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I've performed limited double-blind taste tests to check whether I'm fooling myself about liking quality coffee, and the results indicate that no, I really can

I've performed limited double-blind taste tests to check whether I'm fooling myself about liking quality coffee, and the results indicate that no, I really can tell the difference. In fact, it turns out I can taste the difference between beans ground with a high-quality burr grinder and a blade grinder, brewed in an otherwise identical way. If you can't, then I don't see any problem with continuing to use what are perceived as lower-quality beans. But assuming that everyone has exactly the same taste sensitivity as you probably isn't 100% accurate. (Note: all of this assumes you're drinking the coffee black, that you're using at least a reasonably well-controlled brewing process, and that your water isn't utterly horrible. If any of those things aren't true, it's entirely likely it's much harder to taste the difference.)

JoeAltmaier 13y ago
Ok, maybe so. But its pretty easy to fool yourself. Did you do the brewing? Then any difference in color/particulates you notice ruin the experiment.
- 2muchcoffeeman 13y ago
  I've been into coffee for a while now. I've been lucky enough to know people in the industry. You can absolutely tell the difference between brewing methods, beans, roast levels, cleanliness of the machines, etc ... I can't say what method is better or worse, that is up to the individual, but there is a difference. The beauty of coffee, is that you can brew multiple cups quite easily and do proper experiments.
- thenomad 13y ago
  I did the brewing myself. But I'd invite you to repeat the test and see if you can distinguish between the two brews by colour. The visual difference between two identical-bean, identical-brew-method cups of coffee where the only variable is the grinder is, to my eye, zero. The placement of the cup in the room relative to the primary light source will be by far the most significant element. (Note: this was cafetiere-brewed coffee, not espresso. Had it been espresso, I'd 100% agree with you that the trial wasn't appropriately blinded.)
jareds 13y ago
I can only tell the difference between cheep coffee we make at work and what I'd consider decent to good quality coffee. Since I don't drink a lot of coffee I just use a Keurig machine since I can tell the coffee is a lot higher quality then instant but don't notice a difference between it and Starbucks.
- jsonne 13y ago
  The only difference I can tell is if it's french pressed or not. You do get more oily coffee with a french press if that's your kind of thing.
  - dsego 13y ago
    I don't notice the oil with the french pressed coffee at all. The coffee was much more oily when I used my moka pot. French pressed reminds me more of turkish coffee, just less sediment.
cvshepherd 13y ago
I wonder how many of the high percentage of people who would count as supertasters, actually know about it.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertaster http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertaster

JoeAltmaier 13y ago

Ok, maybe so. But its pretty easy to fool yourself. Did you do the brewing? Then any difference in color/particulates you notice ruin the experiment.

2muchcoffeeman 13y ago
I've been into coffee for a while now. I've been lucky enough to know people in the industry. You can absolutely tell the difference between brewing methods, beans, roast levels, cleanliness of the machines, etc ... I can't say what method is better or worse, that is up to the individual, but there is a difference. The beauty of coffee, is that you can brew multiple cups quite easily and do proper experiments.
thenomad 13y ago
I did the brewing myself. But I'd invite you to repeat the test and see if you can distinguish between the two brews by colour. The visual difference between two identical-bean, identical-brew-method cups of coffee where the only variable is the grinder is, to my eye, zero. The placement of the cup in the room relative to the primary light source will be by far the most significant element. (Note: this was cafetiere-brewed coffee, not espresso. Had it been espresso, I'd 100% agree with you that the trial wasn't appropriately blinded.)

jareds 13y ago

I can only tell the difference between cheep coffee we make at work and what I'd consider decent to good quality coffee. Since I don't drink a lot of coffee I just use a Keurig machine since I can tell the coffee is a lot higher quality then instant but don't notice a difference between it and Starbucks.

jsonne 13y ago
The only difference I can tell is if it's french pressed or not. You do get more oily coffee with a french press if that's your kind of thing.
- dsego 13y ago
  I don't notice the oil with the french pressed coffee at all. The coffee was much more oily when I used my moka pot. French pressed reminds me more of turkish coffee, just less sediment.

cvshepherd 13y ago

I wonder how many of the high percentage of people who would count as supertasters, actually know about it.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertaster http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertaster