Coffee snobs?

Giraffoto

One of my colleagues turns up at work every day sipping from a paper cup of coffee. This morning she revealed that it’s “Caramel and hazelnut cappuccino” and that she’s a “coffee snob” because she buys this every morning. Now, I make coffee from granules that come in a jar, so I can’t claim the high ground on coffee snobbery, but wouldn’t you expect the title to require more than just a warm milkshake every morning? Plenty of you must have coffee with your cake, do you know ten types of coffee bean and the best way to prepare all of them? Can you tell when it’s over- or under-roasted? Do you know your macchiato from your espresso? Or is having the same thing once a day enough to be a coffee snob? Because if it is, I’ve decided I’m a shower snob.

bad_moose

Hahahaha, the phrases 'coffee snob' and 'caramel and hazlenut cappucino' are just not compatible. If anything, it just proves that she's NOT a coffee snob. Surely if you're that into coffee then you would be drinking it without having to mix in caramel and nuts?

I wouldn't say I was a snob about it. I just drink bog standard instant on weekdays and then when I have time on the weekend I make a proper cup with the machine, normally with whatever we have kicking around in the cupboard. Can't stand bad coffee though, I remember having a cup in a French motorway service station once and being completely unable to drink it. :S

veronese68

bad_moose wrote:

Hahahaha, the phrases 'coffee snob' and 'caramel and hazlenut cappucino' are just not compatible. If anything, it just proves that she's NOT a coffee snob. Surely if you're that into coffee then you would be drinking it without having to mix in caramel and nuts?

Completely agree with this. I don't like long weak coffee, the only coffee I tend to drink is espresso as I like a short sharp shot of coffee. I can't tell what's what, I just know that sometimes it doesn't taste as good as others. I also know it's a lot easier to get a bad cup of coffee in this country than it is in Italy. I really can't be doing with long watered down coffee with all sorts of bits in it.

bernithebiker

Whatever the taste, I can't believe people spend up to £5 every day for a paper cup of hot water with some ground up beans in it.

What is the profit margin on that? Huge or enormous?

SamRothstein

You could almost certainly make her hazelnut and caramel cappuccino with granules and she wouldn't know the difference...she isn't a coffee snob. I have a coffee shop and the number of people that really know about coffee is tiny, they confuse knowing what they like with expertise. Generally your milk heating technique makes more difference to what people like, they don't taste bean, roast or grind unless its an espresso. So she may be a milk snob...or more likely a brand (costa, Starbucks,Nero?) snob.

Not that customers should have to know anything but it is slightly annoying when they tell you it's 'wrong' because you prepare it like an Italian rather than Starbucks (not that all parts of Italy do it the same anyway).

buckles

bernithebiker wrote:

Whatever the taste, I can't believe people spend up to £5 every day for a paper cup of hot water with some ground up beans in it.

What is the profit margin on that? Huge or enormous?

Depends how much it costs to rent, heat, light and power the building, pay the staff, council tax, water bills etc...

ugo.santalucia

Like coffee?

Go to Naples...

briantrumpet

"I eat a bar of Cadbury's Fruit & Nut each morning, so that makes me a chocolate snob". No, that doesn't work either. Chocolate knob, maybe.

badgerbeaver

SamRothstein wrote:

You could almost certainly make her hazelnut and caramel cappuccino with granules and she wouldn't know the difference...she isn't a coffee snob. I have a coffee shop and the number of people that really know about coffee is tiny, they confuse knowing what they like with expertise. Generally your milk heating technique makes more difference to what people like, they don't taste bean, roast or grind unless its an espresso. So she may be a milk snob...or more likely a brand (costa, Starbucks,Nero?) snob.

Not that customers should have to know anything but it is slightly annoying when they tell you it's 'wrong' because you prepare it like an Italian rather than Starbucks (not that all parts of Italy do it the same anyway).

what he said. couldn't agree more - it's the triumph of filthy Starbucks marketing nonsense, over actual skill, taste and appreciation.

sloppyschleckonds

briantrumpet wrote:

"I eat a bar of Cadbury's Fruit & Nut each morning, so that makes me a chocolate snob". No, that doesn't work either. Chocolate knob, maybe.

And probably fat, obese even.

finchy

I'm snobbish about coffee. I detest the stuff and I look down on the pathetic weaklings who just can't get through a whole day without it. Especially when they work in an office.

briantrumpet

Buckles wrote:

bernithebiker wrote:

What is the profit margin on that? Huge or enormous?

Depends how much it costs to rent, heat, light and power the building, pay the staff, council tax, water bills etc...

Good standard (espresso) coffees in France and Italy don't seem to be viewed as 'fleece the customer' items, unlike here. Though if people want to adulterate their coffee with all sorts of bizarre flavours, they deserve to get ripped off. I say that in a caring, condescending sort of way, you understand.

Velonutter

I drink probably too much coffee, always black with just one sweetner in.

I have to admit that I don't like some of the shite own brand supermarket brands, so I tend to stick to Gold Blend or Kenco rich if I want to make a quick one, alternatively I prefer the Italian coffee from my Flavia machine, it has a real kick.

My wife is the total opposite, she drink frothy latte and cappuccino's or God forbid a milky weak coffee with a skin on it!!!

MattC59

I like tea.

BigJimmyB

I usually drink espresso or strong black coffee with sugar. I'll either use instant or if I have the time/inclination, use one of those hob top jug-type thingies.

I know when it tastes good (to me) and am most certainly not a coffee snob. Each to their own I say....

That said, your colleague (to me) is a marketing victim who has the same drink every morning...and a dickhead :-) I bet she says 'can I get....' when she orders it - gggrrrrr!!!

CiB

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Like coffee?

Go to Naples...

No thanks. A dirty dump of a city, the train out to Pompeii is worse than any south London train journey and for good measure some scrote had 300 Europes out of my buttoned & zipped up wallet back pocket security system on the bus. Didn't have anything that resembled a special cup of coffee either.

I stick with whatever lands in front of me when Sales ops, admin people or Wife asks if I fancy a coffee, as long as it's brown & hot and not sugared. Ta.

briantrumpet

My little fight back against coffee shops is to ask for a "double espresso, but with some extra hot water" - nearly always cheaper than an americano, but that's exactly what I'm getting. Well, actually better than what normally passes for an americano, as most places put in way too much hot water.

napoleond

I have an espresso machine at home and grind my own beans fresh for each cup with a ceramic grinder. I also use an aeropress for a longer coffee. I love coffee. I love getting the grind dialled in and having a beautiful shot of espresso.
When I can be mithered I'll do a fresh press or filter at work but thats not often.
Im currently drinking a mug of instant at work. It does the job and I'm not snobby about it.

In much the same way I love a really nice bottle of wine but I have no qualms with a cheap bottle when I want to get p!ssed

To call yourself a coffee snob drinking that is like drinking lambrini and claiming to be a wine snob.

My favoured italian coffee shop does any coffee for a quid every weekday 9-1.

briantrumpet

NapoleonD wrote:

I have an espresso machine at home and grind my own beans fresh for each cup with a ceramic grinder. I also use an aeropress for a longer coffee. I love coffee. I love getting the grind dialled in and having a beautiful shot of espresso.

I like a good grind too. Best when your beans are really fresh. And keep them in the fridge or freezer.

southdownswolf

MattC59 wrote:

I like tea.

Tieguanyin or Gyokuro ?

briantrumpet

southdownswolf wrote:

MattC59 wrote:

I like tea.

Tieguanyin or Gyokuro ?

Perleeease! OT!!! Start another thread for that awful stuff. Next someone will start asking whether the milk or tea should go in the cup first.

southdownswolf

Espresso or caffe macchiato is my preferred choice of coffee at home, but I drink Nescafe gold blend at work. I then stay awake all night wondering why I can't get to sleep.....

god1406

briantrumpet wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

I have an espresso machine at home and grind my own beans fresh for each cup with a ceramic grinder. I also use an aeropress for a longer coffee. I love coffee. I love getting the grind dialled in and having a beautiful shot of espresso.

I like a good grind too. Best when your beans are really fresh. And keep them in the fridge or freezer.

Giggedy

keef66

I drink tea during the week because the filter coffee in the office, although free, is disgusting. At weekends I treat myself to an espresso or two from the little stove top bialetti my wife bought me as a novelty christmas pressie a few years ago. I tend to use the standard canned Illy ground coffee; very smooth.

Pross

bad_moose wrote:

Hahahaha, the phrases 'coffee snob' and 'caramel and hazlenut cappucino' are just not compatible. If anything, it just proves that she's NOT a coffee snob. Surely if you're that into coffee then you would be drinking it without having to mix in caramel and nuts?

I wouldn't say I was a snob about it. I just drink bog standard instant on weekdays and then when I have time on the weekend I make a proper cup with the machine, normally with whatever we have kicking around in the cupboard. Can't stand bad coffee though, I remember having a cup in a French motorway service station once and being completely unable to drink it. :S

+1 to this, any coffee snob worth the name wouldn't tarnish it with anything other than possibly some milk or cream. If I had the time, money and space I would roast and grind my own beans but instead I have to settle for a Nespresso or a decent instant most of the time with a decent shop bought espresso (Coffee #1 is the preferred choice for me in South Wales or the South West) as an occasional treat.

veronese68

In Italy I believe if you stand at the bar and have a coffee the price is protected by law and cannot be more than 1 Euro. But if you sit down they can charge what they like. I'm sure Ugo can confirm or deny this.

briantrumpet

Veronese68 wrote:

In Italy I believe if you stand at the bar and have a coffee the price is protected by law and cannot be more than 1 Euro. But if you sit down they can charge what they like. I'm sure Ugo can confirm or deny this.

Ah, that might explain why they insisted we didn't sit down once wed bought our delicious-and-cheap coffees in Rome. I can't imagine free-marketeers in the UK would condone such a practice.

ugo.santalucia

Veronese68 wrote:

In Italy I believe if you stand at the bar and have a coffee the price is protected by law and cannot be more than 1 Euro. But if you sit down they can charge what they like. I'm sure Ugo can confirm or deny this.

Confirm... also, by law a pizza Margherita of set dimensions has to cost no more than a given amount. To charge more, an establishment has to make it bigger
There are lots of rules in Italy and it's interesting how the nonsensical ones are followed by all

Flâneur

Is there something like this with ice cream in Italy or is this my imagination?

ugo.santalucia

sa0u823e wrote:

Is there something like this with ice cream in Italy or is this my imagination?

Not that I'm aware of

southdownswolf

SWMBO and myself went to Venice and met a couple of Italian friends that we have, they advised us not to sit down when having a coffee as the price will be 3-4 times higher!
Watching the Venetians (and I am sure probably similar in other parts of Italy), it soon became apparent that the cafe is used for about 90 seconds to grab an espresso as they move from meeting to meeting. Walk in, order , get served, drink, gone all in 90 seconds...