How do you take your coffee?

[cinder]

Hmmm am I an anomaly? I prefer dark chocolate and black coffee? Well, I do prefer brewing methods that don’t get rid of the oils that make it sweeter. If I do drink drip coffee, I have to use lots of creamer and stuff. But why drink something that tastes horrid without dumping tons of stuff in to mask the flavor?

Also, I see a couple of people mention tea. Are there any good ones that don’t need sugar and don’t taste like gym socks?

Who makes tea from their gym socks? I suppose if you had some loose leaf tea and no filter bags a sock would do in a pinch, but I'm sure you could find a better strainer. Anyway if you're talking true teas (made from the leaves of whatever that big long name for the tea plant is) then taste is related to processing from least processed to most processed I think it basically goes white tea, green tea, oolong tea, and black tea. I can't tell you which tastes most or least like gym socks because I've never tried gym socks, I've been fortunate enough to always have better things to eat.

If you include herbal infusions I think the three most common bases are rose hips, chamomile, and hibiscus (oh and we can't foget the peppermint although that's usually a tea unto itself). And rooibus the african red bush probably deserves a mention too.

My summer routine of iced tea is going to be plain iced black from lipton cold brew tea bags and then a smaller bottle of iced zinger (I think I have wildberry, sangria, lemon on standby) and another smaller bottle of iced mint (either peppermint or stash chocolate mint oolong)

Slightly more practical recommendations for first timers, try a sampler pack of tea (CS does a nice fruit sampler that I like) or go for mint ( or just put a couple fresh mint leaves in a pitcher of cold water, that gives the water like a nice extra cool because of the natural menthol in mint).

Only other thing I should probably mention before I stop giving tea advice in the coffee thread is don't add milk to a hibiscus based tea, it's too acidic and the milk will curdle.

 

[seoulsearch]

Are there any good ones that don’t need sugar and don’t taste like gym socks?

Who makes tea from their gym socks?

Sorry, Miss Cinder, but as much as I highly respect you (and your tastes), I gotta go with Hamarr on this one.

I started trying to incorporate green tea into my gastrational repertoire back when there was an explosion of media coverage telling us how healthy it's supposed to be.

And every time I try green tea... it tastes pretty much exactly the same way as what my neighbor's freshly-mowed lawn smells like, so I am convinced that green tea is actually made from grass clippings. (I guess that's good news for the naturalists, because kind of tastes like compost, and apparently, nothing is being wasted.)

The only way I can drink green tea is if it's flavored with something else (I found a jasmine variety that's fairly passable) or else iced up and completely watered down (with enough Splenda to keep me preserved well enough into the afterlife.)

 

[seoulsearch]

And very strong is good.

Oh my goodness, Didymous - when I saw your new avatar, the first thing I thought was, "Holy chamoly, did Karl Lagerfeld join CC?!"

Yes, I know Mr. Lagerfeld passed away a few weeks ago, but that's how much I keep up on pop culture.

And, I mean that as a compliment, by the way. Although I wasn't a fan, I always thought the official "look" that Mr. Lagerfeld had adapted (for himself) was pretty cool.

You wear it well!

 

[Hamarr]

Who makes tea from their gym socks? I suppose if you had some loose leaf tea and no filter bags a sock would do in a pinch, but I'm sure you could find a better strainer. Anyway if you're talking true teas (made from the leaves of whatever that big long name for the tea plant is) then taste is related to processing from least processed to most processed I think it basically goes white tea, green tea, oolong tea, and black tea. I can't tell you which tastes most or least like gym socks because I've never tried gym socks, I've been fortunate enough to always have better things to eat.

If you include herbal infusions I think the three most common bases are rose hips, chamomile, and hibiscus (oh and we can't foget the peppermint although that's usually a tea unto itself). And rooibus the african red bush probably deserves a mention too.

My summer routine of iced tea is going to be plain iced black from lipton cold brew tea bags and then a smaller bottle of iced zinger (I think I have wildberry, sangria, lemon on standby) and another smaller bottle of iced mint (either peppermint or stash chocolate mint oolong)

Slightly more practical recommendations for first timers, try a sampler pack of tea (CS does a nice fruit sampler that I like) or go for mint ( or just put a couple fresh mint leaves in a pitcher of cold water, that gives the water like a nice extra cool because of the natural menthol in mint).

Only other thing I should probably mention before I stop giving tea advice in the coffee thread is don't add milk to a hibiscus based tea, it's too acidic and the milk will curdle.

Thanks.

I have never tasted stinky feet, to be fair. But I guess I have assumed they would taste like green tea.

Green tea also has a way of making me feel sick to stomach, but that is probably due to stinky feet image.

I'll have to give some of those recommendatings a try. What do you use for cold brew? I have a pitcher for making cold brew coffee.

 

[Hamarr]

I must be the only one that doesn't like coffee here...although reading everyones replies i feel like i'm missing out on something lol.

Have you experimented with different types of brewing methods? I started drinking coffee partially to get myself off of a bad diet soda habit. And off of Bangs, even though I still have them too often. I may not been so determined to find something that tasted good if I weren't trying to kick another bad habit.

 

[Ambie]

I like iced caramel macchiato double shot

 

[Mezame83]

Nope I'm with you, I'm not a fan of coffee at all. In fact I'm not a fan of anything caffeinated it just makes me feel terrible. I've tried drinking coffee everyday like some people and it just makes my days awful I'm way too gittery.

I do like tea, though it has to be decaf tea otherwise you know gittery and whatnot.

Oh yay, I'm not the only one haha, feel better now but.... although I don't like tea either

 

[Mezame83]

Have you experimented with different types of brewing methods? I started drinking coffee partially to get myself off of a bad diet soda habit. And off of Bangs, even though I still have them too often. I may not been so determined to find something that tasted good if I weren't trying to kick another bad habit.

Not game to try to be honest, I just don't like the taste. Also....what are bangs?

 

[Krumbeard]

Eww! Coffee has to be one of the nastiest drinks invented. I tried to like it but decided a nice cup of cold water tastes much better.
Coffee used to smell nice but in the last few years I've noticed that it smells like skunk or cigarette smoke.
Not sure what's wrong with y'all!

 

[Hamarr]

Not game to try to be honest, I just don't like the taste. Also....what are bangs?

Bangs are energy drinks. I like em too much. I think Bang is the sound my heart makes after I drink one.

 

[David-J]

Iced or not at all! More of a tea person, especially Cantonese Tea!

 

[Susanna]

Eww! Coffee has to be one of the nastiest drinks invented. I tried to like it but decided a nice cup of cold water tastes much better.
Coffee used to smell nice but in the last few years I've noticed that it smells like skunk or cigarette smoke.
Not sure what's wrong with y'all!

You may want to clean your coffee maker?

I recommend a house-wife-how-to-crash-course.

 

[NotmebutHim]

Using my hand, I bring the cup up to my mouth and drink some.

 

[Didymous]

Oh my goodness, Didymous - when I saw your new avatar, the first thing I thought was, "Holy chamoly, did Karl Lagerfeld join CC?!"

Yes, I know Mr. Lagerfeld passed away a few weeks ago, but that's how much I keep up on pop culture.

And, I mean that as a compliment, by the way. Although I wasn't a fan, I always thought the official "look" that Mr. Lagerfeld had adapted (for himself) was pretty cool.

You wear it well!

Thanks! I think the gentleman looked a bit more distinguished than me, but I'll take it.

 

[Deade]

Have you experimented with different types of brewing methods? I started drinking coffee partially to get myself off of a bad diet soda habit. And off of Bangs, even though I still have them too often. I may not been so determined to find something that tasted good if I weren't trying to kick another bad habit.

Well tell us Hamarr, how do you like to brew your coffee to retain the oils, etc...

 

[Didymous]

Eww! Coffee has to be one of the nastiest drinks invented. I tried to like it but decided a nice cup of cold water tastes much better.
Coffee used to smell nice but in the last few years I've noticed that it smells like skunk or cigarette smoke.
Not sure what's wrong with y'all!

I agree that a glass of cold water is very fine-especially from my place in Cali. I do find-however-that some high end beans make a nice smelling, wonderful tasting brew.

 

[maxwel]

As much as I enjoy coffee, it's not about the coffee itself but it's really about with whom you are having it and when.

That is so misguided.

Coffee waits for no man.

...

 

[melita916]

i can drink black coffee.
i can drink it with sugar/creamer/milk.

i like coffee.

 

[calibob]

Strong, not sour or bitter and I like Vanilla with chocolate swirl Ice cream or French Vanilla creamer but I often drink it black when where're short.

 

[cinder]

Sorry, Miss Cinder, but as much as I highly respect you (and your tastes), I gotta go with Hamarr on this one.

I started trying to incorporate green tea into my gastrational repertoire back when there was an explosion of media coverage telling us how healthy it's supposed to be.

And every time I try green tea... it tastes pretty much exactly the same way as what my neighbor's freshly-mowed lawn smells like, so I am convinced that green tea is actually made from grass clippings. (I guess that's good news for the naturalists, because kind of tastes like compost, and apparently, nothing is being wasted.)

The only way I can drink green tea is if it's flavored with something else (I found a jasmine variety that's fairly passable) or else iced up and completely watered down (with enough Splenda to keep me preserved well enough into the afterlife.)

Most green tea I've had is pretty gross too. Might be partly because I believe the green tea leaves are more delicate and shouldn't have boiling water poured over them (just piping hot water, but there are charts if you're interested in specifics. I mostly stick to black and oolongs or else herbal stuff. Tried white tea once I think and it was even worse than green.

Thanks.

I have never tasted stinky feet, to be fair. But I guess I have assumed they would taste like green tea.

Green tea also has a way of making me feel sick to stomach, but that is probably due to stinky feet image.

I'll have to give some of those recommendatings a try. What do you use for cold brew? I have a pitcher for making cold brew coffee.

Lipton and a few other manufacturers sell specifically marketed cold brew tea bags that brew up in tap water in just a few minutes. I've taken to using those in my pitchers of tea (it's a cheap sterelite plastic thing I got at wal mart) because it's just so stinking convenient and no waiting. But you can really cold brew any tea bags just by leaving them in the water overnight. For black tea they say cold brewing makes it less bitter. I also should mention that I only use about a third to a quarter of the recommended tea bags. ie regular tea bag is supposedly for 8 oz I put it in my big 24 or 30 oz cup and fill that full of water. Cold brew family size is supposed to be one bag per quart, but I do one bag in the gallon pitcher. Just enough to flavor the water (or sometimes it seems like the smell is half the flavoring and you can't taste it as much as smell it). Also I had to wean myself off of sweetner in my tea but if you slowly reduce the amount of sweetner you can adjust pretty easily. And now all other drinks taste so hearty and rich (compared to boiled dead plant bits).