Favorite Brand of Coffee

SoWal Expert

Mar 22, '08 · 9:18 AM17,400

For all you daily coffee drinkers who brew your own at home, what is your favorite brand and roast of coffee? What do you like about it? With coffee prices being so high, do you forgo your favorite and buy another brand to because it is cheaper?

My favorite is Starbucks whole bean, and I like the darker roasts, like Espresso, Caffe Verona, and Africa Kitamu, and will buy the even darker roasts, like Sumatra and French on occasion to mix it up a bit. Being a fan of Newman's Own philosophy and products, I decided to leave the Starbucks box to venture out, last week. I grabbed a bag of Newman's Own Organic French Roast whole bean coffee. It's okay, but it doesn't have that nice acidic bight of the similar roast that Starbucks has. It is giving me my fix for caffeine, but I probably won't buy it again.

This wasn't the first time I ventured away from my favorite brand. The last time I ventured off the norm, I ended up making soap out of the unused coffee, because my morning cup is just too special to not enjoy. Just curious to read which brand and roast you enjoy the most. :wave:

Replies

110

Beach Fanatic

Mar 23, '08 · 7:44 AM#27

I fly right ouy of bed, and I don't drink coffee. I will however get myself a monster fountain drink like clockwork at Grayton in the morning.( insert hyper smiley face here)

Beach Fanatic

Mar 23, '08 · 8:01 AM#28

Community Light Medium roast. I'm drinking it right now. Yummy!!!!!!

SoWal Guide

Mar 26, '08 · 2:09 PM#29

I've tried many coffees in many brew machines with less than satisfactory results. Last fall, I bought a Cuisinart Cup-o-Matic and tried a bunch of different pods but none was really very good. I finally decided to try illy fine grind espresso in my Breville. Wow!! Hello!! This turned out like (or better) than a Starbucks latte or cappucino. illy is not cheap at all at $15.00/lb., but it is the best coffee I have made at home. You can find it at Fresh Market.

I love my coffee. and I've finally switched from auto drip to french press to prepare a wonderful tasting coffee just like they prepare it at Amavida. I'm trying out their different coffees at the moment, and they are better than any I've ever had.

Illy fine grind espresso (found at our watercolor publix) - is also a must for my afternoon capuccino or latte'. so so so much better than Starbucks. Modica makes a great capuccino too. Amavida makes the most authentic cap, plus others like cuban coffe, etc.

SJ - I did not like newman's coffee at all.

Beach Fanatic

Mar 26, '08 · 2:15 PM#30

CDM, Community, Starbuks Christmas Blend @ Christmas.

Gotta have the dark roast really strong stuff.

Gettin' old takes a lot of wakin' up!!!

Beach Fanatic

Mar 26, '08 · 2:19 PM#31

You can say that again!!! :cool:

I like strong coffee too. Maybe it's from livin' in the red stick for a while. Chicory is a good thing.

percy

Mar 26, '08 · 2:59 PM#32

We drink coffee from Costco; they offer fair trade, sometimes organic coffee from different countries. The selection varies, so we'll try whatever they're featuring that month, but we both prefer African coffee. If there's nothing that sounds good, we'll buy the Kirkland Morning Blend. I, like some of my favorite folks, use Eight O'Clock Colombian as my fallback/emergency coffee. We had some Caribou Obsidian from Costco that was pretty good stuff. (I like this topic almost as much as beer!)

Edited Mar 26, '08 · 3:06 PM

Darlene is my middle name, not my nickname

Mar 26, '08 · 3:23 PM#33

Folgers Black Silk for me.....it is very YUMMY!!!!!

Skunky

Mar 26, '08 · 3:26 PM#34

Folgers Black Silk for me.....it is very YUMMY!!!!!

I thought Miller Lite was your preferred brew :wave:

Darlene is my middle name, not my nickname

Mar 26, '08 · 3:31 PM#35

I thought Miller Lite was your preferred brew

Miller Light is my afternoon brew....Coffee is my morning brew. ;-) :wave:

Beach Fanatic

Mar 26, '08 · 3:34 PM#36

For my once daily cup, I like Douw Egberts/Senseo dark roast. For coffee press, anything my friends have been kind enough to bring back from Costa Rica - yum!

I just bought a Senseo machine and I love it. I am drinking the Columbian blend right now. When I fix a pot of coffee I like Starbucks Caffe Verona.

Beach Fanatic

Mar 26, '08 · 3:49 PM#37

Community New Orleans Blend saved my marriage! Hubby and I could NEVER agree on coffee (which was an issue, since neither of us is very pleasant without our morning fix). My grandfather introduced us to this blend and we have been happily married every morning since!!!

Skunky

Mar 26, '08 · 4:18 PM#38

Community New Orleans Blend saved my marriage! Hubby and I could NEVER agree on coffee (which was an issue, since neither of us is very pleasant without our morning fix). My grandfather introduced us to this blend and we have been happily married every morning since!!!

Try this-Fill your mug 1/4 to 1/3 full of whole milk and microwave 30 seconds; top it off with the New Orleans blend. Very authentic cafe au lait :wave:

Beach Fanatic

Mar 26, '08 · 4:21 PM#39

Try this-Fill your mug 1/4 to 1/3 full of whole milk and microwave 30 seconds; top it off with the New Orleans blend. Very authentic cafe au lait

will definitely be trying this

Beach Fanatic

Mar 26, '08 · 5:58 PM#40

In Gulf Shores Wal-Mart today, noticed their Sam's brand now has fair trade coffee in a few varieties, including organic decaf. Haven't tried it yet.

Also, anyone see the movie "The Bucket List?" Features coffee debate pitting world's most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak, against Chock Full o' Nuts. Funny scene near end of movie when origins of Kopi Luwak are revealed. :lol:

Beach Fanatic

Mar 26, '08 · 6:14 PM#41

Try this-Fill your mug 1/4 to 1/3 full of whole milk and microwave 30 seconds; top it off with the New Orleans blend. Very authentic cafe au lait

Mmmmmm!

SoWal ExpertAuthor

Mar 26, '08 · 9:19 PM#42

peapod et al, you mention fallback/emergency coffee. I am curious to know what that means. Is that a coffee which you keep in the cupboard for the time you screw up and run out of the usual brew (which probably also means that it is old and not so good because you use it only one or two times before buying more.)? Or, is it what you buy when the store runs out of your normal brand?

percy

Mar 26, '08 · 9:51 PM#43

peapod et al, you mention fallback/emergency coffee. I am curious to know what that means. Is that a coffee which you keep in the cupboard for the time you screw up and run out of the usual brew (which probably also means that it is old and not so good because you use it only one or two times before buying more.)? Or, is it what you buy when the store runs out of your normal brand?

The latter, only it's because our Costco is 30 minutes from our house, and our local grocery store is 5 minutes.

Beach Fanatic

Mar 26, '08 · 10:28 PM#44

I love Cafe Caribe...comes in a yellow can! www.coffeeholding.com So cheap and so good!
Of course, Starbucks! Espresso Roast Bold when at home and caffe latte at the I think I will switch back.

SoWal Expert

Mar 26, '08 · 10:30 PM#45

peapod et al, you mention fallback/emergency coffee. I am curious to know what that means. Is that a coffee which you keep in the cupboard for the time you screw up and run out of the usual brew (which probably also means that it is old and not so good because you use it only one or two times before buying more.)? Or, is it what you buy when the store runs out of your normal brand?

I always keep extra coffee in the freezer. Seems to work at keeping it fresh... :idontno:

Beach Fanatic

Mar 26, '08 · 10:31 PM#46

some of my words went missing????

I have been drinking tea lately but I think I will switch back.

Also,Cafe Bustelo is good.

Beach Fanatic

Mar 26, '08 · 11:31 PM#47

Oh, I miss Community Coffee Bourbon Santos so much! In New Orleans, they sell it from the bins at Wal Mart. It is almost as good as La Minita, but half the price. Illy is our backup.

Seriously, though...the La Minita from Kitchenique is not to be missed. Please miss it, though...because they sometimes sell out and that sort of ruins my week.

I'm glad to hear others think Starbucks is bitter. I can't drink it without way more cream than I like to have.

Has anyone tried PJ's? Is their coffee New Orleans-esque? I really miss CC's and Rue de la Course.

SoWal ExpertAuthor

Mar 27, '08 · 12:09 AM#48

I tried PJ's coffee, today. It was the flavor of the day, which was the Anniversary Blend. A medium roast with nice acidity and a solid chocolatey roast (not actual chocolate). Very good. I give that roast two thumbs up. The owners seem very nice. If I could drink it without having to leave my house to get the morning cup, I'd do it.

Not sure what you mean about it being NOLA-esque. I'm guessing you are referring to chicory, and I didn't notice it in that particular roast.

percy

Mar 27, '08 · 10:19 AM#49

I tried PJ's coffee, today. It was the flavor of the day, which was the Anniversary Blend. A medium roast with nice acidity and a solid chocolatey roast (not actual chocolate).

Well, you probably added the actual chocolate yourself, as I recall.