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How bad is the coffee at your office

ret

My office has the worst coffee ever...
the deli in the basement has even worse coffee...and when the draftsman who sits across from me puts hazelnut syrup in his it makes me want to throw up.

 
Nov 22, 05 7:31 pm
babs

all right ... now we get to discuss somthing REALLY important

we have great coffee ... except, every time i go to the pot, it's empty and i have to brew a new pot

design professionals can be such inconsiderate pricks, sometimes

Nov 22, 05 7:36 pm  · 
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We don't have a coffee pot.
We do have a super-cheap french press, but the only grounds we have are "Chock Full-O-Nuts". They don't pay me enough to go out and buy coffee grounds that everyone else will end up using (I've tried it a couple times).
If I want coffee, I go to the local Dunkin' Donuts, which as of late has been pretty crappy.

Nov 22, 05 7:40 pm  · 
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ochona

i make coffee so thick you can chew it

but i put so much coffeemate in it, i can hardly tell

sure packs a punch -- think i'll make some right now

Nov 22, 05 8:35 pm  · 
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SuperHeavy

At my somewhat large and fairly corportate office one of our idiot principals put a box next to the coffee pot asking for donations.

I planned on donating an old arcade token but threw them out so had to settle for a paperclip.

Nov 22, 05 8:41 pm  · 
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Suture

please put a volvo (or whatever boring luxury car the idiot partner drives) ad and a sunday newspaper powdered coffee coupon in the 'donations' box.

Nov 22, 05 8:45 pm  · 
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AP

where i currently work (for the next few weeks) we have to buy our own 'cause the principals don't drink it.

We take turns. I bring tastey Costa Rican stuff. Otherwise, my co-workers bring Maxwell House or equivilant. One particular co-worker puts 3x's too many grounds in the filter when he makes a pot. nasty.

Nov 22, 05 9:26 pm  · 
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Living in Gin

Our office uses Hills Brothers coffee, which is the foulest-tasting swill I've ever had the misfortune of drinking. However, a rebellious faction of the office chips in and maintains a stash of gourmet coffee (or at least Starbucks) and their own coffee maker, so I usually make use of that if I haven't brought in my own that morning.

I got spoiled (and broke) working in the Sears Tower, where there's a huge Starbucks right downstairs in the lobby. (I know I'm obligated to hate Starbucks, but I'll admit that it's one of my guilty pleasures.)

Nov 22, 05 9:47 pm  · 
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sameolddoctor

brit boss here....so we have at least 6 types of tea stashed in the pantry. No one except me is big on coffee, but Trader Joe's coffee beans are always available to grind and use.

Nov 22, 05 9:49 pm  · 
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mwad

We have been stuck on Starbucks French Roast for a couple years now. Its not bad.

Nov 22, 05 9:49 pm  · 
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dia

Every morning I make an espresso with Lavazza or Vittoria Coffee, in my stovetop 3-cup expresso maker. This sees me through to about 2 O'Clock where I imbibe the office Moccona instant [1.5 teaspoons of coffee, 1 tespoon of sugar, milk]. Its all about quality and/or timing.

Nov 22, 05 10:09 pm  · 
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liberty bell

diabase, is that stove top espresso maker the six-sided aluminum kind? That's all we did for coffee back at Cranbrook, using Medaglia de Oro usually, and I still get misty-eyed thinking of the hot black acid that came out of that thing...

Our office has no coffee machine - we have a great cafe as a client so we tend to go there. I bring my own in a Nissan thermos for the morning and hit the cafe a few times a week midday when I need a pickup.

Nov 22, 05 10:14 pm  · 
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dia

Liberty, thats the one, and its all you need. Its a nice morning ritual making my coffee.

Actually, I sometimes use Medaglia de Oro, which has the same packaging/text/look/distributor as Vittoria coffee - so I assume its just rebranded Vittoria, but cheaper.

I have Lavazza Crema e Gusto at the moment and difference in quality between that and Vittoria is remarkable - the Lavazza is so smoky, dark and rich.

Nov 22, 05 10:45 pm  · 
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Carl Douglas (agfa8x)

for the real coffee experience, you gotta grind your own

... by hand.

Nov 22, 05 10:48 pm  · 
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Carl Douglas (agfa8x)

diabase: for me it's karajoz, atomic, or failing that, café l'affare or gravity

Nov 22, 05 10:50 pm  · 
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liberty bell

agfa8x, I suppose you could just grind the beans with your teeth and not bother with the water and heat at all, right?

Nov 22, 05 10:53 pm  · 
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dia

Yeah Karajoz is good - takes me back to the days when it was started by [insert name here] at Cafe Extreme in Newmarket. Have you tried Kea?

Nov 22, 05 11:04 pm  · 
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Carl Douglas (agfa8x)

lb, i suppose i could, but i prefer to grind them with my forehead against a rock and then lick them off.

kea? where do you get that?

Nov 22, 05 11:46 pm  · 
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doberman

we've got a top of the range Gaggia coffee machine (the kind they use in bars and restaurants) that can do everything form cappucinos to espressos. freshly ground coffee in the morning, mmmmmm

Nov 23, 05 5:44 am  · 
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Cameron

Coffee is the only thing that keeps the AFH office going....

I think anyone who works here ends up on 3/4 cups a day.

Nov 23, 05 9:39 am  · 
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RINagy

Our office coffee is decent. I have to put alot of flavored creamer in it though.

I hate Starbucks, atleast the drip coffee. Unfortunately, their expresso drinks are good and I'm drawn to it, especially during holidays when they have their special christmas lattes. Starbucks has definitely figured out how to market premium priced coffee to the masses and have the masses beg for it. Damn them.

Last, have any of you heard of Senseo? It's a pod/capsule coffee maker similar to the high end Nespresso. On their website, if you submit a silly picture with you and a drip coffee maker, they'll send you a free Senseo maker.

Nov 23, 05 9:44 am  · 
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BLK

I always considered taht the first thing I (we) will by when we open the offic it will be an expresso machine. it is more important than printers, laptops or the grat silver book on architecture.

It is about our living, right?

Nov 23, 05 10:06 am  · 
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mm

My office doesn't have a coffee maker so I make espresso in the morning at home. I have a Francis Francis espresso maker that my wife and I received as a wedding present. The thing is awesome. Most mornings, I use the Illy pods because they are much faster and easier than packing grinds into the filter. The pods aren't quite as good as the grinds, but it does make a good cup of strong, dark, rich espresso with a nice crema.

On occasion, if I feel I need a mid-day lift, I'll go down the street to an espresso bar called Mocca.

Nov 23, 05 10:13 am  · 
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el jeffe

We haven't moved into our new space yet and I've already got his baby working full-time; it's our most productive team member..

Nov 23, 05 10:20 am  · 
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stephanie

WE HAVE GROSS COFFEE AT MY OFFICE.
my theory is that the coffee is gross to begin with, but taken to a next level due to the fact that our bots and pumps have been flowing said gross coffee for i would guess, at least 4 years.

we've been talking about getting something new, at least as aholiday treat.

Nov 23, 05 10:22 am  · 
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Louisville Architect

i love the coffee i make at the office. nobody else gets any. roasted locally, ground and brewed to very exacting specs that i made up for myself. yum.

flurries this morning, so i had to make an extra pot.

Nov 23, 05 10:53 am  · 
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whistler

I make thick enough to stand a spoon up. Took the staff a few years to figure it out ...they all drink tea.

Nov 23, 05 11:45 am  · 
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ret

good morning. i wish i had something more interesting to say..but just got my cup of horrible tasting coffee, and yes the guy in front still has hazelnut syrup/breath...
it is amazing though how more than half of the posts in this thread are about how bad their office coffee is. Maybe we should boycott the mother..!
p.s: i had'nt mentioned yesterday, but the damn elevator smells of coffee too...mixed with cheap perfume


Nov 23, 05 12:22 pm  · 
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sameolddoctor

hey liberty and diabase, what is the 6-sided espresso machine, as in what brand is it....i would love to buy a stovetop one, but the good ones are well above 400$, anyone got any cheaper suggestions??

Nov 23, 05 12:43 pm  · 
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Queen of England

We are not interested in coffee, only the finest tea.

Nov 23, 05 1:06 pm  · 
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Ms Beary

My 6-sided aluminum stovetop 6 shot espresso maker was only like $12. got it at a gourmet cooking store. I have seen them as low as $8.

I have 4 espresso makers at home. To match my mood.

As for the office, well, the old office - Ever hear of Member's Mark coffee? Drinkable, but nothing fancy. From Sam's Club (gasp). It was in bad taste to drink more than 3 cups a day, or to brew after 11:00 am. Whoops, I did anyways.

Nov 23, 05 1:22 pm  · 
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A

Strawbeary - you should be ashamed of drinking Sam's club coffee. Costco sells Starbucks as their house brand coffee.

We've got pretty decent coffe at my office. Some local company supplies it and I'm sure they buy it from some big company. I can tolerate it. When I'm in the mood for a fancy cup of joe we've got a nice little independant coffee shop just behind our building. It's a neat place, all modern styled and very minimalist. Much better than a Starbucks or Caribou.

Nov 23, 05 2:04 pm  · 
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Carl Douglas (agfa8x)

sameolddoctor: bialetti is a good standard brand. remember that the cup-sizes they give are for demitasse cups. A six-cup maker does about three large cups.

Nov 23, 05 2:29 pm  · 
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Ms Beary

A- no costco there

Nov 23, 05 4:03 pm  · 
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FRO

Starbucks is the worst thing to ever happen to coffee, unless we're talking strictly from a business/profit point of view. They are the architectural equivalent of the doublewide.

Nov 23, 05 4:12 pm  · 
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dia

Yep, thats my model - except a 3 cup. I'm the only one who drinks coffee at my house.

agfa8x - Kea Coffee is an NZ roaster and blender of organically grown coffee. It's good, although I havent had it for a while...

Nov 23, 05 4:17 pm  · 
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gasp...i don't drink coffee...i know, i'm a freak...although i do occasionally get a decaf espresso drink from my local coffee shop or starbucks if necessary...

i made it through arch. school with an IV drip of mountain dew though...probably close to 2 liters a day...

i've been completely caffeine free for over 2 years now...one time starbucks screwed up my order and gave me cafeinated espresso in my triple shot caramel machiato and i ended up spending the rest of the day in bed with the covers over my head with a monstrous migraine-like headache...

Nov 23, 05 4:18 pm  · 
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ReflexiveSpace

We have one of those one cup coffee makers with about 10 rotating greenmountain coffee (and tea) flavors. Its the best thing here. I love it, no seriously, i might quit without it. I drink enough coffee to make up for what i feel i should be getting paid, ah yes, free coffee, the great equalizer. sort of...

Nov 23, 05 4:25 pm  · 
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momentum

i don't drink coffee, but we have a couple of people at my old office with same manky coffee breath. if that is any indication of the coffee quality, it must be raunchy stuff.

Nov 23, 05 4:50 pm  · 
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Janosh

My firm only stocks Kopi Luwak:
http://www.sallys-place.com/beverages/coffee/kopi_luwak.htm

Nov 23, 05 6:55 pm  · 
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driftwood

If by "office" you mean 'the Star *ucks down the street' and by "coffee" you mean 'strawberry and creme frappuccino,' then it's fantastic!

Nov 23, 05 11:42 pm  · 
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anotherquestion

the coffee is so bad that i actually drink instant coffee because its waay better.

Nov 24, 05 6:28 am  · 
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vado retro

i cant believe how many people prefer mountain dew as their breakfast drink of choice.

Nov 24, 05 6:41 am  · 
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snooker

90 % of Good Coffee is the person making it.....If she happens to be from Brazil....then you can be assurred the 90% is there. The other
10% well it is the bean itself. It does take the edge off the day!

Nov 24, 05 8:39 am  · 
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Cameron

I'm on my 4th coffee, I'm working and it's thanksgiving - do I have a problem?

Nov 24, 05 6:37 pm  · 
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rutger

hmmm...coffee

I like arabica beans
Dutch coffee is not particularly good nor bad. I lived in Italy for a while, now they know how to make cafe. Fortunately we are still starbucks free, no frappuchino blabla-ino's, we just have coffee and sometimes cappucino and espresso. Finding a goood espresso is hard, but there are a few places in Delft...

At the university they used to have max havelaar coffee, m.h. is a company that makes sure the coffee farmers get a fair share of the money and that the working conditions are okay. And it's nice coffee.
When the Euro came they changed back to plain dutch coffee :(

Fortunately i graduated just after the euro came (2002), so now i can make my own coffee. Usually i make plain coffee, a lot of it. Sometimes I make espresso. For the special occasions I go to the coffee-store (coffeeshop is something else), where they have a big selecion of high quality coffee from around the world.

Finally a fun fact.
The most expensive coffee in the world is from Indonesia, the beans are collected from the droppings of a civet cat. (same animal that spread sars) Supposedly this cat picks out the best beans from the Indonesian jungle and in its intestants the coffee gets a special treatment, resulting in the ultimate coffee.
I never tried it, somebody else did?

hmmm..coffee

Nov 24, 05 7:34 pm  · 
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Carl Douglas (agfa8x)

Cameron: you do have a problem. At that rate, you'll run out of coffee before lunchtime, and you'll have to go get more!

Nov 24, 05 7:43 pm  · 
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Cameron

luckily we stocked up before the crazy thanksgiving rush.. no 6 coming up....

Nov 24, 05 8:39 pm  · 
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French

Hey Cameron
Working too here in Paris. No thanksgiving for us, but it's 4 AM... And I'm cutting down my daytime coffee to only two. I drink like five cups in the morning though...

Nov 24, 05 9:29 pm  · 
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StudioWookie

i bring my own.......conformity seems inevitable ( starbucks )

Nov 24, 05 9:36 pm  · 
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Cameron

I've now turned to Fat Tire amber ale... not sure who 6 coffee and 3 beers are going to feel like tomorrow morning...

and yes - I'm still working.

Nov 24, 05 11:39 pm  · 
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