The coffee/tea appreciation thread

[neurotix]

I'm a little surprised we don't have anything like this already on the forums, especially considering how many mugs have been sold!

 

Since we are all high IQ, smart, classy people I am certain that a lot of people here need a jump start every morning with something caffeinated. So this thread is the thread to discuss coffee and don't forget, tea though it is less popular in the States. Feel free to share recommendations, or just post how you take your morning cuppa Joe.

 

Hoping this is/can be productive and we can relax and share recommendations for others to try.

 

Most of all, enjoy whatever you're drinking to perk you up!

[neurotix]

Coffee websites

 

Kicking Horse coffee

 

Tea websites

 

Rishi Tea

Harney & Sons tea blenders

Tealish

Edited August 10, 2023 by neurotix

[neurotix]

As for me, when it comes to coffee I have one cup of either 8 o'clock french vanilla or Dunkin french vanilla every morning. I used to do two but recently figured out it was giving me bad anxiety every morning with two. And of course, I have a ton of coffee in the fridge. Tanzanian Peaberry by EVP coffee (recommended). And a bunch of junkie ones like 8 O'clock brand Mocha Macchiato, Caramel Macchiato and Berres Brothers Mocha mint. We have at least 15 of these junkie things but its way cheaper than getting Starbucks every morning.

 

I take my coffee with sugar and milk.

 

When it comes to tea, I am way more of an afficiando and have several teas I rotate through, usually making it in the afternoon. I drink it for the health benefits, but also because I like it. I am a very big fan of Rishi tea which is based near me in Milwaukee and imports tea from all over the world. I've had every grade of tea- white, green, oolong, pu erh and black. I don't have any oolong currently but have everything else, as well as masala chai. I also like the company Harney and Sons as they are quite a bit cheaper than Rishi, yet have good quality teas in larger amounts.

 

So if anyone is a tea fan feel free to recommend stuff to me and I'll do the same for you.

[Slaughtahouse]

Yes... coffee and tea are both great

 

I grew up around coffee. I guess you could say, I was coffee-adjacent for the longest time. I loved the smell of coffee beans, freshly roasted. That toasty, creamy, rich, deep pleasant smell. Ah - so good.

 

It wasn't until I was an adult did I really start drinking it regularly. I've brewed with various methods - Moka pot, french press, filtered (drip), and espresso.

 

All have their perks but the defacto for me is espresso. It's the core of so many good drinks or can be enjoyed on its own just fine. French press or a moka pot is great when you're off grid. All you need is boiled water or a fire and you can brew coffee. Drip can be great but there is an art to it. I'm no fancy barista but if you go to a good corner / neighbourhood coffee shop where they can do either espresso or drip, chances are their drip will be good. 

 

I typically drink two a day. Min. 1. 8:00am with or without breakfast. Cappuccino. 12-2:00pm, I go wild and get my self an iced coffee, espresso, or a cold brew. Preference would be cortado. Needs to be less milky in the afternoon. No sugar. Unless it's an espresso, I may add a bit to curb some of the acidity. I find the milk sweet enough in all other drinks. 

 

Tea - A good tea can rip just as hard as coffee but I find myself skewed towards coffee because of that smell. It's just nostalgia. For tea, a loose leaf from your local shop is my preference. A prime example https://tealish.com/. Tealish has a store not that far from me and their variety is wild. 

 

I usually drink without milk but if I were watching some British programming... milk may find its way into my tea. Usually just tbl spoon of honey. If buy tea from a supermarket, it's usually chamomile, green or matcha, and mint. Matcha I think is my favourite. I find a tea before bed really help calms me for a sleep; the caffeine doesn't hit the same. 

 

[The Pook]

what about coffee liqueur

 

I stopped taking caffeine for ~year and when I started again I sorta lost the taste for coffee. All my caffeine nowadays comes in pill form or the occasional energy drink 

[J7SC_Orion]

...need the high-test coffee to start the morning, so...

Spoiler

 

 

[Slaughtahouse]

41 minutes ago, J7SC_Orion said:

...need the high-test coffee to start the morning, so...

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

I drink Kicking Horse too (Hola* and Smart Ass). I generally prefer the lighter to medium roasts

 

Prices got a little crazy on Kicking Horse (~18.50 per) so I’ve been playing with others like Balzacs.

Edited August 10, 2023 by Slaughtahouse

[neurotix]

4 hours ago, Slaughtahouse said:

Yes... coffee and tea are both great

 

I grew up around coffee. I guess you could say, I was coffee-adjacent for the longest time. I loved the smell of coffee beans, freshly roasted. That toasty, creamy, rich, deep pleasant smell. Ah - so good.

 

It wasn't until I was an adult did I really start drinking it regularly. I've brewed with various methods - Moka pot, french press, filtered (drip), and espresso.

 

All have their perks but the defacto for me is espresso. It's the core of so many good drinks or can be enjoyed on its own just fine. French press or a moka pot is great when you're off grid. All you need is boiled water or a fire and you can brew coffee. Drip can be great but there is an art to it. I'm no fancy barista but if you go to a good corner / neighbourhood coffee shop where they can do either espresso or drip, chances are their drip will be good. 

 

I typically drink two a day. Min. 1. 8:00am with or without breakfast. Cappuccino. 12-2:00pm, I go wild and get my self an iced coffee, espresso, or a cold brew. Preference would be cortado. Needs to be less milky in the afternoon. No sugar. Unless it's an espresso, I may add a bit to curb some of the acidity. I find the milk sweet enough in all other drinks. 

 

Tea - A good tea can rip just as hard as coffee but I find myself skewed towards coffee because of that smell. It's just nostalgia. For tea, a loose leaf from your local shop is my preference. A prime example https://tealish.com/. Tealish has a store not that far from me and their variety is wild. 

 

I usually drink without milk but if I were watching some British programming... milk may find its way into my tea. Usually just tbl spoon of honey. If buy tea from a supermarket, it's usually chamomile, green or matcha, and mint. Matcha I think is my favourite. I find a tea before bed really help calms me for a sleep; the caffeine doesn't hit the same. 

 

 

Thanks for the posts guys. Yeah, I only do looseleaf tea and my favorite is Rishi White Peony (Bai Mu Dan - Chinese tea). It's a white tea, and has a very earthy taste. It is made from tea leaf buds and not processed or oxidized like a green tea. Good with or without honey.

 

My coffee is just drip but from a higher end Cuisinart machine with a single cup brewer. I used to make it in a french press as well, but generally find it too strong that way nowadays. I make my tea in a french press, mainly because it makes enough for two 10oz or so cups.

 

I will look into tealish. Thanks. Eventually I'd like the reserved post to have links to coffee/tea vendor websites. As well as recommendations.

 

I too love the smell of fresh ground coffee, though there's no nostalgia for me or anything. Did you grow up in a coffee shop or something?

 

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by neurotix

[Slaughtahouse]

20 minutes ago, neurotix said:

 

Thanks for the posts guys. Yeah, I only do looseleaf tea and my favorite is Rishi White Peony (Bai Mu Dan - Chinese tea). It's a white tea, and has a very earthy taste. It is made from tea leaf buds and not processed or oxidized like a green tea. Good with or without honey.

 

My coffee is just drip but from a higher end Cuisinart machine with a single cup brewer. I used to make it in a french press as well, but generally find it too strong that way nowadays. I make my tea in a french press, mainly because it makes enough for two 10oz or so cups.

 

I will look into tealish. Thanks. Eventually I'd like the reserved post to have links to coffee/tea vendor websites. As well as recommendations.

 

I too love the smell of fresh ground coffee, though there's no nostalgia for me or anything. Did you grow up in a coffee shop or something?

 

 

 

Tealish’s Earl Grey slap but they have a lot of variety and I haven’t had a bad experience yet. Find something that interests you and give it a pull.

 

RE: Coffee shop - almost (lol) I’m half Italian so coffee was omnipresent. I just discovered it later in life for consumption but my Mom always had coffee going and we dip food into coffee.

 

A typical italian breakfast is a cappuccino and a sweet style croissant called cornetto. 

 

My wife and I have:

De’Longhi EC680 and;

Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder

 

https://www.amazon.ca/DeLonghi-Espresso-Cappuccino-Advanced-Stainless/dp/B00KA8YC6A

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Bodum-Bistro-Electric-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B0043095WW

 

The quality of espresso for the cost is really good and it will pay for itself in one year vs. buying coffee at your local Starbucks etc. We’ve had this setup since… 2017. It’s like an i5 2500K system for the time.

 

You can make a decent espresso but… youre limited in really controlling your pull and getting the most out. 

 

We’re on the verge of upgrading to a Rocket Appartamento or similar class espresso machine (Profitec Pro) but just waiting for sales.

 

We both prefer the style of the Rocket but Profitec has a better upgrade path. Yea - espresso machines are like PCs XD

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by Slaughtahouse

[J7SC_Orion]

1 hour ago, Slaughtahouse said:

 

I drink Kicking Horse too (Hola* and Smart Ass). I generally prefer the lighter to medium roasts

 

Prices got a little crazy on Kicking Horse (~18.50 per) so I’ve been playing with others like Balzacs.bagged 

 

Out here on Canada's West Coast, there is a slo-mo price war going on in some chain stores (ie. London Drugs, some Safeways) between Starbucks coffee and Kicking Horse (I like Kicking Horse's Grizzly)...it flares up once a month or so and just in case, we got a steady back-up supply of both Starbucks and Kicking Horse Gr in the freezer 

[T.Sharp]

I love my Aeropress, it’s kinda like a mix between a french press and pour over. Uses a lil paper filter so you don’t get any fines in your cup. 
 

Light or medium roast only because that’s where you get the flavor. Dark roasts cook off all the complexity and end up tasting the same. You also get more caffeine with lighter roasts, as the heat destroys it.
 

Natural or Honey processed are my favorite processing methods, where the bean is dried in the fruit or hulled and dried without washing. That way the bean absorbs much more of the fruit flavors. 
 

There’s lots of local roasters near me which is a big plus. Always freshly roasted whole bean, and then grind right before brewing, to get the best possIble flavor. Conical burr grinders are the only way to go, none of that weed whacker / blender blade nonsense. Coffee starts to oxidize as soon as it’s ground, so pre-ground is a sin

 

Ohh and black only when you’ve got dank beans. Sugar and creamer would be unethical. Lol

Edited August 10, 2023 by T.Sharp

[neurotix]

5 hours ago, T.Sharp said:

 

Ohh and black only when you’ve got dank beans. Sugar and creamer would be unethical. Lol

 

If you made it for me that way and told me to drink it that way, I would gladly accept and listen.

 

As I kind of stated in my second post in the thread, I really don't know squat about coffee and I drink what is essentially sugary junk, lol. Though much more rarely now. Tea is what I know a lot about and can give recommendations on. And actually have some class with.

 

It's great to see the depth of knowledge here and people's methods of making coffee, though, I think collectively the posters so far could definitely share recommendations on coffee to try or machines to make it with.

 

I'd also like to get some links to coffee companies online, good coffee makers or espresso and cappuccino makers, and so forth into the 2nd *reserved* post.

[neurotix]

Was interested in Kicking Horse coffee and so just ordered a bag of Smart Ass and a bag of Three Sisters off Amazon. Living in the northern Midwest they probably don't stock these at the local grocery stores. Got em off Amazon, one was $9 and the other was $13. Definitely giving them a shot.

 

Also, @ENTERPRISE@damric@Fluxmaven what powers you guys up in the morning or on long nights?

Edited August 10, 2023 by neurotix

[damric]

11 minutes ago, neurotix said:

Was interested in Kicking Horse coffee and so just ordered a bag of Smart Ass and a bag of Three Sisters off Amazon. Living in the northern Midwest they probably don't stock these at the local grocery stores. Got em off Amazon, one was $9 and the other was $13. Definitely giving them a shot.

 

Also, @ENTERPRISE@damric@Fluxmaven what powers you guys up in the morning or on long nights?

Not much of a coffee guy but I do drink 1 monster zero every morning. Michele, on the other hand, is a coffee nut. She has the expensive bean grinder, ninja brewer, and is very particular about what beans she gets.

[neurotix]

Updated 2nd post with a few links. Please suggest more, especially for coffee.

[damric]

I do brew a fair amount of tea, but not typical tea and I always cold brew it anyway, usually right in my 64 oz stein. Lately I prefer Bengal Spice, but sometimes I do peppermint. No sweeteners or anything added. No caffeine in those, more like nice flavored water.

[neurotix]

Ever do Sun Tea?

[damric]

3 minutes ago, neurotix said:

Ever do Sun Tea?

Yeah been a long time but we used to do that when I was in the navy. We could buy loose oolong tea in Singapore or wherever and brew it in jugs tied somewhere on the deck.

[Fluxmaven]

I'm fueled entirely by RAGE

 

And when that isn't cutting it I'll grab an energy drink or a coffee. 

Spoiler

Energy drinks are limited to ones with actual sugar since artificial sweeteners make me sick. Coffee I just take black if it's hot. I like iced coffee with a bit of sugar/flavoring added. 

I enjoy most types of tea, being that it's hot out I have been drinking it less since I typically prefer hot tea. If someone drags me into a Dunkin or Starbucks I'll go with an iced matcha over looking lost trying to figure out what frilly coffee drink I'd want to try at those places. 

 

[damric]

5 hours ago, Fluxmaven said:

I'm fueled entirely by RAGE

 

And when that isn't cutting it I'll grab an energy drink or a coffee. 

  Hide contents

Energy drinks are limited to ones with actual sugar since artificial sweeteners make me sick. Coffee I just take black if it's hot. I like iced coffee with a bit of sugar/flavoring added. 

I enjoy most types of tea, being that it's hot out I have been drinking it less since I typically prefer hot tea. If someone drags me into a Dunkin or Starbucks I'll go with an iced matcha over looking lost trying to figure out what frilly coffee drink I'd want to try at those places. 

 

erythritol and sorbitol cause problems for me but sucralose doesn't give me issues

[Sir Beregond]

I bought the mug, but I don't actually drink coffee or caffeinated tea. Herbal teas once in a while, I also like Peppermint like @damric. I just in general do not drink caffeine much at all. Maybe 1 soda a week. The few times I tried coffee it gave me horrendous stomach pain, and while I am not a morning person, I do just get going when I get going, never felt a need for caffeine.

 

I dabbled in energy drinks when I was working one horrendous job years ago and sometimes had to figure out how to stay awake till 4am even though I had started working at 7am that day and maybe got a 3 hour break in the evening. After that I was done with that stuff. It really is just worse soda.

 

Anyway, its probably for the best. I've got acid reflux issues due to a hiatal hernia plus some other things, so could probably do without the acidity. 

Edited August 11, 2023 by Sir Beregond

[neurotix]

About to try Three Sisters.

[J7SC_Orion]

...time to go shopping soon; down to 5 pounds in the freezer  - there should be another price war soon

 

 

 

 

 

[Fluxmaven]

Man this tea I just bought tastes funny 

 

[Slaughtahouse]

4 hours ago, J7SC_Orion said:

...time to go shopping soon; down to 5 pounds in the freezer  - there should be another price war soon

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my local No Frills…

 

I tells ya, Canadian groceries stores is just as corrupt as Nvidia / AMD or Rogers / Bell…