Brew Expectations

What are you expecting your coffee to taste like?

For those of you who know me, I like coffee in a variety of forms.  I tried searching to determine how many different ways there are to make coffee but all I found was, "7 way for this ...", "10 best methods ...." and more.  I'm wondering if there is any limit.

I tried thinking of how many different ways I've brewed coffee in my lifetime and gave up that search as well.  It's not that there are an unlimited number of them but the answer eludes me due to limits of memory - probably.



I chose just 13 coffee brewing methods for the image.  One could not expect that the coffee produced by each of these pots would taste exactly the same.  If you were interested in only one specific result, it would be logical to assume that using your one preferred brew method would yield consistency. Alternatively, if you were interested in variety, you could determine your desired 'cuppa' and then choose your brewing method with little chance for disappointment.

You could fine-tune your selection as well.  Coffee from around the world is available to us.  There are countless grinds and even the water you use will change the flavor.

You can experiment!

There are endless varieties for enjoying the bean, each a caveat of pleasure.

All this to say that you can typically determine that your end result, the java you create, will satisfy your expectations.

And the analogy now gives way to the question.



There are times when we expect people to be a certain way.  We expect them to look at the world our way.  We expect that they view life the 'right' way.  We continually refuse to understand why they say the things they say.  We are amazed that they think and act in ways so foreign to 'correctness'.

We want our coffee (read people) to be exactly what our taste-preference is expecting.  But since each brewing method produces different results, how logical is our expectation?

If we continually expect that the Mr. Coffee drip-pot using off-the-shelf Folgers will give us the smooth, nutty flavored Costa Rican skim latte' that we are expecting, or if we think that that Nescafe' will taste like the mellow roasted course grind brew produced by the French Press, we are doomed to a disappointing cup of Joe.  Every time.

If we adjusted our attitudes and opened our minds (and taste-buds) we could be pleasantly surprised when sampling different brewing methods.  We could learn about the different beans (backgrounds), pots (cultures) and grinds (experiences) of others.  We might begin to enjoy the experience of variety instead of the consistent (perhaps boring?), I-like-it-this-way brew that is so familiar.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Romans 15:5-7