As a TBM I loved the smell of coffee and the taste of coffee ice cream, so as soon as my eyes were opened to the truth I couldn't wait to try a real thing - major disappointment thus far however.

I've tried a couple of well known chains and a non-member friend who is really into coffee and have so far had a latte (fairly nice but not really strong enough coffee taste and nothing to write home about) and a cappuccino and espresso (both very strong, very bitter and not particularly enjoyable without a load of sugar thrown in, and even then
I can't say I really enjoyed them.

So, it feels like I should really love coffee but it's just not happening yet much to my frustration. I generally love food with more complex flavours (dark chocolate, olives etc) -so it feels like I should really dig coffee, but as of yet, I can't imagine that I'll ever enjoy the bitter taste and I can't see what others are raving about.

I feel no guilt so that isn't interfering with my taste sensation and I have no desire to try different flavor additives. So do I just have to stick with it and eventually I'll like it, or is it not going to be my thing, regardless of how much I like the smell etc?

What has been your experience over time?

Cream and sweetener are your friends. Occasionally I have coffee with my sugar and it suites me fine.

Stay away from Denny's coffee, for it is unclean.

Some people have too many 'bitter' taste buds and can't stand it. I think I am one.

My never mo husband finds coffee too bitter. He is a super taster and a can break down the ingredients he tastes.

I don't like it either and hate the smell. I don't get why it's so popular but to each his own. If you don't like it don't drink it. No need to force it.

I mean, if you don't like it, why bother?

I think it only took me a few tries to develop a taste for it. My guess is, if you've tried it a couple times a week for a month and still don't enjoy it then you probably never will.

If you want to REALLY enjoy it, add some Bailey's Irish Cream.

A very big +1 to that. Also Kahlua and amaretto are delicious add ins.

Really. They use so much sugar, I was surprised that much would even dissolve. I think you can train yourself to like bitter. I like black coffee, but I finally gave up on red wine. Nothing wrong with sugar or cream in coffee if black is revolting to you.

I used to play in Irish "sessions", where we were paid in Guinness (one free large glass a session), and I went from not much liking Guinness draught to it being my favorite beer. That took about 5 years.

Experiment. If you don't like something, try it again at some other place or time. You may change your mind. If you really hate something, avoid it. None of this is really necessary to life.

I too can't stand the taste of coffee. Someone told me it's an acquired taste, but with a TBM wife I don't really have any incentive to acquire it. It's a shame, too, because everyone seems to rave about it, and the energy boost would be nice without the sugar trip and crash that comes with Cola drinks. I also can't stand tea. I guess, being raised TBM, I never acquired those tastes.

You must have similar tastes to mine. Let me know if you ever grow to enjoy it, and if it's worthwhile to do so.

I tried & tried & tried, but never have been able to acquire a taste for it. Instead, I've become addicted to chai lattes. :) MMMMmmmmmmm...

Life's too short.

Enjoy drinks you like is my advice.

I would stop drinking coffee during the hot Utah summers. Then, a couple of winters back, it just didn't taste good when I started drinking it again. I lost the taste for it. No biggie. It is not the first time my tastes have changed.

there's nothing wrong with not liking coffee. I personally love it, but it's not like it's the sure sign of the one true exMormonness or anything.

I liked it strong and black right away-- but I have impaired olfactory function because of terrible allergies, so I can tolerate really strong flavors, bitterness and spicy foods-- like really strong cheeses, chocolate without (or with little) sugar, strong-flavored olives & jalapenos.

If you think you're missing out, you might start with frozen frappuccino-type drinks, or lattes, with lots of fat and sugar. If you are developing a taste for the coffee, you'll find that sugar gets in the way and you'll want to opt for less-sugary drinks. I really like the taste of coffee, so sugar kind of ruins it for me-- almost everything is always too sweet for me.

Don't sweat it though-- if you don't like it, you don't like it. The point of being liberated is that you're free to figure out what you like and then go for it.

Sugar is my favorite food group, but it ruins coffee for me too. Dunno why but it completely changes it for me. I do use cream once in a while, but never sugar or artificial sweetner.

Start slow, I prefer mochas at the moment. The iced ones. Then I can say it isn't a hot drink. Then move up from there.

I never liked coffee, and my ex was a coffee fanatic, including $25/pound beans, so I tried the entire gamut from cheap to pricey, weak to strong - I think it's nasty beyond all description.

Wonder why leaving Kolobianism makes us think we HAVE to develop a liking for coffee and alcohol.

Do you have family members who are coffee drinkers? It could be that your entire lineage just doesn't have the coffee chromosome.

I didn't start drinking coffee until my twenties. My mother was practically weaned on coffee, and she thought me to be more than a little abnormal because I didn't like the stuff.

I'll drink Coke and iced tea.

But I will always struggle with a life-long weight problem, and I liked the idea of a social drink with no calories and I certainly liked the caffeine jolt.

So, I worked at it, and "taught" myself to like it. I'm sure that there are people who would probably stamp "STUPID" on my forehead for just the thought of forcing myself to drink it, but I really DO love it now. I drink it black.

My mother welcomed me back to the family, LOL.

So, I think you have to have the predisposition to enjoy coffee. That being said, it doesn't have to be bitter and nasty. There are some mild-roasted coffee beans that have almost no bitterness, and if brewed correctly, really do taste as wonderful as coffee smells.

A French press is a wonderful way to brew great coffee beans so you get the flavor without scorching it.

And a big fat BLEAH on Denny's coffee....it sits on the hot plate and burns all day. *shudder*

~VOW

Personally, I don't eat or drink anything that I don't like. It really has nothing to do with religious mandates anymore.

I have a number of friends who have never been LDS, and they do not drink coffee. You are an adult, you can now make your own decisions. You may find the flavored coffees more to your liking than black. Feel free to experiment, but don't feel pressured to "like" coffee just because you no longer believe in the WOW.

There's coffee and coffee. If you like complex flavors like you say you do, it'll be the same with coffee. And besides, just like good food begins with good ingredients, good coffee begins with good coffee. If you're trying to like coffee, don't be starting with Folger's or Maxwell House. Even Starbucks has some pretty non-stellar products. But if you're not even liking a cappuccino, which is one of the best ways to enjoy a coffee, I'm not so sure of the outcome.

Here's a secret: If you like the smell of coffee, you have to try to make coffee that tastes as good as it smells, and that's very tough to do. I myself don't like bitter, but I like strong. Not strong as in putting more ground coffee into the filter, or letting it sit longer, or using less water. I mean strong as in getting a good-quality, boldly flavored and complex coffee. And then to really enjoy it, it has to be real fresh; coffee doesn't last long. Beans go bad in about 2 weeks after you open them, and ground coffee can only last about 2-3 days before losing flavor.

'Nother secret: the less coffee you make at one time, the better it is. This is why Italians, for instance, make coffee by doses. A dose of espresso (called that because it is "expressed" by forcing small amount of high-pressure water through a goodly dose of coffee) is as pure as it gets, and from there you get the cappuccino, the caffe latte, etc. Making a good pot of filter drip coffee is trickier than making it by the mug using something like a Moka Express, a pour-over funnel, or a press. So what I found out is that, in order really enjoy coffee, I had to buy a modest quantity of beans and a grinder, and brew up only small amounts at a time. (I enjoy it the most when I make it in my Bialetti Moka Express, and even TBM DW likes the way it makes the house smell.) It was after that that I REALLY began to enjoy coffee. Some think I'm just being snobbish, but I just maintain that I'm only trying to enjoy my coffee.

I'd suggest going to www.coffeeam.com to see the wonderful array of fantastic coffees they have. Some are mediocre, but some are heaven. You would have to start picking your way through the group. It will keep you entertained for months. Or just go straight for the heavenly Galapagos or the Tanzania peaberry. I'm only sayin'.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2011 01:41PM by cludgie.

Also, try storing beans and grounds in the fridge or freezer; they last longer that way.

Tiramisu is the ONLY think I like that has coffee in it.

Outside of Mormonism there are lots of people who don't drink coffee because they don't like the taste of it. Where I live, the custom is to offer people a choice of coffee, tea or some other refreshment - and there are no Mormons here that I know of.

Coffee requires cream and just a touch of sweetener to be palatable, for me. But I like bitter things anyway. Try different roasts and different blends; they affect the flavor in major ways.

Love the smell, but it tastes like dirt to me. The only exception to this was a pure Kona grind I had in Hawaii once. But being in Hawaii might've had something to do with it, too.

I have a 14 year old nephew that loves black coffee, and has since the first time he tasted it. Either you have those taste buds or you have to slowly develop them.

Whilst serving in the military (1977-1983) there was no such thing as a "good" cup of java. One might secure the finest blend or roast available, but once said ingredients made their way onto a given air base, all turned to s**t.

Needed that "jolt" for the long hours which were many and varied. Just add a dash of sugar and I'm good. 2-3 cups to get going in the morning is all I need. Don't really care which make or model so long as it ain't de-caff.

I do enjoy a specific Jamaican brand (Blue Mountain I think), but I'm really just in it for the buzz.

Timothy.

Go with a latte. The milk and sweetener will do wonders for it.

Also, don't go with cheap coffee. It can be very bitter.

Personally, I don't drink coffee often. I much prefer tea with milk and Splenda.

Thank you all for the great advice - I knew I could rely on you.

I'm not fussed about forcing myself to try and like coffee in some sort of post-TBM rebellious manner, I've just always loved the smell of for as long as I can remember and love the taste of coffee ice cream and tiramisu. I guess I was expecting something a little different from the real thing. I'll try some of your ideas over the next few months and if this doesn't work, I'll just keep enjoying the ice cream!

Well it's better than saying I like my men cold and bitter, right?

I'm pretty sure I'm one of those people who doesn't really like coffee because I put in a LOT of splenda and I like Amaretto or Vanilla creamer. In other words, the coffee is just an excuse for, well, ice cream for breakfast!