Modern Vespa

Technically hefeweizen is in violation of the beer purity laws, and while I approve of adding wheat it's a slippery slope

Wish I had that place within walking distance of me, it would be my second home!

A. Better late than never! I grind my own light roast Ethiopian and switched to pour over because it is quicker than my own manual espresso. Good Black is my choice because I grew up drinking old ground coffee from a can, in the 1950's.
Then I grew up and experienced over-roasted espresso in the 1990's. Went down the YouTube rabbit hole like many, Found out how choosing coffee is all about trusting a roaster and figuring out how to grind and press or pour a single cup or two. I believe that it is fine to add what ever you want to coffee, After all coffee is like a fine Italian Scooter, the color doesn't affect the ride.

A3 all the way Baby!

Haven't been here in a while.
When you say olives Black? or Green?
I like both
I'll try most anything pickled [green olives]
I prefer lhe less sour ones

Black olives can taste soapy if they're a little off in the process or don't get the rinse right. The lye with the oil from the olives, will make soap

Our coffee machine broke & my wife started cold brewing
I miss the bite of bitterness
If I leave a cup on my cup warmer for several hours, I get some of the bitterness.
I gotta say I like the flavor of the cold brew, more subtle undertones

I don't like green olives either, again too bitter. Or something.

Every time I order an aperitif it gets accompanied with some free snacks. The snacks vary but green olives are seem to be popular.
My wife is not a big olive eater but enjoys these. She doesn't find them bitter and has a light brine flavour. She sometimes leaves a few for me😁
Location: San Salvo Marina beach club Italy

Got my Hario Syphon device earlier today.

Had been watching a few YouTube videos, so was familiar with how to set up.

How it was explained to me:

Bitter is a taste we humans instinctively avoid because in our long history as a species we learned that a bitter taste points to a poisonous substance.

So as a young child you do not like a bitter taste, and you have to learn to consume things with a bitter taste. I guess the sooner this process of getting used to starts the less difficulties you have with foods and drinks with a bitter taste and appreciate the rest of the tastes that go with it.

Black coffee but also a lager pils have that bitter taste, but it is the rest of the flavour that makes them well tasting.

I want one of those but I know it'll get used four times a year and just add to the clutter.

I have just made a shift from my standard full-fat Latte' to an Americano...with milk (White Americano on some forums).

The bitterness contrast is was immediate, but I'm starting to appreciate the coffee notes are more noticeable when not drowned in 1/4 litre of Zumo de Bacca.

It's a work in progress but I don't see drinking black coffee as the end game.

All these new ways to make coffee. Does anyone still use Aeropress? That was the hot new thing on a coffee thread some years ago.

Had an aeropress when I was working . Now that I have retired I don't need the portability factor of the aeropress.

Served me well when I was in work, easy to use and clean.

I believe there is a newer version of the aeropress now.

To me Aeropress is rather new way of making coffee, but those siphons are familiar from 60s.
Btw, to me latte is only milk, if also some coffee then it is caffe latte. I'm always been unorthodox drinker because my coffees are sweet, my espressos, actually ristrettos have espresso spoonful of sugar.

I do on occasion. It's kind of like a French press, but it does reduce the bitterness because it's filtered. It's a very clean cup.

Two coffee stories, so I'll keep them separate.

We bought a Mocca Master a couple of years ago. Seems like it was that long.At the time we relegated an old Cuisinart to the camper.

Now, this is not a dig on the Mocca master. It's a fine coffee maker. Expensive, but well made. But we were cleaning the camper this weekend and I decided to bring home the Cuisinart for several reasons.

It has a timer.
It has three warmer settings
It has a programmable shutoff.
It has a self cleaning mode.
It is two cups larger.
It takes up less space.

So, you can't walk into a Goodwill without tripping over these coffee makers. They are $100-ish new, but I see them all the time secondhand for ten bucks. I believe that's what we paid for ours. If it was more, it wasn't much. I don't know why so many people get rid of them I would highly recommend one to anyone looking for a good solid coffee maker, especially at secondhand prices.

Also this. I bought an Ember coffee cup.

It's stupid really, but I can't help liking it. They're a hundred bucks. It charges and keeps my coffee at a perfect constant temperature, even after I remove it from the base and carry it around. How do I know? It tells me through the app.

Do I find it ridiculous? Yes. Am I glad I found it at Goodwill for $6.50? Even more yes.

I totally hate their whole mission statement from their website :

"Ember's patented technology allows you to experience precision temperature control in your everyday life, with the vision to transform how the world eats, drinks, and lives, empowering you to experience your world without limits."

It's a freaking cup of coffee, folks. Not a religion, for Pete's sake.

But I giggle every time I pick it up. I have changed the LED color to purple (because I can) and I'm playing with different temperatures, but the 136º seems to be a good start. There are five built in presets and room for more.

Sorry ... I meant no offense.

My latest mix is my best "Italian" for a long time.
But, as usual, there is nothing Italian in it

I spotted this on Slashdot, but it comes from the Guardian: Instant beats drip!

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2025/oct/10/instant-coffee-just-beat-drip-we-were-stunned-too

And not any instant, store brand instant.

I import coffee from Columbia from the San Andreas mountain range, the coffee is not exported do I fed ex economy 10/15 kilos when needed.

Sugar is also available from Columbia called Panella brand.

Available from Amazon here in the USA , non refined with a hint of molasses.

Water I use is natural from the local mountain and its ice cold from the artesian spring, distilled is another option of obtaining pure water.

I don't hate black coffee, as I think hate is too strong a word... I just prefer it with milk. If I run out of milk, I like black tea, but that very rarely happens.