Hotel Chocolat TSV 20/11/21

[stratobuddy]

Luckily I prefer instant coffee.

I make it with 1/2 milk and 1/2 water heated in a MICROWAVE. For some reason it tastes completely different if I add 1/2 cup of boiling water into the cup then top up with 1/2 cup milk, then add the coffee (as I am forced to do in hotel rooms).

I don't really like the boiling water version much, but made in the microwave, with the same ingredients and same temperature it is delicious.

I once tried heating the milk in a kettle - - -disaster - - - took hours to clean it!

So I am waiting for QVC to sell a portable microwave, not much bigger than a cup, that I can take to hotel rooms.

 

[loujareth]

Bean busy (see what I did there) since I wrote in this thread, great to see lots of comments, I really enjoy reading about coffee, sad that I am. I forgot to mention, I have had two tassimo machines as well, I think they are great for other types of drink but again more pods and waste and one year got my friend a Dolce Gusto machine for christmas, - it was a bargain from Ideal World, when she used to live close buy and I used to look after her pets and take my own box of pods with me. I started with a machine like the AO Swan retro, even that is a learning curve to get just right but it led me down the rabbit hole that is coffee.

We used to swear by Aldi coffee beans as well Merryone but since changing from a basic Delonghi Magnifica to a Eletta Cappucino Top 3 years ago, we try more beans from Amazon as Aldis taste a bit rough now. I refuse to pay extortionate amounts for freshly roasted as I don't think the price increase ratio is value for money. Theres a great reasonable price brand on Amazon that does lots of different coffee formats and I find myself going back to them even two years later, note D'epresso, 2x 1KG for around £12-15 for the beans. Two espresso shots before 12pm is all I can manage otherwise I can't sleep at night, my ideal job would be a barista and I can actually do basic latte art, hard with a superauto. I follow James Hoffmans' youtube channel, he is a god in the coffee world and has a massive following and was a Barista champion in his youth and really really knows his stuff, always something to learn with him. There is a snobbery around coffee for sure but I am just after a result that is pleasant to drink and makes me feel awake.

 

[merryone]

Bean busy (see what I did there) since I wrote in this thread, great to see lots of comments, I really enjoy reading about coffee, sad that I am. I forgot to mention, I have had two tassimo machines as well, I think they are great for other types of drink but again more pods and waste and one year got my friend a Dolce Gusto machine for christmas, - it was a bargain from Ideal World, when she used to live close buy and I used to look after her pets and take my own box of pods with me. I started with a machine like the AO Swan retro, even that is a learning curve to get just right but it led me down the rabbit hole that is coffee.

We used to swear by Aldi coffee beans as well Merryone but since changing from a basic Delonghi Magnifica to a Eletta Cappucino Top 3 years ago, we try more beans from Amazon as Aldis taste a bit rough now. I refuse to pay extortionate amounts for freshly roasted as I don't think the price increase ratio is value for money. Theres a great reasonable price brand on Amazon that does lots of different coffee formats and I find myself going back to them even two years later, note D'epresso, 2x 1KG for around £12-15 for the beans. Two espresso shots before 12pm is all I can manage otherwise I can't sleep at night, my ideal job would be a barista and I can actually do basic latte art, hard with a superauto. I follow James Hoffmans' youtube channel, he is a god in the coffee world and has a massive following and was a Barista champion in his youth and really really knows his stuff, always something to learn with him. There is a snobbery around coffee for sure but I am just after a result that is pleasant to drink and makes me feel awake.

I'll have to say, these Aldi beans I'd never seen before but as I don't go in Aldi that often I'm not sure whether they're the ones they've always done . I bought them on the offchance and absolutely loved them, and see no reason to buy anything else unless they change them. The ones I buy are houseblend strength 3. Coffee beans can vary a lot ...i could've bought the strength 4 for instance and may, or may not have liked them. I just happened to hit on the ones that were perfect to me. I'm in no hurry to try anything different, especially at £1.49 a pack lol!

 

[loujareth]

We still have used them occasionally Merryone when we've ran out and the hubby is ok with them but I do think tastes can change, and frankly at £1.49 for 250g, it is the best for the price and not dissapointing at all, I would still recommend them to people totally. Lidls' own isn't too bad either.

I avoid any coffee beans above 3 strength anyway as dark beans are bad for superauto's because of the oilyness. I once had some of Costco's own and they were so oily and hard they wouldnt grind. It was nightmare scooping every bean out. It's happened with a different brand as well.

 

[Twilight]

Are you not buzzing?!

Actually no, I think I’ve done it for that long I’m probably immune to it now.
But, I am probably addicted to it because I definitely feel kind of hungover if I go any length of time without a fix

I don't drink that quantity but must consume a fair amount of caffeine daily when adding in tea so I'm probably immune too. Of course it could be the mint tea I have when I get up that balances the overstimulation

A few months ago we stayed in a wonderful B&B & they served Farrar's coffee, it was absolutely delicious.

The UK's Oldest Coffee Roaster | Farrers Coffee

Buy award winning craft coffee & fine blended tea from the UK's oldest coffee roaster online. Freshly roasting coffee for over 200 years.

farrerscoffee.co.uk