Why is coffee such a popular drink among scientists?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the popularity of coffee among scientists and the broader community. Participants explore personal experiences, preferences, and cultural observations related to coffee consumption, touching on its effects, taste, and social aspects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that coffee helps them stay awake and alert, while others express a dislike for its taste and prefer alternatives like tea.
  • A few contributors mention feeling addicted to coffee, with some humorously referencing the idea of needing it to function in the morning.
  • Several participants share their specific coffee preferences, such as drinking it black, with cream, or in combination with other flavors like chocolate or Irish cream.
  • Some express dissatisfaction with popular coffee brands like Starbucks, describing their coffee as burnt or overly sweet.
  • Others highlight the social aspect of coffee drinking, mentioning peer pressure or the camaraderie among coffee drinkers.
  • A few participants state they have never tried coffee or have stopped drinking it for various personal reasons.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no consensus on the reasons for coffee's popularity, as participants express a wide range of opinions, preferences, and experiences. Some enjoy coffee for its taste and stimulating effects, while others reject it entirely or prefer other beverages.

Contextual Notes

Participants' claims about coffee's effects and taste are subjective and vary widely, reflecting personal experiences rather than established facts.

  • #31
Coffee with no milk or sugar for me. I don't know about its effects on my performance -- coffee or no coffee, I'm procrastinating. =D
 
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  • #32
Yeah, I don't like Starbucks either. If I have to resort to getting coffee there, I get a latte, because the coffee is diluted with enough milk that you don't notice the burnt taste.

The best coffee I ever had was in a little hole in the wall Middle Eastern restaurant. If you stopped in late in the evening, the owner of the place would make you a little pot of Turkish coffee (never charged for it, he just liked having his coffee and chatting with anyone who would put up with him I think)...you could practically stand up a spoon in it it was so thick, but it was SO smooth. But, you had to beware that if you accepted his offer, you'd be at the restaurant chatting with him until 3 AM (not that it mattered, since you'd be wide awake that late from drinking that coffee anyway). He'd then tell you your fortune from the sludge left behind in the cup when you were done. :smile: It was a fun way to spend an evening if you had nothing else better to do.
 
  • #33
Ivan Seeking said:
I've pretty much had a cup of coffee in my hand since I was twelve years old.

That's what that is! I always thought you just had a deformed hand. :smile:
 
  • #34
Moonbear said:
Yeah, I don't like Starbucks either. If I have to resort to getting coffee there, I get a latte, because the coffee is diluted with enough milk that you don't notice the burnt taste.

The best coffee I ever had was in a little hole in the wall Middle Eastern restaurant. If you stopped in late in the evening, the owner of the place would make you a little pot of Turkish coffee (never charged for it, he just liked having his coffee and chatting with anyone who would put up with him I think)...you could practically stand up a spoon in it it was so thick, but it was SO smooth. But, you had to beware that if you accepted his offer, you'd be at the restaurant chatting with him until 3 AM (not that it mattered, since you'd be wide awake that late from drinking that coffee anyway). He'd then tell you your fortune from the sludge left behind in the cup when you were done. :smile: It was a fun way to spend an evening if you had nothing else better to do.

This falls into one of those missed opportunity story's for me. I was barely 20, and just barely drinking coffee, and in the Navy. Where were we?? I can't really remember, somewhere Greece I think. I was on Shore Patrol and had been assigned to rove with a local Police officer, he spoke English as much as I spoke Greek, so there wasn't much conversation, but he did stop into a local coffee shop. Of course being a dumb American I didn't even try the Espresso offered but did have a cup of American coffee, that is instant Sanka

In retrospect I sure wish I had tried the local stuff.
 
  • #35
Can't stand the taste of coffee. It takes so bitter, how can you guys take it without sugar and milk?

A little can of pop contains almost as much as caffeine as a cup of coffee. (Well is a bit less, but I top it off with 1 or 2 caffeine pills) so everytime I am having a pop, I am taking about 200-300 mg of caffeine. Kept me going..

But.. then you become too caffeine tolerant. I remember the days during the exam where I can sleep normal with like 400-500 mg of caffeine inside me. Not fun. Hence I don't drink coffee during the summer, to kill the caffeine habit so when september comes around, I will be ready with some new caffeine effects.
 
  • #36
I'm completely addicted to coffee :biggrin: I have it every day in the morning to get me up and going, and to treat myself, I'll have a Starbucks drink. Though, it is pretty expensive, so that's why it isn't every day, but they have some awesome drinks there :smile:
 
  • #37
motornoob101 said:
Can't stand the taste of coffee. It takes so bitter, how can you guys take it without sugar and milk?

Just differences in taste. The same way some people prefer dark chocolate and others milk chocolate, or some like spinach and others don't. There's no reason to make oneself drink coffee if you don't like it. As I said early in the thread, I've just always enjoyed it since the first time I tasted it, so drink it because I like the taste.
 
  • #38
motornoob101 said:
Can't stand the taste of coffee. It takes so bitter, how can you guys take it without sugar and milk?

A little can of pop contains almost as much as caffeine as a cup of coffee. (Well is a bit less, but I top it off with 1 or 2 caffeine pills) so everytime I am having a pop, I am taking about 200-300 mg of caffeine. Kept me going..

But.. then you become too caffeine tolerant. I remember the days during the exam where I can sleep normal with like 400-500 mg of caffeine inside me. Not fun. Hence I don't drink coffee during the summer, to kill the caffeine habit so when september comes around, I will be ready with some new caffeine effects.

Its similar to beer. The taste of beer is very bitter at first, but you get used to it...im still getting used to it.
 
  • #39
I love Caffeine! In all it's glorious forms.:smile::eek::rolleyes::biggrin:

Caffeine!
 
  • #42
RocketSurgery said:
Looks tasty!

It's not tasty... but it's loaded with caffeine.
 
  • #43
I'm ridiculously addicted. I think I can actually taste caffeine.
 
  • #44
I'm one of those people that is not affected by caffeine. Since I was young, I have always had a cup of coffee just before going to bed because I find it relaxing.

At work, I often make the coffee with decaf because there is much more of it. I just don't tell anyone. Funny, everyone gets the same "buzz" off the decaf as they do with regular. :smile: People will actually be drinking the decaf I made and talking about how they can't drink decaf because of the flavor. :smile: <snort>

I know, I get my kicks deceiving people.
 
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  • #45
:eek: you are pure evil!
 
  • #46
moe darklight said:
:eek: you are pure evil!
Yes, yes, I am. :devil:
 
  • #47
Evo said:
I'm one of those people that is not affected by caffeine. Since I was young, I have always had a cup of coffee just before going to bed because I find it relaxing.

At work, I often make the coffee with decaf because there is much more of it. I just don't tell anyone. Funny, everyone gets the same "buzz" off the decaf as they do with regular. :smile: People will actually be drinking the decaf I made and talking about how they can't drink decaf because of the flavor. :smile: <snort>

I know, I get my kicks deceiving people.

I'd have to kill you if you did that. My sister tried that once when I visited her, she didn't tell me the coffee was decaf. I started out thinking it was rather weak tasting, and teased my sister about her lousy coffee (though, it was admittedly better than other decaf coffees I've had in terms of flavor...some taste nasty, some can pass for regular coffee), but I was just dragging all day and then the headache started from lack of caffeine...I had to head to Dunkin' Donuts for a cup of real coffee when I started complaining that her weak coffee hadn't done anything for me and she admitted it was decaf. She's lucky she survived.
 
  • #48
Moonbear said:
I'd have to kill you if you did that. My sister tried that once when I visited her, she didn't tell me the coffee was decaf. I started out thinking it was rather weak tasting, and teased my sister about her lousy coffee (though, it was admittedly better than other decaf coffees I've had in terms of flavor...some taste nasty, some can pass for regular coffee), but I was just dragging all day and then the headache started from lack of caffeine...I had to head to Dunkin' Donuts for a cup of real coffee when I started complaining that her weak coffee hadn't done anything for me and she admitted it was decaf. She's lucky she survived.
I make it very strong, and I've been doing it for two years and no one knows the difference.
 
  • #49
I would know. It has happened before.

And yes, we execute people for less around here. :biggrin:
 
  • #50
moe darklight said:
:eek: you are pure evil!
You knew that "Evo" was just a nickname, right?
 
  • #52
Moonbear said:
I keep looking for where the battery door is.

And what did you find... :wink:
 
  • #53
JasonRox said:
And what did you find... :wink:

That I enjoy searching. :biggrin: :devil:
 
  • #54
Moonbear said:
That I enjoy searching. :biggrin: :devil:

:smile: I'm glad. :smile:
 
  • #55
Oh, I just found a new coffee that I love :biggrin: It's Folger's Vanilla Biscotti, soooooo good!
 
  • #56
I drank coffee every day before going to sleep but it had no effect on me so I just stopped.
 
  • #57
I drink water to wake me up
 
  • #58
vincentm said:
I drink water to wake me up

Wow, that's cool that water can wake you up. You are one of the few in which that works, and it's a lot cheaper too, though not a lot of flavor :rolleyes:
 
  • #59
mcknia07 said:
Wow, that's cool that water can wake you up. You are one of the few in which that works, and it's a lot cheaper too, though not a lot of flavor :rolleyes:

Water wakes me up too...but it has to be poured over my head to work. :biggrin:
 
  • #60
Moonbear said:
Water wakes me up too...but it has to be poured over my head to work. :biggrin:

Haha :biggrin:
 

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