James Hoffmann's coffee videos

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

I like Tom Scott. His subjects are usually interesting and he has the decency to keep them short and to the point. I'm not saying anyone else has to like him, but outright hatred seems a bit baffling. Have you clicked on the "Don't recommend this channel" option?

I ended up unsubbing from Scott the end of last year. He did another collab with someone kinda dodgy and it left a bad taste in my mouth.

Oh dear. Who was that?

[Poobum]

It could be that he did a stunt fight thing with Jill Bearup who had said some terfy things in the past. I think he did everything as correct as possible considering. He discussed it with her and took the video down, and it's quite clear he finds such views deplorable.

I like him, but I can totally see why he could inspire annoyance.


https://www.tomscott.com/fightscene/

His response.

[sevendaughters]

I learned of this Hoffmann through Morgan Eckroth, as mentioned upthread, who indulges in some of the most edgeless humour I have ever seen in my life. Literally 'oh this misunderstanding happened from my role as a barista', like, coffee is not a fucking identity!

[Sebastian Cobb]

It could be that he did a stunt fight thing with Jill Bearup who had said some terfy things in the past. I think he did everything as correct as possible considering. He discussed it with her and took the video down, and it's quite clear he finds such views deplorable.

I like him, but I can totally see why he could inspire annoyance.


https://www.tomscott.com/fightscene/

His response.

I did watch some video where he was at a telephone museum in America where the curator was trans (and I think someone he already knew) and clearly some people had been saying some horrid things in the comments, he didn't hold back from giving them a bollocking and deleting their posts so in terms of that he seems alright.

[Poobum]

Yeah, he did a fun Nebula thing called Money with Mia Mulder as well. I'm quite confident he's a GBOL when it comes to LGBTQ+ issues.

[Inspector Norse]

Yeah I agree. I sometimes wonder if these coffee experts are just brainwashi themselves into disliking decent coffee so they can spend thousands on fancy machines, grinders and beans.

Hoffman seems a pleasant guy but really, I've always mistrusted people who get excited about coffee. Yes, it tastes a bit better if you've made it yourself using homeground beans directly imported from some gnarled Amazonian lad in an ethnic hat than if it's instant stuff out of an Aldi own-brand jar, but the difference is minimal compared to the difference between good and bad wine, or good and bad stew. Even the very best coffee is never more than faintly pleasant, you've forgotten it five minutes later.

These people just need to accept that it's just something you drink to stop yourself falling asleep during economy check-ups on Zoom.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Yeah, he did a fun Nebula thing called Money with Mia Mulder as well. I'm quite confident he's a GBOL when it comes to LGBTQ+ issues.

I'm glad to see he's not a closet bigot, but I also watch Jill Bearup's videos, so my disappointment has just been transferred (although I've no clear idea of what her views actually are).

[touchingcloth]

Hoffman seems a pleasant guy but really, I've always mistrusted people who get excited about coffee. Yes, it tastes a bit better if you've made it yourself using homeground beans directly imported from some gnarled Amazonian lad in an ethnic hat than if it's instant stuff out of an Aldi own-brand jar, but the difference is minimal compared to the difference between good and bad wine, or good and bad stew. Even the very best coffee is never more than faintly pleasant, you've forgotten it five minutes later.

These people just need to accept that it's just something you drink to stop yourself falling asleep during economy check-ups on Zoom.

When I've had coffee made by people who are really into coffee, or in coffee places they've taken me to, I've found it worse than the coffee I make for myself with no effort and for very little cost. Always a bit thin and/or tangy, which isn't what I want from my coffee.

Espresso is the best sort of coffee for me, though I've never had a decent one prepared in someone's home or using domestic equipment, and like you say the difference between a good and bad espresso in a coffee shop is pretty negligible - the bad ones are basically fine, as are the great ones.

So espresso when I'm out, filter or French press when I'm at home, ta. Black as Guinness, else I'm sending it back.

[holyzombiejesus]

I have milk and sugar in my coffee so these aren't my people.

[touchingcloth]

I have mine black, and somehow they still aren't my people. The whitest black coffee going. Caucasian people, amiright.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I drink about 95% of my coffee's black but if I've got some spare cream I'll float that on top for a treat.

[Rizla]

Espresso is the best sort of coffee for me, though I've never had a decent one prepared in someone's home or using domestic equipment, and like you say the difference between a good and bad espresso in a coffee shop is pretty negligible - the bad ones are basically fine, as are the great ones.

Used to swear by the stovetop kona then the mrs got us one of these - DeLonghi Dedica, 2nd hand it was about £100. I was not at all convinced as I thought all domestic espresso machines were flashy wank that will explode, but I have to say, 18 months on, averaging 5-6 espressos a day with it and it's still going strong, very well built and designed, joy to use, tells you when it wants descaling (quite an enjoyable process as it sounds like industrial music), top esp every time, with the crema and all that. 10/10 highly recommend.

[fancywookiee]

I've not dared get into espresso at home. I've reached a point where I can competently make a V60, French Press and Moka pot coffee and know a few hacks for the cheapo batch brewer I have at work to improve the output of that.

Espresso feels like a good way for me to spend a gaming pc amount of money on a drink that someone else in a café can make far more competently than I. Maybe I need one of those experience days but instead of driving a fast car round an airfield, I get to pull shots of espresso on a decent machine.

(Not to derail much further on Scott, but yeah it was the collab with Bearup that pissed me off. I know he did eventually take the video down. Just, ehh, caught me at a sensitive time and it's definitely a me problem).

[The Guppy]

I learned of this Hoffmann through Morgan Eckroth, as mentioned upthread, who indulges in some of the most edgeless humour I have ever seen in my life. Literally 'oh this misunderstanding happened from my role as a barista', like, coffee is not a fucking identity!

I always watch her short videos when they appear in my recommendations. They're a few seconds long and it's fascinating how banal they are.

Her 'proper' videos are ok. She's nice and knowledgable but not very interesting.


As for James, I like it when he does disgusting shit for no reason.