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Question about a coffee shop moment in Portland
I was at a small shop on Division Street last month, and the barista saw me looking at the pour-over gear. He just said, 'It's just hot water and ground beans, don't overthink it.' That stuck with me more than any fancy talk about tasting notes. What's the best simple piece of coffee advice you've ever gotten?
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kelly.hannah3mo ago
Oh man, that's so true. My dad always told me the best cup is the one you actually enjoy drinking, not the one you feel like you're supposed to like. It really took the pressure off trying to get everything perfect.
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blair_taylor323mo ago
Yeah, that's the real secret right there. I spent years trying to like the fancy, bitter stuff because it seemed cool. Total waste of time and money. Your dad is smart. Life's too short to drink coffee you hate just to look like you know what you're doing.
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ninaowens3mo ago
My old boss in Seattle told me to just buy the beans you like smelling in the bag.
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Wait, so your old boss was saying the bag should smell good enough to make you want to drink it? That sounds way too simple to be true but honestly, it probably works better than all the stuff people overthink. I've definitely bought beans that smelled like a campfire and then tasted like burnt regret, so maybe your boss was onto something. These days I just stick with whatever doesn't make me wince and it saves me from pretending to be a coffee snob. What's the weirdest bag you've ever sniffed and bought based on smell alone?
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