Best to coffee to buy in the grocery store?
So because most of my friends know I'm such a coffee snob and I get beans from my cafe...they often ask me what is the best coffee to buy in the grocery store? I don't want to waste money on mass produced coffee. Any suggestions?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Joseph Robertson on
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Sure Matt,
my coffee <];^)
What looks like a simple question Matt does not have a simple answer from a roasters point of view.
I'm a new roaster in Stevenson Washington. So far my coffee is in only one store but soon that will change. Aside from a shameless pun for my own fine wares. One should try a few and come to there own conclusion.
As a coffee snob be sure and inform your friends of the many factors that make all the difference. I do this each and every day here at our Roastery / Wine shop.
The coffee should be roasted fairly recently, this is a major factor in freshness, then you have roast level, what do they like, medium roast? dark roast? etc.
Try and stay away from the sticky oily beans. I call this "bean bling"
IMHO and 4 to 5 years roasting back ground, this is the first sign of over roasting.
Those sticky oils you see are most likely rancid or soon to be.
Pull bins in grocery stores,,,bad. No way to tell freshness. Not to mention what I just said about rancid oils on the outside.
Now some wonderful coffee folks I know and make coffee drinks for believe this is a good sign. So I take some time like this to share my education and experience with them. I used to think this way also till I went to a roasting school in VT.
I don't want to make this anymore confusing than it is at this point for you Matt.
Coffee is a very personable thing like any food product. Personally I just can't stand burnt food or over roasted coffee.
It has taken several years to re-program my taste buds to what is possible in the coffee world...
Cheers, and happy great coffee searches,
Joe
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Permalink Reply by Bob Von Kaenel on
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Consumer Reports did another grocery-coffee test about 8 years ago. At that time they picked Yuban Columbian in a can as the best. I remember trying it when the report came out; not terrible, drinkable if there's nothing else. In their recent report, 8 O'clock brand got the top vote but they only tested Columbian coffees. Guess there's someone there who thinks it has to be Columbian to be good.
Has anyone seen their most recent issue rating coffee makers? Convenience ruled in their ratings and so the top-rated makers will yield a mediocre cup, sadly. The Technivorm Moccamaster Thermal was in the middle of the ratings even though they mentioned that it had the best temperature/stability performance of all tested machines. It was downgraded because it was "fussy" to operate, (you have to set the funnel on a cradle versus others that swing out on a hinge). Somebody shoot me.
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Permalink Reply by Mike McGinness on
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Well, not surprising since consumer reports is targeted for mass market appeal consumers, not people who actually necessarily give a crap about quality!
Bob Von Kaenel said:Consumer Reports did another grocery-coffee test about 8 years ago. At that time they picked Yuban Columbian in a can as the best. I remember trying it when the report came out; not terrible, drinkable if there's nothing else. In their recent report, 8 O'clock brand got the top vote but they only tested Columbian coffees. Guess there's someone there who thinks it has to be Columbian to be good.
Has anyone seen their most recent issue rating coffee makers? Convenience ruled in their ratings and so the top-rated makers will yield a mediocre cup, sadly. The Technivorm Moccamaster Thermal was in the middle of the ratings even though they mentioned that it had the best temperature/stability performance of all tested machines. It was downgraded because it was "fussy" to operate, (you have to set the funnel on a cradle versus others that swing out on a hinge). Somebody shoot me.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Marrocco on
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There are actually some great coffees found on grocery store shelves. Carribu Coffee has won some pretty prestigious awards with some of their single origin roasts. Also, Target has been purchasing COE coffees lately. The main things to keep in mind when it comes to purchasing grocery store is roast, roast date and BREWING.... This is where even the best coffee is ruined. Home brewing takes a good grinder, water temp control, and fresh coffee, no matter the brewing method. It's amzing what you can achieve even off of the grocery store shelves when brewing is done correctly.
Oh!! Send them to Whole Foods. They offer great coffee from great roasters that are more local. Allegro does a great job as well.
Mike Benis said:I'd tend to agree with you on that, Demian, but I'm not sure it's any worse than Peets agreeing to put a two-month "best by" date on their packs....
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Nice Post Joe,,,current and right on...
JoeR
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Permalink Reply by Mike Benis on
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The problem is not wether you can find what was once great coffee in a store but whether it will still be great when you find and buy it.
Most supermarkets and wholesale distributors use a central distribution warehouse to optimise their logistics and keep costs down. In many cases the coffee could be past it's best before it even reaches the store.
Many gourmet coffee roasters do mail delivery now. Anyone who cares about the coffee they drink (and - sure - invests in decent equipment) will not buy their coffee any other way. Period.
Anyone who thinks they're getting "pretty decent" results this way honestly needs to try the real thing. It's like Dorothy waking up in Oz and seeing the world in colour.....
Cheers
Mike
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Permalink Reply by Laura Heyda on
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Mike I so agree with you - and I don't consider myself a coffee snob. I've watched superior coffee being bagged and packaged for supermarkets, placed on a pallet, sent to a corporate warehouse...etc . And I know that its often weeks (months?) before it gets on a shelf somewhere.
Coffee is one of the easiest food items to predict your usage accurately - I go through half a pound on a normal week. Fresh coffee will last at least a week properly stored, 2 weeks if its still sealed, in my opinion. There are so many great roasters out there offering retail sales on their websites - some offer subscription services. There's just no reason/excuse to go without a great daily fix.
Mike Benis said:The problem is not wether you can find what was once great coffee in a store but whether it will still be great when you find and buy it.
Most supermarkets and wholesale distributors use a central distribution warehouse to optimise their logistics and keep costs down. In many cases the coffee could be past it's best before it even reaches the store.
Many gourmet coffee roasters do mail delivery now. Anyone who cares about the coffee they drink (and - sure - invests in decent equipment) will not buy their coffee any other way. Period.
Anyone who thinks they're getting "pretty decent" results this way honestly needs to try the real thing. It's like Dorothy waking up in Oz and seeing the world in colour.....
Cheers
Mike
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Permalink Reply by Chris Cockrell on
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Our Fresh Market has Intelli too and Counter Culture but beware...look at the dates on most of them. In ours, many are months old. Unfortunately that is going to happen - that's why I always promote buying locally roasted fresh coffee beans - find a local roasters and enjoy!
Matt Swenson said:Consumer Reports ran a study a while back and came to the conclusion that 8 o'clock was the best grocery purchase. (hehe...)
But Seriously...Depending on your area, there may or may not be some local coffee offered in the grocery. This coffee has the best chance of not being 3-6 months old, but it still very well could be. The best option would be to check if they have a roasted on date and buy the freshest. Obviously, your starbucks, DD, and 8 oclocks will not have that on their bag. The Fresh Market in my city actually has Intelli, and a couple other well known roasters. If this isn't an option...you already know, the best place is at your local cafe or roaster.
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It seems that it is finally getting out to the GP, general public, that coffee is a delicate food product. I know, there are many out there that will argue that coffee is not a food. Well for many of us it is. That said, freshness is the key to the ultimate experience. That is what I as a craft roaster will always strive for. I live for that look on their faces as they drift off to coffee euphoria...Sweet Creama dreams to all of you. As Edgar Allan Poe once said" Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things that escape those who dream only at night."
Did Poe drink coffee. I would bet on it....
Cheers,
Joe
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Ambassador for Specialty Coffee and palate reform.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Smith on
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I once bought a pound of coffee from IKEA. (i know, i know....) Surprisingly it was very fresh the roast date on the side was only about 4 weeks ago. I can't pronounce the name of it but it was something swedish and in a purple bag.
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Joe Smith said:it was very fresh the roast date on the side was only about 4 weeks ago
Not fresh at all, I'm afraid. Indeed, on the cusp of going stale.....
Try something fresh and it'll blow your socks off!
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Permalink Reply by Dennis on
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Definately find a local roaster. Online works best....with more money going to the roaster and your local community. Kind of off topic but buying from a local roaster at say 12$ will swirl around in your local community to the tune of $60...usually buying local contributes about 5 times the initial purchase price into the local economy, versus buying from an out of state or out of area company then it's only 1.5 to 2 times the initial price. So I would say, Online, or local roaster.
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