Stick season rapidly approaching in VT
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fishman
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Well chalk me up as a non-snob coffee drinker. I gave up the mass quantities as soon as I could after grad school (took me about 7 years to kick the caffiene habit). Just drink the occasional cup of coffee or Coke. But I ramble.
I tried one of those machines at the orthodontists office when I was there paying a bill (daughter AND wife in braces /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif). Just straight Columbian, no flavoring. WOW, it was fantastic. Very convenient too. I now pay the orthodontists bill every chance I get /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. I don't recall the brand, but it hasn't been mentioned here. I thought the resulting cup of coffee was the best I've had in a very long time.
I've done the whole bean thing, but have never been just blown away by any of them. Perhaps inferior beans?
I tried one of those machines at the orthodontists office when I was there paying a bill (daughter AND wife in braces /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif). Just straight Columbian, no flavoring. WOW, it was fantastic. Very convenient too. I now pay the orthodontists bill every chance I get /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. I don't recall the brand, but it hasn't been mentioned here. I thought the resulting cup of coffee was the best I've had in a very long time.
I've done the whole bean thing, but have never been just blown away by any of them. Perhaps inferior beans?
OP
Boondox
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've done the whole bean thing, but have never been just blown away by any of them. Perhaps inferior beans? )</font>
Usually if they offer whole bean coffee they start with pretty good beans. Most likely it just wasn't packaged fresh from the roaster. Some roasters (Green Mountain, Peets and Starbucks, plus others) package right out of the roaster. Most of them (like Caribou) package within 2-3 days; while still a quality product, this greatly shortens the shelf life. And still others (Dunn Bros comes to mind) package within a week, so depending on the elapsed time the quality of your cup may vary greatly.
Best bet with whole bean coffee is to look for a gas relief valve in the packaging. (Without it, the beans must be staled before packaging...or they have to use something permeable like paper sacks). Put the valve up to your nose and gently squeeze the package. You can actually smell the quality. If the coffee is stale or rancid, you'll be able to tell.
Hope this helps! Pete
PS: Boy, this thread got highjacked!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Usually if they offer whole bean coffee they start with pretty good beans. Most likely it just wasn't packaged fresh from the roaster. Some roasters (Green Mountain, Peets and Starbucks, plus others) package right out of the roaster. Most of them (like Caribou) package within 2-3 days; while still a quality product, this greatly shortens the shelf life. And still others (Dunn Bros comes to mind) package within a week, so depending on the elapsed time the quality of your cup may vary greatly.
Best bet with whole bean coffee is to look for a gas relief valve in the packaging. (Without it, the beans must be staled before packaging...or they have to use something permeable like paper sacks). Put the valve up to your nose and gently squeeze the package. You can actually smell the quality. If the coffee is stale or rancid, you'll be able to tell.
Hope this helps! Pete
PS: Boy, this thread got highjacked!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
OP
Boondox
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What stuck my about your firm is the $279 brewer. Everyone else is hawking a $50 unit and you guys came out at 5+ times the price. I presume that there is something different about your unit. )</font>
Bob -- Okay, here's the scoop. I had to check into this because I'm on the production side of the house, not into hard goods. We're talking two different types of single serve brewers. The one we currently offer for $249 brews Keurig K-cups. These can be packaged much fresher than pods, so yield a much better cup. And because of that freshness, you can also get some pretty exotic coffees in K-cups.
Pods are different. Basically they are little filters with a dose of coffee sandwiched between them. They look like round ravioli, and are designed to fit any number of pod brewers. We don't make the brewers and won't be offering any, but we are experimenting with the pods themselves and will begin selling them when we figure out the best way to preserve the freshness of the product.
Summary: There are two directions the single-serve industry is going. Rigid cups, of which the Keurig design is king. And soft pods built around a universal standard so any pod brewer can be used, and the customer will choose the coffee in the pods based on price and quality desired. Pods vs cups. Apples vs oranges.
Hope this clarifies. Pete
Bob -- Okay, here's the scoop. I had to check into this because I'm on the production side of the house, not into hard goods. We're talking two different types of single serve brewers. The one we currently offer for $249 brews Keurig K-cups. These can be packaged much fresher than pods, so yield a much better cup. And because of that freshness, you can also get some pretty exotic coffees in K-cups.
Pods are different. Basically they are little filters with a dose of coffee sandwiched between them. They look like round ravioli, and are designed to fit any number of pod brewers. We don't make the brewers and won't be offering any, but we are experimenting with the pods themselves and will begin selling them when we figure out the best way to preserve the freshness of the product.
Summary: There are two directions the single-serve industry is going. Rigid cups, of which the Keurig design is king. And soft pods built around a universal standard so any pod brewer can be used, and the customer will choose the coffee in the pods based on price and quality desired. Pods vs cups. Apples vs oranges.
Hope this clarifies. Pete
Bob_Skurka
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<font color="red"> Hope this clarifies </font>
Nope! I know pods have been around for years, particularly in Italy in the espresso bars. The current American incarnation is a coffee pod for use under low pressue as in the Senseo machines as opposed to an espresso pod for use under higher pressure.
But what the heck is a Keurig K-cup? Is it a liquid extract? I know some commercial units are using liquid concetrates but I've never been too impressed with those. An extract would be more desireable than a concentrate, at least I would think so.
By the way, when I saw your machine advertised in a catalog at $279, it included a 3 month supply of coffee and that might explain the difference in price.
Nope! I know pods have been around for years, particularly in Italy in the espresso bars. The current American incarnation is a coffee pod for use under low pressue as in the Senseo machines as opposed to an espresso pod for use under higher pressure.
But what the heck is a Keurig K-cup? Is it a liquid extract? I know some commercial units are using liquid concetrates but I've never been too impressed with those. An extract would be more desireable than a concentrate, at least I would think so.
By the way, when I saw your machine advertised in a catalog at $279, it included a 3 month supply of coffee and that might explain the difference in price.
OP
Boondox
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A K-cup is a small plastic cup with a foil lid. Inside the cup is a tiny cone-shaped filter and about 12 grams of finely ground coffee. When you place it in the brewer one needle pierces the center of the foil lid and injects hot water into the grounds. The other pierces the bottom of the cup at the edge away from the filter. Coffee flows thru the filter fabric and is discharged thru the bottom into your cup.
Heck, why don't you just come over for a visit and I'll show you? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Pete
Heck, why don't you just come over for a visit and I'll show you? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Pete
Golfgar4
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Heck, why don't you just come over for a visit and I'll show you? )</font>
Bob,
Take him up on his offer! I'm speaking from experience, here Bob! Take him up on that offer! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
You would NOT be sorry! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Bob,
Take him up on his offer! I'm speaking from experience, here Bob! Take him up on that offer! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
You would NOT be sorry! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Bob_Skurka
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Garry, what Pete doesn't know is that I have a habit of showing up places without much notice!!!
I've actually never been to Vermont, but do get to upstate NY and into Maine for business so it is not unreasonable to think that Pete will get a knock on his door one day.
I've actually never been to Vermont, but do get to upstate NY and into Maine for business so it is not unreasonable to think that Pete will get a knock on his door one day.
Golfgar4
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...what Pete doesn't know is that I have a habit of showing up places without much notice!!!
)</font>
You'd be just as welcome as if it were a planned trip, like ours was. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I don't know how easy it would be to find Pete's place without directions, though. We HAD directions and felt challenged! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
One of the reasons for that is that Vermonts' road system is.....well.......unique? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Sure made for some interesting "unexpected" drives though! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
)</font>
You'd be just as welcome as if it were a planned trip, like ours was. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I don't know how easy it would be to find Pete's place without directions, though. We HAD directions and felt challenged! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
One of the reasons for that is that Vermonts' road system is.....well.......unique? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Sure made for some interesting "unexpected" drives though! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
