What makes people like coffee?

Question

Why are many people so obsessed with coffee? Every time I try it, it's bitter and doesn't taste good. What am I not getting here?

Answer 1

You’re right, most times coffee tastes bitter. But if you’re not against sugar, honey or milk it can improve your cup of coffee. Or you can add cream to make it thicker. I’d say people try different combinations through the years because our taste changes or we just get bored of the same black coffee.

I think obsession comes with “culture” and advertisement. And for some people, with addiction. For some reason, coffee became an accessory or an item behind which people can hide by making themselves look busy (if you know what I mean). Coffee also gave people a reason to take breaks between their work or time-consuming hobbies. It’s a good distraction from chaos even tho caffeine should technically make you more energetic contributing to that chaos, but weirdly “coffee breaks” tend to be calm and relaxing. People find some sort of escape in a small cup that smells familiar and warm. It’s a security in a way. For others, it’s a whole ritual of having a coffee break, when they could sneak some time to go into their personal bubble to do stuff like: read a book or an article, listen to music, play some online games, solve online puzzles, complete a trivia or just dream. There are so many things that people usually combine with the act of drinking coffee, thus this beverage associates with lots of good and interesting moments.

Another reason could be an addition to a familiar routine. You wake up, shower, brush your teeth, make some breakfast.. and a cup of coffee. The funniest part is that breakfast and shower don’t have to be a part of the routine, but coffee often is. Because it’s unchangeable. Even if you’re staying at someone’s place, you’d rather be offered a cup of tea or coffee in the morning, and only then breakfast (which would be unfamiliar, unlike coffee).

One plus of coffee being bitter is that it can be drunk with super sweet things smoothing out these extremes. You don’t have to worry about a cake or a chocolate bar being too sweet if you can equalize the taste with the bitterness of coffee. Also, some people like bitter things or quickly get used to it, again, because of the culture around coffee and “if so many people drink it, I should do it too”. Does coffee make people feel included? Maybe. So, it’s not only a physical addiction but also a social one. And I’m not sure, which one is stronger.

Answer 2

It would be helpful to know some background to your question. You ask how people can like something that you have tried and found bitter. Do you want to like coffee but cannot seem to enjoy its flavor? Or is it just a general question of curiosity?

Personally I originally drank coffee with all the extra creamer flavors and sugar to mask the taste of the coffee. I was drinking folgers or something from the gas station. Nowadays I have come to discover fresh roasted specialty coffee that has great flavors without a need for anything else added to it.

Answer 3

Several factors at play here, any of which could influence your experience:

• Coffee can be extremely varied, beans, processing, roast, and brew method can all affect the final flavor including emphasizing or de-emphasizing bitterness. You may have only tried a bad combination of these things.
• Coffee can be an acquired taste. Many people grow to like it, some add dairy / milk alternative to fight bitterness, then later switch to black coffee after liking the taste. They may also go for higher quality and different brew methods.
• Some people like bitter things, within limits. There are many food and drink items with bitter components such as beer and leafy greens.

Answer 4

I've been buying my single origins from Brewsouth and love my coffee addiction. Not one for flavored or blends, so I can't comment, but sticking with single origins gets me out of bed.

Using the 8oz standard coffee scoop, I find that 1 and 1/2 scoops for a 6, 2 scoops for an 8 and 3 level scoops for a full pot fulfill my morning and afternoon coffee fix. Easy to measure and you can always add 1/2 a scoop more if you want a stronger pot.

Answer 5

There are exist different kids of coffee: those who drink espresso probably do so for reasons somewhat different from those who drink a mug from a dripping machine or a cappuccino.

One important reason for drinking a cup/mug of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate in countries with cold climate (Europe and North America) is the tradition of having a hot drink with breakfast, helping to warm up after the night sleep. Historically this was also motivated by hygienic reasons, since boiling water reduces the risk of contracting an infectious disease.

Another reason is the presence of caffeine, which helps to feel less sleepy and/or more energized. This was the original reason behind the interest in coffee beans - in this sense coffee is drank for the reasons similar to those that motivate drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes or taking drugs - though obviously less addictive. Drinking a short of espresso after lunch is a common habit among those who have return to work rather than take a nap. Unlike drinking tea, taking espresso separates the intake of caffeine and of liquid - not unimportant, if one wishes to keep the two in balance.

It is also obviously a matter of tradition, habit, local culture, and a social marker - from a daily routine learned from childhood, to taking a break with colleagues to go for a cup of coffee, to one's habitual place for relaxation/work/meeting friends in a coffee shop.