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October 21, 2004
Q: Lisa writes to ask: Does Starbucks really burn their coffee?
A: A former Starbucks roaster who had opened his own coffee shop once ranted to a friend and me for the entire time it took us to down our coffee about how Starbucks intentionally burns their beans. According to him, it makes the taste stays consistent longer (burnt beans don't taste stale, they just taste burnt), and that's played havoc with many Americans' coffee taste buds, who think good coffee is supposed to taste that way (and apparently with the Brits now too; the last time I was in London, everyone was carrying around the white and green logo'd paper cups).
I don't know if the story's true, although I've always thought it tasted burnt, too.
Posted by Kristin at October 21, 2004 2:49 PM
Comments
I've always thought so, too....that's why I never drink Starbucks regular coffee, only mochas or frappucinos or whatnot.
Posted by: Jen at October 21, 2004 6:09 PM
I have a Starbux drink. Cafe Americano topped with a little bit of soy. Believe it or not, I don't have a big problem with Starbucks. When it comes to coffee, I like it to be dependable and very strong. I know the Cafe Americano topped with a little bit of soy will be consistent. The problem I DO have is when they try to charge me $0.40 extra for that quarter-inch of soy milk. I have the Starbucks near work trained, but others are really random about it, and I usually fight the charge.
There are actually very few Starbucks in Baltimore. I can't think of a one. But there are a lot in College Park, where I work. In Baltimore, we have local stores, and many of them sell Key Coffee (http://www.keyroasters.com/locations/locateKeyCoffee.htm). It's what I drink at home. It is da bomb.
Posted by: Jennie at October 21, 2004 10:08 PM
I don't drink Starbucks for two reasons, and the most important one is that the coffee is disgusting and burnt. It SMELLS burnt in there. I count myself lucky that I started going to coffee shops before there was a Starbucks anywhere near, and got addicted to GOOD coffee. Starbucks=yuck.
Posted by: Heather at October 22, 2004 8:45 AM
test
Posted by: Kristin at November 7, 2004 7:37 AM