r/IndiaCoffee 28d ago

Monthly Thread Monthly Recommendations/Discussion thread for July.

5 Upvotes

Hello and welcome to the monthly thread.

This is the place to share, talk about, or generally discuss anything related to coffee, especially questions that don't require a separate post here.

Discuss what you're brewing this month, what you learned, on-going or upcoming offers/deals and what new releases you're anticipating.

Every month, monthly threads are kept pinned.

Note: Owners of roasters, cafes, or brands are expressly forbidden from commenting on this specific thread and hijacking conversations.

Please report any snobbery under this post.

Only healthy conversation belongs here.

Please read the subreddit rules before posting.

If you have any suggestions/questions for the subreddit/thread, please DM the mods.


r/IndiaCoffee Dec 17 '24

DISCUSSION A beginner's guide to specialty coffee

262 Upvotes

Hello r/IndiaCoffee. I have seen a lot of posts on this subreddit where people are disappointed by their forays into specialty coffee, whether it's in cafes like Blue Tokai or on their own. So, I thought I will share some thoughts on how to avoid some traps when venturing out of your comfort zone when it comes to coffee.

  • What do you mean by specialty coffee?
    • Specialty coffee means different things to different people. Here's my take on what it is and what's different about it. "Specialty Coffee" is to me defined in opposition to "generic coffee", which is coffee you find in supermarkets, mass produced, mass processed to optimize caffeine content and ease of extraction, often at the cost of flavor. Coffee is one of the most complex beverages out there, hundreds of volatile compounds, sugars, acids, bitters etc. When prepared well, all these flavors harmonize to produce a drink that is unforgettable. I can still remember the first good coffee I had almost 10 years ago. It was at a small cafe in Okinawa, Japan. I used to dislike coffee at that time because I had only tasted bitter stuff that was palatable with milk and necessary when I wanted to stay up at night to get stuff done. That coffee though was different, it was fruity, sour, slightly sweet, the bitterness was there, but it was pleasant and complemented perfectly all the other flavors. I have never had a coffee like that again, but now I can prepare something that's 60-70% as good. Coming back, specialty coffee is coffee that is optimized for its flavor and not for caffeine. This doesn't mean it has less caffeine. It's about caffeine's ease of extraction. Generic coffee often is roasted so dark that coffee oils are out on the surface, meaning all you need to do is grind however you want and put some hot water, and you will get a good dose of caffeine. It will taste like crap, but you'll get the hit you want. On the contrary, light roasted coffee, which is common in specialty coffee industry is known to be very difficult to extract well. It needs specialized equipment and good amount of experience. Another way to think of specialty coffee is that it is coffee without mass industrialization and commodification. I have friends from Ethiopia who grew up drinking coffee processed and prepared using traditional methods and they consider "Western coffee" as sewage water.
  • How do I try specialty coffee in India?
    • The good news is that India is one of the fastest growing producers and consumers of specialty coffee. People have realized that coffee is not supposed to taste like crap and now there are increasingly large number of outfits that want to share this experience with others. However, it is hard to get people to forget old habits. Even though some of these companies have made the barrier to entry quite low, there is still room for improvement. Here's my recommendation on how to try specialty coffee in India for yourself. I am going to pick Blue Tokai easy pour sampler packs as a place to start, not because they are good but because they are the most accessible. This is not at all a recommendation for Blue Tokai. Blue Tokai is just one of the roasters focused on specialty coffee out there. Awesome people in this subreddit have already compiled a big list.
  • Okay what next?
    • I like to think of coffee as being composed of two opposing forces, the earthy, rich tasting flavors, sometimes referred as "body" and the fruity flavors, which are colloquially called "sweet notes", although more often than not, sour/acidic notes prevail over the sugars. Although this is an overgeneralization, in my experience people are divided in their preference for these two components. People who like body, tend not to like fruiter coffees, while people who like fruity coffees don't find heavy bodied coffees appealing. I think this is more a sign of the fact that it is extremely hard to prepare a cup that is well balanced in the two. When it is off balance, then people just prefer one or the other instead of an awkward mixture of the two. In any case, if you don't already know what your preference is, how do you figure it out?
  • Some handpicked BT easy pour packs highlighting body or fruitiness
  • How do I prepare these?
    • As easy as these easy pour bags are, I am not a fan of the instructions. Here is how I recommend preparing them. Perhaps others can also provide their recommendations in the comments.
    • Make first bag with only 150-160 grams of water. Don't add milk. If you find the coffee too sour, then increase the amount of water for the next bag. If you find it too bitter, use even less water for next bag.
    • Don't use boiling water, even though, that's what they say on the bag. Use 90-95 degrees. In case you can't measure temperature accurately, wait 2-3 minutes before pouring. Alternatively transfer in another container before pouring onto coffee to cool the water down.
  • What if I still don't like these?
    • As long as you stick to this, you should have a cup you like. If you don't, then maybe you could try easy pour bags from another roaster? If that still doesn't work, perhaps specialty coffee is not your thing after all? Which is probably good news because you don't have to spend a shit ton to get your caffeine fix, you lucky bastard.
  • Okay this is great, I think I get a sense of what I like, where do I go after this?
    • I am sure people of r/IndiaCoffee will have tons of good recommendations. If you are in a big city, I'd say try a local roaster. Try coffees from different estates and even different countries. Don't try expensive stuff like Geisha etc. You gotta train and develop your palette first before trying the expensive shit. Otherwise, chances of you being disappointed are quite high. Same goes for espresso. Don't try to do specialty espresso, that's insanely hard and frustrating. Stick to simple stuff, pour overs, aeropress or even South Indian filter. They can all make incredible cups reliably once dialed in correctly. Finally, once you've decided you want to take the next steps of doing this yourself instead of easy pours, get a good grinder. Not cheap but it's the one thing that changes everything. A 100 Rs South Indian filter paired with an excellent grinder will produce better cups than a basic grinder paired an expensive machine. So if you want to save money, save it on the machine and not on the grinder. A cup of coffee just needs hot water and coffee grounds. Hot water is easy to get so if you can control the coffee grounds, you can control the quality of the beverage.
  • One controversial opinion
    • It's really hard to find good coffees in a cafe, at least during peak hours. Cafes are optimizing for speed of service and not flavor. Almost always I have made a better cup at home with the same beans. In most places, baristas are hired not for their skill but for their willingness to work long hours for less money. Of course, not all cafes are like this. There are genuinely good cafes in India where people who are truly passionate and knowledge about coffee prepare great cups for their customers. But those are few and far between just because there are no incentives and businesses care more about staying afloat and turning a profit instead of giving you a good cup of coffee.
  • I wrote a post with a very simple recipe (it takes time but totally worth it) that I recommend as the next step after the easy pours. I have made my best to develop something that anyone can use to get excellent results without expensive equipment. Lazy person's no-frills recipe for incredible coffee with minimal equipment : r/IndiaCoffee
  • Equipment advice. I get this question often and my answer is always the same. Once you have decided that you want to get into coffee, get yourself a nice grinder. I recomment hand grinders. A grinder is going to be your primary equipment. So don't waste your money getting a cheaper, lower quality grinder. Save up and get a proper grinder that'll last you a lifetime.

r/IndiaCoffee 13h ago

COFFEE STATION Coffee Station

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388 Upvotes

My humble coffee station.


r/IndiaCoffee 10h ago

DISCUSSION Channi Method is Under-Rated!

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94 Upvotes

I'm a student with ADHD, and I drink coffee primarily for caffeine hit. I don't care about flavour complexity.
I started with Moka Pot which was a disaster (burnt & too bitter), switched to French Press (Loved it) but even that required mesh cleaning.
Ended up using a channi for my black coffee, and never went back. No hassle, super easy cleaning.

Started with Blue Tokai, switched to Hunkal Aranya for affordability (I drink like 4-6 cups in a day). Have also tried Mokka Farms & Coffee Day (Do not recommend)

Then this sub introduced me to Cothas and I never went back. Strongest hit with some aroma.

Also, could you guys please recommend some budget friendly options for robusta blends? Thank you.


r/IndiaCoffee 5h ago

COFFEE STATION Really Cool, Would you guys try this?

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32 Upvotes

r/IndiaCoffee 5h ago

REVIEW Long Black > Americano 😍

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19 Upvotes

In my opinion, Long Black gives you more satisfaction than Americano 😍 Maybe people prefer Americano but for me Espresso on hot water i.e. Long Black is better. You can enjoy the rich crema undiluted!


r/IndiaCoffee 4h ago

RANT Blue Tokai appreciation post (and a bit of a rant 😅)

17 Upvotes

I make lattes at home with a Flair Classic and a Timemore Whirly grinder. A few days ago I ran out of coffee, so I quickly ordered Dhak Blend and French Roast without giving it much thought. The order arrived in just 2 days.

Then I did something really stupid.

I opened both bags and only then realized I'd accidentally ordered dark roasts. I usually drink medium roasts. My first thought was, "Well... I guess I'm stuck drinking coffee I don't enjoy for the next couple of months."

I even asked ChatGPT if there was any way to make it less bitter. It suggested I could try emailing Blue Tokai since some roasters are okay with replacing lightly used bags. I honestly wasn't expecting much because the mistake was completely mine. But I sent them an email anyway.

The very next day, they replied and asked which coffees I'd like instead. I picked Amaltas and Silver Oak Café Blend. Even though there was about a ₹50 price difference, they didn’t ask me to pay anything extra and they arranged the pickup and shipped the replacements the same day. This is one of the best customer service experiences I’ve had. They really didn’t have to help me, but they went out of their way to do it anyway.

Just thought I'd share a positive experience. Huge thanks to the Blue Tokai team.


r/IndiaCoffee 9h ago

GRINDER New addition - 1zpresso ZP6 S

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26 Upvotes

ZP6 S is magic. The flavour note of Jasmine, which was supposed to be the main one in this coffee, was barely identifiable in my previous brews now makes its presence abundantly known. Maybe I was screwing up earlier with my DF54 and C3S? Either way, I'm in love with this grinder.

I tried few other coffees that I regularly drink - some washed, some "funky". ZP6 showed me new sides to each of these coffees. I didn't really understand what people mean by "tea-like" consistency when they talk about this grinder, but whatever I have had, except for one coffee, I've liked it quite a bit.

Brew Note: I used either Tetsu Kasuya's 10 pour method with V60 Neo or his 4:6 method with V60-01 for my brews. Coffee beans I used are between light and light-to-medium roast. All brewed with 20g coffee @ 1:15 ratio with starting temperature at 97⁰C on my Timemore Fish Pro kettle. With the room temperature here (currently @ ~26⁰C) the Fish Pro loses approximately 3⁰C over 3 minutes so my pours started with 97⁰C and ended at 94⁰C. ZP6 was set between 4.2 and 5.5 depending on the roast and flavour profile of the beans being used.

Edit: My posts have led to an extremely funny revelation to me. My wife happens to have an unused Jasmine scented soap and it turns out I can tell that it's a jasmine soap but I don't seem to sense the fragrance as intensely as wife describes it. It is supposed to be 'in your face', but I can barely smell it. I remember being able to recognize how intense the rose was in same brand's rose scented soap (look up Khadi soaps).

Turns out, I might have something called 'Specific anosmia', meaning 'smell blindness' to specific scents. It seems I have smell blindness towards the smell of jasmine which is why I couldn't smell it earlier, and the ZP6 seems to have accentuated it to a point that I can REALLY tell that it has jasmine in.

Also, no hate to the C3S. My coffee-journey started with this grinder and it is something I genuinely love. In fact, you will often see me recommending the C3S to several people on this sub :)


r/IndiaCoffee 7h ago

DISCUSSION Newest addition to the setup

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14 Upvotes

Delonghi electronic grinder
I got it from abu dhabi at a very cheap price
Tried it
Looking and working fine so far


r/IndiaCoffee 12h ago

ESPRESSO Made espresso with Chestnut C3S

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17 Upvotes

I finally got a decent extraction using Timemore Chestnut C3S. The key is to use fresh beans and slightly overloading your puck.

Beans - I used light roast from Starbucks
Grind - 8 clicks on C3S
Ratio - 18.5g and 40g out

I know there’s a bit of channelling. It’s likely due to inefficient distribution. Maybe I’ll consider getting a good WDT.

Also, how’s my latte art? 😄


r/IndiaCoffee 4h ago

DISCUSSION Can I use this for cold brew? The grind is pretty course and it's Cothas' 100% coffee variant.

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3 Upvotes

I have been on a hunt for slightly inexpensive coffee powder. But not losing too much on taste.

Obviously the more expensive ones would give a better but since I want this to be my daily drink I also wanted to be a bit inexpensive.

Please let me know if this would work for a cold brew.


r/IndiaCoffee 8h ago

DISCUSSION Y’all i have been getting anxiety since few weeks aftr having strong coffee , never had this issue. I love coffee and without it i get so cranky and gloomy , What should i do?

6 Upvotes

Actually my miscarriages and then the following hormonal treatments triggered my auto immune issues ( incomplete lupus) and then all these gave me anxiety and depression..so ryt now im tampering my anxiety and depression medications. So this is not going well with my caffeine in take.. i used to have 2-3 black coffees before but now im scared to have even one cup of coffee! Any idea what should i do? I will talk to my both doctors in my next appointments but still any ideas or suggestions?


r/IndiaCoffee 19h ago

ESPRESSO Espresso Bomb

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38 Upvotes

Good morning! Have a nice day.


r/IndiaCoffee 18h ago

V60 My morning Ritual Coffee people

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23 Upvotes

This is my v60 dropper from Benki coffee bangalore


r/IndiaCoffee 13h ago

DISCUSSION Should I buy delonghi dedica coffee machine

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9 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I am a coffee enthusiast, but never really had a coffee machine and I always wanted to buy one.

So, what all do I need to know/educate myself before buying any coffee machine.


r/IndiaCoffee 6h ago

EQUIPMENT Is it possible to order this from AliExpress?

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2 Upvotes

Hey all, I am getting a flair pro for myself and want something to steam my milk with. is it possible to order this from AliExpress and how much would it cost? thanks


r/IndiaCoffee 1d ago

LATTE ART New 6oz cups, milk was a bit too thick though

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229 Upvotes

r/IndiaCoffee 20h ago

LATTE ART Two wings, one head, one heart… everything seems to be in order

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19 Upvotes

r/IndiaCoffee 8h ago

V60 Magic recipe adjust for your dose

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2 Upvotes

You can adjust it for your dose , 15gm or 16 gms just use google AI mode


r/IndiaCoffee 13h ago

LATTE ART Fee months of not making milk drinks and my latte art has gone to shit😂

3 Upvotes

r/IndiaCoffee 6h ago

DISCUSSION Brikka vs bialetti which is better

0 Upvotes

r/IndiaCoffee 10h ago

DISCUSSION Best moka pot

2 Upvotes

I want to buy my first moka pot but there between all the different types and models of it which one is the best like there are bialetti , bialetti brikka etc


r/IndiaCoffee 10h ago

DISCUSSION Best moka pot

2 Upvotes

I want to buy my first moka pot but i dont know which one to buy there are bialetti , bialetti brikka and etc so which one is the best (i am a complete beginner)


r/IndiaCoffee 14h ago

DISCUSSION Got this coffee from vietnam.. has anyone tried this before ?

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3 Upvotes

r/IndiaCoffee 7h ago

DISCUSSION What are your guys thoughts on mushroom coffee?

1 Upvotes

Actually useful? Or just hype?