AARoads Forum

As I was making coffee for myself this morning I thought of asking forum members about their coffee intake (or lack thereof)

I drink between 2 and 4 cups a day, depending on how early I've had to awaken or how cold it is outside.

I'm not much of a Starbucks fiend, per se; I'll buy a bag for home use, but other than occasional splurge for the expense account, I wouldn't normally justify $4 for a cup of coffee.

I always put plenty of milk and sugar in mine! :coffee:

I can't stand the taste of coffee. How is it that people can become addicted to that vile swill?

Quote from: formulanone on August 10, 2014, 04:51:33 PM
I'm not much of a Starbucks fiend, per se; I'll buy a bag for home use, but other than occasional splurge for the expense account, I wouldn't normally justify $4 for a cup of coffee.

To each their own.  I personally don't like Starbucks, too bitter, IMO.  I won't even drink it for free, I certainly wouldn't pay $4 for a cup of it.

I like it, but I like it straight and black. I'll drink a latte if I absolutely have to, but I don't like any real flavoring. I don't drink it very often though- only when it is presented to me or if I'm somewhere where it's easily available. I average maybe a cup a week. I don't keep it on hand at home.

I like coffee.  I drink a cup most days.  I don't care for Starbucks coffee either.  For me its either Tim's, or McDonald's.

I always drink it strictly black, unless you don't consider iced coffee black. I drink iced coffee in the summer after I go for a two-mile walk in the morning if I feel like it's too warm for hot coffee.

Once upon a time I drank coffee during the day but I quit because the caffeine had no effect on me. Quitting was BRUTAL because I went cold turkey. The headaches were borderline incapacitating. Once I weaned myself off it I allowed myself to have it in the mornings only at breakfast time unless I wanted decaf after dinner. I will occasionally have regular at times other than breakfast when I need a kick to keep me awake, such as driving late into the night or watching a Capitals west coast game that starts at 10 or 10:30 PM.

I get headaches if I don't have a cup; quitting before my kids were born was less difficult for Thing 1, but certainly more tricky for Thing 2...probably had three cups of Earl Gray or green tea to counterbalance things.

Quote from: Duke87 on August 10, 2014, 04:56:53 PM
I can't stand the taste of coffee. How is it that people can become addicted to that vile swill?

It's an acquired taste, like beer or alcohol. I think people put up with the flavor enough for its benefits, although I confess the smell of coffee is an attention-getter. Put enough sugar or cream in it (to one's liking), and it's not much more different than hot chocolate.

On the other hand, I've gotten used to energy drinks, which seem to range from overly-sweet to putrid to vile.

I drink it occasionally but not daily. I do enjoy coffee but I have to have at least a little sugar and cream in it, and I also really like iced coffee. I usually if not always drink it in the morning.

I've had a cup of coffee every morning for about 2 years now. I used to have cream and sugar, but I've slowly weaned myself off so now I drink it black, mainly to save time.

I ticked 'I drink it all day long' as the best fit, but usually I drink tea in the afternoon (and occasionally evening) unless at a restaurant/coffee shop, and often drink tea in the mid-morning instead of coffee if I'm out.

The next option down is about drinking it for the caffeine, which I do very rarely (except maybe first thing in the morning) - I'm happy with decaf, though I prefer the taste of the non-decaffeinated coffee in my house (though both are 'swill' instant that Brits have developed a taste for even if they know its bad). Then options are about increasing rarity of drinking it that apply even less.

I chose 'I normally only drink it when I wake up', because the morning cup of coffee is the only definite in my routine. I typically make a cup at home and bring it to work. I will more often than not have an afternoon cup at work, and sometimes have a 2nd morning cup. On the weekends it's a single cup with breakfast, and an occasional iced coffee later in the day during the warmer weather.

I had some throat issues a few years back where I was ordered to not drink coffee for a month. Those were pretty brutal work days.

I only started drinking it about 7 years ago or so.  And really, I only drink one cup (14 - 20 ounces or so) when I get to work - just cream, no sugar - and it takes me about 2 or 3 hours to drink it.  Weekends I don't even think about it, unless I'm up early to go do something. 

I don't drink coffee at all. I tried it when I was a teen and absolutely did not like it. I like the smell, but not the taste.

Diet Coke is my drink of choice for all occasions, and I don't even have to have the caffeinated version. The caffeine-free version works perfectly fine for me.

I never understood why coffee is considered an adult drink.  Pop, iced tea and hot tea were all considered acceptable drinks for kids when I was a kid, but coffee was something that only adults drank.

Quote from: hbelkins on August 11, 2014, 12:29:22 PM
I don't drink coffee at all. I tried it when I was a teen and absolutely did not like it. I like the smell, but not the taste.

Likewise.  Walking down the coffee aisle is pleasant, but having a sip of it is just disgusting.   X-(  Now, hot chocolate on the other hand...  :cool:

Quote from: formulanone on August 10, 2014, 07:06:45 PM

Quote from: Duke87 on August 10, 2014, 04:56:53 PMI can't stand the taste of coffee. How is it that people can become addicted to that vile swill?

It's an acquired taste, like beer or alcohol. I think people put up with the flavor enough for its benefits, although I confess the smell of coffee is an attention-getter. Put enough sugar or cream in it (to one's liking), and it's not much more different than hot chocolate.

I don't think it's solely a matter of becoming habituated to the taste of coffee in general; the type of coffee matters.  It is much easier to pick up a liking for a good medium-roasted 100% arabica coffee of defined ethnic origin (I quite like Ethiopian coffees, but have to settle for Colombian because that is the easiest to find in the midwestern US) than the trash Folgers or Maxwell House puts out, which is cut beyond rescue with cheap robusta beans.

Personally, I limit myself to one cup of coffee a day, brewed immediately after waking in a stovetop espresso maker and drunk with milk (2% fat) and no sugar.  To take care of coffee breath, which is by far the most irritating aspect of being a coffee drinker, I follow it with a very small amount (just one swallow) of orange juice.  If I need a pick-me-up in the afternoon, which happens once or twice a month, I usually fix myself a cup of Earl Grey.  I have always been a fairly light sleeper, but have become more so with age, so I have a rule of never drinking a caffeinated beverage after four PM.

Quote from: hbelkins on August 11, 2014, 12:29:22 PM
I never understood why coffee is considered an adult drink.  Pop, iced tea and hot tea were all considered acceptable drinks for kids when I was a kid, but coffee was something that only adults drank.

Probably because some children cannot handle high doses of caffeine, but one the other hand, I suppose they also get a tolerance for it. I've seen children drink coffee and/or cappuccino and they didn't turn into uncontrollable monsters. Some adults tell me they have little to no reaction to caffeine, so they don't bother with coffee. My kids haven't had anything stronger than iced tea, and they've never even had soda or Coke yet...they definitely show a reaction to too much sugar, though.

Quote from: J N Winkler on August 11, 2014, 01:35:46 PM
I don't think it's solely a matter of becoming habituated to the taste of coffee in general; the type of coffee matters.  It is much easier to pick up a liking for a good medium-roasted 100% arabica coffee of defined ethnic origin (I quite like Ethiopian coffees, but have to settle for Colombian because that is the easiest to find in the midwestern US) than the trash Folgers or Maxwell House puts out, which is cut beyond rescue with cheap robusta beans.

I drank Maxwell House when I was a teenager...but yeah, once I discovered smoother (and more potent) blends coffee houses, it really does make a difference. Not sure if it was tolerance to general flavor of coffee, in the first place or not.

my wife does.  she has a cup every morning, like clockwork.

I can take it or leave it.  if she offers to make me a cup, I'll take it.  but I've never gone out of my way to seek coffee.

Quote from: formulanone on August 11, 2014, 08:38:06 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on August 11, 2014, 12:29:22 PM
I never understood why coffee is considered an adult drink.  Pop, iced tea and hot tea were all considered acceptable drinks for kids when I was a kid, but coffee was something that only adults drank.

Probably because some children cannot handle high doses of caffeine, but one the other hand, I suppose they also get a tolerance for it. I've seen children drink coffee and/or cappuccino and they didn't turn into uncontrollable monsters. Some adults tell me they have little to no reaction to caffeine, so they don't bother with coffee. My kids haven't had anything stronger than iced tea, and they've never even had soda or Coke yet...they definitely show a reaction to too much sugar, though.

The caffeine concentration in a cup of coffee is far greater than in tea or coke.

Quote

Quote from: J N Winkler on August 11, 2014, 01:35:46 PM
I don't think it's solely a matter of becoming habituated to the taste of coffee in general; the type of coffee matters.  It is much easier to pick up a liking for a good medium-roasted 100% arabica coffee of defined ethnic origin (I quite like Ethiopian coffees, but have to settle for Colombian because that is the easiest to find in the midwestern US) than the trash Folgers or Maxwell House puts out, which is cut beyond rescue with cheap robusta beans.

I drank Maxwell House when I was a teenager...but yeah, once I discovered smoother (and more potent) blends coffee houses, it really does make a difference. Not sure if it was tolerance to general flavor of coffee, in the first place or not.

It's not impossible for me to stomach Maxwell House.  When you're cold and tired it's still coffee when there's no substitute.  What I can't do is instant, something I probably last had 15 years ago in England, where they can't be blamed for not knowing better.

Coffee is an adult drink due to the bitter taste - children don't like that. Of course, you can stuff it full of sugar, but then that makes it worse for kids.

I was 19, I think, before I re-tried coffee (having tried it on-and-off until at about 14/15 I just gave up) and liked it. Before then I was a tea drinker, with more brewing time, less milk/sugar as I got older: when I was 5 or 6 it would have been weak tea with lots of milk, then as I had it like my dad would have it after a couple of years, I had to put sugar in. When I was about 15/16 I was drinking it strong and black. I prefer strong and slightly white now, not least as it doesn't stain my teeth, or the mugs, as much.

We do know better than instant, though I have acquired a taste for it, and find that mediocre proper coffee tastes OK, but is missing something to what I'm used to, so I'd prefer the (decent-for-instant) instant coffee I have.

I tried coffee once when I was a teen.  Couldn't stand the taste, and I've never drunk it since.  However, I generally like the smell of good coffee, except for any of the "fancy" or "speciality" blends (there's one Dunks blend that screams "putrid liquid choclate chip cookies" to me every time I smell it).

And I could never figure out the appeal of iced coffee.  Coffee is supposed to be a hot drink, not a cold one.

Quote from: roadman on August 12, 2014, 12:06:55 PM
And I could never figure out the appeal of iced coffee.  Coffee is supposed to be a hot drink, not a cold one.

The taste of iced coffee is a bit different. It has something more sugary, not as strong a taste as hot coffee. Maybe because they add more milk or because the ice cubes dilute it.

Quote from: roadman on August 12, 2014, 12:06:55 PMHowever, I generally like the smell of good coffee, except for any of the "fancy" or "speciality" blends (there's one Dunks blend that screams "putrid liquid choclate chip cookies" to me every time I smell it).

Artificially flavored coffees are a curse--they taste fairly horrid and take up supermarket shelf space that could be given to better-quality coffees.

Quote from: Ren97 on August 12, 2014, 12:21:14 PM

Quote from: roadman on August 12, 2014, 12:06:55 PM
And I could never figure out the appeal of iced coffee.  Coffee is supposed to be a hot drink, not a cold one.

The taste of iced coffee is a bit different. It has something more sugary, not as strong a taste as hot coffee. Maybe because they add more milk or because the ice cubes dilute it.

Good cold-brewed iced coffee is a revelation. I think there are people that like neither hot nor iced who would find a good cold brew quite palatable.  It avoids so much of the bitterness that's typical of most coffee. I always have to remind myself to use very little sugar in it, because it almost tastes sweet to begin with.

Is it bad to drink soda instead of coffee for a caffeine fix? Well, actually I mostly just drink soda because it tastes so damn good, but I'm not much of a coffee person so it helps when I need a fix up.

Quote from: Zeffy on August 12, 2014, 02:15:26 PM
Is it bad to drink soda instead of coffee for a caffeine fix? Well, actually I mostly just drink soda because it tastes so damn good, but I'm not much of a coffee person so it helps when I need a fix up.

I drink Red Bull if I am planning on exceeding my normal awakeness and alertness requirements.  this is mainly on the weekends during long road trips.  other times I drink hardly any caffeine so that I don't build up a tolerance, and said Red Bull has an effect.

Quote from: Zeffy on August 12, 2014, 02:15:26 PM
Is it bad to drink soda instead of coffee for a caffeine fix? Well, actually I mostly just drink soda because it tastes so damn good, but I'm not much of a coffee person so it helps when I need a fix up.

If it's not water, it's probably bad for you.  Or good for you.  Depends on the latest study.  BTW water may be bad for you too. Depends on the latest study.

But when it comes down to it, however one keeps awake is a personal preference.  I prefer 5 Hour Energy Drinks if I need to be up late at night driving; Red Bull & Vodka if I want to be up late at night partying.

I've drink way too much Coca-Cola in my life to know I shouldn't be drinking it anymore. But I still do.  On a side note...I have both the Jeff & Nicole Coke "Share a Coke with" Bottles.

I generally drink tea.  Black teas, Earl Grey or Assam or Darjeeling.
I only drink coffee to keep awake if I'm at some roadside convenience store that doesn't have decent tea (water not at a full boil, lousy tea).

Quote from: jeffandnicole on August 12, 2014, 02:58:55 PM

Quote from: Zeffy on August 12, 2014, 02:15:26 PM
Is it bad to drink soda instead of coffee for a caffeine fix? Well, actually I mostly just drink soda because it tastes so damn good, but I'm not much of a coffee person so it helps when I need a fix up.

If it's not water, it's probably bad for you.  Or good for you.  Depends on the latest study.  BTW water may be bad for you too. Depends on the latest study.

But when it comes down to it, however one keeps awake is a personal preference.  I prefer 5 Hour Energy Drinks if I need to be up late at night driving; Red Bull & Vodka if I want to be up late at night partying.

I've drink way too much Coca-Cola in my life to know I shouldn't be drinking it anymore. But I still do.  On a side note...I have both the Jeff & Nicole Coke "Share a Coke with" Bottles.

I can't see how water could possibly be bad for you in the slightest way. But I drink A LOT of soda. As I said earlier in the thread, I drink coffee occasionally but not daily, but I drink soda A LOT. Now I do know that clearly isn't too good for you, lol, but I still drink it a good bit, but I need to decrease the amount I drink. Other drinks I drink a lot (water & soda being obvious drinks I drink the most) are coffee, sweet tea, chi tea (or however you spell it), any kind of juice, hot chocolate, etc. I am actually not a huge fan of milk but I like chocolate milk. I also like energy drinks, drinking Gatorade the most.

If I really need some caffeine to stay awake for whatever reason, I'll either drink a soda with caffeine (like Coke or Dr. Pepper) or just some coffee.

Quote from: Captain Edward Smith
I can't see how water could possibly be bad for you in the slightest way.

Quote from: agentsteel53 on August 12, 2014, 05:23:33 PM

Quote from: Captain Edward Smith
I can't see how water could possibly be bad for you in the slightest way.

I think it's clear that it was drinking water that was under discussion, not running your boat into it when it's frozen.

I was once a daily coffee drinker, but circumstances have made it so I only drink it once in a while now. When I have it with breakfast, I drink it black, although I do like lattes on occasion (caramel and mocha being my favorite flavors).

I use coffee as a tool, to wake up or become more alert, more often at work, but sometimes at home, too. Until very recently I drank Diet Mountain Dew for the caffeine; living in Texas, I wanted a cold beverage except for those rare days or weeks of winter. I have just found a cold brew coffee that I enjoy both iced and hot, enough so that I have really cut down my consumption of diet soda. [Is it bad to drink soda? Dietary phosphorus can leach calcium out of the bones, making them more brittle. The kidneys are definitely more efficient and effective with a certain amount of free water intake. Several studies have shown links between obesity and diet soft drink consumption. I think the real answer is probably moderation in everything.] I don't take sugar or sweeteners, but I do add a little unsweetened almond milk more often than not. Most of the commercial iced coffee beverages have added sugar, sometimes a lot - caveat emptor.

Edited to add: For enjoyment, I drink tea, both iced and hot; black, green, white, herb ....

Quote from: Zeffy on August 12, 2014, 02:15:26 PM
Is it bad to drink soda instead of coffee for a caffeine fix? Well, actually I mostly just drink soda because it tastes so damn good, but I'm not much of a coffee person so it helps when I need a fix up.

If you think the equivalent of 15 teaspoons of sugar in a 20-oz. bottle isn't bad, then no, it's not bad.

I stopped drinking soda because it just seemed silly to funnel nutritionless sugar into my body in huge quantities, and as for all the sugar substitute chemicals, well, no thank you to all that nonsense.

Coffee may or may not be good for you.  Soda pretty much isn't.

I don't drink coffee. Actually there isn't much I drink. I don't drink soda, don't like tea very much (I'll drink iced tea though), and stopped drinking milk (except with cereal) when I hit 20. Mostly just water and juice for me.

I don't like coffee outside of Frappuccinos that you buy chilled in the store.

I only like one energy drink, the store brand at the store where I work.

Diet coke is poison and should be avoided at all cost.

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on August 12, 2014, 05:13:33 PM

Quote from: jeffandnicole on August 12, 2014, 02:58:55 PM

Quote from: Zeffy on August 12, 2014, 02:15:26 PM
Is it bad to drink soda instead of coffee for a caffeine fix? Well, actually I mostly just drink soda because it tastes so damn good, but I'm not much of a coffee person so it helps when I need a fix up.

If it's not water, it's probably bad for you.  Or good for you.  Depends on the latest study.  BTW water may be bad for you too. Depends on the latest study.

But when it comes down to it, however one keeps awake is a personal preference.  I prefer 5 Hour Energy Drinks if I need to be up late at night driving; Red Bull & Vodka if I want to be up late at night partying.

I've drink way too much Coca-Cola in my life to know I shouldn't be drinking it anymore. But I still do.  On a side note...I have both the Jeff & Nicole Coke "Share a Coke with" Bottles.

I can't see how water could possibly be bad for you in the slightest way.

Depends if it's treated or not.  If you've traveled to some other areas and been told don't drink the water...there's probably a reason why.  It may not kill you...but may keep you on the toilet for a while.

There's other issues as well - whether it contains too much fluoride, etc.  Again, it's not going to kill you, just like soda and coffee ain't going to kill the average person either.  But to consider it 100% healthy may not be absolutely correct.

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 02:42:21 PM
Diet coke is poison and should be avoided at all cost.

I know it's not really that great for you, but what do you mean by "poison", poison being a strong word. If you mean literal poison then that's not good at all, as I have had my share of diet cokes, not a lot, but I've had my share  :eyebrow: :-o :paranoid: :bang head:

Quote from: jeffandnicole on August 14, 2014, 02:47:35 PM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on August 12, 2014, 05:13:33 PM

Quote from: jeffandnicole on August 12, 2014, 02:58:55 PM

Quote from: Zeffy on August 12, 2014, 02:15:26 PM
Is it bad to drink soda instead of coffee for a caffeine fix? Well, actually I mostly just drink soda because it tastes so damn good, but I'm not much of a coffee person so it helps when I need a fix up.

If it's not water, it's probably bad for you.  Or good for you.  Depends on the latest study.  BTW water may be bad for you too. Depends on the latest study.

But when it comes down to it, however one keeps awake is a personal preference.  I prefer 5 Hour Energy Drinks if I need to be up late at night driving; Red Bull & Vodka if I want to be up late at night partying.

I've drink way too much Coca-Cola in my life to know I shouldn't be drinking it anymore. But I still do.  On a side note...I have both the Jeff & Nicole Coke "Share a Coke with" Bottles.

I can't see how water could possibly be bad for you in the slightest way.

Depends if it's treated or not.  If you've traveled to some other areas and been told don't drink the water...there's probably a reason why.  It may not kill you...but may keep you on the toilet for a while.

There's other issues as well - whether it contains too much fluoride, etc.  Again, it's not going to kill you, just like soda and coffee ain't going to kill the average person either.  But to consider it 100% healthy may not be absolutely correct.

^ that sounds about right. But generally when I think of "water" absolutely nothing unhealthy comes to mind.

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on August 14, 2014, 03:24:25 PM

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 02:42:21 PM
Diet coke is poison and should be avoided at all cost.

I know it's not really that great for you, but what do you mean by "poison", poison being a strong word.

There's a very vocal anti-Aspartame crowd out there.

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on August 14, 2014, 03:24:25 PM
Diet coke is poison and should be avoided at all cost.

Aspartame is a toxin and can cause adverse reactions.  If you support aspartame, do some research on the approval process for aspartame.  Donald Rumsfeld had a lot to do with it, if that tells you anything.

Quote from: hbelkins on August 14, 2014, 04:00:20 PM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on August 14, 2014, 03:24:25 PM

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 02:42:21 PM
Diet coke is poison and should be avoided at all cost.

I know it's not really that great for you, but what do you mean by "poison", poison being a strong word.

There's a very vocal anti-Aspartame crowd out there.

Rightfully so.  The shit ruined my mom's health and the health of my friend's mother too.

Too much water can be a bad thing.  Ecstasy users are warned to drink water, but not too much as either can be bad for you.  Ecstasy rarely does permanent damage, but drinking too little or too much water when you take it can kill.

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 06:47:01 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on August 14, 2014, 04:00:20 PM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on August 14, 2014, 03:24:25 PM

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 02:42:21 PM
Diet coke is poison and should be avoided at all cost.

I know it's not really that great for you, but what do you mean by "poison", poison being a strong word.

There's a very vocal anti-Aspartame crowd out there.

Rightfully so.  The shit ruined my mom's health and the health of my friend's mother too.

Sorry about your mom & your friend's mother. I will try to stay away from diet coke and other diet drinks. Usually when I drink soda I just drink regular soda, and that's not too good for you either so I'll have to cut down on soda at all. Good thing we have coffee  :bigass:

I usually avoid coffee. Not a big fan of the taste.

When I lived in New England, I was probably the only one to go to Dunkin for the donuts and not coffee.

I'm not a fan of coffee. I like the smell of it though.

I actually like the carbonation of pop, and if I drank as much regular pop as I do Diet Coke, I'd weigh a lot more than I do now.

Walmart and Dollar General have some flavored zero-calorie carbonated waters. I'm not a fan of drinking regular water and don't want the empty calories of regular pop. No one around here carries the Splenda version of Diet Coke. So I guess I'll take my chances with aspertame.

LOL @ "pop".  Pop is a type of music or a small explosion to me.  I've lived in Oklahoma and laugh every time I hear somebody say "pop".  "Pop" sounds cheap and low quality, like the Walmart brand of cola.  Quality soft drinks shouldn't be called "pop".

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 10:06:20 PM
LOL @ "pop".  Pop is a type of music or a small explosion to me.  I've lived in Oklahoma and laugh every time I hear somebody say "pop".  "Pop" sounds cheap and low quality, like the Walmart brand of cola.  Quality soft drinks shouldn't be called "pop".

Lol "pop" does kind of sound low-quality but oddly the word "pop" sounds appetizing to me, so on the other hand it really makes me want a soda right now  :wow:

Been drinking seltzer over regular soda as long as I can remember.  There's always something in the fridge to put a splash of in it if flavor's an issue.  Hundreds of calories avoided, lots of helpful rehydration accomplished.  It ruined Sprite for me, but I do like the rare glass of coke or root beer as a treat.  I also appreciate a good ginger ale much more now than when I was a kid (because it vaguely hints at booze?). 

In terms of where it fits in my life, soda's like cake–absurdly sweet, a nice break, and definitely something I don't need frequently.  Even Cookie Monster concluded cookies are a "sometimes food."

Quote from: kkt on August 12, 2014, 04:07:32 PMI generally drink tea.  Black teas, Earl Grey or Assam or Darjeeling.

English Breakfast? Or is that not quality enough?

Assam drunk properly, with a splash of milk?

QuoteI only drink coffee to keep awake if I'm at some roadside convenience store that doesn't have decent tea (water not at a full boil, lousy tea).

I've never understood the lack of kettles in the US. Surely you'll need boiling water easily for purposes that aren't tea?

As for lousy tea - it seems the sweepings need to go somewhere (other than creating caffeine for RedBull, etc), I guess. You can, in the UK, at least, somewhat hide lower-quality tea (of store-own economy brand type, not non-premium tea like PG Tips or Typhoo and even normal store-bought stuff is of a drinkable quality) by brewing it longer. But in the US, people don't know how to make tea properly in the first place, let alone how to hide cheapness.

In the US, due to the lower demand, the quality of tea will be less in the places where price is the key concern, and the price will be higher where quality is the main concern. In the UK, cheap tea isn't of too-bad a quality, as each store-chain can shift a couple of million teabags of their cheap tea a month (or week with bigger chains), and so the bulk discount pushes the quality up, while keeping the 1c/bag cost. Normal store-brand tea is 2c/bag, PG tips is about 4c/bag and more expensive brands 5 or 6c/bag, premium tea is a lot more.

Quote from: DesertDog on August 15, 2014, 05:25:40 AM

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 06:44:55 PM

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on August 14, 2014, 03:24:25 PM
Diet coke is poison and should be avoided at all cost.

Aspartame is a toxin and can cause adverse reactions.  If you support aspartame, do some research on the approval process for aspartame.  Donald Rumsfeld had a lot to do with it, if that tells you anything.

I miss being able to pick up sugar cane filled Coke "Mexi-cola" and various other "pop" (I'm getting shit about that again now that I'm on east coast once more) that were available along the border that people would bring up from Mexico.  The Feds can try to convince me all day that high fructose corn syrup tastes the same....it doesn't and I can't stand the taste of regular non-diet pop because of it.  It's an interesting history of tariffs on sugar and gradual corporate shut downs that led all this "fructose" crap being used due it being cheap.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Coke

It's widely available up here.

Quote from: english si on August 15, 2014, 06:48:43 AMI've never understood the lack of kettles in the US. Surely you'll need boiling water easily for purposes that aren't tea?

But in the US, people don't know how to make tea properly in the first place, let alone how to hide cheapness.

Brace yourself: I'll put a cup of purified water in a microwave oven for 60-75 seconds, put a tea bag in it, and call it a drink 2-5 minutes later. I'll steep it to how I want it, sometimes light or sometimes strong, and drink it without anything added to it.

QuoteIn the US, due to the lower demand, the quality of tea will be less in the places where price is the key concern, and the price will be higher where quality is the main concern.

The Bigelow brand seems to be my favorite, and it seems to be popular in markets and hotels around America, but I know tea as I know most things...with generally limited experience and exposure. ;) It's something I will have as an evening pick-me-up when it's cold outside or if I have a sore throat.

Quote from: Pete from Boston on August 15, 2014, 07:16:16 AM
It's widely available up here.

Its popularity has spread a lot in the past few years. It used to be something I could only find in some of the bodegas and convenience stores in Miami-Dade, but I've noticed it lately in nearly every C-store and even Wal-Marts.

Quote from: formulanone on August 15, 2014, 07:51:41 AMBrace yourself: I'll put a cup of purified water in a microwave oven for 60-75 seconds, put a tea bag in it, and call it a drink 2-5 minutes later. I'll steep it to how I want it, sometimes light or sometimes strong, and drink it without anything added to it.

The microwave is poor - a stove would be better, though more awkward. Everything else is reasonable, if not my preference.

Given the difficult of getting a decent bubbling boil in the microwave (I've just tried it), water onto teabag, rather than teabag into water, will help get the air in there helping the infusion and speeding up the process.

mmmmm......  :coffee: :coffee: coffee  :coffee: :coffee:

Quote from: english si on August 15, 2014, 06:48:43 AMAssam drunk properly, with a splash of milk?

I can't answer for the person you were replying to, but that is how I have drunk Assam in the past.  I have invariably brewed it from bags, however--I've never been one for loose tea.

QuoteI've never understood the lack of kettles in the US. Surely you'll need boiling water easily for purposes that aren't tea?

Things have changed somewhat in the US.  Fifteen years ago, electric kettles were so rare that I never actually laid eyes on one until I moved to the UK.  Ten years ago, you could buy small electric kettles at supermarkets, but instead of automatic shutoff (a feature British kettles have had for at least two decades), they had steam whistles to let you know when the water was at a full boil, which made them almost impossible to use without disturbing other people in a household.  The standard advice at that time was to mail-order electric kettles from Canada, where they were somewhat more popular owing to the Anglophilia of English-speaking Canadians and usually had the standard features of British kettles.

Nowadays you can go to a big-box retailer like Bed Bath and Beyond, or even an extra-large supermarket (typically located on greenfield sites near post-1980 suburban subdivisions) whose selection runs to white goods as well as food, and find a selection of electric kettles that are effectively indistinguishable from ones you can buy in the UK:  automatic shutoff, 1.7-L maximum capacity, etc.

I suspect electric kettles have increased in popularity in the US as Americans have become more health-conscious and have come to realize that they are quite convenient for brewing teas or infusions which are now encouraged for health reasons, such as green tea, chamomile tea, mint tea, etc.  But they are still nowhere near as ubiquitous here as they are in the UK.  Tea-drinking is one of the few great commonalities of British life--all classes drink it and own electric kettles to brew it, while in the US "proper" tea (as opposed to sweet tea and suchlike nonsense) hasn't quite broken out of the middle-class, Whole Foods demographic.

Instead, the position of tea here is comparable to the position of coffee in the UK, which now has many coffee sophisticates but no embedded culture of coffee drinking.  Ironically enough, this is reflected in the types of devices that are used in both countries.  Americans like to brag about not having just electric kettles, but fully automated digital kettles with customizable shutoffs which will heat water to a preset temperature and then hold it there, cycling on and off as necessary.  British people talk about cafetières, stovetop espresso makers, filter-funnel-and-jar brewing, and so on, which is apt to confuse the great bulk of American coffee drinkers who have never actually used anything but an electrically operated drip coffeemaker.

QuoteAs for lousy tea - it seems the sweepings need to go somewhere (other than creating caffeine for RedBull, etc), I guess. You can, in the UK, at least, somewhat hide lower-quality tea (of store-own economy brand type, not non-premium tea like PG Tips or Typhoo and even normal store-bought stuff is of a drinkable quality) by brewing it longer. But in the US, people don't know how to make tea properly in the first place, let alone how to hide cheapness.

A longtime rule of thumb in the UK (which I suspect still holds true) is that tea should never be ordered in restaurants because the tea supplied to the catering trade consists almost entirely of low-quality sweepings.

QuoteIn the US, due to the lower demand, the quality of tea will be less in the places where price is the key concern, and the price will be higher where quality is the main concern. In the UK, cheap tea isn't of too-bad a quality, as each store-chain can shift a couple of million teabags of their cheap tea a month (or week with bigger chains), and so the bulk discount pushes the quality up, while keeping the 1c/bag cost. Normal store-brand tea is 2c/bag, PG tips is about 4c/bag and more expensive brands 5 or 6c/bag, premium tea is a lot more.

I think this distinction has more to do with food culture and market structure than it does with the effects a broad consumption base has on price.  There is a similar distinction between US and UK supermarkets with regard to coffee.  I have never seen artificially flavored coffee in a British supermarket, let alone the trash Folgers and Maxwell House make for coffee bulk-buyers.  Instead, Sainsburys has basically two lines of preground coffee, typically sold in (approximate) half-pound bags--one line consisting of "cultural" blended coffees that are differentiated largely by depth of roast, fineness of grind, and added ingredients (Italian, French with chicory, Viennese, etc.), and the other consisting of straight-up medium-roasted unblended coffees of defined ethnic origin, rated according to caffeine strength (Kenyan, Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Colombian, Ethiopian Sidamo, Javanese, etc.).

In a medium-sized British city like Oxford, you wouldn't necessarily expect to see this kind of selection in a Tesco, for example, since Sainsburys is slightly more upscale than Tesco.  But in a medium-sized American city like Wichita, which has essentially only one dedicated supermarket chain (Dillons, part of the Kroger octopus) and is only just now getting its first Whole Foods store, you need to go to specialists for this kind of selection, such as the Spice Merchant, a specialist coffee roaster in Old Town, or a small store that caters specifically to British expats (of which Wichita has a few owing to Hawker).

Quote from: english si on August 15, 2014, 06:48:43 AM

Quote from: kkt on August 12, 2014, 04:07:32 PMI generally drink tea.  Black teas, Earl Grey or Assam or Darjeeling.

English Breakfast? Or is that not quality enough?

English Breakfast is a style, not tightly defined.  Anyone can make a blend of black teas and call it English Breakfast.  Some are very good.

Quote
Assam drunk properly, with a splash of milk?

I'm unconventional and don't put milk in it.  Or sugar.  Drunk without them it's very important not to let it steep too long.  4:30 is perfect.

Quote

QuoteI only drink coffee to keep awake if I'm at some roadside convenience store that doesn't have decent tea (water not at a full boil, lousy tea).

I've never understood the lack of kettles in the US. Surely you'll need boiling water easily for purposes that aren't tea?

As for lousy tea - it seems the sweepings need to go somewhere (other than creating caffeine for RedBull, etc), I guess. You can, in the UK, at least, somewhat hide lower-quality tea (of store-own economy brand type, not non-premium tea like PG Tips or Typhoo and even normal store-bought stuff is of a drinkable quality) by brewing it longer. But in the US, people don't know how to make tea properly in the first place, let alone how to hide cheapness.

I don't care what happens to the sweepings as long as they don't end up in my tea.
There are some U.S. places that can make tea property, but you're right that it's not nearly as much part of the culture here.  Big cities might have a couple of tea rooms.

Quote
In the US, due to the lower demand, the quality of tea will be less in the places where price is the key concern, and the price will be higher where quality is the main concern. In the UK, cheap tea isn't of too-bad a quality, as each store-chain can shift a couple of million teabags of their cheap tea a month (or week with bigger chains), and so the bulk discount pushes the quality up, while keeping the 1c/bag cost. Normal store-brand tea is 2c/bag, PG tips is about 4c/bag and more expensive brands 5 or 6c/bag, premium tea is a lot more.

My feeling is tea of all grades is more expensive here, because it doesn't move as quickly and therefore needs a higher price to cover costs.

Quote from: J N Winkler on August 15, 2014, 10:58:49 AM

Quote from: english si on August 15, 2014, 06:48:43 AMAssam drunk properly, with a splash of milk?

I can't answer for the person you were replying to, but that is how I have drunk Assam in the past.  I have invariably brewed it from bags, however--I've never been one for loose tea.

QuoteI've never understood the lack of kettles in the US. Surely you'll need boiling water easily for purposes that aren't tea?

Things have changed somewhat in the US.  Fifteen years ago, electric kettles were so rare that I never actually laid eyes on one until I moved to the UK.

Hm, I've kept an electric kettle on my desk at work for much longer than that.  They've been available at five and dime stores.  The electric kettle is for convenience at work, at home I use a tea kettle that sits on a burner of the stove.

Quote
Ten years ago, you could buy small electric kettles at supermarkets, but instead of automatic shutoff (a feature British kettles have had for at least two decades), they had steam whistles to let you know when the water was at a full boil, which made them almost impossible to use without disturbing other people in a household.

I've never seen an electric kettle that didn't have an automatic shutoff.  Most stovetop kettles whistle, though some don't or else allow the whistle to be turned off.

Quote
The standard advice at that time was to mail-order electric kettles from Canada, where they were somewhat more popular owing to the Anglophilia of English-speaking Canadians and usually had the standard features of British kettles.

Nowadays you can go to a big-box retailer like Bed Bath and Beyond, or even an extra-large supermarket (typically located on greenfield sites near post-1980 suburban subdivisions) whose selection runs to white goods as well as food, and find a selection of electric kettles that are effectively indistinguishable from ones you can buy in the UK:  automatic shutoff, 1.7-L maximum capacity, etc.

I suspect electric kettles have increased in popularity in the US as Americans have become more health-conscious and have come to realize that they are quite convenient for brewing teas or infusions which are now encouraged for health reasons, such as green tea, chamomile tea, mint tea, etc.  But they are still nowhere near as ubiquitous here as they are in the UK.  Tea-drinking is one of the few great commonalities of British life--all classes drink it and own electric kettles to brew it, while in the US "proper" tea (as opposed to sweet tea and suchlike nonsense) hasn't quite broken out of the middle-class, Whole Foods demographic.

I think the electric kettles here are used mostly for things completely unrelated to tea:  instant coffee, cup o' noodles, other instant snack or lunch sorts of foods.

Quote
Instead, the position of tea here is comparable to the position of coffee in the UK, which now has many coffee sophisticates but no embedded culture of coffee drinking.  Ironically enough, this is reflected in the types of devices that are used in both countries.  Americans like to brag about not having just electric kettles, but fully automated digital kettles with customizable shutoffs which will heat water to a preset temperature and then hold it there, cycling on and off as necessary.  British people talk about cafetières, stovetop espresso makers, filter-funnel-and-jar brewing, and so on, which is apt to confuse the great bulk of American coffee drinkers who have never actually used anything but an electrically operated drip coffeemaker.

I can't believe some of the electric espresso makers I see here.  Imported from Italy or somewhere, only takes its own brand of coffee, takes up two feet of counterspace, costs a small fortune and even more for the special coffee.  Oh well, to each their own.

Quote

QuoteAs for lousy tea - it seems the sweepings need to go somewhere (other than creating caffeine for RedBull, etc), I guess. You can, in the UK, at least, somewhat hide lower-quality tea (of store-own economy brand type, not non-premium tea like PG Tips or Typhoo and even normal store-bought stuff is of a drinkable quality) by brewing it longer. But in the US, people don't know how to make tea properly in the first place, let alone how to hide cheapness.

A longtime rule of thumb in the UK (which I suspect still holds true) is that tea should never be ordered in restaurants because the tea supplied to the catering trade consists almost entirely of low-quality sweepings.

QuoteIn the US, due to the lower demand, the quality of tea will be less in the places where price is the key concern, and the price will be higher where quality is the main concern. In the UK, cheap tea isn't of too-bad a quality, as each store-chain can shift a couple of million teabags of their cheap tea a month (or week with bigger chains), and so the bulk discount pushes the quality up, while keeping the 1c/bag cost. Normal store-brand tea is 2c/bag, PG tips is about 4c/bag and more expensive brands 5 or 6c/bag, premium tea is a lot more.

I think this distinction has more to do with food culture and market structure than it does with the effects a broad consumption base has on price.  There is a similar distinction between US and UK supermarkets with regard to coffee.  I have never seen artificially flavored coffee in a British supermarket, let alone the trash Folgers and Maxwell House make for coffee bulk-buyers.  Instead, Sainsburys has basically two lines of preground coffee, typically sold in (approximate) half-pound bags--one line consisting of "cultural" blended coffees that are differentiated largely by depth of roast, fineness of grind, and added ingredients (Italian, French with chicory, Viennese, etc.), and the other consisting of straight-up medium-roasted unblended coffees of defined ethnic origin, rated according to caffeine strength (Kenyan, Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Colombian, Ethiopian Sidamo, Javanese, etc.).

In a medium-sized British city like Oxford, you wouldn't necessarily expect to see this kind of selection in a Tesco, for example, since Sainsburys is slightly more upscale than Tesco.  But in a medium-sized American city like Wichita, which has essentially only one dedicated supermarket chain (Dillons, part of the Kroger octopus) and is only just now getting its first Whole Foods store, you need to go to specialists for this kind of selection, such as the Spice Merchant, a specialist coffee roaster in Old Town, or a small store that caters specifically to British expats (of which Wichita has a few owing to Hawker).

In my local supermarket, Safeway, loose tea has entirely disappeared.  I get Twinings teabags for work, but now make trips to specialty shops for loose tea to have at home.

Quote from: kkt on August 15, 2014, 01:02:38 PMHm, I've kept an electric kettle on my desk at work for much longer than that.  They've been available at five and dime stores.  The electric kettle is for convenience at work, at home I use a tea kettle that sits on a burner of the stove.

This might be a regional difference.  In Wichita I can say for sure that I never saw an electric kettle that far back.  Before we got a kettle with steam whistle (no automatic shutoff) about a decade ago, we had thermocouple-controlled water heaters, which heat water without actually boiling it and seem to be designed mostly for instant coffee.

QuoteI've never seen an electric kettle that didn't have an automatic shutoff.  Most stovetop kettles whistle, though some don't or else allow the whistle to be turned off.

I think our electric kettle sans automatic shutoff went out in the last Amvets donation.  We hated it.

I can remember seeing just one kettle without automatic shutoff when I lived in Britain.  It was clearly old and secondhand, and lived in a darkroom where it was meant to make it easy to mix photographic chemicals at a precise 20° C.

QuoteI think the electric kettles here are used mostly for things completely unrelated to tea:  instant coffee, cup o' noodles, other instant snack or lunch sorts of foods.

I think this is also true in our household, but only because we don't drink black tea or infusions that often.  We use the kettle at least once a week to boil water for pasta.  For the other applications you describe, we generally used the microwave to heat water before we had kettles.

QuoteI can't believe some of the electric espresso makers I see here.  Imported from Italy or somewhere, only takes its own brand of coffee, takes up two feet of counterspace, costs a small fortune and even more for the special coffee.  Oh well, to each their own.

I have never wanted a Keurig coffeemaker ever since I saw a clip from a Swiss consumer-advocacy TV show (I was then visiting distant cousins who live near Zürich) which played up the outrageous cost of the coffee packets.  On the other hand, it is possible to buy espresso makers with a similar form factor that take coffee beans in bulk (no need to buy a special brand or packaging), grind them, and brew espresso with them, all within two or three minutes.  They can be temperamental in a communal setting where you can't be sure the spent grounds will be cleaned out promptly, but the coffee they produce comes closer to true espresso than anything I have been able to make in a moka pot.

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 10:06:20 PM
LOL @ "pop".  Pop is a type of music or a small explosion to me.  I've lived in Oklahoma and laugh every time I hear somebody say "pop".  "Pop" sounds cheap and low quality, like the Walmart brand of cola.  Quality soft drinks shouldn't be called "pop".

Everytime I use the term "pop" for soft drink, which is the commonly used vernacular in this part of the world, Jeremy has a hard time comprehending the fact that what is "pop" to Kentuckians is "soda" to northeasterners and who-knows-what to other regions. I've seen maps showing which term is most popularly (no pun intended) used in different parts of the country, and the question on what you call carbonated soft drinks appears on one of those dialect quizzes that makes the rounds on social media from time to time.

Around here, people will sometimes use the term "coke" to mean any soft drink (as in, you ask, "Do you want a coke?" "Yeah." Friend/spouse grabs a Pepsi or Ale-8 out of the fridge and brings it to you) but in general, the word used for a soft drink is "pop." As for a "soda" and you may get that "you ain't from around here, are you?" look.

Quote from: hbelkins on August 15, 2014, 04:04:35 PM

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 10:06:20 PM
LOL @ "pop".  Pop is a type of music or a small explosion to me.  I've lived in Oklahoma and laugh every time I hear somebody say "pop".  "Pop" sounds cheap and low quality, like the Walmart brand of cola.  Quality soft drinks shouldn't be called "pop".

Everytime I use the term "pop" for soft drink, which is the commonly used vernacular in this part of the world, Jeremy has a hard time comprehending the fact that what is "pop" to Kentuckians is "soda" to northeasterners and who-knows-what to other regions. I've seen maps showing which term is most popularly (no pun intended) used in different parts of the country, and the question on what you call carbonated soft drinks appears on one of those dialect quizzes that makes the rounds on social media from time to time.

Around here, people will sometimes use the term "coke" to mean any soft drink (as in, you ask, "Do you want a coke?" "Yeah." Friend/spouse grabs a Pepsi or Ale-8 out of the fridge and brings it to you) but in general, the word used for a soft drink is "pop." As for a "soda" and you may get that "you ain't from around here, are you?" look.

For reference:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.thewire.com%2Fimg%2Fupload%2F2012%2F07%2F09%2Fpopvssodamap.gif&hash=8b1de3c466a921b9834c5def7367f83cc544cc9c)

Pop seems to be dominant geographically.

Some of the places where soda pops up though is confusing. Why is the part of Wisconsin along Lake Michigan biased towards "soda" and how did eastern Missouri/Western and Southern IL miss out on the pop memo?

What's the (green) "other"? In The Carolinas is it, "do you want a Pepsi?"

I'm going to guess that the St. Louis area included a some Northeastern transplants along with the bottling plants, and the word spread that way.

I'm struggling to figure out what Osceola County, Florida calls it, but maybe they interviewed a lot of tourists at Denny's and Walt Disney World.

I wonder what the dominant terms are in Hardee and Okeechobee counties in Florida, or Fayette County, Alabama...why the green?

The lower percentages in Eastern New England reflects, of course, the use of "tonic," which the pressures of mass marketing and inward migration are steadily banishing to the linguistic dustbin.  Makes me a little sad 

Quote from: formulanone on August 15, 2014, 06:11:07 PM
What's the (green) "other"? "Do you want a Pepsi?"

I'm going to guess that the St. Louis area included a some Northeastern transplants along with the bottling plants, and the word spread that way.

I'm struggling to figure out what Osceola County, Florida calls it, but maybe they interviewed a lot of tourists at Denny's and Walt Disney World.

In North Carolina, some people just say "drink." From personal experience, that's what the green in NC represents.

Quote from: The Nature Boy on August 15, 2014, 07:37:34 PM

In North Carolina, some people just say "drink." From personal experience, that's what the green in NC represents.

You sure it's not "Cheerwine?"  :-D

Quote from: hbelkins on August 15, 2014, 11:16:50 PM

Quote from: The Nature Boy on August 15, 2014, 07:37:34 PM

In North Carolina, some people just say "drink." From personal experience, that's what the green in NC represents.

You sure it's not "Cheerwine?"  :-D

You wouldn't believe how happy I was when I was in Boston and found a place in Harvard Square that sold Cheerwine.

Quote from: The Nature Boy on August 15, 2014, 05:41:06 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on August 15, 2014, 04:04:35 PM

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 10:06:20 PM
LOL @ "pop".  Pop is a type of music or a small explosion to me.  I've lived in Oklahoma and laugh every time I hear somebody say "pop".  "Pop" sounds cheap and low quality, like the Walmart brand of cola.  Quality soft drinks shouldn't be called "pop".

Everytime I use the term "pop" for soft drink, which is the commonly used vernacular in this part of the world, Jeremy has a hard time comprehending the fact that what is "pop" to Kentuckians is "soda" to northeasterners and who-knows-what to other regions. I've seen maps showing which term is most popularly (no pun intended) used in different parts of the country, and the question on what you call carbonated soft drinks appears on one of those dialect quizzes that makes the rounds on social media from time to time.

Around here, people will sometimes use the term "coke" to mean any soft drink (as in, you ask, "Do you want a coke?" "Yeah." Friend/spouse grabs a Pepsi or Ale-8 out of the fridge and brings it to you) but in general, the word used for a soft drink is "pop." As for a "soda" and you may get that "you ain't from around here, are you?" look.

For reference:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.thewire.com%2Fimg%2Fupload%2F2012%2F07%2F09%2Fpopvssodamap.gif&hash=8b1de3c466a921b9834c5def7367f83cc544cc9c)

Pop seems to be dominant geographically.

Some of the places where soda pops up though is confusing. Why is the part of Wisconsin along Lake Michigan biased towards "soda" and how did eastern Missouri/Western and Southern IL miss out on the pop memo?

That's like saying Republicans are dominant geographically, so why isn't the whole country Republican. By population, FAR more people say "soda" than "pop." "Pop" is what corn does.

Quote from: Alps on August 16, 2014, 12:45:02 AM

Quote from: The Nature Boy on August 15, 2014, 05:41:06 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on August 15, 2014, 04:04:35 PM

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 10:06:20 PM
LOL @ "pop".  Pop is a type of music or a small explosion to me.  I've lived in Oklahoma and laugh every time I hear somebody say "pop".  "Pop" sounds cheap and low quality, like the Walmart brand of cola.  Quality soft drinks shouldn't be called "pop".

Everytime I use the term "pop" for soft drink, which is the commonly used vernacular in this part of the world, Jeremy has a hard time comprehending the fact that what is "pop" to Kentuckians is "soda" to northeasterners and who-knows-what to other regions. I've seen maps showing which term is most popularly (no pun intended) used in different parts of the country, and the question on what you call carbonated soft drinks appears on one of those dialect quizzes that makes the rounds on social media from time to time.

Around here, people will sometimes use the term "coke" to mean any soft drink (as in, you ask, "Do you want a coke?" "Yeah." Friend/spouse grabs a Pepsi or Ale-8 out of the fridge and brings it to you) but in general, the word used for a soft drink is "pop." As for a "soda" and you may get that "you ain't from around here, are you?" look.

For reference:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.thewire.com%2Fimg%2Fupload%2F2012%2F07%2F09%2Fpopvssodamap.gif&hash=8b1de3c466a921b9834c5def7367f83cc544cc9c)

Pop seems to be dominant geographically.

Some of the places where soda pops up though is confusing. Why is the part of Wisconsin along Lake Michigan biased towards "soda" and how did eastern Missouri/Western and Southern IL miss out on the pop memo?

That's like saying Republicans are dominant geographically, so why isn't the whole country Republican. By population, FAR more people say "soda" than "pop." "Pop" is what corn does.

There's a reason I added the qualifier "geographically." I've lived most of my life in the eastern part of the country so pop sounds foreign to me too.

In terms of geographically, there are more places (but fewer people) that say pop.

Until recently, coffee was a big vice of mine. (Caffeine in general, for that matter.)

But on August 8, I decided I had to stop drinking most caffeine to determine if my intake was causing me to develop involuntary muscle spasms. (It wasn't helping, but the primary reason is my spinal stenosis.) I have since limited myself to the occasional can of tea; coffee is now out and so are caffeinated soft drinks. I switched to caffeine free Mountain Dew when I drink pop, and actually like it. Unfortunately, I have not yet found that in 20 ounce bottles in my area yet, so if I'm out of the house, I'll buy a caffeine free Diet Coke (not the best thing for me). I'm almost a month into the change and doing okay. I've figured out what I can drink at many restaurants now, too...I'll usually go lemonade, as sprite and 7up just don't do it for me.

So, to answer the poll question, I don't drink it at all now.

I only drink the stuff at the drive thru coffee shop, but still, it's coffee, ain't it?

Quote from: The Nature Boy on August 15, 2014, 05:41:06 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on August 15, 2014, 04:04:35 PM

Quote from: bugo on August 14, 2014, 10:06:20 PM
LOL @ "pop".  Pop is a type of music or a small explosion to me.  I've lived in Oklahoma and laugh every time I hear somebody say "pop".  "Pop" sounds cheap and low quality, like the Walmart brand of cola.  Quality soft drinks shouldn't be called "pop".

Everytime I use the term "pop" for soft drink, which is the commonly used vernacular in this part of the world, Jeremy has a hard time comprehending the fact that what is "pop" to Kentuckians is "soda" to northeasterners and who-knows-what to other regions. I've seen maps showing which term is most popularly (no pun intended) used in different parts of the country, and the question on what you call carbonated soft drinks appears on one of those dialect quizzes that makes the rounds on social media from time to time.

Around here, people will sometimes use the term "coke" to mean any soft drink (as in, you ask, "Do you want a coke?" "Yeah." Friend/spouse grabs a Pepsi or Ale-8 out of the fridge and brings it to you) but in general, the word used for a soft drink is "pop." As for a "soda" and you may get that "you ain't from around here, are you?" look.

For reference:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.thewire.com%2Fimg%2Fupload%2F2012%2F07%2F09%2Fpopvssodamap.gif&hash=8b1de3c466a921b9834c5def7367f83cc544cc9c)

Pop seems to be dominant geographically.

Some of the places where soda pops up though is confusing. Why is the part of Wisconsin along Lake Michigan biased towards "soda" and how did eastern Missouri/Western and Southern IL miss out on the pop memo?

What I'm wondering is... why on earth are Jackson, Catahoula, and Union parishes using pop, when the parishes around them use Coke as the name? I always ask for Dr Pepper by name anyways.

Quote from: Alps on August 16, 2014, 12:45:02 AM
That's like saying Republicans are dominant geographically, so why isn't the whole country Republican. By population, FAR more people say "soda" than "pop." "Pop" is what corn does.

They do?  :eyebrow:

Maybe in your part of the country, but here, and where I come from, "pop" is ubiquitous, and "soda" is almost unheard of.

Soda, BTW, is a caustic substance you can find in the baking or cleaning aisles.  Look for Arm & Hammer for one of the brands.

I do my best to completely avoid caffeine unless it is absolutely necessary for me to stay awake.

I stopped drinking caffeinated drinks on a daily basis by happenstance: in April 2013 I got sick with a norovirus for a week and couldn't keep anything down. Once I got better, I noticed that I no longer craved coffee or soda, so I didn't drink any for a few weeks to see what would happen. Overall, I had more energy and slept better because I wasn't putting my body through rises and crashes.

That said, sometimes I need it to stay awake, and on those occasions, I will grab a cup of decaf coffee, which has enough caffeine to keep me wired. Right now is my favorite coffee time of year because pumpkin everything. If I go to Starbucks, I get a decaf skinny pumpkin spice latte. If I do to Dunkin Donuts, I get a decaf coffee with cream, sugar, pumpkin.

On special occasions (typically at a party with or without alcohol) I'll have soda. My absolute favorite soda in the world is Cheerwine. Back when I was a crazy soda drinker, I'd bring cases of it home every time I went down to VA.

If I really want an energy boost, I'll drink an energy drink, my favorites being the cherry AMP (tastes like Cheerwine on crack) or the irish creme monster.

Otherwise, in my daily life, I drink water and milk.

ETA: I do like tea, especially in the winter when it's cold, when I drink caffeine-free herbal teas (red raspberry is my favorite).

Coffee makes me poo.

Quote from: bandit957 on September 03, 2014, 01:19:50 PM
Coffee makes me poo.

And here I thought it was just a diuretic.

Just caught up with Iowa Highway Ends (http://iowahighwayends.net/blog/about):

Quote from: Jeff MorrisonRoadgeek, n. A device for turning caffeine into pictures of road signs.

:-D