Coffee

[Nick Armstrong]

Go on folks, have another cup!

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82954169/

[Dave2002]

Effects of drinking/not drinking coffee

Go on folks, have another cup!

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82954169/

Now you can enjoy your third daily cup of coffee and feel healthy while you do it.... LA Times

Maybe, but what about one's 5th, 6th, 7th etc.?

In the past, like many others I suspect, I drank instant coffee. Then "discovered" instant decaff, which I perhaps didn't like as much, but arguably was better for going to sleep.

Just before the start of this century I worked in a place with a marvellous coffee machine, which could do all sorts of things, including mocha (with chocalate) etc. I drank quite a lot for a period of a few years. After that I changed jobs, and my coffee drinking changed again for about a decade.

In recent years I have become more of a real coffee drinker, firstly through the use of various forms of pods, capsules etc., and in the last few years of bought coffee while out, and at home coffee freshly ground from beans in an all purpose machine.

Many (perhaps 20+) years ago I was advised by my GP not to drink coffee and/or tea (or at least not much ...). Perhaps, needless to say, I have to an extent ignored that advice.

What I have noted is the following:

Reducing real coffee intake to zero means that I feel asleep most of the day. In the short term it doesn't necessarily improve sleep at night, either. However, it perhaps takes only one (large) cup to give a significantly greater awareness/alertness.

Reducing real coffee intake to zero for several days gives rise to a significant headache after 3 or so days, which I assume is due to withdrawal symptoms. Partly this could be due to a lowering of liquid intake, but drinking more water alons does not seem to be the answer.

Solution - go back on the coffee!

Sometimes coffee can produce a dry mouth effect, which can be unpleasant.

Occasionally late evening coffee can be helpful. I recall one evening out with friends some distance away (about 50 miles round the M25), and I was aware that I was falling asleep. They offered coffee before we left. I deliberately chose regular coffee, and was then able to drive home in relative safety. Without that I doubt that we'd have made it. I really don't recommend this practice, but it worked on that occasion.

I'd be interested to know how coffee (and/or tea) also affect others.

Now to revisit chocolate.

[umslopogaas]

While I was working I felt I could never make off for work early in the morning unless I had drunk a strong real coffee first. Since retiring several years ago, my coffee consumption has fallen almost to zero. I never make it for myself, unless I have visitors, and only occasionally drink it at friends. I have noticed no difference whatsoever in sleepiness or alertness and can only conclude that if caffeine is a mildly addictive drug, which we are told it is, it doesnt have any effect on me.

[Barbirollians]

I have started buying coffee over the internet from Hasbean - outstanding stuff .

[Dave2002]

Anyone tried weasel coffee? I think they do it in Vietnam - http://www.huongmaicafe.com/blogs/vi...weasel-coffee/

[Nick Armstrong]

Anyone tried weasel coffee? I think they do it in Vietnam - http://www.huongmaicafe.com/blogs/vi...weasel-coffee/

Is that the same as Kopi Luwak, that's harvested from civet faeces? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak - also supposed to be the world's most expensive coffee if this is to be believed: http://www.most-expensive.coffee

Certainly haven't tasted it / either

[teamsaint]

Is that the same as Kopi Luwak, that's harvested from civet faeces? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak - also supposed to be the world's most expensive coffee if this is to be believed: http://www.most-expensive.coffee

Certainly haven't tasted it / either

So THATS what they sell on Southwest Trains then.

[Dave2002]

So THATS what they sell on Southwest Trains then.

Not on our lines, and no toilets either.

[ahinton]

So THATS what they sell on Southwest Trains then.

Never mind the coffer; they actually have TRAINS on Southwest trains?

[vinteuil]

So THATS what they sell on Southwest Trains then.

... whereas on the Great Western, back in the 19th century -

"As for coffee, there’s a famous letter from Isambard Kingdom Brunel concerning the quality of that beverage at the Swindon station buffet. Brunel complained to the manager and, as he was a high-up in the Great Western Railway, which owned the buffet in question, an apology was rapidly forthcoming. To which Brunel penned the following response:

Dear Sir,

I assure you Mr Player was wrong in supposing that I thought you had purchased inferior coffee. I thought I said to him that I was surprised you should buy such bad roasted corn. I did not believe that you had such a thing as coffee in the place; I am certain that I never tasted any. I have long ceased to make complaints at Swindon. I avoid taking anything there when I can help it.

Yours faithfully,

I. K. Brunel "

[Dave2002]

Never mind the coffee; they actually have TRAINS on Southwest trains?

Indeed they do.

[Globaltruth]

30 min r4 prog from last Sept. apologies if it's been posted here before - if so, I missed it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07tq8cd

[Dave2002]

Coffee consumption is outstripping production - and has done for a few years. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/...e-1d5c3b447337

[Alain Maréchal]

Coffee consumption is outstripping production - and has done for a few years. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/...e-1d5c3b447337

A greater risk is the need for vast amounts of water in the production process, even after it has been harvested. The various stages involve many washing processes, and water might become more costly than oil.

a tangent: since the process involves multiple stages (including the discarding of what might intuitively be the edible part of the berry) one wonders how primitive humans fell upon this stimulating beverage.

(I am pleased they did. I have tried that infusion of leaves in hot water, recommended to you by Asterix. Insipid. )

[BBMmk2]

Apparently , climate change may have an effect on the production of coffee! Doesn't bode well.