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Starbucks

Nasty burned stuff at 'bucks. I prefer tea or a great local roaster named Intelligentsia - they pay their suppliers 25% above fair trade prices. Take THAT Starbucks.

Try these folks:

Simply amazing teas: Gong Fu Tea

Best coffee in the US - maybe anywhere: Intelligentsia Coffee
 
hulugu said:
I have to agree with you, Starbucks burns their beans.
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It's really kind of sad how Starbucks generally mistreats their beans. I used to love the Coffee Connection around Boston (FWIW original home of the Frappucino) until they got bought out by Starbucks and started serving charred coffee.

Surprisingly though, I had some of the best "regular" coffee I've had in years at a hotel in Seattle, and it was made with beans from Starbucks. So they're not all bad...

B
 
hulugu said:
I have to agree with you, Starbucks burns their beans. There's better local places nearby the university, so I tend to go there.

Seattle's Best Coffee is actually pretty good, but I only get that at Borders.
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Which is rather humorous, considering Starbucks owns Seattle's Best Coffee. :)
 
so, a question from a non coffee drinker. at what point in the process does starbucks burn their beans? at the individual shop? or before it even gets to the shops?

also, what reason do they have for burning their beans? does it make the smell stronger, thus drawing in more people? that's the only logical reason that i can think of

either way, i can't stand the place
 
gauchogolfer said:
For those lucky enough to live in California, Peets is the way to go. Fabulous.
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We've got Peet's here in Boston, too. It usually breaks down like this: The tourists go to Starbucks, the locals go to Peet's, and the non-connesseurs go to DD.
 
jelloshotsrule said:
also, what reason do they have for burning their beans? does it make the smell stronger, thus drawing in more people? that's the only logical reason that i can think of
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I think part of it is that some people think that strong coffee needs to be bitter.

B
 
irain said:
Is it a status symbol?
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God yes. It's a class symbol, apparently.

During the Lamont/Lieberman chaos, a radio station referred to Lamont supporters as "getting their coffee at Starbucks" while Lieberman supporters "get their coffee at Dunkin' Donuts, like the rest of us."

Like others in this thread, I prefer to keep the locals in buisness.
 
jelloshotsrule said:
so, a question from a non coffee drinker. at what point in the process does starbucks burn their beans? at the individual shop? or before it even gets to the shops?

also, what reason do they have for burning their beans? does it make the smell stronger, thus drawing in more people? that's the only logical reason that i can think of

either way, i can't stand the place
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It could be a varying points in the process and for a variety of reasons. Not very specific, I know, heh.

If they aren't getting burnt during roasting (likely), they are getting burnt by the espresso machine.

The reasons would like be that it artificially makes the coffee seem like it is stronger and darker then it is, a technique most likely used to get more for their money, as they could buy cheap low quality beans and over-roast them to cut through the milk, and those who don't really know coffee would simply dismiss the bitterness as how 'good strong coffee should taste' ;)

I usually refer to Starbucks as the McDonald's of Coffee, hiding under the image and prices of a nice Steakhouse. ;)
 
Sox said:
We've got Peet's here in Boston, too. It usually breaks down like this: The tourists go to Starbucks, the locals go to Peet's, and the non-connesseurs go to DD.
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It's good to know it's spreading :)

I first met Peet in Santa Barbara in school, and now I live in France so I've not seen him grow up. :p

Good going, kid!
 
gauchogolfer said:
For those lucky enough to live in California, Peets is the way to go. Fabulous.
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Peets is definitely better than Starbucks.

FWIW, I often buy Starbucks beans and brew them at home. No burnt taste whatsoever. Also I think many people are not used to the strength that Starbucks (and Peets) brew their coffee. Two tablespoons per 6oz of water is FAR more than most people brew with.
 
Starbucks isn't bad, but when I can get a way better cup of coffee for a few dollars less without having to say "venti or grande", why go? Stumptown roasts the best coffee in Portland, so I go anywhere that serves it. I only ever go to starbucks when I have a gift card. If I have to choose between chains, I would go for Coffee People, but their coffee, while better than Starbucks, is almost as expensive.

gauchogolfer said:
For those lucky enough to live in California, Peets is the way to go. Fabulous.
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They have Peets here in Portland, but the only Peets I know of isn't walking distance from my school, so I rarely go...
 
starbucks brewed coffees are repulsive. i find that if i am near a 'bucks and i want a regular coffee type coffee, i get an Americano, which at least uses espresso + hot water and tastes dramatically better than thier brewed coffees. and not outrageously more expensive than a medium brewed coffee.

and another nod to Peet's - the best "chain" coffee out there bar none.

tho my absoloute favorite coffees are either Coffee Exchange in Providence, RI or The Grove in San Francisco.
 
dornoforpyros said:
I agree Tim Horton's coffee is like crack cocaine. But my favorite coffee shop in the world had it's rent doubled, it went out of business and Tim Horton's moved in. So I've vowed to never drink another cup of their coffee again as they've personally wronged me of a cool hang out.
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Tim Hortons is the bomb s***.

They're really dirt cheap in comparison. Pick up one of their incredible doughnuts or muffins as well while you're at it. :)


You never really realize how great Tim Hortons is until you move away from Canada. In Australia...... $1.50-2 for a decent doughnut, or around $3 for a decent muffin. Not great, only decent. :eek:
 
I've never had Peets, so I'll admit they might be excellent.

Dunkin Donuts coffee is, to me, warm sewer water. Honestly, the new McDonalds coffee is better (or less terrible), which says something.

Starbucks, though, suits me just fine.

Each day, every day, I get an iced venti coffee with two shots of espresso. I love it. Sometimes, I'll get more than one drink.

And the fact that the women working there (where "there" seems to be any SB around here) are hot doesn't hurt.
 
I quite like Starbucks - especially the iced drinks. Mmm Java Chip Frappucino. I was even thinking about getting a job at one, but I've heard the pay isn't great.
 
Abstract said:
^^You like Starbucks because you don't like real coffee. You like coffee that doubles as "dessert." ;)
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True to an extent, but I do actually drink their regular coffee as well. ;)

It's not the greatest coffee, but certainly not the worst. I've found the best at at little cafes near uni.
 
iGary said:
I can't make it more than two minutes in line at Starbucks before I want to strangle someone for ordering a cup of coffee with a description more than 30 words long.
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Counts on fingers:

"Venti six-pump raspberry mocha"

4 words (or 5, depending). Sighs at realization that Gary will not be strangling me...
 
Starbucks is crap, and I'm even vaguely related to them. Quite distantly mind you. The missus-in-training is rather fond of that bottled caramel liquid poo, though.

I prefer Kona myself.
 
Abstract said:
Tim Hortons is the bomb s***.

They're really dirt cheap in comparison. Pick up one of their incredible doughnuts or muffins as well while you're at it. :)


You never really realize how great Tim Hortons is until you move away from Canada. In Australia...... $1.50-2 for a decent doughnut, or around $3 for a decent muffin. Not great, only decent. :eek:
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If you ask me, Tim Hortans has the most disgusting breakfast pastries I have ever had. My entire extended family agrees. At least the ones I have been to in RI (there is one about every 3 ft on Route 1 in Rhode Island).
 
Re: DC

max_altitude said:
I quite like Starbucks - especially the iced drinks. Mmm Java Chip Frappucino. I was even thinking about getting a job at one, but I've heard the pay isn't great.
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The pay is pretty bad. A friend of mine assistant-managed a 'bucks back in the day. They did let him take home 2 lbs. of beans a week though. It took him years to withdraw from that habit.
 
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