I think any discussion about coffee preferences deserves a mention of how each person may prefer different coffee styles.
Broadly, there are these styles:
1- North-American style drip-coffee. Sometimes referred to as "breakfast" coffee, it is balanced. Critics would say that it is weak and watery. Typified by Tim Hortons, Dunkin Donuts, McDonald's McCafé.
2- Italian-style espresso-based coffee. Espresso, cappuccino, and latte in the traditional Italian style, often made with darker roasted beans. The taste can be more bitter due to the presence of robusta coffee beans. Typified by roasters Lavazza, Illy, and (more locally) Café Union. Served by many Montreal cafés in Little Italy and elsewhere. If the café has an Italian-sounding name like "Olimpico", it probably falls in this category or style.
3- 3rd-Wave coffee. Can be prepared in many different typical ways (espresso, drip, French press) and more esoteric ways (Aeropress, Hario V60 dripper, vaccuum, etc.). Focuses on high quality coffee beans that are more lightly roasted. In Montreal, the following cafés fall under this category: Myriade, St-Henri, 49th Parallel, Dispatch, Tunnel, MELK, Crew Collective. These types of cafés emerged after the 2000's and 2010's.
I have a personal preference for sure for these different types of coffee, but I do enjoy any style. Almost any coffee is good coffee, except when it's bad!
Which style are you?
PS: poking fun at the Tim Horton's crowd, here is an interesting talk by author Malcolm Gladwell. He says that most people say that they prefer coffee with a "dark, rich, hearty roast", but what they really prefer is "weak, milky coffee" - yet, they would never admit it:
Broadly, there are these styles:
1- North-American style drip-coffee. Sometimes referred to as "breakfast" coffee, it is balanced. Critics would say that it is weak and watery. Typified by Tim Hortons, Dunkin Donuts, McDonald's McCafé.
2- Italian-style espresso-based coffee. Espresso, cappuccino, and latte in the traditional Italian style, often made with darker roasted beans. The taste can be more bitter due to the presence of robusta coffee beans. Typified by roasters Lavazza, Illy, and (more locally) Café Union. Served by many Montreal cafés in Little Italy and elsewhere. If the café has an Italian-sounding name like "Olimpico", it probably falls in this category or style.
3- 3rd-Wave coffee. Can be prepared in many different typical ways (espresso, drip, French press) and more esoteric ways (Aeropress, Hario V60 dripper, vaccuum, etc.). Focuses on high quality coffee beans that are more lightly roasted. In Montreal, the following cafés fall under this category: Myriade, St-Henri, 49th Parallel, Dispatch, Tunnel, MELK, Crew Collective. These types of cafés emerged after the 2000's and 2010's.
I have a personal preference for sure for these different types of coffee, but I do enjoy any style. Almost any coffee is good coffee, except when it's bad!
Which style are you?
PS: poking fun at the Tim Horton's crowd, here is an interesting talk by author Malcolm Gladwell. He says that most people say that they prefer coffee with a "dark, rich, hearty roast", but what they really prefer is "weak, milky coffee" - yet, they would never admit it:
