If your referring to coffee in the enlisted crews Mess, I have to
respectfully disagree.

I did 23 years in the US Navy and 10 of that was as an enlisted man,
suffering with that horrible mess deck coffee. The best thing about moving
to the Chiefs Mess and eventually to the Ward Room was the much improved
coffee.

I believe their problem was that steam was used to provide the heat and once
it was brewed, the steam jacket around the pot continued at too high a temp.
It always tasted like it had been scorched, similar to leaving a coffee pot
on the burner all day (old days).

I don't know what the actual temp of Auxiliary Steam is but I know the Navy
cooks use it to heat water to boiling temp in the kettles. It could be that
coffee temp is going much higher than 160 degrees. Or even the 180 that I
prefer.

However, I could always find a good cup of coffee in the private messes and
work shops. Same coffee grounds but made in a one gallon or so percolator
pot.

Or if you work real hard and are an officer or a chief, you might get coffee
in one of these messes that is brewed in smaller pots on a hot plate. The
same type as in a restaurant.

Sorry Carl, I just can't agree. It's been 29 years since I retired and I
still have the nasty taste in my mouth and coffee stains on my teeth.

--
My experience and opinion, FWIW

Steve
CWO2 US Navy (retired)


"Carl Byrns" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 17:36:41 -0800, "Steve" wrote:

I personally don't want coffee that is less than 180. It just isn't coffee
if it's anything less.

The US Navy (which buys, roasts, and grinds its own beans) says hold
coffee at 160 degF. The oils in coffee breakdown rapidly above that
temp. I've had Navy coffee- it's great.

-Carl