How do you drink coffee?

[Particulate]

I don't drink coffee. The taste never particularly agreed with me.

 

[Marcus Thomas]

With an Aeropress, far better than the french press.

 

[Stir72]

First mistake was going to Starbucks - that shit is vile. Try a Timmy's!

 

[floobie]

To answer your question, I have my coffee with a bit of 1 or 2% milk. Cream is too "much" for me. It usually ends up sort of caramel coloured when I've done it right.

That said, I don't subscribe to the idea that good coffee is bitter. Starbucks' coffee is VERY bitter, though. They roast the piss out of the beans, and they do end up very bitter. Most people seem to associate that bitterness with the quintessential "coffee" flavour. I don't. A good coffee can be both flavourful and smooth.

If there's a Good Earth nearby, try ordering a light roast from them. It has a great flavour to it that Starbucks' "Pikes Roast" or whatever it's called is completely devoid of, but is also very smooth. Not bitter at all.

I used to take a tonne of milk and sugar in my coffee. Then I realized that my coffee sucked, and I was just using those to compensate for the bitterness. Then I tried good coffee, and I realized that I could easily drink it black, but could still add a bit of milk to get it exactly how I like it.

 

[annilator666]

i go one to two sugar depending on the size of the cup

 

[Drummah]

I am a coffee slut.

In my opinion the best way to try it before you get into ANYTHING overly flavored is to just have it with some cream or milk until you hit a nice tan colour.

If that's still too bitter, try a sprinkle of sugar, and sweeten it from there until you think you can handle it.

Once you have the basic, you can start taking some special liberties.



OR


If you you don't want to even go here again, next time you try a coffee at starbucks, try a vanilla latte. Sugary. Milky, and loved by many fake coffee lovers.

 

[Kurt Cristal]

Really? I'm the only one who chose flavored water? Vitamin Water Zero and LifeWater Zero ALL THE WAY.

 

[Zing]

Get two sugars and some milk. Black coffee is an extremely acquired taste. I only drink it when im really hankering and out of sugar and milk.

Also try some percolated stuff, Cappacino's are nice.

 

[Xeraxis]

I've drank coffee since I was about 16. I usually like any kind of coffee that isn't straight black. That stuff is bitter and strong as hell. With some sugar, I can drink it, but not completely raw.

 

[Raddra]

Go back and get sugar and cream/milk in your coffee.

otherwise, try some instant.

 

[ike42]

Believe it or not, I'm 21 and have just today tried my first ever cup of coffee. Yeah, I know I'm late on the bandwagon, but what can I say? For years, coffee was just as inaccessible and forbidden to me as drugs (Well, just as forbidden anyways). So I stopped in Starbucks and decided to just start basic: a regular coffee (brown) with no cream, sugar, or nothing.

As I'm sure some most of you would guess, I highly regretted that.

I mean I know coffee is supposed to be bitter, but DAMN! That was like the only word I could possibly use to describe it. I'm certainly never trying that particular idea again. Obviously I need to add something or start with a different kind of blend. What do you guys recommend? What's a good starting point?

Also, this is partly for homework. I'm writing a paper on coffee, and since I'm supposed to do some hands-on research, this just seemed like the obvious thing to do. I'm not looking to become a full-time coffee drinker, but I want to give it another shot before I write it off.

You should experiment a little more. Black coffee can actually be slightly sweet on its own depending on the roast level, grind, bean, and preparation method. One problem you probably encountered is that Starbucks tends to use too much heat and often over-grinds when they prepare coffee. This can increase the bitterness because a fine grind and very high temperature causes the bean to release more tanins, which is major bittering agent in coffee. Try a lighter roast, which actually has more caffeine by the way, and try a medium rather than fine grind. If you are in California at all I would actually recommend getting the light roast drip coffee from The Coffee Bean, it's pretty descent and tastes a bit nutty. If you have to add anything to your coffee to make it palatable then it's being prepared wrong.

 

[Josufu]

I use about three tablespoons of grounds for 20 oz of water, wait for it to cool a fair amount, and use a scoop of vanilla protein powder as creamer and sweetener. If you don't wait for it to cool, the protein powder doesn't blend properly.

 

[Gottesstrafe]

Black as midnight on a moonless night. Damn fine coffee! And hot!

 

[Nosense]

Black, just how i like my women.

 

[Varitel]

I take it black.
Insert your "Airplane!" references here

 

[Guffe]

I drink my coffee like this.
1) Hold the cup/mug/pint in your right hand
2) Slowly take the cup/mug/pint to you lips
3) Start to turn the cup/mug/pint so that the liquid starts to run towards your lips
4) Let the oh glorious coffee sip into your mouth AND SWALLOW THE OH SO GLORIOUS BEVERAGE!!

Oh well, I like put a little bit of milk in my coffee.
My dad thou, he puts sugar and cream in his coffee... it's really really sweet after that

 

[DanielBrown]

About 1/5 milk and tons of sugar. First started with coffee at my grandparents place, when I was six or seven years old. I threw in loads of sugar, drank the coffee as quick as I could and then ate the sugary remains. It was awesome.
Only really drink coffee these days when I need to stay up. Not the biggest fan of warm drink since it makes my teeth hurt. Think it might be related to the steel strings behind my teeth... or I'm just a pussy.

 

[shadow_Fox81]

small double latte (with full cream milk)

or a Machiatto.

or maybe a ristretto.

actually any coffee

Edit: none of that instant stuff or sugar. i prefer more bitter and intense coffees but i'll go a smoother blend if the barister can convince me
EDIT2; what's the short turish style coffee, thats pretty good.

 

[Bvenged]

Believe it or not, I'm 21 and have just today tried my first ever cup of coffee...

So I stopped in Starbucks and decided to just start basic: a regular coffee (brown) with no cream, sugar, or nothing.

As I'm sure some most of you would guess, I highly regretted that.

...I mean I know coffee is supposed to be bitter, but DAMN! That was like the only word I could possibly use to describe it.

Brown with nothing? You fool!! I have either a latte, cappachino, mocha or a regular white coffee. All with about 3 heaped sugars & milk/cream. Then it's not anywhere near as bitter & tastes completely different to, as you described, bitter plain coffee.

Try it like that next time, you will almost certainly find it more enjoyable & different.

 

[The Shade]

By the pot-load.

I drink my coffee black and strong.
Like a man.

Atta'boy. We know what's what.