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Just had the weirdest coffee week of my life... | Coffee Enthusiasts - Guest Forum

Just had the weirdest coffee week of my life...

So last week, my usual morning routine got completely flipped. My normal grinder broke on Monday, the burrs just locked up after three years of daily use. I had to use a cheap blade grinder I keep for emergencies, and my first cup was so bitter it made me wince. Then on Wednesday, I tried a new local roaster's 'experimental process' Ethiopian, and it tasted exactly like blueberries, which was amazing but also kind of jarring... like drinking juice. It made me think, is chasing those wild, fruity flavors the real point of good coffee, or are we losing the plot on a solid, balanced, classic cup? The whole week felt like a rollercoaster between awful and incredible. Has anyone else had a stretch where your coffee life just felt totally upside down?

3 comments

3 Comments

thompson.brian6mo ago

That part about chasing wild fruity flavors vs a solid classic cup really hit home. I was just reading a coffee blog that called this the "blueberry jam trap," where some roasters push processing so far it tastes like candy, not coffee. My own low point was a bag that smelled and tasted exactly like a strawberry fruit roll-up, which was fun for two sips but then I just wanted coffee. It's cool to try, but I've definitely started looking for "washed" on the bag again for my daily drink.

wendy9786mo ago

Totally get what you mean about the strawberry fruit roll-up thing. That sounds like a wild experience, but also kind of exhausting after a point. The "blueberry jam trap" is a perfect way to put it, like you're just drinking hot juice instead of coffee. It's fun as a treat sometimes, but yeah, nothing beats a clean, solid cup you actually want to finish. I've been burned by a few bags that were just way too much, and it makes you really appreciate the simple, classic stuff.

the_jake6mo ago

My local grocery store now has an entire aisle for fancy sparkling water flavors. It's the same thing, where the basic product gets lost in a sea of wild options. Sometimes you just want the original, not mango-habanero-lime.