I first of all wanted to say that your everything you wanted to know about coffee site is excellent. However, I still have a question for you. What is an Anodyne Coffee Roaster?? Also, I have a home coffee maker that wasn't cheap. It is a combination coffee maker/cappaccino machine. Delong is the brand. My coffee made that way you described by grinding the beans myself, 100% Arabic beans, still tastes bitter. What do I do to prevent from getting to your step 4 that you described? I don't use any cream and sugar anymore. So I would like a coffee that is mellow, not too strong and not too weak and definately not bitter. Suggestions? Thanks, CA

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2001

Answers

Starbucks...

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2001

What is an Anodyne Coffee Roaster??

I don't believe it's a registered trademark for a specific brand of roast or roasting machine. It could be, but I've never heard of it.

Brewed Awakenings, the trendy little yuppie-ish cafe in Milwaukee, uses that name for their in-house-roasted coffee. I see that you posted this question to their board, too; I'd like to see the reply. That'll clear up the mystery. :) Also, I have a home coffee maker that wasn't cheap. It is a combination coffee maker/cappaccino machine. Delong is the brand ...

I think you mean Delonghi. I don't have any personal experience with their machines, but I noted tonight at the local Target that they're not cheap.

On your questions, I'll give you my general opinion and some suggestions. Pardon if I tell you anything you already know (or have figured out for yourself[g]).

First, I don't mean to mislead in that article: coffee, by nature, regardless of how carefully selected and brewed, will have a slightly "dark" taste, which is why I compared great coffee to "rich, dark chocolate." The "bitterness" that I speak of "getting rid of" is the harsh, astringent (or even medicinal) "bite" associated with cheap and improperly-brewed coffee in general.

Also, you shouldn't consider it "unsophisticated" to use sugar in your coffee. (If you insist on being part of the "in" crowd, use raw sugar, brown sugar or honey.[g]) If you just don't like the dark taste of good coffee, add a little sweetener. I won't tell anyone. :)

Second, price isn't a very good indicator of quality in coffeemakers. While it's true that a $10 coffeemaker usually won't be as good as a $150 commercial unit, I have run across both good inexpensive units, as well as pricey ones that weren't worth the cardboard used to pack 'em for shipment.

Third, watch your roast. Are you buying dark-roasted coffee (is there noticeable oil or "slickness" or "wetness" on the beans)? If so, try a lighter roast. Be aware, too, that some 100% arabica blends are a mixture of dark- and normal-roasted coffee (the Eight O'Clock brand's red-bag standard is a case in point), which will have a more bitter taste.

Finally, try changing the grind a bit. Instead of a fine powder, leave it a little coarse, to shorten the extraction time. The longer the hot water is in contact with the coffee surface, and the hotter the water, the more likely you'll reach the "step 4" described in my article.

(If you like, to see if the coffee itself is the problem, heat a 6 ounce cup of water in the microwave to a full boil. Pull it out and immediately stir one tablespoon of coffee in the water, then leave it sit for about 4 minutes. Break the crust and carefully sip the result with your spoon. That's as close as you'll get to the "pure" taste of the coffee without machine "artifacts." If it's very bitter, then the coffee itself *IS* the culprit.)

You're on the right track. Enjoy your java -- and thanks for the nice comments. :)

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2001

...then again, for the "ultimate" in caffeine (especially for us night-workers) - Mt. Dew, the true nectar of the Gods!

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2001

I'll second the Dew recommendation. It's good for us "Morning Challenged" dayworkers, too.

I quit drinking coffee when Kroger took out their coffee bean grinding machine.

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2001