# Coffee Drinkers Unite!



## activistfatgirl (Sep 14, 2007)

I'm sure there will be some crossover from the tea thread, and that's okay.

I love coffee. Sometimes I worry that I love it too much? 

How do you drink it? What's your favorite kind? How much do you drink it?

Unfortunately, I drink coffee every day in the morning. Occasionally I drink it in the evenings when I go to cafes, have to drive, meet up with friends.

My favorite way to drink coffee is dark roast, strong, with a little bit of half and half or soy creamer, no sugar. 

I haven't gotten to the point with it that I have favorite regions, I just know that I don't like light or medium roasts.

I try not to buy from big chains as that's just how I roll, but what about Starbucks et al? Do you like their coffee? What's your favorite big name coffee?

I'm a big fan of the taste of Starbucks, I like the slightly over-roasted taste.

Dunkin Donuts has decent coffee. A different taste, but worth the price.

I'm also a HUGE fan of Cuban cafe con leche which is more or less expresso with sweetened cream. It's incredible, and something I haven't had in forever.

Italian espresso based coffees are also great, particularly after dinner (if you want to stay up) as I find them a bit too much for a morning cup.

And how does caffeine in coffee affect you? Coffee definitely perks me up, but I'm not uber sensitive. I can drink coffee in the evenings (up to 9pm) and usually fall asleep okay. I have been kept up, though, so I'm not immune.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Sep 14, 2007)

Life without coffee would not be worth considering.
I like Cafe du Monde coffee with chicory. Our supermarket has quit carrying it, but I can order it from New Orleans, and even with the packing and shipping it's cheaper than Starbuck's. Speaking of which, I used to like Starbuck's Sumatra, but starting a couple of years ago it got somehow weaker and less flavorful...you had to use a ton of it to get any coffee taste. I think their quality has declined over the years. Dunkin' Donuts has always had good coffee. Never could stand Chock Full 'o' Nuts, though.


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## TraciJo67 (Sep 14, 2007)

Starbucks Venti Vanilla Latte, 4 pumps vanilla, low fat milk, extra hot, no foam. I start my day with one every morning. I love the creamy, sweet texture of the steamed milk. Starbucks puts only 2 shots of espresso in each Venti drink, so there is not an overbearing coffee. I don't like Starbucks coffee (or any coffee, for that matter) ... just the warm, milky lattes.


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## Tad (Sep 14, 2007)

Ah, coffee :smitten: 

My one grandfather was generally a man of few words, but one of his sayings was "There is no such thing as strong coffee, just weak people." That feeling seems to have been passed down  

Actually, I first started drinking coffee at all in the last part of high school, while living in France, when I would occasionally have an espresso or cafe au lait. Then I came back to North America, thought the coffee I had was crap, and didn't touch it all through university. Eventually out working however I was drawn under its spell, and promptly started my quest for good coffee.

It has taken years to get the right knowledge, bean knowledge, and equipment, but we are getting to the point of having generally satisfactory coffee at home. 

We buy whole beans from a local coffee shop which only carries fair trade beans. Our current favorite is Ethopian Yirgachefe (spelling?), which they roast medium-dark--but they are not always available. My preferred back up is the Mexican shade grown, not quite as tasty, but supporting shade grown is a good thing I think. In the morning we actually make our coffee ~60% normal, and 40% decaf beans. There is less choice in the decaf, so we generally get the mexican shade grown, water-process decaf beans.

We use a ceramic press pot ('Bodum' is the best know brand of press pots, but theirs are only glass ones I think). I pre-heat the pot with some water from the kettle while I'm grinding the beans. We have an OK grinder, not a proper burr grinder but not a blade either. It seems to get the beans to a fairly even sized grind without burning them, but I'd like to get a proper burr grinder some day. The current grinder has the virtue that it was cheap (~$20 at Zellers, IIRC).

If all goes according to plan the water boils just as I finish grinding the beans. Then I dump out the pre-heat water from the pot, put in the grinds, scrape out teh container to get the last of them, and by then the water has had a minute to cool down to a bit below full boil. Then add the water, then give it a quick stir to make sure the grinds have not trapped air pockets. Then put the plunger in to just below the surface, let wait 4-5 minutes, then plunge, and pour our coffees. If all done right I can then bring my wife her coffee just as she's getting out of the shower.

And a quick word on cups. A "cup" of coffee is actually meant to be about 6 ounces, not a massive 12 ounce jug! We had to hunt hard to find mugs that were not overly big--the ones we have are eight ounces when totally full, so about six-seven ounces of coffee for normal drinking.

For my first cup of the day I normally have a dash of whole milk and a teaspoon of brown sugar. Second cup and after I generally have black.

My current work place has only one big perk, but it is a nice one--it has a great espresso machine, which is free to use. The machine actually grinds the beans once you make your selection, and makes very nice espresso.

Note that there are two main types of beans: arabica and robusta. The former generally has a nicer taste, is more expensive, and has less caffeine. The darker the roast, the less caffeine left in the beans. And caffeine is water soluble, so the longer the water is on the grounds, the more caffeine is extracted. An espresso made with arabica beans is therefore not all that high in caffeine--lower initial level, much burnt off in the roasting, and the water is on the grinds only briefly. So at work I can have a couple of espresso over the course of the morning without getting overly hopped up 

There is a local chain of coffee shops, Bridgehead, where we buy our beans, and which is my preferred place to drink a coffee if we are going out for coffee for some reason. When traveling I'll deal with Tim Horton's coffee, with lots of cream and sugar--yummy candy coffee!

When traveling in the states I tend to try to make our own if camping, or have our coffee at friends who we can trust to make good coffee, or seek out coffee houses. If you see my buying the overly large buckets of horrible coffee at a donut place in the states you know that I'm truly desperate for a caffeine fix! In general there is lots of good coffee in the US, but there is also an incredible amount of truly terrible coffee sold down south of the border.

In other words, yes, I'm a coffee snob  

-Ed


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## MissToodles (Sep 14, 2007)

I prefer it the Vietnamese way, with condensed milk on the bottom of the glass, with strong coffee dripping through a filter on top of the mug. I defintely prefer my coffee sweet and light! I'm the total opposite of my grandma who was a total masochist and drank it black without sweetner. Yes she did have a coffee machine and bought decent beans but still, can't imagine drinking anything without a hint of sugar.

Anyway for me it must be light or death. I also usually like it cold because there's a Dunkin Donuts in front of my usual bus stop. Their doughnuts don't lure me in, but an icy caffienated beverage does the trick every time.


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## panhype (Sep 14, 2007)

Oh yes, count me in to the cult of coffee. Cult? Maybe not the right word.. Having a good coffee for me is (like good, BASIC food), doing myself a big favor. Something that i totally enjoy.. and would miss more than most of those things that are usually important for other people.

For me it's all about Segafredo, the 'red' quality, made with an espresso can. I know that other people prefer more sophisticated machines. But that's the way i like it, for many years now. The only alternative for me would be the 'red' Lavazza but that happens only when the Segafredo is sold out for months. And no, you don't get me to Starbucks or similar places. I want a coffee with character, with 'body' in its taste, not the water from the kitchen sink   BTW i always have it straight, no milk or sugar.

BTW espresso contains less acid that's why it's supposed to be healthier, despite it being 'stronger'. Not really an argument for me, would drink it anyway, nonetheless mentioning it.

Quite rarely, when i'm in a real hurry, or just for a change, i have a moccha - Loumidis (a Greek brand) or the Turkish Mehmet Effendi. But i would try another brands as well. Moccha is a very enjoyable experience too. I usually have it with a lil bit of milk and sugar.
(Slightly older pic here)


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## Tracyarts (Sep 14, 2007)

I don't drink coffee often, but when I do I prefer a milder roast with a goodly amount of cream and a little sugar. Sometimes I go to the coffee shop in my town and get a cafe au lait or cafe mocha. Not with espresso, just with the generic medium roast coffee. I have had some of the stronger drinks before, but they don't sit well with my stomach.

A friend gave me a little portion of her Kona peaberry coffee beans and said to try them. I did and loved it, it was rich and flavorful but smooth and less acidic and I did not have a sour stomach or nasty taste in my mouth after drinking it. So, when I'm in the city and near a well stocked coffee shop, I splurge on a fourth of a pound of them. I use a Bodum press coffee maker, just the generic glass beaker type pot, I've had it for ages. I drink so little coffee that it's the perfect amount for me to brew up at a time. And we have the little generic electric grinder. 

I had tried another very mild light roast from South America that the clerk at the Whole Foods coffee counter reccomended once. I liked it too. If I were to drink coffee regularly, I'd probably drink that. 

Tracy


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## CrankySpice (Sep 14, 2007)

afg, I'm with you, minus the soy, add just a little sugar. I love a dark, bold roast.

However, I'm not a huge fan of Dunkin Donuts--it's too mild for me, it tastes totally watered down. It'll do in a pinch, but I'd prefer something bolder if I can find it.

I love Starbucks coffee, also Seattle's Best (which, incidentally, is owned by Starbucks). The SB Breakfast Blend is superb, and is usually what I'll brew at home. There are a few local coffee roasters that I like, too, and get their beans when I can, but I'm usually limited to grocery store fare.


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## Surlysomething (Sep 14, 2007)

I very rarely drank coffee until I started my new job. It's a very social thing here and someone offered me a latte one morning and I was hooked.

Because i'm diabetic it's also a treat I can have as most of their flavoured drinks come in sugar-free versions.


Grande non-fat sugar free Vanilla latte, please!


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## altered states (Sep 14, 2007)

My grandmother was a lousy cook, but she made great coffee. I have kept the flame alive. Her recipe was 8 O'Clock pre-ground coffee in a percolator. Chock Full O'Nuts will do too. (Are 8 O'Clock and Chock Fulla regional things? I'm not sure if I've seen them outside metro NYC....) You add 1 tablespoon coffee for each cup of water and one extra. Then a pinch of salt and let the percolator do it's thing. When I'm feeling wild, I put in a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg.That's how I make it at home. They don't make percolators the way they used to. My grandmother has had the same one for - not kidding here - over 40 years, and I've gone through 3 in 10.


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## FreeThinker (Sep 14, 2007)

I truly like my bean juice, and take mine with cream and sugar. If I'm getting it to go, however, I get a double-double, as it can cover up a mediocre coffee.

One of the things I truly abhor is a cup of weak coffee that still manages to be bitter. Wut up wi' dat?

I generally go with Tim Horton's coffee, because it's everywhere, but I will support an independent if their product is good.

I haven't been able to brew a pot at home that I like, though. I think the commercial equipment must be better than most home-brewers (although I once had it from a bodum, as Ed described, and found it quite tasty).

Caffeine?

Caffeine doesn't have any impact on me other than the diuretic effect, necessitating more frequent trips to the restroom. For this reason, I will have decaf if I'm doing a long drive, but plain ol' unleaded if facilities will be readily accessible.


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## Santaclear (Sep 14, 2007)

Peet's Coffee is the best I've had in my life. They're a growing chain - I heard Peet was an early partner of Starbucks but split off. At home or at work I use the drip-thru method (the sorta deal pictured below except in a less hideous color) making a cup or few at a time, pouring the heated water a little at a time through the filter-full of coffee on top of the cup. 

For a huge chain Starbuck's has a really good product, IMO, but I always way prefer Peet's if available. 

View attachment 120842-1coffee_manual.jpg


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## FreeThinker (Sep 14, 2007)

Santaclear said:


> At home or at work I use the drip-thru method (the sorta deal pictured below except in a less hideous color) making a cup or few at a time, pouring the heated water a little at a time through the filter-full of coffee on top of the cup.



I sometimes use this method with milk instead of water.

It usually gets pretty mucky in the filter towards the end of the pour, particularly if you're making a large cup, so it's possible to spend several minutes waiting for it to go through, and some of the coffee is unused due to parasitic losses. Of course, I'm using 1% milk, and I imagine anything richer would take more time and grounds.

...But my, is it _tasty!_ :eat2:


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## FreeThinker (Sep 14, 2007)

Forgot to mention:

My coffee has to be hot.

_Stupidly_ hot.

_*Dangerously*_ hot.

I generally drink it quite quickly, too, with an extra large sometimes disappearing in ten minutes. Restaurant coffees in china mugs have disappeared in as little as one minute for the first cup. After that, I tend to slow down and savour it some more.

Yay for unlimited refills!


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## salomon (Sep 14, 2007)

Cafe, cafe con leche, cafe cubano, cafe espreso, mmmmm!
Day or night mmmmm!:eat2:


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## Santaclear (Sep 14, 2007)

FreeThinker said:


> I sometimes use this method with milk instead of water.
> 
> It usually gets pretty mucky in the filter towards the end of the pour, particularly if you're making a large cup, so it's possible to spend several minutes waiting for it to go through, and some of the coffee is unused due to parasitic losses. Of course, I'm using 1% milk, and I imagine anything richer would take more time and grounds.
> 
> ...But my, is it _tasty!_ :eat2:



Wow, never heard of that idea. You brew your coffee using hot milk instead of water? Sounds tasty. (I probably wouldn't do it tho since I don't drink milk anymore 'cos of my high cholesterol - I use soy milk or a blend of soy and rice milk.)

The key to getting the coffee strong and not wasting it is pouring it very slowly, just a little at a time.


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## FreeThinker (Sep 14, 2007)

Santaclear said:


> Wow, never heard of that idea. You brew your coffee using hot milk instead of water? Sounds tasty.



Just once in a while...the last time was a few years ago. It's nice for a special treat. The idea just occurred to me one day.

Does anyone know if there's a name for coffee prepared that way?



> The key to getting the coffee strong and not wasting it is pouring it very slowly, just a little at a time.



That slow pour is especially important with this.


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## Miss Vickie (Sep 14, 2007)

I hate coffee. 'specially Starbucks. 

Okay, okay, ya got me. I'm a worshipper of the bean. I love coffee -- the drink, the ice cream, and even the bean covered in chocolate. But I'm very picky and refuse to drink bad coffee. We have a lot of drive thru places in town, but their coffee is either weak, bitter, or occasionally even both. So I stick with Starbucks which is predictably good, and on those rare times that it's not, I need just bring it to the barista's attention and they fix it AND give me a coupon for a free drink. 

We have another local brand here, Kaladi's, which considers themselves top dog here in Anchorage. Truthfully their coffee is okay, and I used to drink it -- usually as a mocha. One time I got a latte and it tasted both weak AND bitter. I brought it back, told the barista (very nicely), that there was a problem with the latte and it was undrinkable and she said, "it's supposed to taste that way" and refused to remake it for me. Um.... great marketing there... "Kaladi's. Both weak AND bitter. What's not to love?" That was the last Kaladi's drink I bought since they won't even stand by their product. 

Like ed, I have a blade grinder, not a burr grinder, and mine's old and doesn't work well so I buy coffee pre-ground. We buy a pound for French press, another for drip, and a third for espresso. I prefer lattes, with no flavoring, just the coffee, 2% milk, and a little foam. But this time of year I'm also partial to pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks; that's pretty much the only sweetened latte I'll drink. 

At home I definitely take the time to make my own lattes, and they taste pretty good, given that we have a Krups drip/espresso maker. I used to have a rockin' Starbucks barista machine but it gave up the ghost from over-use and I haven't been able to justify buying another at retail price. I got that one for less than $150 since I worked for Starbucks at the time. 

As for the different blends they have, some I like more than others. I'm not a fan of French roast, House blend, or any of the South American coffees. I tend toward the African blends, or the darker roasts like Gazebo Blend or Christmas Blend. Caffe Verona is always a nice stand by, and comes in decaf, too.

Right now Starbucks Anniversary Blend is out in the stores and I'm hoarding pounds of it in my freezer as I do every year. I LOVE that blend, and always start anticipating it in the fall when it comes out. It's a nice bold blend. Very nice, made as drip, french press, or even espresso.

I also like tea, too, and will probably post in that thread, but my tastes in that regard are pretty dull.


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## BigCutieCindy (Sep 14, 2007)

I love coffee, but I don't like strong, dark roasts. I'm more of a light, mild girl...call me a coffee wimp, but I like what I like. I used to drink my coffee black, years ago, but now I prefer it with cream and one sugar.

I *love* Dunkin' Donuts Coffee. I could drink the stuff all day! I don't like Starbuck's at all, though.

Different strokes for different folks, eh?


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## goofy girl (Sep 15, 2007)

I just love me some coffee! My favorite way to take caffeine is with a latte (hot or iced), because since its mostly milk its a little easier on my tummy. My fave latte is Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte. But I love almost any flavored latte, and flavored is also the way I take my coffee! I try my best to go to smaller independently owned places, but Starbucks is just so danged convenient and comfy that I end up there alot. 

If anyone else shares my passion for flavored coffee (which I know is considered sacreliege by many) try http://www.necoffeeco.com/ for LOTS of great flavors. They have awesome ones like Choc raspberry, Cinnamon Sticky Bun, BLueberry Cobbler, Almond Macaroon and Maple French Toast. There are loads of others I havent tried yet. They are all really great iced as well! The website also gives tips on how to brew coffee specifically for iced coffee. There are also recipes on the site.

Speaking of recipes, I love coffee SOO much, that I like to add some to my coffee cakes and chocolate chip cookies before baking. Gives them a nice flavor.

One last thing...Bring on the Coffee Ice Cream!


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## sweetnnekked (Sep 15, 2007)

I consume a 24oz. cup of coffee at home almost daily. I say almost because sometimes I mix it up and go to a cafe instead. Usually either Cafe Appassionatto or Starbucks. I only do Starbucks because it's in the same building as my grocery store(I'm not a huge fan of SB's).
The best I've found so far for home use is Don Francisco; either their Columbian or their Hawaiian Hazelnut (a personal favorite). 
Coffee should only be enjoyed with half and half.
Sugar or any sweeteners makes your coffee a complete abomination against nature and God!!!!!


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## BigCutieSasha (Sep 17, 2007)

I'm and a coffee _and_ tea loving girl. I think coffee is what I prefer to get my ass going in the morning fast. To have a nice slow morning, I think tea works better for that. I've worked my way up to 3 shots in a drink now. My friend Lindsey amazes me with her 5 shot mocha's. I don't think I'm going THAT hardcore anytime soon. I think a coffee stop on the way to work is needed tomorrow now that I think about it.


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## ScreamingChicken (Sep 17, 2007)

At home, I am more than content with Kroger's Breakfast Blend. Typically 3 cups with creamer and 1 Sweet N Low in each.

Now if I go to Starbucks, my fave hands down is a Caramel Frappucino. I'm also fond of the mocha version and the Caramel macchicato ,too. What I miss though is the Mint Chocolate Chip frappucino. They were SO good.:bow:


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## toni (Sep 17, 2007)

TraciJo67 said:


> Starbucks Venti Vanilla Latte, 4 pumps vanilla, low fat milk, extra hot, no foam. I start my day with one every morning. I love the creamy, sweet texture of the steamed milk. Starbucks puts only 2 shots of espresso in each Venti drink, so there is not an overbearing coffee. I don't like Starbucks coffee (or any coffee, for that matter) ... just the warm, milky lattes.



Is it only 2? I have been hooked on their iced lattes. The lady told me they use 4 shots in there. What a rip-off if the hot version cuts the caffeine down by half, lol.

At starbucks I go for the venti iced latte with 2% milk. Then I usually add 2 splendas.

When I feel like going crazy I will have a Mocha Caramel Frap. Its a milk shake that gets the heart pumping.

At Dunkin Donuts I have a large Coconut Iced coffee, extra light, 3 splendas. 

They started a line of lattes too. The caramel one is soooooooooooo sweet! It taste like a milk shake.

I had a Mcdonalds Iced coffee and it was really good. I read that MD is biting into Starbuck's profits. They say more people are opting for MD because they are using a quality roast, it is cheaper and they offer more locations than Starbucks.


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## activistfatgirl (Sep 17, 2007)

The coffee at my work is bad. We have one of those two pot industrial machines that keeps hot water in it at all times. We get coffee from a vendor that brings it to our door, little packets of colombian roast. I don't know if it's the machine, our water, the coffee--or all three combined--but the end result is not good. 

It's usually bitter, leaves a strong taste in your mouth, doesn't have a good aroma, and burns the tummy. 

I definitely still drink it, but it does make me consider bringing in a 4 cup machine and making my own.  (if this is the most i have to be sad about today, that's pretty awesome!)


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## BlondeAmbition (Sep 17, 2007)

I used to be a coffee fiend! I started drinking it when I was 14 and often I could drink a whole pot if I was in the mood. It always tasted best first thing in the morning too.

My favourite type of coffee is Starbucks (Almond Cafe Latte Venti), or anything that is a darkroast will do. Ofcourse, flavoured cream is prefered (Vanilla or Bailey's Irish Cream). My appologizies to any Canadians I might offend by saying this but I _really_ dislike Tim Horton's now. _Just say "no" to the Timmy Ho._ 

Anyway, I'm not sure what happened but in the last six months, I sorta stopped drinking coffee altogether, putting an end to my daily routine. I might make a cup if I'm bored or have if I company but often times I won't finish it. Has anyone one experienced a change like this?


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## Tad (Sep 17, 2007)

activistfatgirl said:


> The coffee at my work is bad. We have one of those two pot industrial machines that keeps hot water in it at all times. We get coffee from a vendor that brings it to our door, little packets of colombian roast. I don't know if it's the machine, our water, the coffee--or all three combined--but the end result is not good.
> 
> It's usually bitter, leaves a strong taste in your mouth, doesn't have a good aroma, and burns the tummy.
> 
> I definitely still drink it, but it does make me consider bringing in a 4 cup machine and making my own.  (if this is the most i have to be sad about today, that's pretty awesome!)



AFG: I worked one place with terrible coffee, and I got a cup that came with a one cup-size, re-usable, plastic filter that fit on top of the mug. So I could bring in my own coffee, put it in the filter on top of the mug, then fill the filter piece with hot water from the kettle (the water from your industrial machine might do the job), let it run through, and voila, pretty decent coffee.

And then I found a one cup plastic press pot, and had even better coffee 

The only downside is you have to wash out the filter or press pot after using.

And they made great conversation starters....

-Ed


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## qwertyman173 (Sep 17, 2007)

All I usually drink is decent instant coffee - this may seem like an oxymoron to some of you lol. But I cannot really afford to be splashing out on £3 ($6)for a cup of coffee in Starbucks every day.


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## BlondeAmbition (Sep 17, 2007)

BigCutieSasha said:


> I'm and a coffee _and_ tea loving girl.



Mmmmmmm tea with a bit of milk + honey = Yummy! :eat2:


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## qwertyman173 (Sep 17, 2007)

BlondeAmbition said:


> Mmmmmmm tea with a bit of milk + honey = Yummy! :eat2:



Honey in tea? Never heard of that! Will have to try it!


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## activistfatgirl (Sep 17, 2007)

Friendly reminder that there's a tea thread. Go there you dirty tea drinkers! (JK, I love it too).

Thanks for the suggestion, Edx. I don't think we have an ez way to do hot water. If we did, I'd definitely bring in my french press, which isn't being used. That would be pretty sweet. I wouldn't have to leave my office.


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## Tad (Sep 17, 2007)

activistfatgirl said:


> Thanks for the suggestion, Edx. I don't think we have an ez way to do hot water. If we did, I'd definitely bring in my french press, which isn't being used. That would be pretty sweet. I wouldn't have to leave my office.



I know they are not as common in the US, but if you look around you should be able to get your hands on an electric kettle somewhere--then all you need is an outlet and a source of water. If you ever come to the canuck side of the border just go into the nearest thrift/St.VincentDePaul/etc store and you'll probably find one for two bucks. Or you can usually buy them new here for as little as about 10-12 bucks, or twice that for the cordless models. But I've heard complaints of expats that they can't easily find electric kettles down stateside, so I'm not sure how hard it is to find one there, or what the price would be like.

(note, also good for tea)


-Ed


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## liz (di-va) (Sep 17, 2007)

My office is full of crazed 'Buck's afficionados. One of my coworkers literally goes there four times a day I think and sweet talks the barristaquitas into giving him a free one sometimes. Most people get 4/5-shot Americanos n stuff...

I have to say, I ain't feelin it, although I've been *trying* to drink a cup a day (it's good for gallstones! *nerdy honk*). When I do drink coffee, I mostly care that it's black, strong but not bitter and if possible, in a nice china cup! Then it tastes better  I really love a great cup of coffee after an amazing meal. I just have very plain tastes in it. Yum. 

Oh! Highly recommended! If you're looking for something to dip in your coffee, I really like the *hazelnut milk chocolate* Lu Petit Ecolier biscuits, but it's gotta be the hazelnut/milk. It's a great combination with strong dark coffee...


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## liz (di-va) (Sep 17, 2007)

edx said:


> I know they are not as common in the US, but if you look around you should be able to get your hands on an electric kettle somewhere--then all you need is an outlet and a source of water. If you ever come to the canuck side of the border just go into the nearest thrift/St.VincentDePaul/etc store and you'll probably find one for two bucks. Or you can usually buy them new here for as little as about 10-12 bucks, or twice that for the cordless models. But I've heard complaints of expats that they can't easily find electric kettles down stateside, so I'm not sure how hard it is to find one there, or what the price would be like.
> (note, also good for tea)
> -Ed



They're not hard to find at all these days, quite the contrary. I'm passionately attached to mine...it's the best. Boiling water in scant minutes.


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## sweetnnekked (Sep 17, 2007)

qwertyman173 said:


> Honey in tea? Never heard of that! Will have to try it!



WHAT?????

American's everywhere drink tea with honey!
At least everywhere I've been. 
Although not all Americans do.


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## sweetnnekked (Sep 17, 2007)

liz (di-va) said:


> My office is full of crazed 'Buck's afficionados. One of my coworkers literally goes there four times a day I think and sweet talks the barristaquitas into giving him a free one sometimes. Most people get 4/5-shot Americanos n stuff...
> 
> I have to say, I ain't feelin it, although I've been *trying* to drink a cup a day (it's good for gallstones! *nerdy honk*). When I do drink coffee, I mostly care that it's black, strong but not bitter and if possible, in a nice china cup! Then it tastes better  I really love a great cup of coffee after an amazing meal. I just have very plain tastes in it. Yum.
> 
> Oh! Highly recommended! If you're looking for something to dip in your coffee, I really like the *hazelnut milk chocolate* Lu Petit Ecolier biscuits, but it's gotta be the hazelnut/milk. It's a great combination with strong dark coffee...



Perhaps your co-workers are 'Bucks' afficianados because there isn't an influx of specialty cafes around the country as there are in Seattle.
There are many coffee roaster/retailers out here that surpass in taste anything that Starbucks could ever dream of brewing!!!


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## liz (di-va) (Sep 17, 2007)

sweetnnekked said:


> Perhaps your co-workers are 'Bucks' afficianados because there isn't an influx of specialty cafes around the country as there are in Seattle.
> There are many coffee roaster/retailers out here that surpass in taste anything that Starbucks could ever dream of brewing!!!



I wouldn't say anywhere's as coffee-intensive as Seattle, but there are a lot of specialty cafes here--just not a lot within joggin distance of our job, which would be the defining factor in this case. Gotta be able to zoom on foot for coffee n back in no time.


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## Miss Vickie (Sep 17, 2007)

sweetnnekked said:


> There are many coffee roaster/retailers out here that surpass in taste anything that Starbucks could ever dream of brewing!!!



I wish that were the case here. The indie coffee places lack consistency, in roast, grind, and putting together a drink, and they largely taste like crap. Even when I lived in Seattle, though, I largely preferred Starbucks over everyone else's coffee except Diva (are they still around, by the way?)

I've tried to like other coffees, but at least up here they are fairly awful a significant amount of the time and I'm just not willing to risk $5 on a drink that may taste like crap. At least if it's mis-made at Starbucks, they will always remake it, and always give me a coupon for a future drink. I've yet to get that kind of guarantee at any of the coffee shops around here.


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## activistfatgirl (Sep 18, 2007)

I think it's apt that we wrestle a bit with the idea, the product, the monolith that is Starbucks here. 

I'm on the opposite spectrum of Miss Vickie. I might prefer the Starbucks product than the indie shop, but I will ALWAYS shop indie whenever given the chance--even when the indie shop is inferior in product. If I were more legalistic, I'd avoid SB at all costs, but that's not how I roll. So if I'm road tripping or otherwise out of town and don't know an area, I'll go to SB. I just really want to support local businesses whenever possible, for all their quirkiness. Starbucks doesn't have my respect. Even if they make tasty coffee.

However, I will say that the indie shop I go to in Detroit has THE WORST COFFEE I've ever had. And I _still_ go. Principles Schminciples...maybe I could get a small Starbucks coffee on the way over to the cafe? Or beg the owner to do something about his watery, acidic coffee?


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## Miss Vickie (Sep 18, 2007)

See now, for me, I drank Starbucks before they became the monolith that is Starbucks. I frequented the Pike Place Starbucks store, the first one ever. So the fact that Starbucks has grown up and become ginormous means little to me, because in my heart of hearts it's the same little coffee place it was before -- it's just more convenient since they, you know, are on every street corner.

Like you, AFG, I try to support indie places whenever possible, but I will not throw away my hard earned money for swill. I'll sometimes buy tea at those places, and usually delightful little goodies (since I don't care for Starbucks' pastries for the most part -- they taste overprocessed and yuck) but I'm not going to pay money for coffee that tastes like crap. We have a couple of places here in Anchorage that are decent, and I'll drink their coffee, but by and large our choices are for shit. You'd think, in a place where it's dark and cold nine months out of the year we'd have better options, but sadly, we don't.

Plus, I used to work at Starbucks, my son works there now to work his way through collage and they're a very pro-employee company, far better than just about any place I've worked (including the place I'm working now). I tell you, there are days when I'm so fed up with my job (not the work, or my patients who I adore, but some of the decisions our so called leadership makes) that I'm ready to don my green apron again. Ugh.


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## activistfatgirl (Sep 18, 2007)

That's a whole other thread, I imagine...the perils of nursing driving you back to the simpler days as a barista.

Hmm...you could write a book about it. Then the pay decrease wouldn't matter so much. 

I totally hear you, Vickie. I think each opinion is valid. One day I'm going to find my indie cup of joe that makes my heart sing. I hope! :wubu: Until then, I savor my special run-ins with Starbucks along the side of the freeway and on urban street corners. My most recent stop was at a SB deep in the heart of Kentucky--same old coffee, totally different accents.


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## Miss Vickie (Sep 18, 2007)

activistfatgirl said:


> That's a whole other thread, I imagine...the perils of nursing driving you back to the simpler days as a barista.
> 
> Hmm...you could write a book about it. Then the pay decrease wouldn't matter so much.



Pay decrease? Hell, I'm not even sure there would be a pay decrease. For all this talk of nursing shortages, we who are in the employ of the public don't get paid well. Not at my level, anyway. My boss, OTOH? Probably makes a small fortune.



> I totally hear you, Vickie. I think each opinion is valid. One day I'm going to find my indie cup of joe that makes my heart sing. I hope! :wubu: Until then, I savor my special run-ins with Starbucks along the side of the freeway and on urban street corners. My most recent stop was at a SB deep in the heart of Kentucky--same old coffee, totally different accents.



Or better yet, maybe you could open your own place. Then you KNOW the coffee would be good, right? I used to have these daydreams about opening a book store/cafe that sold awesome coffee and delicious fresh baked pastries with live music, and local artwork on the walls -- like a hippie community centre. You know the kind of place I'm talking about, I'm sure. Wouldn't that be fun?


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## activistfatgirl (Sep 18, 2007)

That would be awesome! Hard work, too. I always try to temper my dreams with remembering what it would be like to wake up at 5am to open up my lil utopian store. UGH! 

At least there would be coffee. Once I made some.


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## TearInYourHand (Sep 18, 2007)

activistfatgirl said:


> ...I might prefer the Starbucks product than the indie shop, but I will ALWAYS shop indie whenever given the chance--even when the indie shop is inferior in product. ...
> 
> However, I will say that the indie shop I go to in Detroit has THE WORST COFFEE I've ever had. And I _still_ go. Principles Schminciples...maybe I could get a small Starbucks coffee on the way over to the cafe? Or beg the owner to do something about his watery, acidic coffee?



Hey I hear ya about the indie places, adding quirkiness to life and all, but I have to wonder, why would you throw away money for a poor product? Why would we want to encourage something that sucks to stick around? Don't torture yourself hon!

Starbucks is actually a very pro-employee company, as MissVickie pointed out. They frequently make the Forbes (or whatever) lists of "Best 100 companies to work for" based on employee benefits and all that jazz. I worked at an 'indie' coffee shop in college (one with GOOD coffee...imagine that haha!) and they had many people who they were screwing over by not giving them health insurance, etc. So, my point is....don't judge a book by the cover!

And, life's too short to martyr yourself with shitty coffee!


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## TraciJo67 (Sep 18, 2007)

Miss Vickie said:


> See now, for me, I drank Starbucks before they became the monolith that is Starbucks. I frequented the Pike Place Starbucks store, the first one ever. So the fact that Starbucks has grown up and become ginormous means little to me, because in my heart of hearts it's the same little coffee place it was before -- it's just more convenient since they, you know, are on every street corner.
> 
> Like you, AFG, I try to support indie places whenever possible, but I will not throw away my hard earned money for swill. I'll sometimes buy tea at those places, and usually delightful little goodies (since I don't care for Starbucks' pastries for the most part -- they taste overprocessed and yuck) but I'm not going to pay money for coffee that tastes like crap. We have a couple of places here in Anchorage that are decent, and I'll drink their coffee, but by and large our choices are for shit. You'd think, in a place where it's dark and cold nine months out of the year we'd have better options, but sadly, we don't.
> 
> Plus, I used to work at Starbucks, my son works there now to work his way through collage and they're a very pro-employee company, far better than just about any place I've worked (including the place I'm working now). I tell you, there are days when I'm so fed up with my job (not the work, or my patients who I adore, but some of the decisions our so called leadership makes) that I'm ready to don my green apron again. Ugh.



I agree, Vickie. Starbucks has some pretty consistently good coffee (or, in my case, espresso ... as I don't drink straight coffee). On the rare occassion when my order is wrong, they cheerfully remake it and will usually give me a coupon for a free drink. Another little known fact about Starbucks is that they frequently reward members who consistently use the Starbucks gift card (not the credit card ... the reloadable gift card). I use one so I don't have to worry about carrying cash at work. I cannot tell you how many times I've gotten an email letting me know that they've added another $10 to my balance as a loyalty reward. And the ladies at my local drive-through are constantly hooking me up with all sorts of freebies. Sometimes they will charge me 'tall' price for a 'venti' drink. A few times, they've waved me through and given me my drink for free. 

I love Starbucks. I'd work there for an exchange, just to support my latte habit, if I had the free time .


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## Checksum Panic (Sep 18, 2007)

I'm pretty sure I need coffee to live/function...


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## ashmamma84 (Sep 18, 2007)

I ADORE Jamaican Blue Mountain -- it is so smooth and doesn't give you that jittery feeling after having several cups. Oh it is just yummy...it's a coffee I could sip all day.


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## Tad (Sep 18, 2007)

Miss Vickie said:


> Or better yet, maybe you could open your own place. Then you KNOW the coffee would be good, right? I used to have these daydreams about opening a book store/cafe that sold awesome coffee and delicious fresh baked pastries with live music, and local artwork on the walls -- like a hippie community centre. You know the kind of place I'm talking about, I'm sure. Wouldn't that be fun?



I know the sort of place you are talking about....its in my neighborhood! Well pretty close to what you describe, anyway. It is primarily an independent book store, with an excellent selection even if it is not so large. They used to have the best coffee in the neighborhood, until a truly awesome independent coffee shop opened up down the road, but their coffee is still good, and reasonably priced--although they don't do the fancy drinks. They sell a very yummy array of cookies and squares. They don't generally have the local artists on their walls, but in the neighborhoods annual studio tour they give over their back room to the use of some local artist who does not have a good display space. They host a book club and have regular readings and book signings--and they promote readings and book signings at other stores and libraries in the city too. And to totally cap off the stereotype, it is owned by a married gay couple, who's adopted daughter is now in french immersion kindergarten at my son's school.

In all honesty, when we were hemming and hawing a little bit about buying our house, because of what we'd been hearing about the neighborhood at the time, that book store was one of the things that helped us decide that we did want to live here. I'm so glad that ten years later they are still in business!

-Ed


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## GenericGeek (Sep 19, 2007)

Miss Vickie said:


> See now, for me, I drank Starbucks before they became the monolith that is Starbucks. I frequented the Pike Place Starbucks store, the first one ever...



And I have fond memories of the little Starbucks in University Village. Ah, for the Starbucks of a bygone era -- the good old hippie days, when the Siren still had nipples!

BRING BACK THE NIPPLES, DAMMIT!!!


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## sweetnnekked (Sep 19, 2007)

GenericGeek said:


> And I have fond memories of the little Starbucks in University Village. Ah, for the Starbucks of a bygone era -- the good old hippie days, when the Siren still had nipples!
> 
> BRING BACK THE NIPPLES, DAMMIT!!!



Yes, NIPPLES! WE NEED MORE NIPPLES!!!:eat2:


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## SparklingBBW (Sep 20, 2007)

I can be a coffee snob at times, but really, it's not so much about being a snob as just really appreciating a great coffee and knowing when you're having bad coffee. I used to drink it black, which is where I think I honed my personal coffee taste buds; you can really tell a bad coffee when you don't add anything to it. Now, I'm a splenda and fat-free half-and-half kinda gal due to my tummy, but still a good strong cup is a pleasure to be savoured. (I agree with Edx's quote that there's no such thing as strong coffee only weak people! LOL) I'm also like Liz in that I love the elegance of a cup of coffee for dessert after dinner in a fine restaurant. 

I don't have to have coffee every morning but that's probably because I usually substitute diet coke lol. I do need me some caffeine to wake up. 

At restaurants, I like McDonald's coffee and Bob Evans has a pretty good brew as well as White Castle. Here in Columbus we also have a local roaster, Stauffs, and a lot of the coffee shops/pastry shops buy from them, including Cup O' Joe, which is my personal favorite coffee shop in town (and they buy from Stauffs), but that's also about the ambiance. I really want to like Starbucks because they are such a great company, but every time I've tried their coffee it always tastes burnt to me, so it's not my preference. At home I usually have Gevalia's French roast and I especially like their Vintar Blend which comes out just once a year...heck I hoard that stuff and save it for special occasions! 

Three cheers for coffee!!!

Gena


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## CandySmooch (Nov 13, 2007)

CrankySpice said:


> I love Starbucks coffee, also Seattle's Best (which, incidentally, is owned by Starbucks). The SB Breakfast Blend is superb, and is usually what I'll brew at home.



My love of coffee developed when I started on the local fire dept. as a Jr. Firefighter at age 17. I quickly learned coffee is the main staple in Fire/Emergency Services. Back then it was whatever coffee we had, but I always needed heavy cream & sugar. I ran with a crew where we often would stay up all night for our 24 hour shift and drink coffee literally all night & smoke cigarettes in between running emergency calls. Those are some of my most fondest memories. 

As I grew up and came to work for a major metropolitan fire dept. as a 911 dispatcher I was assigned to the night shift. Again we'd drink it all night long mostly Folgers as that was what the Fire Dept. provided free. They have since switched to a generic coffee that tastes like burnt sludge so I had to expand my horizons. 

I discovered Starbucks only a year ago, it had been too intimidating for me before that. I order a Grande, 6 pump White Chocolate Mocha, extra hot, no whip cream, however I do not enjoy paying $4.61 for one damn good cup of coffee. I have since stopped splurging on these after I'd get them several times a week for a year and realized they were probably sucking 1/2 of my paycheck in I didn't feel good supporting such a commercialized corporation. Thats not how I roll. I will take my $.99 Vanilla Steamer from Quik Trip instead from now on. 

But I am saddened to hear that CrankySpice has just informed me that Starbucks owned Seattle's Best as I have fallen in love with their "Cinnabon" flavor. I was feeling good about not supporting the Starbuck corporation but now my bubble has burst. I buy SB at Hy-Vee ground & packaged in the coffee aisle. I love coffee but I don't like to have to work for it (grinding my own beans etc) I don't how they make "Cinnabon" taste so rich & buttery with a hint of cinnamon, but by God they do. This has been the absolute best packaged coffee I can make for myself at the fire dept. I mostly drink coffee just at work since I know I will drink more than a cup and will stick to individual hot teas & hot chocolate at home with my tea kettle.

I also liked Millstone's Christmas blend my brother had at his house last year. I use a variety of Internationl or Coffemate Creamers & 7 sugar cubes. The holiday Pumpkin Spice & Gingerbread are my faves around the holidays. I've recently tried Coffemates Blueberry Cobbler and Pralines & Cream, and Internationals new Belgium White Choc. & Macadamia. All are excellent and I'd buy again. I do not believe in using powdered creamers......that shit is just wrong wrong wrong! Do a search on youtube and you'll see many flammable explosions of it. Its like one molecule away from plastic & has been linked to cancer. Sometimes I like to use heavy whipping cream instead, although I keep hearing of using sweetened condensed milk in coffee lately so this I must try soon!! I like my coffee roasts med/dark, with heavy cream & sugar. I just love to converse with my fellow coffee/tea drinkers! We need a group name.......


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## CandySmooch (Nov 13, 2007)

I must also add a horrible Starbucks experience. One Sunday morning on my way into work I went through the drive-threw. The lights were on inside, the board was lit up for orders......yet no one took my order after 5 minutes. They open at 0630 on Sundays here.....it was 0640 when I hit the drive-threw. After no one answered I pulled up to the window - I saw 2 girls & 1 guy standing around chatting & eating at the counter & no one wearing a headset. Finally after several minutes and I'm about to honk my horn when one of the girls notices me. She slowly saunters over taking her sweet ass time. I politely said "I'm sorry I thought you opened at 0630". She said "We do." I looked at my clock and it was 0645. I thought maybe she'd ask how she could help me........nope she just stood there. 

I said ok I'd like to order a Grande 6 pump White Mocha, extra hot, no whip cream. She says nothing, but turns to the guy standing there and hands him my cup - the window is open and I hear them exchange words and I got the feeling it wasn't anything nice about me. He then turns to me with a nasty smirk on his face and asks "Do you even want any milk in this or just shots of white mocha?". I was so stunned I answered "Of course" without thinking. 

After he said that I'm really thinking you fucking idiot are you retarded? Then I realized he was being a punk smart ass and making a dig at me being fat and wanting extra shots of white chocolate. When I'm paying $5 for one cup of coffe I will have it any way I damn well please and I better get it with a smile! I pulled away pissed as I didn't want to be late for work and I really hadn't processed the whole situation just yet. I had been polite about everything as I"m never rude to retail/fast food service especially in the drive' thru's. 

I'm sure they had a good laugh at my expense after I left which made me angrier. I promptly logged onto Starbucks and made a written complaint and then I called the manager of the store the next whom is a big fattie like me. She apologized profusely and said its not a problem for extra pumps as she always gets several and she even gave me some new combos to try the next time I came threw. I told her I was so upset I didn't want to return to her store. She said rest assured she'd talk to those employees and she appreciated my complaint and told me to come threw the next morning and she'd make my drink personally on the house. I also later received a free coupon from SB.com in the mail also. Her name was Piper and I like her, she calls me by name when I see her now. I've never seen those punks again.

I also wanted to tell you about a nice lil coffee maker that I was hooked on by a guy at the fire dept. Its a cold brew so it deletes any acidity that your coffee causes you to have, I just prefer to have a nice hot pot to go to every time I want one instead of having to "nuke" a cup although I will say when I drank the coffee from this brewer it never gave me any kind of heartburn and always tasted soooooooo smooth!!!!! Here is the link to it. I'm sure I could figure out a way to keep a pot hot on the burner all day though...........

http://www.toddycafe.com/

"Low Acid Information
Reclaim your morning: Many coffee lovers find regular brewed coffee too acidic. According to the National Heartburn Alliance, of the estimated 54 million Americans who suffer heartburn, 75% say beverages such as coffee can cause it. 

For the tens of millions of coffee lovers who suffer from acid sensitivity, it's time for some good news. Toddy cold-brewed coffee - served steaming HOT or iced cold. 

Although a favorite among millions of coffee drinkers - from regular folk to connoisseurs - for more than forty years, many consumers are only now discovering the benefits of cold-brewed coffee. 

Using one's favorite brand of coffee, cold-brewing ground beans produces a coffee that is naturally low in acid - approximately 67% less acidic than coffee brewed by conventional hot-brew methods such as a Mr. Coffee-type system. 

Developed and patented in 1964 by a Cornell University chemical engineering graduate, the Toddy Cold Brew System extracts the coffee bean's true delicious flavor and eliminates much of the acidity, producing a bold, super-smooth coffee concentrate that may be refrigerated for up to 14 days without any deterioration in taste or freshness. 

And, there's no waste. Cold-brewed coffee can be made one cup at a time, and at the strength you prefer, simply by adding STEAMING HOT or iced cold water or milk. It's also microwavable."


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## Sugar (Nov 13, 2007)

I'm not really so into coffee I can tell the taste difference.

Large, Venti, whatever, the BIG one, sugar free vanilla soy latte. 

BUENO! :wubu:

As for bad Starbucks experiences, that's so weird, I'm sorry that happened! I've always been treated so nicely. Infact on payday I always ask to pay for the car behind me in drive through. It's a silly random act but I feel pretty okay about guzzling the coffee goop called latte.


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## Sweet_Serenade (Nov 13, 2007)

I practically live on coffee, it tends to make me way too hyper though.

Even like regular powder coffee like Folgers I enjoy.
But of course I love me some Starbucks and better quality coffee.

I like tea too, but I'm a total coffee freak.


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## Tad (Nov 14, 2007)

I work for a small company, so we don't have a lot of fancy perks. But we do have one that is just awesome: a free, kick-ass, espresso machine. This marvel of modern technology has a container for (unground) beans. You punch in the length of the coffee you want, then it grinds the beans and makes the appropriate length of espresso right then, taking maybe thirty or forty seconds. So, espresso from literally freshly ground beans, whenever you want it. I have to work hard to not over-caffeinate myself! 

It also has, of course, the steam wand if you want to froth milk to make cappucino, or can just give you steaming hot water if you are making tea or hot chocolate.

I'd love to have one like it at home, but it is roughly a cube a couple of feet per side, which just would not fit into our kitchen (ignoring for the moment that we could probably not afford it). Still, it makes going in to work that much easier when I can look forward to a nice espresso :smitten:

-Ed


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## activistfatgirl (Nov 14, 2007)

edx said:


> I work for a small company, so we don't have a lot of fancy perks. But we do have one that is just awesome: a free, kick-ass, espresso machine. This marvel of modern technology has a container for (unground) beans. You punch in the length of the coffee you want, then it grinds the beans and makes the appropriate length of espresso right then, taking maybe thirty or forty seconds. So, espresso from literally freshly ground beans, whenever you want it. I have to work hard to not over-caffeinate myself!
> 
> It also has, of course, the steam wand if you want to froth milk to make cappucino, or can just give you steaming hot water if you are making tea or hot chocolate.
> 
> ...



You're an evil man, Ed. I can't even imagine the joy of that.

On my end, no one remembered to fill the order for our crap-coffee, so we don't even have crap-coffee this morning. *sips decaf and tries not to strangle self*


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## Paul Delacroix (Nov 14, 2007)

ashmamma84 said:


> I ADORE Jamaican Blue Mountain -- it is so smooth and doesn't give you that jittery feeling after having several cups. Oh it is just yummy...it's a coffee I could sip all day.



I had it once in Jamaica with that great Cremo milk they bottled down there. Made a breakfast buffet complete.


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## goofy girl (Jan 7, 2008)

Jamaica Blue is the BEST stuff ever! Well worth the $40 per pound price tag :eat2:


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## Miss Vickie (Feb 28, 2008)

Now y'all know I have a deep and abiding love for Starbucks. So it was with excitement like a kid on Christmas morning that I tried their new honey latte. I love lattes, I love honey, and sometimes I put honey in my lattes so I figured what could go wrong?

It. Was. VILE. Truly awful. I couldn't drink more than two or three sips. It was just way too cloying and awful and.... ugh. *shivers at the memory*

Starbucks, you guys dropped the ball with this one. I don't know what you managed to do to ruin what could have been a delicious drink but I don't intend to try another one to find out.

I still love ya, though, and will continue to get my one splenda grande lattes. Just hold the honey, honeys.


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## TraciJo67 (Feb 28, 2008)

Miss Vickie said:


> Now y'all know I have a deep and abiding love for Starbucks. So it was with excitement like a kid on Christmas morning that I tried their new honey latte. I love lattes, I love honey, and sometimes I put honey in my lattes so I figured what could go wrong?
> 
> It. Was. VILE. Truly awful. I couldn't drink more than two or three sips. It was just way too cloying and awful and.... ugh. *shivers at the memory*
> 
> ...



Vick, it's far too sweet for me as well. The honey drizzle on the top ... over FREAKIN' kill. And the 5 pumps of syrup are about 3 too many, in a Venti size drink. For some reason, the honey flavor is super, super concentrated.

I have been drinking my own hybrid for a few weeks now. I call it Honey Vanilla Heaven  I do two pumps vanilla, two pumps honey, forget the whip & the drizzle, 3 shots of espresso. It is ... divine. And there is nothing more satisfying than making my own tasty, tasty latte (well, except making my own and then LEAVING without having to serve them to other people, but I digress).


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## toni (Feb 28, 2008)

Ewww, honey latte. That doesn't sound so good.  

Anyone hear anything about this Phase 2 thing they are doing? 

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28657


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## sunnie1653 (Feb 28, 2008)

I *almost* tried the Honey Latte this morning - I'm glad I didn't. 

I'm such a coffee junkie. It borders on addiction. I make 1/2 a pot in the morning, and drink it at home (Usually I'll buy the Seattle's Best or Millstone at the store.)

Then on my way I stop at Starbuck's. I switch from week-to-week. I either get a venti brewed coffee, skim milk, and 2 splenda's, a non-fat sugar free misto with caramel/hazelnut/cinnamon dolce etc, a venti skinny (I don't like whole milk) mocha, or a non fat white chocolate mocha w/raspberry.

Then I drink coffee until 2pm at work. The rest of the day, I drink ice water, and allow myself to have a soda either with or after dinner.

I'm very weird, apparently.


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## Miss Vickie (Feb 28, 2008)

TraciJo67 said:


> Vick, it's far too sweet for me as well. The honey drizzle on the top ... over FREAKIN' kill. And the 5 pumps of syrup are about 3 too many, in a Venti size drink. For some reason, the honey flavor is super, super concentrated.



Maybe I should have them make it half strength? All of their flavored drinks tend to be too sweet for me -- except pumpkin spice, which is about perfect. So I may try it again with one of my freebie cards so I don't waste $4 like I did the other day. 



> I have been drinking my own hybrid for a few weeks now. I call it Honey Vanilla Heaven  I do two pumps vanilla, two pumps honey, forget the whip & the drizzle, 3 shots of espresso. It is ... divine. And there is nothing more satisfying than making my own tasty, tasty latte (well, except making my own and then LEAVING without having to serve them to other people, but I digress).



Mmmm. That sounds good. I loved making my own concoctions when I worked there. When we had eggnog I'd make an eggnog latte with just a tiny bit of cinnamon and vanilla syrups. It was ... divine -- just as you say. 



sunnie1653 said:


> I *almost* tried the Honey Latte this morning - I'm glad I didn't.
> 
> I'm such a coffee junkie. It borders on addiction. I make 1/2 a pot in the morning, and drink it at home (Usually I'll buy the Seattle's Best or Millstone at the store.)
> 
> ...



Yeah I'd say your coffee addict "cred" is certainly intact.  It's fun to try new drinks, and my "favorite drink" changes from week to week, although I've been on my grande latte with one splenda jag all winter.


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## Miss Vickie (Feb 28, 2008)

toni said:


> Ewww, honey latte. That doesn't sound so good.
> 
> Anyone hear anything about this Phase 2 thing they are doing?
> 
> http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28657



LOL! I forgot this in my other post. Funny, especially given how they closed down the other day for four hours. Hee. Something's definitely up in the Land of the Green Apron.


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## TraciJo67 (Feb 28, 2008)

Miss Vickie said:


> LOL! I forgot this in my other post. Funny, especially given how they closed down the other day for four hours. Hee. Something's definitely up in the Land of the Green Apron.



Yeah, blame the frackin' baristas, Howie.

I think if he'd stop building Starbucks stores inside of Starbucks bathrooms, he'd perhaps start turning the obscene profits again (as opposed to the mere hefty ones that he currently enjoys).


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## Neen (Mar 1, 2008)

Mmm coffee..now ya'll are speakin my language!
Tall Caramel machiato at starbucks extra caramel please...
Tall mild blend, cream and sugar...
or at home, sometimes i put ground cinnamon /nutmeg/cloves in with the coffee grounds before brewing. Tastes just like a pumpkin latte at starbucks..!!
One thing i cannot do is drink coffee black.. BLEH! Gotta have cream and sugar..:eat2:


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## Miss Vickie (Mar 1, 2008)

TraciJo67 said:


> Yeah, blame the frackin' baristas, Howie.
> 
> I think if he'd stop building Starbucks stores inside of Starbucks bathrooms, he'd perhaps start turning the obscene profits again (as opposed to the mere hefty ones that he currently enjoys).



One stand up comic I saw on TV was talking about opening a Starbucks in her uterus. Hee. That made me giggle, especially given what I do for a living. It would be so convenient...

The manager at my favorite local Starbucks said it's been INSANELY busy since they closed down the other day. She said that people are mentioning it when they come in, and lots of people are saying they're coming in because of the shutdown. Crazy... My coffee tastes just the same as ever.

I heard on the news that they're going to stop with the breakfast sandwiches. That made me sad; I LOVE those!


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## goofy girl (Mar 1, 2008)

Since we're talking Starbucks, I gotta say that I love the Cinnamon Dolce Latte with 2% milk. YUMMY. I can do the sugar free syrup, but the with sugar is nicer  And i can't do non fat milk for any lattes..just tastes burnt and nasty, and if I have them use the sugar free syrups in non fat milk it just tastes like burnt coffee with chemicals. The ONE exception is fat free milk with sugar free vanilla.


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## Miss Vickie (Mar 2, 2008)

Goofy girl, I'm not a fan of nonfat milk in lattes either. When I remember, I will order it as 1% which is about perfect for me. I may try the cinnamon dolce latte again; I wasn't impressed the first time but the sugar free one may work, since in my opinion Starbucks WAY over flavors their lattes. They're about as subtle as a Mack truck. The mochas are good, though, and usually not too sweet.

I was idly looking at their sign that they were hiring yesterday. I think it would be the perfect "fluff" second job for me. I mean, if I miss up at my work (I don't but I worry about it a lot) someone could die. But if I screw up a latte, nobody gets hurt and if they get pissed I'm good at smoothing feelings. Plus, and perhaps especially, I like the idea of talking to lots of usually happy people. If we're still up here this summer, I may see if they could use me part time.


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## TraciJo67 (Mar 2, 2008)

Miss Vickie said:


> Goofy girl, I'm not a fan of nonfat milk in lattes either. When I remember, I will order it as 1% which is about perfect for me. I may try the cinnamon dolce latte again; I wasn't impressed the first time but the sugar free one may work, since in my opinion Starbucks WAY over flavors their lattes. They're about as subtle as a Mack truck. The mochas are good, though, and usually not too sweet.
> 
> I was idly looking at their sign that they were hiring yesterday. I think it would be the perfect "fluff" second job for me. I mean, if I miss up at my work (I don't but I worry about it a lot) someone could die. But if I screw up a latte, nobody gets hurt and if they get pissed I'm good at smoothing feelings. Plus, and perhaps especially, I like the idea of talking to lots of usually happy people. If we're still up here this summer, I may see if they could use me part time.



Vick, as you know, I've been working at Starbucks for the past month or so. I had genteel fantasies of standing around, serving tasty beverages to grateful customers, standing around waiting to serve more tasty beverages to yet more grateful customers, and inbetween bouts of standing around, serving myself some tasty beverages. And for the few shilling that Starbucks is willing to pay me, that seemed like a pretty damn realistic expectation.

Instead, I've been on my feet for 5-8 hour stretches ... mopping & sweeping floors, plunging toilets, grinding beans, doing dishes, cleaning machines, hauling 20-pound bags of trash, and serving tasty beverages to indifferent and/or outright rude customers. In other words, I've been working DAMN HARD, and non-stop. For less than 1/3 of what my "real" job pays, and for a lot (and I mean a LOT) less respect. I mentioned that I've injured my hand, and went to the doctor on Monday because it wasn't getting better. I have a mild case of tendonitis, and was told to wear a brace for at least a week, and to try to minimize activities that required a lot of flexing and twisting. When I called to mention these temporary restrictions to the store manager, she acted suspicious! And ultimately, I ended up taking the brace off and doing everything anyway, because she didn't schedule anyone else to help with closing duties. Tonight was my last night, though I'm not going to say anything until mid-week so I can enjoy my mark-out and discounted beverages for a while longer. 

Did I mention that it's HARD frickin' WORK??!?!? I have gained a new level of respect for people who work in the retail or food service industry. The pay suuuuuuuuuuuucks, the work is mundane and physically taxing, you're treated like a very small & very insignificant cog in a very indifferently operated machine, and again, the pay suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks (x2). My hat is off to anyone who does this type of work for a living. My day job is stressful and taxing in a different way (more mentally), but at least my employer treats me with dignity and respect ... and the pay is at least somewhat commiserate with expectations of what I should be doing to earn it.


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## Surlysomething (Mar 2, 2008)

Surlysomething said:


> I very rarely drank coffee until I started my new job. It's a very social thing here and someone offered me a latte one morning and I was hooked.
> 
> Because i'm diabetic it's also a treat I can have as most of their flavoured drinks come in sugar-free versions.
> 
> ...


 

I have to admit, i've switched to Tim Horton's coffee in the morning. It's super-fresh, hot and delicious. And it's SO much cheaper.

I can't get a latte per say, but I can have more milk or less or whatever. The price alone seems to make it tastier.


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## Miss Vickie (Mar 3, 2008)

Oh I know it's hard; I worked at Starbucks, although in the customer service department, handling verbally assaultive customers but from the comfort of my derriere. I'm sorry to hear you're still having trouble with your hand. I don't blame you at ALL for quitting. Sounds like you have a suck-tas-tic manager, to treat you like that with your brace and all. Asswipes. This is how they lose good workers, isn't it?


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## TraciJo67 (Mar 3, 2008)

Miss Vickie said:


> Oh I know it's hard; I worked at Starbucks, although in the customer service department, handling verbally assaultive customers but from the comfort of my derriere. I'm sorry to hear you're still having trouble with your hand. I don't blame you at ALL for quitting. Sounds like you have a suck-tas-tic manager, to treat you like that with your brace and all. Asswipes. This is how they lose good workers, isn't it?



Actually, I don't think that she's a bad manager. I think that it's just the very nature of the industry. A lot of the people willing to work for that kind of wage are transient workers (high school & college students), and aren't the most reliable. They have other priorities. And when someone doesn't show up for a shift, or offers some kind of last minute excuse for why he/she can't show, it clogs the machine (so to speak ). And the manager herself probably earns less than $40K, and gets to deal with headaches that are -- thankfully -- unimaginable to me. 

I'm not willing to work my ass off for such a low wage. Thankfully (and I truly mean that, in a way I couldn't have understood two months ago) I don't have to.

But damn ... I just can't go back to paying $5 for a cup of coffee, either  Going to have to go buy an espresso maker and start doin' it myself.


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## toni (Mar 3, 2008)

How much of a discount do they offer? What do they pay? I have a 24 hour starbucks down the street. I wouldn't mind taking an over night shift if they had one.


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## TraciJo67 (Mar 3, 2008)

toni said:


> How much of a discount do they offer? What do they pay? I have a 24 hour starbucks down the street. I wouldn't mind taking an over night shift if they had one.



Toni, I'd imagine that the wage varies, depending on market conditions. Still, it's not going to be good no matter where you live. Here, with tips, it amounts to between $8-$10/hr. 

The discount is great -- 30% off all merchandise & beverages. Free beverages when you are working. I've made myself sick with 'em and loved every minute of it  We also get a pound of coffee or a box of tea per week as a free mark-out. The one really, really great perk that Starbucks offers though ... health insurance for part-time employees. I don't need it, as I have coverage through my regular employer, but it's actually pretty good coverage for a decent rate. 

My suggestion would be NOT to work closing shifts. You get stuck with all the cleaning and set-up duties. From what I can see, the people who work middle shifts (not opening *or* closing) have it much easier. They do get a lot of customers, and the bar can get frantically busy at times, but I don't mind that kind of work. I'd imagine that most people don't ... time flies by, and it's a helluva lot better than pushing around a mop bucket at 11pm.


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## Miss Vickie (Mar 3, 2008)

TraciJo67 said:


> Actually, I don't think that she's a bad manager. I think that it's just the very nature of the industry. A lot of the people willing to work for that kind of wage are transient workers (high school & college students), and aren't the most reliable.



We're running into this with some of our students who are transitioning from service industry jobs to entering a profession. I'm just amazed by the lack of work ethic -- coming in late, leaving early, and then demanding that we take extra time to catch them up. I'd NEVER have acted like that in nursing school. I'm actually pretty frustrated with a couple of my students because of their lack of reliability. I really don't feel good recommending them to an office because of this. Even if they had mad skills, if they don't show up it's irrelevant.



> I'm not willing to work my ass off for such a low wage. Thankfully (and I truly mean that, in a way I couldn't have understood two months ago) I don't have to.



I don't blame you. I'm glad you had the experience, though, so you know what you don't want to do. On a side note: aren't you glad you went to school and got an education? This is the stuff I try to get into my daughter's head, that it's great that she's a talented artist but she needs to think of how she's going to feed herself or she'll end up doing manual labor for low pay. Since I know she hates manual labor, obviously this wouldn't work for her.



> But damn ... I just can't go back to paying $5 for a cup of coffee, either  Going to have to go buy an espresso maker and start doin' it myself.



I had a Barista machine for years and worked it to DEATH. I loved that thing. Now I have a drip/steam espresso machine and it's... okay. I'd love a Sirena machine but it ain't gonna happen. Make sure you get your machine while you have your discount. There is no way I'd pay full price. OUCH!



toni said:


> How much of a discount do they offer? What do they pay? I have a 24 hour starbucks down the street. I wouldn't mind taking an over night shift if they had one.



*perks up* 24 hour Starbucks? Where?


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## Jon Blaze (Mar 7, 2008)

Not a huge coffee fan, but it can be nice at times. I had a few cups yesterday with ice cream cake: Two hit combo!


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## BigCutieSasha (Mar 7, 2008)

Lately I have only had coffee following big meals at restaurants and hangovers. I used to not go a day without my cuppa joe. The Brits have changed me. Im tea crazy! Stumptown, please don't hate me.


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## CandySmooch (Mar 10, 2008)

OK so I tried a SMALL McDonald's McCafe Vanilla Latte this morning for $2.49...........this is supposed to be the big deal that is comparable to StarBucks????? I think not!! I find gas station cappucino's are more tasty for $.69 - I mean it was alright, but I certainly wouldn't find it the least bit comparable to StarBucks and certainly not for the price - I'd rather spend $5 on something spectacular than $2.50 on so-so that I can get at any gas station. I just don't see what the big deal was. Too much hype - I guess you pay for the convenience of the drive threw???


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## goofy girl (Mar 11, 2008)

I didn't know that McD's had latte's...BUT their caramel iced coffee is to die for!!


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## ashmamma84 (Mar 11, 2008)

http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/ -- anyone? They have some of the best coffee I've ever tasted. Sucks that I only get it when I'm in the Loop because there isn't one close to me in my area on the northside, but when I get it, tis definitely a treat.


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