Black coffee made from instant coffee is understandably horrifying and tastes like ammonia smells, but have you considered fresh coffee? I don’t mean filter coffee, either, the filter paper absorbs all of the tasty coffee oils, leaving only an ashy aftertaste, I’m talking espresso, moka pot, greek / turkish coffee and french press.
Similarly, if you normally find that you hate dark chocolate, perhaps it is because your chocolate is made with slave labour and also not very good.
I am currently enjoying a fine ten year old aged Java. It is very tasty, and I highly recommend.
I think the Chemex itself is the fanciest part of my process. I eyeball the beans I pour into the grinder or just use beans pre-ground for non-Chemex use, heat the water in a couple electric kettles and just let the coffee I don’t drink sit in the Chemex overnight, then pour it over ice the next day.
I’m not interested in hyperoptimizing my coffee to the point that I need a coffee in the morning to prepare my morning coffee. Having mid taste makes it easy for me to enjoy my fix in places other than my house and frou-frou places.
Yeah, I think the most relevant part is finding what works for you! I like using my gooseneck, scale with timer and fancy grinder, and at this point it’s kind of a ritual for me, I suppose. I like the added intentionality in consuming coffee, the ritual and effort makes things feel more meaningful to me, somehow.