Bill Johnson's blog
Quest For The Perfect Cup Of Coffee
11:36 PM on Jul 11, 2007

Yes, I'm on a quest for the perfect cup of coffee. The perfect cup is much like the perfect golf swing; its just always slightly out of reach. Sometimes you are close but it just keeps you looking even further for that one better cup. Thats why its a quest; you will never return as you always are searching. I was thinking today that maybe with the international representation we have here at R2P some of you fellas can recommend what your favorite coffee recipe, brewing technique or coffee roast or brand gets you close to coffee nirvana.



Posted by Tim McArthur at 12:06 AM on Jul 12, 2007
Comment #1

Well, Im probably the coffee expert here considering I usually consume 10-16 cups of coffee a day. I even have a cup or two just before bed so I can get to sleep. Without those late night cups, I wake up with THE headache (you know what I am talking about) and I only sleep 5-6 hours a night.

Anyway, back on topic. You simply can not get real coffee anymore. All this Starbucks "drip" (isnt that a VD?) and flavored coffee (I swore coffee already had a flavor... COFFEE flavor!) and the fad that coffee has become, well you just cant find coffe-flavored coffee anymore. It is always some weird named "French Vanilla expresso double dipped mocha with goats milk foam and a sprinkle of Kansas grass and Flax, hold the diary... oh, and decaf please!" What happened to the truck stop on the side of the highway that server a "Cup O' Joe"?

Just gimme the sludge at the bottom of a Denny's coffee pot that has been sitting on the burner for 15 days without ever being washed or re-brewed. That's a man's coffee, and that is my bliss. Denny's Coffee is the last good coffee but I am sure it will go to the dark-side soon enough when the Star-troopers offer them enough cash to do so.

In the mean time, since I dont get out too much anymore I hit my local grocery store to buy the only coffee I am willing to drink other then Denny's; Maxwell House Instant... the "no-flavor" type. $6 for 15 days of coffee. 120 cups of coffee that not only cost less then 2 cups of "the drip", it also doesnt taste like an almond-dust-goats-milk-venereal-disease...decaf please

Grrr!!!

I gotta get me a cup before I blow a vein.

Posted by Enis Dauti at 12:16 AM on Jul 12, 2007
Comment #2

I drink Nescafe, but my coffee nirvana is perfectly made espresso.

I agree on these flavoured coffee's... blah.

Posted by Mike Waltz at 02:17 AM on Jul 12, 2007
Comment #3

Guy asks for coffee advice and the first two responses are guys who drink instant (WTF?!?!) coffee!!!!!!!!!!111111111111111111oneone

It's like asking engineering students for sex advice or asking eskimos for air conditioning repair tips. Sweet Jebus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Enis Dauti at 02:38 AM on Jul 12, 2007
Comment #4

Shut up Mike. :P

Posted by Barry Hedrick at 03:31 AM on Jul 12, 2007
Comment #5

Jose's 100% Columbian coffee beans sold at the local Costco.

Freshly ground in my own grinder just before it goes in the maker. Not only when grinding it makes my mouth water, but while it's brewing and when I'm drinking it. :-)

Posted by Garry Hedrick at 03:39 AM on Jul 12, 2007
Comment #6

Haven't tried it, but a friend of mine did and loves it.
Coffee Fool

Posted by Barrett Erickson at 04:04 AM on Jul 12, 2007
Comment #7

so far, the best beans i've found were the dark roasted Sumatran Blue Lintong that a local up-scale grocery store chain stocked under their private label -- until recently.

one by one they ran out and their distributor has replaced it with a Sumatran Mandheling which i found undrinkable.

now that the last of them has run out, i too, am on a quest.

for now, i'm drinking a dark roast columbian that isn't bad at all.

i always go for dark oily beans.

Posted by Bill Kaiser at 04:07 AM on Jul 12, 2007
Comment #8

Peet's or here in Portland, Stumptown....

Posted by Clay Benish at 05:29 AM on Jul 12, 2007
Comment #9

I find adding a 2 tablespoons of chicory to a dark roast is perfect. Reminds me of sitting at the Cafe du Mond and eating beinets in New Orleans.

Yea.

Posted by Tim Robinson at 05:33 AM on Jul 12, 2007
Comment #10

Tim,

INSTANT? Did you say freaking INSTANT?

You're not a coffee drinker, if you drink INSTANT!

I have probably drank more coffee than most of you put together. You see, being in the Navy, and retiring as a Chief Petty Officer, one of the things you learn very quickly is how to brew the perfect cup of coffee. On a midwatch, if a spoon didn't stand straight up, it hadn't set long enough! :)

You also learn that COFFEE is meant to be drunk with nothing but the water it was brewed with. The same thing could be said for Iced Tea. Things such as coffee and tea were not meant to be "sweetened" If you don't agree then get over it!

Whoever the moron was that came up with "Sweet Tea" should be publicly hanged! :) If I wanted something that sweet I would just drink syrup!

tks,

Tim

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