how to make coffee to get the best taste out of it

[JustPassinThru]

Open jar, measure out 2 teaspoons into cup (more or less), add boiling water, half and half, sweetener, stir and drink... repeat if desired.

As I was traveling through Florida, my coffee habits mostly varied. I had a box of those pre-measured, sealed hotel coffee packets - I got them cheap on Amazon, remembering the good coffee I've had at so many hotels. Not this stuff - use a drip coffeemaker, and it's lousy and weak. The label says Arabica. The taste says Robusto...grown in the garbage dump.

BUT. Using an old percolator - I got one of the last ones made, new; it's all plastic but the base and perfect for trailer life - with that Poly-Perk machine, putting two of those packets into the brew basket, gave me decent coffee. I guess the repetitive action of washing the coffee through again and again, as a percolator does...it makes good coffee bitter; but it makes lousy coffee flavorful.

The other solution was, as you mentioned. Instant. Instant, side-by-side with good Colombian, is no contest; but when it's a cold morning, and you plug the coffeepot in while the eggs are frying...the bracing air, the scent...instant does the job. Again, use the percolator. In my world of hard water, a spoonful into a cup of water, leaves most of it at the bottom. Putting the INSTANT into the percolator basket, gets it all absorbed.

Odd solution, but that's how I am. I expect with the coffee shortage, instant will be the last to sell out, and the most convenient if I find myself economically homeless this summer.

[JustPassinThru]

Looks good, but...too much work for me.

What I do SWEAR by, is grinding my own coffee. Freshly ground just seems to taste better.

But I love all kinds of coffee. The only thing I can't stand is coffee that has been sitting out a few hours and gets that burnt, cruddy taste to it.

Fortunately, I will drink a pot long before it gets to that!

You just described Navy coffee.

The mess cooks put it up on the mess decks at the coffee station, away from the line. A heated coffee urn...brew and hold it.

They keep it RIGHT AT BOILING. And most Navy enlisted are kids. Only about half of the E-5 and below, drink coffee. So, that urn would last all day.

AT THAT TEMP. Scorched. To have coffee last, you have to turn DOWN the heat. Best is one of those good vacuum bottles; but a lesser temperature is fine, too. Even if you have to nuke your cup a minute after pouring a refill.

[Brat]

Hazelnut coffee is not coffee.

[Dan40]

Go to greasy spoon diner. Order from fat, huge chested waitress that calls you "Honey." The coffee will be good. Don't know why.

[Call_me_Ishmael]

Hazelnut coffee is not coffee.

Well..... it's missing the brandy and chocolate liqueur anyhow.

[Dr. Felix Birdbiter]

I was in the Navy, aboard a destroyer. I like milk and sugar in my coffee (actually preferably cream). Navy coffee would turn grey when you added milk and you could see the sheen of oil on the surface of the cup. Furthermore, outside of the United States all the milk products was "reconstituted" i.e. evaporated milk with water added back which added it own unique taste to the brew

After several years of such gourmet coffee anything short of bilge water wasn't that bad.

[Dr. Felix Birdbiter]

For the record the best coffee in the entire known universe is Jamaica Blue Mountain, beware of imitations.

[Call_me_Ishmael]

Open jar, measure out 2 teaspoons into cup (more or less), add boiling water, half and half, sweetener, stir and drink... repeat if desired.

Instant coffee: currency in TEOTWAWKI
I will have an unholy joy at watching coffee connoisseurs negotiate an hour's worth of labor for one of my Instant packets.

Just kidding. I don't want to advertise what I have.

[Call_me_Ishmael]

For the record the best coffee in the entire known universe is Jamaica Blue Mountain, beware of imitations.

Maybe it's what the Jamaicans smoke with their coffee that gives it it's reputation.

PS. I thought the coffee experts said Kona was the best. I've had neither.

PPS... or Kopi luwak

[old dog]

Jamaican Blue Mountain, $50 to $100 a pound. I'll stick with Wally World generic.