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Is this where we drink good coffee?

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Is this where we drink good coffee?

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No.

Most certainly not.
[doublepost=1539247372][/doublepost]When I am okay (by which I mean, not under the weather), it takes a (real) coffee, a piping hot, scaling hot, steaming hot, shower, and fruit juice to get me going in the morning.

Yesterday, I was slow enough - actually quite dopey - until I got to the airport in Sarajevo, where my Turkish Airlines elite card granted me access to the business lounge, (small, but comfortable and - above all - serving decent and serious espresso).
 
I have just returned from a business trip of a week to the Balkans; for anyone who is a coffee lover, and who doesn't know the area, this is coffee paradise.

Influenced by (and - at different times - ruled by) both by the Ottoman and Habsburg empires, the region is home to an ancient (and excellent) coffee culture.

Every coffee shop serves excellent coffee, and one serve superb coffee.

My interpreter was mortified the she brought me to her favourite coffee shop last Saturday - stressing that it served amazing espresso - to find that the gleaming chrome machine was malfunctioning. Before we returned on Sunday, she had already phoned them on three separate occasions to ensure that the temperamental machine had been repaired.

It had. The espresso they served me was excellent.
 
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I have just returned from a business trip of a week to the Balkans; for anyone who is a coffee lover, and who doesn't know the area, this is coffee paradise.

Influenced by (and - at different times - ruled by) both by the Ottoman and Habsburg empires, the region is home to an ancient (and excellent) coffee culture.

Every coffee shop serves excellent coffee, and one serve superb coffee.

My interpreter was mortified the she brought me to her favourite coffee shop last Saturday - stressing that it served amazing espresso - to find that the gleaming chrome machine was malfunctioning. Before we returned on Sunday, she had already phoned them on three separate occasions to ensure that the temperamental machine had been repaired.

It had. The espresso they served me was excellent.

Some of the best coffee I’ve tasted was in Sarajevo.
 
Some of the best coffee I’ve tasted was in Sarajevo.

I flew back from there yesterday, and agree that the coffee is superb.

In fact, in Sarajevo a few years ago, I observed a barista prepare what seemed like an assembly line of espressos.

And this past week - I spent several days in Sarajevo - the coffee was invariably excellent, occasionally superb, and always exquisitely served.

Actually, I love Sarajevo and the Balkans.
 
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Looks like we're both on the same page, today. I made a pot of Kings Coast Ethiopian this morning. Haven't had this particular of their before, but this one's pretty good.

In general, I love the clean, clear, "bright" notes of Ethiopian coffee, but must say that I have really enjoyed the coffees I have been drinking for the past ten days, much of it in the Balkans.
 
So y'all don't like my new choice in coffee? For shame. Anyway, I have something new coming soon that you may like a little better.

In the meantime, I have been taking a trip down memory lane in this thread. We (myself, @Scepticalscribe @mobilehaathi @Shrink @Kurwenal and a few others) were just having the most wonderful times together about 4 and a half years ago. I do miss those times here.
 
So y'all don't like my new choice in coffee? For shame. Anyway, I have something new coming soon that you may like a little better.

In the meantime, I have been taking a trip down memory lane in this thread. We (myself, @Scepticalscribe @mobilehaathi @Shrink @Kurwenal and a few others) were just having the most wonderful times together about 4 and a half years ago. I do miss those times here.

I remember those days very well; very enjoyable they were, too.

@Shrink was our master and mentor in all matters related coffee, and we - mere disciples all - deferred to him to differing degrees - more or less as a matter of course, although it must be said that @Kurwenal had much expertise (and incredible La Marzocca machines) in this field, as well.
 
Enjoyed an Ethiopian coffee this morning.

Same here. We're down to the last few scoops of, (doubt there is enough for a full pot tomorrow). Fortunately, I received a new shipment of freshly roasted coffee Friday! I'll have to see what strikes my fancy when I set up the brewer overnight.
 
Same here. We're down to the last few scoops of, (doubt there is enough for a full pot tomorrow). Fortunately, I received a new shipment of freshly roasted coffee Friday! I'll have to see what strikes my fancy when I set up the brewer overnight.

Well, I have plenty of coffee from Bosnia to see me through the coming week or so when I run out of Ethiopian coffee in the next few days.

Enjoy your shipment when it arrives.
 
Enjoying a couple of mugs of Dave's Coffee's "Blind Pig" blend. It was originally their house espresso blend, but the found that it made a great pot of drip coffee, too. I totally agree with that! No idea what beans are used in their blend, but it's a medium dark roast (which I'm usually not too fond of, preferring medium roasts), and has a nice complexity of flavours!
 
I'm starting to wonder if Starbucks serves the same stuff in Europe that they do in the States?

If we are talking coffee, you start with a bean and brew it. It's not that hard. :p Is the implication that European coffee houses have special sources of beans not available in the States, or have a superior means of brewing coffee (not espresso- I drink coffee)? Anyway, I'm not wanting to fight, just wondering. :)

I don't think Starbuck's coffee in Europe is particularly good. It's very bitter and characterless- a bit like burnt wood and I don't much like it. Maybe it varies from country to country but I've tried it in London and Paris.

The reason coffee is so brilliant in italy is that they want to make excellent coffee, they have terrific machines and the customers complain if the coffee is bad.

I was staying in a fairly crumby hotel in Sicily (most Italian hotels are pretty crumby). There was a little wooden hut by the pool that served coffee and inside it they had a superb, professional machine.

They guy fussed over it keeping it spotless and the coffee he served in a plastic cup was sublime.
I complemented him and he beamed. He said, 'I might be in a wooden hut but I want to make the best coffee in the world!'
That's why it's so good.
 
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