The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: billt on December 09, 2014, 08:16:03 AM
-
http://wealthsoup.com/7-dumbest-things-waste-money-every-single-month/?utm_source=Yahoo&utm_medium=Yahoo&utm_campaign=Yahoo-Gemini
Expensive Coffee
That’s right, I’m talking to you Mrs. Skinny, No Whip, Double Soy Mocha Late with a shot of Espresso. Oh yeah, and that will be $4.50. $4.50…for coffee?!? If you bought cheaper coffee and invested $3.50 a day starting at age 25 with an average interest rate of 6.5% you would have $240,000 extra when you retire! In fact, instead of spending $10 a week on coffee, you can use an all-new website called Loyal3 to buy $10 worth of stock in Starbucks (or one of 200+ other quality companies)!
-
Who are you kidding none of us here would invest that $3.50 a day for retirement. We'd buy more guns! :D
-
Who are you kidding none of us here would invest that $3.50 a day for retirement. We'd buy more guns! :D
Which, if well taken care of, will be worth more than you paid for them. The point is, I go past a Starbucks about a 1/2 mile from my house every day. It's unbelievable in the morning, how there are at least a dozen or more cars backed up at the drive through. Everyone of them waiting to pay $5.00 for a cup of coffee, and idle their engines for 10 minutes to do it.
-
I grind and brew my own coffee.. DD and Starbucks suck...
As to saving and being broke. I was doing fine until some asshole decided to drive his minivan in the same space as my motorcycle and I lost the battle.
Now I'm part of the 1/3 that will be hard pressed to recoup my losses before I retire.
Funny how life gets in the way sometimes...my advice is to get run over by someone with some liquid assets and a pricey car instead of some illiterate douche bag from (insert euro shithole here)!
A McLaren would have been a better choice but you don't see too many in Cranston, RI!
-
I grind and brew my own coffee.. DD and Starbucks suck...
As to saving and being broke. I was doing fine until some asshole decided to drive his minivan in the same space as my motorcycle and I lost the battle.
Now I'm part of the 1/3 that will be hard pressed to recoup my losses before I retire.
Funny how life gets in the way sometimes...my advice is to get run over by someone with some liquid assets and a pricey car instead of some illiterate douche bag from (insert euro shithole here)!
A McLaren would have been a better choice but you don't see too many in Cranston, RI!
Ditto this.
*Not a big coffee drinker, when I do, I drink what the wife brews at home (mostly Folgers or Maxwell House..... (WHAT?....yes, plebian, I know)......when I buy coffee at a drive-thru, I go to McD's... $1 for a large.
-
I never understood the starbuck thing. Its burnt coffee at high prices.
Oh btw all of the drive through place s here have attractive 20 somethings in bikinis, underwhere or some other revealing clothing. Now that I could understand having a 200/ month bill for, but not starbucks.
Oh yeah my gyms juice bar has 3 hotties working there in yoga pants and sports bras, they make a killing.
I still don't buy either
-
DD is good, but as TAB says , Starbucks is overpriced burnt crap.
-
DD stores are only good for landmarks when you're providing directions around New England, Tom!
:)
-
I tasted Starbucks coffee once or twice. I guess it was okay but I brew Gevalia at home. It's the only coffee I've tried so far that tastes good black. I order it online and it's around $7 per half pound. Not the cheapest but a long way from being the most expensive, and nowhere near coffee shop prices.
-
Typically use a Kirkland brand bean. Grind and brew at home. On the road, McDonald's is better than most "coffee" places.
The hottie servers haven't caught on here in Atlanta, unless you count Hooters.
-
I've got a years worth of Maxwell House, Folger's, Kroger all French Roast. I've got some Kirkland to trial.
My pension fund is currently paying 63 cents on the dollar, I expect it to be in receivership when I'm finally able to retire. Buying guns is my current priority, screw saving, see what it got me. Damned Union mismanaged fund.
-
I grind and brew my own coffee.. DD and Starbucks suck...
As to saving and being broke. I was doing fine until some asshole decided to drive his minivan in the same space as my motorcycle and I lost the battle.
Now I'm part of the 1/3 that will be hard pressed to recoup my losses before I retire.
Funny how life gets in the way sometimes...my advice is to get run over by someone with some liquid assets and a pricey car instead of some illiterate douche bag from (insert euro shithole here)!
A McLaren would have been a better choice but you don't see too many in Cranston, RI!
I do that too...but before I grind them, I roast them from green coffee beans.
The "purist" timeline for coffee is:
Brew coffee should be consumed within 2 hours of brewing...and NEVER held in a carafe on a heated pad, but in a insulated carafe
Ground coffee should be brewed with in 12 to 24 hours after grinding...the sooner the better quality.
Roast coffee should be ground with a week to 10 days or is will loose quality.
Green Coffee beans can be stored for 2 years without loss of quality...and if stored much longer, the quality doesn't deteriorate, but the taste will change...still quality..just different mix of tastes.
If you want to look in to home roasting, check out Sweet Maria's https://www.sweetmarias.com/store/
-
I never roasted my own beans but it sounds interesting. My mom boils her coffee in an old percolator. She makes a pot full at a time but only drinks a cup a day and keeps the rest in the fridge. I've never tasted it and don't plan on it. As for McDonald's coffee I tried it once and it was badly burnt and the worst cup of coffee I ever recall drinking. There aren't any Dunkin' Donuts around here anymore or I would try that. I'll try nearly anything once and I won't go broke over coffee.
-
To me roasting and grinding your own coffee is like brewing your own beer. I'm not that big of fan of either to bother. I have my 3 cups of Folgers in the morning, and I'm good for the rest of the day. It's much the same with beer. For the few times a year I get the taste for one, a bottle or can of Miller or Bud suits me right down to the ground. I'm in and out of the store in 5 minutes with either...... If they're on SALE!
-
bilt, bilt, bilt. Oh where have we gone wrong? What's next? Thunderbird wine? Old Crow bourbon? RG Industry revolvers?
-
I tasted Starbucks coffee once or twice. I guess it was okay but I brew Gevalia at home. It's the only coffee I've tried so far that tastes good black. I order it online and it's around $7 per half pound. Not the cheapest but a long way from being the most expensive, and nowhere near coffee shop prices.
Jumbo I'll have to try that Gevalia stuff some day. I like strong black coffee so no Folgers, Maxwell House, etc. for me. I do drink Community Dark Roast and Sams/Wal-Mart have a house brand called Sumatra Fair Trade dark roast. The Sumatra is hit or miss because sometimes it's dark roast and good and other times they get it towards medium roast not-so-good. Then there is a local brand around Beaumont, TX, called Seaport which I really like...dark and strong and I mix it 50-50 with Community.
And yeah....McDonald's...I'd rather drink ice tea because it's pretty dang weak.
That's not a knock on you guys that like coffee that's not so black and dark...to each his own.
For you guys way, way down south you might even be able to grow your own. I'm planning on buying a couple of trees and planting them at my mom's in Louisiana...probably too cool but I'm going to try it anyway.
-
bilt, bilt, bilt. Oh where have we gone wrong? What's next? Thunderbird wine? Old Crow bourbon? RG Industry revolvers?
Here is the deal. Like most Americans I don't really like the taste of Coffee, or the "coffee breath" it leaves you with. I NEED the beverage, more than I WANT it. I much prefer the taste of tea, and drink it quite regularly. However, it doesn't wake me up in the morning anywhere near as well as coffee does. I know someone will come forward with stats that show various types of tea that have more caffeine than coffee does. While that may be true, it just doesn't get it done for me in the morning. And I've tried every tea grown under the Sun.
I've never been an admirer of coffee. All that chocolate and whipped froth crap they sell at Starbucks is anything but coffee to me. It reminds me of a Baskin & Robbins on high heat instead of frozen. I think the people who buy it are like me, in that they want the wakeup with a better taste. I've found a dash of salt in my coffee takes out a lot of the bitterness. But no matter, it's not a taste I prefer, but rather require the results it's consumption gives me. It seems the older I get, the more this requirement takes hold.
-
Keep in mind that a decent "tasting" coffee isn't just about the beans!
It's about the brewing method, temperature of the H2O, residence time with the grinds, etc..
I prefer a simple coffee press. They're cheap, you can control everything and steep the grinds just enough to perfect the taste profile to your liking.
Grinding is an issue in that you need a large grind size for a press. Most markets have a grinder but I've found a decent burr grinder that I can control the size quite nicely. Too fine and it works right through the screen.
The issue with ALL chain coffees is the time it sits on the burner and the sad fact that it cost about 20 cents to make a "Venti" (20 oz) cup and they charge 3-5 bucks for it...
I buy a good market brand, mostly organic, from various local roasters here in New England. A 12 oz bag is about 8-10 bucks and last me 8-10 days depending. Not too many roasters offer a bag that is actually a pound anymore.
-
Expensive coffee is off the table so to speak but what about the other things?
As for credit cards I always paid mine off and didn't pay any interest until 2 months ago when I charged way more than I should have. It should be paid off next month and I won't do that again.
I'm sure I'm paying too much for car insurance. I need to look into that. I do get a discount for having home and auto with the same company.
My money is in a credit union so I don't pay any ATM fees. I did pay $3.50 once when I was on vacation and went to a bank and later realized that there were 2 CUs across the street that I could have gone to.
I never pay expedited shipping. I can wait 3 days for regular UPS shipping.
Thankfully I have no mortgage payments.
I don't care if something is brand name or not as long as it's good.
-
Yes, Frank...
No credit cards, period. I have a prepaid Amex that I use online.
Car insurance rates here are controlled by the Politburo on Beacon Hill in Boston. Everyone pays more to insure the drunks and bad drivers... 700 a year for two vehicles. Can't save much there...would love to fire AAA as an agent though. 100 bucks yearly for membership that I don't use...
Credit union, no ATM charges and even if I used a foreign ATM because I direct Deposit and use the debit option a few times monthly, I get a refund of all foreign ATM charges and interest on my account.
I never pay for shipping if I can help it...period! Never, ever pay for "express" shipping.
Even the organic stuff I buy is store branded...except for my coffee and it's only a dollar more...
-
Here is the deal. Like most Americans I don't really like the taste of Coffee, or the "coffee breath" it leaves you with. I NEED the beverage, more than I WANT it. I much prefer the taste of tea, and drink it quite regularly. However, it doesn't wake me up in the morning anywhere near as well as coffee does. I know someone will come forward with stats that show various types of tea that have more caffeine than coffee does. While that may be true, it just doesn't get it done for me in the morning. And I've tried every tea grown under the Sun.
I've never been an admirer of coffee. All that chocolate and whipped froth crap they sell at Starbucks is anything but coffee to me. It reminds me of a Baskin & Robbins on high heat instead of frozen. I think the people who buy it are like me, in that they want the wakeup with a better taste. I've found a dash of salt in my coffee takes out a lot of the bitterness. But no matter, it's not a taste I prefer, but rather require the results it's consumption gives me. It seems the older I get, the more this requirement takes hold.
If it tastes bitter, it's a bad cup of coffee....generally comes about by the coffee sitting in the water too long.
-
If it tastes bitter, it's a bad cup of coffee....generally comes about by the coffee sitting in the water too long.
Yes, and the process was flawed..
I just saw something over the weekend about the bean in a bag of coffee. Some roasters of the bean add things to "add weight" to the bag which adds bad flavors. Others don't sort and leave out "bad" beans. I forget the term they used but one or two bad beans in a 12-16 ounce bag of whole beans can trash the whole bag.
There is a science involved in coffee that is not fully understood by most folks. I love coffee for it's taste, the caffeine is an ancillary benefit. Being a Navy Vet, I've had my share of crappy coffee which is another reason I don't bother with Dunkin Dognuts or Starbucks.
Shit is shit...don't kick a fresh turd on a hot day!
-
I did a short study of the coffee industry a few years back, mainly focusing on arabica vs robusta. Besides learning about the bean production and marketing, there were two little tidbits we picked up.
A "cup" in the coffee industry was typically 6oz not the standard 8. (Some coffee makers have their markings calibrated in 5oz, btw.)
And the industry recommended to restaurants they keep coffee in pots no longer than 20 minutes.
-
If it tastes bitter, it's a bad cup of coffee....generally comes about by the coffee sitting in the water too long.
I don't know what I can do different? I pour in the water, fill the filter with coffee, and run it through. How do I alter this process on most every automatic coffee maker out there?
-
I like Taster's Choice myself.
-
How to Brew "The Perfect Cup" of Coffee
Brewing a perfect cup of coffee is the weakest link in the full enjoyment of fine coffee. Buying the finest coffee is only the beginning and can go for naught if the brewing is not done correctly. It is very easy to ruin otherwise excellent coffee with improper brewing. We realize you would like to hear that once you have purchased excellent coffee beans, the rest is as simple as pushing a button, but, all we can say is: it's time to "wake up and smell the coffee". The grower, and the roaster do their parts, and you have to do your part. If either party drops the ball, exquisite coffee will not happen.
The first thing that must be understood is what is going on during the brewing process. The aggregate (ground up coffee particles) is being exposed to hot water in order to "extract" the essential solubles (flavor compounds, solids, and oils) from the particles. That which is extracted winds up in the water, creating the infusion we call coffee. In theory, perfect extraction would get everything that's desirable out of the coffee bean and into the cup, while leaving behind all that which is undesirable. Is this possible? Currently, only in our imaginations. But some methods are better than others.
Coffee to Water Ratio
The proper way to measure coffee is by weight. If you are really serious about coffee, then you should invest in a scale that can weigh small portions of coffee accurately. A good scale is indispensable when blending your own coffee in small amounts, unless you want to spend a lot of time counting coffee beans. You can measure coffee by volume, but you lose a lot of accuracy because of varying bean densities and having to rely on visual estimation. The proportion of ground coffee used in relation to the amount of water used, constitutes the brewing ratio. After the coffee has been brewed, the amount of solubles that have been extracted in relation to the amount of water, constitutes the drinking ratio. The brewing ratio usually determines the drinking ratio, but it doesn't have to. Hot water can be added to the infusion after brewing to reduce the concentration and flavor intensity of the brew, thus changing the drinking ratio. Experimentation will lead you to your own personal brewing and drinking ratios. It is always wiser to brew your coffee on the strong side and then "cut" it to taste with water. If coffee is brewed too weak, all you can do is start over. The Standard Brewing Chart (seehttps://www.blackbearcoffee.com/resources/83?destination=resources/83- ) gives the brewing ratios that are accepted as the standard by serious coffee drinkers. It can not be stressed enough how much personal taste should be the sole basis for determining brewing ratios. It is very easy to misjudge a coffee that has been prepared using a brewing ratio that is not suited to your particular taste.
Water
The water to be used must be right or the coffee will be wrong. The infusion you drink is mostly water. The flavor of coffee can easily be contaminated by other intruding influences. The best rule of thumb is, if the water you are going to use doesn't taste right, don't use it. It should have no discernible taste, or "character", such as sharp or astringent qualities. Bad water makes bad coffee. As a rule, bottled spring water is your best bet. Municipal water is usually not good enough for high quality coffee, unless you are using a good filtration system. Water that has been "softened" should also be avoided. It does not extract as well as non-softened water. Distilled water should not be used, because all of the mineral content has been removed. The minerals in water are essential to the extraction process. It is very important to note that if you're using any type of container to store water in, it is very important to frequently, and thoroughly clean the container. The build up of bacteria in water being used to brew coffee will have a dramatically negative effect on the coffee. This is one of the most commonly overlooked sources of trouble when brewing coffee.
Water Temperature
The brewing temperature of the water used is very important. It should be between 195 F (91 C) and 205 F (96 C). The closer to 205 F (96 C) the better. Boiling water (212 F - 100 C) should never be used, as it will burn the coffee. Water that is less than 195 F (91 C) will not extract properly. Keep in mind that if frozen beans have been ground, the aggregate will drop the temperature of the water upon contact. In this instance the temperature of the water being added to the aggregate should be right at 205 F (96 C).
The Brewing Process Itself
There are two basic brewing concepts you need to understand, percolation and maceration. Percolation means water is allowed to flow around the particles and through the aggregate of ground coffee. Maceration means the ground coffee is soaked (or steeped) in the water.
Understanding the extraction process will enable you to learn how to brew coffee successfully. First, the grind (aggregate size) of the coffee is crucial. The finer the grind, the more surface in relation to mass is exposed to the hot water. An un-ground coffee bean results in the least amount of surface area in relation to mass, and would be impossible to brew successfully. The tendency is to assume that the more finely coffee is ground, the better the resulting infusion will be. This is where you can destroy a good cup of coffee. If the grind is too fine, and the exposure too long, you'll get much more than you want. Over-extraction of the aggregate will dissolve too many of the undesirable compounds, generally referred to as "bitters". The trick is to get just what you want out of the coffee, and no more.
It is of the utmost importance that you understand that the brewing time must be controlled exactly. Improper brewing time is one of the main reasons that people get different results when preparing coffee. If you shorten the extraction time, you'll fail to dissolve the essential flavor compounds that were so carefully developed during the roasting process. Again, over-extraction of will dissolve too many of the undesirable compounds. For example, alkaloids are one group of compounds that dissolve more slowly than others, and are very bitter. The challenge is to get the aggregate size and the extraction time in perfect balance.
There is an important exception to "exact brewing time". 90 percent of the solubles are extracted during the initial phase of the brewing process. It is possible to achieve your best results with a grind that's slightly on the fine side, and shortening the extraction time. For instance, when I use our ground coffee in a French press, or the brew and filter method, I use a 3 minute extraction time. Since our grinder is calibrated to grind coffee that will achieve a 4 minute extraction time in a commercial airpot brewer, for my taste, 4 minutes in the French press over-extracts with our ground coffee. By the same token, you can also use more coffee than usual in a drip brewer with a short extraction time. It's all a matter of increasing surface area, reducing extraction time, and getting less of the bitter compounds that take longer to dissolve. It comes down to experimentation, and finding your perfect brewing formula.
http://www.blackbearcoffee.com/resources/87
Seems complex but it's not...good water, good grind, right process, correct temp and residence time..
Drip coffee makers of the residential kind don't get the water hot enough. The time the grinds spend in the water are rather brief as well. Invest in a coffee press and in less time that it takes to take a shower, you've got a very nice cup-o-joe and the rest is just science..
-
I did a short study of the coffee industry a few years back, mainly focusing on arabica vs robusta. Besides learning about the bean production and marketing, there were two little tidbits we picked up.
A "cup" in the coffee industry was typically 6oz not the standard 8. (Some coffee makers have their markings calibrated in 5oz, btw.)
And the industry recommended to restaurants they keep coffee in pots no longer than 20 minutes.
If I'm not mistaken Robusta has twice the caffeine of Arabica but it doesn't taste as good. Nearly all coffee I see nowadays is 100% Arabica. My coffee makers have all been 6 ounce cups. Tim Horton's is supposed to throw out the old coffee after 20 minutes and brew a new pot. I don't know if they actually do it.
-
"Boiling water (212 F - 100 C) should never be used, as it will burn the coffee."
So then every coffee percolator ever manufactured since the dawn of time has made "burnt" coffee? Because all boil water in order to get it to percolate.
-
"Boiling water (212 F - 100 C) should never be used, as it will burn the coffee."
So then every coffee percolator ever manufactured since the dawn of time has made "burnt" coffee? Because all boil water in order to get it to percolate.
Yes!
Just because it was manufactured doesn't mean it actually worked well!
Drip coffee makers don't get the water hot enough and percolators over heat the water...commercial drip coffee makers are designed to fall within the correct range of temps.
I boil the water and let it rest for 30 seconds before I pour it into my press and yes, I've measured the drop in temp with a thermometer. This works for me...
-
Tim Horton's is supposed to throw out the old coffee after 20 minutes and brew a new pot. I don't know if they actually do it.
Dunkin Dognuts is supposed to do that as well but it's rarely done. I can't count how many cups I've tossed that were undrinkable over the years. That's why I haven't bought a cup of joe from DD in at least a decade!
-
I don't know what I can do different? I pour in the water, fill the filter with coffee, and run it through. How do I alter this process on most every automatic coffee maker out there?
You really can't, Bill, unless you want to spend the time to craft your own...After the roasting there is the brewing. Like Tim said, a French Press brewer is the most simple and effective.
They do make a drip brewer that will hold the water with the coffee, but, again, coffee have to mean a lot to you...over $200 ..if you are tempted http://www.sweetmarias.com/store/brewing/coffee-brewers/electric-brewers/technivorm-kbts-8-cup-thermal-brewer.html
and I see they now carry a cheaper model...just under $200
http://www.sweetmarias.com/store/brewing/coffee-brewers/electric-brewers/bonavita-8-cup-coffee-maker-with-thermal-carafe.html
Of course you need to start with good beans...
-
You could try boiling the water then using a pour through system like Malita.
-
You could try boiling the water then using a pour through system like Malita.
This is true. If you are willing to boil the water separately, you have a wider range of options.
One is a pour through that will hold the water/ground coffee for the length of time you choose, which gives you a lot of control over the final quality of your coffee. Here is one of the holding pour over.
http://www.sweetmarias.com/store/brewing/coffee-brewers/filtercones/handy-brew-large.html
The brewer most likely to be seen on The Big Bang Theory is the Cona Vaccuum Brewer...expensive but elegant. Youtube at bottom
http://www.sweetmarias.com/store/brewing/coffee-brewers/vacuum-brewers/cona-vacuum-brewer-two-sizes.html
-
I have two Bodum presses.
One is a four cup (approx 16-20 oz..remember it's a euro measure of 4-6 oz per cup). You can get them for 20-30 bucks. Mines lasted 5 or six years and used daily. The other is a 5 dollar yard sale find, another 6 cup which I use when I have company. I get about two 12 oz cups from that one or one really friggin big one...
I'll never go back...and it doubled as a gravy boat this past turkey day. I made so much gravy I needed something larger!
All the parts are replaceable and readily available.
-
I use the big Bodum French Press daily.
I get 3.5 travel mugs of coffee from a batch.
I roast a pound of green beans every 12 days or so.
I buy 20lb of green beans at a time for $6.75/lb
-
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/12/12/if-your-keurig-2-0-coffeemaker-wont-brew-your-favorite-java-here-are-three-clever-fixes/
May the force be with your K-cups because some of them may no longer be welcomed by the Keurig empire.
Trouble started brewing for the popular coffee machine maker, Keurig, when consumers of the Keurig 2.0 coffee maker would only brew certain brands of coffee. The caffeine-induced controversy has been equated with restrictions for digital music sharing, in which a program is designed to restrict users from sharing or copying media.
DefectiveByDesign.org described digital restrictions management (DRM) this way:
Digital Restrictions Management is the practice of imposing technological restrictions that control what users can do with digital media. When a program is designed to prevent you from copying or sharing a song, reading an ebook on another device, or playing a single-player game without an Internet connection, you are being restricted by DRM. In other words, DRM creates a damaged good; it prevents you from doing what would be possible without it. This concentrates control over production and distribution of media, giving DRM peddlers the power to carry out massive digital book burnings and conduct large scale surveillance over people’s media viewing habits.
Keurig’s coffee restriction has already prompted a total of 14 lawsuits just this year, USAToday reported.
Jim Rogers, who is the vice president of Rogers Family Co., a Lincoln, California-based business, makes its own K-cups and is involved in one of the lawsuits against Keurig. Rogers told USAToday that even if what the coffee machine maker is doing is legal, it’s “certainly not friendly to the consumer.”
TreeHouse Foods, based in Oakbrook, Illinois, is another company that’s taking legal action. TreeHouse Foods chairman, president and CEO Sam Reed said his company’s lawsuit is ”fundamentally about consumer choice versus monopoly power.”
“It’s not just one piece of technology, but a long-standing pattern of anti-competitive behavior…” Reed said.
Meanwhile, Keurig’s attempt restrict which types of coffee its machines brew, consumers have figured out a way around those limitations.
With just a pair of scissors, some tape and the lid to a Keurig-approved K-cup, the force will be with you – and your caffeine addiction.
......................Video at link...................................................
-
I have two Bodum presses.
I had a Bodum for 10 years then accidentally broke it. A design problem with that Bodum was the glass was just held in the plastic holder by friction and would occasionally slip out.
I bought an IKEA, UPPHETTA brand, 2 mug size, which is all I make at a time. The glass can't separate from the handle nor the base and it was under $9.
(http://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/0148954_PE307276_S2.JPG)
-
bilt, bilt, bilt. Oh where have we gone wrong? What's next? Thunderbird wine? Old Crow bourbon? RG Industry revolvers?
Don't go knocking bourbon, son!!! Even 4Roses and Wild Turkey have been rehabbed and are now part of the elite in KY bourbons.
And it's not RG Industry revolvers, its Phoenix Arms . . . .
-
I love the smell of ground coffee, never learned to like the taste though, even though my Dad used to drink beaucoup cups per day. More on that in a moment.
My Mom would take the kids to the local A&P for weekly grocery shopping. The first stop was the 8 o'clock grinder for me. I would just stand there and huff the machine (a term I later learned . . . ) until my Mom pulled me away.
When I was finally allowed to taste the drink as a teenager (back in the days of everything adults did would stunt your growth until you got older), it was nasty tasting. Never liked it from that point on.
My Dad would get up each morning, plug in the tall aluminum percolator to turn it on, put 2 slices of bread into the toaster, and gather the instruments he needed to make breakfast. The toaster would pop, my Dad would butter up 2 slices, then pull a cup of coffee from the percolator. Yeah, yesterday's coffee heated up. He would sit at the dining room table, eat the toast, drink the coffee, and have a smoke. That was his breakfast.
Afterwards, he would clean the perk, make a new batch (8-10 cups), and head upstairs to work (industrial designer with a home office).
This was my introduction to coffee. I later learned to make cowboy coffee, but all of you coffee snobs out there would be in tears by the time I finished! ;D
-
When I was an Explorer Leader taking the scouts on two week canoe trips on the French River in Ontario, we could not pack a lot of stuff.
We did take a small coffee percolator and some coffee. we would put the coffee in a sock and put in in the percolator cup and brew it that way. Put the sock in a sealed plastic bag and use the grounds again the next day...putting it a few table spoons of fresh grounds.
Best we could do out in the woods.
BTW, BillT. Your observation that coffee wakes you up better than the most caffeinated tea is correct.
I heard recently that there is a component of coffee that neutralizes a substance our bodies produce that causes that morning fogginess.
Don't remember the names of either of those compounds and was unsuccessful Googleing any reference to it.
-
Don't go knocking bourbon, son!!!
I wasn't knocking Bourbon, grandpa. Just Old Crow as the, ahem, bottom of the barrel.
I always have some JD Black Label in the house and now favor the newcomer, Jefferson, for guests and special occasions.
-
For the record, Jack Daniels ain't bourbon!
It's fine Tennessee whiskey...
-
JD would be bourbon if they didn't run it through charcoal.
I also have fond memories of the A&P store coffee grinder. Nothing beat that smell.
-
JD would be bourbon if they didn't run it through charcoal.
I also have fond memories of the A&P store coffee grinder. Nothing beat that smell.
Charcoal ain't got anything to do with it, it's the recipe which is defined by law for anything to be called bourbon. And no, it doesn't have to come from KY, although that helps!
-
On May 4, 1964, the United States Congress recognized Bourbon Whiskey as a “distinctive product of the United States.” The Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits (27 C.F.R. 5.22) state that bourbon must meet these requirements:
* Bourbon must be made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn (maize).
* Bourbon must be distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume).
* Neither coloring nor flavoring may be added.
* Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels.
* Bourbon must be entered into the barrel at no more than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume).
* Bourbon, like other whiskeys, may be bottled at not less than 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume.)
* Bourbon that meets the above requirements and has been aged for a minimum of two years may (but is not required to) be called Straight Bourbon.
* Straight Bourbon aged for a period less than four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging.
* If an age is stated on the label, it must be the age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle.
* Only whiskey produced in the United States can be called bourbon.
JD is 80% corn so they prefer to call it "Corn Whiskey" or sour mash. I think it's voluntary...
Too much information on the web to determine fact over fiction...
-
Years ago I read the recipe for JD. Unless they changed it JD meets all the requirements Timothy posted except it's charcoal filtered. That's what makes it Tennessee whiskey.
This is from Jack Daniel's website. Is Jack Daniel's a bourbon?
Jack Daniel's is not a bourbon - it's a Tennessee Whiskey. Jack Daniel's is dripped slowly - drop-by-drop - through ten feet of firmly packed charcoal (made from hard sugar maple) before going into new charred oak barrels for aging. This special process gives Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey its rare smoothness. It's this extra step - charcoal mellowing – that makes Jack Daniel's a Tennessee Whiskey.
-
The charcoal filtering is considered to violate the "coloring/flavoring" rule is what I recall reading some where.
-
Another fun fact about bourbon..
Scot and Canadian distilleries often use used, re-charred bourbon barrels to age their whiskies.
-
So, bilt,
5 pages later I guess we know why 1/3 of America is BROKE. Obsessing over coffee and bourbon.
-
So, bilt,
5 pages later I guess we know why 1/3 of America is BROKE. Obsessing over coffee and bourbon.
I always thought it was because women out number men in this country.... ;)
-
They're not obsessions!
They're necessities!
-
They're not obsessions!
They're necessities!
Obsessing over the necessities of life: Guns and ammo, coffee, and alcohol.
-
Another fun fact about bourbon..
Scot and Canadian distilleries often use used, re-charred bourbon barrels to age their whiskies.
I didn't know about the re-charring but add Irish whiskey to the list that uses Bourbon barrels. And believe it or not some Scotch uses old sherry casks. I'm not sure if Canadian or Irish whiskey ever uses new barrels but as far as I've been able to find out Scotch always uses old barrels. And Tom's right about charcoal filtering breaking the no coloring/flavoring rule for Bourbon.
When I said Tim Horton's only kept their coffee for 20 minutes I may have made a mistake. The more I think about the more I think it was Dunkin' Donuts. I'm 99% certain it was one of those two.
-
Obsessing over the necessities of life: Guns and ammo, coffee, and alcohol.
And women...don't forget the women...
Though on occasion, some relief from the women would probably negate the need for the booze...
;D
-
I'm reworking my retirement plans. I'm not broke...working and making a good living but there's no reason to squander anything. I'm going to quit working at 62 so it's time to start living on the cheap.
Today, I scored two bathroom sinks from the local Habitat for Humanity thrift store for five bucks each! One a Kohler and the other an American Standard. Both porcelain and like new!
Both sinks new are near 100 bucks new so I threw another 10 bucks to the clerk with a couple of donated appliance cords I dragged out of the shed. She beamed...I think she wanted me...
::)
New faucet, 5 dollar sink..I'm out 57 bucks + tax and a smile from a twenty something cutie....
Not a bad day I must say...
-
She probably just had gas.
-
She probably just had gas.
I'll take it...
:)
-
Five bucks...
-
Pink. Nothing says '60s like pink. I like the faucet though.
-
It's biscuit, or beige, Alf! It ain't pink....
-
Pantone Pink PMS 691. But if fees better, call it biscuit
(http://www.osrc.org/images/osrc_logo/light%20pink.jpg)
-
It's beige, it's a bad picture...
-
I know Timothy, just yanking your chain. I don't know where our HFH store is around here. I'll have to check it out. Good ide.
-
I know...
They have two complete kitchens in their store. Semi custom stuff too. Too bad I can't use them right now. Twenty upper and lower cabinets for about 1K