Coffee Help

[digitaldevice]

My wife and I are not coffee drinkers but I am having a Christmas party. I thought I better get a maker to have on hand for parties. I got the Cuisinart 12 cup grind & brew thermal coffee maker. You can put whole beans in it. It grinds then brews, cool. What is a good whole bean to buy that everyone would enjoy? No flavored coffees, just regular coffee. Brands that are good?

My sister in law is a coffee expert, she says and I was hoping to impress her.

 

[Fly4free]

Dunkin Donuts has good coffee and probably has some good prices/promotions right now.

 

[58cognac]

after 8 years in retail coffee, by far your best bet is Sbux Colombia Narino(mild) or for a little stronger variety, Komodo Dragon
I've tried lots of the others, but they still don't come close to those two, whole bean is about $10 - $12 for a pound,
i know you can get beans at Wallie world, but only 12oz. for $8 and sketchy expiration dates

 

[Miss Peach]

I see that you in Illinois. There is a coffee roaster in Chicago (and one out here in L.A.) called Intelligencia. They have a very nice product and it isn't the usual scorched Starbucks.

But keep in mind, if the SIL fancies herself a coffee maven, nothing you provide will pass her superior scrutiny!!

Cathy

 

[PrincessBelle09]

Peete's Coffee Major Dickison's blend is delicious and something that everyone can enjoy. Even coffee snobs usually approve.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Asking "What coffee" is like asking "What alcoholic beverage"... taste in coffee varies that much.

Maybe ask the "coffee snob" who will be attending what they prefer? If you make that person happy you have eliminated the biggest "foe" and the others are more likely to be less vocal if the coffee is not their favorite.

 

[KristinU]

Asking "What coffee" is like asking "What alcoholic beverage"... taste in coffee varies that much.

Maybe ask the "coffee snob" who will be attending what they prefer? If you make that person happy you have eliminated the biggest "foe" and the others are more likely to be less vocal if the coffee is not their favorite.

Yeah, this!

ETA: you'll want to remember to have some sugar and at least milk on hand. DH and I both drink our coffee black, which is not typical for this region of the country...we always forget to put nice little vessels out and have to pull out the carton of milk and big canister of sugar when friends come over.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Regardless of what coffee you buy, here are some tips to make what you brew in your coffeemaker taste better:

All drip coffeemakers brew at less than optimal temperature. Just the way it is. There are probably 1500 kinds of coffeemakers out there and about 4 that will brew at the proper temperature. To compensate for that, choose the finest grind you can. This way more of the flavor of the bean will be released instead of just the acids. Use slightly less than a tablespoon of ground coffee per 6 oz cup. The water will be in contact with the grounds for an extended period of time by the end of the brew cycle, so this will keep your pot of coffee from looking like sludge. DO NOT brew ahead of time. Wait until everyone is ready before brewing. Coffee that sits on a burner for more than 20 minutes begins to acquire a burnt bitter flavor. Serve coffee with real dairy products (milk, cream) and a variety of sweeteners.

Enjoy!

 

[Matt'sMom]

Greg Savage at Marlton Coffee produces some very nice fresh roasts. We have been really impressed with his current lot of Costa Rican Tarazzu Dota. You can order the whole beans at: http://www.marltoncoffee.com/servlet/the-Gourmet-Fresh-Roasted-Coffee-Beans/Categories

DH and I normally buy green beans from select micro-lots and custom roast our own coffees at home... so it takes a lot to impress us when it comes to purchasing roasted beans. Marlton coffee has never disappointed us.

 

[grafxgirl]

This is a small company that is local to my area. He makes awesome coffee! The beans are usually roasted one or two days prior to shipping. The smell of the beans are absolutely wonderful as you open the bag, and it permeates throughout the entire house while brewing. The Sumatra Mandheling and Guatemala Huehuetenango are our favorites. They are not flavored beans. He names his coffee beans according to where he purchases his beans. I have family that live in other states who order Brian's coffee after having it here at our house.

http://www.blackdogcoffee.net/

 

[Mrs D]

My favorite is at Costco - I think it's the Columbian (has a panther on the bag) but since you aren't coffee drinkers I don't think the 3 lb bag is what you're looking for.
Intelligesia is awesome, but you can't find it in the grocery store.
I'd go to a Dunkin Donut and pick up a fresh bag of their regular coffee.

BTW-I have the same machine (have had 2 actually) and love it!

 

[58cognac]

Greg Savage at Marlton Coffee produces some very nice fresh roasts. We have been really impressed with his current lot of Costa Rican Tarazzu Dota. You can order the whole beans at: http://www.marltoncoffee.com/servlet/the-Gourmet-Fresh-Roasted-Coffee-Beans/Categories

DH and I normally buy green beans from select micro-lots and custom roast our own coffees at home... so it takes a lot to impress us when it comes to purchasing roasted beans. Marlton coffee has never disappointed us.

just curious, how involved is roasting your own? would love to support small business like ^^^^^^, has to be someone roasting in TX, right?

 

[digitaldevice]

Thanks for all the help. I'm off to the store for some late night shopping. To pick up some.

 

[RangerPooh]

Peete's Coffee Major Dickison's blend is delicious and something that everyone can enjoy. Even coffee snobs usually approve.

This is what my DH would recommend, and he's a huge coffee and tea snob.