My world! She is tipsy-torvy!

[kickaha]

I'm a coffee snob, I'll admit it. I also prefer supporting local businesses whenever possible. Lately I've been trying different local roasters, with pretty good results. The last pound I bought was from Larry's Coffee, and was a French Roast of a blend of organic, fair trade coffees from Sumatra and Ecuador.

Yesterday I ran out, and forgot to get some more.

This morning, in desperation, I found about three days worth of whole bean, but was reluctant to use it: Starbuck's French Roast, probably 18 months old. I mean come on, we're talking ass-coffee here. I pressed some anyway, just to see how bad it could possibly be.

It was better than the locally roasted, organic, socially conscious fresh(er) bean I'd had yesterday. More flavor, better balanced.

D'oh.

Comments

Already a dealer

[tealynx.livejournal.com]

You know Caffe Ladro is next door. I could just ship you in supplies....

[dollraves.livejournal.com]

So, basically you're saying that Starbuck's hires suckass barristas who ruin all the coffees they fix in their stores?

Well, what can you expect when you're paying folks minimum wage...

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

Actually, the barristas at Starby's make almost no difference - they have a specific process using standardized machinery. It consistently makes average drinks, but the key word is 'consistent'. Nobody goes to Starbuck's for *good* coffee, they go there for *familiar* coffee, no matter where they're travelling. But yeah, because of that, quasi-trained monkeys can operate the system and produce a drink.

Of course, if a barrista deviates wildly from the process, then you get variances, and they're never good.

Re: Already a dealer

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, there's an idea. :) Of course, I could get off my lazy butt and order more from Caffe Vita as well.

[eridan.livejournal.com]

Actually, you discovered the secret to making starbucks taste really good. buy the beans. let them sit about a year. i dunno what happens there, but some miraculous transformation occurs that makes the beans NOT taste like Maxwell House as prepared through an ass-hair filter.

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

How do you *know* these things?!?

[eridan.livejournal.com]

Uh. desperation is the mistress of much knowledge.

You're not alone in your findings of opened, old starbucks beans.

Just don't make the mistake of going out and getting fresh beans and expecting that same flavor! (shudder)

All iI can figure is, there's something that happens in the oxidation process that makes them taste not only palatable, but pretty darn good. You want to ldet them sit for at LEAST 8 months though. Preferably over a year.

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, the grounds looked positively *BLACK* (which shouldn't be surprising, one, it's French roast, two, it's Starburn's), but not just a burn-black, more like a satiny ebony.

Maybe long term poor storage for Starbuck's is similar to a jaguarundi's digestive tract. :D

[jinasphinx.livejournal.com]

We did a taste test of organic, free-trade, shade-grown coffee (can you say that three times fast?) at my workplace. Starbucks organic French roast actually came in #2 (beaten narrowly by Poverty Bay coffee). I was shocked, since I have no love for Starbucks.

[margarita-5.livejournal.com]

Southern Season's Cafe Cubana...that's all you need to know.

[hetaera15.livejournal.com]

hey, I resent that!
I worked at a Starbucks (very briefly, it was tied-in to the Barnes & Noble that I actually was hired at and they needed more baristas) and whenever I did something different it tended to turn out pretty damn good.
But then, I have weird taste.

Anyway, I'm more than just your average quasi-trained monkey. :D