Does anyone buy online or do shade grown etc...? I'm located in the Folgers 5lb can region of taste. I'd like to experiment with different darker roasts out there. trade cigars for coffee???
Jimbo.... a couple of my favorite local roasters will ship - you can either order from their websites or call their shop and talk to someone who will recommend coffees for you. Real knowledgeable people. Look up Silverbridge Coffee in Gallipolis OH, Stauf's Coffee in Grandview OH, and Ground for Thought in Bowling Green OH.
Can't go wrong with any of those.
Thanks John, the Kirkland brand is Starbucks, which is good but I've enjoyed the coffee you and Luke sent. I used to have a really good Co-op I used to get different types that I'd buy bulk from and I really miss it.
Yeah, nothing better than stopping in a shop and browsing the fresh bulk beans. All the ones above offer that at their shops and will ship bulk quantities, will probably have to call to order
Got some fresh-roasted Papua New Guinea beans from a local roaster earlier this week.
Mmm, a little lighter body than I prefer but it's damn tasty. Not too acidic, little bit of nuttiness at the end .... makes for a great cup of pour over.
Going to have to try them in the Moka pot too....
Got some fresh-roasted Papua New Guinea beans from a local roaster earlier this week.
Mmm, a little lighter body than I prefer but it's damn tasty. Not too acidic, little bit of nuttiness at the end .... makes for a great cup of pour over.
Going to have to try them in the Moka pot too....
Sounds good! I would take some coffee, always in the need for a cup to a pot!
Cubita coffee is very good stuff, especially in espresso. I like mostly dark coffee. Green Mountain makes a double black diamond I have yet to try but I have heard good things. Their dark magic is good. Caribou obsidian and mahogany are also smooth and very little bitterness.
Kopi Luwak (pronounced ['kopi 'luak]) or Civet coffee is coffee made from coffee berries which have been eaten by and passed through the digestive tract of the Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) and other related civets. The civets eat the berries, but the beans inside pass through their system undigested. This process takes place on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago, in the Philippines (where the product is called Motit Coffee in the Cordillera, or Kape Alamid in Tagalog areas) and in East Timor (locally called kafé-laku). Local lore in Vietnam has given the name "weasel coffee" to civet coffee, in what is considered the closest recognizable translation to English
Sells for between $100 and $600 a lb. ($33-$99 a cup)
I have heard of these before. No offense to anybody but these sound disgusting enough to be served in a fancy French restaurant at those prices. Like I said, no offense, but these guy's do eat fucking snails right?
I just ran across this thread and this post and haven't yet read any further so if I'm out of date, well, just cut me a little slack.
The Kopi Luwak cigar is infused with the coffee of that name. It's not a bad smoke but nothing to write home about. I still have one in my humi. And what the h3ll is wrong with eating snails?? Escargot is not only a delicacy, it's delicious. Ya just have to have the huevos to eat them the first time and you'll see what I mean. Of course, if you don't have 'em I guess you'll just have to live on in ignorance and miss out on a real treat....
Kopi Luwak (pronounced ['kopi 'luak]) or Civet coffee is coffee made from coffee berries which have been eaten by and passed through the digestive tract of the Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) and other related civets. The civets eat the berries, but the beans inside pass through their system undigested. This process takes place on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago, in the Philippines (where the product is called Motit Coffee in the Cordillera, or Kape Alamid in Tagalog areas) and in East Timor (locally called kafé-laku). Local lore in Vietnam has given the name "weasel coffee" to civet coffee, in what is considered the closest recognizable translation to English
Sells for between $100 and $600 a lb. ($33-$99 a cup)
I have heard of these before. No offense to anybody but these sound disgusting enough to be served in a fancy French restaurant at those prices. Like I said, no offense, but these guy's do eat fucking snails right?
I just ran across this thread and this post and haven't yet read any further so if I'm out of date, well, just cut me a little slack.
The Kopi Luwak cigar is infused with the coffee of that name. It's not a bad smoke but nothing to write home about. I still have one in my humi. And what the h3ll is wrong with eating snails?? Escargot is not only a delicacy, it's delicious. Ya just have to have the huevos to eat them the first time and you'll see what I mean. Of course, if you don't have 'em I guess you'll just have to line on in ignorance and miss out on a real treat....
Love Escargot... but to be fair, you could cook an old shoelace in that garlic butter sauce and it would be delicious.
Okay, now I've read the entire thread and have a better feel for what you guys are talking about. I'm not inclined to be interested on the roasting aspect but I AM interested in finding some beans that'll solve my caffeine craving. Since my cancer surgery and chemotherapy I can't hardly taste coffee. I need something with more body and flavor, I guess.
Prior to surgery, I drank Yuban dark roast, black. Since then I've tried a number of others and am presently drinking Peets Espresso Forte made in my French press. It's okay but still not great. Has anyone tried Tanzanian Peaberry or Blue Mountain? Any opinions? Or recommendations?? I've recently tried the Peaberry but it's only so-so to my palate.
Okay, now I've read the entire thread and have a better feel for what you guys are talking about. I'm not inclined to be interested on the roasting aspect but I AM interested in finding some beans that'll solve my caffeine craving. Since my cancer surgery and chemotherapy I can't hardly taste coffee. I need something with more body and flavor, I guess.
Prior to surgery, I drank Yuban dark roast, black. Since then I've tried a number of others and am presently drinking Peets Espresso Forte made in my French press. It's okay but still not great. Has anyone tried Tanzanian Peaberry or Blue Mountain? Any opinions? Or recommendations?? I've recently tried the Peaberry but it's only so-so to my palate.
The tanzanian peaberries I've had have all been lighter roasts. Not bad but I prefer darker, fuller roasts too.
You probably want a city roast, full city, or Vienna roast. Peaberry is just the type of bean, it has a rounder shape compared to "normal" flat beans.
There's a great local roaster near me that will ship, if you're looking for a specific flavor profile you can call, tell them what you're looking for and they will set you up. About $20/lb though. Staufs wholesale, phone # 1-800-7-STAUFS. Shawn's the guy who has helped me in the past....I'd highly recommend them.
Edit: I'd also had stauffs, not from a shop but the groceries around here stock some of the pre-packaged varieties....it's "ok" but I agree, it's not great. Not worth the $12+/lb the grocery stores charge.
I have not forayed too much in to specialty boutique type coffees to date but my 2 cents is get a kuerig. They make the best coffee I have ever tasted. I myself am into the darker roasts and the green mountain varieties that have been issued are spectacular. I particularly like the Dark Magic and the Sumatran blend. I have also tasted the Kirklands dark and it has a great flavor.
I have not forayed too much in to specialty boutique type coffees to date but my 2 cents is get a kuerig. They make the best coffee I have ever tasted. I myself am into the darker roasts and the green mountain varieties that have been issued are spectacular. I particularly like the Dark Magic and the Sumatran blend. I have also tasted the Kirklands dark and it has a great flavor.
Hee hee, thanks for the advice, my friend, but I already have too many ways to make coffee. What I really need is a recommendation of a coffee I can taste. And as for which roast, I'm totally confused from all the reading and research I've done on the matter. It's just like cigars - folks use terms like full bodied and lighter/darker roasts interchangeably to the point where I don't know what to try next.
Some say the lighter roast is the most flavorful and then go on to recommend a darker roast. I don't know which end is up. All I know is I'm looking for something with beau coup flavor - I'm not interested in the caffeine level, just the flavor. I know, I'm asking a lot but I know at least some of you can steer me in the right direction. Thanks, guys....
I have not forayed too much in to specialty boutique type coffees to date but my 2 cents is get a kuerig. They make the best coffee I have ever tasted. I myself am into the darker roasts and the green mountain varieties that have been issued are spectacular. I particularly like the Dark Magic and the Sumatran blend. I have also tasted the Kirklands dark and it has a great flavor.
Hee hee, thanks for the advice, my friend, but I already have too many ways to make coffee. What I really need is a recommendation of a coffee I can taste. And as for which roast, I'm totally confused from all the reading and research I've done on the matter. It's just like cigars - folks use terms like full bodied and lighter/darker roasts interchangeably to the point where I don't know what to try next.
Some say the lighter roast is the most flavorful and then go on to recommend a darker roast. I don't know which end is up. All I know is I'm looking for something with beau coup flavor - I'm not interested in the caffeine level, just the flavor. I know, I'm asking a lot but I know at least some of you can steer me in the right direction. Thanks, guys....
As an adjunct to my previous post, Mark, what's your take on the flavor of the Sumatran? It's one of the ones that's kinda in my sights at the moment. I've read where it's very flavorful but also that it's a lighter roast. Or can I buy Sumatran in some different roast that'll produce more flavor? See what I mean about being confused?? LOL
I have not forayed too much in to specialty boutique type coffees to date but my 2 cents is get a kuerig. They make the best coffee I have ever tasted. I myself am into the darker roasts and the green mountain varieties that have been issued are spectacular. I particularly like the Dark Magic and the Sumatran blend. I have also tasted the Kirklands dark and it has a great flavor.
Hee hee, thanks for the advice, my friend, but I already have too many ways to make coffee. What I really need is a recommendation of a coffee I can taste. And as for which roast, I'm totally confused from all the reading and research I've done on the matter. It's just like cigars - folks use terms like full bodied and lighter/darker roasts interchangeably to the point where I don't know what to try next.
Some say the lighter roast is the most flavorful and then go on to recommend a darker roast. I don't know which end is up. All I know is I'm looking for something with beau coup flavor - I'm not interested in the caffeine level, just the flavor. I know, I'm asking a lot but I know at least some of you can steer me in the right direction. Thanks, guys....
JL, lighter roasts are going to have more caffeine because it's not "cooked off" during toasting. But darker roasts are going to have a stinger flavor. City roast, Vienna roast, etc are all types of roasts. Wikipedia has a good chart describing different types of roasts and their specific names.
Think of a coffee Beans country of origin like a cigar wrapper country of origin.....you can grow a light, mild wrapper in Dominican rep, Nicaragua, Cuba etc. -- they'll be different but all mild......same as you can have a "light roast" coffee from any country.
Check out this chart too maybe that will help.
And as far as convenience goes, yes can't beat a keurig....but, no offense matkn, if you want a truly good, properly extracted cup o joe keurig just doesn't cut it. It's no more than individually packaged, under extracted, instant coffee. And if you work out the price per cup (including equipment) you can get a quality fresh roasted bean for a very similar cost of keurig.
And as far as convenience goes, yes can't beat a keurig....but, no offense matkn, if you want a truly good, properly extracted cup o joe keurig just doesn't cut it. It's no more than individually packaged, under extracted, instant coffee. And if you work out the price per cup (including equipment) you can get a quality fresh roasted bean for a very similar cost of keurig.
Thanks, John. Yeah, I've seen this chart and it's a good representation of what I'm talking about. The last two categories of roast - Viennese, etc. and French. In the flavor column it says the Viennese is heavy bodied. Then the next darker level - darkest of all - says it's lighter bodied. So how the hell did we jump from heavy bodied all the way back to lighter bodied by making the roast DARKER?? That's what I mean by confusion.... :-). "Light bodied but quite intense". What in hell does THAT mean?? LMAO
Thanks, John. Yeah, I've seen this chart and it's a good representation of what I'm talking about. The last two categories of roast - Viennese, etc. and French. In the flavor column it says the Viennese is heavy bodied. Then the next darker level - darkest of all - says it's lighter bodied. So how the hell did we jump from heavy bodied all the way back to lighter bodied by making the roast DARKER?? That's what I mean by confusion.... :-). "Light bodied but quite intense". What in hell does THAT mean?? LMAO
Hmm. I understand what you're getting at with French (darkest) being "lighter" than the Vienna roast. That's puzzling, I agree. All of the French roasts I've ever had are strong and flavorful. I wouldn't have categorized them as "light" but maybe I was missing something.
My only thought on it (and I could be completely wrong) but with the light roasts you mostly taste the bean, not so much "extra" flavor from the roasting process, that's why it's "light".
Medium-full roasts you still taste the bean and also some "extra" flavor from the roasting process.
Then perhaps at a certain point (double roast) when the beans been roasted so much you lose almost all the original "bean" flavors and only taste the flavors from the roasting process....
And yeah, idk. Honestly the best bet is try and find yourself a good local roaster and either call them up or stop in and chat with someone working, those guys, if they're worth their salt, will be able to recommend you some specific beans/roasts to fit your palate and also give you much better answers then I can. (And if you do get these thing clarified from a "professional" please post here because I'm confused now too LOL!)
And as far as convenience goes, yes can't beat a keurig....but, no offense matkn, if you want a truly good, properly extracted cup o joe keurig just doesn't cut it. It's no more than individually packaged, under extracted, instant coffee. And if you work out the price per cup (including equipment) you can get a quality fresh roasted bean for a very similar cost of keurig.
Thanks, John. Yeah, I've seen this chart and it's a good representation of what I'm talking about. The last two categories of roast - Viennese, etc. and French. In the flavor column it says the Viennese is heavy bodied. Then the next darker level - darkest of all - says it's lighter bodied. So how the hell did we jump from heavy bodied all the way back to lighter bodied by making the roast DARKER?? That's what I mean by confusion.... :-). "Light bodied but quite intense". What in hell does THAT mean?? LMAO
Use a French press..it will blow you away. Bodum makes a good one, and it is a science, as I found out...but damn it's good.
Use a French press..it will blow you away. Bodum makes a good one, and it is a science, as I found out...but damn it's good.
I think you're right. I'm currently using a French press with Peets Espresso Forte, prepared according to Peets recommendation and I can barely taste it. This is why I'm looking for a bean/blend/grind/whatever with more flavor. My taste buds have evidently never recovered from the chemo. I'd give a lot for a cup of coffee that tastes like coffee instead of dishwater.....
I have not forayed too much in to specialty boutique type coffees to date but my 2 cents is get a kuerig. They make the best coffee I have ever tasted. I myself am into the darker roasts and the green mountain varieties that have been issued are spectacular. I particularly like the Dark Magic and the Sumatran blend. I have also tasted the Kirklands dark and it has a great flavor.
Hee hee, thanks for the advice, my friend, but I already have too many ways to make coffee. What I really need is a recommendation of a coffee I can taste. And as for which roast, I'm totally confused from all the reading and research I've done on the matter. It's just like cigars - folks use terms like full bodied and lighter/darker roasts interchangeably to the point where I don't know what to try next.
Some say the lighter roast is the most flavorful and then go on to recommend a darker roast. I don't know which end is up. All I know is I'm looking for something with beau coup flavor - I'm not interested in the caffeine level, just the flavor. I know, I'm asking a lot but I know at least some of you can steer me in the right direction. Thanks, guys....
JL, lighter roasts are going to have more caffeine because it's not "cooked off" during toasting. But darker roasts are going to have a stinger flavor. City roast, Vienna roast, etc are all types of roasts. Wikipedia has a good chart describing different types of roasts and their specific names.
Think of a coffee Beans country of origin like a cigar wrapper country of origin.....you can grow a light, mild wrapper in Dominican rep, Nicaragua, Cuba etc. -- they'll be different but all mild......same as you can have a "light roast" coffee from any country.
Check out this chart too maybe that will help.
And as far as convenience goes, yes can't beat a keurig....but, no offense matkn, if you want a truly good, properly extracted cup o joe keurig just doesn't cut it. It's no more than individually packaged, under extracted, instant coffee. And if you work out the price per cup (including equipment) you can get a quality fresh roasted bean for a very similar cost of keurig.
No offense taken here. For me it works and tastes great. There are probably other ways to make great coffee. I come from a Mr. Coffee drip style machine with some Folgers in it. I def would not call it a super high end style.
Use a French press..it will blow you away. Bodum makes a good one, and it is a science, as I found out...but damn it's good.
I think you're right. I'm currently using a French press with Peets Espresso Forte, prepared according to Peets recommendation and I can barely taste it. This is why I'm looking for a bean/blend/grind/whatever with more flavor. My taste buds have evidently never recovered from the chemo. I'd give a lot for a cup of coffee that tastes like coffee instead of dishwater.....
Hell this thread is teaching me some good stuff. I think I may have to get me a French press. Sounds like I have been missing out.
I've been reading everyone talk about the French press so I went and got one at Target today. As soon as I got home pulled it out of the box and made some coffee. Everyone was right, it is SO much better prepared that way! Thanks so much everyone for showing me what I was missing out on
Well, I went ahead and ordered a pound of Peets Aged Sumatra ground to accommodate my French press. I'll let you guys know if I can taste it and, if so, what I think of it. It ought to be here in a few days if Peets follows my shipping instructions to NOT ship it via UPS. Otherwise, it could take a fecking week to get here.
Major Dickason's must be an eastern brand. I don't believe I've ever heard of it. Is there something special about it? Exotic imported beans or something? Deep roast or light?
Well, I went ahead and ordered a pound of Peets Aged Sumatra ground to accommodate my French press. I'll let you guys know if I can taste it and, if so, what I think of it. It ought to be here in a few days if Peets follows my shipping instructions to NOT ship it via UPS. Otherwise, it could take a fecking week to get here.
Hey JL, I probably missed this in an earlier post .... I see you got a french press on the way (good choice)......
But what's the "setup" you've been using?
A Mr Coffee type drip machine, a pourover cone like a Chemex or Melitta, stove top like a Moka pot or vaccuum?
Also, how are you buying your coffee?
Do you buy it from a grocery store, coffee shop, roaster, online, etc?
And do you buy the beans whole and grind them at home or do you buy ground coffee?
Do the bags you get have a "roast date" on them?
Well, I went ahead and ordered a pound of Peets Aged Sumatra ground to accommodate my French press. I'll let you guys know if I can taste it and, if so, what I think of it. It ought to be here in a few days if Peets follows my shipping instructions to NOT ship it via UPS. Otherwise, it could take a fecking week to get here.
Hey JL, I probably missed this in an earlier post .... I see you got a french press on the way (good choice)......
But what's the "setup" you've been using?
A Mr Coffee type drip machine, a pourover cone like a Chemex or Melitta, stove top like a Moka pot or vaccuum?
Also, how are you buying your coffee?
Do you buy it from a grocery store, coffee shop, roaster, online, etc?
And do you buy the beans whole and grind them at home or do you buy ground coffee?
Do the bags you get have a "roast date" on them?
Well, to answer your first two questions, I have a French press that I've been using for my coffee and a drip percolator that my child bride uses for hers. She doesn't care for my coffee and doesn't have any problem with her taste buds like I do.
As for buying my coffee, I can buy Peet's Espresso Forte at my local supermarket but I have to order online for their more exotic blends/grinds. The few Peet's outlets in our semi-rural area consist of a few small, kiosk-like shops scattered here and there and they're not allowed to carry the exotics. Must be something to do with the franchise. My online order cost $6 for freight and I'd spend more on gas if I drove to their nearest store where I could buy them.
I buy the espresso already ground and haven't ever looked for a date on the bag. It never occurred to me. I ordered the Aged Sumatra ground for my French press because I wasn't sure what the grind would look like for the press. I have a small grinder but I'd rather try it their way the first time.
Major Dickason's must be an eastern brand. I don't believe I've ever heard of it. Is there something special about it? Exotic imported beans or something? Deep roast or light?
It's not a brand, but one of the blends from Peet's. One of the few we can find in stores around here. It's a dark roast.
Major Dickason's must be an eastern brand. I don't believe I've ever heard of it. Is there something special about it? Exotic imported beans or something? Deep roast or light?
It's not a brand, but one of the blends from Peet's. One of the few we can find in stores around here. It's a dark roast.
Ah, so. I can see I've still got a lot of familiarizing to do concerning Peet's. As for buying all the blends, I have your same problem so I have to buy online. Thanks for clarifying the Major Dickason's for me.... I'm looking forward to trying a number of their blends.
Comments
It was bad.
Do they hate us?
Hot brown liquid was all I expected but at least a stir stick for my sugar would have been nice.
I made 'em give me a fork.
Mmm, a little lighter body than I prefer but it's damn tasty. Not too acidic, little bit of nuttiness at the end .... makes for a great cup of pour over.
Going to have to try them in the Moka pot too....
I just ran across this thread and this post and haven't yet read any further so if I'm out of date, well, just cut me a little slack.
The Kopi Luwak cigar is infused with the coffee of that name. It's not a bad smoke but nothing to write home about. I still have one in my humi. And what the h3ll is wrong with eating snails?? Escargot is not only a delicacy, it's delicious. Ya just have to have the huevos to eat them the first time and you'll see what I mean. Of course, if you don't have 'em I guess you'll just have to live on in ignorance and miss out on a real treat....
Prior to surgery, I drank Yuban dark roast, black. Since then I've tried a number of others and am presently drinking Peets Espresso Forte made in my French press. It's okay but still not great. Has anyone tried Tanzanian Peaberry or Blue Mountain? Any opinions? Or recommendations?? I've recently tried the Peaberry but it's only so-so to my palate.
You probably want a city roast, full city, or Vienna roast. Peaberry is just the type of bean, it has a rounder shape compared to "normal" flat beans.
There's a great local roaster near me that will ship, if you're looking for a specific flavor profile you can call, tell them what you're looking for and they will set you up. About $20/lb though. Staufs wholesale, phone # 1-800-7-STAUFS. Shawn's the guy who has helped me in the past....I'd highly recommend them.
Edit: I'd also had stauffs, not from a shop but the groceries around here stock some of the pre-packaged varieties....it's "ok" but I agree, it's not great. Not worth the $12+/lb the grocery stores charge.
Hee hee, thanks for the advice, my friend, but I already have too many ways to make coffee. What I really need is a recommendation of a coffee I can taste. And as for which roast, I'm totally confused from all the reading and research I've done on the matter. It's just like cigars - folks use terms like full bodied and lighter/darker roasts interchangeably to the point where I don't know what to try next.
Some say the lighter roast is the most flavorful and then go on to recommend a darker roast. I don't know which end is up. All I know is I'm looking for something with beau coup flavor - I'm not interested in the caffeine level, just the flavor. I know, I'm asking a lot but I know at least some of you can steer me in the right direction. Thanks, guys....
As an adjunct to my previous post, Mark, what's your take on the flavor of the Sumatran? It's one of the ones that's kinda in my sights at the moment. I've read where it's very flavorful but also that it's a lighter roast. Or can I buy Sumatran in some different roast that'll produce more flavor? See what I mean about being confused?? LOL
Think of a coffee Beans country of origin like a cigar wrapper country of origin.....you can grow a light, mild wrapper in Dominican rep, Nicaragua, Cuba etc. -- they'll be different but all mild......same as you can have a "light roast" coffee from any country.
Check out this chart too maybe that will help.
And as far as convenience goes, yes can't beat a keurig....but, no offense matkn, if you want a truly good, properly extracted cup o joe keurig just doesn't cut it. It's no more than individually packaged, under extracted, instant coffee. And if you work out the price per cup (including equipment) you can get a quality fresh roasted bean for a very similar cost of keurig.
Thanks, John. Yeah, I've seen this chart and it's a good representation of what I'm talking about. The last two categories of roast - Viennese, etc. and French. In the flavor column it says the Viennese is heavy bodied. Then the next darker level - darkest of all - says it's lighter bodied. So how the hell did we jump from heavy bodied all the way back to lighter bodied by making the roast DARKER?? That's what I mean by confusion.... :-). "Light bodied but quite intense". What in hell does THAT mean?? LMAO
My only thought on it (and I could be completely wrong) but with the light roasts you mostly taste the bean, not so much "extra" flavor from the roasting process, that's why it's "light".
Medium-full roasts you still taste the bean and also some "extra" flavor from the roasting process.
Then perhaps at a certain point (double roast) when the beans been roasted so much you lose almost all the original "bean" flavors and only taste the flavors from the roasting process....
And yeah, idk. Honestly the best bet is try and find yourself a good local roaster and either call them up or stop in and chat with someone working, those guys, if they're worth their salt, will be able to recommend you some specific beans/roasts to fit your palate and also give you much better answers then I can. (And if you do get these thing clarified from a "professional" please post here because I'm confused now too LOL!)
I think you're right. I'm currently using a French press with Peets Espresso Forte, prepared according to Peets recommendation and I can barely taste it. This is why I'm looking for a bean/blend/grind/whatever with more flavor. My taste buds have evidently never recovered from the chemo. I'd give a lot for a cup of coffee that tastes like coffee instead of dishwater.....
But what's the "setup" you've been using?
A Mr Coffee type drip machine, a pourover cone like a Chemex or Melitta, stove top like a Moka pot or vaccuum?
Also, how are you buying your coffee?
Do you buy it from a grocery store, coffee shop, roaster, online, etc?
And do you buy the beans whole and grind them at home or do you buy ground coffee?
Do the bags you get have a "roast date" on them?
Well, to answer your first two questions, I have a French press that I've been using for my coffee and a drip percolator that my child bride uses for hers. She doesn't care for my coffee and doesn't have any problem with her taste buds like I do.
As for buying my coffee, I can buy Peet's Espresso Forte at my local supermarket but I have to order online for their more exotic blends/grinds. The few Peet's outlets in our semi-rural area consist of a few small, kiosk-like shops scattered here and there and they're not allowed to carry the exotics. Must be something to do with the franchise. My online order cost $6 for freight and I'd spend more on gas if I drove to their nearest store where I could buy them.
I buy the espresso already ground and haven't ever looked for a date on the bag. It never occurred to me. I ordered the Aged Sumatra ground for my French press because I wasn't sure what the grind would look like for the press. I have a small grinder but I'd rather try it their way the first time.
It's not a brand, but one of the blends from Peet's. One of the few we can find in stores around here. It's a dark roast.
Ah, so. I can see I've still got a lot of familiarizing to do concerning Peet's. As for buying all the blends, I have your same problem so I have to buy online. Thanks for clarifying the Major Dickason's for me.... I'm looking forward to trying a number of their blends.