Better coffee 4 of 6: A coffee walk to three bars
2 h Calm
Ninety minutes, three coffee bars within walking distance, one drink each. Compare and talk to the person behind the machine.
Negentig minuten door de stad met één doel voelt anders dan zomaar ergens een koffie drinken. Je hebt een route, een vaste bestelling en één vraag per bar. Die structuur maakt iets los: in plaats van beleefd te knikken bij het aanreiken van je kopje, hoor je jezelf vragen wanneer de bonen zijn gebrand. Sommige baristas antwoorden vluchtig, anderen draaien zich om en pakken de zak om de datum te laten zien. Dat verschil zegt al iets, nog voor de eerste slok.
Pas als je drie espresso's naast elkaar hebt geproefd, merk je hoe breed het begrip "koffie" eigenlijk is. Eén smaakt zuur en helder, de volgende bitter en zwaar, de derde ergens daartussenin met een nasmaak die blijft hangen. Je eigen beoordeling, op zoetheid, balans en of je zou terugkomen, wordt concreter bij elke bar. Bij de winnaar koop je een zak mee naar huis.
Pick three bars from the app or your city, ten minutes apart.
Suggestion: A roastery, a chain, and an independent make a good set.Order the same drink everywhere: an espresso or a flat white.
Suggestion: Same drink, real comparison.Ask one question per bar: which roaster, what roast date, why this coffee.
Suggestion: Baristas like the question.Rate each cup on three things: sweetness, balance, and whether you would come back.
Suggestion: Write it down while the taste is fresh.Buy a bag at the winner. Brew it with your recipe from part 2.
Suggestion: Now the walk continues at home.Next
Better coffee 5 of 6: Visit a roaster
Related playbooks
Better coffee 5 of 6: Visit a roaster
See the beans go brown. An hour at a local roastery, a tasting if they offer one, and a conversation about origin and roast.
Better coffee 6 of 6: Your house coffee
Settle it: one coffee, one recipe, one way of buying. Then you can stop thinking about coffee and just drink good coffee.
Market Day in Gouda: cheese, stalls, and the city around them
The market on the square in front of the old town hall, followed by Sint-Janskerk and the museum. Half a day in Gouda, well spent.
Better coffee 3 of 6: Espresso at home without the frustration
If you have an espresso machine, most bad shots are grind and dose. A method to get to a good shot in five tries instead of fifty.
Better coffee 2 of 6: Pour-over, weighed
A kitchen scale and a timer turn a lucky cup into a repeatable one. One recipe, four variations, one favourite.
Walk to Katendrecht for an ice cream at HIJS
Cross the Rijnhavenbrug to one of Rotterdam's coolest neighbourhoods and treat yourself to artisan ice cream at HIJS.
Get your lawn green and healthy
A morning's work and your grass will look better for weeks. Mowing, fertilising, and watering the right way, without the hassle.
Making arretjescake, no oven required
The classic Dutch chocolate cake that you don't bake but let set. A treat for chocolate lovers.
Pressure canning your harvest, preserved for months
Keep your harvest, soup, or sauce for months with pressure canning. Here's how to do it safely, from jars to sealing.
A fresh lunch for a day on the water
A day out on the boat calls for a lunch that stays cool and is easy to eat. Here's how to get it ready before you cast off.
Packing a lunch bag for on the go
Before you hit the road, pack a lunch bag that stays fresh and nutritious all day. Here's how to do it smart.
Getting started with the pellet BBQ: smoking and grilling with wood-fired flavour
Low smoke or high heat: a pellet BBQ can do both. Get to know the machine, the pellets, and the technique.
Seven breakfast ideas for every day of the week
Never eat the same breakfast twice. Seven simple ideas to flavour your whole week, from oatmeal to French toast.
Better coffee 1 of 6: Taste three, say why
You cannot make better coffee until you can say what better means. Three coffees side by side, and words for what you taste.
Pull the perfect espresso and americano at home with Nº22 Nostro
Barista-worthy coffee on your own counter, with the Nº22 Nostro blend from Little Roastery. From bold espresso to smooth americano.
Winter light walk
Short days, low sun, long shadows. A walk timed to the one bright hour, with a warm drink at the end.
Groceries for a BBQ That Leaves Everyone Satisfied
From the meat to the napkins: with this shopping plan you'll be fully prepared at the grill and won't forget a thing.
by PlayTryBe team