[Ron_L]

Originally Posted by mmmmeat

ok so i read through your general information, and came to some questions..

first off are you hittin the juice straight? no sugar, no cream... nothing extra?

Second is there a certain temp at which coffee is best brewed then served.

(i know with tea's say black tea is typically steeped in boiling water {by some} but green tea if brewed at the same temp will infact "burn" and taste bitter... so it must be brewed at cooler temps to maintain it's flavor integrity, and white tea even lower temps)

on the roast flavor profiles what ...or where do supermarket roasts end up like folgers say... you mentioned that a certain seattle company almost burns the beans.

how do other company's coffee's rank with you (if you even partake anymore) here's a few, organize them for you fave to least

Mcdonalds
Dunkin Donuts
StarSucks
Folgers
Maxwell House
Seattle's Best....

Good questions...

first off are you hittin the juice straight? no sugar, no cream... nothing extra?

I drink brewed coffee black, but I enjoy Lattes and cappuccinos once in a while. The only time I use sweetener is in an espresso in the evening.

Second is there a certain temp at which coffee is best brewed then served.

Yep. The optimum brewing temperature is between 195 and 205 degrees F. Cooler than 195 the extraction slows and the coffee can be sour, higher than 205 the extraction happens too fast and the coffee can be bitter.

on the roast flavor profiles what ...or where do supermarket roasts end up like folgers say... you mentioned that a certain seattle company almost burns the beans.

The major grocery store brands all roast very light, typically a cinnamon roast (unless the package says different. Some of them have introduced darker roasts at a premium price). They stick with a cinnamon roast mainly because it takes less time so they can roast more per hour. There are exceptions, of course.

how do other company's coffee's rank with you (if you even partake anymore) here's a few, organize them for you fave to least

Do I have to do this? I'm going to offend someone, I guarantee it

Seattle's Best - Even though they are owned by Starbucks they have resisted the urge to over roast everything.

Dunkin Donuts - I've tried their whole bean coffee a couple of times. It seems to be fresher than most, but by no means fresh.

Mcdonalds - I've only had their brewed stuff and it is too weak.

StarSucks - Starbucks has actually done more for the specialty coffee industry than anyone else. I feel that their coffee is way over-roasted. All you can taste is the caramelized sugars, not the subtle varietal flavors that come out at the optimal roast level for the bean. In addition, there is no way to determine the roast date of their coffee. The packages have "Use by" dates on them that are typically 18 months after roasting. To me, that;s stale coffee.

Folgers & Maxwell House - I have to lump these together. They primarily sell robusta beans roasted very light, and pre-ground. Robusta beans have a higher caffeine content but much less flavor that Arabica beans. I won't buy any coffee that is pre-ground and I won't buy any coffee that I can't determine the roast date.

Remember, these are just my opinions. If you disagree, that's fine. You're entitled to your opinion, too. Just don't flame me for mine.