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Has store bought coffee changed?

dumptruck said:
I'm not a big coffee snob, but every time I read a coffee thread on there there's so many subjective opinions that seem insane to me, plus a considerable amount of misinformation. I end up losing the urge to join the discussion by the time I get to the reply box. I wonder if there's a coffee forum nerd with a passing enthusiasm for hifi that feels like this when an audio thread pops up.

If Folgers is worse than it used to be, I'd guess it has to do with rising supply costs for them. They need to keep their prices low enough to avoid competing with coffee that actually tastes decent.
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Then, there's the fact that Folgers doesn't make coffee - God and/or Mother Nature does.

That MIGHT have something to do with it.:thmbsp:
 
Related to the topic of this thread, I just ditched my auto-drip maker in a dramatic way. I usually use a French press or a simple drip-funnel when lazy, but the Mr. Coffee has been around and I occasionally used it. And every time the coffee sucked. Since it was functional I debated giving it to goodwill but I hated the thing so much I walked it to my garbage chute and threw it in.

The good part is I'm 30 floors up. I heard it go "clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk" down the chute for about 5 seconds then the pitcher shattered and I heard the glass tinkle down for another 5 seconds, mixed with the clunks, before a final thud. Good riddance. And now nobody has to be subjected to a bad cup of coffee from that thing ever again. Listening to it die was worth it. Sorry recycling gods, this thing had to go.
 
I can't hang with the coffeegeaks.com crowd. They rate and discuss $3000 coffee grinders over there. I dunno but this thread really seems pretty good. Subjective? Totally, taste cannot be measured objectively. Misinformation? I don't see any.

Maybe you can relate better to audio analogies :D:
Like capacitors fresher coffee is better.
Like home brew record cleaners (& beer) water quality matters.
Automation provides convenience but at a cost. Automatic recording levels are not going to saturate the tape nor produce the best recording possible for a given source and tape. Same goes for the time and temperature of automatic coffee makers.
Some like black coffee like Monk, Straight No Chaser.
Some like cream and sugar like the Modern Jazz Quartet​
 
JohnVF said:
Related to the topic of this thread, I just ditched my auto-drip maker in a dramatic way. I usually use a French press or a simple drip-funnel when lazy, but the Mr. Coffee has been around and I occasionally used it. And every time the coffee sucked. Since it was functional I debated giving it to goodwill but I hated the thing so much I walked it to my garbage chute and threw it in.

The good part is I'm 30 floors up. I heard it go "clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk" down the chute for about 5 seconds then the pitcher shattered and I heard the glass tinkle down for another 5 seconds, mixed with the clunks, before a final thud. Good riddance. And now nobody has to be subjected to a bad cup of coffee from that thing ever again. Listening to it die was worth it. Sorry recycling gods, this thing had to go.
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Had a similar experience with a Craftsman router years ago. The collet slipped and ruined a $100 chunk of clear redwood. The collet wasn't replaceable on that POS router so I beat it to pieces with a 5 lb hammer. Sometimes demo just feels so good.
 
elcoholic, I love the annolgy relating coffee to our vintage passion. All I can say is wow.

I am a type of person that doesn't mind grinding and taking the few moments to pressing the coffee in the morning. It's those few moments in life that make the difference if one takes the time to notice that difference. It's like stoking the burning embers in the last nights fire to start a new one for the day. You just do it. I know. I heated my house with fire wood cut, hand split and stacked by me and my 4 boys for years. You learned to make sure you stoked the fireplace with enough to start another one in the morning. Sorry I digress. We were talking about coffee. Thanks elcoholic for drifting me into other related thoughts. :D

But seriously I will get a french press and grind the coffee and drink some the way I have been doing and also black too.
 
Jack G said:
If you want the best, freshest coffee, roast your own beans. Its cheaper, you have control over how it is roasted, and there is a huge variety of beans to choose from. I've been doing this for about 6 years or so. Once roasted, beans lose their freshness after about 7-10 days, even in sealed bags.
As for the grind, that will depend on the brewing method. Coarse for a french press, fine for drip. The exact grind depends on how long it will be exposed to water. Too coarse, and the coffee is weak-too fine and it will be bitter. You want to get all of the flavor without getting the bitter parts. There are drip machines out there that heat the water to 200 degrees, and distribute the water evenly over the coffee. They are the minority though. I use a drip for my every day coffee, and a French Press for special occasions. I prefer my French Press, It gives a richer more full bodied coffee, but I'm just not up for dealing with it at 5 AM.
I'll never go back to pre-roasted beans again.
Jack
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I have a cheap Mr. Coffee drip and it seems to work fine for daily use. And, like you, I pull out the French Press on occasion. :thmbsp:

I don't roast my own beans though. There is a town up the road where my GF works that has a Caribou Coffee and I think their roasts are pretty good. At least you can distinguish various levels unlike "Charbucks". There is also a Dunn Bros. coffee where I could buy green beans and they also roast in-house.
 
Satcom123 said:
elcoholic, I love the annolgy relating coffee to our vintage passion. All I can say is wow.

I am a type of person that doesn't mind grinding and taking the few moments to pressing the coffee in the morning. It's those few moments in life that make the difference if one takes the time to notice that difference. It's like stoking the burning embers in the last nights fire to start a new one for the day. You just do it. I know. I heated my house with fire wood cut, hand split and stacked by me and my 4 boys for years. You learned to make sure you stoked the fireplace with enough to start another one in the morning. Sorry I digress. We were talking about coffee. Thanks elcoholic for drifting me into other related thoughts. :D

But seriously I will get a french press and grind the coffee and drink some the way I have been doing and also black too.
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Thanks!

bentpencil said:
What makes a press French?
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according to wikipedia - A French press, also known as a press pot, coffee press, coffee plunger, cafetiere (UK) or сafetière à piston, is a simple coffee brewing device which was invented in France in the late 19th century. It was first patented by Italian designer Attilio Calimani in 1929
 
clydeselsor said:
Folgers was my favorite coffee up until a few years ago. Once they started putting out different blends, they all started to suck!
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Yep. I tried Folger's a year ago and it was horrid. Not big on Maxwell House either, it's the Budweiser of coffees.

I do like Chockfulonuts and Martinson's. Except for a few Italian brands, they're about the only two canned brands I ever buy. But I only drink a few cups to wake me up, so I'm not looking for a gourmet experience, just a decent-tasting shot of caffeine.

I'll order cappuccino or high end coffee at restaurants after a nice dinner.
 
I had my first real cup of joe BLACK With my peanut butter sandwitch this morning at work. The taste was so good. I think I could like black coffee. Still working on it. :thmbsp:
 
Satcom123 said:
I like coffee in the morning. I like it strong with creamorra and sugar. I have been using Folgers 100% colombian medium/dark and the dark blend.

It seems over the past year I have been having to use a lot more to make the same brew. I use a bun coffee maker and the coffee maker is still good on the brewing temp.

I have a coffee grinder/blender and was thinking of getting whole beans. I'm just thinking that maybe they are adding fillers into the coffee. I also just noticed that the label just says 100% Colombian not 100% coffee anymore. Humm...

Well, anyways has anyone else noticed any coffee changes? I just think that changing to whole beans would be better.
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I work for a major coffee manufacturer and the answer to your question would be----maybe.

The only changes made in recent years by the big boys are;
(A) Nitrogen packed rather than vacuum packed. Nearly every major
manufacturer has gone to this.
(B) "Fluff" coffee. This is a change in the grinding process that fills the can with less coffee......also practiced by nearly everyone.

So, yeah. Get some whole bean and a good grinder. See if that makes the difference.:yes:

Dave
 
mulester7 said:
.....speaking of coffee, guess which company is coming back....click the link and enjoy the jingle....they are starting back up in NY, and I suspect they'll give Starbucks a run for their money in NYC.....

http://www.chockfullonuts.com/#/history
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For trivia buffs, Jackie Robinson served as an executive of Chock Full O' Nuts after he retired from baseball.

I usually drink my coffee black, often add half and half, but satisfy my sweet tooth once in awhile by adding Irish cream. A little Gentleman Jack will sweeten it nicely as well.

I'll agree that the french press makes a very nice cup of coffee, but is it a PITA to clean it out. Both the french press and the fresh ground are saved for special occasions and not for the morning buzz. The french press did prevent serious withdrawal systems when we had lost our electricity for a few days. Our gas stove still heated water quite well.

Regards,

D-Ray
 
Our Gevalia machine died so I got a Krups coffee maker. We use 100% Columbian whole beans from Gevalia and in late fall thet send their once-a-year Royal Vinter blend. Good coffee.
 
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