# Is it a sin to put sugar in?



## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

I enjoy my capa with sugar is this wrong? Should I be drinking everything without sugar in it? Am I wasting good beans drinking it this way?

I am wanting to learn as much as i can about the glorious bean ,but i want to do it properly so my knowledge is correct not completley wrong because i consumed it wrongly ,yes i know you drink it the way you enjoy it but your not going to learn much about red wine if all you make is sangria with it if you see what I mean.

So your thoughts guys please


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

In the end your choice

But different combinations of bean / roast and milk may be sweet enough for you without sugar. Try a few

Ages ago i used to drink sugar in bad coffee then as i got better at making milk drinks and espresso i stopped

Ive never missed it since

Your milk should be really sweet after you steamed it to the right temp. Try sipping some on its own and see how sweet it tastes


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## CallumT (Aug 23, 2013)

I guess it comes down to few possible outcomes, what milk do you use? How hot do you steam this milk?

Whole milk steamed to 60 deg should add plenty of sweetness for you not to require sugar.

It is almost a similar situation with the coffee how are you extracting your espresso; if your espresso is excessively bitter and the milk can't help the two products combine to make a sweet drink.

In reality if everything is 'right' and you still like the sugar in there then as you said then maybe that's the way it is


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Its up to you. All I will say is that in Italy I always put sugar in espresso because I like it more with it.

I think with milk you could easily train yourself off it and see if you like the flavours.


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Thanks boots

Im really unhappy with my current machine ,so saving like a champion to get something that can actually manage both tasks of making a decent espresso and steam milk well, so i will hobble along until then and hopefully once all that is needed is time and patients i can start tasting things properly.


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## GarethX (Mar 9, 2014)

I have sugar in mine, but always muscavado (at home) as I believe (convinced myself) the flavour compliments the coffee. But I've had the occasional flat whites in coffee shops where I tasted first and not put sugar in and it's been sweet enough. I probably need to wean myself off it though, and I guess as my technique improves in terms of the espresso shot and the milk I won't need to add sugar.


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Yes I think that's what I will try spaz good idea cheers


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

GarethX said:


> I have sugar in mine, but always muscavado (at home) as I believe (convinced myself) the flavour compliments the coffee. But I've had the occasional flat whites in coffee shops where I tasted first and not put sugar in and it's been sweet enough. I probably need to wean myself off it though, and I guess as my technique improves in terms of the espresso shot and the milk I won't need to add sugar.


Well an r58 is a nice way to improve things how big a difference did you see when you started using that bad boy?


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## GarethX (Mar 9, 2014)

Tiny tamper said:


> Well an r58 is a nice way to improve things how big a difference did you see when you started using that bad boy?


Initially frustrating, I was so used to using a Silvia the R58 was a huge step up in steam power, so my milk frothing went downhill. Even with the steam wand being on a different side and me being left handed messed around with my head a fair bit.

Thankfully I've now got used to the R58 and am happy with the investment, milk is the best it's ever been but always room for improvement, the pouring of the latte art is a work in progress







I always drink milk based drinks, so can't comment on espresso shots. The only thing I need to do next is get a better grinder to do the machine justice, but I'm going to have to save a fair bit first. I feel that I'm producing better drinks than any high street chain (probably not hard), and family, friends etc are all impressed.

Good luck saving for a new machine, there's an abundance of helpful advice on here when you're ready to blow your savings.


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## Soll (Nov 10, 2013)

I have at times, an uncontrollable sweet tooth but I've learned over the years to calm it down a bit especially with coffee, I use to have 2 sugars in my cappa or 1 in my espresso but now I have of all things, honey! Not the runny type but the thick spreadable type. I only put half a teaspoon in, it's all I need, and for me it compliments the coffee nicely and with it being natural honey I don't get the sugar rush or cravings any more


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

[QUOI E=Garethenjoyi]Ily frustrating, I was so used to using a Silvia the R58 was a huge step up in steam power, so my milk frothing went downhill. Even with the steam wand being on a different side and me being left handed messed around with my head a fair bit.

Thankfully I've now got used to the R58 and am happy with the investment, milk is the best it's ever been but always room for improvement, the pouring of the latte art is a work in progress







I always drink milk based drinks, so can't comment on espresso shots. The only thing I need to do next is get a better grinder to do the machine justice, but I'm going to have to save a fair bit first. I feel that I'm producing better drinks than any high street chain (probably not hard), and family, friends etc are all impressed.

Good luck saving for a new machine, there's an abundance of helpful advice on here when you're ready to blow your savings.









At least your enjoying it ,its kind of worry i have as well spending 3g then not happy nightmare, latte art is something im looking forward to having to master, my machine heats it thats it lol .

What grinder had u in mind ?


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Cheers sol I love honey will give that a tinker as well great idea


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## Soll (Nov 10, 2013)

Tiny tamper said:


> Cheers sol I love honey will give that a tinker as well great idea


I buy from this company http://www.littleoverapiaries.com/english-honey/

But they now stock them in Sainsbury's. The English set honey is very sweet so you don;t need alot it's also cold extracted which retains all natural goodness


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## GarethX (Mar 9, 2014)

At least your enjoying it ,its kind of worry i have as well spending 3g then not happy nightmare, latte art is something im looking forward to having to master, my machine heats it thats it lol . What grinder had u in mind ?

Absolutely no idea on the grinder front yet, I'm not even looking until my bank account recovers from the Rocket, otherwise I'll talk myself into buying something and bankrupt myself.


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Soll said:


> I buy from this company http://www.littleoverapiaries.com/english-honey/
> 
> But they now stock them in Sainsbury's. The English set honey is very sweet so you don;t need alot it's also cold extracted which retains all natural goodness


Bookmarked soll thanks for the link I will have a study at it tomorrow.


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Yes Gareth the good stuff is scarey money but I suppose its the same no matter what you do at least your half sorted


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

I have sugar in mine, I will regularly make a flat white for friends who dont have sugar and they like the coffee so I wouldn't say it 'needs' it but personally I love the flavour when its sweet, really brings out the chocolates and caramels in the cup.

Taste is always personal preference after all, I have yet to have a coffee from my machine or any independant that I would have preferred without a sugar.


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

QUOTE=D_Evans;183877]I have sugar in mine, I will regularly make a flat white for friends who dont have sugar and they like the coffee so I wouldn't say it 'needs' it but personally I love the flavour when its sweet, really brings out the chocolates and caramels in the cup.

Taste is always personal preference after all, I have yet to have a coffee from my machine or any independant that I would have preferred without a sugar.

Thanks for that info D I really did think more people drank coffee with no sugar maybe I'm thinking of America I know they drink it black no sugar a lot, I also have thought the same when tasting a cappa with and without sugar I just didn't want to be wasting money on top end beans if the way I was drinking them was ruining them but it looks like it's OK from what everyone has said so far


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

If you enjoy it that's fine tiny ..

It's still a sin though ....


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Sugar in good espresso or filter ? I think I would do a sickie









In a milk drink? Perhaps if I wanted a dessert


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Philistines..


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

I can't make good espresso atm I badly need a new machine so until the funds are ready I'll just have to suffer it lol I unpressurised my Starbucks barista portafilter by removing the inards seems it was a bad idea as it flows too fast now and there is no way of slowing the flow down.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Tiny tamper said:


> I can't make good espresso atm I badly need a new machine so until the funds are ready I'll just have to suffer it lol I unpressurised my Starbucks barista portafilter by removing the inards seems it was a bad idea as it flows too fast now and there is no way of slowing the flow down.


Lol just winding you up ...


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Mrboots2uice if you enjoy it that's fine tiny ..
It's still a sin though .... [IMG alt=":)" said:


> https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/uploads/emoticons/smile.png.386586528d215eb32622a010fd075179.png[/IMG]
> 
> I thought more pple would say that but i was wrong


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Mrboots2u said:


> Lol just winding you up ...


Knowing that song is a bigger sin


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Tiny tamper said:


> I thought more pple would say that but i was wrong


We were too busy discussing the paths of light and dark roasts to get worked up about whether you have sugar in it or not


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

QUOTE=Mrboots2u;183919]We were too busy discussing the paths of light and dark roasts to get worked up about whether you have sugar in it or not













[/quote

Ok That one was funny


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

You lot are mental. Sugar was bad enough but now honey?


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## m4lcs67 (Mar 16, 2014)

I make no excuses for the fact that I put a smidge in my cappuccinos. I use Billingtons Mollases sugar which is unrefined raw cane sugar. It is barely noticeable, but I like it that way. Certainly those who put 2 spoons in should not be wasting good coffee by contaminating it with so much. You aint going to be able to taste the coffee by overloading it with sweet!


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Pet shop boys are class btw.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

m4lcs67 said:


> I make no excuses for the fact that I put a smidge in my cappuccinos. I use Billingtons Mollases sugar which is unrefined raw cane sugar. It is barely noticeable, but I like it that way. Certainly those who put 2 spoons in should not be wasting good coffee by contaminating it with so much. You aint going to be able to taste the coffee by overloading it with sweet!


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

I used to take 1 sugar in coffee of all varieties ( 2 cubes in espresso). This was until I got into making it properly and I completely stopped as the coffee I was making was no longer bitter.

I understand that everyone has different tastes but to me I think it's masking the flavour not enhancing it. So to me it's 100% a sin.


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Thought you might like this , sugar in espresso


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Thecatlinux said:


> Thought you might like this , sugar in espresso


That was a brilliant and very Interesting vid was quite funny how much he went on about only serving tea and coffee nice one linux


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