Coffee: Good or Evil?

Does everyone here drink coffee? Maybe just 1 or 2 cups in the morning?
What happens if you don't have your coffee? Do things "get ugly"?

I just started drinking coffee regularly about 3 months ago and the benefits are impressive. At the same time, now I seem to be addicted and if I don't have a cup every day I get a massive headache.

What if Kerry or Bush were to somehow manipulate the coffee supply as leverage for their campaigns? That would start an insurrection, dont you think?

The smarter of the two might hijack the coffee supply and hold us all hostage in return for voting for them. If the candidate that controls the supply gets the winning votes, he releases the blockage and people get the coffee again. Everyone is happy and the world is back to normal again. He's a hero and gains support from even his enemys.

If he doesnt get the votes, he simply continues the embargo until society falls into crisis, blames the other candidate and intitiates impeachment. Next election, he wins in a landslide.

The oil supply is nice to manipulate for political advantage, but maybe........it's the coffee that is the key to success here? :biggrin:

(hits the "do not subscribe" option)

Apparently, whilst coffee has the effect of making one more alert, it does so at the expense of short term memory ( leading to the old "word on the tip of the tongue" situ)......it basically shuts down certain pathways in the brain ( temporarily) allowing the brain to focus more completely on being alert...

Coffee also is a great way to kill a headache. Studies have shown that a cup of coffee works on a headache faster than ibuprofen (although the relief only lasts about an hour so for someone with a really bad headache it's worth doing both)

If you find you are getting addicted to coffee, dont worry. Any caffeine containing drink will sort out those witthdrawal symptoms *smiles* Green tea is a good one because it contains just enough caffeine to stave off withdrawals but not enough to perpetuate the addiction.

I used to drink so much coffee it was a joke....I mean I would get through 6 or 7 cups of coffee in a day easily often more....Now I have maybe 2 or 3..I have replaced half of them with green tea or hot chocolate

DanaC wrote:

.......Green tea is a good one because it contains just enough caffeine to stave off withdrawals but not enough to perpetuate the addiction.....

Yes, I hear it also has some health benefits as well.

DanaC wrote:

Apparently, whilst coffee has the effect of making one more alert, it does so at the expense of short term memory ( leading to the old "word on the tip of the tongue" situ)......it basically shuts down certain pathways in the brain ( temporarily) allowing the brain to focus more completely on being alert...

Coffee also is a great way to kill a headache. Studies have shown that a cup of coffee works on a headache faster than ibuprofen (although the relief only lasts about an hour so for someone with a really bad headache it's worth doing both)

Coffee might also help fight diabetes.

I drink 1 to 2 liters of tea a day at work. I have my own tea bags and loose teas, including herbs and flowers like jasmine, rose hips, lavender, etc. This gets me off the hook for having to make a pot of coffee by taking almost the last cup from the pot, although we have people here who will leave a thin film of coffee at the bottom of a pot and walk away.

I drink maybe 2 or 3 cups of coffee a year. Tea has many benefits, but I don't know if it affects diabetes.

[QUOTE=richlevy]....although we have people here who will leave a thin film of coffee at the bottom of a pot and walk away.[QUOTE=richlevy]



I am totally against violence and senseless death. Those people should be shot.

Coffee is disgusting and foul. There are so many better ways to get caffeine. About the only way I can drink coffee is like the Beastie Boys, "I like my sugar with coffee and cream."

Clodfobble wrote:

Coffee is disgusting and foul. There are so many better ways to get caffeine. About the only way I can drink coffee is like the Beastie Boys, "I like my sugar with coffee and cream."

Like what? Chocolate? too fattening. Tea? too weak. Soda's? too burpee

Well, there's always Vivarin. :)

true

Ah, the water of life ...

I drink two mugs of coffee before leaving for work, and typically up to three or four more during a shift. I go back and forth regarding how persnickety I am over making the coffee ... I'm currently on a "you have to grind your own beans" kick, although I can as easily decide that it's much easier just spooning it out of a can.

I don't experience any problems while having it, nor do I get any notable withdrawal symptoms when I don't. And I can go right to sleep when I get home if I want.

I pretty much don't drink soda currently, having forsaken Coke and Dr. Pepper for the crisp refreshment of flavored seltzer products because I don't want the sugar, but like the fizzy.

I also make tea (proper tea, in a teapot with leaves) on occasion, and when I want to have it at work have an industrial thermos flask to transport it in.

Slang, the headache you're experiencing is probably the one you usually get when you don't kill people who really need it.

DanaC wrote:

Green tea is a good one because it contains just enough caffeine to stave off withdrawals but not enough to perpetuate the addiction.

Unfortunately green tea leaves accumulate fluoride from environmental pollution - more so than any other edible plant. :thumbsdow

Link about green tea/fluoride/thyroid damage
Another one

I stopped drinking coffee for a few years. Prior to having children though, it was one of my 4 food groups. Cigarettes were another... I've started drinking it again, but rarely caffienated, and usually in the evening.

[QUOTE=wolf]
I also make tea (proper tea, in a teapot with leaves) on occasion, and when I want to have it at work have an industrial thermos flask to transport it in.


Read my leaves!

I don't do leaves ... I have a friend that does, though. I read tarot and runes, mostly.

OK-Tarot

PM me with your email address and your questions.

I used to drink far too much, now I mostly drink tea instead (Twinings Earl Grey addict, how british of me) but when it gets late and I want to keep going the mugs of straight black sugerless stuff come out. Ave 1-2 a day + 3-4 mugs of tea. Occasional binges during all night work sessions can result in 6-10 mugs over 24h, usually combined with a few panadol to keep headaches at bay, a heavy vitimin supplement and the occasional perscription muscle relaxant to stop my neck killing me. So much for body temple ;)

Don’t drink coffee, ever.
I hate the politics of coffee at work. Who left the empty pot on the hot burner to crack. Who stirred their coffee and put the wet spoon back in the sugar or dry non-dairy creamer. Who slopped coffee on the floor and walked away. Who left coffee rings on EVERYTHING. Who left the Styrofoam cup with 4 tablespoons in it, on the very edge of the shelf. Who didn’t pay. Who put in a dollar and took 6 quarters change. I hate coffee,....no,.....I hate people. :dead:

You realize there are ethopian farmers trapped in a cycle of poverty due to decreasing coffee demand in the first world bruce? You are part of the problem, you personally are causing poor ethopian farmers to be unable to send their kids to school, what do you have to say for yourself????

Let 'em drink Coke. :lol:

It's a sad state of affairs, that most people don't know how to make a truly excellent cup of coffee at home.

Not only am I an addict, I'm a pretentious coffee elitist.

(and starbucks tastes like ass)

Over Roasted Dry Ass.

Filtered water ... and grind my own beans. I have not reached the stage of elitism where I roast my own, but don't think I haven't considered it.

I do need a burr type grinder, though.

100% coffee free. *flex*

jaguar wrote:

I used to drink far too much, now I mostly drink tea instead (Twinings Earl Grey addict, how british of me) but when it gets late and I want to keep going the mugs of straight black sugerless stuff come out. Ave 1-2 a day + 3-4 mugs of tea. Occasional binges during all night work sessions can result in 6-10 mugs over 24h, usually combined with a few panadol to keep headaches at bay, a heavy vitimin supplement and the occasional perscription muscle relaxant to stop my neck killing me. So much for body temple ;)

I Love Earl Grey. The best tea in the world. Good choice. :)

If you want to keep going I recommend Viagra....

... not so good as a muscle relaxant tho.

And you must stop with the pills-to-combat-the-effects-of-the-pills thing. Try a good diet and lots of exercise instead, that'll keep you headache-free more efficiently than any drug. Treat your body like the temple it is. ;)

Starting drinking coffee around age 12 and I've dropped it a couple of times in my life.

But what good is that? :biggrin:

If you find you are getting addicted to coffee, dont worry. Any caffeine containing drink will sort out those witthdrawal symptoms

Ah, this is the fun part -- addiction doesn't quite work that way. People who get their kicks from coffee will continue to get it from coffee. Drinking anything else doesn't feed the addiction properly, as even just the smell of coffee is what usually gets their "B process" going.

I'm actually bad enough with coffee that I only drink it five days a week. The weekends are off-limits because my brain is so used to having it at the office and nowhere else. I walk into the office, my B-process starts, and I have to have that cup of coffee to counteract the sleepy, headachey feeling that I get. Drinking coffee at home or anyplace other than the office or car results in me getting overhyped and jittery.

Ah, sweet, sweet addiction!

I like my sugar with coffee and cream.

But its too sweet to be sour and too nice to be mean!

And now, the very political side of coffee: where do you get your coffee? Do you brew your own? Grind your own or from a can? What brand? Do your drink the shunned liquid from Starbucks? (I like their espresso drinks -- strong!)

Peets.com, Costa Rican, whole bean via the website.

As a treat to myself I have bought this item:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000645Z0/104-7981559-1556701?v=glance

It was on special so it even cost less than that. You put in the whole beans, it grinds them and brews them through its built-in mesh filter. It brews right into the thermos-esque carafe so coffee stays hot for hours. Then it turns itself off, no warming burner involved. And it has a timer so you can set it at night to brew in the morning, so you have a hot thermal carafe of freshly ground and brewed coffee made 10 minutes before you wake up.

I know you prefer not to go out ... but Genuardi's is carrying the Peet's brand now. That is some damn good coffee. And I'm down to my last bag, so I have to get more.

I only grab fair trade ones these days. Got my eye on one of those Krups machines when I finish moving. The Nero's chain in London is damn good, here it's mostly little cafes, some very good ones with Italian guys who view it as an art.

I think I'm going to have to place an order on that site, UT -- I've always wanted to get some nice beans. But now I have to dig out the old grinder, again, and I fear it probably doesn't work. Messy as all hell, too. Ugh.

My favorite method of brewing coffee: Vacuum Brewers

Its supposed to taste better, but I think just watching this thing bubble away is cool. I call it "the coffee bong".

I'm only a coffee elitist in that I drink coffe flavored coffee, none of this mocha java latte frappe granita crap.

Here in Louisiana coffee actually goes in the baby's bottle in some areas. I started before kindergarten and Little Sidhe (2 1/2 years old) actually has her own coffee cup.

I prefer a medium roast, it seems to have a better flavor and from what I've heard (I haven't looked it up yet) the longer the roasting period the less caffeine in the coffee.

As far as coffee and headaches goes, caffeine expands blood vessels, reducing the pressure that generally causes a headache, and also caffeine is synergistic with aspirin. If you look at Excedrine Migraine and its clones, you'll see acetominophen, aspirin, and caffeine.

Oh my. I think that coffee maker from amazon is going onto my wish list ...

Here in Louisiana coffee actually goes in the baby's bottle in some areas.

The last time I was in New Orleans I had a cup of coffee that was wonderfully rich, dark. People there told me it was because most of the coffee brewed in NO had a mixture of chicory in it. I'd love to know how to replicate it.

Kitsune wrote:

Do your drink the shunned liquid from Starbucks? (I like their espresso drinks -- strong!)

I love Starbucks. I've loved their coffee since we started buying it at Sam's clubs in CA in the early 90's. It just tastes better to me than all other coffees I've tried. We're between coffee machines right now so we've been getting them right from the shop lately. I wish I had a venti decaf soy latte right now...

And you must stop with the pills-to-combat-the-effects-of-the-pills thing. Try a good diet and lots of exercise instead, that'll keep you headache-free more efficiently than any drug. Treat your body like the temple it is

I'm actually fairly healthy but there's a limit to what your body can do without break, if you want to go beyond that you have to start using..external assistance.

Kitsune wrote:

The last time I was in New Orleans I had a cup of coffee that was wonderfully rich, dark. People there told me it was because most of the coffee brewed in NO had a mixture of chicory in it. I'd love to know how to replicate it.

You don't replicate it, it's impossible, against the rules. And likely to get you stuffed on an airplane bound for anywhere north of the Manson-Nixon line to boot.

Here you go though: Community Coffee: New Orleans Roast

This is what I grew up on, and still drink when I go to my grandmother's house.

This is what I drink when given a choice.

Haven't had coffee in a great while, but when I did drink it, I would do a max of 2 cups/day. And it could not be plain (black). I *had* to have cream of some sort in it, and most times, it would be flavored, like hazelnut or vanilla.

And then, if I really wanted to treat myself, I'd do Starbucks mocha cappuchino (sp???). :thumpsup:

For all you Starbucks people.
Especially whoever used the word "venti"

http://www.illwillpress.com/sml.html

Carbonated_Brains wrote:

For all you Starbucks people.
Especially whoever used the word "venti"

http://www.illwillpress.com/sml.html

LOL that was wrong...but funny as shit. :lol:

That shit happened to me one time in some in-store Starbucks while I was in one of those big-box bookstores.

"I'll take a small black coffee."

"You mean tall?"

"Small."

"We don't have small."

"I WILL EAT YOUR SOUL"

One thing I'd like to know regarding Carbonated_Brains' posted animation: where does one find a cup of coffee for fifty cents?

"Shmeesh! It's just 300 bucks, what is that, like a hundred cups of coffee?"

At work we have a machine which pours out brown turpentine and rat poison when you press the button that says "coffee"

and it's free!

Starbucks is the spawn of satan. They still get firebombed and vandalised over here on occasion, good. American pizza has it's charms be keep that awful shite that shouldn't be even compared to real coffee to yourselves.

keep that awful shite that shouldn't be even compared to real coffee to yourselves.

Yeah? What's real coffee like? Are you talking about fru-fru European "coffee" in the dainty little cups?

:rattat:

Real coffee doesn't taste like it was ground on the floor of a coal mine.

Mmmmmm.... coal mine....
:yum:

And those are demitasse cups, you uncultured swine! ;-)

jaguar wrote:

Starbucks is the spawn of satan. They still get firebombed and vandalised over here on occasion, good.

Whoa, you mean you are in favor of businesses getting firebombed and people possibly getting hurt/killed????? :eek:

I've had someone push "real" coffee on me before: I was handed a styrofoam cup full of what appear to be decade-old 30W motor oil that had been heated.

"It's Cuban coffee. You'll like it."
"Cuban, huh? Let me get some crea--"
"No, no! Cubans do not drink it with cream or sugar. Drink up, my friend."

And so I downed the thick brew moments before the cup disintegrated from the caustic liquid. It quickly found my stomach and ate a hole straight through the lining. Holy hell, that stuff was lethal.

Those poor cubans -- we need to air-lift them some half-n-half right away!

If you can't stick a fork in and half it stand straight up, it isn't coffee.

Go to Italy, find a good cafe, there are many staffed by people that train for literally years on how to make a good cup of coffee, gague the quality of beans, roast them perfectly, grinding consistancy, water tempreature....I'm not kidding, it's a goddamn art. As for the dainty cups, a real expresso has the same caffeine content as a full mug of coffee in 1/10th of the volume, two of those and you're wired for hours. I prefer a full mug, black and sugarless myself - mostly just you can sip on it for longer but when you're in a hurry it's a great hit.

ladysyc - the only reason someone would be there at 3 in the morning is robbing the place. mostly it's just graffiti or broken windows.

the same caffine content as a full mug of coffee in 1/10th of the volume

Now that is something I could get used to. Hook it to my veins! :eek:

jaguar wrote:

As for the dainty cups, a real expresso has the same caffeine content as a full mug of coffee in 1/10th of the volume, two of those and you're wired for hours.

No, actually espresso has less caffeine because it brews so much faster. That's a common myth though.

Ye gods I'm tired, I'm starting to spell phonetically.

But an espresso has a much smaller volume than drip brew.

best coffee i ever had in my life was in riyadh, ksa. at the british embassy. i don't know what kind it was, as the pakistani steward who always magically appeared to place a cup in my hand only smiled and never spoke. but it was awesome, so awesome that i may volunteer for another tour to go back.

i think starbucks is just overpriced sewer water, but nothing is bad as the turkish coffee. talk about making your toes curl and body parts fall off... yuck.

Yea that turkish stuff is......unique. Hookah pipes and that apple flavoured stuff though...oh man that stuff rocks, that and a triple single malt on the rocks and I'm a happy man for the evening.

jinx wrote:

I love Starbucks. ...I wish I had a venti decaf soy latte right now...

That is so majorly not coffee that I can't find words to adequately express my distress! EEEEEEEEAUW. And you're the woman who convinced her husband that microwaves were evil incarnate?

I like Starbucks java chip ice cream; I think the cream balances the overroasted Starbucks taste and everything works out.

On coffee itself, I'd be a snob if I liked it enough and could stand the side effects (no, not the caffeine. The coffee odor coming from every pore, and not just pores). I like Bucks County's regular blend, and some of the Whole Foods Markets blends, but if it's from a can keep it away.

wolf wrote:

That is so majorly not coffee that I can't find words to adequately express my distress!

Yeah, yeah, I know... try making a decent cup of coffee with soy milk though - it's just not possible. A latte is... dessert. Plus I don't have to stand there at the couter dicking around with cream and sugar for a half an hour...

Of course there is a cost to our morning cup of coffee

Child Labour

That's why I buy Fair Trade.

Good man. I'd like to say i always buy fair trade but I dont. There are occassions when I just buy the supermarkets own brand

You'd rather the kids not have jobs to support their families?

Do you really want to get into the economics of child workers?

No, not really, but you're more than welcome to start a thread outside of the coffee thread if you really feel the need.

Starbucks may have the coffee world wrapped up but they've got some work to do on their hot chocolate.

Starbucks may have the coffee world wrapped up but they've got some work to do on their hot chocolate.

Ever try their pastries? Especially that brown muffin with the big, creamy crater in the top? I've been trying for years to figure out what the hell that thing is supposed to be. I guess they have some more years to work on the food portion of their establishments, too.

...and I say this as I sip a $3 mocha with the big green logo on the side in the cardboard insulator. These cups could also use some work, too, but no one believes me. "Exploding coffee", I call it, when steam builds in the dome, a-la Mount St. Helens, and when you tip the coffee to take a drink the liquid covers the only exhaust hole big enough for gas escape (there is a little hole in the back specifically designed for vacuum and pressure release, but its not big enough!) The result is a small explosion of coffee that only seems to happen when you are on your way to work and have on nice clothing. Khaki pants and nice blue shirt are suddenly stained forever. I've experienced this, oh, four or five times, and trying to explain it to the staff is impossible.

Whats that smell? Impending lawsuit. Mmm. :o

Have you been traumatized by exploding coffee? Has your love life suffered? Did you lose your job as a consequence of stained clothing? I'm John Bellvue, attorney at law...

My friend's dad once left his coffee cup on the roof of the car when he drove off.

Then he opened the sunroof. :D

I buy Free Trade but until they tighten up the label licensing pretty much anyone can label their coffee (or other product) fair trade as long as they don't use the 'official' logo. Nestle are going through an appeal at the moment.

I didnt know that CW, that's interesting. I know that the Co-op only use fair trade on their own brand coffees and chocolate

Yes, as far as I know that's the 'real' fair trade. Always a good purchase anyway as it shows the consumer is becoming more ethically aware which forces people in my industry to reconsider the ethicality of the products they are selling - that glimmer of profitability from a new market gives any marketer wet dreams - I think we'll see a surprising increase in the number of ethically-aware products over the next few years.

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/
Is the site to check for the UK, similar sites exist for most countries. I'm yet to see one without the logo, if I do i'll go back and add some stickers to point this out.

(coffee wont stain unless it has milk or cream in it. Black coffee-stains wash right out.)

ahh.. coffee...

love the stuff! although I have the kinda bass-ackwards metabolism that if I drink 1-3 cups it wakes me up, more than that the hyperactivity (aka. adhd.. whatever!) reverses the effect and it starts making me tired. used to piss off my roomates, I'd wake up @ 10:00 watch 'The Price is Right' and 'Days of our lives' (yeah I know.. but it's sooooo addictive!) drink a 1/2 pot of coffee and then take a nap before work..

although a body ought to drink quite a bit of water if you also drink alot of coffee, it can lead to dehydration and kidney stones (yuck) and also on a side note (especially to those who have asthma or allergies) it's a great bronchio-dialator (sp?) if you start getting all wheezy

and fair trade coffee is the only way to go (a local fellow roasts his own coffees and buys fair trade beans.. so.. I buy from him, he's also a.) really good at it and b.) a really nice guy

Didn't someone say Starbuck's tastes like ass? I just had a Starbuck's latte--it was OK but not worth $3.55 (was a venti--I thought that meant 'small'--am idiot.) :blush:

I like coffee. I especially love turkish coffee in the morning. Nice kick to it.

Okay, I did some cellar searching but I couldn't find anything and I know someone has posted some links before -- can anyone recommend a good place to order whole beans? Besides continuing on my downhill slide into coffee-snobism, I think keeping whole beans permits for longer storage time and makes my habit cheaper. Last night, I got a burr grinder that doesn't make a mess (the previous one created so much dust on the counter that I stopped using it) as well as a very simple stove-top espresso brewer. I made some this morning and I don't think I'll ever go back to Starbucks, again!

For that matter, is mail-ordering worth it or should I just continue going to the local store?


:madhop:

Coffee coffee coffee coffee coffee....!

Kitsune wrote:

Okay, I did some cellar searching but I couldn't find anything and I know someone has posted some links before -- can anyone recommend a good place to order whole beans? Besides continuing on my downhill slide into coffee-snobism, I think keeping whole beans permits for longer storage time and makes my habit cheaper. Last night, I got a burr grinder that doesn't make a mess (the previous one created so much dust on the counter that I stopped using it) as well as a very simple stove-top espresso brewer. I made some this morning and I don't think I'll ever go back to Starbucks, again!

For that matter, is mail-ordering worth it or should I just continue going to the local store?


:madhop:

Coffee coffee coffee coffee coffee....!

http://www.communitycoffee.com/ccc/

The only way to fly.

I've resurrected the coffee thread because I have a horrible secret to divulge: Lately, I've been percolating.

I got it as a gift for my camping supplies. Shiney, wooden handle, and a glass bulb. Nine cups. Water on the bottom, coffee goes on top. Putting it on the burner causes it to come to life. No, it doesn't make the Maxwell House sound, but I hear the tune in my head when I see it happen, anyways.

Percolaters are shunned by nearly every coffee drinker for their evils. For anyone who has never seen one, after the hot water drains through the grounds it ends up in the bottom, again, and is heated once more. Many say the reheating of the coffee makes it taste bad. "It destroys the magic."

But I like it. I thought, maybe, that it was just the visual entertainment factor until I got to the bottom of my first cup and found my prize at the bottom of the cup: silt. You don't get coffee ground dust with a drip machine. In that way, its similar to coffee from a french press but with a slightly different taste. Oh, and the cup you pour is hot -- no thermos mug needed.

You should try it, sometime. Get back to your roots. Coffee was brewed this way since long before you were born, long before people got lazy. Not bad at all, really.

can anyone recommend a good place to order whole beans?

http://www.peets.com


And I don't know how percolating can be any easier than making perfect coffee. Bar none, the best method is just a plastic drip cone with the right coffee proportions.

Grind your beans for 15 seconds, and use two tablespoons of ground coffee per six ounces of boiled water.

Use either a new batch of Brita water, or cheap bottled water. The single biggest contributor to your coffee tasting like shit, is your tap water. Ours here is terrible for making coffee.

What's so hard? No silt, no mess, nothing.

Also, never put coffee in the freezer. Just put it in an airtight container in the dark...or if you haven't got one, throw the beans in a ziplock bag.

Oh, and let your kettle stand for 10-15 seconds after boiling, to let the water temperature go down a bit, otherwise your coffee will taste burnt and bitter.

I have had a cone filter brewer for years ... in several sizes, from one cup up to 10 cup.

All of my drip coffee makers have used the cone style filter.

But there IS a special taste to perked coffee, and it is a good thing.

Hey, did anybody's family decide they needed one of those Senseo things? I looked at them but decided I didn't need a more expensive appliance to make coffee with, particularly one that requires you to buy only it's special brand/packaging of coffee "pods".

What's so hard? No silt, no mess, nothing.

No, no -- silt is a good thing!

And Peet's has my vote. I purchased a lot of holiday gift packs for people (including myself) and I think they just got some more regular customers because of it. I know I love 'em.

I like Kona coffee the best. That rich volcanic soil and moist climate makes for a rich, potent brew. Jamaican Blue Mountain is also pretty good and it is reported to have the highest caffiene content of 'em all. The Japanese buy nearly the entire crop (they like the high caffiene content) but you can still find it here and there.

What does everybody put in their coffee??

I quit using cream years ago but Land 'O Lakes has come out with a fat-free half 'n half that is pretty good. I put cream and sugar in the first cup of the morning but go black for the rest of the day. So I guess, then, that it is possible to go back after going black

Sometimes, if I have coffee at night, I have it black put nutmeg in it. Lots of it. I grind it fresh from the nut with a rasp from my toolbox.

In the Winter, I drink a lot of green tea in the afternoon. The best I have found is from Teas of Green in Berkely. The owner makes regular trips to Asia and handpicks the tea himself. My favorites are Pi Lo Chun (deep and rich) and Genmai cha (mild and toasty). The only problem is he doesn't carry Lapsang Souchong, the Guiness Stout of teas. Its extremely dark and potent with an overwhelming smokey flavor. Good for evenings in front of a fireplace. And, of course, it is sacrilege to put anything in green tea.

It is crucial that those who are curious about the "pod" coffeemakers read

THIS

Target (here in Colorado Springs, at least) is trying to get rid of those Pod coffee makers like they're diseased right now. 50% off. I was thinking about picking one up, but realised suddenly that a new product on clearance probably means something bad. I do need to get a decent coffee maker though, I'm leaning towards this one.

The problem with the Pod coffee makers is they're on the Gillette model; give away the razor, sell the blades.

From Carbonated Brains' PA link (psst -- you reversed the script windows and busted the link by accident):

"It came with a "mild" roast and a "medium" roast, which present a wild inversion of expectations. Imagine that mild and medium are points in a continuum of hideous mouth crimes. The Mild is actually the only potable version, precisely because it tastes less like their product's theoretical maximum! Medium tastes like the mud in which dead men lie. I haven't even bothered with the Dark roast, whose flavor I imagine is somewhere between devil piss and liquid gonorrhea."

Douwe Egberts is the most vile coffee I've ever come across at a full three notches below Starbucks brand. The office stocks the stuff in one of their machines, which is an illusion of coffee urn. When you open the valve, a pump kicks in and mixes hot water from a line with coffee syrup from a plastic bag.

Vomit.

Allegro coffee beans (Whole Foods), or Illy (when its free because the cans are dented- I have a source ;)) brewed in a well worn Italian moka pot. simple, good, and frankly.....sexy. Oh, and the steam sound is pavlovian.

This was funny: "The Pleasures and Pains of Coffee" High literary discription for what is known in our house as burning a "coffee hole"-When you drink too much with out anything in your stomach.
www.blissbat.net/balzac.html

When you open the valve, a pump kicks in and mixes hot water from a line with coffee syrup from a plastic bag.

So you could forget the water and hook the syrup to an I.V. tube with a needle in your vein? :3_eyes:

nothing beats steam pouring out of your trackmarks.

I started cutting out caffeine gradually since this summer. I went to 1/2 caffeine 1/2 decaf, then to 1/3 caffeine 2/3 decaf, then to 1/4 caffeine 3/4 decaf, then to 1/8 caffeine 7/8 decaf, then I tried none. Ever since I got lower than 1/4 caffeine, I've been taking longer and longer naps everyday and I gained 10 pounds. I have no motivation, either. So, now I'm back on 1/2 and 1/2 and I'm feeling better. :3eye:

Wait a minute. Are you talking about when you make coffee?

Or do you go to a coffeehouse and ask for 1/8 decaf?

Either way is crazy. Before I've had a cup of coffee, there is no way I could measure ANYTHING into eight equal parts.

And I'm an engineer.

I premeasured it all into a big plastic container, so it was all mixed up in the right proportions whenever I wanted coffee. I would never ask for that at a coffee place!! they can't even figure out how to hold the sugar!

Where do you go that puts the sugar in the coffee for you?

staceyv wrote:

they can't even figure out how to hold the sugar!

I would not deal with a food service outlet where the employees do not have working opposable thumbs.

Beestie wrote:

What does everybody put in their coffee??

I put coffee in my coffee.

On rare occasions I will add some honey, especially to Dark Roast.

Chocolate is also an acceptable additive, especially to cappucino.

I have a cappucino machine that I actually use. At least once or twice a year.

We used to have one at work, but someone stole the damn thing during the remodelling. Either that or it ended up in an office upstairs in a box that nobody has looked in for three years or so. Along with the spare coffee grinder and the component stereo system.

I really have to ask the boss about that.

Dunkin' Donuts and Ma's donuts are the two main places I'd go for coffee, and all of the employees are dumb teenagers who don't want to be there. I hate starbucks coffee and most other coffee places. I only like medium brewed arabica coffee or Maxwell house Master Blend. No french roast, no flavors...
I don't go anywhere for the service, I go if I like the product. I have given up on finding decent customer service in grocery stores, coffee shops, walmart, petco, basically anywhere where the employees are making minimum wage, I'm getting minimum service.

I'm surprised I haven't posted to this thread yet...

I used to drink a lot of coffee, but pulled myself off caffeine for the most part almost 2 years ago. Now, I don't drink that much coffee, and haven't had coffee with caffeine in almost a year.

Among my favorite coffee places: Starbucks, Cosi, Corner Bakery, Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme.

Among my favorite store-bought/mail order coffees: Starbucks, Chock Full o' Nuts, Millstone, Gevalia.

On occasion, I like the following items in my coffee: vanilla, Irish cream or hazelnut flavoring; Bailey's or Kahlua. I generally drink it black, no sugar.

Fair trade coffee from the Co-op filtered into specially bought wide-mouthed, large mug, add cold semi-skimmed milk, take two in the mornings. (i.e. "skip the jug, filter straight to the mug" (sm wanna write a tune for that jingle?)).
I've had the same method, filter-cone and habit for almost thirty years now, but I'm on my fourth mug (anyone who want to cross refer this to the strange habits thread please feel free to do so).
For the rest of the day, I used to do lots of instant coffee, now I hardly do any, and when I do it's usually at work.

perth wrote:

Where do you go that puts the sugar in the coffee for you?

Dunkin Donuts does that, just ask for a regular and they put the cream and sugar in. It's the only place I will buy a coffee and only when I'm too rushed to make my own at home. I'll even buy a pound of their ground coffee once in a while. IMHO Dunkin Donuts beats Starbucks hands down!

And their donuts are way better than Krispy Kreme. :thumbsup:

Fair trade coffee from the Co-op filtered

*cheers*
Encouragingly I'm starting to think it's harder to buy a non-Fair Trade cup of coffee in London than it is to buy Fair Trade.

404Error wrote:

And their donuts are way better than Krispy Kreme. :thumbsup:

If we didn't already know that you live in New England, we would now. :)

sycamore wrote:

If we didn't already know that you live in New England, we would now. :)

Yup, and proud of it! Actually, Krispy Kreme is really just starting to make it's presence known in these parts. There's almost as many Dunkin Donuts as there are McDonalds (whose coffee sucks IMO) around NE.

My opinion of Krispy Kremes donuts is based on their use of some kind of frosting filling in their Boston cream donuts, my personal favorite. Dunkin Donuts makes a real Boston cream with a pudding type filling, ya just can't beat them! :yum:

Krispy Kremes have too much fat to eat an entire donut and they're too sweet. Damn things will make you sick.

Dunkin' Donuts, on the other hand, are just right to enjoy a couple: one to munch and one to dunk. The dense chocolate cake donuts are supreme with a cup of coffee on a cold, rainy morning.

I spent two years in New England with the Navy. I have to admit, Dunkin' Donuts is the only thing I miss. And I miss it dearly.

I'll take Krispy Kreme over Dunkin Donuts anyday...you can't beat their glazed donuts.

Seconded...Here in Baltimore, DD sucks rocks and KKs are twenty minutes away...I drive for the good stuff. MMMMMM! Warm fresh glazed donuts!

Brian

I drive for the good stuff. MMMMMM! Warm fresh glazed donuts!

You nasty. If you ever feel like not eating them ever again, simply witness the glazing process from behind the protective glass...

There are a kabillion things I would probably not eat again if I knew what it took to make them.

Kitsune wrote:

You nasty. If you ever feel like not eating them ever again, simply witness the glazing process from behind the protective glass...

This is exactly WHY I go there, to get one warm straight out of the oil and off the glazing belt... :joylove: They have popped up all over here in Iowa in the last 2-3 years. If you actually go in the store when they have the "Hot Donuts Now" sign lit, you can get a free one! Heaven....

Kitsune wrote:

You nasty. If you ever feel like not eating them ever again, simply witness the glazing process from behind the protective glass...

I have and I bought a dozen. YUM!

Now, if I were to tell you what I know about juice concentrate....

Brian

Had 2 KK's during lab meeting this morning, and thought of you guys :)

Those great 1.50 coffee+donut carts in NYC: if you order a coffee regular, you'll get cream but no sugar and I love the kruller....

According to me, coffee is not a bad thing. But once you started taking it you become used to of taking it. As such coffee gives no benefits to you but it just make you alert after a hectic or anything. you feel more energetic that's all what coffee provides you but if you replace coffee with the green tea then its very beneficial. It provides you far more then the coffee provides you.

I don't care if coffee is good, bad, or ugly...I like coffee. I like the way it tastes and I like the energy kick....most of all I like how it tastes.

Welcome to the Cellar, neowinharry.:D
Are you a green tea salesman?

Coffee is warm and comforting. I could drink regular black tea/or chi tea with cream and sugar for the same reasons. I do not like green tea for the fact it seems to make me sick....esp if it is added in a supplement. I read labels to make sure it isn't in there. Oh and I
don't like caffeine in my supplements either. I'd rather drink a cola.

I usually drink herbal teas with honey when I have a cold. Lemon grass is a great add in taste I think.

Third Person drinks entirely too much coffee. He wonders how much money he spends at Dunkin Donuts each month. Third Person, sadly, counts the Dunkin Donuts guy among his friends.

George likes his Kung Pao spicy!

You can have my coffee when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Shawnee123;384531 wrote:

You can have my coffee when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

:lol:

neowinharry;384432 wrote:

if you replace coffee with the green tea then its very beneficial. It provides you far more then the coffee provides you.

What about all the fluoride it provides? :greenface

Green tea is to coffee as salsa is to ketchup.

Koffy GOOOOD!!!:coffee: :coffee: :coffee: :shocking:

Pure ambrosia in a cup. I like african coffees the best personally, but a friend of mine recently suggested switching to an asian coffee during the winter. They're richer and have a deeper flavor, but a little overwhelming if you prefer lighter and more complex flavors.

I enjoy coffee.

glatt;384596 wrote:

I enjoy coffee.

That's not the question, you middle-of-the-road pansy. Things have to be GOOD or EVIL!

I have to say evil, purely from the caffeine content.
My GP suggested I cut out all caffeine to help me sleep, so I switched to de-caff tea (no taste difference) and I can't get excited about instant de-caff coffee so I've just given it up totally.

I don't really enjoy caffeine buzz anyway - it feels like my head is big and echo-y and I twitch like a bastard.

I drink coffee on ice all day long. Probably too much...

I'm immune to caffeine. I drink diet coke and coffee all day long. I do have occasional problems sleeping but it seems unrelated to caffeine consumption; drinking more or less in a given day does not coincide with sleeplessness, though my stress of that day will.

I mean, we gotta give up cigarettes, and drinks, and pot, and sex, and preservatives ;) and processed flour products, and any food that tastes good. Caffeine will be my last bastion of viceness!

Shawnee123;384837 wrote:

I mean, we gotta give up cigarettes, and drinks, and pot, and sex, and preservatives ;) and processed flour products, and any food that tastes good.

What?!? What the hell Shawnee? I thought we were friends?!? What talk is this- as soon as I saw it- I knew this thread was no good....but now this?


The question is not whether coffee is good or evil....The question is: is asking that question born of pure evil? To cast doubt where none is deserved like that? This is irresponsible slander! Why is this thread so long? What is to discuss here?
Is Shawnee good or evil?
See how that works?!?
:D
I'm going to go see who started this nonsense! Not only is this slanderous- but since it has been posted for the whole world to see on the internet- it is libel!
You can take my life and my liberty but I will be damned to the rankest and darkest level of hell before you get my java.

Shawnee123;384837 wrote:

I'm immune to caffeine. I drink diet coke and coffee all day long. I do have occasional problems sleeping but it seems unrelated to caffeine consumption; drinking more or less in a given day does not coincide with sleeplessness, though my stress of that day will.

What are the effects of Caffeinism (caffeine overdose)?

As you have learned before Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and can produce other effects through out the rest of the body. The symptoms of a caffeine overdose ("caffeinism") varies according to individual differences and the amount consumed. Doses ranging from 250 to 750 mg (2 to 7 cups of coffee) can produce restlessness, nausea, headache, tense muscles, sleep disturbances, and irregular heart beats it can also cause Anorexia. Doses of over 750 mg (7 cups of coffee) can produce a reaction similar to an anxiety attack, including delirium, ringing ears, and light flashes. These amounts of caffeine may come from a single dose or from many doses in a short period of time.


What are the long term effects that Caffeine can produce?

ULCERS is believed to be caused partially by Caffeine because Caffeine increases the secretion of acids and pepsin in the stomach, which could increase an already existing ulcer. But it isn't definite that Caffeine is responsible for this, tests were done that proved that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee inflamed ulcers. HEART PROBLEMS more seriously can be caused by Caffeine. Caffeine has been shown to cause cardiac arrhythmia's (irregular heartbeats) in certain people; often people with heart disease are told to avoid caffeine altogether. However, no evidence shows that caffeine is a causative factor in the development of heart disease.[SIZE=4][COLOR=#0000a0][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#8000ff][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4] [/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR]
[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

Beats the massive heart attack I could have suffered by now.

~snip~Coffee is Good For Most People – Reduces Risk For Heart Disease Parkinsons And Diabetes – Antioxidants Can Reduce Inflammation



A new study suggests that coffee can reduce the risk of inflammation and cardiovascular disease. This is more good news for coffee drinkers. Researchers have known that both coffee and tea are high in antioxidants which help remove unstable molecules in your body called free radicals.

Free radicals contribute to the oxidative process and over time can cause inflammation and other unhealthy changes in your cells. This study involved 27,000 postmenopausal women and concluded that by inhibiting inflammation, the drink will also inhibit cardiovascular disease.


The February issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource examines many beneficial aspects of coffee. Besides lowering the risk of heart disease, coffee, especially decaffeinated coffee, can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.



Coffee will also provide “brain protection”. Researchers assessed 890 older women and found that coffee can help cognitive skills including thinking, memory and comprehension. This could be because of the long-term caffeine exposure.

Coffee can also reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Moderate to high level consumption of coffee decreased the risk of Parkinson’s in women. But this was not the case for all women. For example, the Nurses’ Health Study also showed that high levels of caffeine -- six or more cups a day -- increased the risk of Parkinson’s in women who used hormone therapy.

There are some negative consequences to coffee consumption. Too much caffeine can cause restlessness, anxiety, irritability, tremors, sleeplessness, headaches, gastrointestinal symptoms and abnormal heart rhythms. Caffeine can also raise blood pressure.

The researchers say that for most people, “it appears that a moderate daily intake of coffee (two to four cups) doesn’t seem to hurt and may even help.



By Jeffrey Workman
Best Syndication Health Writer~ snip~

Don't believe the lies sheeple! :)

:corn: Still waiting for it to cause Anorexia.

And on that note, I think I'll go grab another cup!

Caffeine is how coffee berries resist insect pests: they eat of them and a dose of caffeine blows out their little nervous systems.

If we were the size of ants it'd do the same to ours.

so that's what happened to "Them."

Shawnee123;384531 wrote:

You can have my coffee when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

I second that. Coffee is the ambrosia of the gods.

It's especially good with a dash of spiced chai, or if it's black creme brulee with a squirt of apple syrup (it may sound icky, but it actually tastes like a caramel apple...don't get me wrong, though...I love coffee-flavored coffee just as much. With lots of sugar and powdered cow).

We've moved to Florida (it sucks...one big ant hill/high school USA). I work as a barista now, so I've gotten to try coffees from all over the world. I have to say, though, Jamaican Blue Mountain, which is $40/lb, didn't impress me. Haitian Bleu is excellent, though. I can even drink it black, which I normally can't do. It's very smooth. Cool Cafe Blues and Creme Brulee are nice and caramel-y.

Of course, I'll settle for Folger's Instant if necessary.

Maxwell House is crap, though. I'd rather drink tea than drink Maxwell House. Nasty, nasty, p-tooey! Bleech!

they have baristas at starbucks you know....


hows troubleshooter? buried in the backyard yet?

Coffee got my homework done tonight, instead of me passing out from exhaustion due to planning a first birthday party.

If coffee make you drinkers so energetic, why the hell can't you clean up after yourselves?
Always drips on the floor leading away from the pot. Sugar, creamer and dirty spoons all over. Brown rings and empty, or worse, almost empty, cups where they shouldn't be. Half full cups on tables, shelves, the copy machine, computer terminals or in wastebaskets, lurking like land mines.

OMG without a doubt coffee is evil - on the weekends if I sleep in and my husband has a cup or two, he's giving me the stink eye until I have my tea and get my ass moving

I cannot even begin to conceive how "coffee" and "evil" got stuck together in the same goddamn phrase.

Coffee...good.

Coffee is neither good nor evil. coffee has been my drink of choice for 30 years, why the flavor and the slight lift I get from the caffeine. I have never had a decaf that was any good. Once you figure out how to brew your coffee with out it becoming bitter you can truly enjoy the complexity, and flavor of the brew. Once I got away from home and learned how to make coffee with out scorching it I was able to research and come up with new brewing and serving methods for the wicked brew.
Oh BTW my favorite coffees come from South East Asia.

Lady Sidhe! How've y'been? Long time no see!

Lady Sidhe;385426 wrote:

Of course, I'll settle for Folger's Instant if necessary.

Philistine.

binky;385568 wrote:

OMG without a doubt coffee is evil - on the weekends if I sleep in and my husband has a cup or two, he's giving me the stink eye until I have my tea and get my ass moving

Keep your eyes shut, and you won't have to see the stink eye. :p

jinx;384555 wrote:

What about all the fluoride it provides? :greenface

From here:

Fluoride is toxic in very large quantities and can cause gastrointestinal symptoms and sometimes even death. But you'd have to ingest about 20,000 times more fluoride than what's in an 8-ounce glass of fluoridated water to see such an effect.

But remember, by the tenets of homeopathy, the less fluoride there is in the water, the more powerful it is!

Hey, the active principle in a homeopathic remedy is faith.

I am a coffee snob. I prefer good coffee. Not the burnt bean of a $4 Starbucks or similar brand either, but I will drink it on occassion. I want good 100% bean coffee. African coffee is good, so is some of the Indonesian beans. 100% Columbian is a must. Melita is our brand of choice for daily drinking. Illy is very good, from Italy, but to strong for a lot of people, I buy it mail order by the case. I drink 3 to 6 cups a day.

TheMercenary;387600 wrote:

Not the burnt bean of a $4 Starbucks or similar brand either, but I will drink it on occassion.

Yabbut, the Bucks burns it better than many of the other big chains.

theotherguy;387800 wrote:

Yabbut, the Bucks burns it better than many of the other big chains.

I think Seattles Best is better, but I still drink Starbucks when we go to Barnes and Noble.

Seattle's Best is owned by Starbucks.

After 20 years, I have it worked out. Regular whole bean deliveries of Peet's; they roast the beans the day before they ship. I like the fruity notes in their New Guinea variety. I use an expensive burr grinder, and grind just before preparation. Grinding just before brewing is 99% of the quality battle, right there.

Undertoad;387841 wrote:

Seattle's Best is owned by Starbucks.

I didn't know that. Their coffees sure taste different.

TheMercenary;387843 wrote:

I didn't know that. Their coffees sure taste different.

I think that is the point.

Merc, we laid hold of some Tanzanian Peaberry at the Trader Joe's. I was very impressed. It's layered, complex. Medium-darkish roast.

Oh, that sounds good.

The Tanzanian Peaberry is sometimes offered at the Starbucks. I haven't tried all 'bucks coffees but that there is the best I've ever had out of them.

This morning I am enjoying a delightful Sumatra bean purchased in bulk at Costco last night. Very smooth and wonderfully aromatic. Just a splash of cream, thank you.

Dammit I'm in a world of coffee snobs!

I drink Folgers, the kind in that new stay-fresh plastic container. That's pretty fancy* fer these parts.

(*it's fancy, but it's not fancy schmantzy)

Brianna;388976 wrote:

Dammit I drink Folgers...

NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Hey! You edited me! Bad theotherguy, BAD!

Now, go rub your nose in it (Folgers, that is)

:D

Brianna;388982 wrote:

Hey! You edited me! Bad theotherguy, BAD!

Now, come rub your nose in it

:D

Bad girl.

I see what you did there.

Can I offer you a cuppa Folgers? It's mountain grown!

What? Who? Me? I done nuttin'.

I think Juan Valdez just ran aground and is leaking oil...