@pyip001 In all actuality, never had one to compare. I drink coffee at Augies in Redlands (the owner won the US Taster's cup and is a finalist (today) in the Roasters competition. One of their barista's is a finalist in the US Brewer's cup. GO AUGIES!). I don't like his espresso though. Some day I hope to taste another god shot. A friend and I go coffee crawling now and then. And when I visit my daughter in Silicon Valley, we go there or SF as well.
@Cerridwyn I will have to try Augie's out sometime when I am down there! I don't know if I've had an absolute favorite but I definitely make it a point to visit s bunch of coffee shops when I am traveling.
@dashcloud I am well aware that they put crap into their deserts (Starfucks) or into the half way decent DD coffee. I actually knew someone who would put espresso shots into a chai latte. (much shivers).
@Cerridwyn Kind of sounds like a fun game though… what's the most disgusting thing you can get a Starbucks barista to concoct for you… I'm inclined to say it's actually just 'Starbucks brewed coffee,' but a shot of espresso in a chai latte makes me think there's plenty of room for… worsening.
@Cerridwyn Always nice to find a fallback… or a fallforward, I guess, if it becomes the new normal. I make two cups worth of French press at work, but occasionally just want another little something. There's a Saxbys very close to my office, and a Starbucks a little ways away. Then there's the secret Starbucks in a hotel that the uninitiated know nothing of. But I'll still pay subway fare, and take time to head out to Filter in Dupont or the like if I want my other little something. Because when you want that, you want it cared for. You don't want a cup of nonsense, you want a cup of attention.
I've had it a few times, but in general I just stick with the normal stuff. But a few days ago I went to a local shop and had "nitro" coffee. It comes ice cold out of a tap and gives it kind of a creamy texture like a nitro beer.
@brhfl quite a few places do that now as a quicker way to cold brew. Some is very good. Some is not so much. Just like good coffee or espresso it all starts with the bean.
@bluebeatpete I respect those of you who have the time and talent to home roast. It's not me. I buy local though, most of the time. He is very good. And my daughter and I send each other bags from time to time to share what we find we like.
@bluebeatpete Yeah, with my 21 years of dedicated coffee drinking, I only need 5 shots a week average over that time to clear the 5000 bar, and I feel comfortable saying I'm well over that threshold...
Back of the envelope, based on some guesswork, I'm guessing I'm somewhere north of 16,000, possibly as high as 20K.
@Cerridwyn Just 10-15 minutes a week with the appropriate $5 air popcorn popper from a thrift store and you got fresh roasted coffee. It's not hard to do. Buying local is what got me into roasting. I would buy from the "mom and daughter" coffee shop that roasted in house. The were roasting in house since 1974, now it's ubiquitous for the "finer" shops.
@kensey I started my foray into real espresso in the late '90s when I found a La Peppina machine for $15. Pulled a crap load of shots on that until the pot metal base corroded out. Now I use a La Pavoni. I couldn't begin to truly add my espresso's up.
A great shot of espresso is a wonderful thing. A mediocre shot is very much meh.
@bluebeatpete I know you can do that, but it's not what comes out of a real roaster and their special touch, at least in my opinion. I guess I'm a snob.
@Cerridwyn Pish Posh! Don't believe everything you hear. There are commercial fluid bed roasters in use all over. Sure, there is a slight taste difference, but what makes one real and the other one not? Comparing Drum to Hot Air Roasters
I use a popper for convenience and also have a drum that will do 6 lbs. Can't go wrong with either. Homeroast is great either way.
@bluebeatpete I don't disagree. I just know myself. Means it won't work. I buy local fresh beans, I grind and I make coffee. I dont' make spro. Cause I don't do it well. And that's okay with me.
In South Florida, we have Cafe Cubano. We drink the shots. In the morning, it is added to milk (Cafe con leche) like a latte, but after that, the sweetened straight cafe is sipped from little shot cups. (3 or 4 a day)
If any of you espresso lovers are visiting Manhattan, visit Little Italy.
Just south of East Village, south of Houston, north of Canal, on Elizabeth, Mott, and Mulberry Streets. Cafes everywhere, including many places that are only coffee and pastry. Some of them around for a century or more, and many around since the 60's-70's. Get some caffiene and local atmosphere. The concentration of cafes will be thickest on or near Mulberry.
In the old days they didn't overcharge and had little interest in being trendy. I hope that's still true.
I like an espresso macchiato. Just shots with a cap of foam. Starbucks seem incapable of providing this, always trying to make something with milk in it.
Lots. 6 years in Little Italy. Daily homemade, daily cafes.
Wait, which do you vote for if you've had anywhere between 1,000 and 2,000? (I think there's a typo…)
@brhfl me thinks you're right...
In a cup of starfucks coffee - none - ever - thank the lord and lady.
God cup was at the old Barefoot in Santa Clara - nothing has ever compared before or since.
And espresso doesn't need to be added to coffee, it is coffee. Sheeesh poll makers, go take a coffee class ;)
@Cerridwyn I think they mean in a Starbucks coffee drink like a caramel macciato or a flat white
@Cerridwyn where is your God cup these days?
@cpierce oh I know
@pyip001 In all actuality, never had one to compare. I drink coffee at Augies in Redlands (the owner won the US Taster's cup and is a finalist (today) in the Roasters competition. One of their barista's is a finalist in the US Brewer's cup. GO AUGIES!). I don't like his espresso though.
Some day I hope to taste another god shot. A friend and I go coffee crawling now and then. And when I visit my daughter in Silicon Valley, we go there or SF as well.
@Cerridwyn I will have to try Augie's out sometime when I am down there! I don't know if I've had an absolute favorite but I definitely make it a point to visit s bunch of coffee shops when I am traveling.
@pyip001 :) I do as well. Just watched Blair compete on Livestream. She did awesome!
@Cerridwyn The unwashed masses who go to Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks can and do get espresso "shots" into otherwise regular coffee.
@dashcloud I get my coffee at 7-11, and I wash every week or two.
@sammydog01 As a member of the Meh family, you wouldn't be unwashed even if you only showered once a month.
@dashcloud Aw, that's the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time.
@dashcloud I am well aware that they put crap into their deserts (Starfucks) or into the half way decent DD coffee. I actually knew someone who would put espresso shots into a chai latte. (much shivers).
@Cerridwyn Kind of sounds like a fun game though… what's the most disgusting thing you can get a Starbucks barista to concoct for you… I'm inclined to say it's actually just 'Starbucks brewed coffee,' but a shot of espresso in a chai latte makes me think there's plenty of room for… worsening.
@brhfl try 5 shots
@Cerridwyn What, just like a blunte cup or whatever the hell they call it full of five terrible espressos? Yeah, I guess…
@brhfl she finally gave them up, not because of the coffee, but because they screwed up her card and double charged her and wouldn't admit it.
whatever it takes, i've introduced her to Augies and she's very happy there, and likes it much better
@Cerridwyn Always nice to find a fallback… or a fallforward, I guess, if it becomes the new normal. I make two cups worth of French press at work, but occasionally just want another little something. There's a Saxbys very close to my office, and a Starbucks a little ways away. Then there's the secret Starbucks in a hotel that the uninitiated know nothing of. But I'll still pay subway fare, and take time to head out to Filter in Dupont or the like if I want my other little something. Because when you want that, you want it cared for. You don't want a cup of nonsense, you want a cup of attention.
@brhfl you sir have decent taste
I've had it a few times, but in general I just stick with the normal stuff. But a few days ago I went to a local shop and had "nitro" coffee. It comes ice cold out of a tap and gives it kind of a creamy texture like a nitro beer.
@cpierce Whoa, weird. I would try that.
@brhfl quite a few places do that now as a quicker way to cold brew. Some is very good. Some is not so much. Just like good coffee or espresso it all starts with the bean.
4 shots every Saturday and Sunday X 15+ years + many more throughout the weekdays = 5000+
I encourage everyone to homeroast. Charbucks is utter crap with minimal caffeine, that's why you need so much of it.
@bluebeatpete I respect those of you who have the time and talent to home roast. It's not me. I buy local though, most of the time. He is very good. And my daughter and I send each other bags from time to time to share what we find we like.
@bluebeatpete Yeah, with my 21 years of dedicated coffee drinking, I only need 5 shots a week average over that time to clear the 5000 bar, and I feel comfortable saying I'm well over that threshold...
Back of the envelope, based on some guesswork, I'm guessing I'm somewhere north of 16,000, possibly as high as 20K.
@Cerridwyn Just 10-15 minutes a week with the appropriate $5 air popcorn popper from a thrift store and you got fresh roasted coffee. It's not hard to do.
Buying local is what got me into roasting. I would buy from the "mom and daughter" coffee shop that roasted in house. The were roasting in house since 1974, now it's ubiquitous for the "finer" shops.
@kensey I started my foray into real espresso in the late '90s when I found a La Peppina machine for $15. Pulled a crap load of shots on that until the pot metal base corroded out. Now I use a La Pavoni. I couldn't begin to truly add my espresso's up.
A great shot of espresso is a wonderful thing. A mediocre shot is very much meh.
@bluebeatpete I know you can do that, but it's not what comes out of a real roaster and their special touch, at least in my opinion. I guess I'm a snob.
@Cerridwyn Pish Posh! Don't believe everything you hear. There are commercial fluid bed roasters in use all over. Sure, there is a slight taste difference, but what makes one real and the other one not?
Comparing Drum to Hot Air Roasters
I use a popper for convenience and also have a drum that will do 6 lbs. Can't go wrong with either. Homeroast is great either way.
@bluebeatpete With La Pavs from the 60s still going strong today, kind of the polar opposite of today's deal…
@bluebeatpete I don't disagree. I just know myself. Means it won't work. I buy local fresh beans, I grind and I make coffee. I dont' make spro. Cause I don't do it well. And that's okay with me.
Wherever you are, look for the nearest Dutch Bros. Coffee. You're welcome.
In South Florida, we have Cafe Cubano. We drink the shots. In the morning, it is added to milk (Cafe con leche) like a latte, but after that, the sweetened straight cafe is sipped from little shot cups. (3 or 4 a day)
If any of you espresso lovers are visiting Manhattan, visit Little Italy.
Just south of East Village, south of Houston, north of Canal, on Elizabeth, Mott, and Mulberry Streets. Cafes everywhere, including many places that are only coffee and pastry. Some of them around for a century or more, and many around since the 60's-70's. Get some caffiene and local atmosphere. The concentration of cafes will be thickest on or near Mulberry.
In the old days they didn't overcharge and had little interest in being trendy. I hope that's still true.
I like an espresso macchiato. Just shots with a cap of foam.
Starbucks seem incapable of providing this, always trying to make something with milk in it.
Starbucks coffee is an oxymoron
I just wish there was an actual Coffee of Doom, and it was local.