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Comment by dqv | Hacker News Reader

>I will not contest that the best coffee is the coffee that's been ground and brewed right in front of me. I will posit that if you do the grind before bed and then brew in the AM, the quality isn't going to be that different and pre-caffinated / still-groggy you is going to value the "it's there, ready to be drank" aspect far more than you'll value the marginal increase in quality that'd come from doing all the prep _right then_.

I think I've become addicted to the tactility of making the coffee as much I have to the caffeine. Uh, I was going to go on a long description of the tactile experience of making the coffee in a pour-over brewer, but I'll save that for my journal ;)

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> I think I've become addicted to the tactility of making the coffee as much I have to the caffeine.

You are not alone. Making pour-over coffee (from whole beans) is the first thing I do each morning, and I have several cups a day. Caffeine has no clearly noticeable effect on me, however, and I sometimes feel that I don’t even enjoy the taste that much. It dawned on me that the obsession is completely with the physical process, routine, and the fantastic aroma it creates.

You might notice it if you were to stop drinking coffee for a week - slight caffeine withdrawal. Also, I think that a small percentage of the obsession does come from caffeine addiction, the anticipation of the “hit”, etc. “No noticeable effect” can also mean that you just feel normal with it, but a bit uncomfortable (or tired) without.

I wouldn’t underestimate the drug, not anymore - doing a detox made me realize how it’s still a drug that does stuff to your brain and possibly your body.

Of course, YMMV.

You’re probably right, although I know people who get headaches if they go one morning without it and that’s certainly not the case with me (and I can sleep after a shot of espresso too).

I don’t underestimate it, but so far the evidence seems to point to moderate coffee consumption being a net benefit. I’ll probably try having a no-caffeine week at some point anyway, just for, you know, science.

Funny caffeine doesn't seem effect me like that.

But sugar does, I can only have a small piece of chocolate a day if I don't want headaches and muscle aches upon stopping.

With a couple of friends, we did a 0 caffeine challenge for a week. First to drink any caffeinated drink would have to get the first round of drinks after work on Friday.

Knowing the first couple of days I go without coffee I'm pretty slow, I started on the Saturday rather than the planned Monday.

On Tuesday I was getting tested for Covid because I was feeling feeverish (no actual fever), had cramps and intense pain in my back. By the end of the week I was feeling a little better. On Friday, we all had a cup of coffee together, no one had lost the challenge.

All that to say that never again will I underestimate the drug.

In that case automating any of it would be counter to the point, wouldn't it?

Yes, exactly! Automating it would take away the fun. I do understand why people automate it though - if you're trying to get your day started ASAP and coffee starts your day, then automating it makes a lot of sense.

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