Topic: Our coffee sucks

[ober]

It's bitter and just awful.  We buy Starbucks coffee beans from BJs and do 6oz of water to 2 tbsp of coffee (per the instructions).  We grind the coffee with a small grinder down to the size we found online.  We only grind about 3-4 days worth at a time and store it in an air-tight container.

What ratios do you guys use and what coffee do you buy?

We've only really been drinking coffee for about 3 months so I really don't know shit about it.

[Govtcheez]

Starbucks is known for overroasting their coffee, I'd try another brand.  You can't notice it too bad if you get a latte or something else that has flavoring mixed in, but by itself it's noticable.

I drink Starbucks preground at work because that's what my office buys and either Biggby or Leelaunau Roasting Company at home.  At home I usually use 1 tbsp/2C of water (is the cup on the 12C coffee maker the same as a regular cup?).  2tbsp/6oz seems really strong.

[micah]

I don't like Starbucks because its to me it always tastes bitter.  Coffee snobs will tell you that its "robust" or some shit like that, but its just plain bitter to me.  (same with you beer snobs and your dark imported beers that you drink warm. blech!!! just give me a frosty coors light and I'm happy).  In other words Starbucks is "Good" coffee if you like "real" coffee.  Honestly, I don't.  I grew up with my parents making Folgers at home and my dad buying Dunkin Donuts on the road.  To me, thats what coffee should taste like.

Also, don't be afraid to add a little milk/cream/half-and-half.  Again, the purest will tell you you're ruining your coffee but to me, its like drinking whiskey on the rocks (or adding a little water to a single barrel scotch) -- it takes the bite off so you can enjoy the complex flavors behind it.

[micah]

as for getting the mix right. I never could figure that out. I bought a Keurig with a filter basket. I fill it 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up with pre-ground coffee and make one cup at a time.  Always comes out perfect.

[Govtcheez]

>In other words Starbucks is "Good" coffee if you like "real" coffee.

Nah - it's kind of like beer snobs and Guinness.  It's fancier than coors light (high life for life, bitches) and fancy enough that Coors Light people don't like it, but it's not really all that special.  I'm far from a coffee snob (I drink Biggby and LRC because they're local, mostly) but that's the impression I get.

Dunkin is pretty alright

[KnuckleBuckett]

Benny.

If you can find it, Tim Horton's is the best coffee for brew pots.  Both Caf and decaf are great. 

Do you use a standard coffee pot or an industrial version?

How often do you clean it?  Try cleaning it 1:1 white vinegar to cool water.  I run it through 2x then rinse 3x (to get the vinegar taste out).

We use a Cuisinart DCC-1200 and it made all the difference in the world!

I found, quite by accident, that the coffee maker itself makes a HUGE difference in the bitter taste of the final product.  If you want, I can send you a Cuisinart DCC-1200 but you have to purchase a carafe (or two?) for it.  Let me know.  Call me and I can give you the details.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_9_8?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=dcc-1200+carafe&sprefix=dcc-1200

[KnuckleBuckett]

>In other words Starbucks is "Good" coffee if you like "real" coffee.

Nah - it's kind of like beer snobs and Guinness.  It's fancier than coors light (high life for life, bitches) and fancy enough that Coors Light people don't like it, but it's not really all that special.  I'm far from a coffee snob (I drink Biggby and LRC because they're local, mostly) but that's the impression I get.

Dunkin is pretty alright

Oh!  I friggin LOVE Guinness!

I like plenty of non-mass market beer, but can enjoy a Bud Light, keystone light or Silver Bullet.  If I pick the mass market beer, I like plain old Coors (non-light).

[Govtcheez]

I think most beer snobs have a fallback cheap beer (mine are bud light or high life), I was talking about people who look down their noses at guys like micah and say "Oh, you're drinking a Coors Light.  I only drink nice beer like Guinness".

edit: I love Timmy's coffee but have never bought it for home.  And unfortunately they aren't everywhere yet.

[ober]

This is our coffee maker: http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-48465-Brewstation-Programmable/dp/B001R4LK1Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322839059&sr=8-1

In general I think it's pretty decent, but Samantha says it's leaked a little lately.  Knuck, it doesn't seem all that different from your except yours goes into a carafe instead of the internal holder that ours has.

Sounds like we need to try a different coffee brand first.  We're also going to store the beans differently (the beans are kept in the bag we get them in and we store the ground up beans in a better container) and look at a different grinder.  Our grinder is kinda shitty.

[Mike]

I tried to get into coffee after trying some excellent coffee in Hawaii last year.  It went away when I kicked the caffeine habit.  I've still got some beans in the freezer but not sure how good they are after a year and a half.  If anyone wants them I'd be happy to send it out.

[micah]

We had Tim Horton's in a few-and-far-between locations here in Connecticut back in the 90's but they eventually were sold off to "bess eaton," a Rhode Island-based chain that also went out of bussiness.  In the North East, especially New England, it is nearly impossible to compete with Dunkin Donuts.  With all their money and global market-position, Starbucks has made a big dent, but Dunkin is king.


I just did some googling:

neat color map of Starbucks vs DD in the US: http://numbersrun.com/2011/05/coffee-battlefields/

for example, in a 5 mile radius of Hartford, there are apparently47 Dunkin Donut outlets of one form or another.  18 of which have a drive through!  There are 3 starbucks.

[Govtcheez]

Within a 5 mile radius of my house, I only know of 2 Starbucks (one of which is in a Target) and I can think of 3 Dunkins and 2 Timmys

[KnuckleBuckett]

This is our coffee maker: http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-48465-Brewstation-Programmable/dp/B001R4LK1Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322839059&sr=8-1

In general I think it's pretty decent, but Samantha says it's leaked a little lately.  Knuck, it doesn't seem all that different from your except yours goes into a carafe instead of the internal holder that ours has.

Sounds like we need to try a different coffee brand first.  We're also going to store the beans differently (the beans are kept in the bag we get them in and we store the ground up beans in a better container) and look at a different grinder.  Our grinder is kinda shitty.

Man Trust me the maker and how it controls the temp internally makes a clear difference.  It is crazy.

We went through several in a short period when our old maker failed (quality issues).  A neighbor gave us his Cuisinart DCC-1200 (we also had to get a carafe) and since we had all of three makers right there, I tried a comparison.  Night and day.  Like a different beverage.  Seriously, the maker itself even between same brand models really changes the taste of the brewed coffee.
 Be glad to send ya our spare!

[KnuckleBuckett]

Within a 5 mile radius of my house, I only know of 2 Starbucks (one of which is in a Target) and I can think of 3 Dunkins and 2 Timmys

We have two within 5 miles also.  Amazing huh Obes?

[KnuckleBuckett]

Anyone use the gold coffee filter thing?