Hot Drinks

[Dai]

I love the Velvetiser too. Use it every day, mostly just to heat up and froth the milk for a coffee. Chucking in a syrup to mix in with the milk right at the start makes a nice difference too, and doesn't lead to Bacons problem that all coffee shops have, when the syrup is just stuck to the bottom. 

The HC Chilli Chocolate one is amazing. As has been said, you're better off for your wallet if you just buy a big amount of really great cocoa powder, and just throw in the sugar yourself. 

[Gus Mears]

I'm over in Eire for a few days, so naturally the first things I've done is buy a multipack of Taytos and a pack of Barry's.

The latter lives up to the hype. A quality brew. Bit more mellow than Yorkshire which is pleasant this time in the afternoon and unsurprisingly pisses all over Typhoo, PG Tips and other associated shite.

[gmoney]

I brought a load of Barrys back with me from Dublin. I don't rate them as highly as Yorkshire, but they're a good back up. 

[Chris B]

I think you can find it in Morrisons and Sainsburys, if you look at the World Food's sections.

[Keith Houchen]

29 minutes ago, Chris B said:

I think you can find it in Morrisons and Sainsburys, if you look at the World Food's sections.

Yep, our Morrisons has an Irish section which includes red lemonade, Kimberly biscuits and green suits with a pig under  the arm. 

[Carbomb]

It was @Chris B who gave me an excellent bit of knowledge: that the reason why Irish teas taste so different to English ones is that, back when the tea routes were being established, the English merchants had locked down India for provenance, so the Irish merchants had to go further afield and buy African teas.

[WeeAl]

The finest of Tae bags. 

[FLips]

Got a whole new coffee setup for Christmas which I’ve finally had chance to set up and use. 

Chemex Brewer, a Cuisinart Burr grinder and a Lavazza Milk Frother alongside some coffee beans from a place called Kiss The Hippo that we got the Chemex from. My wife also got me a coffee tasting experience box which I’ll get into.

The new equipment is replacing the little handheld aeropress I’ve had about 3 or 4 years which has done a nice job but more and more often I found some off the coffee I fancied only coming in Bean form and not pre-ground, and also it only does one cup so it’s been no good for tired work mornings or when we have family over.
The process with the Chemex is actually less faffy. You stick a filter in, wet the grinds and then a little after put the rest of the water in to soak through.
The filled Chemex looks the spitting image of Hornet, the protagonist from Hollow Knight Silksong which has been in development for nearly 5 years and personally I think is vaporware, but I digress.

The beans I got seem a good mix of flavours, so excited to try them out. I went with the Christmas Blend this time. I’ve never had a coffee grinder before so was easily impressed with it and like that I can pick how much I want and my caveman brain enjoyed watching it grind the beans.

The Frother was equally as fun. You stick a little magnet whizzer in it and away it goes. Does hot and cold froth, hot milk and hot chocolate so that will get use across the board. The container comes off for an easy rinse afterwards too which is the main reason I asked for the slightly more expensive one.

The tasting experience is likely the most poncy gift I’ve ever received (I didn’t ask for it I swear).

It’s a selection of coffees created with guidance from a michelen star chef who it never outright states but a quick look on the website shows it to likely be Ashley Palmer-Watts who @Onyx2 might be familiar with as Heston Blumenthal’s “right hand man” and Chef Director of The Fat Duck Group. The instructions are for a group of people to brew all the coffees at once and try them in a circle but no thanks.

Each coffee comes with a few pouches, some containing enough grinds for maybe 3 or 4 cups and some containing coffee bags. Also each flavour comes with it’s own unique chocolate to compliment the coffee and it encourages you to do a strange ritual of taking a sip of coffee, then a bite of chocolate and then drinking more coffee while the chocolate is still in your mouth and holding it in to “consider the flavours”. 
This actually worked really well on one of the coffees so far, the honeycomb one, but the rest didn’t do much for me in that regard. The coffee bags are handy for on the go but without a long steep and squeeze produce weak cups, but the encouraged squeeze also leaves a bitter solution at the bottom of the cup. Don’t think the bags are for me, but the proper coffee is nice. At least two of them I would buy as their own bags out of the 5 I’ve tried, and the decaf was really nice too so I suppose three out of five in total but I tend not to drink coffee after midday.

The first cup I had with all my gear this morning ended up with all the right intentions but there is a learning curve. It’s made for 5oz cups but we use mugs which are about 8oz I think, so the coffee ended up being weak. That being said next time I know and will get it right. The Chemex produces a very clean cup with little to no bitterness and the grinder goes BRRRR so overall I’ve had a pleasant morning with it.

My wife is tempting me to buy one of those fancy kettles with the thin spouts. I’ve got a birthday in January so I’ll keep my eyes peeled.

Edited December 26, 2023 by FelatioLips

[SuperBacon]

Lovely stuff @FelatioLips

I too love my coffee but keep it slightly more simple. My V60 is my life. I'll usually start the day with two cups out of here.

I do love nice coffee but I wouldn't say I'm a snob about it (coffee snobs are worse than beer snobs 😆) so the every day choice is just a Co-op own (their 4, not 5) or this lovely Sainsburys one. 

I'm lucky to live in a village of small independent cafes so a couple of times a month, I'll treat myself to a lovely bag from Hoxton Bakehouse (yes it's a wanky name), Moonroast, or when I can get to Botley which is the next town over, Deveroast, which is owned by one half of Artful Dodger (re-e-fill) and I'll usually use this trusty gangster when I do pick up one of their tastier blends.

Going 7 years strong.

I prefer a "chocolatey" flavour of coffee and find all those brands suit my needs just fine, but if I ever visit a new cafe and they're selling their own blends, I don't mind taking a punt as long as it sounds good. Saying that I bought a Grumpy Mule one recently that was vile as it had "notes of red apple" which is often just marketing bollocks, but this really did.

My ultimate aim is to one day be able to roast my own, and have my own coffee van/brand which will be hip hop themed (Café La Soul, don't steal this please) with all rap related puns (I have about 20 already) but this is a pipedream, and for now I'll keep with the in kitchen shenanigans. 

But who knows, maybe one day you'll be able to purchase my lemon hinted coffee, A Tribe Called Zest *ahem*

Oh I also have a fantastic cold brew kit that my ex has stolen and I'm too scared to ask for it back.

[FLips]

Looks great Bacon!

My post may have given off snob vibes but I was just a bit spoiled for Christmas is all. My usual coffee is similar to yourself, Supermarket stuff from Tesco, Lidl and Asda. I used to like the stronger chocolate/nut stuff (and still do) but lately I've really been enjoying the fruitier and sweeter ones like Kenyan.

I will say though I can barely stomach instant stuff anymore, even the nicer ones like Azera, so I am a bit snobby in that regard!

Edited December 26, 2023 by FelatioLips

[SuperBacon]

4 minutes ago, FelatioLips said:

My post may have given off snob vibes but I was just a bit spoiled for Christmas is all.

Oh not at all pal, it was just a thought that's all. I work with someone who just drones on about it and sneers at most coffees.

I don't mind instant coffee either, as long as its not too rancid.

[deathrey]

22 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

Lovely stuff @FelatioLips

My ultimate aim is to one day be able to roast my own, and have my own coffee van/brand which will be hip hop themed (Café La Soul, don't steal this please) with all rap related puns (I have about 20 already) but this is a pipedream, and for now I'll keep with the in kitchen shenanigans. 

But who knows, maybe one day you'll be able to purchase my lemon hinted coffee, A Tribe Called Zest *ahem*

Oh I also have a fantastic cold brew kit that my ex has stolen and I'm too scared to ask for it back.

My cousin's husband actually has a hip hop themed cafe and does similar, it is very cool. I don't think he does his own roasts though. It's a great idea though so best of luck if you do do it.

[SuperBacon]

Just now, deathrey said:

My cousin's husband actually has a hip hop themed cafe and does similar, it is very cool. I don't think he does his own roasts though. It's a great idea though so best of luck if you do do it.

WHATEVER!!!

[Onyx2]

@FelatioLips excellent post. Always good to see someone slowly slipping down the slope into full-on coffee nonce. Welcome in! You wait, next Christmas you won't drink anything that doesn't have a roast date and isn't single origin.

Ashley Palmer-Watts is co-founder of Artisan Coffee Co so I'd be surprised if he's helping a competitor, but hey maybe.

[FLips]

52 minutes ago, Onyx2 said:

@FelatioLips excellent post. Always good to see someone slowly slipping down the slope into full-on coffee nonce. Welcome in! You wait, next Christmas you won't drink anything that doesn't have a roast date and isn't single origin.

Ashley Palmer-Watts is co-founder of Artisan Coffee Co so I'd be surprised if he's helping a competitor, but hey maybe.

Ha thanks!

The Artisan Coffee Co is where the box is from. He may be ex-director of the Fat Duck Group.

https://www.artisancoffeeco.com/blogs/news/inside-story-ashley-palmer-watts-shares-his-artisan-journey-so-far