How I made the switch to black coffee

How I made the switch to black coffee

4 Coffee Shops Worth a Visit in Madrid

In recent years, the Spanish capital has developed a vibrant specialty-coffee scene. Here are some cool cafés to visit for a caffeine fuel-up. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Featured photo by Jorge Fernández Salas via Unsplash The espresso bar at HanSo. HanSo Café, a Perfect Spot for Breakfast   In Chinese, HanSo roughly translates to “a […]


Ukraine’s Soloway Coffee Opens First US Shop in Chicago

A specialty coffee roasting company based in western Ukraine called Soloway Coffee (Instagram link) this week opened its first location in the United States. Beans roasted in Ternopil, Ukraine, using…


Brewing at Home and On the Road with Darrin Daniel

We check in with the Cup of Excellence executive director to learn his current coffee-brewing habits. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Featured photo by Emre via Unsplash Brewing coffee is, for many coffee professionals, more than just a job.   They usually brew coffee every day, both for themselves and their customers. Perhaps they do it […]


New AFCA Director Gilbert Gatali on the 20th African Fine Coffees Conference

As the African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA) prepares for the 20th iteration of its flagship event, the African Fine Coffees Conference and Exhibition, the group is operating under new executive…

How I made the switch to black coffee

5 Amazing Coffee Drinks in Reno, Nev.

Here are some standout specialty drinks you can try in the Biggest Little City in the World. BY EDDIE P. GOMEZSPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE Photos by Eddie P. Gomez Reno, Nev., has more cafés per capita than just about any other place in North America. And because it is a snowier-than-usual winter in northwestern Nevada […]


Congrats to the Top-Ranking Qualifiers at U.S. CoffeeChamps Denver

Dozens of coffee professionals competed at qualifiers this weekend in Colorado for coveted spots at the U.S. Coffee Championships next month. BY J. MARIE CARLANBARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Cover photo by J. Marie Carlan For competitive coffee professionals in the USA, the U.S. Coffee Championships are the place to be. Over the weekend, the second USCC […]


Playing Leaderboard, the Arcade-Inspired Coffee Game

We sat down to try the newest version of the game—a fun opportunity to learn more about coffee while vying for cool coffee prizes.  BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos by Tanya Nanetti I’ve never been much into video games, except for the classic arcade games of my youth.   Growing up in the ‘80s meant […]


Ethos Agriculture’s Journey from Vision to Impact in Coffee Sustainability: Part Two

In the second half of this article, we discover how the Coffee Barometer attempts to bridge the gap between discourse and action, envisioning a sustainable…

How I made the switch to black coffee

Hawaiian Legislators Introduce Bills for Stricter Coffee Labeling

Legislators representing the Kona district of Hawaii have introduced a series of bills that would require more strict labeling requirements for single-origin coffees and blends containing Hawaiian-grown coffees. Some Kona…


Out Now: The February + March 2024 Issue of Barista Magazine!

In our new issue we feature Lisa Lawson from Glasgow, Scotland, take a look at the newest grinders, explore spring drink inspiration, see how more women are getting involved in coffee tech, and much more! BY SARAH ALLENBARISTA MAGAZINE We’re stoked to announce the release of the February + March 2024 issue of Barista Magazine, […]


Interest in coffee & health is rising – what do consumers need to know?

There is a wealth of scientific research available about the many health benefits of coffee – as well as the undesirable side effects of drinking too much. But like all fields of science, research about the impact of drinking coffee on human health is ever-changing as we uncover new findings.  Interestingly, the continuous discovery of […]


The coffee industry’s biggest competition: The story of the World Barista Championship

Every year, the global coffee industry gears up for one of its most exciting and groundbreaking competitions: the World Barista Championship. For more than two decades, the WBC has been one of the biggest catalysts for change and innovation in specialty coffee, and continues to set even higher standards for baristas around the world to […]

How I made the switch to black coffee

How I made the switch to black coffee

minimum dose size?

Jan 31, 2024 |

I use the Hario switch to brew my coffee and am trying to reduce my caffeine consumption. Hence I would like to brew smaller cups of coffee. I am currently using 10g of coffee with 160g of water. (1:16 Ratio) I am wondering if there is a minimum amount of coffee...

How I made the switch to black coffee

A beginner’s guide to loving
black coffee

I’ll be the first to admit that I have a huge sweet tooth. When I first started drinking coffee, it was barely considered coffee. I dumped in as much flavored creamer and sugar as I could. Since then, I’ve joined the dark side. I used to drink coffee for good. Now, I drink it for evil.

But it wasn’t until a few months ago (when I started at Death Wish) that I decided to start drinking black coffee, and it was a lot easier than I thought it’d be. At first, ditching cream and sugar was a habit I wasn’t willing to break — after all, it’s how I’d always taken my coffee. But like all bad habits, you have to break them eventually.

Think of drinking coffee like eating a good steak — if it’s high quality, it shouldn’t need steak sauce. Same goes for coffee. When you have quality coffee beans, all you should have to do is brew and pour it into your mug.

[Read more: If this doesn’t convince you to drink black coffee, nothing will]

Why did I decide to make the switch? I started realizing how much I was actually putting in my daily cup of joe. My usual order at the drive-thru was a medium coffee two creams, two sugars — adding up to more than 200 calories for every cup. Black coffee, on the other hand, is two calories. 

Over the span of a week, that’s a lot of cream and sugar and unnecessary calories. And we all know it’s not good for you. I didn’t quit my cream and sugar routine cold turkey, though. 

Here’s how I made the switch to black coffee in four steps — and trust me, if I can do it, you can, too. If you’re considering cutting out the cream and sugar altogether, I highly recommend it. 

[Read more: Should I put sugar in my coffee?]

1. No sugar, just cream

Sorry, sugar, you’re going down. The first step I did was break up with sugar. It was definitely an adjustment taking that first sip, but I got over it quick and actually enjoyed the taste of coffee without the sugar more. 

2. Cut back on the creamer

Instead of putting creamer into my coffee until it was a light color, I added only a little — keeping the coffee dark and rich. 

3. Only use creamer a few days a week 

This was probably the hardest part to cut out. I decided to do creamer only on the weekends as a way to treat myself. At first, it was hard not to reach into the fridge for the extra pick-me-up in my coffee, but as the first week went on, it became easier and easier. 

4. No cream, no sugar

The final step: A final goodbye to both. Since I eased into this stage, the transition wasn’t hard at all. In fact, I could feel my palette adjusting and I started craving black coffee more and more. I haven’t looked back since — I enjoy the taste of my coffee more, I don’t feel bloated or the dreaded sugar crash.

Drinking black coffee is enjoying coffee the way it was meant to be — you get the full flavor notes of the blend without the extra calories. 

Related: Here’s why coffee is actually good for you

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How I made the switch to black coffee

Perfect Little Beans

Chinmey Hill Coffee uses specialty-grade beans with zero primary defects (such as black beans or sour beans) and less than five secondary defects (such as broken beans). This is important because primary defects will greatly affect the taste of the coffee. Having zero defects allows the coffee to be the most optimal flavor.

Window for Optimal Flavor

Chimney Hill Coffee ships our coffee the same day it was roasted, so you will receive it before it enters the window of optimal flavor.  This means you’ll never miss the opportunity to enjoy the coffee’s peak flavor.

Coffee Ratings

Coffee undergoes many scoring processes by professionals who achieved their Q Grader certification. Coffee is first graded when it’s green. If there are defects the coffee is determined to be “not-specialty grade”. For those coffees that pass green grading, they are sample roasted and cupped. (Cupping is the official term for critically tasting and scoring coffees. The official cupping form is standard worldwide, and where the 100-point scoring system comes from.) A coffee’s dry fragrance, wet aroma, flavor, aftertaste, body, acidity, balance, and overall impression are taken into consideration while uniformity issues and defects, will lower the overall score.

Specialty Coffee

Specialty coffee, coined by Erna Knutsen in 1974, refers to a coffee that receives a quality grading score of 80 percent or higher. While “premium” or “gourmet” seem like they’re synonymous with “specialty,” they simply are marketing terms with no defined standards. Specialty coffees are grown in specific and ideal micro-climates, and have distinctive and unique flavor profiles, with little to no defects.

Third-Wave Coffee

We’re currently in the third wave of coffee. The first wave of American coffee put pre-ground, vacuum-sealed cans in kitchens across America. The second wave started with the late ‘60s introduction of Peet’s coffee (by Alfred Peet) through the proliferation of Starbucks. The third wave of coffee focuses on origin transparency, nuanced flavors, and artisan roasting. The term “third wave” is synonymous with specialty coffee.

How I made the switch to black coffee

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