Coffee Talk

[guzelkiz]

I've been chatting with some fellow coffee addicts over in the Random Thoughts thread but I thought maybe I should make a separate thread.  So let's discuss anything/everything about coffee!

I just got the Peet's Sumatra blend in the k cups and I really like it!  Need to make a note to try their Major Dickinsons Blend since it's so popular.

[snoflakefaerie]

What a fun revival! I'm curious if anyone does a coffee bean subscription? I have done Atlas maybe 5-6 times, but I'm not sure I think the quality/flavor of their beans is worth the price. I'd definitely be interested if others have found one(s) they love.

[QueenMarceline]

Figured this thread might need a revive as I brew some coffee this morning. I've been using the Keurig for almost 10 years now but I honestly rarely ever enjoy my coffee other than a select few k-cups. Most of the time, I'm a Starbucks addict but I'm currently on the hunt for something new since I probably need an upgrade. Which me brings me to my next question: What is everyone's favorite at-home coffee making device? 

[Ispend2much6]

My favorite devices for making coffee is the Bialetti Moka Pot and the Chemex.

[CynthieLu]

My favorite coffee maker is any that brews me my coffee ☕️ 😋 

I like a good medium roast that's not bitter or tastes bad after it gets cool, you know it's a good coffee if it tastes good through many stages 😅

[QueenMarceline]

@Ispend2much6 Wow, those both look absolutely gorgeous! Pardon my coffee newb-ness haha but can you explain the functions/differences of each of the products? 😍 They're stunning.

[Ispend2much6]

@QueenMarceline  Sure!  The Moka Pot makes a pseudo-espresso, basically a concentrated coffee that can be drunk with water added or milk (and froth!)  It really brings out a lot of the qualities of the grinds you use that you normally would not experience with any other process.  I make my coffee this way, with hot, frothed milk, when I want to have a relaxing cup of coffee.

The Chemex, a pour-over method, also brings out the flavor of coffee that a drip machine is not able to.  The Chemex uses a filter in the opening, then the grinds are placed in it and hot water (about 200 degrees, I think,) is slowly poured over the grinds to brew the coffee.  This method is also a little less acidic than using a drip machine (and definitely less acidic than a French Press, as yummy as that can be.)

I do have a drip coffee machine that is pretty good.  I've had it for ten years, and it's still going strong.  It's the brand Bonavita, and I have the steel carafe.  It has a shower-head type water spray, so it soaks the grinds pretty evenly.  I can even place my Chemex underneath it and let the Bonavita do the work for me! 

[QueenMarceline]

@Ispend2much6 Yum, both of those look/sound absolutely amazing. I definitely have to elevate my coffee game when I finally get the ginormous kitchen space of my dreams. The Chemex sounds super interesting and also delicious. Maybe I need to declutter my kitchen tools so that I can continue purchasing coffee making devices. 🤣

[guzelkiz]

Oh wow, I had totally forgotten that I made this thread!  That was long ago, dang!  

Thanks for reviving it @QueenMarceline!  These days I still use my Keurig a ton but I also bought a Delonghi espresso maker that I use when I'm feeling fancy and actually want to me a real latte.  I use one of those handheld frothers to get the perfect frothed milk on top.

Delonghi Espresso Maker

[QueenMarceline]

@guzelkiz No problem, thank you for starting the thread. We need more people to talk about coffee, if you ask me. 😂 I've had Keurigs forever and don't get me wrong I love them but after repurchasing the same device several times I think I'm ready to try something new. By the way, I love your K-Cup organizer 🙂

[guzelkiz]

@QueenMarcelineyou're welcome!  I'm amazed you even remembered this thread.  I didn't albeit I haven't even been on here much in the last couple years.  The pandemic really changed my makeup life, as well as other aspects.

I've had the same Keurig machine for years now.  I keep thinking to try something else but if it ain't broke I guess.  In addition to hot coffee options I have been making my own cold brew regularly and I quite enjoy that esp in this record-breaking heat we are dealing with in California at the moment 😬

Thanks!  I love that carousel K-cup holder.  I've seen those drawer type holders that people sit their Keurig machines on but my cabinets don't allow enough space for that.  I think the carousel is more fun anyways.

Has anyone tried any good K-cups lately?  I've been rebuying the Dark Magic from Green Mountain for so long, maybe time for change.

[QueenMarceline]

@guzelkiz I'm a bit newer to the BIC, so I actually was browsing for a coffee thread and was surprised to see so little of them however this one ended up catching my eye. My routines also changed with covid and on top of that I got a new job which honestly 90% of the time I do not wear makeup to. 

The current Keurig I have is getting up there in years, not even sure how many but definitely over 5 but below 10. 🤣 It still "works" per se but I noticed over the course of the last week or so that it's been slowly losing "power". I only get about 70% of my coffee compared to what it used to give me and it overall tastes weaker. 

The Green Mountain Dark Magic is actually one of my regulars! I've kept some on hand for quite a while now, definitely a very solid and bold k-cup which I feel like is so hard to find. I really enjoy the Green Mountain Hazelnut as well, although if you like a flavor profile in the family of Dark Magic this might be a touch too mild for you. Although this still has that wonderful Green Mountain full flavored taste. 

[guzelkiz]

@QueenMarceline I'm glad you happened upon my old thread then.  You're right, I also am surprised there isn't much coffee discussion here.  That's totally me now too.  Pre-covid and in the first 6 months I went out to work so I always had a full face on but since Sept 2020 I've been working from home and rarely have to wear makeup.  I started a new job in February where it's literally 0% of the time where I need to be seen on camera.  I've actually been feeling bad that I have so much makeup lying around that I don't wear so recently I've been decluttering like crazy.

That's about the same time I've had my keurig also.  One thing that can prolong the usage is to routinely do a descaling with vinegar.  I do it every couple of months when I can tell the quantity of coffee I'm getting has decreased or if it's splattering ground coffee.  

I just love the Dark Magic.  I get it auto-delivered by amazon every other month and I've been doing that so long I haven't ventured out to try other things.  I definitely prefer full bodied dark roasts over lighter ones.  If I see one of those small boxes of the hazelnut I'll try it out.  I hate that many varieties of k cups are sold in full size boxes so if you try one and dislike it you're stuck with the whole box.

[QueenMarceline]

@guzelkiz I'm very glad I stumbled upon it too. 🙂 I definitely feel your sentiment about covid and the new job situation, I feel the exact same way which is why I've trimmed down my makeup related spending a whole lot. I still splurge on tons of skin care but I just have way too much makeup to justify continuing to purchase more. 

I've descaled it a few times and I clean it out with the "cleaning" k-cups regularly, unfortunately I just think it's starting to be about that time. 😕

The Dark Magic is certainly a good one. The Hazelnut is still strong, in my opinion but it's definitely not as bold and full-bodied as the Dark Magic. I'd be doing you a disservice by trying to claim it was by simply overshooting your expectations. I actually am going to be purchasing a new device soon (and it's likely not going to be a Keurig). I must say I will definitely miss some of the k-cups I've found along the way. Not sure if you have a trader joe's near you but the also have fantastic k-cups. My favorites from them were the Ethiopian blend (limited/seasonal) which was a extremely intense but delicious bold, full-bodied dark coffee and their Columbian Roast which is also lovely but the Ethiopian blend was a little extra special. 

[guzelkiz]

@QueenMarceline Yes I do have Trader Joe's near me and I actually have tried their k-cups.  I do like them and I also like their bottled cold brew. I used to buy it before I started making my own.  They have the bigger bottles that are on the shelf by the coffee and they also have smaller bottles that are in the fridge next to the juices.  Both kinds are wonderful, if you haven't given those a try I highly recommend.  That Ethiopian blend sounds amazing, I'll have to check for it.  I feel like most of their great items are limited/seasonal, unfortunately.  So when I see something I know I'll like I snatch up multiples.

[QueenMarceline]

@guzelkiz You're absolutely right, their best items are seasonal. 😕 I'm hoping I see it back in store sometime soon! I've never tried the cold brews they have but I know exactly where they are since I pass them all the time buying Almond Milk, lol! Also my new machine came in, yay! My keurig finally stopped working officially, so it was perfect timing.

[guzelkiz]

@QueenMarceline you definitely should try any of the TJ's cold brew and let me know how it goes.  Yay for your new coffee machine!  Which one did you end up getting?

[QueenMarceline]

@guzelkiz I ended up getting the Nespresso! 🙂 I just tried it out for the first time this morning and so far, it's very impressive. 

[guzelkiz]

@QueenMarceline Nice!

[WinglessOne]

@QueenMarceline  French press. That's my favorite coffee making device. Sure, I have to clean it each night so it's ready the next day, and I grind my beans right before I boil water to make coffee. The whole process is oddly therapeutic. I do like to buy Starbucks Via packets for travel purposes (hotel coffee's always gross or too mild); I always get the Italian Roast or French Roast ones, unless there's an Anniversary Blend or Christmas Blend version available. Vias aren't the best coffee, but they're better than what most hotels serve. 

I'm admittedly a coffee snob, though not quite pour-over level. 😂 (Not that pour-overs aren't good. They are. I just lack the patience to do them at home.) Once upon a time, I used an auto drip coffeemaker because it was programmable: I could wake up to freshly brewed coffee on weekday mornings. But even then, I only bought whole bean coffee and ground it fresh myself for each pot I brewed. I'm about to restock Hawaiian Kona and a couple varietals of Ethiopian beans. 

You're probably looking for recommendations on an electric coffeemaker and I'm not much help there, sorry. After however many years of french press coffee, I won't go back to an electric coffeemaker unless it makes espresso—though I've had an espresso maker before and man, those things are fussy. 

[snoflakefaerie]

Yes @WinglessOne I'm a French press user as well. I have 3 just in case I break one and haven't washed the other for those tough mornings. My bf did recently break a carafe and I was able to find the exact one at Marshall that was missing its plunger so I got it for half off the Marshalls price, which is definitely less than it would have been to buy a new carafe. It felt like a big win that day 😉

What kind of grinder do you use? I have an electric blade one, but I've been toying with the idea of a burr grinder for years, just haven't made the splurge yet; I'm not sure my palate is refined enough to taste the difference in a more even grind?