Author Topic: Apart from Starbucks or instant the most rank coffee you have had ? (Read 4998 times)

hellymedic · « **Reply #25 on:** 17 January, 2015, 11:02:34 pm »

I was introduced to Barleycup as a Penniless Student Oaf in the late '70s. It was on sale at the wholefood cooperative that plied its wares in the Students' Union every week.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #26 on:** 17 January, 2015, 11:05:15 pm »

Sesame Snaps also come from Poland, are sold in wholefood shops and bear no similarity to coffee, but are rather nice. Unless you don't like sesame.

hellymedic · « **Reply #27 on:** 17 January, 2015, 11:09:20 pm »

[OT] I have enjoyed Sesame Snaps (which might have had another name, way back) since the mid '60s...

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #28 on:** 17 January, 2015, 11:11:35 pm »

I expect it would be possible to grind up sesame seeds and make another sort of coffee substitute drink. I expect it would be just as horrible though!

hellymedic · « **Reply #29 on:** 17 January, 2015, 11:19:18 pm »

Isn't ground sesame tahini?

Valiant · « **Reply #30 on:** 18 January, 2015, 03:51:16 am »

I had that supposedly real Wild Bean coffee (or something) from a BP Station recently, that was vile. I've had better own brand instant.

ian · « **Reply #31 on:** 18 January, 2015, 07:55:43 pm »

I just spent a week drinking conference coffee (proudly brewed, or sponsored, by Starbucks). Any relationship to coffee was likely homeopathic but it gave my kidneys a workout. I must have filtered a small ocean in my attempts to sequester enough caffeine to stay awake through further PowerPoint marathons. Industrial American coffee has always been perilously weak, I remember the local coffee place used to do a bladder-busting 32 ounce bucket of the stuff. I do like my coffee to taste of coffee. I'm not a big fan of americanos, I'd rather have a proper filter coffee. Diluted espresso tastes like diluted espresso.

I'm not a coffee snob and I find Starbucks to be passable, though it always seems to have a distinct taste no matter what the bean and roast combo. They probably have some kind of chemical they add to ensure corporate brand consistency.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #32 on:** 18 January, 2015, 08:05:51 pm »

Yes but a proper Americano is a shot of expresso diluted with a small amount of hot water, Italian cups are small. The Starbucks version (or most USA style chain versions) uses a huge mug that would need about ten espressos to get the same dilution ratio as an Italian Americano. For that reason I'm with you and normally go for a filter coffee.

ian · « **Reply #33 on:** 18 January, 2015, 08:10:45 pm »

Quote from: pcolbeck on 18 January, 2015, 08:05:51 pm

Yes but a proper American is a shot of expresso diluted with a small amount of hot water, Italian cups are small. The Starbucks version (or most USA style chain versions) uses a huge mug that would need about ten espressos to get the same dilution ratio as an Italian Americano. That reason I'm with you and normally go for a filter coffee.

It's true. A proper filter coffee has a breadth of flavour, while I find americanos to be watery and harsh with little in between. Shame it's such an epic quest to get fresh filtered coffee owing to the tyranny of espresso machines in high street coffee outlets.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #34 on:** 19 January, 2015, 11:09:45 am »

Came into work the other day to find persons unknown wordlessly dragging the patients' coffee machine away and installing an object resembling the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey. I think the idea is that there should be no protruding objects, moveable parts, compartments with large signs on saying "DANGER: DO NOT OPEN EVER" (these last are the worst), for if these are present sooner or later someone will attempt an uncalled-for "adjustment" / repair / theft of the contents.

Following some testing, there has been much puzzlement about (1) just how it is possible to make drinks taste so vile and (2) the disgusting smell in the area of said monolith.

The answer has been discovered this morning: although the water comes from the mains, it goes into a hopper inside the machine before being used to make drink-like liquids, and into this hopper - as was witnessed this morning - go several chlorine tablets. Every day.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #35 on:** 19 January, 2015, 11:24:23 am »

I just remembered. I did some work for a bank in Malta once. Malta uses a desalination plant for drinking water. Every so often the desalination didn’t work so well, cue salty coffee !

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #36 on:** 19 January, 2015, 11:45:52 am »

The caterer's tin of Costco coffee made in the work filter coffee machine.

Definitely made from stale warehouse floor sweeping that have been pissed on by rats.

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #37 on:** 19 January, 2015, 01:51:00 pm »

Quote from: pcolbeck on 19 January, 2015, 11:24:23 am

I just remembered. I did some work for a bank in Malta once. Malta uses a desalination plant for drinking water. Every so often the desalination didn’t work so well, cue salty coffee !

OK, so it's not coffee, but...

For sheer outright Gaaagggghhhhhh!-ness the tea supplied by RAF Gan took some beating. We got there around three in the morning so it had clearly been stewing in the urn since the day shift knocked off, and the only milk available was military-spec evaporated, I think left over from the Battle of El Alamein. I do not care to speculate on the origin of the water but imagine there must have been a desalination plant involved. The resultant concoction was the same colour as Dale Winton in his heyday and could kill cows at a hundred paces, which in part explains the war-surplus milk.

My parents once had to spend a Several of days there while waiting for the Penguins to mend the VC-10. I posit the consumption of Much Gin.

Tim Hall · « **Reply #38 on:** 19 January, 2015, 02:00:42 pm »

Quote from: pcolbeck on 19 January, 2015, 11:24:23 am

I just remembered. I did some work for a bank in Malta once. Malta uses a desalination plant for drinking water. Every so often the desalination didn’t work so well, cue salty coffee !

Heh. More not coffee but tea: Years ago I was on my first Venture Scout camp. We were sitting around and decided to have a post breakfast brew. The tea tasted horrible, so we had another go. Same result. Investigations revealed the Big Dixie we were using contained water (good) that had been used to boil the breakfast eggs in and to which salt had been added (not so good).

rabbit · « **Reply #39 on:** 19 January, 2015, 02:59:44 pm »

I have a slightly different problem from just experiencing bad/poor roasts/beans.

In the UK , I am mostly a soya latte drinker. The choice of soya milk can be the difference between a 'good', or even 'alright' coffee to OMG THAT IS VILE. Some smaller 'independents' use chiller soya milk which normally has a bit of vanilla or some other hideous flavour that overpowers everything, even a strong roast. I've been to many 'posh' coffee houses that have ruined amazing coffee with terrible soya milk. Why they think this is a good idea I have no comprehension....probably because they don't drink soya lattes themselves. A lot of the 'main' chains like Starbucks, Nero etc use the Alpro professional which is sweetened slightly with apple juice to give a similar sweetness to normal milk. I tolerate it, but by far the best soya lattes are those made with unsweetened soya milk. Organic hipster cafes often use unsweetened, as do (funnily enough) both Waitrose and Sainsbury in their supermarket cafes. I am not a snob and will happily snap up a Sainsbury coffee if there is one in the vicinity of wherever I am working. Probably the best widely available soya lattes.

The best espresso I have ever had was outside a mechanics garage in Pila, Italy. Lavazza, but not like I had ever experienced in the UK. It was amazing. I'll never forget it. It put the French espresso I had been drinking for the 7 days previous to absolute shame.

rafletcher · « **Reply #40 on:** 19 January, 2015, 03:39:54 pm »

Quote from: Sergeant Pluck on 19 January, 2015, 11:09:45 am

The answer has been discovered this morning: although the water comes from the mains, it goes into a hopper inside the machine before being used to make drink-like liquids, and into this hopper - as was witnessed this morning - go several chlorine tablets. Every day.

The incoming mains water already has already been chlorinated of course - should be around 2-3ppm by the time it gets to the tap. As long as the tank/hopper isn't subjected to direct sunlight nothing bad will happen if you don't add chlorine to it.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #41 on:** 19 January, 2015, 08:44:19 pm »

Quote from: rafletcher on 19 January, 2015, 03:39:54 pm

The incoming mains water already has already been chlorinated of course

No idea why they do it, for the people that service the obelisk appear only fleetingly. Will investigate. Perhaps the tablets are some sort of pipe cleaner.

drossall · « **Reply #42 on:** 19 January, 2015, 09:12:32 pm »

Quote from: pcolbeck on 18 January, 2015, 08:05:51 pm

Yes but a proper Americano is a shot of expresso diluted with a small amount of hot water, Italian cups are small. The Starbucks version (or most USA style chain versions) uses a huge mug that would need about ten espressos to get the same dilution ratio as an Italian Americano. For that reason I'm with you and normally go for a filter coffee.

Is anyone else frustrated by this? I remember the celebrations when proper filter coffee reached these shores (obviously you could always get it yourself; I mean when ordinary cafes started serving filter coffee instead of instant).

Now we've been overtaken by this Americano stuff, and it's not the same. Half the places I try serve me Americano when I ask for filter coffee, and look blank when I question them. Very few offer a choice between both.

ian · « **Reply #43 on:** 20 January, 2015, 09:29:48 am »

Quote from: drossall on 19 January, 2015, 09:12:32 pm

Quote from: pcolbeck on 18 January, 2015, 08:05:51 pm
Yes but a proper Americano is a shot of expresso diluted with a small amount of hot water, Italian cups are small. The Starbucks version (or most USA style chain versions) uses a huge mug that would need about ten espressos to get the same dilution ratio as an Italian Americano. For that reason I'm with you and normally go for a filter coffee.

Is anyone else frustrated by this? I remember the celebrations when proper filter coffee reached these shores (obviously you could always get it yourself; I mean when ordinary cafes started serving filter coffee instead of instant).

Now we've been overtaken by this Americano stuff, and it's not the same. Half the places I try serve me Americano when I ask for filter coffee, and look blank when I question them. Very few offer a choice between both.

It's bloody annoying. Even in a rather posh London restaurant the other day, I asked for a filter coffee and the waitress replied 'americano?' No, filter coffee. She had to ask the kitchen if this feat was possible. It fortunately was. You'd think if they could pickle a pig's cheek or whatever else they did to fill out the menu, they could drip some water through coffee grounds or find a cafetiere. I don't think any of the high street coffee chains can do a filter coffee, you mostly have to search out a more traditional cafe. You have to be careful though, and avoid that pot of coffee made back in the 1980s and which has been on the hot plate ever since. Places that do a cafetiere are a better bet.

To be honest, I'm not a not a fan of espresso at all. I'd rather have a decent mug of coffee.

Torslanda · « **Reply #44 on:** 22 January, 2015, 11:59:42 am »

43 replies and no word from tiermat?

On our French Odyssey a couple of years ago we sampled some good, average and downright awful coffee.

Choosing to stay at Hotel B & B may have had more than a little to do with it, notable places to avoid being Rouen and Le Mans. Surprisingly the Golden Arches served a palatable grand cafe and the restaurant chain Buffalo Grill was appetising.

The worst has to be the local caff with half a spoon of instant with too much milk - didn't think that was technically possible - and boiling water. In a polystyrene cup it stays undrinkable for nearly a half hour.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #45 on:** 22 January, 2015, 12:10:39 pm »

Quote from: Sergeant Pluck on 19 January, 2015, 08:44:19 pm

Quote from: rafletcher on 19 January, 2015, 03:39:54 pm
The incoming mains water already has already been chlorinated of course

No idea why they do it, for the people that service the obelisk appear only fleetingly. Will investigate. Perhaps the tablets are some sort of pipe cleaner.

I investigated:
- the tablets are indeed some form of pipe cleaner, milk residue for the removal of. The fact that the tablets and presumably the residue end up in the coffee probably explains the taste.
- smell: the monolith contains a bin for all the dregs and whatever, which is to be emptied every morning by the suppliers of the machine. The smell is because they do not in fact empty it.