Differences between types of coffee

[TeePee]

I am at 7600' of elevation. Water here boils at about 92C which happens to be the perfect temperature for coffee... Makes life easy!

[Zak33]

@Zak33: by high st chains do you mean places like starbucks? well, since I haven't really tried the coffee shops around my area I can't really compare the two, but I think starbucks is pretty good. P.S. I like your enthusiasm. And thanks for the links

well, I shant offend you ... I shall be gentle

Starbucks.. is... rubbish.. bitter.. harsh.. bad....

so.. this is the GOOD news.. if you like it.. you're in for such a TREAT when you find good coffee, you might swoon.

Costa is, in my opinion, the best of the rubbish on the High St chain list. Starbucks and Coffee Republic are horrific.

But... in the way that a Costa is better than a cup of freeze dried instant... so a really good coffee is better than a Costa.

x10

[Zak33]

I am at 7600' of elevation. Water here boils at about 92C which happens to be the perfect temperature for coffee... Makes life easy!

/\

is good.... but you're getting into science.... and while a good race car is science... a good driver is ..... organic

as is a good maker of good coffee.

[CarrierPigeon]

So, what exactly is the difference between expresso and the "normal, ordinary coffee" you get from cafetiere? O___O

[kalniel]

So, what exactly is the difference between expresso and the "normal, ordinary coffee" you get from cafetiere? O___O

Espresso (no x) is made by forcing very hot water under pressure past ground roasted coffee beans. Cafetieres steep ground roasted coffee beans in hot water at normal pressure for a length of time (similar to making tea).

They result in quite different tastes and textures - espresso can be thicker, stronger tasting and smoother. Which are qualities usually considered 'better'. Cafetieres extract more usable caffeine though. Bad espresso can also be bitter or burned.

[TeePee]

/\

is good.... but you're getting into science.... and while a good race car is science... a good driver is ..... organic

as is a good maker of good coffee.

Nooooo...

Coffee making is an exact science! We're talking about using hot water to extract oils and flavours from the coffee, without overheating and causing those molecules to break down.

[Moby-Dick]

I use one of these at home

http://www.aeropresscoffee.co.uk/

the hackers coffee maker

[Jonj1611]

From about 40 seconds onwards, this is where you will end up if you keep on this path lol. Sorry about the quality :-

[CarrierPigeon]

Espresso (no x) is made by forcing very hot water under pressure past ground roasted coffee beans. Cafetieres steep ground roasted coffee beans in hot water at normal pressure for a length of time (similar to making tea).

They result in quite different tastes and textures - espresso can be thicker, stronger tasting and smoother. Which are qualities usually considered 'better'. Cafetieres extract more usable caffeine though. Bad espresso can also be bitter or burned.

Ah sorry my bad I kept spelling it with an x
SO that clears it up now...thanks ^_^ I've been bothering my friends for ages and they still can't really give me a plausible explanation.
This one, on the other hand, seems to be more legitimate

[CarrierPigeon]

well, I shant offend you ... I shall be gentle

Starbucks.. is... rubbish.. bitter.. harsh.. bad....

so.. this is the GOOD news.. if you like it.. you're in for such a TREAT when you find good coffee, you might swoon.

Costa is, in my opinion, the best of the rubbish on the High St chain list. Starbucks and Coffee Republic are horrific.

But... in the way that a Costa is better than a cup of freeze dried instant... so a really good coffee is better than a Costa.

x10

If I'm not mistaken, I feel like you are holding back your rage or your urge of punching someone in the face, for I can evidently feel your wrath against high street chain coffee shops.

[CarrierPigeon]

From about 40 seconds onwards, this is where you will end up if you keep on this path lol. Sorry about the quality :-

It's funny but, what am I supposed to learn from this? O__O

[Pob255]

Espresso, the intense, concentrated dark tiny thimble full of lovelyness, (that most restaurants do so badly it makes me weep)... when done well, with good beans, roasted by a good person.... is like angels singing, and then gently pulling on the back of your eyeballs.

One of the best descriptions I've heard in a while.

Quick question for you Costa or Nero?
My personal experience is that Nero can vary a bit but the best chain coffee has been from Nero.
They also sell packets of chocolate covered coffee beans

One thing I'd say is never use pre ground espresso coffee in a cafetiere or any other coffee maker that does not use paper filters, the only ones you can safely use it in is a stove top coffee pot or esspresso machine.
The reason for this is because espresso is a very fine grind, it's just too small for standard mesh filters used it a cafetiere and most paperless coffee machines, so you get a lot of sediment.
For cafetiere or coffee machine you want a medium to rough grind (next to impossible to by pre ground coffee in rough grind)

If you really want to get into coffee you need to look at; beans, roast, grind, amount and method.
Heck even the water used can have an effect.

I'll have to come clean here I'm not as much of a coffee snob as I once was and I've taken to committing a major sin, I'm drinking instant.
There I've said it.
It's partly time and effort but mainly cost, buying a good espresso machine and grinder and then the daily cost of beans soon racks up.
That and I'm the only one in the flat who drinks coffee now
But there's still times I want real coffee so I have three standbys,
1 - a cheap sainsbury's value coffee maker http://londiniumespresso.com/blogs/l...r-for-gbp14-99
2 - a bodum solo cup http://coffeegeek.com/reviews/drip/bodumsolo/latest great for just doing a single cup.
3 - a small espresso stand just outside the station, decent, not the best but only £1.80p for a triple shot large or £1.60p for a medium (double shot)

I have got a Bodum Bistro Mug Press http://coffeegeek.com/reviews/vacpot...press/MRaleigh but I never use the ratted thing, it's a total pain to clean, not only to get into to get all the grinds out but also it's double walled so you've got to soak it or you get liquid trapped inside that can go rancid.

For instant don't get the really cheap stuff it's foul, sainsbury's own brand Gold roast is ok and fairly cheap, douwe egberts pure gold is good and Percol instant espresso (it's nothing like real espresso but it's a decent instant and Percol was one of the first Fairtrade coffee's in the UK)

[kalniel]

Costa over Nero for me.

I can't stand filter/drip coffee to be honest - a cafetiere is superior in every sense (cheaper, faster, better tasting) so your first two standbys would be unsuitable for me! It's not a touch on good espresso still of course.

Getting a cafetiere that's easy to clean isn't hard, not sure about that mug-press thing though.

The only instant I can almost stand is percol rocket fuel - taste is so so but it does work.

[Smudger]

I find Costa coffee to be too bitter. Nero is my fave high street chain...

[Saracen]

....

@Saracen: that was a VERY detailed post about brewing coffee. haha thanks! But isn't expresso the base of all variations o.O? You are confusing me a bit here.

I should have said. In relation to Lavazza, as a make, "Espresso" is simply the name they've given to a particular product, one of their blends, if you like, made of 100% Arabica beans, medium-roast.

It's NOT the same thing as is generally meant by espresso, that being the thick, dark, generally quite bitter coffee you get in a small cup.

All I'm talking about in the above post is "normal" coffee, that they happen to call espresso, and while they may (confusingly) name that blend "espresso" it isn't espresso in the normal sense, unless you brew the coffee that way, which I don't.

I hope that's clear. ???

[g8ina]

I don't find Costa or SB "bitter" as such, but instead I would use the term "oily". I've gone off Costa over the last 8-10 months, dunno if the crop was a bit off ...

In the meantime, my all time fave every day coffee is (waits for Zak to leave the room) ... Taylors of Harrogate Italian blend. In a cafétiere. But here's where I fall down big time - I HAVE to have a LOT of muscovado sugar....