[Fuldagap]

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

I would suggest you to try the ‘Davidoff’ variants - Fine, Espresso, Rich Aroma, Crema etc.

My personal fav is the Espresso.

Davidoff is indeed a perfect choice. I have successfully converted many coffee haters into having Davidoff without sugar and milk. All thanks to its elegance.
Can't even imagine living without having atleast one daily.

I even tried the Tchibo GmbH coffee, which is the company that is the original manufacturer of Davidoff brand. But somehow I found Davidoff to be much better than Tchibo. Tchibo has got it's own distinctiveness but my heart leans towards Davidoff only.

I would not be amazed if someday somebody tells me that the ingredients inside both their packaging is same and it is just psychology playing my partiality towards Davidoff.

Here's a picture of the one that I tried

And here's the one that I can't live without



There is one more that I use whenever i can get my hands on. It is Al Ameed. They have various options. I have not been able to try them all yet but I always have their Arabica with me at the least.

This is their website
https://www.alameedcoffee.com/en

[Slick]

I have a French press and so buy ground coffee or roasted beans. My current favorite is the Blue Tokai Vienna roast.

I order from Amazon and tried French roast as well, but since I started having the Vienna, I cannot go back. Also tried the Colombian brew coffee available on Amazon and also like it.

- Slick

PS - Looking at the great reviews that Davidoff is getting, I will be buying it soon. Thanks all for the reviews.

[Jyotil]

Originally Posted by GTO

Another instant coffee lover jumping to "proper" coffee .
Which one should I buy?

Any Nespresso users here? My sis recommends it, but they don't have official presence in India? Overhyped or worth it?
!

I consider myself as some sort of a specimen that mirrors how a coffee drinker might evolve if they were a species. Started with Nescafe many years back with sugar & milk transitioned to a healthy eating phase, ditched milk & sugar and moved to black and then realized Nescafe doesn't cut it so tried pretty much everything - Nescafe gold, Davidoffs and whatever else I can lay my hands on.

At some point since coffee had transformed to being a morning hot drink to something I cared about started reading a lot about the beans, blends, notes and equipments. So then few years back got my first french press and a bag of beans from Starbucks - those are grossly overpriced - and then started brewing, still I never got a smile or the oohs & aahs that i saw on Youtube when professional Baristas brewed and sipped their coffee - another round of reading on measures, temperature and storing of the beans - started getting whole beans, invested a Grinder threw few tupperware airtight containers in the mix. Around the same time Indian Coffee roasting scene was heating up, started getting freshly roasted beans from Blue Tokai, Koinonia Roaster, Araku and Sleepy Owl -- sampled all kinds of roasts - dark, medium, light and the variants - could reproduce the youtube smile by now.

Next stage of reading - coffee science, oils, espresso extraction, 9 bar pumps and home espresso machines - you get the drift, another purchase coming through much to the consternation of my wife who at this point was treating all of these as some sort of a disorder - few difficult negotiations later ended up buying the one below - Breville Bambino Plus espresso machine and boy did it take the experience to another level.

Cut to today I have few french presses, A Breville Bambino all sorts of measures here is where I get my caffeine fix - for all things french press - Medium Roast 100% Arabica beans work best for me and Koinonia is my preferred choice just because they have a wide variety of roasts and have found couple of roasts that gives me just the right kind of caramel and citrussy notes. For espresso - dark roasts work best as the notes really shine through if one invests in a good machine.

Personally I like Nespresso as well but then it takes the whole ritual of grinding the beans and brewing out which to me has become an unalienable part of the coffee experience. Thanks and writing this post has made me crave for a shot or two of espressos so back in a bit

[Artyom]

Perfect Thread to say the least . Coffee is like a drug once you get hooked to it there is no going back. When Ikea opened they stocked coffee which was imported from Sweden. I bought 4 of them. Post that i have tried other brands but this one stands out for me every time. Too bad they don't stock them now . This the last of those 4 packs .

[srivatsahg]

I have been a real fan of this flavor in the recent past

https://www.thirdwavecoffeeroasters....s/french-roast

Apart from this, being a South Indian nothing can/will beat the perfect Strong Filter Coffee for me

[maddy42]

Has anyone tried the following three coffees from coorg: Kallucoppa coffee, Flying squirrel coffee and Papakuchi coffee? Most of these are directly sold by the farmers.

Thanks to all you coffee drinkers in india, the coffee scene is slowly maturing in india. Our domestic consumption is pretty low in comparison to europe or asia.

Maddy

[Aravind_M92]

Being from down it always has been ‘filter kaapi’ hands down for me! Oh the aroma of fresh coffee in the filter early in the morning is heavenly. I do use instant coffee but still isn’t the best experience. I’ve tried out almost all mainstream brands from down south and I prefer the one from Narasus. I always prefer 100% ground coffee. No blends for me. Chicory gives me a weird after taste which spoils the entire experience. Being in Theni, I do get coffee beans from Kerala ( the Arabica of course) from Thekkady and get them grounded at a coffee mill nearby my place. The entire street has that coffeegasm because of that one shop! For the filter kaapi, the proper decoction concentration and temperature does play an important role! I never liked those flavour infused coffees. Like why add them when you can enjoy pure coffee bliss! No Bru or Sunrise for me! Too much chicory for my liking. Few other brands which I liked were Satheesh kaapi, Kalmane coffee and cothas coffee.

[Chinmay]

This thread has got me high on caffeine (and reminded me of Heavy Fuel by Dire Straits). Good to know that so many auto-lovers are also coffee lovers! To me, coffee was an acquired taste since moving down south to Bangalore 20 years ago. Today, my days do not start without a fresh brewed black cuppa. Also, instant coffee does not cut it anymore; it has to be freshly brewed (perhaps, I am a purist). I get my beans from different retailers (favorites being Blue Tokai, Panduranga from Chikmagalur, Third Wave, KC Roasters). One is literally spoilt for the choice of local or international coffee beans, thanks to the booming coffee industry in India.
To me, the most important aspect of a fresh cuppa is freshly ground beans, which requires a good grinder. I got a Baratza burr grinder last year. Before that, I managed with hand grinders and kitchen grinders. Brewing is a matter of choice, be it Espresso, Moka pot,Pour over, South Indian filter, or Aeropress. However, getting the right grind size is important, and a grinder can help with this. One can buy pre-ground coffee, but they tend to lose their flavor within days of opening the packet. You would also need a good kettle (preferably a goose-neck kettle for better flow control in the case of pour overs), coffee filters, and a kitchen scale for weighing your beans for the perfect recipe.
My personal favorite is the pour over brew. It has become a daily routine now: get up, grind beans, brew coffee, start the day. This is similar to starting a car in the morning, waiting for a few seconds, and they going off (this may be a bad analogy). When traveling, I use the Aeropress because it is portable.
With so many DIY videos on Youtube (James Hoffman is my favorite), one can easily brew a fresh cuppa flawlessly every day.
My apologies for repeating what has already been expressed by many others: Instant does not cut it! It may be convenient, but does not taste the same as a fresh brew.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by GTO

Any Nespresso users here? My sis recommends it, but they don't have official presence in India? Overhyped or worth it?

Thanks!

Overyhyped and not worth it. You have to buy the pods that are expensive vs any freshly ground powder which is cheaper and equally good.

Thanks to the pandemic I was missing good coffee from the cafe shops so I invested in this:



I order the coffee powder from KC roasters Mumbai or Blue tokai.



Ofcourse this works if you like Espresso shots, Cappuccino or latte.

If you want black coffee get a moka pot or french press to start off with.

[navin]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Thanks to the pandemic I was missing good coffee from the cafe shops so I invested in this

If you want black coffee get a Moka pot or french press to start off with.

Vidyut, do consider upgrading to a Saeco or Jura. Jura has excellent service in Mumbai (and maybe Bangalore).

[Chinmay]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Overyhyped and not worth it. You have to buy the pods that are expensive vs any freshly ground powder which is cheaper and equally good.

Thanks to the pandemic I was missing good coffee from the cafe shops so I invested in this:

Attachment 2276298

I order the coffee powder from KC roasters Mumbai or Blue tokai.

Attachment 2276301

Ofcourse this works if you like Espresso shots, Cappuccino or latte.

If you want black coffee get a moka pot or french press to start off with.

The espresso shot is good enough! Unfortunately, I don't have enough space in my kitchen to install an espresso machine, but it is on my coffee bucket list!
Note: you may consider investing in a good burr grinder. Trust me, you won't buy pre-ground coffee again!

[rag_nfs]

What a lovely thread ! Been enjoying coffee for the last 15 years or so, can't start my day without my morning cup. Like my coffee strong, not burnt, just strong with a kick. Use my espresso machine or French press when I have the time else it's Davidoff instant coffee.

After reading the comments here thinking of investing in a Moka pot, any recommendations on which one to buy besides the Bialetti ?

[ach1lles]

Originally Posted by GTO

Another instant coffee lover jumping to "proper" coffee .

Thanks!

Welcome. This, like any other hobby, is a bottomless pit, once you decide to go deep. The trick is to find your depth and then wade about till you start itching for something better.

These are my learnings from the last two years.

1. Get a coffee grinder. I know it sounds snooty, and kind of cringe-y at first, but no other thing in the coffee making chain will get you a jump in coffee quality like a grinder. Freshly ground coffee is, pardon my French, jannat

2. If you like your coffee cold, and in Bombay, that's what I like all the time, get the Toddy cold brew maker. It's very easy to use, makes about 1.5-2 litres of coffee, and it is YUMMY. Make once a week, refrigerate, sip, share. We have a morning ritual now. We might skip breakfast, but we always take cold brew together. Add some dark chocolate peanut butter, I recommend The Whole Truth, add some nuts, take a bite, and take two sips. Oh, my mouth is watering as I type this, at 12AM!

3. For beans, I recommend KC roasters. My favourites are the evergreen Amrut Cask Aged with a delectable rum & raisin (and sometimes a hint of whiskey) flavour, Shieldtail 10, and the new limited Valentine blend.

As with any new hobby, good luck, and find your own way.

[adityasatish]

Originally Posted by Slick

I have a French press and so buy ground coffee or roasted beans. My current favorite is the Blue Tokai Vienna roast.

I swear by Blue Tokai after trying various brands like KC roasters, Subko etc. I used to have only the Vienna roast but I recently switched to Dhak blend, definitely a much more bold taste. You should try it.

[ksakotai]

Originally Posted by GTO

Another instant coffee lover jumping to "proper" coffee .

Which one should I buy? I am a black coffee drinker. For taste, my favourite is McDonald's black coffee. This is after trying coffee at Starbucks etc. Just love the taste of McDonald's black. At 2nd place would be the filter coffee you get at South Indian restaurants, but nothing like McDonald's taste for me.

Have loved the black coffee at independent cafes. Had gone to "Perch" in Bandra & their black coffee was the best I had. Asked them, it was some medium roast from Kaffa Cerrado.

Any Nespresso users here? My sis recommends it, but they don't have official presence in India? Overhyped or worth it?

Thanks!

Kumbakonam Coffee Powder. You can get it from amazon. It comes with own drip system. Does require some effort and nkt "imstant" but there are whole generations who have grown up on this