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I couldn't agree more and also prefer cold brew to iced coffee. I have actually seen instances of the inverse name-swap as well: places which serve cold brew bu

by chao- 10y ago

I couldn't agree more and also prefer cold brew to iced coffee. I have actually seen instances of the inverse name-swap as well: places which serve cold brew but label it as "iced coffee" because their customers/market have been exposed to iced coffee by various chains but wouldn't know what cold brew was (or bother to explore new options). Luckily the majority of independent coffee shops where I live (Houston) are particular about the distinction, and will pointedly list "cold brew" on their menus if it is such.

themartorana 10y ago
I also prefer it - I think it tastes better (even if I then microwave it, seriously) but it's also way, way less acidic, and for people with acid reflux (moderate or severe) it makes drinking coffee a lot more comfortable. Not going to make a claim I can't back up, but a lot of people take acidity to equal flavor - which is why Starbucks coffees are insanely acidic. Whether or not that's why the author prefers iced, hot-brewed coffee (for the acidity) and is conflating that with flavor, is not something I know for sure, but it's a possibility.
- rubyn00bie 10y ago
  Ah, only to pass on some knowledge. It's because their drinks are so sweet that with lighter roasts the sugar and syrup cover up the coffee. Most really good baristas will tell you the lighter the roast the more "flavorful" the coffee will be. Starbucks "intense flavor" is just folks confusing burned/overcooked beans for coffee flavor. Granted, I'm really lucky to live in PDX because we have such good access to great coffee it's made more noticeable. In my youth, I was actually of the same mindset until drinking a lot of different coffee and discovering my "misguided" way ;-)
  - mrob 10y ago
    Longer roasting raises pH (decreases acidity). See: http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj2%285%29/17.pdf http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj2%285%29/17.pdf Note that the initial time of small decrease of pH corresponds to under-roasted coffee, and coffee with this degree of roast would be unacceptable even to fans of light roasts.
- lostlogin 10y ago
  > which is why Starbucks coffees are insanely acidic. That's more about the low grade beans, robusta beans and a very dark roast. Dark roasts are much harder to identify as "stale" because they have basically only got a burnt flavour. As a general comment (not directed at parent) if you get the chance to buy some green beans, have a go at roasting them and taste the difference between different roasts. You don't need anything flash to roast them, I use a heat gun. It's cheap, easy and the coffee is never stale.
  - seandougall 10y ago
    Lots of people start off using cheap popcorn makers as well. They can only do small batches, and the plastic eventually warps, but it's a low barrier to entry. http://legacy.sweetmarias.com/airpop/airpopmethod.php http://legacy.sweetmarias.com/airpop/airpopmethod.php I personally like roasting in small batches, because I don't drink a _ton_ of coffee, and it only takes a few days for roasted beans to lose a lot of their volatile flavor compounds.
    - lostlogin 10y ago
      Exactly right. I'm a heat gun, pan and wooden spoon user. I tried a dedicated home roaster and found it slow and unreliable. Fresh coffee and and Cheaper too. At 10ish years roasting it's firmly part of the routine now. My Silvia is at something like 13,000 made coffees now.

by chao- 10y ago

themartorana 10y ago

I also prefer it - I think it tastes better (even if I then microwave it, seriously) but it's also way, way less acidic, and for people with acid reflux (moderate or severe) it makes drinking coffee a lot more comfortable. Not going to make a claim I can't back up, but a lot of people take acidity to equal flavor - which is why Starbucks coffees are insanely acidic. Whether or not that's why the author prefers iced, hot-brewed coffee (for the acidity) and is conflating that with flavor, is not something I know for sure, but it's a possibility.

rubyn00bie 10y ago
Ah, only to pass on some knowledge. It's because their drinks are so sweet that with lighter roasts the sugar and syrup cover up the coffee. Most really good baristas will tell you the lighter the roast the more "flavorful" the coffee will be. Starbucks "intense flavor" is just folks confusing burned/overcooked beans for coffee flavor. Granted, I'm really lucky to live in PDX because we have such good access to great coffee it's made more noticeable. In my youth, I was actually of the same mindset until drinking a lot of different coffee and discovering my "misguided" way ;-)
- mrob 10y ago
  Longer roasting raises pH (decreases acidity). See: http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj2%285%29/17.pdf http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj2%285%29/17.pdf Note that the initial time of small decrease of pH corresponds to under-roasted coffee, and coffee with this degree of roast would be unacceptable even to fans of light roasts.
lostlogin 10y ago
> which is why Starbucks coffees are insanely acidic. That's more about the low grade beans, robusta beans and a very dark roast. Dark roasts are much harder to identify as "stale" because they have basically only got a burnt flavour. As a general comment (not directed at parent) if you get the chance to buy some green beans, have a go at roasting them and taste the difference between different roasts. You don't need anything flash to roast them, I use a heat gun. It's cheap, easy and the coffee is never stale.
- seandougall 10y ago
  Lots of people start off using cheap popcorn makers as well. They can only do small batches, and the plastic eventually warps, but it's a low barrier to entry. http://legacy.sweetmarias.com/airpop/airpopmethod.php http://legacy.sweetmarias.com/airpop/airpopmethod.php I personally like roasting in small batches, because I don't drink a _ton_ of coffee, and it only takes a few days for roasted beans to lose a lot of their volatile flavor compounds.
  - lostlogin 10y ago
    Exactly right. I'm a heat gun, pan and wooden spoon user. I tried a dedicated home roaster and found it slow and unreliable. Fresh coffee and and Cheaper too. At 10ish years roasting it's firmly part of the routine now. My Silvia is at something like 13,000 made coffees now.