Xyfy Senior Member Joined: 22 Jun 2008 Posts: 4 Location: College Town Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Jun 30, 2008, 5:51pm Subject: So what do the Pros put in their coffee?
I have been a coffee drinker for over a year and a half... (Noobish to most of you). My thoughts are always on improving my straight black cup of coffee and not so much on adding creams or sugars.
So I was wondering if the gurus out there stick mostly to a black cup of joe, or usually add to their coffee?
Posted Mon Jun 30, 2008, 6:49pm Subject: Re: So what do the Pros put in their coffee?
I'm not a guru, but I could add my experiences with this - I used to always add at least cream to my coffee and usually some sugar, but that was back when I liked Dunkin Donuts coffee. After finding this site and learning about coffee and different origins and roast levels, I began to try it without anything added and it was really good but nothing like what I was used to. It actually had some faint flavors to it, which was a strange thing for me to experience and I still feel that I have a hard time picking out the subtle origin flavors. Buying a French press was another step for me in having an exceptional cup of coffee, but my recommendation would be to try some of the lighter roasts. Ethiopian, Hawaiian, or Kenyan coffees really stand out for me, and I generally roast them myself.
Posted Mon Jun 30, 2008, 7:09pm Subject: Re: So what do the Pros put in their coffee?
I'll bet that many of us have had the same experience - especially those who roast their own.
I don't add anything to my coffee anymore. I used to always add a small amount of cream - no sugar - but I dropped the cream about 6 months ago when I started experimenting with a wider variety of beans and lighter roasts. I think you gradually begin to pay more attention, looking for the differences in coffees and, as a result, don't want to add anything.
Like "Spresso Bean" I usually go with FrenchPress and really look forward to enjoying the differences in beans.
Posted Mon Jun 30, 2008, 9:53pm Subject: Re: So what do the Pros put in their coffee?
I'm just a caveman--I prefer to say "pseudo-barista"--but since the first time I ever brewed coffee I've never put anything in it. Also have never had a latte or any other "frew-frew" espresso drink. Grind beans, add hot water, drink. Arrrrgh!
Since childhood I've always loved the smell of coffee and once I tasted it couldn't understand why people added so much stuff to it. The only time milk is mixed with coffee in my life is when I eat my favorite coffee ice cream.
E d C u s t a r d pseudo-barista
"...the extreme of banality allows us to catch a glimpse of the sublime." Umberto Eco
JVBorella Senior Member Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 488 Location: northeastern CT. Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: LaSpaziale Vivaldi S1V2 Grinder: Mazzer SJ,KA Pro,Zassenhaus... Vac Pot: Press Pots/Finum Filters Drip: No Thanks Roaster: Before Long
Posted Wed Jul 2, 2008, 7:32am Subject: Re: So what do the Pros put in their coffee?
I've never cared for the taste of sweetened coffee but I do enjoy Half & Half in certain drinks. Nothing goes in my Espresso or Americanos but the Iced Coffee I make with my Toddy always gets a splash of H&H because thats the way I like it. If I'm brewing a nice S/O coffee in the press pot or Finum I'll drink it black but I still like the taste of a little cream in some of the darker roasted blends.
CoffeeRoastersClub Senior Member Joined: 6 Jul 2005 Posts: 2,144 Location: Vernon Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Vintage La Pavoni Lever... Grinder: KitchenAid Pro Line Burr... Vac Pot: Vintage Silex Drip: Aeropress, French Press Roaster: "EL SUPREMO" w/QuikSPIN-CRC...
Posted Wed Jul 2, 2008, 10:05am Subject: Re: So what do the Pros put in their coffee?
Xyfy Said:
I have been a coffee drinker for over a year and a half... (Noobish to most of you). My thoughts are always on improving my straight black cup of coffee and not so much on adding creams or sugars.
So I was wondering if the gurus out there stick mostly to a black cup of joe, or usually add to their coffee?
My own roasts and brews I just put in a bit of skim milk to cool it down a bit cause I'm a fast drinker and don't enjoy scorching my mouth. If I go to other places to drink coffee I put in a touch of splenda, and whole milk. At home I drink either french press, Brikka, or Aeropress. Outside of home I drink drip coffee, Americano, or double shot espresso.
Posted Fri Jul 4, 2008, 12:01pm Subject: Re: So what do the Pros put in their coffee?
I like a little sugar with lattes. Cubanos, Turkish coffee; sugar for sure. For straight espresso or brewed coffee; black.
I found it's true as I got into home roasting and got geeky about espresso that as my experience relative to brewing/espresso extraction and roasting improved I started preferring black coffee and straight espresso. I think it's the quality of the greens and the quality of the roast along with the quality of the grind and extraction that determines the quality of your coffee.
It's very relative to personal taste. Nothing wrong with anything added if that's what you preferr. Personally I find really good coffee doesn't need to be improved or masked by anything. To me it tastes best on it's own.
Posted Sun Jul 13, 2008, 3:57pm Subject: Re: So what do the Pros put in their coffee?
Before espresso I always had my coffee black .. when I got into espresso I stayed with black espresso but espresso has character it can dance with other ingredients and not get lost in the cup.
So espresso has brought me back to mixing not further away.
All kinds of things can ride along with espresso .. milk and sugar ofcourse as well as spirits .. fruites .. pepper .. ect..
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