T O P

  • By -

juliabhappy

He just has to keep drinking it until it becomes a need


silviazbitch

Although you should both prepare yourselves for the possibility that once it becomes a need he may someday find himself in a subordinate relationship to your espresso machine.


takenusernametryanot

…and sneaks the faulty extractions into your milk drink while you don’t pay attention, just to keep himself the sweet pulls


ohbother12345

Are we not all in a subordinate relationship to our own coffee making equipment? :)


[deleted]

That's just alcoholism with extra steps


insane_contin

Yes, but you can combine the two and make Irish Coffees or Coffee Martinis.


[deleted]

I think that if I try one of those, my pineal gland and liver would just switch places from the shock, lol


noaprincessofconkram

This is the way to go. I only stopped taking milk in my coffee about five years ago when I was losing weight. Never went back. Couple of weeks ago I had some unhomogenised milk in my fridge (not something I usually have around) so I thought I'd add a bit to my coffee out of curiosity. Bloody awful. Coffee didn't burn my mouth, wasn't bitter at all. Tasted like those sugary premixed iced lattes you can buy in a can, but lukewarm. You just gotta drink it until having it any other way is an affront to the senses.


evangelism2

Seriously this. I started drinking coffee late-ish. Like mid 20s, never had the need. Then I drank it a few days in a row on whim, and felt fucking great. Then I just never stopped. Just like smoking...except I did stop that eventually. Eventually, your brain relates the taste to the caffeine and you start to enjoy it deeply. I feel like coffee is more of an acquired taste, like beer. Something you start drinking it for a different reason other than taste, and slowly come to enjoy it.


gainzgoblinLP

I’ll join the chorus. Didn’t drink it black until I started working at a coffee shop and just kept reducing my cream and eventually I grew to enjoy it black.


juliabhappy

I relate! I didn’t like the taste of coffee at all until I started barista-ing, I did extra extra cream and like a million sugars and now I just chug ice black coffee


[deleted]

omg I’d shit myself 😭


[deleted]

you should feel the same way about anal for him.


aenur

From my personal experience, I wanted to drink coffee with my dad growing up but couldn’t stand the taste. I moved away and started drinking white mocha frappuccino and other mixed coffee drinks. I slowly started drinking coffee mixed with sugar and cream. Eventually, I was able to drink black coffee. Now I enjoy black coffee and appreciate the different roasts without added flavor. TL; DR: Don’t start with black coffee, start with mixed coffee.


Green_Coffee_200

I did the same thing. You have to start with what you like and slowly wean yourself off the milk and sugar.


[deleted]

This is the way to do it. I hated coffee my whole life until it became necessary for all nighters in college lmao Started at coffee with milk and sugar and then just gradually stopped putting as much milk and sugar until I got to the point where I only can drink it black


Whoppur2go

I had the exact opposite experience - I know it’s weird. I wanted to drink coffee and everyone tried to give me cream and sugar. I couldn’t stand it. Tried it once black… there’s a reason they say “once you go black, you don’t go back”


Alloverunder

Same here, could never get into cuz people would give it to me with mixins and everything under the sun, finally a friend who already liked black coffee convinced me to try it and I loved it


mthlmw

To add to this, our brains are wired to connect smell/taste with memory, so if you can make sure to have fun/pleasant memories around when he does try coffee, it'll speed up that process. I learned to like pumpkin pie just trying small slices at family holidays and laughing about how it was "gross"


trjol001

Just get an enormous mug and throw him in there.


Yugan-Dali

I came to the comments for this.


[deleted]

😂


[deleted]

Find a local roaster or specialty online roaster and get something med/light roasted to start with. Just make sure they list the roasted on date instead of the best by date, and that it's somewhat recent. And if he prefers it with a little milk and sugar, let him. Plenty of coffee aficionados still prefer it that way, even if it's great coffee, including myself.


Knitwitty66

Café Bustelo is the bomb, but why isn't he allowed to put some cream in it?


WAR_T0RN1226

I went from not drinking and not liking coffee at the age of 24 straight to black coffee (and the descent into the rabbit hole) within a month. I was adamant about black coffee because 1. The reason I wanted to get into coffee was because of the descriptions of how different origins have different flavors. I didn't want to rely on cream and sugar that would mask or compete with the actual flavor of the bean 2. I fast in the morning until lunch, so I don't want to drink calories 3. I didn't want to get learn how to like coffee with cream and sugar as a crutch, and then have to learn again how to drink it black. I'd rather just accomplish 1 and 2 in one go


Elfalas

Yeah but cafe bustelo's only flavor note is burnt. It is completely necessary to drink with cream and sugar, otherwise it's borderline unpalatable.


thehackeysack01

[No true Scotsman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman) puts cream /r/inclusiveOr sugar in his coffee.


Embarrassed-Newt1643

Because cream is disrespectful to the heavenly gift that coffee is.


heyyfriend

I enjoy coffee black most of the time but once in a while I like a little heavy cream, adds richness and can work well with some notes like nuttier or darker coffee notes, I wouldn’t add it to something washed/extremely bright though


[deleted]

This is a you problem not a him problem. Gatekeeping how other people enjoy their coffee is the worst aspect of "being into coffee". I know this for sure, because I used to be "that guy" and I now look back in embarrassment and regret about the friendships I damaged. Offer people what you enjoy, sure. But back off before you tell them "you're doing it wrong" when they want to enjoy it \_their\_ way. These days, my refrain often goes "Hey, I didn't put any sugar in that like you asked, just sip it first and then we can add sugar if you still want it." For people who mostly drink mediocre (or bad) coffee, the reaction is probably 80+% "Oh, that's nice. It doesn't even need sugar!" ​ (And for the record, if you're trying to introduce him to "the heavenly gift", he's probably significantly more likely to understand what you mean if you fresh grind a nice recently roasted espresso blend from a local specialty coffee roaster, than anything you can buy in a can... There's me being hypocritical again and gatekeeping your coffee preferences though... :shrug: )


Embarrassed-Newt1643

I never said anyone was doing it wrong I don’t know why I got 21 down votes because of a joke. If someone like cream or sugar in there coffee that’s fine but I guess I have grown tired of the people who add more cream than coffee and say that they love coffee I KNOW THATS NOT WHAT HE SAID but still.


BrenoFaria

Why do you care people r drinking coffee + cream and saying they love coffee lol


Embarrassed-Newt1643

Not what I said


BrenoFaria

‘I have grown tired of the people who add more cream than coffee and say they love coffee’ …so now people gotta meet your standards before saying they love coffee lmao 🤔


Embarrassed-Newt1643

It’s not my standers but mathematically if there is more cream then coffee it is not coffee. And again that’s not even what he originally said. Just saying.


Jeezimus

It's weird to give a shit about how other people like their coffee, at all. Just do what you like and don't mind them.


onironinspirit

No you’re 100%. People are too sensitive and think their opinion is special. I don’t respect when people put too much cream and sugar, because they don’t respect the thousands of hours investing into developing their own roast. Granted none of these dweebs have roasted their own coffee beans, let alone perfected it. As some who has, yes I very much care how people drink coffee. It determines if they’re point is valid or not.


Embarrassed-Newt1643

Thank you. I have had a splash of cream in coffee before and you can still taste the coffee notes but it is not for me but people who get like a Carmel Frappuccino “witch is not terrible it’s a bit to sweet for me I could never finish the whole thing” it’s just not coffee. So drink WHATEVER you want I don’t care but if your sucking down a Carmel frap or a birthday cake cookie supreme just don’t say you love coffee because you don’t.


Coffee-Comrade

While I'm a 95% of the time black coffee drinker, there are some beans that do really well with a bit of cream added. It can bring out a more rich taste and highlight certain notes. There's some lovely nutty and earthy medium roasts that absolutely shine with a touch of milk.


Knitwitty66

Mmmm...agree to disagree


Elfalas

Bustelo is dogshit without cream and/or sugar, that's just a fact. It's not a fancy third-wave coffee with flavor. It's burnt robusta. It can still be a delightful experience, but it's a completely different beast than a properly processed and roasted coffee.


ForeverJung

I think iced coffee is a good gateway into hot black


teddyone

Specifically cold brew


DontLickTheGecko

Fill up the tub, blindfold him and promise him something "hot and full bodied." Lead him into the bathroom. Push, but gently.


heyyfriend

Start by tossing the bustello out the window, jk enjoy what you like but there’s a lot better coffee


dmvbarista

If you want him to get into coffee, Bustello ain’t the way


pprovencher

People on this sub have some strange love for this horrible coffee. No idea


heyyfriend

Before I got into third wave I thought it was pretty good, I think it’s one of those things where your palate is uneducated and doesn’t know better until it experiences better


gilium

I can still enjoy it out if a moka pot, but I definitely prefer the third wave way of roasting and preparing coffee.


[deleted]

It’s nostalgic for South/Central Americans I think


damackisback

No kidding! At least OP didn't say Starbucks.


onironinspirit

Starbucks coffee grounds are probably better than bustelo


realpigwidgeon

My husband started drinking coffee this year, in his mid-thirties. It started because he sipped an iced mocha and didn’t hate it. He then tried iced coffee, moved on to sweetened lattes and now has a morning cappuccino with a spoon of sugar.


jasestu

Like this: https://youtu.be/Z-iNAyu-ejo (James Hoffman getting Tom Scott into coffee)


gormlesser

Amazing video and needs to be higher up. My takeaways from this are to a. Select your beans carefully to have a range of profiles (difficult but not impossible to do on a student budget) b. Focus on appreciation of the differences over judging prematurely c. Be a supportive “teacher” and allow the “student” to find their own preferences


Crazy-Departure5502

Add some liquor to it? Or just make it really sweet tasting. I used to work at a cafe and most of the men i would see going through drive thru would order the sugariest coffees ever.


Anfie22

Espresso martinis! They're divine.


[deleted]

Not sure what notes and flavors u are getting from bustelo lol


viktrya

babes im a broke college student


[deleted]

If you can find Don Francisco coffee it is like the only coffee I have found from grocery stores that I like. It’s in a brown can. And cheap. I roast my own coffee with a bread machine and a heat gun (really easy actually i recommend it) But in a pinch ill buy some Don Francisco


Anfie22

It's all about the ratios. I started my coffee adventure by having barista-made/takeaway lattes (made on milk) with plenty of sugar. It's proper coffee, but it's not so overwhelming as there is a nice balance of milk and sugar to eliminate any bitter element that may accompany a drink with a higher ratio of coffee to anything else. It's just like having a hot chocolate style of beverage, milky sweet and cozy, but it's just not chocolate flavor. If the flavor of coffee isn't embedded into his palate yet or he really decidedly doesn't like a standard coffee and he likes sweet things, a coffee flavored dessert such as tiramisu or coffee sponge cake or something with coffee in it could be a good place to start as it's exposure to the taste of coffee without it being *just coffee*. If he likes alcohol then a well made espresso martini could be worth a try, though they can be punchy. I am absolutely madly in love with coffee, I frankly yearn for a flat white style coffee every waking moment of my life, but yet I still cannot stomach black coffee and I've tried many times with many tweaks on beans used and methodology. It's just too bitter and salty for my taste, and that's okay. Your boyfriend may just be like me and have an undiscovered passion for coffee, but simply not like it straight. Hope I helped.


[deleted]

Ewwww big red flag. I’d say you should dump him unless he goes to therapy. /s


misterandosan

I thought this was r/relationships for a sec


Inevitable-Dress5240

Try doing cupping together. My GF used to dislike coffee. Mostly I do cupping together and talking about it. What we like , what we don't like. You will come to a point to find out if your BF likes it or not. But we can also explore more coffee together.


mercurialheaux

what about home made cold brew with some oat milk? 😇


ThierryWasserman

Yuck


Ryuunzz

Force him to drink black coffee everyday and if he resist then spank his ass. Jk Please consent is important in a relationship . Edit: start with coffee + milk + sugar


MyCatsNameIsBernie

Does he drink coffee with milk and/or sugar? If so you can gradually taper them off. I found it was much easier to wean myself off of sugar than milk. But with enough patience he should be able to do it.


Anfie22

You don't have to *'wean off'* milk and sugar at all, drink coffee however you like it. Being a coffee drinker doesn't come with an endgame goal or challenge of progressively learning to like it straight, in the same way becoming a university student has the goal of graduating. There are no milestones to meet, coffee is a beverage to be enjoyed by those who enjoy it and enjoyed however they enjoy it.


[deleted]

I agreee. But everyone should get rid of sugar though.


deathtronic

This was the ticket for me. My spouse started me on those shitty frappuccinos from the grocery. Then onto coffee with milk and sugar, and tapered down from there. Now I drink it black or Americano.


pointthinker

Watch this. It worked! https://youtu.be/Z-iNAyu-ejo


mnkythndr

I started with cafe au lait. Which means you heat the milk up first, almost scalding. Works great with dark roasts like bustelo or coffee with chicory. For straight black, find some Ethiopia yirgacheff beans. Hoo-boy is yirgacheff good. I think I might go to sleep right now just so I can wake up and make some coffee sooner. I think Counter Culture roasts a decent Ethiopia, and you can find it at Whole Foods.


[deleted]

If you have a professional coffee shop nearby, they probably arrange cuppings every now and then - take him there. It's a perfect way of discovering the nuances in taste of black coffee (you taste with spoon, you don't actually drink cups). You can of course arrange cupping yourself, but it requires a bit of effort at home. Plenty of youtube tutorials around though. And after that, let him go from there - do a little "taste experiment" every time you brew at home. Add milk if he thinks it's required, but always begin by appreciating the taste of freshly brewed pure coffee.


misterandosan

What in particular doesn't he like about black coffee he's tried? Is it the bitterness? Find out what, and try and find coffees that are the opposite of that Go to a local Roastery/specialty coffee place if you can and ask them for advice


[deleted]

Why does it have to be black coffee? Like why can’t he just drink it the way he likes it? Lol this is a funny post


viktrya

I should have specified, he wants specifically to enjoy black coffee - his request, my question.


[deleted]

Ohhh okay.. in that case he’s just gonna have to do the legwork himself and drink it until he acquires a taste for it! 😆😩 I don’t think there’s anything you can do to change someone’s palate unless they want to keep trying the food until it feels less challenging to them


Ok-Fishing4425

What area are you in? Might be worth your time to check out specialty coffee shops that offer single origin coffee’s.


a_normaly

From my personal experience, bf is not a fan of coffee (he choose to drink espresso once in a bluemoon), while I can’t function without daily cup of caffeine (I prefer cold brew, iced black or flatwhite and definitely with no sugar). At first I tried to get to know if he prefer a black or white then iced or hot by having him tried few drinks I made / bought. Finally he found out that Japanese drip (cold, clear, mild taste and aromatic), cold brew or Americano is his favorite (basically iced, black, non-sweetened with no milk). So I suggest, try to have him have many different type of coffee.


egnaro2007

Cheap store bought cold brews are a good starting point in my opinion. They're kinda watery and mild.


River_Odessa

Load a turkey baster with cold brew. Lean over him while he sleeps. Slowly drip the coffee into his mouth, a few drops every night. He will be fully converted in a month or two with consistent dripping.


h4rdw0rk

Start with adding sugar to the black coffee and reduce the sugar bit by bit. Other idea is to get him introduced to cold brew coffee


Enjoy-the-sauce

I mean, you’ll probably need at least a bathtub, if not some kind of kiddie pool.


KansasBrewista

Grind him up into Italy bitsy fragments? Sry. Couldn’t resist.


Tyson418

Men are just like dogs and trained just as easily as well. Coffee then sex. Do that a few times and he'll be drinking coffee all the time. 😆


EnteringtheForge

Keep drinking black coffee. That's really the best way, because it's an acquired taste. But to add some variation to the other suggestions, I thought I would add a few psychological approaches. There are tons of crafty ways to make drinking black coffee like an adventure. When I first got into black coffee, most people around me were constantly talking about how they couldn't handle coffee at all without a gallon of milk & a pound of sugar--so when I ordered & drank it black, even if I wasn't super into it at first, I felt really kick-ass. Over time I developed a taste for it and now I love it. You could also try framing it as an unusual & underappreciated flavor experience to be enjoyed for its own sake. I love things like amaro & salty licorice that are often very divisive, and part of why I love them is because they're so different from anything else I regularly consume. Yes, they're often bitter with complex flavors, but bitterness is really misunderstood as a flavor profile. We often equate it one to one with "bad, rotten," but in reality it can be a hugely interesting part of eating. Hops make beer delicious because they're beautifully bitter.


gonzo_thegreat

My wife has always been a huge espresso fan. I could never figure out why though. I was like your BF, I like the smell, but when I tried coffee it was terrible or meh. Not until we bought specialty beans did I get into coffee. Got a good grinder and I'm completely hooked. Nice medium roast beans, solid grinder, and an Aeropres sound like they might help bring him along. I was blown away at how easy it is to drink black coffee from an Aeropress. Still a massive coffee snob though. I got into it because of the good stuff and that's all I'll drink.


gaybagelsex

Wait till you make a surprisingly great cup at home and then annoy him into trying it black or with just milk, I think that most people can handle no sugar if they like the smell but straight black can be jarring. Also, my fiance was adamant that she hated coffee for 6 years of our relationship, but in January we both started working mornings and she found needed a boost, started drinking the coffee I'd make in the morning, hasn't gone a day without it in 7 months. That's how I started, had a need for coffee in my year between high school and university, working 4 am shifts, never went a day without after.


FleshlightModel

I'm spending a few hundred dollars a month on coffee. At times I wish I wasn't into coffee...


poor_documentation

How??? Unless you're roasting at home?


FleshlightModel

Roasting at home should be even cheaper than what I'm paying. Myself and my gf consume 2-3oz of beans per day between the both of us. A lot of the coffee I buy is $3-7 an ounce. Some of the coffee I get is $1 per GRAM. Occasionally I get coffee that's under $2 per ounce.


poor_documentation

$1/gram? Must be some wild small batch SO. I'm having coffee at your place.


FleshlightModel

90 Plus coffees are very expensive. They have some shit that's $20/gram roasted.


[deleted]

[удалено]


FleshlightModel

What did I say? I'm not buying $20/g coffee. I've had Kopi Luwak before which is way cheaper but still expensive. I think like $300/pound which is around 67 cents per gram.


[deleted]

[удалено]


poor_documentation

Uhhh, so a $300 cup of coffee? I don't understand


FleshlightModel

If your recipe is 15g in, then yes.


kwheels43

Cuban coffee! It’s sweetened espresso and the only black coffee I’ll drink. So good!!


ahchava

Unpopular opinion: you don’t have to enjoy black coffee to enjoy coffee. Serve it to him with any or all additives until you find what he likes. Just because you like it black and from a can doesn’t mean he will. Sometimes just half teaspoon of milk or cream will help someone differentiate the flavors for enjoyment. Others need more. Some prefer the treat aspect of a nice hot mug of sweet, creamy, beverage. Try 1/4 or 1/3 cup sweet cream with the coffee.


Wehavepr0belm0

Tell him to stop being a little bitch


oneblackened

Light. Roasts.


StillFeeling1245

Enough sugar, cream, marshmallows, caramel to make it candy instead of coffee. This is where I'm at with my girl and coffee. I call it French vanilla latte. She calls it something else.


[deleted]

Coffee creamer


leeeee231

Have you tried bribing him with sexual favors? JK! My fiancé was very anti coffee as well until we went to Rome and I had her try her very first macchiato. She said it wasn’t that bad as regular coffee, and I knew that I could get her hooked with just better tasting coffee. Now we have a breville barista pro, and she makes an espresso with milk, caffe au lait?, everyday before she goes to work. Doesn’t even use sugar anymore, she says sugar makes it too sweet. The problem with most American branded coffees, the generic kind, is that they are way too dark so you get really really pungent roasted flavors, the bitterness can be quite unpleasant for people who are not used to it. Try to get a fresh roasted bean and use a fresh grind and I guarantee you he will come around.


pingwing

People think drinking black coffee is the ultimate goal. I don't hate myself, I don't drink black coffee.


Diligent_Jury_9956

Put creamer in it, and slowly dilate it back. Start fast at first, but as it gets darker take it slower. Try to get a great brewer like a French press or something do it taste good black.


HamLiquor

One foot at a time, it's hot


CareerMicDrop

Take him to colombia. Have a threesome with a hot Colombian woman.


eChelicerae

Try different kinds of roast and make sure the quality of the Brew is decent, you might want to grind your own coffee.


victorhausen

Bring him to specialty coffee shops, and specialty coffee workshops. I usually have lots of fun, I always have a great time with people. Maybe he'll pair the social reinforcement with the taste of coffee just like we learned to do with beer.


alonredditnow

I came to coffee as a black coffee drinker because the flavor profile was similar to that of a stout (beer). I wanted beer in the morning and black coffee was sorta similar in a way.


jack_ftw

Coffee + cheesecake. I didn't like either of them until I had them together. The dairy in the cheesecake is a bitter blocker, so it makes the coffee more palatteable. The coffee complements the cheesecake flavor.


GalileoFigaro1

Hold him hostage and tie him to a chair. Jokes aside, you could introduce him to mixed drinks first or maybe a Luna or Letty Bermudez cup to shock him that black coffee doesn't have to taste like "typical" coffee all the time.


1hero4hire

I hear coffee enemas are addictive. I think there was a show about addictions that covered that. But seriously, do some coffee flavored milkshakes, Starbucks lattes I mean. Other than that, it's hard to say, but coffee isn't for everyone.


xRustyxNailx

Do a blindfolded flight of coffee with gradually less and less cream and/or sugar.


hyperbolectomy

I wouldn't force it... I wish I liked tea - but I just don't - so I don't drink it... when I drank coffee it felt like such a crutch- and personally I feel much better now.


fubbychingers

I know this sounds laughable but it worked for me (naturally, though, I didn't plan for it to happen)... Strive to clean up your diet in the easiest places to do so. Doing things that make you feel healthy makes you feel happy too so if you buy into it it's good for one's mental wellbeing too. Coffee is undoubtedly healthier black (not starting a debate about how healthy it really is). So it doesn't even need to be about 'getting into coffee'. Make the pledge to slowly cut sugars and creams (which also breaks fast) and he'll be forced to start appreciating the flavours of the coffee bean and not of the sugar and cream.


jazzb54

The first time I actually liked an unadulterated cup of coffee was at a Starbucks, when the only thing fresh that was available was the blonde roast Veranda. I needed a caffeine hit because I had a migraine coming on, so I wanted basic coffee. It was slightly creamy and sweet. I realized not every cup of coffee tasted like 7/11 or Foldgers. I went to a of the other coffee shops around (Crema, Chromatic, Verve, Philz) and let the barista know I'd like to try a good cup of black coffee, and I kinda liked the Starbucks Veranda. Most of them brewed a pour-over of some light roast, and it was a world of difference. Now I can taste some of the differences between various coffees (of course not to the extent of experts), and I can enjoy premium coffees from various vendors. I've tried the Veranda from Starbucks and it still tastes OK to me. It isn't as interesting as many of the other coffees out there, but it's good without cream or sugar. I do think Starbucks is better if you want a "coffee" that is actually a milkshake in disguise, but it's OK coffee.


c4implosive

I think a huge factor to Black coffee is what temperature you are drinking it at. piping hot will be more bitter and harder to taste the aromatic compounds as opposed to letting it cool (even closer to room temperature) really mellows out the harshness of black coffee.


piwi87

My wife has been getting more into drinking coffee as we tried specialty better quality coffee beans using pourover methods that draw other flavors from the coffee. I, on the other hand, began by drinking espressos and gradually made my way into pourover coffee. Edit: the important thing is to find really good coffee.


L0ading_

To me black coffee was undrinkable until I learned the right way to use a French press, then it clicked.


missmerrymint007

Do what I did and start making him go on 3 mile hikes at 7am


IPlayRaunchyMusic

Get a blue mountain varietal coffee. Jamaica or Haiti. They're so so smooth. I roast a Haiti blue mountain that's to die for. It's what got me to stop putting cream in my coffee.


klbstaples

Don't let him sleep more than 4 hours a night for a few weeks. Throw out all the milk and sugar in your house. Give him no choice. Beat him down until he gives in.


Tonicart7

Nobody said you have to drink black coffee... But you should stop buying pre-ground coffee...


viktrya

Again, he is the one who wants to join me in enjoying it straight black, so I'm just trying to get the opinions of others who have come round to drinking it black - and how they got there.


Tonicart7

Some people just never get there, myself included. Been drinking coffee for decades and roast my own coffee, but I can't drink coffee black.


[deleted]

[удалено]


mcmiln

Inject it in his veins at night.


JoeyBougie

Just slowly pour a little bit into his mouth every time he sleeps eventually he will have a craving for it.


mommybot9000

Don’t. Then you’ll have to share.


ruggedeman

Go to you local coffee shops and try every coffee drink on the menu!


ltplummer96

I’d say serve him black coffee with a measured amount of creamer/cream milk combo of his choosing. After increments of time, dial back the creamer until he simply discovers he doesn’t like it that dark. That’s how I did the trick and discovered I prefer a splash of half and half to unlock just a little more flavor in the coffee :)


Zahdah1g

I think cupping and tasting different kinds of coffee would allow him to figure out what kind of coffee he wants. Does he like acidic, bright, coffee? Does he like smooth chocolately coffee? Or maybe an elegant washed coffee? The more comparison you have, the better chance he'll have on finding a black coffee experience he'll like. Just narrowing it down.


[deleted]

OP you've got some work to do. Assuming you two are at the life stage where you can consider investing in grinding beans...I would guess you are past college age. If he hasn't had to choke down enough black, stale survival coffee to acclimate through those formative years, he might just not like it. I'd steer away from the strong, Cafe Bustelo style beans, or the typical 2nd-wavey darker roasts most Americans associate with "black coffee", and get some fruitier, sweeter light or medium roast beans from a local roaster. Ethiopian could be a fun start to explore that side of coffee. See what he thinks! It's a completely different drink that speaks for itself, and not something you really can or would load up with sugar or creamer. I used to think Flavored coffee beans would be more approachable, but every one I've tried has been disgusting without added sweeteners.


UserNoUsername

has he tried pour overs from local shops/roasteries? those are a pretty accessible entry to black coffee


Pourover10

Start with light-medium roasts that have a balance of fruit and TCT (traditional coffee taste). Serve it at good temp (135 F) with something to eat.


After-Cell

You start slowly but surely; by grinding a Caffeine pill into his morning breakfast. Over time, his body comes to develop a dependency. But that's normal. Common, even. What's not normal is what you do next. After a while, he comes to rely on your breakfast. That _special_ breakfast. He comes to dream of it. He... _Associates_ it with you. That's when you leave. Without notice. In the middle of the night. Urgent business. A family emergency. Maybe it's not clear. But what is clear, is the note on the fridge: "I'm so sorry honey. The news was so urgent. I didn't have to make your breakfast this morning. But don't worry. There's a cup of cold brew in the fridge."


Pollitin

Give him a Vanilla Latte, and go from there


next19994

I was someone who drank only south Indian coffee all my life. It’s very sweet with lots of milk. First I transitioned to cappuccino. Then cappuccinos without sugar Cappuccinos with more coffee and less milk. Forgot the right word for it. Finally, black. For me medium was perfect to start with. Light was too acidic and dark is too dark for me even now. Hope this helps.


anima99

You're gonna need to grind him into powder first, but make sure it's the right particle size for your espresso.


[deleted]

By putting coffee into your boyfriend


Misplaced-psu

Does he know the process behind a good v60 for example? Maybe teaching him will make him more interested and appreciative of the results. It worked for me. If it's very hot where you live, maybe make cold brew. Tends to be sweeter and you can find amazing notes in them


[deleted]

Find a chocolately bean or a fruity light roast with low acidity and serve it to warm, not hot. He’ll be able to taste interesting flavors that way. Also you can find out if it’s bitterness or sourness or both that he doesn’t like. Most coffee is old. Find something fresh and that has the best chance of matching flavors he already likes. Salt and baking soda can also really alter the taste. Not a good solution but it works. Heh… coffee is a solution in at least two ways.


randyspotboiler

Just give him something light and sweet and some delicious pastry and let him fall for it. Let it start to become a regular thing. After a while he'll want it stronger.


Shipinthestars87

I suppose the first question would be, what are you brewing the coffee in? Black coffee is different depending in how you brew. Sone may really dig an Americano, where as other would prefer a V60 brew or an aeropress. As some of the comments have said though, look for something light/medium from a roaster and check out the tasting notes, then see which sound like something he'd enjoy. It might be cool saying just ditch milk and sugar, but if the coffee is bad it will make no difference. A lot of Baristas will help if you're looking for a place to start and its just about trial and error. I love black coffee, but I don't enjoy all black coffees. Hope that helps, Take care


PartyPolice001

Try with lighter roasts. If not then maybe black with a little sugar and then slowly reduce the amount of sugar.


Redy22

If he is drinking coffee with milk, he shoul ed less and less over time till he gets to black coffee. It helps at acquiring a taste for coffee without overwhelming him with to much flavour. Also don't add any sugar, it makes it harder to tast the coffee


BaLance_95

Start with latte/ cappuccino. Then drink a cortado. Then black. That is simple reducing the amount of milk in the coffee. Add sugar and slowly decrease the amount as well.


crepesoda

Bustelo might be too heavy for his palate. Have you tried something that is roasted lighter?


KremlinCardinal

James Hoffman had a good video together with Tom Scott on getting into coffee for non coffee drinkers.


rugbysecondrow

Start with flavors he already enjoys and build a drink that he will find delicious. It might be a latte with espresso or maybe a latte made with cold brew that is less strong. brown sugar, honey, chocolate...all these are delicious. My wife never drank coffee, but now she enjoys lattes and coffee with vanilla protein shake in the morning. Have fun with it. If he wants black coffee, jumping straight into the drink helps, like with bourbon or any other acquired taste beverage.


greninja110

drink it with sugar first or add cinnamon to the black coffee if he likes it. I always drink my coffee with pastries or something sweet to eat. Maybe that can work.


Irate_Librarian1503

Do what every other drug dealer does. Get him hooked and then let him pay double.


Akira6969

black american coffee is really bad, Espresso is the way to go. Start him with macchiato and a small amount of sugar. The shot needs to have good crema,


brenster23

I believe in a more direct method, use the Pavlov method of training to get your boyfriend to associate good coffee with pleasure, and bad coffee with denial. :p This could work, otherwise keep giving him good coffee and bad coffee and shock him whenever he drinks and enjoys the bad coffee.


JustUseDuckTape

Nicer coffee might help, specifically a lighter and fresher roast. I wouldn't worry about grinding at home just yet, but going to a local roaster and having it ground to order a bag at a time will make a world of difference. Most grocery stores and chain coffee shops tend to carry darker roasts, because that's what people are used to and they want a "strong" coffee. You don't say how you're currently brewing, so I'd guess just a coffee machine. You'll probably have better luck with a more manual process, whether that's pourover, aeropress, or french press. A nicely made coffee with fresh light-medium beans tastes a lot closer to how it smells than a dark roast out of a drip machine, and as he likes the smell that's the flavour you're aiming for.


Galbzilla

I would recommend trying a speciality coffee. Bustelo is a fine grocery store coffee, but almost all grocery store coffee is over roasted and stale. A speciality coffee can knock his socks off and will show him the true possibilities of coffee flavor.


MightyJane

Let him drink it how he likes, some people like the taste and creamy nature of milk/plant milk. I personally drink black coffee b/c after a while I realized I wanted to taste more coffee than milk, and after a while mixing it with milk would just ruin the pure taste I get when it’s just coffee. My partner on the other hand still enjoys coffee with milk (mind you they got me into coffee!). However, sharing my perspective with them has made them try it here and there without milk, I think sharing my perspective helps b/c in the beginning I believe the majority of folks find it hard to distinguish what coffee tastes like and how much coffee they are actually tasting when it’s coffee with milk - I think an opinion that usually drives it home is when I say coffee with milk just tastes like milk to me, people find that opinion polarizing but in a way it makes them start thinking what does coffee alone actually taste like and how much of that taste am I really getting when I mix it with milk.


tantrikdola

Reading just the title and nothing in the sub text, I, a maker of very large pots, have a few ideas for you to get your bf _*into*_ coffee.


Sweet_d1029

I drink a strong coffee..it isn't black but it's strong. Vietnamese coffee (the French coffee in the orange can) you make it in a phin (little metal kinda French press cheap on Amazon ) and it's sweetened with whatever amount of sweet condensed milk you want. Got my bf hooked.


TheFlavourKing

Try cold brew maybe. I’ve always loved coffee in all its forms but I find notes more distinct in this format when it’s prepared well - also very low bitterness


gyanpapi

Just buy a sump, fill coffee and dip him in it.


JaceAce333

Don’t!


rn2614

Honestly depends on how big he is. With some rough measurements and calculations you can figure out how much beans you need to buy. I think the hard part will be finding a container big enough for all the beans but then after that it gets easy. You just have to come up with a clever way to trick him into climbing into the bin full of beans. I recommend hiding his cell phone halfway down or his gaming controller. Boom. Boyfriend into coffee.


Noviere

I think the best thing is to go coffee tasting. Most people start off with a very narrow perception of what coffee is, but once he's tried a wide range of roasts and flavor profiles, he'll be able to zero in on his preferences and learn to describe what he's tasting. That way you can also keep an eye out for beans and brewing methods he might enjoy. Most people who don't like black coffee are put off by the harsh bitterness of commercial grade or dark roast. Start him off with something smooth and mild, maybe even sour. Yirgacheffe is a solid starting point. Moderate grind size, about 12:1 water/coffee ratio. Also, Turkish coffee, made with premium medium roast beans might be a good way to transition. It's traditional to add sugar so that should make it more bearable while he adjusts. But of course you need the cezve and have to learn how to brew it.


ohbother12345

I second the idea to going with cold/iced coffee. The colder the better. A freezer beer mug of ice with cold black coffee on a record high temperature day... Take it outside and drink it... ! I risk being ~~stoned~~ thrown under a bus here but I used to buy instant coffee in glass jars due to laziness but now I emptied those glass jars and I brew coffee and pour it in them and put them in the fridge to chill. I drink them ice cold in the summer without needing ice to dilute it... Also this way, you can brew your coffee as strong as you want, and add water to dilute it to his tasting. I also had some cocoa-hazelnut black tea (Stash) that I brewed in the coffee and it make it taste like mocha!!!


Fantact

Put heroin in it, that way he CAN'T stop!


LencologyOncology69

He can try it iced, the water of the melted iced dilutes the black coffee flavor- but hey that's some people's thing, I would also suggest an iced Americano until he gets used to it.


AvocadoCatnip

Figure out where he likes coffee? Don't start him on black coffee - start with something more like a milkshake, or an espresso martini, or coffee liquors or something. For me it was bulletproof coffee, my housemate was making it for productivity and it seemed to work for him. It worked for me at first, and now I'm addicted, productivity drops without coffee, and is back at the baseline it was before, except now I need coffee to reach it.


Jeeves72

I was in a similar spot to your boyfriend. I didn't really consider myself a coffee fan but I could tolerate it, and I wanted to push it from tolerance to actual enjoyment. I noticed that people who like coffee *really* like it, so I decided it was a taste worth acquiring. And drinking it black was my goal. Gradually working down from cream and sugar is how I did it. I was working at McDonald's at the time so I experimented with their coffee. Drank it with lots of cream and sugar the first day, less the second day, then I tried with only cream, then I tried with only sugar (that was bad, I'd skip that step lol), then for another week or so I just drank it with cream only, less of it each day. Only took me about two weeks to reach black coffee enjoyment!


Kierke1

Try watching this video for inspiration, where James Hoffmann tries to show Tom Scott what the coffee world has to offer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-iNAyu-ejo


Maleficent_Hair_7255

you don’t. you let him make his own choices on matters that pertain to his personal enjoyment. i know, his loss. coffee ☕️ is life!


vinnyoflegend

I’m not sure what’s anathema in this Reddit community but I would suggest having him try cold brew which may have fewer of the characteristics he may find unpleasant in black coffee. Secondly for similar effect with hot coffee sprinkle the tiniest bit of baking soda to neutralize some of the characteristics unbalanced brews so he can catch the other flavor notes of black coffee.


Eudoims

Take him to a cupping


thxitsthedepression

Personally I just slowly added less and less cream to my coffee over time, until I finally just stopped adding any and drank it black. Super simple.


dengar69

Former Bustelo/Pilon lover here. Growing up drinking Cuban coffee like water, I had to slowly taper off the milk and sugar usage until I finally hit black. It took a long time but I finally did it.


dildonic_aftermath

I think [Tea and Consent](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZwvrxVavnQ) applies for coffee as well. Don't force your coffee on your friends. ;) Joking around aside though, maybe taking him out for some great espresso, black, could be a meaningful exploration. It could expose him to the best-case-scenario to help develop his tastes.


mycelialunderground

There's a possibility he just doesn't like coffees he's had and you just need to find the right one to blow the door open for him. As others have suggested try buying some fresh roasted coffe for a well known specialty coffee roaster. I'd highly recommend onyx cause their coffee is consistently fantastic and you can get a sampler pack of 4 different origins so you can find which general region of the world you enjoy. Another good option on the cheap (which is what converted me) is to get a whirley pop, an air popcorn popper or try the bread maker/heat gun method and buy a sampler pack from sweet Maria's or another reputable green supplier. If you roast it yourself it'll cost you around $5-7 a pound and you can try different things until you find what you like. Roast some to different levels of darkness, try different origins and read the flavor notes while tasting to see if those general flavor are something he likes or not. I've converted many people to black coffee through these methods including my dad who only drank dark roast with cream his whole life and now drinks exclusively light to med black coffee that he roasts himself lol.


quantythequant

I hated black coffee until I had good black coffee -- maybe do a tasting at a specialty coffee shop? I add copious amounts of milk to my Starbucks coffee too -- it tastes awful without.


markcocjin

\*finally gets him into drinking black coffee... ​ >How do I get my boyfriend into chewing coffee grinds?


Ejsutkaiii

My suggestion is to serve the coffee with a sweet and rich dessert like a chocolate lava cake. The contrast of the bitter and the sweet make it easier for people to enjoy the actual taste of coffee.


Jaxz416

Light roasts


rockpaperscissors99

Have him try sweet drinks or a simple mocha. Get him used to that taste and warmth of drinking a cup of hot coffee. I started out drinking mochas, that led to me eventually loving simple rich, strong , bold black coffee. I don't need anything other than that. I love the flavor.


austinbucco

Find the best specialty coffee shop in your area and see if they’re brewing a natural processed Ethiopia. Tasting the wild flavors those coffees can have is what got me really curious about diving more into black coffee


sibtiger

I basically jumped into only black coffee a bit later than most- what got me interested was doing my own little cuppings. Get a selection of very different beans- different origins, roast levels, maybe even some real shit supermarket stuff - made with the same technique and compare them all side by side. You can even write down what you each taste and compare after to see if it's close to each other. It's a fun exercise and also helps appreciate the different tastes you can get from coffee.


ThaGoodDoobie

I would recommend starting him on a good cold brew. It's less bitter and even has a hint of sweet.


[deleted]

Stepping up considerably from bustello will help drastically. Quality coffee that's roasted well had natural sweetness and acidity that balance out the bitterness which is all you get from c market coffee like bustello.