c/coffee-enthusiasts

I heard a barista in Portland say they only use water at 195 degrees for light roasts...

I just hit 500 cups on my pour over setup and it feels weird

I mean, I started keeping a little tally in my notebook maybe two years ago just for fun. It's not even a fancy brewer, just a basic plastic V60 I got for like fifteen bucks. Anyone else track something like that and get surprised by the number?

Bought a $60 manual milk frother that just sits in my drawer now

I got really into trying to make cafe-style drinks at home about six months ago, so I ordered this fancy handheld frother online. It worked okay for a week, but then I found out my regular French press can froth milk just as well (and it's way easier to clean). Has anyone else bought a single-use gadget they regret, or found a better way to froth with stuff they already own?

Serious question, does anyone actually enjoy the whole 'dialing in' ritual?

I spent 45 minutes yesterday trying to get my new grinder to produce a decent shot, and it just felt like a huge waste of good beans. Everyone acts like this is the fun part, but I just want a consistent cup. Am I the only one who finds this process more frustrating than rewarding?

Wandering through a market in Hanoi, I found a coffee stand that changed how I see morning brews.

That strong, sweet cup of egg coffee was a tiny victory I'll remember from my travels.

My coffee kept coming out sour until I lowered the water temperature. Problem solved!

Just nailed my coffee ratio by using way less grounds than advised, and I'm never going back.

Hot take: The batch coffee takeover in my city is worrying me

I've seen more cafes switch to making big pots of coffee all at once. Just yesterday, my favorite shop served me a cup from a brewer that had been sitting for over an hour. It tasted weak and had none of the rich flavor I expect. This seems to be a new norm as places get crowded and want to save time. But coffee made fresh for each person is so much better. If we accept this, we might lose the special touch in our daily brew. Speak up when you order to keep quality high.

My sour pour-over puzzle ended when I tweaked the bloom time

My pour-over coffee kept tasting off, so I tried letting it bloom longer. A coworker says bean freshness matters way more than bloom. Which factor do you think makes the biggest difference in flavor?

Rant: My morning coffee habit might be harming rainforests more than I knew.

I found out that many coffee farms clear forests to grow coffee that needs full sun (this hurts wildlife a lot). This causes soil to wash away and leaves the coffee plants exposed, so they don't last as long. We can choose coffee with shade-grown or bird-friendly certifications. Making this switch is easy and really helps, you know?