# Who drinks coffee at night?



## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

Every night I get in from work and I see my lovely machine sat there looking all shiny and tempting but knowing that if I have an espresso I'll be up half the night.

Does anyone drink coffee at night.

My other half's Dad lives in Brazil and he'll quite happily drink double espressos at midnight from his bean to cup machine and sleep just fine.

Do other people just have decaff or what?


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

I tend not to have any after around 8/9pm (typically I go to sleep between 11-12) and I never drink decaf.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

If I have coffee late at night it's normally with a splash of milk (macchiato or piccolo) and I'll try and steer clear of a brewed coffee

It all depends hoe many I have had during the day.

I find that if I have had a few already I fall asleep easier than if it is the first or second of the day


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## sandykt (Dec 3, 2009)

I have a coffee when I get in around 6pm, anything after 7pm is a no, no for me as I then find it difficult to sleep.


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## seeq (Jul 9, 2011)

i'll occasionally have a milk based coffee before bed. But then nothing stops me sleeping


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

No cut-off time for me. Happy to drink espresso late at night, and doesn't seem to stop me sleeping. But, there again, I'm often up roasting at 3 am (the joys of not going out to work any more!)

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## PaulN (Mar 10, 2011)

Now i havent got a problem with drinking coffee late, nearly always have a double espresso after dinner when we are out but im the same as the OP when i get home.... theres the machine all shinny and there always seems something else todo....

Cheers

PaulN


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

Drinking a double when I'm out for a meal doesn't bother me at all usually because the bottle or two of vino will counteract it anyway and I'll sleep through anything









I've heard of some people mixing their own blend of 50-50 normal and decaf. My boss used to do this so he could drink twice as much coffee during the day









I'm thinking about getting a bag of decaf next time I put an order in just to try it. How bad can it be right?!


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## MKDavid (Jun 19, 2011)

I drink coffee at anytime, and have never had a problem going to sleep. never have de caf, tried it once, when trying to be healthy







better to enjoy it, i prefer strong well flavoured coffee and de caf does not deliver that for me.


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm always tired. Partly how I got into drinking coffee in the first place. I could drink half a pint of espresso before bed and I'd be asleep before my head hit the pillow. I was under the impression the Arabica doesn't contain anywhere near as much caffine as Robusta anyway though.


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

chimpsinties said:


> I'm thinking about getting a bag of decaf next time I put an order in just to try it. How bad can it be right?!


I tried it and wasn't keen, but I just read this article and I might just try it again if I can get some decaffed using the swiss water process. It seems there's a slight learning curve/adjustment needed to make it properly versus normal espresso.


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

I just checked and coffeeBeanShop.co.uk where I get my regular coffee from also does 2 decafs.

A Guatemalan http://www.coffeebeanshop.co.uk/Swiss-Water-Decaf/Guatemalan.htm

and a Brazilian http://www.coffeebeanshop.co.uk/Swiss-Water-Decaf/Brazilian.htm

both using the swiss water method. I'm off to go and read that article now.


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## Monkey_Devil (Jul 11, 2011)

I work in security as mobile response, so do a lot of 14hr nights. I live out of a van, so don't have coffee at work. I did used to make a french press in a flask for the night, but that was before I tasted the wonders of freshly ground, correctly brewed coffee. Since getting into it, I haven't been able to even drink stuff from the flask. Not even the occasional cup for a caffeine hit - i'd rather be tired.

However, when I am preparing to get into night mode after days off, like tonight, I am happy to play with the machine throughout the night. If I am in day mode and need to get up the next morning, my last espresso will be no later than about 20:00.


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

Monkey_Devil said:


> I did used to make a french press in a flask for the night, but that was before I tasted the wonders of freshly ground, correctly brewed coffee. Since getting into it, I haven't been able to even drink stuff from the flask. Not even the occasional cup for a caffeine hit - i'd rather be tired.


You make it sound like you can't make a good coffee using a French press. Or do you mean because it has to sit in a flask for a few hours after you've brewed it before you can drink it?


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

Monkey_Devil said:


> I did used to make a french press in a flask for the night, but that was before I tasted the wonders of freshly ground, correctly brewed coffee. Since getting into it, I haven't been able to even drink stuff from the flask. Not even the occasional cup for a caffeine hit - i'd rather be tired.


You make it sound like you can't make a good coffee using a French press. Or do you mean because it has to sit in a flask for a few hours after you've brewed it before you can drink it?


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## Edward (Sep 21, 2010)

Buy some L-Theanine. It counteracts caffeine's insomnia effects, although with time you will build tolerance and will need to cycle.

I've drank pints of brewed coffee and slept like a baby with this stuff


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

Interesting. Might have to try some of that. Any idea where to buy it from? How much to take? I saw 60x 200mg pills online for about £7


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## Edward (Sep 21, 2010)

There's no known toxic level, I took 600mg of it last night. I'd say have one and you'll be fine. Once you start needing four or more to get the job done - youve developed tolerance - go off them for a few weeks.

They work on GABA so they're not particularly exotic - Theanine is basically the reason why tea has caffeine yet nonetheless calms you


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## Stevenp6 (May 17, 2011)

They say you shouldn't eat cheese or drink coffee before going to sleep. I must say I frequently have a nice cup of strong coffee with some cheese and biscuits before retiring and I sleep like a baby!


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## seeq (Jul 9, 2011)

Stevenp6 said:


> They say you shouldn't eat cheese or drink coffee before going to sleep. I must say I frequently have a nice cup of strong coffee with some cheese and biscuits before retiring and I sleep like a baby!


I've started to worry about myself when I read this and thought that it sounds like my perfect evening!


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## Monkey_Devil (Jul 11, 2011)

chimpsinties said:


> You make it sound like you can't make a good coffee using a French press. Or do you mean because it has to sit in a flask for a few hours after you've brewed it before you can drink it?


Sorry didn't mean to suggest that; it is indeed the issue of it sitting around in a flask that is the problem. Also, not willing to waste good beans on something that's going to go in a flask and taste dead. Did try making some decent stuff in a chemex too, but no luck. Last year I'd always have a flask of french press, pre ground supermarket coffee and that did the trick. I think I've been spoiled!


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## seeq (Jul 9, 2011)

how about just taking a flask of hot water, hand grinder and a french press? Granted you still have the issue of the water not quite being up to temperature, but coffee would be fresher.


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Or those nasty wee kopiko sweets! Just bring water to wash away the taste.


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## Monkey_Devil (Jul 11, 2011)

Ha! Nah I've given up on coffee at work. There's nothing like the ritual of making fresh coffee, brewed or espresso etc, then sitting and relaxing with the delicious masterpiece you've just created. At work, that's just not possible


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## CoffeeCrazy (May 10, 2011)

I try my best not to drinkdrink coffee at night while watching teleshopping channels or the news. but have to admit to having a cup after 8pm once in a while. Never drink decaf though - i need to be awake when i'm shopping for clothes online







)))


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## timjoy (Jul 25, 2011)

chimpsinties said:


> Every night I get in from work and I see my lovely machine sat there looking all shiny and tempting but knowing that if I have an espresso I'll be up half the night.
> 
> Does anyone drink coffee at night.
> 
> ...


occasionly. do not have much it is harmless to stomach:drink:


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## thomss (May 9, 2011)

Fancy a coffee right now. ;-)

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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

OK so today i got my order through from coffeebeanshop.co.uk. I got their fortnightly offer (my usual) which often contains some cool coffees but this time I added a 250g bag of Brazilian decaf (SW method of course







)










As you can see the beans are really dark. Nearly black in fact. It really isn't that bad. It's not got the complexity or sweetness or lingering after taste of a proper shot but what can you expect. It's had all the coffee taken out of the beans and then put back in.

Overall I'm impressed and look forward to many a late night double in the near future









What I'm really looking forward to is my Kenyan Elephant ears, Ethiopian Harrar & Monsoon Malabar which I'll start on tomorrow morning.


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## mentness (Oct 6, 2008)

I tend to drink all day! Doesn't really seem to matter when I drink it. Suppose I'm not trying to overdose nowadays!

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## CJM625 (Jul 22, 2011)

If I drank before bed I'd never sleep.


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## ChiarasDad (Mar 21, 2010)

Chimps, what scale is that, and how thick is it? I'm looking for one that I might be able to use to weigh shots as they're occurring, and even with a bottomless PF the Gaggia doesn't have a lot of headroom above the cup.


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