Lunch Report, Friday May 7, 2010

Friday is here! But it looks to be a busy one, so I better get this posted and back to work!

It's been a good week as LR, I've enjoyed it...with one exception...I'm 0 for 5 so far getting someone to accept the nomination for next week. So, on someone's suggestion, I'm going to open this up here...any takers?

Lunch today...not sure yet. I'm meeting a friend, so we might just end up getting subs or something like that.

Today’s question: I’m assuming I’m not the only Java addict on this forum, but just how deep does your obsession go? Any roasters here?

A few years ago, my wife started roasting coffee. It started out as a mutual interest of ours, but she really got into it and did piles of research, so it’s become her hobby (she needed one, I already have a few of my own!) She started out using a hot air popcorn popper, but has since graduated to a small drum roaster (a copmany called Behmor came out with a more affordable one a couple years ago).

So I’m now drinking the best coffee I’ve ever had pretty much every day of my life! She gets a variety of green beans from around the world, but my favorites tend to come from Kenya and Guatemala. And while we used to like dark roasts, we now prefer the medium roasts like Full City and Full City +.

There are two downsides to this arrangement. First of all, you quickly learn that coffee equipment is a lot like guitar equipment…you have to pay for quality stuff and you won’t find it on the shelf at just any retailer! And secondly, it’s hard to find a cup of java from a store that compares to what you drink every day. They do exist, but are few and far between…one of my favorites is Intelligentsia in Chicago…but that’s a long way from the Shenandoah Valley!

G&L Content - I know a few weeks back someone here won an auction for a G&L Neon light...can't remember who right now. And I've seen some clocks on e-Bay. Just wondering what kinds of G&L Memorabilia other folks may have?

I love a good cup of coffee but it sounds like you drink much better coffee than I do. All my coffee is commercially roasted. I truly believe that place of origin affects coffee flavor. It doesn’t seem to matter who roast it, I find Columbian coffee is always acidic. I can always count on Sumatran to be a decent cup of coffee, once again regardless of “brand.” Like you, my favorite comes from east Africa. The small bean variety from Ethiopia might be my favorite.

I do not have any G & L souvenirs. I do have a 1982 L-1000 that I bought from the original owner. It came with an old G & L pamphlet in its case which highlights the L-1000 and F-100 models. It’s pretty cool.

Tom

Coffee, definitely an addict, love the stuff. I do not roast, however I am about as snooty as you get can get without it. I select roasts quite carefully, but do occassionally drink some of the flavoured coffees for 'something different'. I use natural sugar over white, once again for taste reasons. I also grind everything at home (to preserve freshness) and make 95% of my coffee in a french press (plunger pot) instead of a coffee maker.

No G&L gear for me, definitely no memorabilia.

I drink the java every day. I am also in charge of running a little coffee club at work.
$3 per month gets you fresh brewed coffee every day. I am not a snob about my coffee because at 3 bucks a month I can't afford to be. This brings up a lot of discussions on coffee quality, etc..

I buy Costco Columbian coffee and I am sure that there are a lot of coffees that are better. I just don't worry about it.

Maybe I am missing out on great coffee but I have a theory that is sort of warped but it serves my purpose. If I get used to fantastic coffee, every time I have standard coffee it will suck. Just like if you watch a big screen TV , or drive a Mercedes, you get used to the luxury and then every other TV or car is so sub standard, you are miserable if you ever have to economize.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The only G&L swag I have is: two guitar picks and a bumper sticker that refers to this site as well as the effects pedals that I received from doing the LRs.

Bassman, you have a good and valid point. Everyone at work calls me a coffee snob, and it's not entirely undeserved. But at the same time I have never complained about the coffee here at work or lobbied for anything different. Also, I will never refuse a cup of coffee that's offered to me, no matter what it is. I do occasionally drink the coffee here at work, which is often the Costco coffee and it's really pretty decent coffee. I'm very much live and let live when it comes to this...if you enjoy what you drink, that's all that matters!!

Also, I will never refuse a cup of coffee that's offered to me, no matter what it is. I do occasionally drink the coffee here at work, which is often the Costco coffee and it's really pretty decent coffee. I'm very much live and let live when it comes to this...if you enjoy what you drink, that's all that matters!!

Agree here, however if you switch coffee with beer, there is a chance I will refuse But then again even terrible coffee is drinkable, can't say the same for ales.