Reddit reviews Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World

Hey there. I'll give you a little summary of what I think most people on here will tell you in response to your questions.

Books: Blue Bottle ,Coffee Comprehensive and Uncommon Grounds are all good books to cover most of coffee and its processes.

This Capresso Infinity is considered a pretty decent burr grinder for the price. It will not do espresso but will be good enough for most other coffee brewing methods.

Getting a set up that is acceptable for "real" espresso is kind of expensive. A Gaggia classic is considered the bare minimum espresso machine for a "real" espresso. A Baratza Virtuoso is considered bare minimum for a decent espresso grinder. Now, you can (and many people do) find these items used, which obviously reduces the cost greatly. But depending on your area, finding these items up on craigslist or similar sites can be pretty rare.

I'm not from Rhode Island, but googling local roasters will provide some results. As for online ordering, tonx, blue bottle and stumptown are favorites around here for their price and quality. Beans are broken down on what region they came from, how they were processed and how dark they are roasted. Each region has different flavor profiles in their beans. African beans are known for being more fruity than other beans, for example. A little warning, most people on this subreddit believe Starbuck's espresso roast coffee to be too dark. However, many of Starbuck's light/Medium roast coffees have been reviewed as pretty decent. Most websites that sell the beans will list a flavor profile of the beans. The basic saying on this subreddit is that if you have crappy beans, no matter what, your coffee will be crappy. If you are going to overspend anywhere in the process, overspend on quality beans.

The espresso machines that you will be using at starbucks are machines that will basically produce espresso at the push of a button. They will grind, tamp and extract the espresso without any input from you. You should just know right off the bat that there is a whole other world to espresso making that is the exact opposite, with people grinding the beans to the right size, tamping by hand, and extracting shots with a lever that controls pressure. Neither way is right or wrong, you should just know that there are many different types of espresso machines and baristas.

I'll share a little bit of advise, take from it what you will. I was an ambitious college student coffee drinker just like you. I asked for a Breville espresso machine as my first real coffee making device (even before a grinder, how silly of me). I just wanted an espresso machine because that was all I was getting from these coffee shops. Since then I've gotten a nice grinder, a melitta pour over, french press, gooseneck kettle, aeropress, V60, moka pot, and chemex. I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't turned on my espresso machine in over a year. There is so much more to coffee than espresso. There are so many methods to brew coffee that are cheaper, more complex and more interesting. If I had a chance to do it all over again, I'd buy the burr grinder I linked, and an Aeropress or any french press (Starbucks sells some pretty nice ones. You could get one with an employee discount) and just learn to love coffee on its own, without frothed milk and flavorings.

There is a ton of info on this subreddit if you stick around for awhile. Questions like yours are posted all the time and answered by very knowledgable people. Your enthusiasm for coffee is extremely exciting to see. Please don't let any of my advise subtract from your enthusiasm. Everyone takes a different path while exploring coffee. That's part of the excitement. You will learn a lot at Starbucks and you will learn a lot if you stay here. Enjoy your stay.

Uncommon Grounds is extremely thorough and accessible. It gives a very complete history of coffee.

As far as the coffee beans go most would have bought them as green unroasted beans up until the end of the the 19th century. Depending on where in Europe and economic position is where the difference in roasting would be. Lower encome would use either a copper or cast iron pan/skillet and roast in that. Higher up would use a drum roaster. You can look up German coffee roasters for example of those. The roast type would very greatly but from what I understand a medium to a medium-dark roast would likely be a common roast. This is more to do with making sure that all of the beans reach what is called first crack.

Grinders would be burr grinders. If it was a "Turkish" or "Greek" style coffee house which were the earliest in Europe it would require a Turkish grinder. It is almost like powdered chocolate in consistency. But for something that you would likely see in the late 18th and through out the 19th century something closer to a French press grind.

The brewing method would be something similar to a cowboy coffee method but think more like a French press. In the 19th century coffee methods that are common today start to form flip coffee pots are like a halfway point to filtered drip coffee which is more or less invented in the first decade of the 20th century.

As for adding stuff to the coffee. The absolutely did. Turkish style coffee was the starting point of European coffee culture and it is common to add something sweet and often milk. As time goes on you also see coffee and tea culture converge in how it is consumed.

Now all of this is a very simplistic version of an answer to your question. The methods of brewing were far more diverse than what I have mentioned but most never gained wide adoption. An example is a vacuum siphon brewer. And there is some discussion that the "Dutch drip coffee" brewers go that far back. And I would not be surprised if cloth filter coffee was a thing during the period. But considering that the full immersion method is the oldest and easiest method that has continued documented use that is what I would place my bets on seeing the most.

A good book to read on the history of coffee is UNCOMMON Grounds by Mark Pendergrast https://www.amazon.com/Uncommon-Grounds-History-Coffee-Transformed/dp/046501836X

I know that this was a long and rambling response to your question but I hope it helps.

Uncommon Grounds

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/046501836X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1395407942&sr=8-1

How about a history of coffee?

Uncommon Grounds is an excellent book about the history of coffee, including the spread of the trees, the foundation of the major companies, the economic impact of beans flooding the market, slaves, corrupt officials and roasting history.

Link to the Amazon page

Edit - I added a word.

This book, Uncommon Grounds, provides great historical context on some of the politics and trade conflicts the industry has been through. Can see a bit dry/drawn out in some parts but overall very good.

https://www.amazon.ca/Uncommon-Grounds-History-Coffee-Transformed/dp/046501836X

for those interested in reading further: Uncommon Grounds is a great general history.

-All of Scott Rao's books, including the Espresso e-book.

-Uncommon Grounds by Mark Pendergrast
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/046501836X?pc_redir=1412274560&robot_redir=1

-Coffee: A Comprehensive guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1442214406?pc_redir=1411853065&robot_redir=1

-The World Atlas of Coffee by James Hoffman
http://shop.squaremilecoffee.com/products/the-world-atlas-of-coffee

-Coffee: Growing, Processing, Sustainable Production by Jean Nicolas Wintgens
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/3527332537?pc_redir=1413970300&robot_redir=1

I would say get employed in the cafe now and start to learn the rhythm and operation of it as it is today as well as the clientele. Learn the familiar faces and names of the regulars, make a connection with them and the community, and start to imagine the ways in which it could be improved. Ask the regulars what they like the most of this place and if there's anything that could make it better (you don't have to disclose you intend to purchase the place).

You could read Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World to get into the mindset of a coffee connoisseur.

These two things could begin to give you a better sense of the kind of world you are entering. I wish you success and fulfillment in this new endeavour.

OH! I have just the book for you! It's currently one of my bathroom books next to The Billionaire's Vinegar.

Uncommon Grounds