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Hello all, it's really very interesting to read and know about your liking for various types of coffee. I am a coffee bean grower, roaster and blender, based in south Karnataka. For over many decades we have seen people trying to brand humble coffee into various blends, mix match grades and create different taste profiles. I would like to share a bit of my knowledge in this line.

Robusta and arabica are the two types grown in my area. Robusta is for bulk coffee - usually for making instant coffee types. Typical rates are around 150 per kg for raw beans. Arabica is premium type bean preferred for roasting and drinking flavour full coffee. Rates start at 200 per kg and goes upto 300 per kg.

Robusta and arabica beans are further graded by size, colour , washed or not. As each step of processing involves labour, so does the rates and flavour.

Coming to blends- a good blend is usually 75% arabica and 25% robusta. The blend is usually a trade secret and once beans are roasted and ground, it is impossible to predict the blend ratio.

Arabica is also called as plantation. We have plantation A, AA, B, C etc grades. This is usually water washed beans ( to remove fruit pulp covering the beans). Unwashed arabica is also called as plantation cherry and one more type of arabica is peaberry. The same grading is also there in robusta beans. Washed robusta is called robusta parchment.

So with so many types of beans being available, it's impossible to arrive at a great tasting blend. Coffee tastes differently on each tounge and taste is greatly influenced by the kind of food eaten prior to the drink. Also, it is impossible to custom roast small quantities say 1 kg. Roaster sizes start at 5 kg and goes upto 25 kg per charge. So,one cannot roast small lots. They wait for the full load and run. This affects the blend.

A very satisfying coffee would be the one with plantation A, cherry AA, plantation peaberry, robusta cherry and robusta peaberry.
Coming to machines, the simplest would be the best. Filter coffee machine and perculator types give fantastic results.
Sorry for a long post. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to write here.

Wonderful thread from the legend.

I've been a coffee drinker for the past 25 years or so, and for around 10 of them I drink black coffee.

As I cannot spend a lot due to financial constraints, in India I do not have a pod or a french press. Its simple Continental instant coffee off Amazon for me. I've tried Grofers inhouse brand and it was bang for the buck for keeping me awake for those long workdays.

Outside of India I buy Robusta and grind beans at the supermarkets here. Planning to get a DeLonghi.

Will never buy a Nespresso because they're extremely expensive for what they offer, and also Nestle is not a company I'd want to support as much as I can (look up their business practices).

I want to start having black coffee without sugar. You seem to be someone who can help me. I want to start with minimal cost to first try. I don't understand dark roast or medium roast and such.
You mentioned instant coffee. Do you have them black without sugar? If yes what Is the ratio of coffee (gms) and water (ml)?

Welcome!
I will be glad to help.

I'd suggest starting with a low cost brand such as Continental.

Continental Speciale Pure Instant Coffee Granules 200gm Pouch https://www.amazon.in/dp/B071W5J8QW/...ing=UTF8&psc=1

Or

Continental Coffee Strong Coffee Powder 1Kg Bag https://www.amazon.in/dp/B06Y637CX6/...ing=UTF8&psc=1

I buy the Strong that comes in a yellow bag. But because its 1 kg (200gm x 5) you could also try buying the Speciale 200gm and checking out the taste before buying in bulk.

Yes I drink it black without sugar. Like a heathen I put a tea spoonful of coffee powder in a medium sized mug, pour room temperature water and nuke it in the microwave at full power for 2 minutes. Or if I'm feeling fancy I boil the water in a kettle and pour in and stir. Coffee powder goes in first, then water, not the other way around.

I have learnt to eyeball it and don't go by gram measures. You could start with one spoonful and experiment with 1.5 spoons or even 0.75 spoon. In the initial days if you can't cut out sugar use Stevia or Sugar Free.

Also ensure you keep the powder in an airtight container preferably one made of glass.

I drink black as it helps with intermittent fasting - which is the same goal that you are looking for.

Once you're used to a particular type of flavour then you can switch from instant powder to beans.

Hey GTO, guess what, today I tried the McDonald's black coffee for the first time, since I read this. I've been using either Wnature Organic roasted or Fresh & Honest House Blend roasted for the past 2 years. A kilo of beans costs around ₹600 from Amazon. I get them ground by kitchen grinder. To me it tastes same as the McDonald's black. I use French press.

Enjoying my new stock of coffee. These from Blue Tokai & Perch. My bro & bhabhi tried it, and instantly ordered the same for their home.

Cool! You're now a convert clap:

I've tried both Sleepy Owl and Blue Tokai. Myriad flavors keep it interesting. I love the South Indian roast. You can try their cold brew as well.

Coffee experts, need a recommendation. I have been on intermittent fasting for many months now, and so I begin the day with a cup of black coffee without sugar. I have always been used to instant coffee all my life, so I have been using the regular Nescafé for my black coffee. And because we are used to the instant coffee powder with chicory added, my wife’s preference is still the age old sunrise or Bru. Somehow both of us have never liked Nescafé with milk.

Anyway, in my mind I have this assumption that for my black coffee I should use the instant powder without chicory. And so we end up buying two brands all the time. Is my assumption right?
Would also be great if folks can suggest an alternative to Nescafé for my black coffee, wouldn’t mind trying something new as long as it doesn’t affect my IF routine.

From my experience with IF and black coffee, black coffee tastes the best when it is 100% pure. This is after using Bru, Nescafe Sunrise and other local brands. So I stick to Nescafe Classic or Bru Gold, which don't have chicory. I have also noticed that Chicory made my coffee acidic and caused bloating too (maybe I am allergic to it).

Among other brands, I am having a very good time with Davidoff now - Rich Aroma and Crema Intense (this is my favourite!)

I also got packs from Blue Tokai and beans from Columbian Brew Coffee, but I prefer the instant coffees from Davidoff and Nescafe.

Thanks, so I shall continue to stick to Nescafé for now. Will try some of the other brands you have suggested as well.

Now that you like this, I would suggest you to invest in a good grinder (Commandante MK4). Grinding beans release a wonderful aroma and will really elevate your daily experience. In addition, get hold of a plastic V60 (from Benki Brewing or Blu tokai) - costs around INR 500-600 but I promise you will never go back to any other form of coffee.

Specialty coffee is traditionally enjoyed with lighter roasts and black so V60 or Chemex is the way to go.

On a side note: Do watch PourOver/V60 videos by James Hoffman.

Coffee is an expensive hobby, and a rabbit hole if you want to explore clap:. I got started in 2020 but glad I did. From a full leaf Darjeeling tea drinker, I am now a coffee drinker. Planning to take a SCA approved coffee taster test soon.

Came here to write about Blue tokai. Glad to see it is already covered. Their Vienna roast is awesome.

Other notable brands for me are

ID filter coffee liquid: Convienent and economical way to get a decent filter coffee if you get bored of coffee from office vending machine. It's a shame that mainstream coffee brands never explored this option. In my opinion a small scale plant can be set up in less than 50 lakhs.

MC Cafe: Better than mainstream coffee shops

Tried Slay coffee and never buying it again.

I got the Davidoff Espresso bottle for INR515/- and tried it yesterday.
It's surprisingly awesome. Thanks to all the BHPians who recommended it. :thumbs up

- Slick

I get my filter coffee fix from a local coffee grinder here. Mix up Peaberry and Plantation beans and it's been hard to replace.

It's around Rs.400 for 500gms.

Tried Black reaper (not so great) and Seven Beans Coffee (Pretty good).

If I am feeling generous, might try this Blue Tokai sometime :)

For my black coffee (no sugar of course), it's always been Nescafe (The imported ones. Either classic or Gold). World of difference between the imported and desi ones. Really like their extra forte coffee. Made in Brazil I think.

Davidoff is also good but stopped when they hiked up prices all the way to Rs.800+ for a mere 100gms!

I see you have mentioned that you never liked Nescafe with Milk while I am on the other end of spectrum wherein I drink coffee only with Milk. I also do IF and just yesterday, I tried to have black coffee for the first time. The coffee is a brand which my cousin bought from his recent trip of Coorg. I did not like it at all (black, with milk it is ok for me). I know people say it is acquired taste.
The usual instant coffee I have at home is either Tata Grande, Nescafe or Grofer's Inhouse Brand. Do you think that with Nescafe, I may be able to develop taste for sugarless black coffee. I too don't want my IF to break but reaching 16 hours without anything really is difficult (I recently restarted IF) especially with WFH.
Also the Nescafe you are using is classic or some other variant?