Help with good coffee?

[Marciakay]

We just returned from vacation, and my husband has his annual complaint. Why is hotel coffee (even cheap hotels) so much better than ours? Is it the coffeemaker, or the Folgers? I know restaurants use those pre-measured bags, and just plop one in the coffeemaker, which then pumps hot water through. What is the secret?

[LaraW]

Do you brew your coffee weak? My personal taste is stronger coffee has a better flavor than weaker coffee. You might try using more coffee grounds when brewing your coffee. Darker roasts (French roast is the only dark roast I can think of right now) tend to make stronger coffee as well.

We usually purchase coffee in whole beans, rather than in cans at the grocery store. Just a personal preference. It's more expensive that way, but it really is the one luxury that we afford ourselves.

I don't know what the "usual" measurement is, but we grind about 3/4 C beans for a full pot of coffee.

[Jewel]

I think it depends on where you went on vacation. If you went to the Seattle area, then the reason it was better coffee is because...well...that's our job! And, of course 'cause we're cool! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Seriously though, I always noticed that the coffee seemed richer in hotels. A waitress in one of the hotel restaurants in Florida told me that they used French Roast coffee, which is fairly dark. I've been using French Roast or 100% Columbian since we returned two years ago!

[maizeyoats]

You know what.. I agree with you almost completely. The exception being that I cannot duplicate the excellent coffee served in really good restaurants. I have a good coffeemaker and buy the best coffee I can and it's still not the same. Even when I buy real Kona coffee it never turns out like the Kona coffee that I have had in Hawaii.
I don't know what the answer is. Everytime there is a coffee question on this board (and their are experts to help us) I am still not able to make the best coffee although I must admit I am doing a pretty good job since I started using the Allegro coffee from Bread and Circus.

[GayeC]

I think that if you are using Folgers at home the answer is probably -- the coffee! We brew Starbuck's House Blend (we grind it ourselves but you can also get it pre-ground) and it is better than the coffee we get almost anywhere, hotels included. As LaraW said, it is more expensive but is one of the few luxuries that we have (half and half to go in it is another!). Gaye

[funnybone]

I must be weird because I never enjoy coffee out, as much as I do at home (except for lattes and cappucino's, which I do not make at home). I buy whole beans and grind them as needed in a Braun grinder - the house just smells wonderful. I have a Braun coffeemaker too, and it makes the coffee really hot as well. I mail order my coffee from "Second Cup" in Canada. I got hooked on it when we lived there, and nothing else compares. They have different roasts, and they are not oily like I find here.

Oh, another thing could be the amount of coffee you are using. I tend to only need 3 coffee measures (at 2 TBSP a measure) for 8 cups of coffee (8 cups according to the coffee maker). I find that if you make too little in the coffemaker, then it alters the flavor as well. The least I make is to the 6 cup line.

[This message has been edited by funnybone (edited 06-24-2001).]

[Marciakay]

Lots of great ideas. Thanks. I know we need to invest more in a coffeemaker. My husband talked me into two cheap ones lately. Also, we only use three to four heaping measures for 12 cups. I think that's about a third of what we should be using. Isn't it sad you have to spend a lot of money to get good coffee?

[Beth]

Funnybone, I'm with you. I rarely have coffe I like away from home. But DH got me hooked on dark roasts when we got married, and for the last 3 years, we have been drinking espresso and cappuccino almost exclusively. When I want straight coffee, I brew espresso and add hot water, so the drip coffeemaker is packed away.

Marciakay, depending on how much coffee you drink, how often and how automated you want the brewing process to be, you might want to check out a French press or a drip cone. You heat water to near boiling and pour it over ground coffee for both. You can buy a drip cone for $2-5 and French presse in all price ranges. I would also suggest trying a dark roast if you like a richer or more robust flavor.

[Tina_B]

In terms of health, it is important that you use paper filters when making coffee. Unfiltered coffee apparently raises both blood pressure and cholesterol. I used to use a metal filter until we learned this, but I can't tell the difference in taste. Hope this helps.

[suziking]

Tina_B - is that right about the blood pressure? Amazing!

People have said that using filtered water helps (instead of tap water) and we switched from using skim milk as a creamer to (i'm embarrassed to admit) whipping cream. I bet the hotels don't use skim milk in their little creamer containers and biy does it make a difference. Not too light though!

We have a Krups Coffee machine with a thermos caraf! I love it because my dh and I have broken over 4 glass carafs! If I were buying a machine again - I would definetely vote on the thermos!

[Marg]

Funnybone - which blend do you order from Second Cup? They really do have great coffee!

[funnybone]

Originally posted by Marg:
Funnybone - which blend do you order from Second Cup? They really do have great coffee!

I love many - but my favorites are the "3 or medium" scale. I have "El Toucan", "La Minita Tarrazu" and "Hhehuetanengo" right now. I order 4 lbs at a time. I also get "Mocha Java", "Royal Blend" and "Kenyan" from time to time.

I have to order it from a location in Moncton, NB as they are the only one that I have found with the internet service. They only charge $10.00 CDN on shipping, so it's a bargain to me.

For anyone interested, the website is www.secuco.ca (http://www.secuco.ca)

[This message has been edited by funnybone (edited 06-25-2001).]

[Julia1Pin]

Marciakay-

My DH and I thought the same thing, and we had a Delonghi coffee maker (expensive).

Now we have a Starbucks Barista coffeemaker (one of those wierd shaped ones that's see through) and it is AMAZING!!! Now our coffee tastes just like at Starbucks. Apparently the secrets are:
1) Enough coffee per cup (I think it's 1-2 tblsp. per cup (the instructions tell you))
2) The water must be hot enough!

Don't know why, but we now LOVE home-made coffee. BTW, we use whole Starbucks beans from Costco and grind them ourselves.

[mandarin2j]

Originally posted by Julia1Pin:
Marciakay-

My DH and I thought the same thing, and we had a Delonghi coffee maker (expensive).

Now we have a Starbucks Barista coffeemaker (one of those wierd shaped ones that's see through) and it is AMAZING!!! Now our coffee tastes just like at Starbucks. Apparently the secrets are:
1) Enough coffee per cup (I think it's 1-2 tblsp. per cup (the instructions tell you))
2) The water must be hot enough!

Don't know why, but we now LOVE home-made coffee. BTW, we use whole Starbucks beans from Costco and grind them ourselves.

Exactly, Julia!

The standard Starbucks uses is 2 Tbs. per each 6 oz. of water (I worked there for 8 years...eeek!). Now, that is very strong for some folks, so what they always had us recommend is that people brew less coffee, at the proper strength, and then water it down. If you skimp on grounds, the coffee may be bitter because it will be overextracted.

I agree with others who have said that the coffee you use also makes a difference. But...I really think it's also a matter of individual taste. My grandpa couldn't care less whether we serve Folgers or Starbucks. Lots of customers at the mall Starbucks that I worked at for a time would complain that it tasted "burnt" because the beans were roasted so dark. To which I say--there's something out there for everyone! I like my coffee even darker than Starbucks, so we get Peets whenever we have a chance. Some folks like a lighter roast, so they would probably want to stick with that. If it's fresh, the proportions are correct, the water's not too hot or too cool (it should be just below boiling), the grind is the proper one for your coffee maker, and it doesn't sit on a burner for hours, you can't miss! You might try checking with the hotel on the brand of coffee, and then go from there.

-Amanda



[This message has been edited by mandarin2j (edited 06-25-2001).]

[comabri]

I have to add this - maybe I am just weird - but...

so many times I find that my enjoyment of coffee is psychological.

The morning cup of coffee at home is a ritual and is therefore, a bit less pleasing. A cup of coffee after a day of hard work, or with dessert, for some reason, seems like it's better. Same coffee, same coffee maker.

In hotels and restaurants, I EXPECT that the coffee is going to be better, so it always is to me.

My last weird observation about hotel/rest. coffee is this: For me, somehow a sandwich that someone else makes tastes better than if I were to make the same thing. Why is that? Why does my mom's turkey and swiss on pumpernickel taste so much better than mine?
We could be standing next to each other, making the same sandwich, and her's is always more appealing to me. Same with coffee.

Weird.

[Mandy]

I'm totally with funnybone.

I'd take my own coffee ANY day over a resturant or hotel. I start with very fresh beans, I order from coffeeam.com and they roast the beans the same day they ship it. Then I grind only what I need as I need it. And I use a good coffee maker. And finally I have to have REAL half and half in my coffee, NO EXCEPTIONS! I guess that's part of the reason I don't like coffee at resturants, they often don't have the real half and half, often they offer non-dairy creamer. Just my two cents!

[Melina]

This is a little OT. I have to use decaffinated coffee, which I've finally gotten used to, at least enough not to mind. But I've found that some brands leave me with a severly dry mouth. I love the flavor of Starbucks, but that's one of the brands that does it.

Has anyone else had this problem? Does anyone know why it happens?
Thanks,
Melina