Black is the only way to drink it if you really want to enjoy good coffee. Sugar, cream, and flavorings only adulterate actual good coffee. Folgers? Maxwell House? Put whatever you want in them....

I gave up on coffee adulterants 40 years ago.

I too use to not black black coffee, always had to have something in it. A little while back I changed a few habits and cut the amount of sugar intake I even started drinking tea without sugar, I know blasphemy right being from Texas, y’all know how we like our sweet tea. . Now that’s the way I prefer.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
That started me thinking – maybe folks can become acclimated to bitterness, just as they can become acclimated to hot sauces.

I find it interesting that you felt you have to become accustomed to “bitterness” in order to become a black coffee drinker. It shouldn’t be bitter. Bold, yes. Flavorful, absolutely. Satisfying, it has to be. Just say “no” to bitter coffee.

I once asked, “How is the coffee?” The serving lady replied with an Irish accent, “As me fodder oost ta say, you could trot a mouse on it.”
Now days, the high viscosity stuff makes it hard to close my eyes.

There are proven health benefits from drinking black coffee. Do an internet search, I think you'll be surprised as I was. I recently converted to black coffee.

I found coffee later in life and took to the black stuff right away. I tried it with cream and just didn’t like it. If anything a touch of chocolate or caramel is all that goes in for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
...found that I still liked it. And for several days now I’ve been drinking black coffee – and liked it.

same here.

quote:

This will simplify my life! Faster coffee prep, and no need to buy cream. Might help a bit with weight management too.

+1

For years I added 1/2 and 1/2, then Coffeemate. I tried black and like it, my unadulterated dark roast is by my side as I type this. I looked at the calories I dropped by this simple change and was surprised.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
That started me thinking – maybe folks can become acclimated to bitterness, just as they can become acclimated to hot sauces.

I find it interesting that you felt you have to become accustomed to “bitterness” in order to become a black coffee drinker. It shouldn’t be bitter. Bold, yes. Flavorful, absolutely. Satisfying, it has to be. Just say “no” to bitter coffee.

Wikipedia:
“Coffee is darkly colored, bitter, slightly acidic and has a stimulating effect in humans, primarily due to its caffeine content.”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee

Another aspect of my acclimation to bitterness: I used to dislike the bitter white outer layer of Brie cheese, and tried to scrape it off. But a year or so ago I discovered that I like it, and now I eat it along with the creamy interior.

I take my coffee with a shot of Bailys. Oh, who am I kidding, it's more a 50/50 ratio.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:

Another aspect of my acclimation to bitterness: I used to dislike the bitter white outer layer of Brie cheese, and tried to scrape it off. But a year or so ago I discovered that I like it, and now I eat it along with the creamy interior.

My god, man!

Well thank heavens you finally found your way into civilized society and no longer practice such barbarity. Goodness, I couldn't even imagine what would happen to me if i ever scraped off the rind from my brie in the company of my French in-laws.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
That started me thinking – maybe folks can become acclimated to bitterness, just as they can become acclimated to hot sauces.

I find it interesting that you felt you have to become accustomed to “bitterness” in order to become a black coffee drinker. It shouldn’t be bitter. Bold, yes. Flavorful, absolutely. Satisfying, it has to be. Just say “no” to bitter coffee.

Wikipedia:
“Coffee is darkly colored, bitter, slightly acidic and has a stimulating effect in humans, primarily due to its caffeine content.”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee

Well I guess that’s it then, wiki has spoken.

Maybe it’s decades of drinking black coffee, I don’t know. If the coffee tastes bitter to me, I hope that next time it’s better and pass on the bitter cup.

Started drinking it black way back when I was in the Navy working swing shifts. The only creamers they kept on hand was powdered stuff which tasted like chalk, and well might have been. Now if I get a sip of creamed or sweetened coffee it gives me a gag reflex.

My first cup is a Bulletproof, MCT oil and a pad of butter, and the rest of the pot after that is black.

If I’m drinking iced, I do like a swish of cream.

quote:

Wikipedia:“Coffee is darkly colored, bitter, slightly acidic and has a stimulating effect in humans, primarily due to its caffeine content.”

Yes, that is a general description, but it is Wikipedia, and incomplete in this particular description. If you cold brew coffee and reheat it by the cup, you will find that it is extremely smooth and mellow, not bitter. It is night and day compared to traditional hot brewed brew. The only downside is that you have to use a larger amount of bean-to-cup-o-Joe ratio.

I have consumed coffee for as long as I can remember.

As a wee lad I would drink it with milk and sugar, but some time later when I was in my early thirties I decided to go black. I was working in an office setting and somehow, the trouble of putting sugar and creamer in coffee just didn't make sense...so I decided to go "straight up". Been that way ever since.

I enjoy all the espresso based stuff, but that is just an extra. As for just coffee, I prefer a dark roast such as French roast.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
Black coffee is a gateway to Scotch.

I knew a couple of guys that did the 'caffeine-ethanol whiplash'. Hell, I might be a player in that game now... see the 'glass' thread. Black coffee at work each morning. Distilled water enhances good coffee, IMO. The unforgivable flaw of a coffee is the taste of burnt roast. The Trung Nyguyen from Vietnam is a current favorite. Cubano style is good too. I do add milk and sugar to the Najjar cardamom flavored coffee from Lebanon.

Pipe Smoker what is your attitude towards bitter beers like Hop Stoopid?

Black coffee
Straight espresso
Dark (90% or better) chocolate
IPA's (even high IBU)
Russian Imperial stouts

Like em all.

Hey I can say I went black and havent gone back. I too did cream and sugar in my coffee for years, then just cream and about a year ago I started intermittent fasting. The cream had to go so its been black coffee and I enjoy it now.

I tried cream in it a month ago just to see and it was fine but surprisingly I prefer it plain now.