We have a new update on The Future of the Penny Arcade Forums.

Coffee and how Mike and Jeffe are already dead

DeebaserDeebaser on my way to work in a suit and a tieAhhhh...come on fucking guyRegistered User regular
edited November 2009 in Debate and/or Discourse
Why do people put the milk / sugar in after the machine makes the coffee?

I put my milk in before the Flavia even gets going so I don't have to stir shit. It is much more efficient in my opinion. Is there any solid rationale to adding this stuff afterwards?

Deebaser on
«134567

Posts

  • OctoparrotOctoparrot Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    I suppose it depends on the type of coffee. Cafe Cubano you should start with the sugar in there first, then add coffee.

    Octoparrot on
  • Vater5BVater5B Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Technically there are reasons why you would want to avoid doing this, but if you're brewing commodity coffee, out of single-use pods, and then sweetening it, there is no way you're going to notice a difference.

    So carry on good sir.

    Vater5B on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • PeregrineFalconPeregrineFalcon Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Because there might be more than one person drinking said coffee, and they haven't settled on a uniform creamer and/or sweetener?

    PeregrineFalcon on
    Looking for a DX:HR OnLive code for my kid brother.
    Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
  • DeebaserDeebaser on my way to work in a suit and a tie Ahhhh...come on fucking guyRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Because there might be more than one person drinking said coffee, and they haven't settled on a uniform creamer and/or sweetener?

    Sorry I should have been clearer. We use a single cup system at the office and at home. For pots it would be more like:

    step 1: grab CUP
    step 2: put your sugar / milk / whatever in cup
    Step 3: pour coffee

    versus

    step 1: grab CUP
    step 2: pour coffee
    Step 3: put your sugar / milk / whatever in cup
    Step 4: stir

    Deebaser on
  • Raiden333Raiden333 Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    The real question is why anyone would ever want to defile the Sweet Nectar of the Gods with poisons like milk or sugar.

    Raiden333 on
  • DanHibikiDanHibiki Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Oh, well sugar is no issue, but I tend to measure cream by the colour it turns the coffee to.

    Of course I don't do this for coffee that is an espresso or similar. For Americanos you really don't need cream. Illy blend doesn't really need anything either when brewed right.

    DanHibiki on
  • Tiger BurningTiger Burning Dig if you will, the pictureRegistered User, SolidSaints Tube regular
    edited October 2009
    Deebaser wrote: »
    Because there might be more than one person drinking said coffee, and they haven't settled on a uniform creamer and/or sweetener?

    Sorry I should have been clearer. We use a single cup system at the office and at home. For pots it would be more like:

    step 1: grab CUP
    step 2: put your sugar / milk / whatever in cup
    Step 3: pour coffee

    versus

    step 1: grab CUP
    step 2: pour coffee
    Step 3: put your sugar / milk / whatever in cup
    Step 4: stir

    With sugar or anything else that needs to dissolve, it will dissolve more efficiently if you add it last. Otherwise it can form a dry layer on the bottom protected by a sticky, half dissolved layer above, that you will have to physically scrape up to dissolve. Milk or cream works fine either way.

    Tiger Burning on
    Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with
  • BehemothBehemoth Compulsive Seashell Collector Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Because I'm not the only coffee-drinker in my house and some of the others don't want sugar.

    And I don't do it the other way because I don't trust that the action of pouring the coffee will sufficiently stir the sugar in, so I would just stir it in anyway. It's not rational, but hey, I'm not exactly rational before I have my coffee.

    Behemoth on
    iQbUbQsZXyt8I.png
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    The real question is why anyone would ever want to defile the Sweet Nectar of the Gods with poisons like milk or sugar.

    It's kinda like how some people like to take it up the ass. I mean, it's cool that Deebaser is gay and all, some of my best friends are gay. We just don't swing that way, we like our coffee black.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • BackstopBackstop Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    A few weeks ago my brother in law asked his sister (my wife) if she drinks her coffee black or with cream and sugar. She said "I like cream and sugar" and he goes "AHAHA YESSS!" while pumping his fist like Tiger Woods. What kind of stupid behavior is that?

    Backstop on
  • msh1283msh1283 Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    The real question is why anyone would ever want to defile the Sweet Nectar of the Gods with poisons like milk or sugar.

    Because the coffee that comes out of a Flavia machine is months old, stale bile that's barely palatable even after turning half of it into a milk/sugar slurry.

    msh1283 on
  • AroducAroduc regular
    edited October 2009
    Because natural human processing is: "Accomplish main objective (get coffee). Then add additional crap."

    It's how things work for every single other food as well. Get hotdog, THEN add ketchup. Get steak, then put sauce on it. Get soup, then add crackers. Etc

    Aroduc on
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Roaming the streets, waving his mod gun around.Moderator, ClubPA Mod Emeritus
    edited October 2009
    Like was said, I measure my cream by the color it turns my coffee. And pouring the coffee onto a pile of sugar in no way guarantees that it's well-stirred, so I'd be stirring it anyway.

    Mostly I drink espresso drinks, though, so the point is rather moot, since the rules are somewhat different.

    ElJeffe on
    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • QuetzatcoatlQuetzatcoatl Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Aroduc wrote: »
    Because natural human processing is: "Accomplish main objective (get coffee). Then add additional crap."

    It's how things work for every single other food as well. Get hotdog, THEN add ketchup. Get steak, then put sauce on it. Get soup, then add crackers. Etc

    Sometimes I'll put ice in my cup before getting a drink. Does that mean I do not have natural human processing?

    Anyways, point is mute. Just skip the cream and sugar and drink your coffee like a real man. Even if its been sitting in the pot burning away all flavor for most of the day.

    Quetzatcoatl on
  • ShadowrunnerShadowrunner Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    I learned firsthand that if you try to add some sugar to a cappuccino after you pour in the milk, it will stick to the foam and not really dissolve into the coffee. And it's disgusting. So, clearly this means that the sugar gets added first.

    Shadowrunner on
  • EggyToastEggyToast Jersey CityRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    if I put shit in the machine, then the likelihood of the shit messing up the machine is much greater.

    If I put sugar in my coffee maker, now i have a sticky coffee maker. If I put milk in there, now I've got milky residue in there.

    Don't most machines say not to do that anyway, for that reason?

    EggyToast on
    || Flickr — || PSN: EggyToast
  • OctoparrotOctoparrot Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Aroduc wrote: »
    Because natural human processing is: "Accomplish main objective (get coffee). Then add additional crap."

    It's how things work for every single other food as well. Get hotdog, THEN add ketchup. Get steak, then put sauce on it. Get soup, then add crackers. Etc

    Sometimes I'll put ice in my cup before getting a drink. Does that mean I do not have natural human processing?

    Anyways, point is mute. Just skip the cream and sugar and drink your coffee like a real man. Even if its been sitting in the pot burning away all flavor for most of the day.
    ElJeffe wrote:
    so the point is rather moot

    Octoparrot on
  • AroducAroduc regular
    edited October 2009
    Aroduc wrote: »
    Because natural human processing is: "Accomplish main objective (get coffee). Then add additional crap."

    It's how things work for every single other food as well. Get hotdog, THEN add ketchup. Get steak, then put sauce on it. Get soup, then add crackers. Etc

    Sometimes I'll put ice in my cup before getting a drink. Does that mean I do not have natural human processing?

    Anyways, point is mute. Just skip the cream and sugar and drink your coffee like a real man. Even if its been sitting in the pot burning away all flavor for most of the day.

    No. You've learned that dropping large things into a full drink makes a mess.

    Aroduc on
  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Can this just be a general coffee thread? Because I loves me some coffee.

    I used to taint my coffee with cream and sugar but I got better. Still, I do enjoy a cappuccino every now and then, but none of that half-caff double whip nonfat soybean double shot one pumpkin syrup pump vanilla latte. Just a regular cappuccino or a caramel macchiato.

    Oh, and to answer the OP: I used to pour my cream first, then coffee, then stir in sugar to taste. Enjoy.

    joshofalltrades on
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Roaming the streets, waving his mod gun around.Moderator, ClubPA Mod Emeritus
    edited October 2009
    Can this just be a general coffee thread? Because I loves me some coffee.

    Yes.

    ElJeffe on
    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    Can this just be a general coffee thread? Because I loves me some coffee.

    Yes.

    Awesome.

    Is there anything a French press can do that a regular coffee machine can not? I've never tried one before. I know you need coarser grain coffee grounds but is the taste different in any way?

    joshofalltrades on
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Roaming the streets, waving his mod gun around.Moderator, ClubPA Mod Emeritus
    edited October 2009
    Aroduc wrote: »
    Aroduc wrote: »
    Because natural human processing is: "Accomplish main objective (get coffee). Then add additional crap."

    It's how things work for every single other food as well. Get hotdog, THEN add ketchup. Get steak, then put sauce on it. Get soup, then add crackers. Etc

    Sometimes I'll put ice in my cup before getting a drink. Does that mean I do not have natural human processing?

    Anyways, point is mute. Just skip the cream and sugar and drink your coffee like a real man. Even if its been sitting in the pot burning away all flavor for most of the day.

    No. You've learned that dropping large things into a full drink makes a mess.

    Only if you try to cannonball the ice in from five feet up, or something. It's not hard to put ice cubes into a full drink without making a mess.

    I tend to put the ice in first if the drink is luke warm, because the liquid pouring over the ice will cool faster. (Well, marginally faster, anyway.) If the drink is already cold, I stick the ice in first. The exception is root beer, for which I always put the ice in after, because otherwise it foams too much.

    ElJeffe on
    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Roaming the streets, waving his mod gun around.Moderator, ClubPA Mod Emeritus
    edited October 2009
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    Can this just be a general coffee thread? Because I loves me some coffee.

    Yes.

    Awesome.

    Is there anything a French press can do that a regular coffee machine can not? I've never tried one before. I know you need coarser grain coffee grounds but is the taste different in any way?

    I believe that the water being pressed through the grounds faster results in a different flavor versus a drip system where the water passes through the grounds slowly. I've never used a French press, though, so I'm just going based on what I've heard.

    ElJeffe on
    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • HonkHonk Honk is this poster. Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited October 2009
    Mm coffee!

    I want to start experimenting with some new cool beans.

    Honk on
    PSN: Honkalot
  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    The exception is root beer, for which I always put the ice in after, because otherwise it foams too much.

    I agree for fountain root beers, but the real way to drink root beer is from tap into a frosty mug.

    joshofalltrades on
  • Shazkar ShadowstormShazkar Shadowstorm Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    my friend is a coffee nut
    like, order beans online
    has a couple hundred dollar grinder
    and a couple hundred dollar espresso machine with a manual lever

    but the espresso he makes is heavenly

    and we go to the espresso places downtown in Manhattan, the good places, like 9th street or cafe grumpy, and he is always chatting up the baristas
    what a nerd

    but its so good

    Shazkar Shadowstorm on
    poo
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Roaming the streets, waving his mod gun around.Moderator, ClubPA Mod Emeritus
    edited October 2009
    Also, I'm going to point out that because of my GI problems, I can no longer drink coffee. Or milk. So I will just live vicariously through you other folks as you describe the awesomeness that is coffee.

    Now I will sup on my half-strength soy chai latte.

    :cry:

    ElJeffe on
    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • Shazkar ShadowstormShazkar Shadowstorm Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    personally all i have is an aeropress and in a pinch it does fine though

    Shazkar Shadowstorm on
    poo
  • redxredx I(x)=2(x)+1 whole numbersRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Deebaser wrote: »
    Because there might be more than one person drinking said coffee, and they haven't settled on a uniform creamer and/or sweetener?

    Sorry I should have been clearer. We use a single cup system at the office and at home. For pots it would be more like:

    step 1: grab CUP
    step 2: put your sugar / milk / whatever in cup
    Step 3: pour coffee

    versus

    step 1: grab CUP
    step 2: pour coffee
    Step 3: put your sugar / milk / whatever in cup
    Step 4: stir

    In addition to the whole stirring thing, the second method is supposed to be more likely to scald your milk. Prissy british people, and such, will look at you funny for doing the second with tea.

    redx on
    They moistly come out at night, moistly.
  • joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    It doesn't sound like there's anything more than a marginal taste difference with a French press just from a little poking around. Not really worth buying one for, IMHO.

    joshofalltrades on
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Roaming the streets, waving his mod gun around.Moderator, ClubPA Mod Emeritus
    edited October 2009
    I am pretty sure I have never inadvertently scalded my milk. I'm not even sure what it would taste like if I did. Is this, like, a real concern?

    ElJeffe on
    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • HonkHonk Honk is this poster. Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited October 2009
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    Also, I'm going to point out that because of my GI problems, I can no longer drink coffee. Or milk. So I will just live vicariously through you other folks as you describe the awesomeness that is coffee.

    Now I will sup on my half-strength soy chai latte.

    :cry:

    Man that sucks. D:

    Honk on
    PSN: Honkalot
  • redxredx I(x)=2(x)+1 whole numbersRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    It doesn't sound like there's anything more than a marginal taste difference with a French press just from a little poking around. Not really worth buying one for, IMHO.

    Well, you get little bits of bean floating in the coffee, so it also gives it a richer texture, kinda like the difference between filtered and unfiltered beer.

    They normally cost less than $20, and you can clean more easily than you can an autodrip, so you don't have to worry about nasty oils building up. I prefer french press, but I don't really drink coffee much at the moment.
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    I am pretty sure I have never inadvertently scalded my milk. I'm not even sure what it would taste like if I did. Is this, like, a real concern?

    I really don't know, it's just something I've heard kind of repeatedly. I've had tea/coffee with a bit of a whitish film which I assume is scalded milk. Didn't notice much of a difference in taste.

    redx on
    They moistly come out at night, moistly.
  • QuetzatcoatlQuetzatcoatl Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    It doesn't sound like there's anything more than a marginal taste difference with a French press just from a little poking around. Not really worth buying one for, IMHO.

    I prefer the french press just because it's easier to use for single servings.

    The flavor is about the same as drip, a bit smoother on the stronger blends, but probably not worth the money if you already have something.

    Quetzatcoatl on
  • DeebaserDeebaser on my way to work in a suit and a tie Ahhhh...come on fucking guyRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Feral wrote: »
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    The real question is why anyone would ever want to defile the Sweet Nectar of the Gods with poisons like milk or sugar.

    It's kinda like how some people like to take it up the ass. I mean, it's cool that Deebaser is gay and all, some of my best friends are gay. We just don't swing that way, we like our coffee black.

    Hey it's cool that you like to daintily sip on your scalding black coffee like a priss, but some of us have shit to do.

    Chug and go!

    Deebaser on
  • DeebaserDeebaser on my way to work in a suit and a tie Ahhhh...come on fucking guyRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    msh1283 wrote: »
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    The real question is why anyone would ever want to defile the Sweet Nectar of the Gods with poisons like milk or sugar.

    Because the coffee that comes out of a Flavia machine is months old, stale bile that's barely palatable even after turning half of it into a milk/sugar slurry.

    They're vacuum sealed fresh, dude. Flavia is the shit. Once I run out of the boxes of K-cups I acquired from my old company Im totally getting a home machine. :)

    Deebaser on
  • WassermeloneWassermelone Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Reading this thread is awful.

    I love coffee... but every time I have caffeine now I get an anxiety attack. Bugger.

    Wassermelone on
  • taerictaeric Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited October 2009
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    Can this just be a general coffee thread? Because I loves me some coffee.

    Yes.

    Awesome.

    Is there anything a French press can do that a regular coffee machine can not? I've never tried one before. I know you need coarser grain coffee grounds but is the taste different in any way?

    I believe that the water being pressed through the grounds faster results in a different flavor versus a drip system where the water passes through the grounds slowly. I've never used a French press, though, so I'm just going based on what I've heard.

    I think you are confusing an espresso machine with a French press. The former forces the water through the grounds, the later lets them steep in hot water.

    Using a French press has been an exploration in coffee, to me. You have a ton of control over just how the coffee will turn out. I have become fond of only letting it steep for 3 minutes. The results is a very easy to drink beverage that is not overly acidic at all.

    taeric on
  • GyralGyral Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    The real question is why anyone would ever want to defile the Sweet Nectar of the Gods with poisons like milk or sugar.

    This. Black or not at all. :P

    Seriously though, drink it however you like, but if my coffee isn't black and stout enough to kill a man, it's not worth finishing the cup.

    Gyral on
    25t9pjnmqicf.jpg
  • YarYar Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Also, I think, and this is nitpicking, but if the cream is in first, then the first few ounces of coffee are going to get chilled significantly and then reheated as more coffee gets poured on top. That will affect the flavor. Coffee should be kept as warm as possible and not reheated. I probably wouldn't notice the difference in a blindfolded taste test, but a scientific taste test doesn't tell the whole story when it comes to a ritual like coffee.

    Also the color thing that others said. I like a specific shade.

    Yar on
Sign In or Register to comment.