How to Like Coffee

Co-authored by Jason Piken

Last Updated: February 22, 2023 References

Coffee is a flavorful drink with a vivid history surrounding it, but it can be an acquired taste. If you've never enjoyed coffee, you may not have found the right brew for you. Experimenting with different roasts, exploring a more broad coffee-drinking experience, and joining coffee culture can help you begin to love this beverage. If you can open your mind and try new things, you can learn to appreciate coffee.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Broadening Your Tastes

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Taste fresh coffee. Coffee freshness changes the moment the roasting process has completed. Buy coffee from a cafe that brews whole bean coffee, which retains more flavor when grinded.^{[1]
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- Local coffee shops are more likely to use whole beans than franchises, so frequent smaller, privately owned cafes.
2
Add milk, cream, and/or sugar. Black coffee has a bitter taste that can be unpleasant for new coffee connoisseurs. Add in a sweetener to your coffee if straight brews disgust you. Experiment with different sweeteners when ordering until you find the perfect balance.
- If you want to branch out, try gourmet sweeteners like vanilla sugar, muscovado, raw sugar, or chocolate powder.
- Acidic, light roasts taste best with milk or cream, which dulls its bite while letting its delicate flavor come through.
3
Try lighter roasts. The degree to which a coffee is roasted changes its flavor. Dark roasts (when the coffee beans are roasted until blackened) is generally more unpalatable for new coffee lovers. Start with the sweetest drinks (like mochas, cappuccinos, and frappuccinos) and move onto darker roasts as your palate changes.
- Light roasts retain the most caffeine, whereas darker roasts retain the least. If you're sensitive to caffeine, order a smaller cup.
Making a morning ritual out of coffee drinking can accustom your tastebuds to the flavor. You'll also feel energized and ready to start your day. Try drinking coffee in the morning for a few weeks and see if you begin to enjoy it as a breakfast beverage.
5
Give yourself time. Like many acquired tastes, sometimes coffee takes time to warm up to. If you don't like your first drink, don't give up. All coffee blends taste differently: you may not have found the brew for you.
- If you've tried many different blends and still don't like coffee, you may just not have a taste for it. This is okay! Other beverages like tea, kombucha, and green smoothies can have similar benefits.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Appreciating Coffee and Coffee Culture

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Research the benefits of drinking coffee. Discovering the health benefits can give you incentive to drink it. Coffee is loaded with antioxidants that can boost your metabolic rate and keep your liver healthy.^{[2]
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Research source} Coffee may also have preventative properties, as regular drinkers are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, heart rhythm problems, and certain kinds of cancers.^{[3]
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- Approach coffee with a balanced view. While coffee has antioxidants and other health benefits, too much coffee can stunt growth and cause fatigue. Like all things, this drink is best enjoyed in moderation.
Research the history of coffee to gain more appreciation for the beverage. For over six hundred years, coffee has changed the world politically, socially, and intellectually. Coffee history is not just a part of foodie culture but human culture in general.^{[4]
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Research source} The more you know, the more you'll understand and respect coffee lovers.
3
Befriend the regulars at coffee houses. Spend time in locally owned cafes known by gourmet coffee drinkers as high quality. Coffee connoisseurs often hang around local coffee shops to discuss different coffee blends and chat about other intellectual topics. Chat with the employees and regulars, get to know their personal tastes, and ask for their recommendations. You can enjoy talking with them about coffee and listening to their advice.
- Try local coffee blends. Find coffee shops that roast their beans daily using beans harvested nearby. These will yield the freshest brews, and the coffee shop owners will likely know a lot about the brew's history.
4
Join a coffee club. Coffee clubs are a great way to make friends, enjoy drinks, and discuss coffee with like-minded friends. You will learn a lot about coffee in a short amount of time when with coffee enthusiasts. If no coffee clubs are around in your area, join an online society and frequent coffee lover forums.
- You can also start a coffee club if you want to discuss coffee intellectually but no clubs are in your area. Co-found the club with a more experienced coffee lover, who can help recruit members and guide the discussions.
Similar to a wine journal, a coffee journal can help you remember great blends you enjoyed and where you purchased them. Keep a coffee journal to record different coffees you taste, what flavors they yielded, and any notes you have about the blend. This will help you hone in your tastes and recall particularly delicious brews.

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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Coffee at Home

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Blend your own coffee. Purchase a coffee maker and learn how to brew your beans at home. Grinding your own beans allows you to use beans and roast levels you know you love. Start with standard coffee makers and, once you've got the hang of brewing coffee, consider purchasing French presses or espresso makers.
- When purchasing coffee beans, make sure that there is no more than ten percent faults in the beans if purchasing a high-quality coffee blend. This will give you the best deal for your money.
2
Experiment with coffee bean roasting levels. When you're brewing coffee at home, switch around with the depth to which you roast your beans. High-quality beans should be roasted lightly so the flavor comes through. For lower-quality beans, a medium roast (also called a "city roast") or a dark roast is best.
- For breakfast, light roasts are ideal because of their higher caffeine content.^{[5]
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  Research source} Add milk or cream to lower the acidity and make them more palatable.
If you brew coffee at home or with a friend, put the packaging in an airtight container after you have made a cup. Although packaging technology can prolong the coffee's freshness, the grounds begin losing their flavor the moment the package is opened. Place the airtight container in a room temperature environment to preserve its flavor.^{[6]
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4
Use coffee in recipes if you can't stand the taste alone. Even if you don't like coffee as a drink, you might like its taste as a supplementary flavor in a food recipe. That way, you can get the nutritional benefits while enjoying its taste.
- Dessert recipes work best with coffee. Coffee cake is especially popular. Try a variety of recipes such as Cinnamon coffee cake, tiramisu, brownie nut cranberry coffee cake, and many others.
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If I'm young, is it a good idea to get just a few hours of sleep and then use coffee to wake myself up?

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No, this is not a good idea. Rest is important for your body, and that's even more true when you're younger since it gives your body time to grow.

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She is 13 years old and is always tired and often hasn't got enough energy to even see her friends. Is it okay for her to start drinking coffee regularly?

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No. Coffee is not the answer. Does she have any medical conditions? She could be anemic and this could be the reason for the tiredness. I had the same problem growing up. Coffee contains certain antidepressants she could get addicted to it very quickly. So no, it's not advisable. Have her get a full medical check to ascertain if everything is alright before taking such an action.

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I am not that old, and I want to know when I can start drinking decaf coffee?

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Generally speaking, decaf coffee is not harmful for children (or anyone else), but it's ultimately up to your parent(s)/guardian to decide that.

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Tips

Like fingerprints, no two roasts, coffee companies, and brewing methods will produce the same cup. A cappuccino from one cafe will taste different from a cappuccino from another cafe. Home-brewed coffee will also not taste like coffee brewed at a specific shop, even if you're using the same beans.

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Don't let a hatred of instant coffee prevent you from trying better blends. Whole bean coffee and instant coffee are two vastly different drinks. The fresher your cup, the more likely you will enjoy it.

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While high-quality beans can be expensive, they will yield a better cup. Splurge every once and a while on gourmet brews if you tire of garden variety blends.

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Warnings

Do not store coffee beans in the freezer. Frozen beans will dry out faster and lose their flavor.

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Coffee is not meant to be a meal-replacement drink. To gain all the nutrients you need, combine your coffee-drinking habits with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

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Because of its caffeine content, coffee can be addictive. If you have caffeine sensitivity, coffee might not be the best drink for you. Limit your coffee intake if you start experiencing shakiness, headaches, or dizziness when standing.

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Hot coffee can cause third-degree burns. Try to cool it before drinking.

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