Keurig , lets talk

mantis

Ok I read that brewing with a Keurig is bad for your health blah blah blah, anyone rear or hear about this? It's on safe and all this other stuff.
I'm thinking a vested interest group is writing these articles but I'd like your opinion.

thsmith

Have one, never heard it was bad for you. We use one of the reusable cups and provide our own grounds.

Although, I have been emails lately saying salads will kill you so who knows anymore.

sucks2beme

It's coffee. Of course it's bad for you.
So is booze, cigarettes, alcohol and sex.
Do you live longer without it, or does it just seem that way?

Moose68Bash

Actually, recent research finds that two cups of coffee per day have health benefits. I don't remember the benefits and have no idea how reliable the research is. However, I choose to believe it. Starting the day with four shots of espresso toped up in a 12 oz. mug with steamed milk is a very good addiction that I have been feeding for years, now.

I have no idea about the peculiar benefits or problems with Keurig, but a friend has one of those machines and I've always enjoyed a cup from his machine!

Two of my daughters have Nespresso machines, both of which prepare credible espresso and derivative drinks for any body considering alternative one-cup machines that also offer espresso as an option.

PSOVLSK

My wife read me an article about the possible health dangers. Haven't missed a cup since.

Stew

Lol. My wife told me I'm addicted to coffee. I told her she's right; It's one of my favorite addictions and I'm keeping it.

AsSiMiLaTeD

My wife used one for years with no problems so not sure what the issue could be.

We switched over to the Tassimo system a couple months back and she likes that better, I'm not a coffee drinker. We tried the Keurig Rivo before that and liked it as well, but had a couple machines go south on us.

tonyb

I'm a coffee hound myself, but here's my thoughts on it. The one cup disposable machines use a pre ground coffee, artificially flavored in some cases. Now we all know artificially flavored means a lot of different things, none too forthcoming either, and none known to be stellar for your health. The pre ground coffee, you just don't know whats in it and there have been many articles about that which I won't go into but it ranges from dirt to bugs. The plastic is another issue.

Which is why I always buy whole beans and grind myself. Plus those K-cups don't make a big enough cup for me.

Msabot1

Black Coffee....freshly ground and fully perked..hot black coffee...it's where it's at!! There is a lyric for any topic....don't ya think?...I also remember when it Cost A
Dime In The States too.....

ZLTFUL

Another Keurig/stainless reusable K-Cup user here.

I have a friend on Kona who works for Makalei Estates and who sends me a lb of beans a month. I grind them myself.
I end up making my own version of an Americano with a splash or two of hazelnut syrup and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream.

Moose68Bash

ZLTFUL wrote: »

Another Keurig/stainless reusable K-Cup user here.

I have a friend on Kona who works for Makalei Estates and who sends me a lb of beans a month. I grind them myself.
I end up making my own version of an Americano with a splash or two of hazelnut syrup and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream.

ZLTFUL,

How, in good conscience, can you adulterate estate grown Kona coffee with hazelnut syrup? That's like adulterating great single malt whisky with Coke!

Mikey081057

Dunno about no health benefits or detriments to coffee and don't care.... I live for my morning coffee. The only issues I have with K-Cups and preground coffee is:

1. The only way to make it is their way.
2. ground coffee loses it's flavor faster than whole bean
3. The cost of K-Cups is expensive... Somewhere between .50 and $1.00 per cup depending on what and how much you buy. I can drink whole bean fresh ground Jamaican Blue Mountain or Kona for that price and it is way better than anything out of a lil plastic cup. If your a 1 cup a day person then it is sensible but I drink a pot of coffee a day and would hate to have to make 10 of those a day.
4. The machines especially the ones in the offices are disgustingly dirty and have seen them become roach infested and are incubators for bacteria and touched by some people who don't wash their hands.

tonyb

Amen to that....poor Kona, to be assaulted in such a way. lol.

Mikey081057

I prefer Jamaican Blue Mountain Clydesdale Estate over Kona... To me the Jablum is smoother more balanced and less acidic than the Kona... But I do like both. I order my coffee directly from a from a small roast to order company and get some great deals. Usually I buy like 10lbs at a time and split it up with friends to get the best pricing. I have used them for a few years now and have never got a bad batch and it is certified authentic and is. ***No affiliation*** You can ask them to grind it for you and put it in your reusable K Cup thingy!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/bluemacawcoffeeroasters/m.html?item=111236639870&hash=item19e6386c7e&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

Moose68Bash

Jamaican Blue Mountain is a great coffee. I have a relative who resides in Jamaica who sends me a few punds now and again, and I always enjoy it.

For espresso, however, I've never found that a single-origin bean delivers as rich a flavor as a blend of Sumatran (especially Blue Batak) and Central American (Costa Rican or Guatemalan) beans, which is a blend that delivers a balance of very full body and brightness that I prefer. The flavor of the coffee stands up well to steamed milk for cappuccinos and lattes.

Also, preground coffee compromises the flavor of the coffee after a very short period. It's worth it to get a decent burr grinder, if you're serious about coffee -- in the same way you're serious about SQ from your rig!

Serious pursuit of perfection in coffee can be another rabbit hole.

headrott

Moose68Bash wrote: »

Actually, recent research finds that two cups of coffee per day have health benefits. I don't remember the benefits and have no idea how reliable the research is. However, I choose to believe it. Starting the day with four shots of espresso toped up in a 12 oz. mug with steamed milk is a very good addiction that I have been feeding for years, now.

I have no idea about the peculiar benefits or problems with Keurig, but a friend has one of those machines and I've always enjoyed a cup from his machine!

Two of my daughters have Nespresso machines, both of which prepare credible espresso and derivative drinks for any body considering alternative one-cup machines that also offer espresso as an option.

I believe the research showed that coffee helps reduce the risks of certain types of cancer. I also read that you must drink the coffee within 30 minutes of brewing to gain the benefit (the longer it sits on the burner (if it sits on a burner), the less beneficial it becomes). I also don't know the reliability of the research however.

Mikey081057

I'm not a fan of dark roasted coffee's as they are too acidic and give me heartburn if I drink too much but the Jablum is just right... I can drink a whole pot no problem. The burr grinder is great and I also recommend a thermal carafe to keep the coffee hot as hot plates tend to get too hot. Jura Capresso makes good coffee pots and grinders and combinations of.

The water you use is also important.... If your tap water is blah your coffee will taste like ****
Get a filter or use bottled water.

tonyb

Jamaican blue mountain is my absolute favorite. Smooth, no bitterness, flavorful, and has some sweetness to it so you actually use less sugar....if that's your fancy. Problem is...45-50 bucks a pound is pretty steep.

maximillian

Can anyone recommend a good bean grinder? Something that is easy to use and clean? I may want to try it out for my wife who uses the metal refill cups. It may make a good birthday gift to set her up drinking good coffee.

Me, I'm a Bialetti espresso person with coffee vacuum sealed and shipped from Italy.

krabby5

I'm one of the weird ones who HATES coffee..and the breath it leaves in people's mouths. Actually don't like much of any drink that isn't cold. No real contribution to this thread..lol

Mikey081057

tonyb wrote: »

Jamaican blue mountain is my absolute favorite. Smooth, no bitterness, flavorful, and has some sweetness to it so you actually use less sugar....if that's your fancy. Problem is...45-50 bucks a pound is pretty steep.

TonyB see the link above and try it out... I get it down to about $13 /lb and it is delicious.

Mikey081057

maximillian wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good bean grinder? Something that is easy to use and clean? I may want to try it out for my wife who uses the metal refill cups. It may make a good birthday gift to set her up drinking good coffee.

Me, I'm a Bialetti espresso person with coffee vacuum sealed and shipped from Italy.

http://www.amazon.com/Capresso-560-01-Infinity-Grinder-Black/dp/B0000AR7SY

Moose68Bash

maximillian wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good bean grinder? Something that is easy to use and clean? I may want to try it out for my wife who uses the metal refill cups. It may make a good birthday gift to set her up drinking good coffee.

Me, I'm a Bialetti espresso person with coffee vacuum sealed and shipped from Italy.

Capresso's Infinity is a good grinder, but if you want to see the "art of the possible" -- that is, the door to the coffee "rabbit hole"-- check out this web site:

https://www.chriscoffee.com/Coffee-Grinders-s/4107.htm

If you are into espresso, along with the factors, especially the quality of the water, to which Mikey refers above, you really need a very good, durable grinder.

ZLTFUL

I drink my coffee one of 2 ways...black as the bowels of a coal mine under a moonless night sky. Or the way described above.
But I have to drink it with something to knock the edge off the acidity so early in the morning. And hazelnut is my flavor of choice.

As for my Scotch, either neat at room temp or with a single ice cube for 2 fingers. Any other way is grounds for beating.

Msabot1

Genuine Kopi Luwak.....none better....and Z....you are right...that is the only way to drink a fine single malt....any other way is a sacrilege .......

jflail2

I think the Keurig issue was that bacteria would build up in the water reservoir over time. Something like that. As was mentioned earlier, quality water leads to better coffee. With the bacteria issue in mind (and the general taste of the coffee) I wonder if distilled water is the way to go for a Keurig machine.....

Mikey081057

Msabot1 wrote: »

Genuine Kopi Luwak.....none better....

It might be great but I prefer my coffee not to be cruel to animals

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/nov/19/civet-coffee-abuse-campaigners

Msabot1

Notice that I said genuine....wild gathered beans...I do not bother with any 'farm' raised products....I know all too well of the phony product on the market...the mass produced garbage that goes under the moniker of being genuine Kopi.....

Mikey081057

Msabot1 wrote: »

Notice that I said genuine....wild gathered beans...I do not bother with any 'farm' raised products....I know all too well of the phony product on the market...the mass produced garbage that goes under the moniker of being genuine Kopi.....

Genuine kopi luwak from wild civets is difficult to purchase in Indonesia and proving it is not fake is very difficult - there is little enforcement regarding use of the name "kopi luwak", and there's even a local cheap coffee brand named "Luwak", which costs under US$3 per kilogram but is occasionally sold online under the guise of real kopi luwak.

But you also have to consider that the novelty of consuming even the "wiid" processed product has lead the the rise of the mass produced product of which is cruel.

I have never tasted it, but found this review:

Taste[edit]
Few objective assessments of taste are available. Kopi luwak is a name for any beans collected from the excrement of civets, hence the taste may vary with the type and origin of beans ingested, processing subsequent to collection, roasting, ageing and brewing. The ability of the civet to select its berries, and other aspects of the civet's diet and health (e.g. stress levels) may also influence the processing and hence taste.[1]

In the coffee industry kopi luwak is widely regarded as a gimmick or novelty item.[12] The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) states that there is a "general consensus within the industry ... it just tastes bad". A coffee professional cited in the SCAA article was able to compare the same beans with and without the kopi luwak process using a rigorous coffee cupping evaluation. He concluded: "it was apparent that Luwak coffee sold for the story, not superior quality...Using the SCAA cupping scale, the Luwak scored two points below the lowest of the other three coffees. It would appear that the Luwak processing diminishes good acidity and flavor and adds smoothness to the body, which is what many people seem to note as a positive to the coffee.”

Tim Carman, food writer for the Washington Post reviewed kopi luwak available to US consumers and concluded "It tasted just like...Folgers. Stale. Lifeless. Petrified dinosaur droppings steeped in bathtub water. I couldn't finish it."[13]

Some critics claim more generally that kopi luwak is simply bad coffee, purchased for novelty rather than taste.[12][14][15][16] Massimo Marcone, who performed extensive chemical tests on the beans, was unable to conclude if anything about their properties made them superior for purposes of making coffee. He employed several professional coffee tasters (called "cuppers") in a blind taste test. While the cuppers were able to distinguish the kopi luwak as distinct from the other samples, they had nothing remarkable to appraise about it other than it was less acidic and had less body, tasting "thin". Marcone remarked "It's not that people are after that distinct flavor. They are after the rarity of the coffee".[17]

Msabot1

First rule of thumb...always know your source .......

tonyb

Jesus man....are we turning a coffee thread into the likeness of a cable debate thread ? lol

It's just coffee gents, different strokes and all that. lol