International Coffee Day

[Samui Bodoh]

Hi All

 

It is international Coffee Day! Who-Hoo!!! (Hmm... how many of us actually knew that...)

 

I love my life here in Thailand, but one complaint that I have about the country is that it doesn't have excellent coffee and/or an excellent coffee culture. Yes, things have greatly improved over the last 20 years or so, but I would still argue that it is lacking.

 

A couple of questions about the Nectar of the Gods...

 

What coffee do you drink here? Which is 'best'?

What do you think of the 'coffee culture' in Thailand? What might improve it? 

Should Thailand try to become a 'hub' of good coffee (neighbouring Vietnam has become one)?

Any other thoughts?

 

This topic started as a small discussion in the Koh Samui Forum, but I'd be curious to hear member's views...

 

Cheers

 

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/best-coffee-in-the-world/index.html

 

[fishtank]

Buy it online.

https://alti-coffee.com/shop/

[OneMoreFarang]

Normally I drink lots of espresso.

ABP is very good and the price is reasonable.

Now there are many good coffee place. Years ago that was a lot more difficult.

 

And about Vietnamese coffee: Yes, that is great. It tastes very good and it can be made at home with a device which cost less than 100B.

A good espresso machine is bloody expensive and I never bought one for home.

 

 

[worgeordie]

Who started that,,could it be Starbucks.

regards Worgeordie

[CharlieH]

Couldn't care less, rarely drink the stuff and can't understand why it's become so commercial and popular over the last 10years or so. But then, I feel the same about alcohol, don't touch that either ! ????

[LomSak27]

Coffee Culture  … ? …. Uh, that is a relative. Be that as it may, as coffee is a needed essential, without which life itself holds no meaning or purpose. You do what you have to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

Couldn't care less, rarely drink the stuff and can't understand why it's become so commercial and popular over the last 10years or so. But then, I feel the same about alcohol, don't touch that either ! ????

Fresh hot espresso just tastes good.

Some years ago in Thailand coffee was Nescafe or Nescafe. In my opinion that has little to do with real coffee.

Now there are many places with decent coffee. That is definitely good news for people who love good coffee.

 

[Andyfez]

Birdy!

 

[fxe1200]

100% Arabica (like Lavazza) is my daily choice at home. And I refuse to pay 45 or 50 THB for a cup in a shop for some medium roasted Robusta.

[helloagain]

Last year i went to a 5* resort in krabi called Rayvardee. I love my coffee and there's was a wow so i had 3 cups. I did ask there coffee was wawee coffee. So when i got home to phuket i phoned them. No they dont send. You can get from Lazada but to expensive. So my wife phoned one of there shops in bkk, we ordered 10 but they sent 11 bags thankyou wawee. They also have a shop in chiang mai airport once you go through. I like my coffee hot, black and strong with an equal tablet and a dash of drambuie. When we go shopping i always carry a dash of drambuie with me. 

[bubba45]

When I first moved outside Chiang Mai about ten years ago I'd see signs in the hills (for tourists) that said "fresh coffee".  It puzzled me because I had no clue what point they were trying to get across.  I mean, who would not want fresh coffee?  Then I realized what they meant was it was freshly brewed, not instant (Nescafe).

Thinking about it, back in the '80s in Bangkok Nescafe ruled.

[AgMech Cowboy]

I use to enjoy trying the different coffee of the day at Starbucks, but they started featuring coffees with vanilla and other 'ingredients' so have ended up just getting americano (yuck).  I wish I had an old style percolator (which makes too much), but I try to limit myself to one cup a day (max 2), so I've currently got a one cup drip-brew maker which uses a screen type filter. It cannot handle the powdered fine ground coffees sold in the store, so I buy Maxwell house. I wish they had Folgers, but I'd have to go to Singapore to find that.  Yes, I could grind the coffee myself or ask the coffee places to grind some beans course for me (did that once when Coffee Bean and Tea was local), but so far the Maxwell House is doing it for me.

 

Not to worry, I'll never buy one of those 'pod' type coffee makers.

[digger70]

On 10/2/2019 at 7:29 AM, Samui Bodoh said:

What coffee do you drink here? Which is 'best'?

The best coffee you like the best is the best.It doesn't matter the brand or the price. Different people different taste.

[tuk75]

lazada-Coffee Bean Roasting Co.,Ltd.

T.

[The Deerhunter]

1 hour ago, Andyfez said:

Birdy!

 

Robusta or Arabica? 555

[Hotrats]

After trying many different brands I now stick to the choice of coffees sold under the Tesco Finest range. They're available in any large Tesco Lotus store, with many different single country origin (Guatemala, Sumatra, etc.) as well as blended types (French, Italian, etc.). Considering they are imported from UK, they are not expensive either at less than 200 Baht for 227 Grams.

[villagefarang]

This is how my morning starts.  Living in Chiangrai, I am spoiled for choice and continue to find new sources for locally grown beans, which are great.  I do have friends who travel and send me interesting stuff they come across in other countries, too.

 

 

 

[nauseus]

45 minutes ago, bubba45 said:

When I first moved outside Chiang Mai about ten years ago I'd see signs in the hills (for tourists) that said "fresh coffee".  It puzzled me because I had no clue what point they were trying to get across.  I mean, who would not want fresh coffee?  Then I realized what they meant was it was freshly brewed, not instant (Nescafe).

Thinking about it, back in the '80s in Bangkok Nescafe ruled.

Coffee is grown more now in the hills near the Burmese border as one of the replacement crops for the previous, notorious and well-known "harvest" in that region. Some good stuff but mostly not cheap. Some nice coffee shop/bakery/restaurants near Mae Sai, like at the Akha village of Bahn PaMee. Some of these places will sell coffee to you directly (if they have it!) but most of the crop is marketed by established companies.   

[sandmonster]

As a resident of Chiang Mai, I am spoilt in coffee heaven here. IMHO, within Thailand, there is no comparison, and simply blows London away for its coffee culture and quality. 

 

Its exploded beyond imagination in the last 10 years and still growing. Is it the best kept secret amongst coffee lovers around the globe ? possibly .. but not a secret any longer amongst connoisseurs.

 

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/a-coffee-lovers-guide-to-chiang-mai

https://sprudge.com/chiang-mai-guide-101891.html

 

You can visit a 2 or 3 different artisan cafes every day for about a year I would imagine before you run out within 10km of the city centre. There is no such thing as best for everyone but for sure you will find a dozen world class favourites of your own and its fun trying.

[camble]

Had a great cup of Turkish coffee at this cafe in Pai

 

[TigerandDog]

1 hour ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

I use to enjoy trying the different coffee of the day at Starbucks, but they started featuring coffees with vanilla and other 'ingredients' so have ended up just getting americano (yuck).  I wish I had an old style percolator (which makes too much), but I try to limit myself to one cup a day (max 2), so I've currently got a one cup drip-brew maker which uses a screen type filter. It cannot handle the powdered fine ground coffees sold in the store, so I buy Maxwell house. I wish they had Folgers, but I'd have to go to Singapore to find that.  Yes, I could grind the coffee myself or ask the coffee places to grind some beans course for me (did that once when Coffee Bean and Tea was local), but so far the Maxwell House is doing it for me.

 

Not to worry, I'll never buy one of those 'pod' type coffee makers.

Why on earth would anyone in their right mind even contemplate drinking Starbucks coffee, it's disgusting. A  terrible blend of beans. The only coffee IMHO that is worse is Gloria Jeans.  Up here in the north there are so many good coffee shops selling locally grown and roasted coffee, and the blends are great. The bad coffee I have encountered here is nearly always due to a barista burning the coffee because it has been packed to tightly, which gives the coffee an extremely bitter taste. No favourite brand of coffee up here, but as I said lot's of great coffee in this part of the country. Preferred coffee is Latte or Capuccino. At home drink a Thai brand of instant coffee.

[Mac98]

On 10/1/2019 at 7:30 PM, CharlieH said:

Couldn't care less, rarely drink the stuff and can't understand why it's become so commercial and popular over the last 10years or so. But then, I feel the same about alcohol, don't touch that either ! ????

aahh, Mormon. Nothing against that, so is my daughter.

[IAMHERE]

Instant all the way while in Thailand. Not the best but EASY to make. The best is a toss up between Nestle Gold and Moccona Espresso. $7 bucks for a months worth if you have a cup or two in the mornings, a nice jar after you finish for decoration or as a container.

[1FinickyOne]

Guess we all like different coffee types. I like it strong but not bitter and found an ex-ag professor who roasts it just that way... for 450 baht a kg... 

 

The coffee in the north of Thailand is mostly pretty good. 

 

and yes, i remember the 80s when Nescafe was the only but gourmet instant... of ocurse, no Thai drank it. 

[1FinickyOne]

49 minutes ago, TigerandDog said:

At home drink a Thai brand of instant coffee.

Yo Tiger - - you lost me there... i buy the beans and let them grind it for me then drip a cup in the morning... never had an instant that even lived up to a Starbucks... though that is a rare purchase for me... prefer to make my own at home.. 

 

ps - wife and I are tiger/dog too... 20 yrs? 

[Nanaplaza666]

There's a place near my restaurant (champ zap ver) in bangkok they have really good coffee they burn the beans themselfs in their place many choises it's called FAT BELLY good burgers with fries as well 

[ICECOOL]

1 hour ago, The Deerhunter said:

Robusta or Arabica? 555

I brought my Delonghi coffee machine with me from oz 9 years ago. Had it repaired 3 times in BKK. It's brilliant. I use the special blend Zolito from Macro. It makes 2-4 mugs a day (gf even enjoys it) 

[Max69xl]

Why compare Thailand and Vietnam when it comes to coffee? Vietnam is a former french colony. That's why they have good coffee and sell baguettes and croissants everywhere. Thai people are not hot coffee drinkers, and never will be. You will of course see a few in the coffee shops here and there,but not many are drinking hot coffee. The big coffee shop franchises are for tourists and of course some expats. If you want to find quite good coffee and not to expensive for your coffee machine at home, you have to go online. Even Lazada sells coffee. 

[toofarnorth]

When I first arrived in Thailand 2004 I had no idea about drinking coffee out , it may of been the Amazon outlets that got me into coffee. Americano , espresso latte and more , took about a month to find Cappuccino , now I love it , have one out somewhere every day, if bored indoors I go out for a Capp.  I would not buy a coffee maker as I would then stay in.  Not everyones brew, but is mine .

[LomSak27]

2 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

I use to enjoy trying the different coffee of the day at Starbucks, but they started featuring coffees with vanilla and other 'ingredients'

 

Where was this? What country? As starbucks does not sell coffee with uh, flavoring additives you must be .... how do I put it, Confused.  Hey, happens all the time especially when you have a topic about Starbucks. Perhaps You are thinking about some espresso concoction?!     Not that that would feature different coffee's.