I love coffee. Every morning, I wake up and start prepping the brew. French press or moka pot? I make a decision and then grind some beans in accordance. During the workweek, I always make the cup at home. It’s too early and there is too little time to stop somewhere and come back home for breakfast. When the weekend hits, i try to take advantage of treating myself to a cup on the road. Cheap or expensive. Potent or flavorful. Hot or iced. For me, there is a time for every type of coffee, and even a place sometimes. Here is the method to my madness for ordering some joe outside of your home.

Drip coffee

This is definitely the go to upon awakening. I still typically I tend to brew at home to save some money and slow the morning down a little if I am drinking drip, but every now and then I hop in the car and drive for a cup. The time I am drinking a drip coffee is always in the morning, the earlier the better. The drip coffee tastes best extra hot, slowly helping wake you up while making you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Drip coffee for me pairs well with a drive: whether it is an early AM road trip or a morning surf check that requires multiple stops. You can slam it pre-session, or save half for the post session. Drip coffee also taste great nuzzled under your covers on your laptop. You can even make it last all morning (unfortunately for me, it never seems too) and can even turn iced if you make it back home with any leftover. A win win win situation.

Almond Cappuccino

The cappuccino is a kick-starter. Packaged in a nice small container and typically not aggressively hot, for me the capp is a grab and go coffee ready for maximum caffeine in a minimum amount of time. I really love the taste of espresso: the dark and smoky taste is delicious, and the aromas it gives off tickles the nose. A good cappuccino is hard to drink slowly. I typically drink mine way too fast because I love them on the warmer side. This is a great drink to grab, park, and paddle out. Or grab and get after it. Also, if you are feeling a little on the slower side, this is a better fix than drip coffee. Less fluids jumping and twisting in your stomach. And you also can drink some water after rather than hoping right out. I’ve had all sorts of capps: whole milk, half and half, almond and oat. I prefer almond at this point. Oat is nice too though. The almond capp is perfect for when that morning cup just didn’t cut it for you.

Iced Americano

Unless I wake up incredibly dehydrated, I can’t really drink iced coffee early in the morning. Even pre-Coachella in 90-degree desert weather, I tend to still like to sip a warm beverage while waking up. It helps you ease into your day. The iced coffee comes in the afternoon. For a while I was keen on just an iced coffee or a cold brew. But as of late, an iced Americano has been my play for a nice afternoon buzz. The typically are a little cheaper than cold brew, and give you the bitter and deep taste of espresso over ice. Dare to get a double and you really can start bouncing off the walls. Drink it black to soak up the entire flavor or add a splash of dairy to lighten the color and taste. A little sugar never hurt in this caffeine cocktail either. I am happy I started getting this classic drink, or else I’d be stuck in the cold brew rut. This is perfect for an afternoon that is jammed packed or is going to require activity late in the day.

Iced Flavored Coffee

This is the mid day pick-me-up, when you have little responsibility or the vibe for the day is lounging. I find these drinks perfect for a beach day or a relaxing day at home, when time goes by slowly. They usually aren’t as caffeinated, which sometimes is what you are looking for. The iced flavored coffee is vague, but refers to any flavored drink which has just as much sweet to it as coffee. The really delicious, less potent potions that differ from place to place. Whether it is lavender cold brew, iced maple latte, a dirty chai latte, or anything under the sun, these drinks are meant to spoil you. Nothing is sweeter than sipping on a delicious coffee that doesn’t make you go nuts or start tweaking. Like I said, these are the drinks you sip while tanning. For taking a stroll or bike rides around town. Just the perfect drink for a do nothing day. Treat yourself. I also tend to drink this drinks more sparingly as they usually come with a larger price tag. If I were to pick this as my go to afternoon drink, my productivity would take a hit and so would my bank account. But every now and then, it just feels right.