Coffee

[cchu518]

Yikes that's no bueno! I'd still drink that over dunkin donuts!

 

[Barman1]

Yikes that's no bueno! I'd still drink that over dunkin donuts!

I'll drink pretty much anything.
Not that I'm going to like it but I'm not that much of a snob that I'll refuse to drink a cup. That's just being a dick.

 

[cchu518]

I will go both ways. I'm obsessed with eggmcmuffins and Mickie d hash Browns so I always get the combo with coffee theirs is a really strong commercial brew and I don't mind it.

I definitely don't like DD coffee though and will avoid it like the plague. I keep some in the freezer though as its my mother in law's favorite coffee. I've refused coffee or threw away my coffee exactly once in my life. It was in Tombstone Arizona. That town had the absolute most watered down coffee that I have ever had in my life!

 

[Monofletch]

NEVER throw away coffee!

My wife informed me that DD was on sale this week.

I received my second box today...... Let the games begin!

FWIW... I bought some McCafe French roast whole bean today. $4.99 for 12 oz (with a in store coupon). I will have guests over for the holidays and I can't waste the good stuff!!!!

 

[PrimitiveEnergy]

I like to drink the good stuff when I can but that is not always convenient. *$$ is on every corner but I would rather have Peets if I had the choice of 2nd wave cafes and McD's coffee if I am getting their breakfast already.

 

[PrimitiveEnergy]

Café Jitter Jump tour of Venice and Santa Monica. This concludes the last of the main specialty cafes in LA to date.

Café: Superbra. Friendly knowledgeable baristas but too busy because of its restaurant.
Espresso Machine: Red La Marzocco FB/80
Grinder: Mazzer Rober
Stores Recipe: 20 grams in, 29 grams out, in 33 seconds.
Bean: Verve, The Sermon Espresso
Farms : Fazenda Aurea, Las Cruces, Nigusse Lemma
Region : Minas Gerais, Santa Ana, Limu
Processing: Various
Cultivar: Catuai, Bourbon, Heirloom
Elevation: Various

“Tasting Notes: Fresh Blueberries, Dark Chocolate, Balanced
Cup Characteristics: The Sermon is our fruit forward and heavy bodied espresso. A fresh, lighty tart blueberry and coffee cherry up front, with dark chocolate in the finish. These flavor characteristics blend incredibly well in milk drinks making a cappuccino with The Sermon decadent and dessert-like.
Sourcing Information: Sermon has always been a new take on an old classic. A round body, heavy chocolate notes, and berry sweetness are what we consistently strive for. We taste dozens of offerings each season to find the perfect combination to achieve this end. This season, we present a three bean blend hailing from Central and South America and Eastern Africa. Fazenda Aurea a dry-processed Catuai from Brasil, offers a sturdy body and sturdy background, while Nigusse Lemma, from Limu in Western Ethiopia, provides the intense berry notes. Balancing out these extremes is Everest, which is a remarkably clean wet-processed Bourbon from El Salvador that bridges the gap between the Aurea and Nigusse Lemma. Together they yield an espresso that is both exciting and approachable.
Preparation Recommendations: The Sermon excels on a wide variety of espresso machine types (including the old-school, vintage lever machine types). We use a relatively standard approach on our more modern equipment; 20 grams in, 24-27 seconds, yielding 24-27 grams. Some folks also like to use the blend on their coffee brewer or press pot for a deep cup.”

Taste: Classic rich espresso taste of caramel and chocolate with no acidity. 4.5


Café: Blue Bottle. Friendly knowledgeable baristas that even gave me a fresh drink when I let mine get cold because I was talking too much.
Espresso Machine: Kees Van Der Westen, Spirit.
Grinder: White Mazzer Rober
Stores Recipe: 20 grams in, 20 grams out, in 28-34 second extraction time.
Beans: Hayes Valley

Blue bottles always over the top description, “We developed this espresso over five years ago for the launch of our Kiosk on Linden Street. This is probably our darkest espresso,: lower-toned, minimal brightness, plenty of chocolate – with an engaging complexity as a straight shot. The shots are gorgeous: achingly heavy with voluptuous red-brown crema, and the silky, somewhat dangerous-looking viscosity of a power-steering stop-leak product once used on our (now departed) heroically battered 1983 Peugeot. In milk, it tastes like chocolate ovaltine, and holds its own from the daintiest 3oz Macchiato to our towering 12oz caffe latte. This is the most Brahmsian espresso we have. Brooding and autumnal, it is a coffee to mourn the passing of time.”

Taste: Caramel and chocolate ristretto with no acidity. 4.5




Café: Intelligentsia. Baristas are always in a bad mood maybe because of the long lines.
Espresso machine: La Marzocco Strada
Grinder: Mazzer Rober
Web Recipe: Temp 199.5*, dose 18.5 grams in and extract 34-36 grams in 26 seconds.
Beans: Matalapa El Salvador Single Origin.
Harvested: Vickie Dalton Diax
Harvest date: January 10, 2014
Cultivar: Bourbon, Pacas
Elevation: 1200-1350 masl
“This Single Origin Espresso from Matalapa is among the first practical applications of this theory as an addition to our menu, and it’s pretty unique. A nice spectrum of flavors from Meyer lemon and key lime to browned butter and salted caramel leave a clean finish with a hint of sweet herb and spice.

Taste: Hotter than normal, astringent and bitter. 2.5


Café: Menotti’s
Espresso machine: Pastel blue La Marzocco FB/80
Grinder: Mazzer Rober
Beans: Four Barrel Friendo Blendo
Roasted: San Francisco, Ca.

Guatemala Chuito
Altitude: 1,550 - 1,680 masl
Varietal: Villa Sarchi
Process: Washed

Nicaragua Lovo
Altitude: 1,350 - 1,375 masl
Varietal: Caturra
Process: Washed

Ethiopia Qorema
Altitude: 1,700 - 2,100 masl
Varietal: Heirloom
Process: Washed

Taste: Initial acidity turns quickly to astringent. 2.5


Café: Primo Passo
Espresso machine: Synesso Cyncra 3 group, Cyncra 2 group.
Grinder: Mazzer Rober

Beans: Stumptown hairbender
“Flavors of milk chocolate, caramel, jasmine, Meyer lemon, apricot, and pineapple. “
Website: “HAIR BENDER is a complex blend featuring coffee from all three of the major growing regions; Latin America, East Africa and Indonesia. We devote constant attention to Hair Bender and are proud of its status as our most popular coffee. We often say our dedication to coffee at the farm level, including how the coffee is grown, picked, separated and processed is what sets Stumptown apart. The Hair Bender is no exception to this rule.
Unlike many other espressos of the world, Hair Bender features fully washed coffee as its backbone, and can have five to eight different coffees at any given time. We hand select these coffees to provide clarity along with the sweetness and complexity we are seeking. We continually taste this blend and each of its components (on the cupping table as well as espresso) to maintain the balance of flavors.”

Taste: Slightly thin body, little on the bitter side with no acidity. 3.0


Café: Café Luxxe
Espresso machine: Synesso Cyncra
Grinder: Mazzer Rober
Store Recipe: Ristretto dose 20 grams in, extraction 20 grams out in 24-28 seconds.
Beans: House blend, Testa Rossa. “Dark chocolate, caramel, jasmine, smooth finish.”

Taste: Way too under extracted and too strong a drink. Should have run a longer shot or dosed less. 2.0


Café: Demitasse
Espresso machine: La Marzocco FB/5
Grinder: Nuovo Simonelli Mythos
Beans: Demitasse Hitchhikers seasonal espresso blend of 50% Costa Rican, 25% Kenyan and 25% El Salvadorian.
Website: “Creamy mouthfeel gives way to notes of raisins, honey and rum.”

Taste: Slightly unbalanced and bitter. 3.0

 

[cchu518]

Prim, this last round of espressos how far are these cafes from each other?

PS do you guys have 7 eleven's out west? That's my go to quick coffee to go spot out in the suburbs!

 

[PrimitiveEnergy]

Prim, this last round of espressos how far are these cafes from each other?

PS do you guys have 7 eleven's out west? That's my go to quick coffee to go spot out in the suburbs!

Yes, lots of 7-11s. I used to drink a little coffee with their creamer.
Superbra to Cafe luxxe is around 3.5 miles and probably 15-20 minute drive. Blue bottle is almost next door to Intell. Cafe luxxe and Primo Passo are across the street from each other.

 

[Monofletch]

Prim, this last round of espressos how far are these cafes from each other?

PS do you guys have 7 eleven's out west? That's my go to quick coffee to go spot out in the suburbs!

This is the reason I bought a good Thermos! After having "good" coffee it is hard to drink other peoples coffee.

 

[Barman1]

This is the reason I bought a good Thermos! After having "good" coffee it is hard to drink other peoples coffee.

I've got a good Thermos but put flavored coffee in it once.
Which leads me to...
How does one go about getting hazelnut residue out of a Thermos?
It's been years and I can still taste it.

 

[Monofletch]

VINEGAR! Works like a charm!

Anyone else open their gift yet?

FWIW--The McCafe Dark is HORRIBLE!!! I believe it is Italian Roast....BLLLLAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! :barf:

 

[PrimitiveEnergy]

This year *$$ is making it more affordable for those who just can't get enough of their marketing. It is their $200.00 Limited Edition Sterling Silver Starbucks Card. The last 2 years they have sold out these LE gift cards even though last year cost $450.00 and $400.00 the previous year and quickly sold on ebay for as much as twice their value.



"It's not a diamond ring. Nor a gold watch. But for a cool $200 this holiday season, most Starbucks stores nationwide will be selling the Limited Edition Sterling Silver Starbucks Card.

Until they're gone, that is.

It's a solid silver mini-card, the size of a key-fob card, attached to a sterling key ring and clasp. It comes loaded with $50 for Starbucks food, drink and merchandise.

The other $150? Well, that's what Starbucks says is the retail value of the sterling silver card and key chain itself. And if history is any guide, they'll sell out faster than you can say Frappuccino.

For Starbucks, selling a fancy-dancy holiday Starbucks card has become a wildly successful annual public relations ploy. This is the third year -- and is the first year they've been sold in-store, not just on line.

About 43,000 of these cards will be made available in total -- two to 11 cards per store at the about 7,000 company-owned Starbucks stores in the U.S."

"It's taking the excitement of limited-edition cards and making them available to other people," says Linda Mills, a Starbucks spokeswoman. On Nov. 1, Starbucks offered 1,000 of these cards on its website and they sold out within four hours, says Mills.

One expert in luxury marketing says the promotion's got legs. "This Starbucks play gets media attention and buzz going," says Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing. "Any publicity is good publicity."

But, she adds, it's got considerably less luster than that $450 Starbucks Metal card promotion that sold-out online last holiday and the holiday before that with $400 loaded onto each card.

Why has Starbucks cut the value of its priciest holiday card and, this time, taking it to the stores? Is this a statement on the tough state of the economy?

"Customers told us that they wanted to have even greater access to our limited-edition, premium cards," says Mills." At $200, Mills says, the Sterling Silver card is "for the ultimate Starbucks fan. We realize it's not for everybody."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money...sterling-silver-card-holiday-retail/18914311/

 

[Monofletch]

Can they do anything wrong?

 

[cchu518]

That's incredible brand marketing!

 

[redsquid2]

If it's my at-home coffee, I'm very picky. It has to be freshly roasted, freshly ground, and in season.

In a social setting, I'll drink Folgers from a three-gallon percolator.

At my church, they serve Folgers from a three-gallon percolator, no lie. It's surprisingly good. Lutherans know how to work that percolator.

The coffee pictured below is what I've been grinding lately; Nicaraguan "blend of two distinctive roasts." Seems to be in season, according to my taste buds.

 

[cchu518]

I like Folgers! And Cafe Bustelo as well as Pico made by Nestlé do you guys have that in your supermarkets? I never k ow if stuff is regional or not. It's pretty popular in NYC though.

 

[Barman1]

I like Folgers! And Cafe Bustelo as well as Pico made by Nestlé do you guys have that in your supermarkets? I never k ow if stuff is regional or not. It's pretty popular in NYC though.

I keep a can of Cafe Bustelo around for Cuban coffee.
If you really need a jolt I highly recommend it. Super strong and sweet.
There's a good video on YouTube that shows the process. Pretty simple.

 

[cchu518]

Aww I love Cuban coffee I usually try to order it "oscurro" or dark and sweet! So tasty!

 

[Barman1]

Aww I love Cuban coffee I usually try to order it "oscurro" or dark and sweet! So tasty!

That is dark and sweet. The whipped sugar gives it a creamy froth.
The next time I make one I'll put it in clear glass for effect.

 

[PrimitiveEnergy]

"Citing Growth Elsewhere, Peet’s Bugs Out of Key Rust Belt Markets. Peet's also owns Caribou coffee.

Peet’s Coffee & Tea has pulled the plug on all its remaining Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania stores, many of which had been open a year or less.

The company shuttered approximately 14 stores in those states in August, and Monday was the last day of operation for the remaining 11, including six stores in Ohio, three in Pennsylvania and two in Michigan. The vast majority of all the closed stores in those states were converted from Caribou Coffee locations beginning summer 2013. Both companies are owned by the German group Joh A. Benckiser.

Peet’s says it plans to give employees of the most recently closed stores an additional six weeks of existing hourly pay and benefits, through the end of January. The company also suggests the failed expansion attempts in these Rust Belt markets does not signal a decline in its retail growth strategy — for comparison’s sake, Peet’s operates more than 170 stores in California alone.

While the company had been tight-lipped about the rumored store closings, it recently offered this corporate statement:

Peet’s began an aggressive U.S. expansion in Summer 2013, and we’re seeing incredible growth in new markets like Chicago and D.C. As with any fast growing retail business, we continue to learn and make adjustment along the way to meet our long-term goals.

We recognize this is difficult timing, and we are providing our employees at least six weeks of pay and benefits support that will take them through the end of January. This means we’re paying them at their normal hourly rate through the end of this year plus at least one month of severance support. For the majority of these employees who worked both at Peet’s and Caribou, they will receive additional severance based on their collective tenure with both companies.

This is not an easy decision, but it’s important that we responsibly manage our costs and begin 2015 with a stronger focus on our top performing markets, including Chicago, D.C., Boston and California."
http://dailycoffeenews.com/2014/12/...here-peets-bugs-out-of-key-rust-belt-markets/