Coffee Nerd: How to Have Your Coffee and Drink It Too: How to Have Your Coffee and Drink It Too

by Ruth Brown

Coffee has never been better--or cooler!

Ever wonder what goes into making the perfect cup of coffee? There's more to it than you think, and a new breed of coffee nerds has transformed the cheap, gritty sludge your parents drink into the coolest food trend around, with an obsessive commitment to sourcing, roasting, and preparation that has taken the drink to delicious new heights.

"Coffee Nerd" details the history behind the beans and helps you navigate the exciting and sometimes intimidating new wave of coffee. From finding obscure Japanese brewing equipment to recipes and techniques for brewing amazing coffee at home, you'll increase your geek cred--and discover a whole new world of coffee possibilities.

Whether you are looking to refine your French-press recipe or just can't survive a morning without a handcrafted latte, this book is sure to stimulate you as you pore over the art of preparing an incredibly smooth cup of coffee.

Genres: Nonfiction, Cooking, Food

273 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 12, 2014

Reviews

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite liked this! I learned fun odds and ends about coffee culture, history, brewing equipment- pros and cons of each, and Brown provided references for journals and further study.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of my favorite books now! Brown does a fabulous job of explaining the how's and whys without being pretentious. She's also quite funny and blunt. I loved it.

I feel like such a coffee snob now, and can honestly say I learned so much. I also found out a lot about my own tastes before wasting money just trying to experiment with everything.

Would highly recommend this book to people who already love coffee, but don't really *know*, you know? Or someone who is trying to get into coffee!

[John Da ega · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good "recipe" book but a bit disapointing. You get everything that's there from reading a couple of blogs

[harry hagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

the writer was a bit aggressive ngl

[Shirleon Sharron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because I love coffee. I was hoping for a little more background and more depth, but the author did warn me at the beginning that this book wasn't going to have that. Instead it was witty, at times abrasive and 100% hipster. I did enjoy what I learned but I am not convinced to brew my coffee any different then I already do (this seemed to be the authors end game - trying to encourage correct brewing) though I am considering an aeropress, so I'll give her that.

If you like coffee, I recommend this book. It's fun and enjoyable, but if you want to really learn about coffee, look elsewhere!

[Charlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about how to find and prepare the best tasting coffee. The answer is by spending money on a: scale, gooseneck kettle, premium coffee, and honing your technique. To that end the author suggests going to the local coffee shop (that serves actually good coffee) and asking the barista how he/she does what they do. She suggests that your $1 tip will get you in good with them. I'm skeptical. This book helped me to realize that I'm ok with just "good" coffee and I'm not invested enough to go full nerd.

[Sandrine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started out not liking this book so much as it felt very American-focused and far away from my European lifestyle. I also felt that it was being judgy about some things and trying too hard to be funny. However, as I moved on to the sections on beans, equipment and methods I really quite liked this! I learned a lot about different techniques and equipment, the pros and cons of each. The tone felt more honest and the humor grew on me. I think it's a nice introduction to someone who wants to get into coffee.

[minessaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The name of the book should have been introduction to coffee, but i appreciate the nerd approach even more. But that's the thing, the book doesn't claim that when you read, you will learn everything. It gives you the basics and further read suggestions, which I am planning to try for sure! The author has an amazing sense of humor.

[Vitalik Gusev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good brief introduction in coffee history, types and brewing types . Makes the first step into the world of coffee for you and makes a strong ground and offers resources for further research of the coffee world. Although, transition from one chapter to another is not so smooth as you would expect.

[Sophie Kulyashova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Профессии и мастерству баристы не научит, но кругозор расширит. Прояснила для себя моменты, которые не знала. Понравился раздел об истории распространения кофе в мире, чувствуется, что автор журналист.

[Lindstromsteph Lindstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy, light read, information about the beginning of coffee; worldwide best places to grow; methods of processing; various drinks names & explanations; written in a light, somewhat sarcastic hummus tone.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the book. I’ve been nerding out on coffee for a couple of years now and I’ve definitely learned a bunch of new things through the book. And it’s absolutely entertainingly written. Definitely recommended if you’re into coffee.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of practical knowledge wrapped in a humorous and honest approach to coffee. I may have to read this a second time down the road!

[Austin Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comprehensive, helpful, and easy to read. I felt it unnecessarily crude in some comments, but a great starting point if you are interested in learning more about better coffee.

[Karl Metz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really nice overview of how coffee is made, harvested, and brewed. The tone is funny, making it an easy read. Also a bit snobby at times.

[Gediminas Kontrimas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apie kavą. Daug info. Skaityti galima, bet nebūtina.

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

A funny and informative book about coffee, making me miss my barista days.

[Emily Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish it had some espresso recipes but still great background and valuable info

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

After rereading this book, I’ve come to notice that the book is a bit hypocritical. It rails against elitism and the “snooty barista” but is itself elitist. “Don’t say cafe au lait” or “don’t order French press.” Don’t do X or Y, don’t say this because people will think you’re an idiot. The book also writes off various kinds of coffee for rather subjective reasons. For a more personal reason, I read this book years ago and it discouraged me from getting an espresso machine. I reread this book after getting a machine over Christmas, and I’m rather disappointed that I let this book dissuade me, because I’m so incredibly happy with my machine. Overall, it’s a solid intro to coffee, but it’s highly opinionated and seems rather set on imparting a particularly view on the reader.

[Elisabeth Hosmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coffee Nerd is a really fun and quick read for the coffee lover in your life. Covering everything from the history of coffee to how to find your signature drink, this book is informative and lighthearted at the same time. The book also provides you with references to learn more after you finish each chapter as well as the skinny on the right equipment for your own home and some tasty recipes for you to try out. If you are anything like me and can't imagine not having your morning cup of joe, this book is worth your time. It also would make a really fun gift for any coffee connoisseur in your life.

[Du · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very fun book looking at the various and delicious ways to enjoy coffee. It has a good deal of information and is told in a humorous and insightful manner. I liked the chapter sets which are interesting and end with a further information section at the end, which was a great addition. The illustrations are a fun addition as well.

Maybe the best part is the passion that comes through of the author's love for coffee and coffee information.

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about coffee that does anything but take itself seriously. The information in here is great and told in a more conversational and light-hearted tone than saying that you should only drink shade-grown single-origin fresh roasted beans made by a highly trained barista from an elaborate pour-over rig. Ruth tells it like it is and is a recommended read for any coffee lover who wants to know more about brewing method and what goes into the harvest and sale of beans.

[Lydia Zamain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not your typical how-to book on coffee. It is not so much on nerdy but more into funny and witty description and explanation on anything to do with coffee.

It is an easy read and would like to read it again whenever I need to refresh my memory on what kind of cafe places to avoid :p

Received this book as a gift from another coffee enthusiast, definitely a keeper!

[Noppadol Weerakitti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this is a book you can read with your teenage son. Ruth's writing style make this book easy to read with pleasure and fun, called it a Light Roasting style as opposite to Dark Roasting style you found on many traditional coffee books. Very recommended for anyone who are doing coffee-related business for the 21st customer market.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a very nice and easy introductory read pertaining to the world of coffee. I would recommend it to people whose knowledge begins at Dunkin' Donuts and ends at Starbucks, but would like to expand into the much wider existence of coffee.

[Melanie Lei · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just snobby enough for an aspiring hipster; not super technical and written in a very casual/conversational tone. Key takeaway: "don't go to a cafe with more types of syrup than types of milk." I'm not as hardcore snobby as the author, but I appreciated learning the lingo.

[Ryan Lytle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, easy read to very briefly introduce you to the history and brewing methods around coffee. You're not going to come away as an expert in coffee, but I'm glad to have had this to take a shallow dive into the business and practice of it.

[Winston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, introductory information about craft coffee! Nothing super technical, it was a nice read.

[Rosey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

[Kyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilariously written and wonderfully educational.