Rethinking coffee

If you ever get coffee from one of those old, commercial drip machines (the kind you might find at a gas station or a diner), it usually tastes a little burnt at the edges with an almost astringent quality.

The boldness is jarring, like a slap in the face from a sleep-deprived barista.

Here’s something you might not know: coffee is not supposed to taste that way. The reason it does is because these antiquated machines are just that. They make the water too hot, they brew it for too long, and they over-extract the flavor–making for a bitter and one-dimensional cup.

It’s gross.

But that doesn't stop millions of people from drinking the stuff daily. Because grabbing a coffee from 7-Eleven is normal, while carefully selecting your beans, and brewing a fresh cup at home is not.

For many, the former is the “regular kind”–the kind tainted with nostalgia–while the latter is a luxury and a lifestyle. While other people wouldn’t be caught a day drinking what everyone else considers normal—eager not to settle with what’s convenient.

Sure. Drinking better than regular coffee is snobbish. But it's also about savoring life and respecting the craft. And if you're going to drink it everyday, why wouldn't you want to enjoy it to its fullest?

Just something to think about when it comes to choosing the things we buy, do, and consume. Especially when that something is (or isn’t) familiar.