# What are the odds?



## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

Not going for a rant, but just wanted to hear your opinions. I am up to trying new cafes, but I'm getting a bit tired of getting disappointed.

What are the odds you will like the coffee, if...:

1. The cafe says they are serving freshly roasted coffee (not their own roasted), looks alright?

2. The cafe says that they serve specialty/artisan/better coffee?

3. The place looks absolutely hipster, roast their own beans, etc?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Most of it comes done to training and staff turnover .... You can have all three bit if you have someone who isn't on point on how to get the coffee consistent then not of the above will matter ....

Anyone can roast btw - well roast badly . Takes more skill to make it drinkable


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## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

I know what you mean Boots, but when being out and about, where you have limited knowledge of what the cafe is actually up to, how often would you be disappointed? I'm not talking about service, that seems like a completely different matter. I currently frequent a cafe in the city that has terrible service yet their coffee is damn good.

I once went into cafe serving freshly roasted coffee that has a sign "we serve better coffee". The dude couldn't even tell what beans they use for filter.

I am not collecting data, just curious about experiences







.


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

Better coffee at 'point of sale' is down to quality of staff.

Of course you have to give them the 'right' Beans to work with.

Beware the words. They are there to entice you in.

I am usually prepared to accept a poorer service for better coffee


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Agree with boots, There's only 2 places in Norwich that nail consistency - whichever barista is on I know I will receive a great coffee. Some of the other places I've had a nice coffee before than a crap one next time, and the crap experience is the one that sticks in my mind and I don't go back (same for restaurants).

'roast their own beans' is a conflicting one, so many cafes are going down this route and think that 3 days training is enough. The resultant product is crap and nowhere near as good as the roaster they used before who had years of experience. I tend to avoid these places. That said some do pull it off (Workshop springs to mind).

I tend to ask what roasters beans they are using as a judge rather than any mention of artisanal / fresh roasted / looks hipster. If the Barista knows and seems knowledgeable it's a good start.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Artisan and fresh/hand roasted seem to be the most two mis appropriated words in the coffee world... Followed by using the words flat white on a menu to try and convince people that you are in the " know "


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## prophecy-of-drowning (Mar 18, 2016)

1. 5%

2. 25%

3. 50%


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

PPapa said:


> I once went into cafe serving freshly roasted coffee that has a sign "we serve better coffee". The dude couldn't even tell what beans they use for filter.


Went into a place in Chester 'serving the best coffee in Chester'. It was rank - only time I've asked for my money back.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

I'm frequently disappointed - so much so that I generally tend only to go somewhere that has popped up on here, or has an honourable mention elsewhere (such as Beans Nor Machines on FB).

I think the unrealistic answer is for cafes to offer a taster. If I go into my local and there is a new beer on, they're very happy to give you a taste to see if it's to your liking.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Face it, you're more likely to brew better coffee at home than most places offer for the simple reason you have the time and passion to do it right.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Face it, you're more likely to brew better coffee at home than most places offer for the simple reason you have the time and passion to do it right.


Yep but the art of a shop is doing it 400 times one after the other .. )


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## fluffles (Sep 4, 2012)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Face it, you're more likely to brew better coffee at home than most places offer for the simple reason you have the time and passion to do it right.


This is true, even using the same beans I usually get a better result at home than I consistently do drinking out. I guess you're catering for your own tastes, what I like might not be everyone elses favourite. But then drinking out is more than just the drink... It's the occasion, atmosphere, conversation, etc


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Mrboots2u said:


> Yep but the art of a shop is doing it 400 times one after the other .. )


Agreed. But most 3rd wave places have very high end kit - volumetrics, PIDs etc - grinders that dose to plus or minus a gnat's whisker so a lot of the throughput of a daily service is automated.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

That said - had a sublime espresso at Origin's Brew House in Porthleven whilst down in Cornwall.


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## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

But it's crazy, innit? We can get better results at home compared to cafes. There aren't that many fields where it's not that hard to be better than the industry.

It is also location dependent, though. Luckie beans now have a cart at the train station at Glasgow. The coffee is definitely better than anything else you could get, but it's quite annoying to see the baskets not being cleaned. The coffee was alright, though nothing too fancy. I can imagine that most people in the station don't have a clue about coffee anyway. Still, glad I had a cup before heading to the hills today as all other shops were closed on early Sunday morning.


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

When ever im out and have a coffee I absolutely expect it to not be as good as I make indoors.

This is based on my personal experience of the last 2 years.

Before that, I would regularly think "this is nice coffee, if only I could make it like this at home"



PPapa said:


> 1. The cafe says they are serving freshly roasted coffee (not their own roasted), looks alright?


High chance I will find the coffee acceptable and not be disappointed as my expectation will already be I can make better at home before ive even tried it.

My preferred style of coffee shop now.



PPapa said:


> 2. The cafe says that they serve specialty/artisan/better coffee?


Slim chance I might not be disappointed



PPapa said:


> 3. The place looks absolutely hipster, roast their own beans, etc?


Guaranteed disappointment.

Maybe due to higher expectation as reading into the ETC as meaning better grinder \ machines than the above establishments


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## fluffles (Sep 4, 2012)

PPapa said:


> But it's crazy, innit? We can get better results at home compared to cafes. There aren't that many fields where it's not that hard to be better than the industry.


This made me smile ... "not that hard" ... how much time, effort and money have we all spent??! I'd say we have gone to quite extraordinary lengths. I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets nothing but disbelief when I tell my non-coffee loving friends how much I've invested


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## PPapa (Oct 24, 2015)

fluffles said:


> This made me smile ... "not that hard" ... how much time, effort and money have we all spent??! I'd say we have gone to quite extraordinary lengths. I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets nothing but disbelief when I tell my non-coffee loving friends how much I've invested


Brewed is relatively cheap and I usually compare them to my home brewing technique. I keep meaning to buy spro gear, but there's always something that keeps me from buying it.

If I didn't get a new bike and all accessories/clothing for it, I could have gone for a dual boiler with used Mythos... It's a lovely bike, tho.


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## fluffles (Sep 4, 2012)

PPapa said:


> Brewed is relatively cheap and I usually compare them to my home brewing technique. I keep meaning to buy spro gear, but there's always something that keeps me from buying it.
> 
> If I didn't get a new bike and all accessories/clothing for it, I could have gone for a dual boiler with used Mythos... It's a lovely bike, tho.


Ah, fair enough. Brewed coffee is certainly very accessible as you say. Nice bike - we all need to spend our money on something right?


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