What 'east coast' are you on? Starbuck's is everywhere from Norfolk to Maine. Can't say I know much about south of here, though. But every reasonably sized town I visit has one or several. And, there is no accounting for taste (yours or mine).
Another question for coffee drinkers
- Thread starter Filmboydoug
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john_w
Miscreant
Some people I know just don't like the extra-dark roasting used in all of Starbucks' coffees. I've heard some describe it as "burnt coffee". Myself, I think it's just right with enough real cream, which partially explains why I'm still such a fat ass. I also like the distinctiveness of varieties - South American and African coffees, and even their blends have interesting character. Peaberry around here also does a good job of that, but Starbucks is much smoother.
Others I know just think Starbucks is an "evil empire", and won't go there out of principle. It's mostly the younger half of the Gen-Xers that seem to hold this opinion. Yet, I haven't heard anything other than size and prevalence as a reason. (Anybody know something I don't?) True, a lot of smaller shops are a LOT cooler - Starbucks has a definite yuppified feel to it that I don't care for. Unfortunately, I still think they have the best coffee, and at least the one at work doesn't have that atmosphere.
Others I know just think Starbucks is an "evil empire", and won't go there out of principle. It's mostly the younger half of the Gen-Xers that seem to hold this opinion. Yet, I haven't heard anything other than size and prevalence as a reason. (Anybody know something I don't?) True, a lot of smaller shops are a LOT cooler - Starbucks has a definite yuppified feel to it that I don't care for. Unfortunately, I still think they have the best coffee, and at least the one at work doesn't have that atmosphere.
WhiskeyRebel
Registered thread killer
Years ago on some PBS cooking show I thought I saw a coffee-brewing system that slowly seeped cold water through the grounds. It was intended to be used in the fridge and took at least overnight. It didn't directly brew drinking coffee, it made a sort of concentrate to which you add hot water to reach drinking temperature and strength. What the hell was it? Is this the Fronch press (and to drink - Peru!) that you guys are talking about?
Gerrit said:
There are two different aspects of coffee from different growing regions of the world. The first is climate and soil (obviously!), and the second is the processing of the coffee bean, that it the method of separating the outer pulp of the coffee "cherry" from the bean. Different countries use different methods, that that has a significant affect on the flavor.
Latin American coffee is almost all processed using the "washed" method. As coffee is picked, it is called a cherry, and it's almost exactly like the cherries that you eat, an outer fruity pulp and an inner pit. In the case of the coffee cherry, the pulp is discarded and the pit, or bean, is the goal. In the washed method the outer pulp is removed in a milling process, and the bean with its remaining layer is sent to a soaking tank where they remain for 18-36 hours. During this soak, some fermentation takes place. This fermentation helps create the final crisp acidity, flavor, and aroma characteristic of South American coffees. Coffee from Guatemala, Columbia, Peru, and Costa Rica are used in many of Starbucks' blends.
African coffees, including some of the world's most exotic coffee such as Kenya and Tanzania, are usually processed using either the washed method or the dry method (Yemen), or a combination of dry and washed (Ethiopian). Natural, or dry processed coffees, do not rely on the fermentation process for their signature flavor, but instead get their flavors from the coffee cherry pulp drying on the bean out in the sun. This dry method yields flavors such as berry, spice, cocoa, and "earthy". Gotta love that one!
There are two different species of coffee, cofea robusto, and cofea arabica. Arabica is the one that grows at higher, cooler climates, and is used in all of the worlds finest coffees. Robusto is what grows at lower altitudes and is what's in the cans in the grocery store.
Bottom line, there are outstanding, delicious coffees from each of the three major growing areas of the world, and each area has its own distinctive characteristics. You need to try each, and pick your favorites from each area. One of Starbucks newest tag lines is "Geography is a flavor!". It's true!
Oh, btw, ditch the flavored stuff.
Rodzilla said:
So many opportunities...so little time.
The reason there are currently 6,000+ Starbucks in the US is that they keep building more, hoping a customer will show up. Nobody ever does, of course, because the coffe is so bad, the atmosphere is so cold and uninviting, the service is so rude and unfriendly, and (audio-related topic) the Hear Music subsidiary of Starbucks, one of the biggest channels to get new music in front of the public, never has anything interesting to sell.
As far as McDonald's coffee goes, after spending 35 years working for McD's, I can assure you that McDonald's customers love the coffee, and, along with Dunkin' Donuts, is flat-out the best quick service restaurant coffee on the planet. McDonald's is currently moving toward carrying Seattle's Best coffee in all their restaurants. Seattle's Best is, in case you're not up on the coffee world, a wholely-owned subsidiary of...Starbucks.
Btw, I love to drive, and I love to travel. The worst part of being on the road is trying to find a cup of coffee that's worth drinking. When you stop in one of those highway convenience stores that advertise "Gourmet Coffee", (stop me, I'm dyin' here!!), and you hold up the pot, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO SEE DAYLIGHT THROUGH THE COFFEE!!!!!
The "Starbucks Roast" is not a dark roast, like French Roast or Italian Roast. It is a specific combination of heat and time that is a trial-and-error method of determining the best possible roast for each single-origin or blended coffee that brings out the maximum flavor. For many years Starbucks only had one line of brewed coffee, but now has expanded it to four: Mild, Medium, Bold, and Extra-Bold. There are representative coffees from each of the three growing areas of the world in each of the four categories.
As far as most folks going for the "coffee sundae" drinks (we baristas refer to them as the "froo-froo" drinks), the store I work in is about 65% espresso-based drinks and brewed coffee. The remaining 35% is pastries, blended beverages (frapuccinos), roasted beans, etc.
Gotta take my youngest to band practice. I'll check in later.
Ciao!
Clay
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Wow! 35 years at Mickey D's. I bet you must've flipped at least a million burgers by yourself. Did you keep track?
And there ain't nothing wrong with Mickey D's (as long as you don't dump it in your crotch) or Dunkin' Donuts coffee. Both serve a decent cuppa. Just like TA does. And all three beat the QuikShop. We in eastern PA and southern NJ are lucky to have an excellent convenience store chain by the name of Wawa (American Indian). Started west of Philadelphia as a dairy farm with own full-line dairy products and expanded into a very clean and efficient convenience store chain that serves good coffee and decent sandwiches and packaged food. Clean, courteous and well lighted. And the bigger ones serve the least expensive gasoline in the region. When on the road in a 150 mile radius can always get good coffee at the Wawa.
And there ain't nothing wrong with Mickey D's (as long as you don't dump it in your crotch) or Dunkin' Donuts coffee. Both serve a decent cuppa. Just like TA does. And all three beat the QuikShop. We in eastern PA and southern NJ are lucky to have an excellent convenience store chain by the name of Wawa (American Indian). Started west of Philadelphia as a dairy farm with own full-line dairy products and expanded into a very clean and efficient convenience store chain that serves good coffee and decent sandwiches and packaged food. Clean, courteous and well lighted. And the bigger ones serve the least expensive gasoline in the region. When on the road in a 150 mile radius can always get good coffee at the Wawa.
OvenMaster
Baby, you're my winterblue
Precisely right. To me it tastes like it's been sitting on a too-hot warming plate for a couple of days. I thought it was me, but after trying a number of Starbucks, it's the same at every one of 'em. Those in Barnes & Noble stores are especially poor.john_w said:
Tom
OvenMaster
Baby, you're my winterblue
Here's the Bodum press I got:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=10370965
Tom
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=10370965
Tom
shelby1420
Enjoying the music.....
The only coffee and i mean THE only coffee I drink is Tim Hortons, mmmm mmmmm mmmmm, tried others but end up dumpin it out bout two or threee mouthfuls in.............
john_w
Miscreant
Very interesting info Clay! But you haven't convinced me to give up my Starbucks 'n' cream. Occasionally I'll something dredged from the tail end of a pot at work, and it sucks. But for the most part, your description of South American coffees matches pretty well. Mmmmm...Can't wait to wake up all sleep deprived tomorrow morning!!
Besides, the alternative is the free mud they keep in the kitchen. I work with a lot of pilots, and the stuff pilots drink is, well...pretty indescribable. :beer:--> :saywhat: -->
Besides, the alternative is the free mud they keep in the kitchen. I work with a lot of pilots, and the stuff pilots drink is, well...pretty indescribable. :beer:--> :saywhat: -->
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Although all the "formal" coffee tastings are done black, my personal preference is cream & sugar. It just really seems to bring out the flavors for me. :thmbsp:
Tomorrow morning I'm having some of the current Black Apron Exclusives: Shirkina Sun-Dried Sidhamo. It's just outstanding!
Tomorrow morning I'm having some of the current Black Apron Exclusives: Shirkina Sun-Dried Sidhamo. It's just outstanding!
Gerrit
Active Member
"Oh, btw, ditch the flavored stuff"
The Vanilla coffee is nice. They basically ship the beans with a single vanilla pod in a one pound vacuum packed bag.
When you grind the beans you take the pod out and can use it for something else. The hint of real vanilla left in the beans is great once in a while, although i won't drink it in the morning. The safron **** is taking it a bit far :fart:
Ps I use an old catering type Douwe Egberts machine, hard to screw up a cuppa in this old stalwart. (bitch to clean tho :thumbsdn: )
The Vanilla coffee is nice. They basically ship the beans with a single vanilla pod in a one pound vacuum packed bag.
When you grind the beans you take the pod out and can use it for something else. The hint of real vanilla left in the beans is great once in a while, although i won't drink it in the morning. The safron **** is taking it a bit far :fart:
Ps I use an old catering type Douwe Egberts machine, hard to screw up a cuppa in this old stalwart. (bitch to clean tho :thumbsdn: )
juncers
Reasonably skeptical about everything
When Starbucks first opened in London, they produced some marketing blurbs explaining their process. They explained that they purposely burn the beans during the roasting process to bring out the flavour! Imagine going to a new restaurant where the chef explains he purposely burns the meat to bring out the flavour! I really can't stand Starbucks coffee either, but my wife ( a tea drinker) doesn't mind the flavoured coffees!!
Ray
Ray
Bogframe
Super Member
shelby1420 said:
I hear ya Shelby! My wife is from Alberta (born in Sudbury). All the time we were chatting before I lured her down to Brooklyn she raved about Tim's. When we had our honeymoon in Toronto, I finally got to see what the fuss was all about, and IMHO, Tim's does serve one smooth & rich cuppa. On her last birthday I wanted to get her something that would elicit a gasp and a "Oh hunny!" from her, so I had a cousin Fedex this from the Timmie's in Portland, ME.
As you can see, it worked just as I had hoped! Romance isn't dead in our home!
Gerrit said:
Ooh, now that sounds interesting! Most flavored coffee beans are flavored by spraying them with syrup, but just putting a vanilla pod in with the beans so the flavor transfers sounds like a much better way to do it!
doug s.
Super Member
i can't stand flavored coffee. don't like sugar in it either; sometimes i can go for creme or half-n-half. i also am not a fan of starbucks - burnt coffee doesn't do to much for me, either. but, starbucks is what our office uses for its drip-grind pot, & it's better than the standard office junk.
doug s.
doug s.
john_w
Miscreant
No, no - NOT "burned"! It's "dark roasted"! 
Proper semantics affects the taste, dontcha know! Actually, as Fisherdude mentioned, not all Starbucks roasts are the same any more. But I think they're still all a lot darker than the average. I remember their old bean display - showing what they look like at each stage, from green to deep, dark brown - almost black. And yes, they did say that "dark roasting" brought out more of the flavor. But I take anything that comes out of any marketing dept. with a grain of salt.
Currently enjoying my STARBUCKS Columbia Narino Supremo. "Balanced, nutty", "Like a fandango on a warm tropical night" (It's also fun to read the labels!)
I am really glad I don't have to deal with the usual Starbucks environment. That just has a negative affect on the whole experience. We just have a very friendly, personable office barrista. Still an office environment, but at least it's expected there.
Of course I'd rather be some place like Stella's Coffee House - an old converted brick home in South Denver with lots of small rooms lined with bookshelves, and some solo act playing a guitar with a small amp in the corner of the living room. Or Terra - same deal but with a bunch of old sofas, love seats and cushy old livingroom chairs in every room. That is what a coffee house is supposed to be like!
Proper semantics affects the taste, dontcha know! Actually, as Fisherdude mentioned, not all Starbucks roasts are the same any more. But I think they're still all a lot darker than the average. I remember their old bean display - showing what they look like at each stage, from green to deep, dark brown - almost black. And yes, they did say that "dark roasting" brought out more of the flavor. But I take anything that comes out of any marketing dept. with a grain of salt.
Currently enjoying my STARBUCKS Columbia Narino Supremo. "Balanced, nutty", "Like a fandango on a warm tropical night" (It's also fun to read the labels!)
I am really glad I don't have to deal with the usual Starbucks environment. That just has a negative affect on the whole experience. We just have a very friendly, personable office barrista. Still an office environment, but at least it's expected there.
Of course I'd rather be some place like Stella's Coffee House - an old converted brick home in South Denver with lots of small rooms lined with bookshelves, and some solo act playing a guitar with a small amp in the corner of the living room. Or Terra - same deal but with a bunch of old sofas, love seats and cushy old livingroom chairs in every room. That is what a coffee house is supposed to be like!