If I were to rate their coffee like their regular Pikes Peak:

1- being that little cup generated in a machine I drank at 3:00am while in college at the University of Houston Computer Center
or
10- from my French Press from freshly ground beans with Black Rifle or Grounds from Hounds made at home.

Starbucks would be 7 and you could detract points for value.

Starbucks must have a huge turnover rate. You can't get anything that's consistent from day to day or location to location. It's always a crap shoot and just one of the reasons we no longer go there.

Someone asked a coffee broker in Columbia if he’d ever done business with Starbucks. His answer, “Yes, they buy the cheapest beans we have.”

A guy on dad’s pipeline crew got tired of having to make the “jungle” coffee every morning. So, he started talking up the benefits of adding a pinch of dried cow manure to the pot to “settle” the coffee grounds. That’s when the whole crew decided he’d been making the coffee long enough; it was someone else’s turn. I’ve forgotten the guy’s name, but it sounded like Startruck.

Dunkin' over Starbuck's. If no Dunkin', I'll gladly pass up Starbuck's and drink the coffee on the plane; honestly...it isn't that bad. Starbuck's gives me the shakes...for some reason, I'm more sensitive to the caffeine in their roast. Drink BRCC Just Decaf at home...

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
Their coffee isn't bad but certainly overpriced.

This ^^^^^

I wonder how many people calling it "charbucks" actually know what truly good coffee, brewed from freshly-ground, freshly-roasted Arabica beans tastes like? Coffee brewed with the correct grind/water ratio, water the correct brewing temperature, and the correct extraction rate?

Precious few, I suspect.

Like I wrote earlier: In my journey from stale, pre-ground supermarket coffee brewed in a Mr. Coffee--which guaranteed said coffee was incorrectly brewed, for a short time I was buying whole-bean Starbuck's coffee. It was about on-par with the Gevalia coffees I'd tried. (IIRC, I went from Starbuck's, to Gevalia, to locally-roasted. [Then to Costco and back to locally-roasted.])

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:
Dunkin' over Starbuck's.

Dunkin's coffee ain't half-bad, either. Nor is McD's.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

I wonder how many people calling it "charbucks" actually know what truly good coffee, brewed from freshly-ground, freshly-roasted Arabica beans tastes like? Coffee brewed with the correct grind/water ratio, water the correct brewing temperature, and the correct extraction rate?

Precious few, I suspect.

I certainly know what good coffee tastes like and Charbucks isn't!

It took years for me to try St*r*ucks, actually in their very first location some decades ago.

I do prefer the darker version. Maybe once every year or 3 I'll try them again, as a convenience.

They still give the vague sneer & attitude when I order a "small black". They'll attempt to install their version of 'correct talk' by repeating the order in the approved format. I'll reorder again as if they are hearing impaired or slow witted.

I believe the only thing added that improves "coffee" is "whiskey", but since that memory is long past, "Black coffee" of a certain quality satisfies. Everything else is a condiment to satisfy the customers whim.

The best cup I ever had, was heavy on "coffee expresso" from a buddy's high $ Italian machine. Vaguely similar to bald1 photo.

I've been in Starbucks exactly twice, both times to use the bathroom. And even then I wasn't impressed. Thank god I don't drink coffee, so they aren't even on my radar...well, unless I need to go to the bathroom.

bald1, you have an entire kitchen devoted to coffee-making paraphernalia? Do you do anything else there?

I don't drink coffee. Somewhere I have an old percolator my mom left in 1989. I don't get many visitors and if they get coffee it's instant.

flashguy

I met the East Asia Chief Marketing Officer for Illy coffee in China about a decade ago. We were eating in the same hotel restaurant and I saw him ask the waitress to show him the bag of beans used to make the coffee - he was spot checking that they weren't substituting cheaper beans to save money when Illy was on the menu. He was French, drinking his daily bottle of wine with dinner. We chatted a bit and I got his card. He was French, but Illy is Italian.

Since then I have suggested Illy to coffee addicts and in general they have told me it is very good.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

I wonder how many people calling it "charbucks" actually know what truly good coffee, brewed from freshly-ground, freshly-roasted Arabica beans tastes like? Coffee brewed with the correct grind/water ratio, water the correct brewing temperature, and the correct extraction rate?

Precious few, I suspect.

I can’t speak for what you like your coffee to taste like. Coffee is a hobby of mine and I brew in many different ways. I also frequent local coffee shops that roast their own beans. In all cases the coffee I drink is more flavorful and far less bitter (burnt) tasting. As far as espresso goes forget about it, Charbucks ain’t even close. My .02.

Just an aside - I'm a grouchy old fart I guess, but I just don't understand how ordering coffee takes more than 2-3 words. Black, espresso, americano, latte double shot. This is familiar.

But when the order sounds like: blah blah soy blah blah extra blah blah no blah blah blah with blah blah blah and a shot of blah blah blah - I know I'm in the wrong place.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

I wonder how many people calling it "charbucks" actually know what truly good coffee, brewed from freshly-ground, freshly-roasted Arabica beans tastes like? Coffee brewed with the correct grind/water ratio, water the correct brewing temperature, and the correct extraction rate?

Precious few, I suspect.

Like I wrote earlier: In my journey from stale, pre-ground supermarket coffee brewed in a Mr. Coffee--which guaranteed said coffee was incorrectly brewed, for a short time I was buying whole-bean Starbuck's coffee. It was about on-par with the Gevalia coffees I'd tried. (IIRC, I went from Starbuck's, to Gevalia, to locally-roasted. [Then to Costco and back to locally-roasted.])

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:
Dunkin' over Starbuck's.

Dunkin's coffee ain't half-bad, either. Nor is McD's.

Exactly what I say about Kona coffee which is all I drink at home.

And yes, McD's and Dunkin are pretty good for chain coffee.

I went there one time with a friend who loved it there. I asked for their house coffee black. It was awful!! I have never been back.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
good

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:

Exactly what I say about Kona coffee which is all I drink at home.

Do tell, what kind of and where from is your Kona coffee? I need a reliable supplier. Thanks.
.

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
Do tell, what kind of and where from is your Kona coffee? I need a reliable supplier. Thanks.
.

Here's one that's good:
https://www.greenwellfarms.com/100-kona-coffee/

And another:
https://konagoldhawaii.com/col...sEAMYAiAAEgI0SfD_BwE

One more:
https://www.konamountaincoffee.com/collections/coffee

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:
Dunkin' over Starbuck's. If no Dunkin', I'll gladly pass up Starbuck's and drink the coffee on the plane; honestly...it isn't that bad. Starbuck's gives me the shakes...for some reason, I'm more sensitive to the caffeine in their roast. Drink BRCC Just Decaf at home...

Pilots definitely don't need the shakes. Especially on the flights i'm on.

I've never tried Dunkin but always heard it was good. I actually like McDonalds better than most.

Regarding Dunkin, it's weak. It's what I grew up on before coffee exploded like microbrew beer did. Anyhow even if you like Dunkin when it's good, they have become incredibly inconsistent. I've had very good iced coffee from them and then others that are so weak you can't taste coffee, and other days it's as bitter as Starbucks and taste worse.

I'm actually quite satisfied with my Keurig. But if I had the time and money I'd be figuring out how to make the coffee I had in Germany. Espresso sized, strong and smooth. Needed no sugar and no cream. I loved it. Honestly I've been considering the Nespresso machine because they had that in the lunch room at work in Germany and it was also very good. The Germans that come here to work on our equipment bring a Nespresso machine with them.

Caramel frappacino with two shots of espresso poured on top and whipped cream.

Otherwise, meh, they can suck on the big 6"

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
<<snip>>
In fact, there are some gas stations with better coffee than Starbucks, for a fraction of the price.

Yep, the Mapco stations in my area have a dark roast that I usually get whenever I buy coffee there, and it is quite good... most of the time! Doesn't require doctoring up to be tasty...