Please explain 3rd wave coffee to me

SField · Feb 20, 2013

I don't understand this light roasting business and giving me coffee that tastes like fruit juice. I experience this at Ritual, Handsome, Intelli, etc... in New York, my favorite coffee places are Abraco, Third Rail, and 9th St. Espresso. I like that they make coffee that tastes like coffee does in Europe. Bold, rounded, with richness and little acidity. I've never had a single cup of coffee in Italy, France or Spain that tastes like the lemonade americans are serving me.

What is with this over extraction? I totally get the love of single origin beans and I know it will be different to a blend (I drink single malts,) but I really don't like what all the snotty barristas are doing. Does no one serve coffee flavored coffee anymore? This **** is like California wine.

globetrotter · Feb 20, 2013

SField said:
I don't understand this light roasting business and giving me coffee that tastes like fruit juice. I experience this at Ritual, Handsome, Intelli, etc... in New York, my favorite coffee places are Abraco, Third Rail, and 9th St. Espresso. I like that they make coffee that tastes like coffee does in Europe. Bold, rounded, with richness and little acidity. I've never had a single cup of coffee in Italy, France or Spain that tastes like the lemonade americans are serving me.

What is with this over extraction? I totally get the love of single origin beans and I know it will be different to a blend (I drink single malts,) but I really don't like what all the snotty barristas are doing. Does no one serve coffee flavored coffee anymore? This **** is like California wine.

can't explain it, I agree with you

itsstillmatt · Feb 20, 2013

Sock water. I don't get the glamour of making coffee in the style of a poor college kid either.

SField · Feb 20, 2013

I think it's just another example of many people in the US having a fucked palate. Just like the oak bomb Chard's and the "fruit forward" Reds from Cali that could dissolve a block of titanium on contact.

I don't mind Stumptown's Hair Bender sometimes, and I used to like Intelligentsia's Black Cat. Right now I drink Lamill Black Onyx because the two former blends are very inconsistent. Are there some more European/Australian classically focused dark blends that I should try?

Baron · Feb 20, 2013

I think the macchiattos and cappuccinos in those places are great, the espresso without milk is horrible. I don't get it either - they sell their beans for $20/lb and it makes undrinkable slop at home, too. On the other hand, I assume it's a just a particular style and an acquired taste, but I have no interest in acquiring it. Although I do tend to like Black Cat, of the one's you mentioned. I never go to Intelligentsia because of the lines. I haven't tried the Lamill beans. I like the food there better than the coffee.

SField · Feb 20, 2013

Lamill Baristas aren't great, but the beans are more consistent.

When I do go to Intelli, it is at Venice but it has sucked lately. They burn the coffee.

For milk stuff, I get flat whites, which they insist are cappucinos, but they're wrong. Lattes have far too much, and capp are too foamy, but some make it more similar to a flat white.

b1os · Feb 20, 2013

Cappuccini are hardly foamy when prepared right, imo. If the definition of a "flat white" according to Wikipedia is correct, I suppose the only difference are the ratios -- 1oz espresso/4oz frother milk for a cappucco as opposed to 2oz espresso/3oz frothed milk for a "flat white", resulting in a bit less foam.

Speaking of darker roasts, I just bought some Italian espresso at the local Italian wholesale that was even described as dark roast on the package.. it's pretty light, imo. Workhorse though, consistent shots. A good variation to the pretty dark roasts I've had lately.

mgm9128 · Feb 20, 2013

b1os said:
Cappuccini are hardly foamy when prepared right, imo.

I know that is the correct plural of cappuccino, but Goddamnit, it sounds silly in a sentence.

b1os · Feb 20, 2013

mgm9128 said:
I know that is the correct plural of cappuccino, but Goddamnit, it sounds silly in a sentence.

Do you think so? I think cappuccinos sounds silly.

Would you prefer cappucci (whenever I've been to Italy, everyone just said cappucco instead of cappuccino.. and we Germans sometimes shorten it even further to Cappu, or Cappus)?

FWIW, I still haven't understood the whole meaning of 3rd wave coffee. According to Wikipedia, it's just to treat it as an artisanal product. But what does it have to do with fruit juice-like tasting coffee?

itsstillmatt · Feb 20, 2013

mgm9128 said:
I know that is the correct plural of cappuccino, but Goddamnit, it sounds silly in a sentence.

+1

b1os · Feb 20, 2013

/Tsoukalos: Americans.

itsstillmatt · Feb 20, 2013

b1os said:
/Tsoukalos: Americans.

It hasn't anything to do with Americans. The convention in English is to use English plurals for any foreign words which have been assimilated into common usage. It is actually more common in England to anglicize first and ask questions later, and, of course, a misuse of the language to insert foreign plurals in an English sentence. Now who needs to go explain his cultural insensitivity, buster.

b1os · Feb 20, 2013

itsstillmatt said:
It hasn't anything to do with Americans. The convention in English is to use English plurals for any foreign words which have been assimilated into common usage. It is actually more common in England to anglicize first and ask questions later, and, of course, a misuse of the language to insert foreign plurals in an English sentence. Now who needs to go explain his cultural insensitivity, buster.

I'm uncertain whether you're ignorant of the meme or not, but in any case I'm sure you are right. However, to me, it sounds better, so I take myself the small freedom to write it the Italian way.
On the contrary, I don't feel a preference towards, say, "pizze" as opposed to "pizzas", so it's really just my personal -- and inconsequent -- decision.

Bhowie · Feb 20, 2013

I'd rather drink 3rd wave coffe than listen to BFD10's and Matt argue over the correct conjugation of words.

b1os · Feb 20, 2013

We're well aware that you enjoy a good cupping.

Please explain 3rd wave coffee to me

Distinguished Member

Stylish Dinosaur

The Liberator

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

Distinguished Member

The Liberator

Distinguished Member

The Liberator

Distinguished Member

Stylish Dinosaur

Distinguished Member

FEATURED PRODUCTS

Similar threads

Featured Sponsor

Definitely full canvas only

Half canvas is fine

Really don't care

Depends on fabric

Depends on price

Forum Sponsors

Forum statistics

FOLLOW STYLEFORUM ON: