[run4yourlives2]

I do find it hilarious how we always defend our illogical likes whenever they are pointed out directly.

There is a very slight product difference in any luxury experience. It adds to the experience after all. However this is meaningless in the overall comparison. You don't drink drip coffee anymore because you love the other experience. It's obviously not "gross" because you were drinking it just fine before you were exposed to espresso. Maybe at some point you'll become disillusioned in being a coffee snob and then go back to drip. It happens.

This isn't unique to you or coffee. You could say pretty much exactly the same thing about whatever brands/hobbies I'm into and I'd feel exactly like you do: that my preference was justified by more than pure emotional connection. In reality, our choices as consumers are 90% emotional, which is why advertising works so well after all.

[icebraining]

Nah, drip coffee is gross, and I say this as someone who comes from a country where espresso is the "default" (if you want drip, you'll have to make it yourself, every coffeshop/diner/restaurant sells espresso, and for ~60¢/cup).

Sometimes one just doesn't realize how crappy the previous version was until one tries the new one.

[barrkel]

Try a nice Ethiopian blend from a Chemex made by an experienced barista and come back to me.

Espresso is as different to filter coffee as icecream is to milk. They're different products, made with different material mix and different processes, different roasts, different grind size, different bean choice. They're two different things.

An espresso can't be better than filter coffee any more than an apple can be better than an orange.

[jl6]

Relevant XKCD: https://xkcd.com/915/

Beware over-training your ability to discern differences. Such subtlety might give you an advantage in some fields... or it might remove your ability to enjoy basic food and drink.