Help, all the coffee I make sucks!

[RonGoode]

So I'm ready to stop drinking coffee. And I like coffee.
But, I rarely enjoy coffee. I've tried cheap grocery store beans and local high end beans. I use filtered water. I've tried an automatic drip, a moka pot, French press, and percolator. Light roasts to dark roasts.
The only thing consistent is my disappointment. I rarely drink more than a cup and never finish it.
The best, most pleasing coffee I have had has been Caribou brand espresso, equal parts espresso and hot water, with cream and sugar. But that is not readily available to me. Sometimes I enjoy gas station coffee or Waffle House coffee and I never like Starbucks. If that tells you anything about me

is is there any hope for me? I'd like to continue drinking coffee.

 

[PinkRose]

Hello RonGoode,

Welcome to the Coffee Forums website.

It's good that you like drinking coffee and that you want to continue drinking it. That's basically the first step.

It sounds like you haven't pinpointed what kind of coffee you consistently enjoy. You mentioned liking espresso, and you also mentioned liking gas station or Waffle House coffee. There is a whole range of difference between them.

Do have the funds to buy a decent coffee maker and freshly roasted coffee beans, or are you just looking for an inexpensive way to make your coffee?

Where are you located? If you give us a general area (State, City) , maybe some of our members could recommend a good coffee shop or a good roaster in your area.

Weekends are typically slow on the Coffee Forums. While you wait for our Forum members to respond to your questions, feel free to use the Search box that's located at the top corner of your screen. As you explore the Forum threads, you will see that this topic has been discussed a lot in the past.

Rose

 

[RonGoode]

Currently I'm poor. If I could find something decent for the percolator or moka pot, I'd be happy.
I know I don't like Dark roasts. I use lots of cream and sugar, so often I wonder if it even matters what I'm drinking. I'm in Greenville, SC

 

[ensoluna]

Ron, why do you like coffee?
is it the taste? or the caffeine effects?
if the latter one, better to drink some tasty caffeine drinks.
if it's the taste, please let us know what kind of flavors of coffee you enjoy, do you enjoy flavored coffee? the rich creamy taste of milk/cream or sugar?
some more info would be helpful

 

[RonGoode]

Caffeine is irrelevant to me. I usually drink decaf or half caff. As for flavors, I like plain or flavored. Sometimes I use flavored creamers and sometimes just plain. I like changing it up. But I tend to use a lot of cream and sugar. Sometimes the cream and sugar are too much and I wonder if i need a stronger coffee. But what I probably need is less cream and sugar.

 

[Kudzu]

It sounds like you are still experimenting and searching. The fact that you sometimes wonder about stronger coffee and realize you just need less cream and sugar, indicates you are gaining some insight to the direction that pleases you. Since you are interested and pursuing alternatives, I say keep doing what you are doing and you will find what best satisfies you. Though that will not be a once-and-for-all solution, your taste will almost certainly evolve and change over time. That is the way it has been for me, at least.

 

[ensoluna]

if you really, really want to enjoy "real specialty coffee", the last thing you need is a STRONGER COFFEE with whole bunch of cream and sugar.
I am guessing that you put a lot of them because coffee is too strong/bitter.

the most of coffee-aficionados enjoy freshly roasted, specialty coffee with light-med roasted.
all different coffees from different parts of the world have their own flavor profiles and distinctive tastes.
and they can be only tasted when the coffee is freshly & lightly roasted, without cream & sugar.

however, if you are new to this side of coffee world, you will need a lot of practice and also study and we (our forum members) can you to do that, if you are willing.

 

[RonGoode]

I wish I could go to a coffee tasting. I just had a cup of medium to light, half caff folgers (which is embarrassing) with less cream and sugar and mostly it tastes bitter and like rotting leaves. Which makes me wonder if I over extracted. In using a percolator and use about 4 cups of water and 8 tablespoons of coffee.

I've read a lot online and mostly I feel lost.

 

[PinkRose]

Hi RonGoode,

Why are you using half-caff Folgers? Do you need to cut down on caffeine?

If caffeine isn't a problem, why deal with the taste of decaf coffee? There is an obvious difference in taste between decaf coffee and regular coffee. You appear to be searching for a good cup of coffee. Using decaffeinated ground coffee (from a can) is a step backwards. Do you need to be there?

If caffeine is not an issue, then consider getting some regular coffee (even if it's Folgers). Start experimenting with your percolator's brewing time, the amount of coffee that you use, and the amount of water that you use. One tablespoon of ground coffee for every six ounces of water is a good place to start. Build from there. If the coffee seems weak to you, use more ground coffee the next time. Keep a log of what you do so you can keep track of your experiments. You may hit on a good combination that works for you (coffee, water, brewing time).

Have you ever visited a friend or relative who has made you a decent cup of coffee? Asking them how they brew it is a great conversation starter, and you'll learn a few things too.

A lot of people find a way to enjoy their coffee without going through a lot of expense. You mentioned that you've used automatic drip, a moka pot, French press, and a percolator to make your coffee. Decide which brewing method you want to use and stick with it. Don't switch back and forth. Otherwise, you'll drive yourself totally bonkers, and that's not a good thing.

Rose

 

[RonGoode]

I switched from caffeine to decaff a while back when I found myself getting headaches if I didn't drink a cup regularly. I wasn't aware there was a taste difference. But I should't be surprised. I know what I'm using is on the low end but we're currently broke, plus my wife thinks I'm nuts and that I overdo things, plus I'm just tired of trying and trying and still being disappointed.

I was at a relatives recently and I took a drink of coffee and noticed immediately it tasted good and very coffee-y. That's where the Folgers came from, they were using it, though I doubt decaf.

I've considered a log and I guess that would be the most practical next step. As for swtiching methods, I think I liked the french press best but I was also grinding my own local beans for it at the time. But I still wasn't impressed. Sometimes I think I just have too high expectations.

I'll keep at it and I'll consider getting rid of the decaf.

 

[peterjschmidt]

I agree w/ Rose... forget the decaf, and stick with one brewing method. I'd add one consideration; percolators are never going to give you a good cup.

Do you have any budget constraints? Have you used whole beans and a grinder? If you're willing to spend some money, get a good grinder and some decent beans, your french press will give you good results.

Where do you live? We might give you some good cafe options to use as a standard to measure against.

 

[RonGoode]

Currently I'm broke but I've used a French press and whole beans before.

I got the percolator a few months back, I'd always wanted to try it even though I read that a percolator makes a cup of coffee similar to a well done steak. Not very appealing.

 

[peterjschmidt]

The only issue with a press pot is that because of the screen (vs. paper filter) they are very dependent on the grinder they are paired well. It's impossible to get a good cup using a blade grinder. It needs to at minimum a conical burr grinder.

Plus whole beans doesn't mean a hill o' beans; supermarket whole beans are only a half step above Folgers. It has to be good coffee, properly roasted, and less than a week out of the roaster to make exceptional coffee.

If you're as broke as you say, the best thing you can do is get a cone filter holder for $3 at the supermarket, get some GOOD beans, and learn the proper parameters of water temp and grind size. That's the simplest/cheapest way to make good coffee because you can control all the parameters. I just don't like filtering with paper, or that would be my go-to brew method.

 

[PinkRose]

I was at a relatives recently and I took a drink of coffee and noticed immediately it tasted good and very coffee-y. That's where the Folgers came from, they were using it, though I doubt decaf.

Do you know what type of coffee maker they used to make the Folgers coffee? Can you ask them? Since you said you enjoyed it, then all you need to do is duplicate how they made the coffee, and you'll be set.

 

[RonGoode]

I'll look into it. I do wish I had a burr grinder. I will say this morning I brewed my coffee a minute less, 6 minutes, and it was an improvement.