A couple Months back a Co-work and I were talking about the culture of coffee. The point of contention became what makes a person a coffee snob? Was it how they liked their coffee prepared? Cold brew, Pour over, Drip, French Press, Aero Press... the list goes on.
The Coffee standard in America used to be through a peculator.* A coffee percolator is a type of pot used for the brewing of coffee by continually cycling the boiling or nearly boiling brew through the grounds using gravity until the required strength is reached. The problem with this is the beans get too hot. The water will over boil and you get a burnt or over brewed cup of joe. The standard since the 70's however is Drip coffee.
Circa 1970's Coffee Machine, Drip.
To me Drip coffee is mediocre. Depending on the machine, filter, and water you usually end up with a clean yet slightly over bitter pot. Now back in college I usually drank 4 to 5 cups of coffee a day so a 6-8 cup pot of drip coffee tended to be my go to.
Today, I drink 2 to 3 cups of coffee. 1 or two in the morning and then usually one in the afternoon or evening to power me through the rest of my day. I prefer the French Press. The ability to tightly control water temps and the lack of filtration really is my favorite. I find I get the best flavor/time/convenience/portions out of a 3 cup french press.
Does this make me a snob? Not in my opinion. In all actuality I expect everyone to have a preferred method. Of all the ways to make a cup of coffee none of the 100 different schemes to me stands out as snobbish. Then is it where you buy your coffee?
If someone tells me they exclusively drink Starbucks, and this happens all the time. I understand their position but respectfully disagree. Starbucks to me is fine. Their beans are fine. There service is good, they are over priced and they are located on every corner. So I get it. I just don't subscribe to their Kool-Aid. I have never had a cup of coffee at Starbucks and been inspired. That is really the defining factor.
Now I'm not saying you have to get your beans from a local farmer in Indonesia, then roast them yourself in your garage and serve them using a Chemex. What I preach is simple. Go out and visit different local mom and pop shops. Try different roasters. Try different blends. Experience the vast ocean of possibilities and then make a judgement call. The second you stop looking for the magic bullet is the moment you settle.
It's rare that I try a cup of coffee and get blown away. But. But! It does happen. From time to time even to this day I will walk into a Cafe and sit there in wonder as I try to decipher a new roast. Its one of my favorite feelings in life and that's what fuels my passion for coffee.
So there I was debating these details with a Co-worker when he throws out his all time favorite roast. *Note I do not usually prescribe to large online coffee retailers. However I held back my bias and purchased his recommendation. Even though it was from a major retailer and in spite of the fact I hated the addition of artificial flavors.
This is the Highlander Grogg from Coffee Bean Direct. It was very affordable and arrived within 5 business days.
Now a lot of off the shelf retailer coffee will have added artificial flavors to enhance the aroma or taste of bean. In my experience I find the flavors and aromas to be a farce. Like its spice brother cinnamon, coffee has been adulterated and molested to a place that if left unchecked would inherently ruin this beverage.
The Grogg's beans are of strong quality. The uniformity and caffeine dosage is good. The beans brew quickly and for the most part when grinding they maintain an ideal consistency (Not too much moisture or overly oily). The aroma however is something vexing. Personally I don't much care for it. It smells synthesized. Something about it reeks of artificial tampering. The warm and inviting smell of hazelnut and spices fills the air once you grind it down. However almost everyone I have served this to has mentioned how fantastic the aroma is. So maybe its just me. Maybe this is where I draw the line. My pre-judgments just wont let me get over the fact that this has been doctored up to please the people.
I was surprised, the beans looked very fresh and were all of similar size and variance. This of course lends to the assumption that they are not attempting to blend the ages of two or three batches.
But what about the taste? The first sip confirmed my suspicions. The batch is overly sweet for my taste. Now several others disagreed with my assessment however this is My Blog so... The front end of this coffee slams into your taste buds with a high fructose type sweetness. Its difficult for me to drink this warm or cold in my opinion. The body of the brew is fine with subtle notes of pecans and maybe a little semi sweet chocolate. It finally finishes the same way it started.
I understand why most casual drinkers like this. It has virtually no bitterness or bite. It also comes self sweetened so save your honey or sugar. This unfortunately just wont sit right with me. Try as I might to have an open mind I just can't buy into what they are pushing. The dots don't connect for me.
So for me its back to the basics. I plan on ordering some Intelligenstia next week and hopefully I can counter the mass market with some tasteful hipster juice. All in all I gave it the good college try. I have since given away most of these beans to my recipients delight. So its not all for naught.
Am I a coffee snob? Yes and no.
If you make me a cup of coffee I will drink it. I will smile and I will thank you for it. Do I have a preferred method of making coffee? Yes. Am I picky about the roasts that I drink? Yes. I honestly just want a good cup of coffee. If that comes from a diner on 7th St. so be it. I will strive hard to remain objective and keep my unconscious bias at bay but then again I am who I am... that's why they call them unconscious.