Change in your tastes? For the Newbies(mostly)

[Jono_Willmer]

I was wondering what all of us less educated coffee drinkers were buying and enjoying before they bought our new gear?
Also what they drink now and if there tastes have changed much? eg. Since I can pull sweet shots from my machine(although still not consistantly) I dont use sugar. mmh so much better I can actually taste the coffee now!

ps please include anything else you feel has changed your taste, eg. a new coffee bean ect.

[grendel]

Re: Change in your tastes? For the Newbies(mostly)

I went through a curve that went from:

1. An Instant coffee-style drink made allegedly from 43 beans (once only)
2. No Coffee
3. Armenian Coffee (for 3 months - very strong and sweet)
4. Greek and Turkish coffee (trying to relive the Armenian experience)
5. Espresso with sugar from Cafes
6. Cappuchino
7. Stovetop espresso with Lavazza Crema E Gusto
8. A 2-year search in Perth City until I found a cafe serving 5-Senses - I bought both espresso and beans from this place.
9. Home roasting in a wok - Faema Family machine for drinks (2 years ago)
10. Popper (August 2006) and a Presso
11. Correttod BM/HG (2-weeks ago)

The most profound influences have been:

That first Armenian Coffee - home roasted and home ground
5-Senses - Freshly roasted coffee

Both of these drove me to seek better coffee more than anything else.

[Thundergod]

Re: Change in your tastes? For the Newbies(mostly)

Ive only had my gear for just under 3 months.

Just prior to that I was drinking Moconna or café caps (with sugar).

Being half Greek growing up there was a choice of Greek/Turkish or Nescafe (Nes).

I no longer take sugar when I make my coffee at home but did have to add one when I met with my former work colleagues at a café on Monday.

Oh - just remembered.
I have brain surgery last year for a benign tumour and whilst in hospital recovering for a week I didnt feel very much like eating or drinking so stopped drinking coffee (instant).
I then didnt touch one for just over 3 months because I basically didnt crave the caffeine any more and considering there really was little taste it wasnt much of a loss.

The taste thing is important because one of the things that happened with my hardly eating for a week is that I basically detoxed and when I got my appetite back everything tasted so.....intense.

I could almost count the bubbles on my tongue from a softdrink.
I swear I could taste every morsel of herbs in my chicken noodle soup.
I remember thinking, wow, if everything tastes this good how would a coffee taste right about now.
Luckily for me (I think now) I resisted.
By the time I eventually had another home made or bought coffee they tasted like I remembered.

My cousin bought a machine a few months before I decided to embark on this journey.
After a few of his coffees I think the spark ignited a curiosity.
I knew if he could make a good coffee then so could I.

Ithen did a Barista course in prep for buying my own equipment, found this forum, did my research, talked with site sponsors.
Circumstances had occurred that allowed me to afford some good equipment without having to save up or limit myself to entry level.

So when I bought my Expobar and pulled that first shot and it was better than the last one I bought, it was all worth while.

[Myrtle]

Re: Change in your tastes? For the Newbies(mostly)

I got my Sylvia/Rocky combo about 6 years ago, it proved a good diversion during a trying time of my life. Did a one day course learning how to make my own coffees. After about two years life took a major turn ... and the desire to make my own disappeared ....

You meet someone, you go out for coffee instead (amazing what you will drink) ... end up having a few kids!! In the meantime drank whatever came my way ... gravitated to tea for a while. Our friends considered us snobs because we bought coffee bags instead of coffee in a jar (little did they know).

After getting a popper for the kids (who decided they didnt really want popcorn) discovered a new use - roasting my own coffee. After trialling it and working out how easy it was, this inspired me to get out Sylvia/Rocky again - lovingly clean them down and relearn how to use them. This happened about two months ago. Its amazing how much I have learned in the meantime, since coming across this site.

We are now looking at PIDing Sylvia & one day hope to upgrade to an Expobar.

Now, instead of going out for coffee, we spend an afternoon of the weekend roasting our own coffee (enough for the comng week) and enjoy our own blends. I have even managed to master using a french press with our own roasted coffee - something I never could do with bought beans.

[needmycoffee]

Re: Change in your tastes? For the Newbies(mostly)

Was just thinking about this the other day...
Started drinking coffee when living in Tokyo as a student - it was assumed that because I was Western I would drink coffee! Heaps of sugar, instant.. (makes me feel ill..)
Back in Australia at uni, my research supervisor was a bit of an addict and got me hooked on stove top (backed off the sugar..). A friend had an espresso machine, and I decided that I too would one day have one! But was too poor at the time! Enjoyed take away instead every sunday on the way to my part time job (I was a student!)
Then, after starting a real job, I treated myself to a Krups (at the time it was a big deal!) which served me adequately (enough) till recently... Have discovered that going to cafes and actually enjoying the coffee is difficult with a 22 mth old daughter, so after long deliberation, bought my beautiful Expobar Minore and Iberital grinder not long ago. Am now just learning how to make a great cup - frustrating, but so rewarding!! Would love to learn to roast too, but one thing at a time... This website has been brilliant and so helpful - others as obsessed as me (more so probably!)

[COFFEECHASER]

Re: Change in your tastes? For the Newbies(mostly)

It is funny how tastes do change. Since getting my coffee machine we have only had coffee from home, the Sea Bar, Mecca, and Single Origin. So all with fresh beans. But my wife and I went to visit family in Newcastle and went to a cafe that my family always goes to and my wife and I decided to brave it and give a flat white a whirl. I think I have converted my wife to coffee snobery as a result. Was just so bitter and think froth, dont think they know what microfoam is. After screwing my face up with my first sip I turned and looked at my wife and said "well what do you think", she just smirked and said "I am not saying anything because I dont want to be as bad as you when it comes to coffee". We both felt compelled to swallow the rest of our cups as to not offend the owner who has built a friendship up with my Dad. Goes to show you can have a decent machine and grinder but if you dont have fresh beans and have decent barista skills it all comes crashing down.
They do have a good range of teas so next family event there that is what I will be having. As a side note my sister made the best slip up when she said my dad used to go into the coffee shop and talk to the "barrister" Of course she meant barista, but is not a coffee drinker at all so will forgive her on this one.