When most people think of coffee, they think of a bitter concoction, maybe made palatable by cream and sugar, they drink not so much for the taste but for the caffeine.

Over the past few years I dove headfirst into figuring out how to make good coffee, after an eye-opening experience in Seattle a few years ago. I'd been drinking coffee for years at that point, always drowned in milk and sugar. Black coffee was a no-go; too bitter, too foul-tasting. While on a trip to Seattle I visited Seattle Coffee Works and a friend had me try some of his freshly ground and brewed coffee. Instead of an overwhelming bitter taste, this coffee had a sweetness to it and at that point I decided I wanted to figure out how to make the same stuff at home.

Since then, I've tried a variety of brewing methods and tools, and that's what I'm going to ramble about today.  Buckle up.