Coffee! How do you take it?

[BenM77]

Ever so slightly obsessed with coffee at the moment, especially since buying an espresso machine.


I drink my coffee black and if I'm in a coffee shop it is an Americano. To achieve this at home I just let the water run through the machine for 1 minute = perfect result every time.



Really liking Morrisons own Italian style 4 roast. Lovely and rich

[OllyMo]

Americano all the way. Try dropping a tiny pinch of salt into your grounds before you turn the machine on. Takes away some of the bitterness if you like your coffee OTT strong

[BenM77]

Thanks for the tip

I'll probably stick around the 4 roasts as it is giving me the aftertaste I was missing from the mild coffees I have tried.

Coffee tried so far:

Starbucks medium house blend = I liked this. It is a decent enough coffee IMO.

Starbucks Guatemala Antigua = Really liked it at first but soon realised it is a bit too mild for my tastes.

Taylors Cafe Imperial = Too mild with a strange, zesty taste to it. Not what I'm after from a coffee so gave it away.


I'm currently drinking Morissons own Italian Style Coffee, 4 roast. This is lovely and is providing the exact taste I'm after.

[sleep envy]

ristretto

[grumbledoak]

Filter cone at home. I try others but normally return to Lavazza Red. Black.

[BenM77]

grumbledoak said:

I try others but normally return to Lavazza Red. Black.

Lavazza will probably be my next tester. So many coffees to try now I have the machine

[Welshjohn]

Milk onee sugar

[Dr G]

Same as OP normally; either an espresso or tall and black.

Try some of the beans available from the online roasters; we even have a friendly PH owned independent in smokey barn.

[w00tman]

BenM77 said:

Ever so slightly obsessed with coffee at the moment, especially since buying an espresso machine.


I drink my coffee black and if I'm in a coffee shop it is an Americano. To achieve this at home I just let the water run through the machine for 1 minute = perfect result every time.



Really liking Morrisons own Italian style 4 roast. Lovely and rich

That isn't an americano - that is an over pulled shot.

Make a shot of espresso and top up with boiling water from the kettle. You are ruining your drink.

[SuperDude]

Black. Like my men.




















This should have been the first reply to this thread. Come on fellas, I cant do all the work here!

[BenM77]

w00tman said:

BenM77 said:

Ever so slightly obsessed with coffee at the moment, especially since buying an espresso machine.


I drink my coffee black and if I'm in a coffee shop it is an Americano. To achieve this at home I just let the water run through the machine for 1 minute = perfect result every time.



Really liking Morrisons own Italian style 4 roast. Lovely and rich

That isn't an americano - that is an over pulled shot.

Make a shot of espresso and top up with boiling water from the kettle. You are ruining your drink.

I meant I'm getting a nice black coffee with this method but it does read like I'm claiming it's an Americano, which I know it is not.

What I'm doing is called a Lungo and with ready ground coffee it's the best way for me to get what I want from my humble machine. Great result every time.

Edited by BenM77 on Sunday 2nd March 17:21

[BorkFactor]

I drink cafetiere stuff, fairly strong and black with no sugar

Don't go to coffee shops so I can't comment there!

[Pints]

I like my coffee like I like my women.

White and wet.

[K12beano]

Pints said:

I like my coffee like I like my women.

White and wet.

You need to see someone about that...



Meanwhile I'd like my coffee intravenously .....

That's not too much to ask, right?

[Chris Type R]

I normally ask for an Americano. Black, no sugar. I always thought an Americano was served black, but increasingly I'm asked what sort of milk I want.

[Pints]

Chris Type R said:

I normally ask for an Americano. Black, no sugar. I always thought an Americano was served black, but increasingly I'm asked what sort of milk I want.

An Americano can be ordered white or black. Having it with or without milk makes it no more or less of an Americano.

[George7]

Black, and as strong as possible, no sugar One of my favourites is Taylor's Hot Lava Java, 6 strength and explicitly says 'High Caffeine' on the front. Lovely!

[w00tman]

BenM77 said:

I meant I'm getting a nice black coffee with this method but it does read like I'm claiming it's an Americano, which I know it is not.

What I'm doing is called a Lungo and with ready ground coffee it's the best way for me to get what I want from my humble machine. Great result every time.

Edited by BenM77 on Sunday 2nd March 17:21

It's not a lungo, I'm sorry, but you're giving some fairly poor advice. Please don't take this the wrong way.

A lungo is a shot that is left to run long, yes. But if you're getting something even approaching americano in volume, you aren't pouring a lungo.

Ristretto is an espresso shot that is stopped short - perhaps 15 seconds.
Espresso is typically 25 seconds or so (most coffee outlets now measure by weight rather than time but this is a basic guide)
Lungo is typically around 40 seconds or so.

Just pull an espresso shot and add hot water. You are over-extracting the coffee and ruining it, albeit depending on the beans you might not be noticing - especially if you are using junky Starbucks beans.

[Dan_1981]

George7 said:

Black, and as strong as possible, no sugar One of my favourites is Taylor's Hot Lava Java, 6 strength and explicitly says 'High Caffeine' on the front. Lovely!

I'm drinking this at the moment too - do enjoy it.

[BenM77]

@ w00tman

Thanks for the advice. I am getting less than half a cup from my ~50 sec shot through my stale, pre-ground coffee




I haven't been clear enough in my posts that I don't have Americano at home as I prefer this long shot whatever you want to call it coffee. And I am not the only person on here that drink pre-ground!



Also, I really don't find your posts pretentious. I just think you must be a connoisseur to a level that I may get to but not at the moment.

I've gone from trying all kind of instants to getting a machine under six weeks ago.