbucks is quite mediocre. After you put a couple teaspoons of sugar in it isn't bad, but then you might as well just get your cup of Joe at AMPM if you're going to do that to it. And with out the sugar all I can taste is a succulent ashy flavor left over from slightly over roasting. It gets rid of any oily acidity which makes for a great base for sugar flavored coffees (Starbucks forte) and provides consistency from cup to cup.
The temperature a bean is roasted can be estimated from what the bean looks like, to some degree. At around Vienna roast ( 450-470 F) the bean begins to look glossy and oily as the sugars caramelize more fully. French roast (470-500+) is even more glossy. I've never seen a Starbucks roast that was below a Vienna, which is over roasted.
The most unadulterated flavor comes at around 400-425 F, which is raw for most peoples tastes. Anything roasted over 450 really belongs in espresso, not coffee. If you like the taste of french roast (I know I do) try an Americano from the same bean and compare it with coffee, you'll find it tastes a lot better.
And most anything is better than Starbucks...
A bit expensive, but you gotta pay to play. For what it is, it's really not pricey at all. Also, the life span of coffee is 2 weeks. After 2 weeks most of the C02 in the beans is released and with it the flavor. Find a micro roastery it's the only way you will get fresh coffee. Vacuum and nitrogen sealing helps, but it never tastes the same.
http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/
I never cared much for Kona... It's like the sissy bitch of coffee... flavorless with a kick of battery acidic gag me ruffage. If you can handle full bodied coffee go with yemen or sumatran. They're generally better in a blend though.
And yes, Starbucks is quite mediocre. After you put a couple teaspoons of sugar in it isn't bad, but then you might as well just get your cup of Joe at AMPM if you're going to do that to it. And with out the sugar all I can taste is a succulent ashy flavor left over from slightly over roasting. It gets rid of any oily acidity which makes for a great base for sugar flavored coffees (Starbucks forte) and provides consistency from cup to cup.
The temperature a bean is roasted can be estimated from what the bean looks like, to some degree. At around Vienna roast ( 450-470 F) the bean begins to look glossy and oily as the sugars caramelize more fully. French roast (470-500+) is even more glossy. I've never seen a Starbucks roast that was below a Vienna, which is over roasted.
The most unadulterated flavor comes at around 400-425 F, which is raw for most peoples tastes. Anything roasted over 450 really belongs in espresso, not coffee. If you like the taste of french roast (I know I do) try an Americano from the same bean and compare it with coffee, you'll find it tastes a lot better.