When it comes to that lovely brown liquid that has been part of my morning wake-up ritual, I’ve discovered one simple truth about people when it comes to their choice of coffee: those that give a shit and those who don’t. There are people who could care less about what brand they drink, usually choosing between the classic American brands, Folgers and Maxwell House. In my opinion the “best part of waking up” certainly isn’t “good to the last drop”. I’m not trying to be mean about it, but there is a dividing line between those who care about particular brands, particular roast levels and methods of brewing and those that don’t. To be clear, I am definitely the type that does care. I’m an admitted coffee snob.
Coffee is a lot like wine in the sense that connoisseurs tend to evaluate different tastes and flavor notes. It’s just what we do as coffee snobs. We revel in our favorite roast level. And, like me, most of us have a predominant brand loyalty. Right now, the number of choices on store shelves are almost endless, from multiple choices of individual supermarket brands to local independent roasters. This is my attempt to educate the non-specific, generic coffee drinker on what is out there.
One of my favorite independent roasters (with absolutely hilarious commercials), Fire Department Coffee: https://www.firedeptcoffee.com/
Recently I’ve discovered a seemingly local favorite from another state, New Mexico Pinon Coffee:
https://nmpinoncoffee.com/t/coffee/bagged-coffee
My preferred roast level has always been dark and the two atop my my list is Boyd’s Organic Red Wagon (which is becoming harder to find even in the Pacific Northwest where we live currently):
And Peet’s Major Dickason’s Roast (not difficult to find in most stores):
I’m not a sponsor of either, by the way. It’s my personal opinion that these two are the best tasting coffees I’ve ever had that are available for sale today. Because coffee tastes are so subjective from person to person (which is actually the real point I have been trying to make in this post) I would never shill for these specific companies. I can only say what I like.
Which brings us to the inevitable: Starbucks.
If there is any fast food company (and it is one) that has understood the needs of its customer base, it’s Starbucks. In the forty some-odd years of its existence, it has become more than just a store that offers cups of coffee. It offers variety. As a result it has become trendy, a “designer brand”, which in the coffee lover’s mind was at one point a gold standard. A few things changed however.
When a person realizes that they need to be a bit more frugal with their money, the price of drinks at Starbucks is probably the first that comes to mind. Is coffee overpriced at Starbucks? Absolutely. Is their bagged coffee for home brew (both in-store and at the supermarket) overpriced? Absolutely. You are better off going to your local independent coffee shop to get a better value. But then again, coffee prices have remained high across the board over the last fifteen years.
Another reason why I don’t patronize Starbucks any longer is because of the corporate political stances they make. I can’t spend money at a place that props up antiquated leftist ideology. I’m sure other coffee roasters do, but they aren’t as vocal about it. Since they have always been the trendy choice for trendy people no one should be surprised. Uppity leftists tend to spew their opinions whether people want to hear it or not, often times with a cup from Starbucks.
All in all, despite the curret high prices of coffee, the free-market has broadened our choices over the decades and that’s a good thing in my book. Over the last fifteen years, I’d say my tastes have changed. My roast level hasn’t–I’m all about the dark roast. After trying new coffees, I’ve settled into my comfort zone, for now that is. Who knows? There may be something better in the future and I’m always willing to explore them. And that’s my hope for everyone, that they’ll go beyond the basics of Folgers and Maxwell House and expand their coffee palates.
Musings of an Independent Author 