While we're at it

[ksmith]

Coffee beans. Which brands are favorites?

FWIW, I prefer a medium-strength brew. I bought some Caribou Sumatra yesterday. I still need to work out the water:coffee proportion to taste, but it's OK.

Comments

[bevhale.livejournal.com]

I used to buy coffee for a writer I worked for. Her favorites were: Columbian Supremo, Kona, and Ethiopian Harrar. Hope it helps. The biggest problem is whether the beans have been over-roasted. That ruins the flavor. Don't bother with Jamician Blue Mountain, as it is weak and isn't much more than dishwater.

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

Most of the blends you're talking about are sold in the U.S. at approximately 10-12% of the native beans you've mentioned. 100% Kona runs very strong with a very earthy taste that even my coffee loving palette can barely tolerate --- and Jamaican Blue, fresh roasted, ground and made in a french press is divine.

[bevhale.livejournal.com]

Different tastes, different coffees. I've always wanted to like coffee, but by the time I add everything to it, its no longer coffee.

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

I'm finding these days that Bolivian and Brazilian coffees are where my money's at.

However, I have to say that despite critics, I have liked Starbucks Breakfast Blend as my morning staple. Their Pike's Place Roast is not too shabby either. I prefer importing and roasting my own bean --- but either of those two are a decent substitute. IMO.

[earthgoat.livejournal.com]

I'm a big fan of 8 o'Clock Coffee 100% Columbian meself. It's mild to medium and consistent as long as you keep your coffeemaker reasonably clean. I've tried various Kona brands, non-Columbian, and froofy flavored (i.e. hazelnut, vanilla, etc.) and they never seem to do it for me like 100% Columbian. Dunkin' Donuts isn't half bad either.

If you go the decaf route...really don't. But if you must, I recommend Sanka. Because decaf tastes icky.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

That's the kind I drink, but somehow it doesn't have the punch it used to. Maybe I'm not making it strong enough.

I had been mixing it half-and-half with the Dark Roast, which comes in a cream-colored bag. But it's hard to find around here. One local store used to carry it, but no more.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Have to admit that I'm not a coffee snob (or aesthete, your choice...) -- I stick with 8 O'clock basic whole bean, the stuff in the red bag. Have enjoyed a properly-roasted Sumatran, though.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I used to drink the red bag stuff until I gave the brown bag Colombian a try.

[(Anonymous)]

I like Kona and Costa Rican. We have two roasters near us that do good flavored coffees, if you're into that, but also have huge selections of other types. baltcoffee.com (like the fair trade Ethiopain) and greencastlecoffee.com/ (like the Flying Monkey blend and Old World Chocolate, which tastes dark but not sweet).