School me...I'm taking notes
 

I have a coffee maker at home, nothing extravagant like I read most of you all have, just a Mr. Coffee one that I bought at Costco for when my parents come to visit. They drink an exagerated amount of coffee everyday(they're Dominican so it's in them). They are used to making their coffee in the metal old school coffee makers but I tried finding one out here in Cali for them but no luck. That and they only drink Cafe Bustelo Decaf. They used to drink the regular one before.

Well on their last trip out here, when my daughter was born in Sept, I bought them a can of their coffee but they ran out 2 days shy of them leaving. My Dad said any coffe as long as it was decaf would do but that if Bustelo wasn't available he could do the Dunkin Donuts Decaf so that's what I got him.

Now that they are gone I have this coffee maker at home and this bag of DD Decaf sitting in my house and neither my wife nor I are coffee drinkers. For the Marine Corps Ball they gave us 2 silver travel coffee mugs. Finally I decided to put these things to use and for the last 2 days I've been non-stop with the coffee.

I've drank coffee in the past but that was when it was cold and hell and nothing else to drink to warm up in the field. Now I have this DD Decaf and it's ok but I know there has to be better stuff out there. I'm looking for some input here.

I'm not looking at changing the setup I currently have unless I really get into it heavily. My wife says she'll give it a try but I don't see her getting that into it to be honest.

What would you recommend me trying that would be simple yet tastes great? Again please keep in mind I'm new to this and have no idea about any of it.


Thanks everyone.

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

IMO you can't go wrong by starting with Starbucks bags which you can find at many groceries. It's much better than a can, they sell many varieties, and alot of their coffee is fair trade or C.A.F.E or organic.

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

I would look for a local roaster. You are doing two things by doing this, you are helping the economy by buying from a small business and you are buying better coffee than you have been drinking. Do you have a Grinder?

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

I was thinking of purchasing a few small packets of Starbucks varieties.

I do not have a grinder. All I have is the Mr. Coffee machine purchased at Costco.
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Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

Starbucks is good if you like brunt coffee taste and heart burn.

Lol...so what would you recommend?
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Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

Find a local roaster and buy some of their coffee blends to try it out and see what you like. Small local roaster usually equals many times better in quality than Starbucks (they burn the crap out of everything). Once you find a blend you like, grab a bag of it pre-ground, and bring it home for whenever you want to have it. Also, maybe look into getting a French Press -- makes some of the easiest and best coffee you can have, and they're not crazy expensive or anything like that.

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

I see the outcome of this now.

Slide slide slippety slide....lol.
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Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

If you have a Wholefoods nearby they roast their own and let you know when it was roasted, have a very wide variety and you can grind it there to your preference. It's a little pricey but damn it's good.
EDIT
+1 on the french press, you can get a cheap one from target for under $30 and the coffee tastes great.

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

Peets, if there is one close by, has all sorts of tasty unburnt beans to choose from!

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

Gunny, when you find your small local, which are your "collectibles and gift stores" most of the time, you can have the beans ground when you purchase. Since you are not "coffee drinkers" yet, so-to-speak, I would suggest some of the lower acidity beans, such as your Kenya AA, Tanzanian, or even Guatemalan. Now once you get so far in that you are naming coffees by region, that's when the sllliiiiiiiddddddeeee starts. Hahahahaha.

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

ten-hut.

Proceed by the numbers.

1. You will recon a local roaster or, as another said, try finding fresh roast at a Whole Foods; acquire very decent bulk, fresh coffees from stock.
2. You will grind it medium-coarse at the store if you don't want more kit in the barracks.
3. Double-time to supply and glom on to a 1-liter Bodum french press.
4. Prepare better coffee according to news regs (pour water at 205*F, stir, wait 4-min. and press) and be properly amazed.
5. Exploit local knowledge of best beans from-, and local resources for, Dominican coffee. Do this with respect for:
a. your heritage;
b. honoring your parents next visit;
c. the opportunity to know excellent coffee; and
d. to further your education - all at extremely low cost.

Merry Christmas.
And all the seasons blessings on you and yours for your service.
As you were.
Carry on.

Dan/MMoo

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

Others have pointed out that a local roaster has better coffee than starbucks. They are right. But there are poor local roasters as well as good ones. You can end up overpaying for coffee that is no better than what you can buy in a starbucks bag. And the starbucks, while far from coffee ne plus ultra, is still in a different league from the canned coffee most people drink. The company has introduced millions of people to the world of real coffee. That many of those people have moved beyond the brand does not mean it's terrible.

By all means if you enjoy the starbucks, start looking for local roasters and get yourself a french press. The cheapest french press (or manual drip) will make better coffee than 90% of the electric drip machines out there. That combination will take you as far above starbucks in a mr coffee as starbucks is from lukewarm chock full o nuts.

If you end up one day with an expresso machine, a french press, a high end electric drip, a burr grinder, and a standing order at a local roaster don't blame us. :)

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

I really like killerbeans.com

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

I've been grinding my own since the Summer of 1984 and have enjoyed every bit of it. Still learning about the fine points of coffee brewing too.

As Dan mentioned, the Bodum French press produces a great cup of joe. Especially when poured into a slim 10oz cup. I use mine from time to time.

A Melitta one-cup with a brown #2 filter has been my mainstay since day one, and both can be purchased at your local supermarket.

Recipe:

Melitta w/#2 filter resting on a 10-12oz cup.

3 heaping Tablespoons of coffee beans (I enjoy Trader Joes House blend, Columbian/Sumatra blend non-decaf).

Grind for approximately 17 seconds and dump into your Melitta.

Bring water to a boil, turn off the heat, and let the water rest for approximately 30 seconds, then pour gently over the coffee grounds. You are now sparging the coffee grounds and extracting some good stuff into your cup. Pour gently while maintaining the water level almost even with the top of the Melitta. Be careful not to overflow the coffee cup while sparging. When your coffee cup almost reaches the top, you can quickly remove the Melitta over the kitchen sink drain and the rest of your liquid will disperse there.

And now, you have a great cup of coffee to enjoy in the AM with your Cremosa Jay:tu

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

What a vicious bastard.
:r

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

Just wait.....
You have no idea just how much of a slide.
Mine is still moving and won't slow down.

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

LOL, very nice!

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

:D...

Re: School me...I'm taking notes
 

All of you just love to push don't you!?!?!? This is going to get ugly I see.

Theres is no Wholefoods anywhere nearby. Closest one is 38 miles away. Peets the same thing. I've looked up a local roaster and I'm going to swing by there today and see what they have. Not sure exactly what I'm going be looking for in there but I guess I have to start somewhere.

Wife is already seeing that I'm looking into coffee items and already fears the worst:r:r.

BTW this is the link to the roaster nearby me http://thecoffeeco.com/ What would you recommend I go for to start off from there?