Coffee @lemmy.world Xariphon @kbin.social 1 yr. ago

Best budget-ish beans?

I don't make coffee super often... because I'm an absolute heretic and drink Java Monster or Cafe Mocha Soylent and occasionally hate myself... but when I do I want a good cup, something not too bitter or burnt-tasting but with a good flavor.

So I'm looking for something that is... y'know, fancier than Folgers but not exactly Kopi Luak either.

My current go-to is Lavazza Intenso. I just got an aeropress (thanks to all the folks on here who recommended it) and I have a hand burr grinder ... somewhere...

So. What should I be trying, assuming I want tasty coffee that isn't priced like it's made of gold?

13 comments

The best beans are fresh locally roasted beans. any large nation wide roaster cant roast specifically for your local water chemistry, which is pretty important for a good cup considering it makes up 98% of it. local roasters use the same water you do when brewing, so it will be consistent with how the roaster wants it to taste.
- Death Wish coffee happens to be only a couple of hours drive from me. (I'm in New York but not the City; they're in the part of New York that rubs elbows with Vermont, I think.) Is that close enough for this to work or do I need to look, like, within my county?
- Never thought of this. That explains why after trying the coffees from most Sofia roasters (soft water), I always come back to my local roaster's (coastal area, hard water). Although they taste even better with homemade barista water! 😅
  
  Barista water?
- You guys aren't using distilled water in your coffee lab? /s
  
  i know you’re being sarcastic, but distilled water would be the worst thing you could use since the minerals help extract flavor. using distilled water would produce the most bland flavorless coffee imaginable.
Aldi brand whole been is pretty good, decently priced
As far as nation wide options go, I’m a big fan of fresh roasted coffee. They have a variety of options and are reasonably priced. I really enjoyed their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Never had an issue ordering from them in the past.
I’m a big fan of McCafé. It used to be much cheaper before Covid but so was everything. I prefer it over most of the pricier stuff.

My buddies love black rifle but it’s definitely not budget.
- I won't buy Black Rifle because of... how they are... outside of their coffee...

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