Which coffee

Are there any coffee addicts amongst us?

I'm looking for some recommendations :)

I currently use Alta Rica for work as my instant coffee. However, I have a delongi bean to cup machine and am looking some new beans.

I currently use the following and love it:

https://unionroasted.com/products/re...ature-espresso

It is meant to be for expressions but I have lattes. I like a nice strong flavourful cup! Any recommendations for beans to use in a lattes with similar flavour notes?

Thank you. I thought it would be good to have an informative chat about the different beans and coffees people use regularly and their experiences of these. :)

Ah this could be a long topic!

Short answer is just get trying - individual tastes vary too much to allow recommendations to be much use, but I'll give some anyway.

There are a few independent coffee suppliers in my local markets and shops so I tend to use them for trying out new flavours, along with a surprisingly good range from Waitrose when it's on offer.

Then there are the online subscription type places - yawn, pact, redmonkey, hasbean, phippsters etc.

From all that, I found my tastes were unfashionably for light roasts, which won't be what you want for a latte (need something darker to power through all that milk). So.. quick recommendations for you from my favourite darker roasts:

1. Phippsters Mark My Words: https://www.phippsters.co.uk/collect...my-words-beans

This has a bold kick and keeps giving flavour on the finish, but without being bitter.


2. Whittards Guatemala Elephant: https://www.whittard.co.uk/coffee/gu...ee-350488.html

A bit milder that the other two, but reliable medium-dark and smooth.

3. Marks & Spencer Italian Roast: https://www.ocado.com/products/m-s-f...eans-505712011

Brilliant 'budget' choice - tastes 98% as good as Mark My Words and you probably wouldn't notice the difference in a latte. Puts most specialist coffees to shame.

More just addict than afficionado, really... but I drink lots of it.
Mostly it's whatever the wife is happy with, as she's more fussy so gets to decide what we buy.

The current favourite is Cafedirect Free Trade Smooth Roast, which is a blend of Arabica and Robusta.
Kenco do a nice hazelnut instant one, and a few good decaffs as well.

I prefer coffee fairly gentle and smooth, rather than the rough mud-like taste of standard Nescafe and the like.
I'm also a sucker for coffee with hazelnut, caramel, honey and/or other such additions (usually done as a frothy, creamy latte), but while most of my coffees are instant and I despise cafetierre, I will always insist on making espresso on the hob with a kettle.

How long is a piece of string??

You need to try different blends of coffee,and then you will have an appreciation of type of coffee you like. What one of us might prefer,you might dislike!

Again, I'm no connoisseur but i do drink a lot of coffee and enjoy a nice cup!

I don't have a favourite brand or bean etc. but I do find that I enjoy varying the prep method to get different results. I don't have the disposable income to invest in any high end brewing kit or machines so I try to keep everything cheap.

For example, if I want a shorter, strong cup I'll use the mokka pot on the stove. That will give me a nice strong cup that's not as strong as Espresso but still something with a bit more kick.

If I want a longer coffee or several cups that I use the french press.

If I want something quick it's obviously just instant.


Beyond that - additives!

I was on keto for a while so started using double cream in my coffee. One of my favourites was with instant coffee. Add the coffee granules to the mug, then pour in some double cream and mix it up. The coffee will start to dissolve. I sometimes would then add a little vanilla extract, and/or some pure cocoa powder, mix it up, then add the water.

A little coconut oil can add a different flavour.

Lastly, I've started messing around with spices in my coffee. Taking inspiration from Masala Chai tea I started experimenting with adding ground spices like cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, into ground coffee in the mokka pot or press. I'm still figuring it out but I think there's some scope there.

So yes, depending on whether I just want strong coffee, or good quality coffee, or an instant hit, or a different flavour, I try to vary the process and add in other elements.

Now - I need to go find my helmet and put it on before the coffee purists see this and send out the assassins.

In the thread a couple of years ago which persuaded me to get a bean to cup machine, someone suggested the Sainsbury's blend beans. Both the machine and the beans have been excellent suggestions (thanks guys!), we get others but consume about a bag a week of the Sainsbury's strength 3 blend.

I also have a 1L bottle of caramel syrup with dispensing squirter that I got from Amazon for when I am in a sweet tooth mood.

Hasbean do a starter pack of roasted beans from around the world. They also offer them pre-ground, if you prefer. It's pretty good quality.

As for instant coffee, it's usually Nescafé azera or carte noir in our house. However, it's obviously a very subjective thing.

Oh, this question is very subjective. I like Monet but not Van Gogh. I like Dickens and Milton, but not Keats. I like 'classic' rock, but not Rap.

And I like Blue Mountain coffee beans. Have done since, well, Uni days in te 70s. I like the depth of flavour without the bitterness. But it all depends on the individual's tastes.

Oh, and much of the time, I just drink Azera Americano 'instant'. But if I revert to 'proper' coffee, I try to hunt down some Blue Mountain beans.

Am I a coffee afficionado? In past years, maybe, but these days it's too much like hard work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Saracen999

Oh, this question is very Am I a coffee afficionado? In past years, maybe, but these days it's too much like hard work.

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I resemble that remark! That said I found a solution that balanced taste and effort. I buy pre-ground coffee from a supermarket (I do keep it in an airtight container for what it's worth,) and then brew it using a Hario V60. Its essentially a plastic funnel shaped like a coffee filter that sits on top of your mug.You put a standard machine filter in it (they sell them in various sizes that align with the common filter sizes,) add the coffee and pour water over. Cost £5-15 depending on the size. As a result it takes no longer to make than my wifes tea I'm making at the same time. Tastes better than instant but without the faff of cleaning or taking ages to make.

Official guide video below but be warned the Youtube coffee hipsters have made videos showing how to horribly overcomplicate using such a simple device.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYr3RmSLGHw

Quote:

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Originally Posted by spacein_vader

I resemble that remark! That said I found a solution that balanced taste and effort. I buy pre-ground coffee from a supermarket (I do keep it in an airtight container for what it's worth,) and then brew it using a Hario V60. Its essentially a plastic funnel shaped like a coffee filter that sits on top of your mug.You put a standard machine filter in it (they sell them in various sizes that align with the common filter sizes,) add the coffee and pour water over. Cost £5-15 depending on the size. As a result it takes no longer to make than my wifes tea I'm making at the same time. Tastes better than instant but without the faff of cleaning or taking ages to make.

Official guide video below but be warned the Youtube coffee hipsters have made videos showing how to horribly overcomplicate using such a simple device.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYr3RmSLGHw

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But, but, but ....it takes all the fun out of real coffee if you don't need a PhD in coffee machines to drive your choice of bean-to-cup machine. ;)


Interesting idea. I do grind my own beans, when I can be bothered to get some, but I did look very seriously at a similarly priced device, the name of which escapes me, a couple of years ago. Was going to try one but, well, I never got A Round Tuit.

Are there any coffee tasting bundles,which have small packs of different coffees?? That way,you can try quite a few and get a rough idea of something you might like??

Edit!!

Something like this for example:
https://www.whittard.co.uk/gifts/gif...et-338087.html

However,the price is a lot for around 500G of ground coffee! This one seems somewhat better priced,but still a bit pricey IMHO:
https://www.realdealroasters.co.uk/product/super-7/

Thanks for the information folks.

I should say that I am wel aware how subjective coffee is. But I wanted to gether some reccommendations which I could try and then also provoke some discussion which could be informative for all :)

Keep the recommendations coming!

As I said, I am a big fan of Union Coffee's Revelation blend and would highly recommend it, as well as their Foundation blend. I have only ever tried full beans.

Having a bean-to-cup machine gives you a lot of great options. You can get decently priced, freshly ground beans online now that taste much better than what you'd get from a supermarket.

Rave Cofeee (https://ravecoffee.co.uk/) is my usual go-to for quality at a good price. They do a "signature blend" which is a standard entry point, but exploring all of the flavour types is part of the fun so I usually get a random mix.

Square Mile (https://shop.squaremilecoffee.com/) is for when I'd like to treat myself, although it's a tad more expensive.

Well, loving my new machine but getting used to the professional steam wand is taking some getting used to. And practice. I also have an active monthly subscription to Union Coffee for fresh beans. I've been using these guys for years now, but due to my increase of coffee consumption due to working from home, I'm going through 250g bag a week or so. So it makes sense.

If you're struggling with the steam wand, one trick I was taught is to use a drop of washing up liquid in a jug of water (those metal milk steaming jugs) to practice the steaming/foaming technique. Saves you wasting milk while you learn :).

And ditto on the increased coffee consumption. I usually buy a 1KG bag from Rave Coffee for £25-30, store it in a proper coffee storage container and go through that over the month. Saves paying for mutliple deliveries and the quality doesn't degrade that fast (since I'm storing it properly).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Laxet

And ditto on the increased coffee consumption. I usually buy a 1KG bag from Rave Coffee for £25-30, store it in a proper coffee storage container and go through that over the month. Saves paying for mutliple deliveries and the quality doesn't degrade that fast (since I'm storing it properly).

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Ditto on your ditto.... are you me?

Also increased consumption (go figure), Also buy 1KG bags, also Rave

I'm very happy with their Italian Job blend although I like to mix it up from time to time