Best to coffee to buy in the grocery store?

[Matt]

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?

[Chris Cockrell]

We blow tasters away all the time with fresh off the roaster coffee...! Find a good local roaster and give him your business. Not only will he try harder to keep you happy, he really needs it these days!

www.Smellthesmoke.net

[Joe Marrocco]

A major issue I take with this thread is that assumptions are guiding people's advice. I can find coffee that is less than ten days old on the shelves of almost all of the grocery store chains in my area. Now, I live in St. Louis, MO. If it is like that here, then it is like that many other places. The other cities I travel to I have found the same to be true. As industry proffessionals, we need to keep our fingers on this pulse. This is where the vast majority of coffee is bought in this nation. The other tragic assumption is that local equals quality. I would rather buy a bag of four week old intelli coffee that I knon is quality and roasted well then nitrogen flushed than almost all of the micro-roasted coffees i've tried. Amazing rosters are few and far between. Local means one thing, geographical proximity. It does not mean quality, just as organic and fair trade do not mean quality. Is it greener? Maybe. Does it taste good? That is the real question. We can post snobbery all day, but not everyone lives in Portland where good coffee is roasted on every street. The question pertains to those who do not have instant access to a quality roaster. So, essentially, what is second best? Let's be helpful and informed. Let's put our tongues to the grocery store shelves before letting them loose with uniformed advice and opinions. The is some amazing coffee to be found in your grocer's aisle. Just keep your eyes and your mind open.

Chris Cockrell said:

We blow tasters away all the time with fresh off the roaster coffee...! Find a good local roaster and give him your business. Not only will he try harder to keep you happy, he really needs it these days! www.Smellthesmoke.net

[Mike Benis]

A lot of assumptions there about snobbery, Joe, that don't help anyone.

What does is the info that in stores you know, you can find beans that are less than 10 days past roast date. That is great news for everyone. It would be even more helpful to let people know what brands/roasters they are so they can pass this on advice to those who don't want to do mail order from a specialist roaster of their choice or who suddenly find they have run out etc.

Nothing like the situation here in the UK, but great to know how things are changing on your side of the pond. The more people experience what great coffee tastes like the better for everyone.

[Joe Marrocco]

I would love to let people know what brands they, but every city, state, and region will have different coffees presented in different ways by different companies. I did list some in an earlier post on this thread. and, as for the snobbery, this is not an assumption if people are readily admitting to it. Desiring only the best coffees is great. Being unreasonably pretentious toward something that has not been tried based upon the idea that it used to be bad so it still must be is what is not helpful. I do not mean the word "snob" as some deep insult. I said it gingerly and broadly. I too am a coffee snob. But, I try to push myself into places my turned nose does not want me to go. For example: yesterday I went into a local shop that uses a local roaster that does a really bad job. The shop then turns the bad coffee into horrible coffee. Yet I go there. And, much to my surprise, yesterday I had one of the best coffee experiences and shop experiences I have had in a really long time. It was refreshing and enlightening. We push ourselves to try new things in this industry. I offer that we continue to push ourselves to try old things as well. Everyone is trying to get better. We cannot write off certain coffee based on its bag, region, retail location or our personal prior experiences with it. Once again, we must keep an open mind and palate.

What I DO apologize for, is that I did not mean my last post to be a reply to Chris Cockrell's particular post. I was posting from a mobile device, (thus the type-os) and apparently hit the wrong reply button. So, Chris, I apologize for any pointedness that may have felt was directed at you particularly. I agree that the local roaster needs help, as I am a roaster for a small artisan roasting company. I agree with blowing most of the competition away in cupping comparisons. And, I'm sure your coffee is amazing.

Mike Benis said:

A lot of assumptions there about snobbery, Joe, that don't help anyone.

What does is the info that in stores you know, you can find beans that are less than 10 days past roast date. That is great news for everyone. It would be even more helpful to let people know what brands/roasters they are so they can pass this on advice to those who don't want to do mail order from a specialist roaster of their choice or who suddenly find they have run out etc.

Nothing like the situation here in the UK, but great to know how things are changing on your side of the pond. The more people experience what great coffee tastes like the better for everyone.

[Dennis]

Well I guess I'll bring this discussion around to the original posting/question. Suggestions found at the grocery store.....here are a couple Vancouver regional roasters with good consistant quality: Kicking Horse Coffee and Salt Spring Island. They may not be in you area, ...speaking of which...where is your area?

[Matt]

Jacksonville, Fl, Actually Fernandina Beach

Dennis said:

Well I guess I'll bring this discussion around to the original posting/question. Suggestions found at the grocery store.....here are a couple Vancouver regional roasters with good consistant quality: Kicking Horse Coffee and Salt Spring Island. They may not be in you area, ...speaking of which...where is your area?

[Chris Cockrell]

Okay, fellow keepers of the flame...For the record, I love coffee! In my area - Louisville, KY - I regularly support nearly all of the "local roasters" on a weekly basis. What I mean is that is huy their coffee/espresso every week. Most of them are friends now and we talk about "good" coffee and the business in general all the time. We talk about other more nationally availible roasts too. Some were noted above.

I've been to conventions and shops in big cities and tried their fresh coffees a day or two off the roaster and espressos that were supposed to be the "best" made with the best beans and equipment and know how...and what I have found is that for all that and my palate, what I can find locally, here in the Louisville area, there are some great coffees - bad ones too. Yes I can buy the red bagged coffee at the local fresh Market, but IMHO I can find better here. IMHO, I have roasted better - not always but my bean selection is not as wide and special as the larger roasters - I cannot visit farmers in Yemen or Java or even Mexico. My point to this was that for most people, getting away from Folgers or Maxwel house, or *$ and trying something GOOD from a local guys is a great adventure that ususally creates a new fan of great whole beans instead of the blue or red can of yuk!

In our local Kroger - not Whole foods or Fresh Market - the Special coffee is limited to *$, Dunkin, Seatles Best, no local stuff at all is there. Our Target in Louisville has Caribou, Archer Farms, and one or two more. All I'm sure are beter than the folgers or whatever can be found right beside them. My goal as a small local roaster is to encourage folks to step out and try something new and fresh, be it mine or something from afar...the point is to try it.

Matt - try something that looks interesting and go for it. IF you like it Great! If it's not your cup - mark it off the list. Most likely, if you've been drinking the blue or red canned stuff it will be better - no money wasted. Remember, the bean is just part of the equations :-) Shall we talk about brewers, water, GRIND! Welcome to the world of specialty coffee!!!

No feelings hurt here Joe! GOod topic!

Chris

[Chris Tellez]

kicking horse gives me head aches. every time. But i had a nice shot of salt springs this year at the coffee and tea expo

Dennis said:

Well I guess I'll bring this discussion around to the original posting/question. Suggestions found at the grocery store.....here are a couple Vancouver regional roasters with good consistant quality: Kicking Horse Coffee and Salt Spring Island. They may not be in you area, ...speaking of which...where is your area?