quote:

Originally posted by bettysnephew:
If you have an Aldi's check out the German coffee they sell. It is in foil bricks and I usually find it on an end cap at our two local stores. If I recall there are two different roasts. It is also very reasonably priced.

Their German coffee is very good. I drank it for about a year or so. Recently I have been grinding and brewing their whole bean donut store blend, which is also very reasonably priced.

I’ve been very impressed with this brand: New Mexico Piñon Coffee

quote:

Originally posted by CaptainMike:
https://www.blackriflecoffee.com

I like their "Murdered Out" and "AK-47" blends/roasts.

You beat me too it. Excellent coffee and a good cause. My everyday brew.

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta:
Maybe not strong enough but I like the Kirkland Columbian bean.

S. American coffees tend to be a bit brighter.

I prefer earthier coffees: Caribbean, Central American or African.

sig229-SAS,

Costco usually has something in stock that we find we like. I'm drinking a Costa Rican from Costco atm.

Buy whole bean. Grind it as you use it, using a decent burr grinder. I have one of these: Capresso Infinity Die Cast Conical Burr Grinder

Either buy a good brewer (relatively expensive) or try one of these: Aeropress Coffee and Espresso Maker

I added one of these: The MESH: Premium Filter for AeroPress Coffee Makers by ALTURA. (Paper filters remove some of the oils.)

What is it you desire? Temp, texture, flavor, temp, process of making or something else?

If it is in the process which affects temp, texture, and flavor or richness then try a French Press.
Of course look at the beans too.

Good cup of Joe can be had.

Just choosing the right beans will make a difference:

link > https://driftaway.coffee/roastlevels/
Roast Levels – What’s the Difference Between Light Roast, Medium Roast & Dark Roast?

Coffee roasts are identified by their color: light, medium and dark. Although these are not the most accurate terms for describing different roasts, as some coffees are naturally darker or lighter than others, they are convenient ways to categorize roasts. When purchasing coffee, you should expect different characteristics from a light roast, a medium roast, and a dark roast.

Light Roasts Retain Most of the Original Coffee Characteristics

Light roasts have a light brown, tan, color and lack of oil on the roasted beans. They have the highest acidity and are the brightest of the three roast levels.

The characteristics of different origins are most pronounced in light roasts, as are the qualities of the individual coffee. Much of the taste comes from the original coffee, which is why light roasts are often used for cuppings.

Light roasts are sometimes called Half City, Light City, New England, or Cinnamon roasts.

Medium Roasts Balance Acidity and Body

A medium roast will have a darker brown color than a light roast and will look richer. Some of the coffee’s oils may be visible on the beans, as well.

At this roast level, the coffee’s qualities begin to give way to the roast’s flavors and aromas, creating a balance between acidity and body. You’ll still be able to taste the original coffee, but the beans’ brightness will be complemented with the fuller body that is introduced by the roasting process.

Medium roasts go by City, Breakfast, Regular, and American roasts.

Dark Roasts Showcase Bold Bodies and a Richer Taste

Dark roasts are dark brown, sometimes almost black, in color. They resemble chocolate, if it was shaped like a coffee bean. Oils can be seen on the beans at this point.


Oils can be seen on dark roasted beans.

When drinking a dark roast, you’re almost exclusively tasting notes from the roast. The brightness of light roasts is replaced with body in dark roasts. Because the original coffee’s qualities are mostly lost at this roast level, it’s difficult to pick out the characteristics of a specific coffee’s origin or lot.

Historically, dark roasts have been popular in Europe, giving rise to terms such as Continental, Italian, French, and Spanish roasts. Espresso roasts are also usually dark roasts, which is partly why espresso can stand up to lots of milk and sugar.

Roast level is largely a personal preference, as each level produces different qualities in the coffee. Knowing whether you prefer light, medium or dark roasts, though, can help you identify new coffees that you might like.

Do yourself a favor and go to a Williams Sonoma or Sur La Table store and try a sample or two from a Nespresso Machine in the Vertuo line:

https://www.nespresso.com/us/e...uo-vertuoline-chrome

Those stores usually have the machines on display and will let you try a cup or two before you buy a machine. You'll see that the Nespresso's are to Keuregs like a Mercedes AMG 550 to a Chevy Malibu, Waaaay better.

The machines are relatively inexpensive, $125-200. I've seen them at Costco and wharehouse stores from time to time too.

I was a bit of a Coffee Wonk. I like richer stronger coffee's and went through multiple Burr Grinders, drip machines, coffee presses. Tried tons of variations of coffee's, grind times, grind sizes etc etc etc. The Nespresso Vertuo machine blew them all out of the water for me. Several people have gone and bought Nespresso machines after trying mine.

You can look at the website and see that they have a pretty wide variation in coffee intensity's I tend to like the 8-10 levels but even the 2-3's are more flavorful than you'll get in average american blends.

The one downsides is that the capsules aren't cheap. they usually run about a $1.75 a cup give or take. Not inexpensive but 1/2 the price of Starbucks which is inferior coffee. Also unless you live near a Nespresso boutique you have to order the Capsules directly. This is either a convenience (you never have to go to the store to buy coffee) or an inconvenience if you forget to order 2 days before you run out.

But anyway they are usually free to try if you find them in one of the cooking stores. I've seen them at Dilliards and the like but they don't usually have the free demos. You should really at least try for free before you spend money on other systems.........dj

https://www.amazon.com/Illy-Gr...NHABFMWENNAW96S&th=1

or

http://www.javaboulevard.com/m...aican-blue-mountain/

Second the French Press. Combined with good beans and the taste is great. Percolators and drip machines add a bitterness to me.

We use a Keurig, and fuel it exclusively with Costco's Kirland Signature brand pods.

They have a couple of varieties, the only one that has a strong enough flavor for us is the Pacific Bold.

Very affordable, as K-cups go. A box of 120 is usually forty bucks, but they are frequently on sale for thirty-five, and I stock up when they're on sale.

quote:

Originally posted by Bulldog7972:

quote:

Originally posted by CaptainMike:
https://www.blackriflecoffee.com

I like their "Murdered Out" and "AK-47" blends/roasts.

You beat me too it. Excellent coffee and a good cause. My everyday brew.

We switch between their "beyond Black" and their "Silencer Smooth". Great coffee.

This.

Peet's MDB or Columbia Luminoso.

quote:

Originally posted by Archie Teuthis:
Peet’s Coffee, Major Dickason’s Blend or Big Bang. On the shelf at Publix.

There's a little place in LaVerkin, Utah, that has quite the following, so much so they've started shipping their roasts. I'm addicted to their Sumatra coffee, but I do enjoy the Costa Rican blend and the Nicaraguan. Don't be fooled by the prices, the bags are big!

River Rock Roasting

I've used the Nespresso Pixie for 7 years. It makes the best coffee I've ever had. It makes espressos, but I usually make "lungos" – more water forced through the pod. The Pixie is a basic model without the milk frother. Nespresso offers a wide range of coffees.

Re: "I like a strong, full bodied coffee in the morning, something along the lines of French Roast or expresso type."

The Ristretto coffee would fill your bill. It's a dark roast blend – mostly Arabica with some Robusta. The pods are aluminum with a hermetic seal – the coffee keeps good for years.

In the quantities I buy, I get free shipping (and no sales tax). The coffee arrives in 2 or 3 days.

Much better than the Keurig IMO.

One more thing:

I know as hokey as it sounds the water can make a difference.

I saw this on Shark Tank and tried it.
It WORKS!

https://thirdwavewater.com/

Black Rifle Coffee Company AK-47 Expresso and CAF are two of my favorites.

I also like Ethiopian Yirgacheffe a lot.

Mayorga Cafe Cubano has become my go to for a while now. Rich and flavorful. More than a few of my friends have now adopted it as well. It's actually roasted not far from me. I originally found it at Costco where it's very well priced. It's also available via Amazon and directly from the roaster's website.
https://www.amazon.com/Mayorga...Cubano/dp/B00HSRNHHG

I have been enjoying this from a local roaster in Roswell GA, Thousand Hills Coffee

We’ve been buying a coffee called San Francisco Bay Gourmet - French Roast, from Costco. Like others, we prefer a bold, dark roast coffee.

My all-time favorite was sold at Starbucks. It was called Arabian Mocha Sinani. I believe the beans came primarily from Yemen. It hasn’t been sold for years. Probably easy to figure out why.

Remember though, the coffee itself is one of three components to a good cup of coffee. The coffee maker is important. We have used a cone-filtered, carafe style maker from Zogirushi for a long time. Recently, I bought a replacement on ebay because they discontinued that model.

Third component and IMO about as important as the coffee itself is your water. I haven’t lived in a city since I went to college. Our water, with one exception has been outstanding. Now we have a well that taps the Ogallala Aquifer. It’s sweet and clean, albeit hard.

If you live somewhere that has treated water, it can have a distinct chlorine taste and smell certain times of the year. I recommend a terminal end water filter on your kitchen faucet to remove that taste. It’ll make a big difference.

Peetes Major D is my favorite but will only buy it when on sale. Usually stick with Kroger French roast

quote:

Originally posted by bryan11:
After using a percolator for more than a year, I switched to a Bonavita Metropolitan Coffee Maker. The same coffee as before is stronger, more full bodied, and less acidic.

I'm just curious what this coffee maker brings to the table that other drip style makers don't? I'm not opposed to buying one, just questioning what makes it better than the others.

Water seems to also be huge factor, ( Thanks smschulz ) for the tip on Third Wave Water, that is something that I will try for sure!!