Awhile back, we shared how our team does coffee.
We’ve grown a lot since then, both in people and the variety of our setups. What hasn't changed, however, is how seriously we take our caffeine.
Daniel Coulbourne
Coffee or Tea? Coffee
On a scale of 1-10, rate your level of coffee (or tea) snobbery? A reformed 8, so currently 6.
Favorite brew method? Pour over
What equipment do you use most? V60 and a Capresso Infinity Burr Grinder
What are your roaster/bean of choice? (Or tea of choice?) Onyx and Elixir
You're in a position where you have to work without coffee for a day. How do you respond? I lose my h*cking mind.
Logan Henson
Coffee or Tea? Coffee
On a scale of 1-10, rate your level of coffee (or tea) snobbery? 2
Favorite brew method? Aeropress, it’s basically invincible.
What equipment do you use most? Aeropress.
Do you have any backup equipment? A dripper pot.
What are your roaster/bean of choice? (Or tea of choice?) McCafe for drip, followed by whatever is next in my coffee grounds gift pile. Coffee is a super easy thing to ask for and you never know what you are going to get. For tea, we are constantly on Throat Coat because it’s my wife’s favorite.
You're in a position where you have to work without coffee for a day. How do you respond? I head outside. Working outside definitely reduces the need for coffee for me.
Sara Bine
Coffee or Tea? Coffee all the way.
On a scale of 1-10, rate your level of coffee (or tea) snobbery? Somewhere around a 3. I love coffee and can appreciate a good taste, but don't have the mental fortitude to make it properly in the morning. Usually when I'm reaching for a cup of coffee my primary concern is rate of caffeine ingestion.
Favorite brew method? For actual brewing, I just follow the instructions that came with the Aeropress. I typically also froth milk to make every cup into a latte.
What equipment do you use most? A Nespresso machine -- it's exactly the right level of effort for morning use. I "upgraded" from a Keurig after endless frustration with terrible tasting K-cups.
Do you have any backup equipment? I have the Nespresso Inissia, the Aeropress, two milk frothers, and an old drip coffee maker that sits unused in its box and occasionally doubles as a table.
What are your roaster/bean of choice? (Or tea of choice?) No known roaster or bean preference, but the Livanto flavor Nespresso pods are my favorite.
You're in a position where you have to work without coffee for a day. How do you respond? My ability to make words is directly proportional to my caffeine intake, so probably something unintelligible. Also I would preemptively apologize to the person who has to review my code that day.
Cenitoria Melton
Coffee or Tea? Coffee
On a scale of 1-10, rate your level of coffee (or tea) snobbery? A 6.5 or something.
Favorite brew method? French press.
What equipment do you use most? French press, a scale, and an electric kettle. I have no idea which brands.
Do you have any backup equipment? Not really.
What are your roaster/bean of choice? (Or tea of choice?) Don’t really have a favorite. I just get random stuff from all kinds of roasters.
You're in a position where you have to work without coffee for a day. How do you respond? Warn my coworkers and work very very slowly.
Caleb Porzio
Coffee or Tea? All tea all day. Although I’ve seriously considered brewing a pot of coffee in the morning just for the smell - tea has got nothin’ on coffee there.
On a scale of 1-10, rate your level of coffee (or tea) snobbery? In terms of knowledge, maybe a 7 or 8. In terms of usage, I oscillate between 1 and 10 on any given day. Sometimes it’s cheap black tea from a tea bag in a microwaved cup of water. Other times it’s specific temp water, poured over high quality leaves, in a traditional Chinese Gaiwan.
Favorite brew method? I really dig the “lots of leaves, little bit of water, short steep” brewing in a Gaiwan, 2 grams of tea brewed for 30-seconds. You get to witness the subtle taste changes with each micro-steep. I used to do this every morning but have gotten too comfy with my sweet new Tighten Yeti tumbler.
What equipment do you use most? The bottom-dispensing teapot is my new favorite. You get a perfect steep with lots of leaf expansion, you can see the tea as it steeps, and it’s pretty easy to clean! Outside of that, my day to day setup adds a variable temp tea kettle, a small scale, and a timer.
Do you have any backup equipment? Way too much.
What are your roaster/bean of choice? (Or tea of choice?) Genmaicha, also known as “brown rice tea.” It’s basically the classic Japanese green tea (sencha) mixed with toasted brown rice. The rice was originally used as a filler for the Japanese poor, but now it just adds this incredible warm nutty flavor that you wouldn’t expect from tea. I have a cup of it every morning.
You're in a position where you have to work without coffee for a day. How do you respond? Not an issue, unless I didn’t get enough sleep, and even then it’s not really an issue. Tea’s caffeine content is significantly less than coffee, so no headaches here.
Marje Holmstrom-Sabo
Coffee or Tea? Both! I usually start the day with coffee and switch to tea in the afternoon.
On a scale of 1-10, rate your level of coffee (or tea) snobbery? I will self-assess at 9 because that feels most accurate for someone who refuses to reheat cold coffee and believes burnt coffee is best served to the drain in the sink.
Favorite brew method? When time permits, Turkish coffee is my favorite. Most frequent method is Aeropress. For tea, I have an infuser mug that is my favorite for loose leaf blends.
What equipment do you use most? An old school steel coffee grinder, an Aeropress, and an electric kettle. For tea, my infuser mug.
Do you have any backup equipment? For coffee: a cold brew pot, a French press, and a V60. For tea: a larger tea pot, and some variety of tea bags and ball infusers.
What are your roaster/bean of choice? (Or tea of choice?) Favorite local roasters - Dunn Bros and Spyhouse Coffee. I’m a fan of Costa Rican Tarrazu, Hawaiian Kona, and Sumatran beans. I can’t pick a favorite tea, it’s too dependent on time, mood, and purpose. Tea-party tea is very different than going-to-sleep tea.
You're in a position where you have to work without coffee for a day. How do you respond? I deny this reality and seek a parallel universe which has coffee in it. Or, you know, walk to the coffee shop just down the street.
Jake Bathman
Coffee or Tea? Both! Plus energy drinks. My drink of choice roughly correlates to the time of day: - 6am or 6pm: coffee - Mid-day: Red Bull or Monster - Evening: tea
On a scale of 1-10, rate your level of coffee (or tea) snobbery? About 4. Especially compared to the rest of the Tighten crew. (Have you seen some of these setups?)
Favorite brew method? Being a 4 in snobbery, I can’t really tell the difference between certain brew methods, temperatures, grind size, or pour-over speed, except at the extremes (like when I mess up a French press and have a warm cup of sludge).
What equipment do you use most? Keurig K55 for coffee, good ol’ stovetop kettle for tea, and a nice cold fridge for my energy drinks.
Do you have any backup equipment? My car keys, to drive to Dunkin’.
What are your roaster/bean of choice? (Or tea of choice?)
- Coffee: Donut Shop, Dunkin’ Donuts, or the Starbucks Sumatra K-Cups
- Tea: Bigelow’s Constant Comment or Twinings’ English Breakfast
- Energy drinks: Monster (Ultra Sunrise flavor, which is sugar free) or Red Bull (original flavor)
You're in a position where you have to work without coffee for a day. How do you respond? I think I’ve positioned myself like a well-diversified portfolio: a healthy mix of aggressive and passive caffeine intake methods, where I’ll find something that I enjoy no matter where I am. (I tell myself this to make Tighten less likely to boot me from the company for not even having a thermometer.)
John Bonaccorsi
Coffee or Tea? I’m a “coffee in the morning, tea in the evening” kind of guy. Although if I had to pick one forever, I’d go with coffee.
On a scale of 1-10, rate your level of coffee (or tea) snobbery? I'm a 1. Well, maybe 0. Actually, can we go into the negatives? I grew up on Wawa coffee and live in the state most known for its diners. “Bad” coffee is kind of my thing.
Favorite brew method? I leave brewing to the experts at Dunkin Donuts.
What equipment do you use most? An old Keurig model I’ve had since college. You know what they say, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. It actually is kind of broken though, and I probably should fix it.
Do you have any backup equipment? None, I live on the edge.
What are your roaster/bean of choice? (Or tea of choice?) Dunkin Donuts Original Blend (Light)
You're in a position where you have to work without coffee for a day. How do you respond? I grumble to myself, take some Advil for the inevitable headache that is coming my way, and head to my office. The show must go on.
Nohemi Olvera
Coffee or Tea? Tea.
On a scale of 1-10, rate your level of coffee (or tea) snobbery? 5
What equipment do you use most? I don’t really have equipment or anything fancy.
What are your roaster/bean of choice? (Or tea of choice?) My favorite teas are green, raspberry, and oolong.
You're in a position where you have to work without coffee for a day. How do you respond? I continue drinking tea.
Shawn Jones
Coffee or Tea? Both
On a scale of 1-10, rate your level of coffee (or tea) snobbery? 1, relative to this post
Favorite brew method? Dripper
What equipment do you use most? Simple drip pot and grinder.
Do you have any backup equipment? No back up equipment
What are your roaster/bean of choice? (Or tea of choice?) Favorite brand - Cafe Bustelo. Favorite blend - Three Afrikas by Blue Bottle Coffee
You're in a position where you have to work without coffee for a day. How do you respond? Grab water. e your level of coffee (or tea) snobbery?** 1, relative to this post
Favorite brew method? Dripper
What equipment do you use most? Simple drip pot and grinder.
Do you have any backup equipment? No back up equipment
What are your roaster/bean of choice? (Or tea of choice?) Favorite brand - Cafe Bustelo. Favorite blend - Three Afrikas by Blue Bottle Coffee
You're in a position where you have to work without coffee for a day. How do you respond? Grab water.
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