Suggestions for someone who is new to coffee.

[Cheesemoo]

Buy in bulk.

This, just make sure you get atleast 10 pounds

 

[blackdogdeek]

go with an iced caramel macchiato. it's pretty much a dessert that will keep you awake for hours.

 

[mjrpes3]

If you aren't an addict now, why start?

 

[Billb2]

Redbull & Vodka > Coffee

 

[MJinZ]

Redbull & Vodka > Coffee

Redbull and Vodka are both expensive. Vodka is also unproductive.

 

[KeithTalent]

Redbull and Vodka are both expensive. Vodka is also unproductive.

Plus Red Bull is freaking disgusting. D:

KT

 

[lxskllr]

Plus Red Bull is freaking disgusting. D:

KT

So is vodka. I'd drink nothing, before I drank either of them.

 

[blackangst1]

Here's my thoughts coming from someone who has owned an espresso bar...

First, a cappicino is a pretty strong drink to start with. Try a latte. A cappy is typically one shot espresso with 8oz foam (from steamed milk). A latte is the same shot of espresso but half steamed milk, half foam.

Also, espresso is not coffee. Espresso is typically a harder bean, ground MUCH finer than coffee. Espresso is brewed with much less water, and 20-40 degrees higher temps, brewed under pressure, vs coffee where its lower temp water, and a longer "steep" time.

Im trying to keep personal feelings aside here, but Starbucks is not a great intro to great coffee. In the industry, many of their roasts and beans ARE highly regarded; however, they DO over roast their beans which gives most of their beans that "burnt" taste. Of the commercially available coffee's try a light roast with Seattle's Best, Batdorf and Bronson (if available), Terroir, or Paradise roasters are all very good. I prefer SE Asian beans, but the most common are from S America. The SE Asia beans are typically a little less "bite", with a strong finish.

Another thing about getting latte's ANYWHERE - the milk. Many places burn it. Theres an easy way to tell...when they are steaming it, if they stick the pitcher of milk on the shelf and let it steam, it WILL burn. The steam wand needs to stay only 1/2" to 1" under the surface of the milk. If it sits at the bottom of the steaming pitcher, it WILL burn. You will hear like a squealing noise...like a high pitched squeal. That means its burning. DEMAND they re-steam, and not burn it. It will spoil your drink.

Have fun with it. I personally am a purist...I dont recommend anything other than milk or cream in some form (whether fresh or steamed) and tend to shy away from syrups or coffee "drinks". All that stuff steals the flavor.

Anyway, thats all for now...enjoy, and dont be afraid to try new roasts. If possible find a local roaster for best results

 

[Zebo]

Shits nasty a poison and screws you up for life. Higher blood pressure, caffeine headaches, need it etc Do yourself a favor and don't start. Can;t wake up in the morning? Take a ice cold shower. Works every-time I have been sleep deprived. Feel like a spring chicken after. Taking showers in the morning in general will help.

http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Ca-De/Caffeine.html

 

[nageov3t]

start off with light and sweet and gradually cut back on the milk and sugar until you find your sweet spot.

 

[blackangst1]

Shits nasty a poison and screws you up for life. Higher blood pressure, caffeine headaches, need it etc Do yourself a favor and don't start. Can;t wake up in the morning? Take a ice cold shower. Works every-time I have been sleep deprived. Feel like a spring chicken after. Taking showers in the morning in general will help.

http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Ca-De/Caffeine.html

Well, there's also the health benefits of caffeine:

http://www.menshealth.com/men/nutri.../article/d40f53402a4e7110VgnVCM20000012281eac

Be smarter for life: Refill your cup three times a day. Harvard researchers have determined that men who drink 4 cups of caffeinated coffee a day are half as likely to develop Parkinson's disease as those who skip the java--presumably because caffeine keeps dopamine molecules active. What's more, blocking adenosine may slow the buildup of amyloid-beta, a toxic brain plaque that's associated with Alzheimer's disease.

scientists at Brooklyn College found that men who drank 4 cups of caffeinated coffee daily had a 53 percent lower risk of dying of heart disease than those who never took a sip.

Studies show that consuming 140 to 400 mg of caffeine 30 to 60 minutes prior to exercise can improve both speed and endurance and make your workout seem easier.

Here's how: Calcium must be released within a muscle fiber in order for that fiber to contract, and caffeine may block the adenosine receptors attached to muscle fibers, triggering electrical activity that prompts bigger bursts of calcium. "The result is a stronger muscle contraction," says Terry Graham, Ph.D., a professor of human health and nutritional sciences at the University of Guelph, in Ontario.

or http://men.webmd.com/features/coffee-new-health-food

After analyzing data on 126,000 people for as long as 18 years, Harvard researchers calculate that compared with not partaking in America's favorite morning drink, downing one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by single digits. But having six cups or more each day slashed men's risk by 54% and women's by 30% over java avoiders.

Though the scientists give the customary "more research is needed" before they recommend you do overtime at Starbuck's to specifically prevent diabetes, their findings are very similar to those in a less-publicized Dutch study. And perhaps more importantly, it's the latest of hundreds of studies suggesting that coffee may be something of a health food -- especially in higher amounts.

At least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson's, with three showing the more they drink, the lower the risk. Other research shows that compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups daily can translate to a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in liver cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the risk of gallstones.

But you can get other benefits from coffee that have nothing to do with caffeine. "Coffee is loaded with antioxidants, including a group of compounds called quinines that when administered to lab rats, increases their insulin sensitivity" he tells WebMD. This increased sensitivity improves the body's response to insulin.

 

[Zebo]

Coffee like tobacco and alcohol is definately an aquired taste. I doubt anyone really likes it the first time they try it.

Have to wonder how much of that taste is accounted for by addiction. Like you say no one like it to start with, nature is already telling you it's not suitable for consumption but for some strange reason we do it anyway. Usually a lifetime.

 

[Nik]

If you're new to coffee, prepare to poop!

 

[Nik]

Have to wonder how much of that taste is accounted for by addiction. Like you say no one like it to start with, nature is already telling you it's not suitable for consumption but for some strange reason we do it anyway. Usually a lifetime.

An old friend of mine has a few kids, is a great dad. One day, his 4 year old asked what daddy was drinking. Daddy said beer. The kid asked if he could try some. The dad, thinking the kid wouldn't like the bitter taste, stuck his finger into the beer and put a drop on the kid's tongue.

His eyes went wide and he asked for more.

LOL

Daddy said no and realized his attempt kinda backfired :biggrin:

 

[moshquerade]

Coffee like tobacco and alcohol is definately an aquired taste. I doubt anyone really likes it the first time they try it.

I have no love for the taste of coffee even after trying it plenty of times.
I love love love the smell of coffee brewing, especially as a wake up in the morning, but I cannot drink the stuff.

 

[Fritzo]

Coffee like tobacco and alcohol is definately an aquired taste. I doubt anyone really likes it the first time they try it.

I've tried it for 30 years and still hate it. I feel like an outcast because I'm the only one that doesn't like coffee. At all. I can taste the smallest bit of coffee in anything too, so don't be splashing the cookie tray with your vile dirt juice either.

 

[moshquerade]

I've tried it for 30 years and still hate it. I feel like an outcast because I'm the only one that doesn't like coffee. At all. I can taste the smallest bit of coffee in anything too, so don't be splashing the cookie tray with your vile dirt juice either.

see, we do exist.

Although, i'm not an anticoffeetite, because i'm fine with others around me drinking it. I just don't have the taste buds that appreciate it. Coffee just comes off as bitter to me.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

My school has a Starbucks, and today I decided to try a cappuccino. It tasted terrible. All I can think of is "burnt water".

Do people really drink this stuff? Is there another kind I should try?

No sugar, no artificial sweetener. Just add some real Irish Cream.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Regular coffee plus Bailey's and you're golden. I just learned this today.

 

[lxskllr]

Have to wonder how much of that taste is accounted for by addiction. Like you say no one like it to start with, nature is already telling you it's not suitable for consumption but for some strange reason we do it anyway. Usually a lifetime.

I liked it from first taste, and that's the only reason I drink it. It doesn't give me energy or anything. Never did as far as I can remember.

 

[GundamW]

I have no love for the taste of coffee even after trying it plenty of times.
I love love love the smell of coffee brewing, especially as a wake up in the morning, but I cannot drink the stuff.

Same here. I hate the taste but love the smell of coffee in the morning.
I thought I was alone.

 

[moshquerade]

Same here. I hate the taste but love the smell of coffee in the morning.
I thought I was alone.

do you like peas, beans, cooked carrots? how about raw tomatoes?
what are some other things you can't stand to eat?

just curious...

 

[UberNeuman]

Drink coffee if you're adult.

Drink chocolate milk if you're not.

 

[moshquerade]

Drink coffee if you're adult.

Drink chocolate milk if you're not.

or make it hot chocolate in coffee cup and fit in better

 

[ArJuN]

Try McDonald's coffee too. Lately I've caught myself driving there in the morning instead of brewing my own. It's actually much better than I expected.