Favorite commercially available coffee?

Stephen

BetterBit
Staff member
Founder
Sep 5, 2021
195
240
43
San Francisco
I enjoy Equator quite a lot, their house blend is good. However, I’ve stopped drinking caffeinated coffee because the caffeine is absorbed like a jolt of lightning. I prefer Yerba Mate tea for a slow even dose of caffeine.

On the topic of coffee, for years I would accept nothing other than cream. Recently I’m coming around to oat milk.
 

Certificate of Excellence

Active Tinkerer
Nov 1, 2021
681
477
63
46
United Sates
I drink coffee on the daily but when I want a slightly different stimulant, I enjoy green tea blends. I "feel" like it is a cleaner, more focused bump vs the delightful twitchiness that is coffee. As far as Oat milks, have you tried making your own? Its quite easy and does not include all of the gross gums that are added to hold a "milky" texture and keep it from separating.

and cost effective! OMG Oat milk is 4-5 bucks a half gallon. My youngest son is lactose sensitive (like his mama) so we have been feeding him oat milk sweetened with honey that I whip up every couple days. He likes it for now.
 

Daniel Hansen

Tinkerer
Oct 29, 2021
173
128
43
Here in Canada, a good roaster that is (I'm pretty sure) available country-wide is Kicking Horse, and I prefer their darker roasts like Cliffhanger, Grizzly Claw, and 454 Horse Power. Those are my go-to's. Fresh-ground every morning in the conical, french pressed. Does the job.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Drake

Certificate of Excellence

Active Tinkerer
Nov 1, 2021
681
477
63
46
United Sates
Not sure how available it is, but our local co-op has a brand called "Equal Exchange" and I really like their "Mind, Body, and Soul" blend. Not super dark, but still has good body and flavor.
I worked with Rav at EE directly for years bringing EE coffees and teas to the coops in my neck of the woods (distributed through our DC out to 6 NCG coops I can think of and 2 non NCG). I have met him a number of times and he is such a gracious individual and has been co-owner of EE for a few years now. They are a truly great company with a fantastic mission. I am so happy to hear that you support them. I am a fan of birds of paradise myself.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ScutBoy

Certificate of Excellence

Active Tinkerer
Nov 1, 2021
681
477
63
46
United Sates
We buy a selection of whole bean from Costco that includes Starbucks, and the Costco house brand of Espresso, dark roast, and a brand called ethos if I remember correctly. Always fresh ground and never longer than 2 hours from brew to final cup. Longer and it tastes like crap.
There is a local producer in my neck of the woods who has a vested relationship with the Costcos in my state - was just there this afternoon and piked up a 5# bag of their Pinon. There are a few roasters local to me that I patron as well, but are available reallyonly in my regional foodshed and not beyond, so I did not list them.

Local coffee rules .
 

Drake

TinkerDifferent Board Vice-President 2023
Staff member
Sep 23, 2021
443
781
93
Personal opinion: If you put anything in your coffee (cream, sugar) you may as well be drinking a Yoohoo!

I will second KickingHorse. "Three Sisters" being my favorite medium blend. The best coffee I've had though comes from roasters up island (Vancouver Island), DrumRoasters: (https://www.drumroaster.com/coffees)

I used to drink coffee at all hours of the day, especially working on ambulance! Now it's only 2 cups in the morning and day dreaming till the next.
 

Certificate of Excellence

Active Tinkerer
Nov 1, 2021
681
477
63
46
United Sates
I am a stimulant junkie. I drink around 8-10 cups through the day every day. Cant be terribly healthy but has been the M-O since around the TOTC working in professional kitchens n the like.

I mean it’s better than cocaine, so there’s that. 👹

FYI, my other preferred ubiquitously available commercial bean is Dunkin.
 

Certificate of Excellence

Active Tinkerer
Nov 1, 2021
681
477
63
46
United Sates
My top three local roasters, ranked:
1. St. Paul: https://stpaulroastery.ca/
2. Wolfhead: https://www.wolfheadcoffee.com/
3. Rose N Crantz: https://www.rnccoffee.ca/

St. Paul Chiapas is a treasure. I like to support local as much as possible, but it's about double the cost than Kicking Horse, so it's a sometimes thing.

We should do this for breweries in another thread too 🍻
Hell and Yes. 🍻


Here ya go :D
 
Last edited:

Certificate of Excellence

Active Tinkerer
Nov 1, 2021
681
477
63
46
United Sates
Over the past year, I’ve moved from Gevalia to a local bean/roaster - New Mexico Traditional Piñon. This one is pretty smooth; a balanced medium body in character. I’ve been drinking this one pretty much daily.
 

Paolo B

Tinkerer
Nov 27, 2021
254
141
43
Nagoya, Japan
”Coffee”… I can only speak for coffee to taste and savour, not for coffee to drink, as in Italy there’s only “espresso”… and a thousand of variants!
Illy is my favorite commercial brand, many blends available, including for long coffee.
Anyhow, recently I have been forced to switch to a Nespresso machine and I must admit there are indeed some excellent propositions there, too.
 

Crutch

Tinkerer
Jul 10, 2022
293
227
43
Chicago
I’m a longtime fan of Bluestone Lane, an Aussie-founded NYC-based small chain of 3rd wave coffee shops. This is my daily driver: https://shop.bluestonelane.com/products/maverick-espresso-coffee-blend

And like @Paolo B I use it almost entirely for straight espresso. Italians really know coffee! I was again reminded of how profoundly true this is three weeks ago when I got off a plane in Rome and was enjoying a perfect single-shot espresso in a preheated, proper demitasse accompanied by freshly-squeezed (right in front of me) orange juice and a delightful, perfectly-sized little pastry within 5 minutes of having my feet on Italian soil.
 
  • Love
Reactions: Paolo B

Certificate of Excellence

Active Tinkerer
Nov 1, 2021
681
477
63
46
United Sates
Having consumed (American style) coffees en masse for well over 40 years at this point, I've never acquired a taste for straight espresso along the way. The closest I get is an Americano. I am reserving final judgement until I make my yet to be paid for or planned trip to Italy & Europe but I'll get there eventually. My sister in law just returned from a month in southern Italy actually and came back with all sorts of stories of fantastic wine, great food, coffee and crazy gondoliers and street vendors. Can't wait to go. :D

My wife's cousin lives in Germany and they send me German coffee every year for Christmas. It comes in blank silver coffee bags, so I never know what it is but man is it good. Another place I need to go lol.