How to brew coffee

[ghautz]

There has been a lot of fuss here from some eastern city slickers about some kind of sissy coffee. Check out this link to learn about real coffee:

http://www.rimcountrygazette.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=61&Itemid=92

It is this week's column by a cowboy/historian/author who grew up on ranches in this area. If you find the time, his weekly column, which comes out on Thursdays, is usually entertaining and educational.

 

[jbrumberg]

I don't drink no city slicker coffee (yet) and I freely admit to giving Ol' Dougster a gift certificate cause I am leary of going to the local areas and associating with the "artists" whistle: ) that support coffees, but I still do drink the high test stuff . I bring back beans from any coffee growing area I play and/or work in, but generally buy the best, most potent roasted beans I can get ahold of locally cause I do not travel like I used to travel. Your recipe for good coffee is pretty close to the 1000 mile coffee I used to drink years ago- good stuff if you want to grind your molars off (I now have a lot of expensive crowns to show my caffeine use history.) and/or float iron or melt spoons. I am much more genteel now- I grind my beans each morning as part of the daily routine (drives the dog wild) and then I super-caffeinate . Jay

 

[mobilus]

Jay, my wife dragged me into a few in the past, and I never felt comfortable there. She kept telling me to talk lower, well...quieter. Its like it's a church or something...the Church of the Living Coffee, Fancy Bean Assembly of Beverages (just off the frontage road).

Now sit me down in some greasy spoon diner , and we have a few really good ones here, and I'm good to go. People joke, laugh, and poke fun at others. A good time, for sure...and cheap too. Even the Dougster can afford their coffee.

 

[jbrumberg]

I like your kind of places and diner . I also like eating at those fancy joints, but no matter where I eat I will always embarrass the wife . Despite my dietary restrictions I still will eat at diners. I really like your expression the "Church of the Living Coffee" . I did go to a Starbucks once years ago and had a double "double" expresso. I think that I scared a lot of the patrons there - those artist types tend to be a little high strung and excitable . I have not been back.

Jay

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Jay, my wife dragged me into a few in the past, and I never felt comfortable there. She kept telling me to talk lower, well...quieter. Its like it's a church or something...the Church of the Living Coffee, Fancy Bean Assembly of Beverages (just off the frontage road).

Now sit me down in some greasy spoon diner , and we have a few really good ones here, and I'm good to go. People joke, laugh, and poke fun at others. A good time, for sure...and cheap too. Even the Dougster can afford their coffee.

My kind of place features RC Cola as their most popular drink and your choice of pastries is bananna or chocolate Moon Pies.

I can git all the coffee I want free of charge, down at the BP station along the highway. Granted, it's from a pot that ain't been warshed since Nixon was in office, but that just adds to the flavor.

Y'all and yer fast paced big city fancy cawfee drinkin' spots prolly wouldn't make it long here, 'less'n they's selling fishin' bait out the back door

 

[Dougster]

You folks are too dang funny! It's clear that most of you tractor-drivin' clodhoppers just don't get the gourmet caffeine experience... and there is probably no hope that you ever will. Nuthin' I am likely to say here & now or in the future has a snowball's chance in hell of ever converting you barbarians into gourmet caffeine aficionados.

"Church of the Living Coffee"... PLEEEEZE!!!

Dougster

 

[Farmwithjunk]

You folks are too dang funny! It's clear that most of you tractor-drivin' clodhoppers just don't get the gourmet caffeine experience... and there is probably no hope that you ever will. Nuthin' I am likely to say here & now or in the future has a snowball's chance in hell of ever converting you barbarians into gourmet caffeine aficionados.

"Church of the Living Coffee"... PLEEEEZE!!!

Dougster

No hope? NO HOPE? NO HOPE? More like NO REASON.

Actually, my preferred beverage is clean, clear, WATER.

I can't see taking perfectly good water and adding something that tastes like a combination of bird poop and brake fluid, then paying a premium price to get it served to me in a trendy, fashionable PAPER CUP

 

[tinkertoys]

Well all I can say is anybody that chases after that fancy stuff some folks call coffee just ain't got nottin else to do.

 

[Dougster]

I can't see taking perfectly good water and adding something that tastes like a combination of bird poop and brake fluid, then paying a premium price to get it served to me in a trendy, fashionable PAPER CUP

Well all I can say is anybody that chases after that fancy stuff some folks call coffee just ain't got nottin else to do.

Obviously, I remain in the minority here on NTT... ...a minority of *1* if I am not mistakin'.

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

I take great pride in being closet coffee snob ! In fact right now I am enjoying a freshly ground (10 minutes ago) and brewed sumatran bean coffee . It is pretty potent stuff and I am starting to feel like doing the snow dance thing outside and get some weather data RIGHT NOW or maybe I will just fly right on up there and check weather things out personally.

Jay

 

[Dougster]

I take great pride in being closet coffee snob ! In fact right now I am enjoying a freshly ground (10 minutes ago) and brewed sumatran bean coffee . It is pretty potent stuff and I am starting to feel like doing the snow dance thing outside and get some weather data RIGHT NOW or maybe I will just fly right on up there and check weather things out personally.

Jay

Well Jay... at least you understand and appreciate fine gourmet coffee... ...you just happen to be smarter than me and know how to make it at home.

Being old and senile, I have to get it already made at Starbucks!

Dougster

 

[Erik]

fine gourmet coffee is all well and good.
there used to be this roastery in Omaha that has the best blends on the planet. (OK, maybe not the entire planet, but it was pretty tasty) they had one called "Ken's african stout" made with kenyan beans that was a great way to start the day when you wwere going to be playing Tarzan with a chainsaw and log splitter all day. Their cowboy blend was also pretty good - especially about day 3 of the rendexvous when the gallon pot was about 1/3 full of those used, thoroughly "seasoned" grounds! (yup - add a fresh scoop for every pot, never bothered to empty it out until it was time to go home - there were always coals to keep it simmering)
is not my idea of "good".
fresh ground blue mountain or peaberry is a nice place to start if you want that.
then there's the way i learned to make coffee as a kid - put your folgers in the brew basket and add a dash of salt to neutralize the acid you were about to make. First time I did that as a member of the "pacific river canoe club", the chief thought I was crazy until he tasted it. (and no, we never told the cooks our trick)

on the other hand, maybe the reason I'm not fond of starbucks is because we already had 3 or 4 small roasteries in town when they joined the scene, one of which is only 1/2 mile from work... (I even ship their coffee to my starbucks addict friends in Pa - by their request, as holiday presents!)

 

[xPosTech]

Dougster...about those gift cards...I suspect those members who enable you to drink Starbucks (real aficionados drink black coffee) are merely concerned with the economy. How many cafes is Starbucks closing?

I tried Starbucks a couple of times at the VA Hospital in Houston. First I tried their Columbian. Had to wait while they 'did it my way'. Nope, I'm one of those types who want what I want when I want it. Their 'brew of the day' was just as bad (to me).

Then I figured (uh oh) "they must do it that way because of all the ex Dolphin types" so I'll try a different cafe. SSDD.

Now when I go to the VA I amble on down to the 'Fine Cuisine' area and get a regular coffee. The Starbucks kiosk is at the front door so you can't miss it. I've never seen more than 4 or 5 people in line. Dependents, I suspect. Usually there is no one in line. It wouldn't surprise me if that cafe was one targeted to close.

Enjoy your . Ask your barista if your local cafe is targeted. You may need to make contingency plans if it is. I'm not trying to put down your coffee. Remember who got you the .

Ted

 

[jbrumberg]

Every time I hear about a new coffee roastery I research it out. I will never be able to try them all, but I will try. I will add that there is an Ethiopian coffee bean called Yirgacheffe that I would seriously consider killing for and there are some Hawaian beans that I would also consider exercising extreme prejudicial action in order to get. Then there is this lemur (?) predigested stuff I read about somewhere . Jay

Over-caffeinated and loving it . Jay

 

[Erik]

Jay,
try looking up PT's coffee in Topeka, Ks. they have a website and some of their stuff isn't bad.

 

[GreenWannabe]

Learned to drink coffee in the Air Force a long time ago - just never, never, never clean the pot!!

Fred

Home is where the bus is....

 

[Dougster]

Dougster... Ask your barista if your local cafe is targeted. You may need to make contingency plans if it is. I'm not trying to put down your coffee. Remember who got you the .
Ted

And I will always thank you for that! But I still feel that Starbucks is doing okay in my area. Of course, I said the same thing about the CompUSA store in Nashua, NH... and now I see they are selling everything to the walls and closing their doors this week!!!

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

Ol' Dougster: Do not worry . There are a lot of good roaster/coffee joints out there who make a decent cup of "Joe" . There is even a good place for good about a mile from where I live. All you need to do is drive on MA Rt# 9W and look for a local "variety" store with a full size Holstein on the roof in Cummmington, MA. I will warn you that there are some artist types out here, but the hill apes can keep them in check . Jay

 

[irwin]

Well Jay... at least you understand and appreciate fine gourmet coffee... ...you just happen to be smarter than me and know how to make it at home.

Being old and senile, I have to get it already made at Starbucks!

Dougster

Add me to the gourmet coffee lover crowd (3 of us) but alas.. I no longer grind my own beans, did it for many years, (getting lazier) but I do look for something other than Maxwell house or Folgers, nothing against them, just enjoy the variety.

I have little choice at work, I'm not paying for premium coffee to bring to work and watching most of it turn to mud most days, customers get free coffee if they want, not always does the pot get emptied, soo whatevers on sale for the work pot.

Now at home, that first cup as I wake up. Mmmmm, a fine brew is a nice sequay from "grumpy" to "lets go".

 

[jbrumberg]

irwin:

I am a coffee whore , and when I worked in Costa Rica (including the jungles), the Ticos and Chicos referred to me as the "Cafe' Yunkie" . They had to factor me in when it came to documenting their expenses . Jay

PS: I rarely share my coffee except with wifey and close friends.