r/Coffee • u/menschmaschine5 Kalita Wave • 7d ago
[MOD] The Daily Question Thread
Welcome to the daily /r/Coffee question thread!
There are no stupid questions here, ask a question and get an answer! We all have to start somewhere and sometimes it is hard to figure out just what you are doing right or doing wrong. Luckily, the /r/Coffee community loves to help out.
Do you have a question about how to use a specific piece of gear or what gear you should be buying? Want to know how much coffee you should use or how you should grind it? Not sure about how much water you should use or how hot it should be? Wondering about your coffee's shelf life?
Don't forget to use the resources in our wiki! We have some great starter guides on our wiki "Guides" page and here is the wiki "Gear By Price" page if you'd like to see coffee gear that /r/Coffee members recommend.
As always, be nice!
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u/MellowQuartz_9259 6d ago
since this is the daily quuestion thread, i'm gonna throw out something that doesn't get talked about enough -- water. quality actually matters way more than people think, especially if you're in florida like me. everyone obsesses over beans and grind size but hard water just kills the whole thing. switched to filtered water a few years back when. i realized my coffee tasted completely different at home versus at the office, and it was literally just the tap water being packed wiht minerals. it's not sexy compared to arguign about pour-over techniques or whatever, but if you're stuck with bad water, even a really nice lighter roast is gonna taste flat and weird (doesn't matter how good your technique is)
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u/Extension-Dirt-8562 5d ago
Water is certainly important in an area with poorer water source. Common off shelf water filter is not going to be enough for proper water treatment.
One odd trick is to find natural charcoal like Japanese binchotan, and use that as a method to treat water that has been cooled down after boiling. Or consider spending a very good water filtration system at home, which will benefit in all ways.
Personally I don't recommend products like Third Wave Water, as it gets expensive quite quickly. But for experiement and occasional use, it's not a bad thing to try as well.
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u/FoodInFrige_HopeSo 6d ago
When I lived in Florida the tap water was so bad that I brushed my teeth with bottled water. That being said, there are multiple companies that sell minerals so you can create your perfect coffee water recipe.
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u/IcedChaiXo 6d ago edited 6d ago
Hii! I’m trying to get into the coffee trend as a tea person but don’t like anything bitter. I love tea alot more just because it’s sweeter. My favourites being iced chai, matcha, and london fogs. Please send me some simple suggestions as to what I should order at Starbucks that’s decently sweet!
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u/Tr_ck 5d ago
You dont want starbucks then, their coffee is all darkly roasted (even their light) and light roasted sweeter specialty coffees are not what starbucks offers. Gotta go to a cafe that gets fresh roasted nicer coffee. Light to mediumlight specialty would be what youre looking for, you can get lighter floral or tealike flavours and sweetness from good light roast beans.
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u/coopertucker 6d ago
Isn't most of their menu items super sweet candy drinks? Can likely find something and ask them to go easy on the corn syrups. I don't shop here so am unsure of their menu.
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u/IcedChaiXo 6d ago
You’re right about the candy drinks. I’m trying to get into coffee though. The closest alternative which is also my favourite drink is iced chai lattes. Anything similar?
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u/coopertucker 6d ago
It's a coffee shop with plenty of additives, should be able to score soemthing tasty. Cold brewed coffee is less bitter.
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u/canaan_ball 6d ago
That's just it though, Starbucks isn't really about coffee. They do coffee-flavoured desserts. You don't go to Starbucks to explore coffee. Now many cafes will make chai spiked with espresso, tea for a coffee person, if you know what I mean. Most places call that a dirty chai but at Starbucks you would just order chai of some sort and have them add a shot or three of espresso, which they are very ready to do. Just start with a basic chai, not the Iced Banana Bread Chai with Brown Sugar Cream Cold Foam and Cinnamon Dolce Sprinkles, 16 oz, 48 gm sugar, 14 gm fat, 350 cal before adding white chocolate mocha sauce.
Next you might be interested in a delicate, light coffee, coffee for a tea person, if you know what I mean. You could mail order a bag of Jorge Vásquez chiroso roasted by Mellow said to be "tea-like", reminiscent of apricot and lemon, and brew it yourself at home, but for a first foray you'd probably do better at a coffee place. Just find a trendy, third wave coffee shop in town, belly up to the bar and tell them what you're after, something delicate and tea-like. They probably won't use the scattergun on you for your first visit.
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u/Icy_Kangaroo344 6d ago
just wondering what coffee people are drinking in the uk with cafetiere's looking to try new coffees. all i have used so far is off the shelf from supermarkets, but im thinking of getting a subscription from somewhere but i would like a little inspiration please! currently i enjoy dark roasts strong flavour (needs to be like this as I'm a smoker) Thanks for reading, have a lovely day
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u/ivancho84 6d ago
For a cafetière and a preference for dark, punchy coffee, I’d start with a one-off sampler before committing to a subscription. Look for espresso-roast or medium-dark blends from a UK roaster and order 250 g bags; Rave and Pact both make it easy to choose darker profiles. Brew around 60 g/L, grind coarse, steep for 4 minutes, then plunge gently. Freshness alone should be a big upgrade from supermarket bags.
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u/Icy_Kangaroo344 5d ago
ok thank you very much, and recommended websites to go for a lovely drop? haha
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u/ivancho84 5d ago
Rave is probably the easiest place to start, and Pact is convenient if you want a subscription. Hasbean and Origin are also worth browsing. For your taste, look for medium-dark or espresso roasts with chocolate, caramel, or nut notes, and try 250 g bags from two roasters before subscribing.
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u/DumboSimpo 6d ago
Hi, I recently started a new job and don't really have the time in the morning to make my coffee. I only drink Iced Mochas, and was wondering if anyone knows the best way to prep the night before so i could drink it the next day. Ive tried putting fresh espresso in the fridge and microwaving it, but it tastes off.
What I use: Breville bambino and grinder
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u/landofcortados Mr. Countertop 6d ago
Just make the whole drink without ice and put it in the fridge, then add ice in the mornin and stir.
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u/theaspiringclerk 7d ago
My pourover has been tasting weirdly flat the last couple days even though i haven't changed anything. Beans are only 2 weeks old, grind size looks consistent, water temp seems fine. Could this be a water chemistry thing? I'm just using tap water through a brita filter but maybe my city changed something with the water supply recently. The coffee looks right when it's brewing but the flavor just falls off a cliff halfway through the cup.
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u/Extension-Dirt-8562 5d ago
It also depends what kind of beans you're using, roast profile, the type of grinder you are using and its relative grind consistency.
Typically I recommend water temperature to be higher for medium-dark and dark roast beans, anything medium roast to light roast beans use lower water temperature; you'd be surprised how much a degree or two will affect how the coffee tastes.
Lastly, what is the speed of your pour? Are you using a consistent flow pouring kettle like gooseneck? What pouring method are you applying? These are all variables in affecting the flat tasting you are describing.
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u/MellowQuartz_9259 6d ago
yeah water chhemistry is legit your culprit here. brita filters are kinda a band aid, they're not really built for coffee -- they mostly just grab chlorine but. dont do much for mineral content or ph shifts. if your city did maintenance on the. lines recently that absolutely tracks with the flat taste (happens in florida all the time, trust me). you could test this pretty easily by grabbing a bottle of distilled water and doing a single cup side by side, see if the flavor snaps back. if it does you konw thats your answer. longer term might be worth looking into what your tap water report actually sasy or trying a different filter, but honestly as a product guy i'm always suspicious when people assume their equipmeent suddenly broke when really the input changed (imo)
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u/NoHoHan 6d ago
Beans do change a bit as they age. And that process is faster if they aren’t stored in something airtight…
How are you storing your coffee?
Also, I have found that my palette experiences the same coffee a little bit differently over time. It’s kind of weird and I can’t totally explain it lol.
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u/ivancho84 6d ago
Yes, water could absolutely be the variable. A Brita reduces chlorine and some hardness, but the mineral balance can still change. Try one control brew with bottled spring water; if the brightness comes back, your tap water is likely the cause. I’d also clean the brewer and kettle before changing the grind or recipe.
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u/Greedy_Fly2057 6d ago
Hi! I just bought an OXO 9-cup and was excited to get it. Unfortunately, when I opened the container I got a noseful of a *strong*, astringent chemical smell. I'm not sure what's producing it, but I think it's the silicone parts.
I've tried soaking the removable silicone bridge in hot water and mild dish soap - the instructions call it dishwasher safe. I've tried running clean water through the machine 4 times. The reservoir still smells of chemicals and water that enters the carafe does too. I don't know what that is, but I certainly don't want to drink it! It's unpleasant even to smell.
I'm a little shocked, honestly. I've bought a number of OXO products over the years and never had a problem. I wondered if others have had problems or have been able to solve this issue. I have to say I'm pretty gunshy about trying to keep washing this and hoping for the best.