Finally clicked why my coworking space coffee always tasted off...

Been bouncing around coworking spaces for about 3 years now, mostly in Chiang Mai and Lisbon. Always thought the free coffee at these places was just bad roast or stale beans. But last Tuesday at this one spot near Nimman, the barista guy pulled me aside and said hey, your thermos is probably ruining the flavor. Told me about how stainless steel can hold onto soap residue and old oils if you don't scrub it right. I'd just been rinsing mine with hot water for like a year. Swapped to a deep clean with baking soda and now the coffee actually tastes good. Anyone else had a dumb simple fix like this for their travel gear?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_xena1mo ago

Actually that baking soda trick only masks the problem. Your thermos isn't the real culprit here, the issue is the coworking space using cheap pre-ground coffee from a massive bag.

kim.emma1mo ago

Buy your own beans and a hand grinder. That's what I did when I was stuck in a space like that. @the_xena is dead on about the cheap bag coffee being the root of the problem. Get a small portable grinder like a Hario or an Aeropress and just keep it at your desk. The coffee will taste way better and you won't have to mess with baking soda or anything else. Trust me, I spent six months trying every hack before I finally gave up and brought my own setup. It's the only thing that actually fixes the bad taste from the source.