# How do I make myself like coffee?



## crfnick56 (Mar 7, 2012)

So, long story short, I'm turning 30 next month and over the last few years I have gained some weight (up to about 215 now from about 170) and I blame most of that on my new job (parts department at a dealership so mostly desk work) and the fact that I have slowly worked up to drinking 1-2 energy drinks a day, which I know is also a problem. I know for the most part what to do for the diet and exercise side of things but I really want to replace those energy drinks with coffee but I have NEVER drank coffee. I love the smell of it and coffee flavored things are ok with me so where do I start? I really want/need to cut out all that sugar so I thought coffee would be a good thing to replace the energy drinks with but I know nothing about coffee :skep:


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

If you're going to learn to appreciate something it's best to dive in at the deep end  

If you're looking to get a decent cup of black coffee, just order an americano with an extra shot. You get a freshly made cup of espresso that's been watered down to about the concentration of french press coffee. Not the very best cup you could possibly have, but a very drinkable cup. 


What made you finally want to try it?


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## GRPABT1 (Oct 22, 2015)

Take up a shift work job. Took about 10 years but worked for me.


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## armii (Jan 9, 2016)

30 years on the job, 12 or them shift work, I still can't stand coffee.. I drink tea.


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## crfnick56 (Mar 7, 2012)

cyclelicious said:


> If you're going to learn to appreciate something it's best to dive in at the deep end
> 
> If you're looking to get a decent cup of black coffee, just order an americano with an extra shot. You get a freshly made cup of espresso that's been watered down to about the concentration of french press coffee. Not the very best cup you could possibly have, but a very drinkable cup.
> 
> What made you finally want to try it?


What made me want to try it? Basically I've been trying to quit drinking the energy drinks for a month or so now and every time I make it a few days without one I slip up and drink one then its all out the window. What I'm really looking for is a replacement for the Monster/redbull/rockstar more than anything.


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## crfnick56 (Mar 7, 2012)

GRPABT1 said:


> Take up a shift work job. Took about 10 years but worked for me.


Changing jobs isn't an option.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I'm 40. I've only been drinking coffee for a couple years. Never had the need or desire. Then I started just getting interested in it and next thing I know...I have a semi-commercial quality burr grinder, fairly nice consumer quality espresso machine, home coffee roaster, plus several other methods for making coffee...and a number of pounds of green coffee beans waiting to be roasted as needed. 

I'm also now "addicted" to coffee in the morning. While it's become part of my morning routine and I enjoy it...it kinda sucks too that it's harder for me to get going without my morning cup. I am lucky though that that's all I need...one cup. I'm not one of those that need pots of coffee a day. Just one strong cup is all I need. And honestly, if I miss or don't get that cup, I'm ok. Just takes slightly longer to shake the webs out of my head from waking up.

Getting started though...don't drink brown colored water aka Folgers or some other freeze dried or super stale pre-ground been sitting on s shelf for months coffee. If you are going to drink it, drink good coffee. Buy from a good coffee shop or make it at home. Home coffee is a little bit of an investment (or a huge investment) needing a decent grinder and method(s) for brewing. And yeah, costs more to buy fresh roasted beans but honestly...it's cheaper in the long run than buying coffee everyday at a coffee shop. But the taste will be far superior than most anything you'll get at a gas mart or that's brewed in the employee lounge at work. But...if the quick caffeine boost is all you're looking for and taste isn't that important...the other swill will get the job done for sure. Personally I'd rather just pop half a caffeine pill than drink **** coffee and be done with it. 

If black is too much for you to start, add milk or half and half or drink something like an unsweetened latte. Start adding less and less milk until you get to straight or almost straight coffee if that's your goal. Me, I just drink lattes at home using a cup of milk that I steam. I just account for those calories. I'm not really a straight coffee drinker.


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

Yoda sez you DO or DON'T....there is no try. Drop the energy drinks....which is nothing but fat-in-a-can. Lemon iced water gives you more energy...seriously!


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Fat in a can? They do make energy drinks that are zero calorie you know. They certainly aren't healthy for you, but they won't make you fat.

And I'm pretty sure lemon water while good...isn't going to give the same kick as 85-100mg of caffeine. Besides, coffee has other health benefits too in addition to waking you up or keeping you up during the day/night.


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

Buy/brew a cup and drink it. What's the problem, I don't understand?

A teaspoon of sugar if it helps, then fade to black.


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## TomP (Jan 12, 2004)

Nubster said:


> ...If black is too much for you to start, add milk or half and half or drink something like an unsweetened latte. Start adding less and less milk until you get to straight or almost straight coffee if that's your goal. Me, I just drink lattes at home using a cup of milk that I steam. I just account for those calories. I'm not really a straight coffee drinker.


Disagree. I drank coffee with milk or 1/2 x 2 for years. In the 80s. Took a job where there was coffee but no other. Took some crap off my co-workers for asking for milk or cream, then started drinking it the way they drank it. Never looked back.

Assuming you like coffee, Good Coffee tastes good all by itself. Don't try to learn to like the crappy coffee that's free at work. Get good coffee.

I drink the Starbucks Via Colombian packets. I know, say what you will about Starbucks, the packets are good, consistent, and all you need is hot water and a cup. If you order them from Starbucks.com in the 50 pack it's about $.80 each. Could be something to try to get started.


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## david.p (Apr 11, 2011)

I never cared much for coffee until I tried it along with chocolate chip cookies. Coffee is fantastic with sweets - there's a reason coffee and donuts is a cliche. Unfortunately this approach probably won't help you lose any weight.


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## garcia (Apr 10, 2008)

I started liking mocha's myself, and then tried regular brewed coffee with cream and sugar, eventually hated the sugar, and still drink WAY too much daily with just cream. It is an acquired taste, and you won't like it much at first, but suddenly, one day, you won't be able to live without it.

As for the job, if you are solely doing desk work, I assume you have a parts runner? Will they allow you to fetch your own parts? And, if you are manning a counter, can you stand more often than sit? When I was in parts, I was in the back doing ecommerce (eBay, Amazon, etc) so a lot of computer time, but I also fetched everything myself and stood a lot when packing everything. My wife (girlfriend at the time) was a parts runner, and that kept her in great shape, while the counter guys tended to get larger since she was doing the fetching.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

TomP said:


> Disagree. I drank coffee with milk or 1/2 x 2 for years. In the 80s. Took a job where there was coffee but no other. Took some crap off my co-workers for asking for milk or cream, then started drinking it the way they drank it. Never looked back.
> 
> Assuming you like coffee, Good Coffee tastes good all by itself. Don't try to learn to like the crappy coffee that's free at work. Get good coffee.
> 
> I drink the Starbucks Via Colombian packets. I know, say what you will about Starbucks, the packets are good, consistent, and all you need is hot water and a cup. If you order them from Starbucks.com in the 50 pack it's about $.80 each. Could be something to try to get started.


You can't tell someone that something tastes good just because you like it. Just like trying to say Starpukes is good in any form. It sucks. It passes as coffee if you have no better choice, but that's about it.

If someone doesn't like black coffee...whether it's good quality coffee or some crap in a can like Folgers...they don't like it. I don't suggest trying to learn to accept crappy coffee...but some folks just don't like black coffee. I'm one of them. But I certainly appreciate quality coffee...even with milk or in a latte or other coffee drink, good coffee makes a huge difference. So...if someone wants to try coffee but black is a bit much for them right off the bat...then why not start off with something a little tamer and work up to black once they become accustom to drinking coffee? Maybe they never will drink it black. Who cares. Coffee is like bikes...there's something to fit everyone's style and just because you ride one bike doesn't make it the right bike for me.


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## crfnick56 (Mar 7, 2012)

garcia said:


> I started liking mocha's myself, and then tried regular brewed coffee with cream and sugar, eventually hated the sugar, and still drink WAY too much daily with just cream. It is an acquired taste, and you won't like it much at first, but suddenly, one day, you won't be able to live without it.
> 
> As for the job, if you are solely doing desk work, I assume you have a parts runner? Will they allow you to fetch your own parts? And, if you are manning a counter, can you stand more often than sit? When I was in parts, I was in the back doing ecommerce (eBay, Amazon, etc) so a lot of computer time, but I also fetched everything myself and stood a lot when packing everything. My wife (girlfriend at the time) was a parts runner, and that kept her in great shape, while the counter guys tended to get larger since she was doing the fetching.


Yea, I feed the mechanics in the shop their parts but the way our dealership is setup they have a window to walk up to to get what they need and I grab whatever it is and hand it out to them, or if its more stuff I'll gather it up and run it out to their lift but that isn't exactly what I would call "exercise". I've been trying to stand more than sit and making a real effort to stay more active when not on the bike and not at work and eating cleaner than before so hopefully I can notice some changes soon.

Unfortunately in my area there aren't any real decent "coffee shops", just Starbucks and gas station coffee.


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## garcia (Apr 10, 2008)

crfnick56 said:


> Yea, I feed the mechanics in the shop their parts but the way our dealership is setup they have a window to walk up to to get what they need and I grab whatever it is and hand it out to them, or if its more stuff I'll gather it up and run it out to their lift but that isn't exactly what I would call "exercise". I've been trying to stand more than sit and making a real effort to stay more active when not on the bike and not at work and eating cleaner than before so hopefully I can notice some changes soon.
> 
> Unfortunately in my area there aren't any real decent "coffee shops", just Starbucks and gas station coffee.


Yeah, dealership setup is everything. The store I was at had an annex a few hundred yards away, and a lot of slower moving parts were stored there, but that walk certainly helped.

As for coffee, I got started on Starbucks mocha's. Can't drink them now, they taste awful, but they did the trick to get me started. The brewed coffee isn't that bad, although I would suggest the blonde roast, more caffeine and less bitter to get started. Gas station coffee isn't all bad, if you got to the right places.


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

I'm getting ready to go to QuikTrip and grab a 32oz frozen Cappuccino!

"I need more cappuccino for my bunghole...I am Cornholio! Are you threatening me?"


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## GoingNowhere (Oct 15, 2014)

I was in a similar position as the OP. I tried coffee again recently and just can't drink it. I drink tea and a lot of water. A tea in the morning, an iced tea in the afternoon and staying hydrated keeps me energized.


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)




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## coalt45 (Mar 12, 2016)

Don't like coffee? Try a pre-workout! That'll get you going for a while. Energy for hours and a tingly face to go with it.


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## StanLSU (Nov 10, 2011)

Try going to a reputable coffee shop. Look for one that roasts their own coffee - coffee beans are at their best 4-7 days after being roasted. Try an espresso with a medium roast. The darker roast have less caffeine. Soda water is a great palate cleanser, too. I also recommend watching some videos on how to make a great cup of espresso, I think the more someone knows about something, the more they'll like it. Lots of cool history and science as well. Espresso is more concentrated than a regular cup of coffee, but you drink it in seconds. I invested in a nice grinder and machine not too long ago and don't regret it. 

Also, cold brewed coffee is great and very low in acid. 

Making coffee at home is insanely cheap and can be very enjoyable. Best of luck!


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

Why would you want to make yourself like coffee? If you don't like it, drink something else. If you have a caffeine addiction and are trying to substitute something why not just try and break the addiction instead?


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## garcia (Apr 10, 2008)

KRob said:


> Why would you want to make yourself like coffee? If you don't like it, drink something else. If you have a caffeine addiction and are trying to substitute something why not just try and break the addiction instead?


I honestly am not sure I even understand the question.

In all seriousness, coffee is definitely the healthiest option to get a good amount of caffeine, so I think if one needs the caffeine, then coffee is a good bet.

As for taking a break, have you ever had a major caffeine addiction and tried to break it? No thanks, I'll keep feeding the addiction rather than go through that again.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

The OP may find cutting the sugar addiction may even be harder than caffeine. 


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

Anyone that beleives coffee is good for them is deluding themselves. Once you roast the green coffee bean any health benefits are out the window.

OP try this if you will. Get a 40oz steel thermos/water bottle or the like. Pop 2-3 quality green tea bags in it & add maybe 12oz boiling water. Let steep & add cold water + lemon or some juice or whatever. Consume some every time you need a pick me up. This won't give you the insta buzz of an energy drink, but it won't drop you like a brick either. It'll leave you alert with no cloudiness and a sense of well being. It works. The benefits of green tea are numerous, well documented and include....fat burning.


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## Power Meter City (Mar 28, 2016)

Coffee is the best.

It's amazing how fast you can acquire the taste for stuff if you just go for it. One day you hate it...a few days later its ok...and after a week you like it.


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## Zomby Woof (MCM700) (May 23, 2004)

I never had a taste for coffee. I don't even think it smells that good either, not that it smells foul or anything but I sure don't care for the flavor.


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## g34343greg (Dec 16, 2010)

I love the smell of it, hate the taste. I agree with the people above who wonder why you would want to get addicted to coffee. 

Why not go to bed earlier and fine tune your morning routine so you get more sleep? Or maybe take a look at your diet? Adding caffeine seems like a band aid fix


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## jc.dempsey (Aug 11, 2016)

I hate that I'm addicted to it, but damn when coffee is good, it's really good. It definitely is an acquired taste. 

Buying it freshly roasted and ground from a local coffee shop makes cheap **** like Dunkin taste like dish water.


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## Terranaut (Jun 9, 2014)

I can't believe how many people suggested you go out and buy coffee.(spend money)
I quit coffee over 2 yrs ago because I didn't want to spend the money and I was sick of being a bag of crap in the morning until I had my caffeine fix. Now I drink water when I get up and eat an apple or banana. Stay away from coffee if you're not an addict now.
Lose those energy drinks and just train your body instead of making it dependent on yet another chemical.


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## TomP (Jan 12, 2004)

g34343greg said:


> Why not go to bed earlier and fine tune your morning routine so you get more sleep? Or maybe take a look at your diet? Adding caffeine seems like a band aid fix


OK, just because somebody drinks coffee doesn't mean they stay up all night and *have to have it* because they are a basket case.

I get plenty of sleep. I drink one or two cups of black coffee in the morning. I could quit if I needed to, but hell, I enjoy it. I don't get all amped up, it's just a nice refreshing way to greet a new day. In moderation there's not one thing wrong with drinking a little coffee.

You'd think you guys were talking about meth.

Anybody who doesn't want any coffee (or monster or red bull or meth), don't have it. But don't assume that all coffee drinkers are sleep deprived psycho addicts.


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

I would recommend to stick with some good drip coffee. Don't mess with Americano, Latte, Cappuccino, Café au lait or whatever. Long wait times and more $$. Plus you'll get more caffeine per beverage, rather than getting double or triple shots with a bunch of foamy heated dairy.

Go to Peets, get a smedium, (small coffee in medium cup) or a Marge if your feeling like you need more (no room for cream required - get it). Grab a wooden stirrer, add 2-3 x ~2" stripes of honey (yup honey), hit it with a some 1/2-1/2 or not...

The brewer makes all the difference and Peets drip brewers are top notch. They all use the same spray head type and the staff always stirs the carafe for some tasty extraction and consistent. Its a quality cup and in no time you'll re-align your addiction.

The only thing that comes close to this type of quality extraction is a press or pour over, youll get there in no time. Check out Chemex, go old school.

Now if you really want to fix yourself, listen to Terranaut.


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## yuppie (Mar 29, 2013)

Starbucks Java Chip -> Mocha -> Vanilla Latte -> Latte -> espresso

Go to local novelty coffee shops. Try different stuff out. Talk to the person behind the counter.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

There's no such thing as too much coffee, as in a human dying from just consuming, but there is such a thing as too much caffeine.

Coffee the greatest addiction ever


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## Terranaut (Jun 9, 2014)

TomP said:


> OK, just because somebody drinks coffee doesn't mean they stay up all night and *have to have it* because they are a basket case.
> 
> I get plenty of sleep. I drink one or two cups of black coffee in the morning. I could quit if I needed to, but hell, I enjoy it. I don't get all amped up, it's just a nice refreshing way to greet a new day. In moderation there's not one thing wrong with drinking a little coffee.
> 
> ...


Just for fun go without for 1 full week. No issues....drink away, but I bet you are sluggish when you would normally have had it and I bet you get headaches after a few days without caffeine. To me personally I think this indicates a need to not have it everyday. Just try it and see.

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## Impetus (Aug 10, 2014)

Terranaut said:


> Just for fun go without for 1 full week. No issues....drink away, but I bet you are sluggish when you would normally have had it and I bet you get headaches after a few days without caffeine. To me personally I think this indicates a need to not have it everyday. Just try it and see.


Caffeine addiction is real. 
I was a casual coffee/tea drinker until I got knee-deep in a clinical doctorate (physical therapy) program and long days became the norm, like 14-18 hour days focused on 'doing school', often 6 days a week. I was getting very little sleep. 
I started drinking more coffee....2.5 years later, I'm in the last 6 months of internship and I simply cant function without coffee or caffeine multiple times a day. I drink 3-ish cups of coffee before work, and often another 2-ish in the afternoon, or maybe a 0 calorie energy drink like Monster. I figured it up and I frequently intake 5-600mg each day.
I make 1 gallon homemade cold-brew batches each weekend, and I don't know if I've ever had any go to waste. 
I'm trying to cut down, but sadly, if I miss coffee in the morning, my mid-afternoon I have a headache and I feel draggy. If I skip the afternoon 'dose' I'm a zombie by 8pm.

It's bad. I'm trying to get it under control. It's the only New Year's resolution I made, besides the obvious "ride more" resolution that we all make.

Edit: I mean holy sh!t, I'm sitting here typing this with my 2nd 20oz cold-brew drink half gone. so.... that'll be almost 30 oz of iced coffee (excluding ice) since waking up 4.5 hours ago.


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## Steezus (Jul 25, 2007)

I hated the taste of coffee, my wife hated it even more. When were were 28 years old we both started doing some online courses that were stupendously boring and neither of us wanted to start drinking sugar laden energy drinks and kept reading studies about how healthy coffee is. Even after it is roasted there are health benefits, you just want to stick with using filters to get rid of cholesterol that is present in the beans. Even the caffeine has a multitude of studies showing that it is healthy as long as you do not overdo it.

What we did is buy a cheap drip and brown filters (no dyes) and some pre ground sweet coffee. I think we started with hazelnut. Just stay away from Folgers, Yuban, anything that comes in a package that looks like Folgers. We also would use sweetened creamer and put a little in, which is the only source of sugar. The first few times were hard to stomach, but the buzz was awesome and helped us smash our courses, like we were excited to actually do boring ****!

After a little while I started to enjoy the coffee flavor and could drink anything without additives, but I think overall I love a little half and half that I whip up with a cheap frother. I still use the drip and pre ground beans 95% of the time, the half and half with that frother makes such a nice full bodied flavor. I have an Aeropress and nice burr grinder and the work required just isn't worth it to me. My wife who really hated coffee also came around and is able to enjoy it without sweetener, in fact we both will drink decafe in the evening sometimes. The flavor of it is just so good now. Like, I feel sorry for people that aren't able to enjoy such a wonderful drink.

There were a few years that I would get a headache if I didn't have my single cup of coffee a day, but that has since gone away. The buzz I used to get went away as well. I only drink 2 cups if I have been up for 24 hours straight, which is common at my crap job. I'm just really sensitive to caffeine, so I don't overdo it.

Just don't try and force it by drinking straight coffee. Don't go buy a bunch of crap that makes it a chore to make. You can get into all that later once you start liking it. I think it is like beer where it is an acquired taste, but then you really love it once you acquire it, although I never really acquired that taste.


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## motovet144 (Mar 1, 2011)

Put a shot of Baileys and a shot of Kahlua in it!!!! mmmm good!


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## JackWare (Aug 8, 2016)

If your parts department has its own old kettle and assortment of mugs kind of canteen there are so many brands of coffee that if you find one too strong or bitter there are plenty to try on supermarket shelves. If you're getting your brew from a vending machine hopefully you can try either Americano / Latte / black from it. I find I drink a different style of coffee depending on circumstances and time of day, so experiment and enjoy!

For exercise I found putting away or picking stock- especially brake discs etc soon got my pulse up :thumbsup:

EDIT** 

Have just noticed FP was over 6 months ago - hopefully the OP is now an coffee lover....


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## HazGas (May 6, 2007)

If you've got a Cuban restaurant around, try a cortadito. That's what got me hooked on espresso. Now, I generally drink Nespresso because it tastes good and it is super easy, and compared to going out it's way cheaper.


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## bank5 (May 7, 2008)

If you hate coffee, but want caffeine, why not caffeine pills? Would be easier and cheaper.

I hated it until I drank cold brew. I would go to a good coffee shop and get a light roast cold brew with ice. Add things if needed. Learn about the differences in beans and I wouldn't start with Charbucks, with all the sugar and flavoring.



StanLSU said:


> The darker roast have less caffeine.


Does roasting for longer extract some caffeine? 
The amount of caffeine is determined mostly by the amount of beans used to make it and I believe the elevation that the beans were grown has an affect.


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

I love this thread. I really can't imagine needing to teach myself to like something. If its vile then don't drink it!

In seattle we're blessed with some extremely good coffee. I have 2-4 doppios (double espresso) every morning at home, and each one I'm smacking my lips and going 'gaaad damnnn' after every sip. I really like it. I love it.

Sometimes the wife comes home with some grocery store stuff, and I just won't drink it. I experience no consequences (headache, etc) except that I miss that taste and mouthfeel. That rancid nasty stuff sits until she drinks it all, usually 2 weeks and then I go buy our regular stuff and back to paradise.

When I'm travelling I have a hand grinder, my good beans, and use a plastic melitta cone with peets white paper filters. This is my good second best, though I only have one cup since it feels like it has a lot more caffeine than the espresso.

Every few years I spontaneously stop enjoying coffee. It becomes flavorless and bland, I sort of feel worn out and unemotional about it. I stop drinking coffee for 2-3 weeks and then one morning I smell coffee and I'm like "Helll-ooo!!!" and hop back on the wagon, grinning like a fool.

I'd be wary of you wanting to be awake by using caffeine. That doesn't sound healthy. Drinking a bunch of soda is also really bad for you (as you noticed.)

It sounds to me like something is wrong with your diet, like maybe missing some vitamins or something. You know carrots are really high in sugar? How about try munching some carrots and celery, some peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat bread?

And try starting your day off with a big bowl of steel cut oatmeal?

I bet if you fuelled better you wouldn't be dragging and relying on that soda stuff.


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

Nubster said:


> Fat in a can? They do make energy drinks that are zero calorie you know. They certainly aren't healthy for you, but they won't make you fat.


What a crock of sh!t, all that "energy" if not used has to go somewhere, ie to your fat stores

One read of the ingredients of that stuff lets me know its not something l want to drink, l would hope any sane person would think the same, alas l know this isnt true.

Post edited so that it is simpler for some to understand


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## JACKL (Sep 18, 2011)

cmg71 said:


> What a crock of sh!t, all that "energy" if not used has to go somewhere.
> 
> One read of the ingredients of that stuff lets me know its not something l want to drink, l would hope any sane person would think the same, alas l know this isnt true.


Ok, that's weird. Did you actually read what you replied to? If so that is a strange post indeed.


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## I'm Dave (May 12, 2016)

I never liked coffee until my 30's and agree that it just all of a sudden becomes the best drink ever.

I'm one of those guys who drinks coffee the entire day, even right before bed, and still sleeps very well. My tolerance to the effects of caffeine must be very high (now in my mid forties).

To the OP. If you really want to like coffee then drink it. Liking it will probably just happen. Whether or not you try it Definitely drop the energy drinks as soon as you can. They are decidedly bad for you.


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

JACKL said:


> Ok, that's weird. Did you actually read what you replied to? If so that is a strange post indeed.


Yeah............did you?


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

Start with Irish cawfee. After a few of them I bet you'll find you like everything a bit more.


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