Daydreamer
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- May 1, 2025
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I just tried Hill Bros Original Blend and it tasted better to me than Folgers. Hills Bros is more expensive but is it generally considered to be higher quality than Folgers?
Folgers or Hill Bros.
- Thread starter Daydreamer
- Start date
Can't you buy better coffee than those where you live? That stuff is junk coffee along with Yuban, Maxwell house, and Gevalia, but if you like Hill Bros Original then stay with it.
Yuban use to be pretty good stuff 60 years ago, but somewhere along the way they changed the formula, probably to save money, but not its been crap coffee for a long time.
Even the McDonalds coffee while not bad at the restaurants, they changed it too about 15 years or so ago, and now it's nasty, but the coffee they sell in grocery stores is worse yet.
You need to expand your horizons a bit, and try other coffee brands, you will be surprised.
Yuban use to be pretty good stuff 60 years ago, but somewhere along the way they changed the formula, probably to save money, but not its been crap coffee for a long time.
Even the McDonalds coffee while not bad at the restaurants, they changed it too about 15 years or so ago, and now it's nasty, but the coffee they sell in grocery stores is worse yet.
You need to expand your horizons a bit, and try other coffee brands, you will be surprised.
- Aug 14, 2003
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If you are near St Paul, try Nina's coffee @ 165 Western Ave NSt Paul, MN 55102 or Backstory coffee roasters @ 432 Wabasha St S St Paul, MN 55107 , or Spyhouse coffee roasters @ 420 Snelling Ave SSt Paul, MN 55105 . I have not been to any of these places but it has to be better than what you are drinking now. Let us know if you venture out and check any of these places out. If you are using a VPN and not in MN I apologize.
I forgot to mention something.
When buying coffee at grocery stores you need to be looking at the expiration dates, or best by use date. I found a bag of Lavazza on sale, great price, but it had expired a year prior! Then I grabbed a bag that was at the very back, that one expired 8 months into the future. That isn't the first time I've run into that, the reason grocery stores put something on sale, like coffee in this example, is because it's past it's expiration date.
Coffee typically is not at it's full freshness in as little as 4 weeks from roast time, and it takes grocery stores about 3 to 4 weeks just to get the coffee onto their shelves. And canned coffee, like Folgers, Maxwell House, etc., are the least fresh, they can be made 2 months prior to hitting the shelves.
I always try to buy my coffee at my local roaster because that stuff is roasted the same day I come in, or the previous day at the latest, but sometimes I might run low before I can get there, so the Grocery store is where I'll go. I never stock up on sale coffee either because of that freshness issue.
So watch those freshness dates.
When buying coffee at grocery stores you need to be looking at the expiration dates, or best by use date. I found a bag of Lavazza on sale, great price, but it had expired a year prior! Then I grabbed a bag that was at the very back, that one expired 8 months into the future. That isn't the first time I've run into that, the reason grocery stores put something on sale, like coffee in this example, is because it's past it's expiration date.
Coffee typically is not at it's full freshness in as little as 4 weeks from roast time, and it takes grocery stores about 3 to 4 weeks just to get the coffee onto their shelves. And canned coffee, like Folgers, Maxwell House, etc., are the least fresh, they can be made 2 months prior to hitting the shelves.
I always try to buy my coffee at my local roaster because that stuff is roasted the same day I come in, or the previous day at the latest, but sometimes I might run low before I can get there, so the Grocery store is where I'll go. I never stock up on sale coffee either because of that freshness issue.
So watch those freshness dates.
- Aug 14, 2003
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I would avoid the grocers. LIke mentioned roasters roast the coffee ship it to a warehouse where it sits until its ordered. Could be 6 months before it even hits the shelf. I actually saw a label once claiming a 2 year shelf life. Old coffee wont hurt you. Once the oils go rancid it makes the coffee taste like cardboard. Always remember though. Taste is subjective. The guy below is drinking 35 year old coffee from a percolator and likes it
If you do not have a local roaster..you have the whole internet full of roasters. They can probably get you fresher coffee than most coffee shops.
If you do not have a local roaster..you have the whole internet full of roasters. They can probably get you fresher coffee than most coffee shops. Geez, 35 year old coffee, I would of liked to have done that taste test, but using something like a Hario V60 Switch to see just how good it is without boiling it to death. However, if he knew exactly when to stop the percolating you can make pretty decent coffee with a percolator, better than drip maker that became all the rage in the mid 70s and into the 2000s, and definitely better than those damn K-cup and pod makers. Percolator does make the coffee more robust in flavor, as long as you get it stop before it starts turning bitter.
Keep in mind, that a percolator is almost the same as a Moka pot, but the Moka pot is under a bit more pressure, and the Bialetti Brikka has even more pressure than the standard Express moka pot, and thus the Moka pot will have a stronger robust taste profile than the Percolator will have.
Back in the day when those percolators were all the rage moms had to babysit the maker in order to keep it from percolating too much and causing bitterness, hotels and restaurants back in the day had bitter coffee because they didn't take the time to watch it.
But man, the smell of coffee that those percolators made was heavenly, but coffee has changed since then, to save money the coffee roasters that send to grocery stores don't roast them as long as they use to. Most people don't realize that dark roasted coffee was all there was prior to the 70s, and that dark roast produced a bold smokey aroma when percolated, but once drip came out that aroma was reduced significantly.
Keep in mind, that a percolator is almost the same as a Moka pot, but the Moka pot is under a bit more pressure, and the Bialetti Brikka has even more pressure than the standard Express moka pot, and thus the Moka pot will have a stronger robust taste profile than the Percolator will have.
Back in the day when those percolators were all the rage moms had to babysit the maker in order to keep it from percolating too much and causing bitterness, hotels and restaurants back in the day had bitter coffee because they didn't take the time to watch it.
But man, the smell of coffee that those percolators made was heavenly, but coffee has changed since then, to save money the coffee roasters that send to grocery stores don't roast them as long as they use to. Most people don't realize that dark roasted coffee was all there was prior to the 70s, and that dark roast produced a bold smokey aroma when percolated, but once drip came out that aroma was reduced significantly.
Daydreamer
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- May 1, 2025
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I can buy coffee outside of grocery stores but I was just curious about which was better between those two particular brands. So I take it that ground coffee sold at grocery stores are lower quality in general? I have been to independent coffee shops but the quality highly depends on the shop.
WI_Hedgehog
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- Aug 11, 2021
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Yes. Both are better than dirt, though not much better in the case of Folgers.
If you're looking for "far better" cheap coffee, Sam's Club has Victor Allen's Morning Grog and to a lesser degree French Vanilla whole bean coffee.
You still want to watch the grind and coffee/water ratio, but it's noticeably "better."
There are some exceptions, such as Lavazza, Peets, Stumptown, Illy, and lastly Fire Department Coffee (FDC). Some independent grocery stores may carry some other brands not found in chain stores, those you'll have to google the brand to find out if it's any good.
The secret to buying coffee in stores is to always look at the expiration date, or best used date, or some such wording. Some grocery stores, like Kroger and a host of their owned companies, often times they will have a sale and sell that coffee which has already expired, and just 3 weeks ago I found a bag on sale that was over a year expired, but I dug out the furthest one in the back of all the bags and found a fresh one, and got that on sale.
Kroger is also in trouble for putting false pricing on the display, then charge up at the register, and most people never catch that stuff so Kroger wins more than they lose.
Here is a list of their other stores under the Kroger parent company so you can be aware when you shop to check expiration dates and displayed prices at check out:
- Baker’s
- City Market
- Dillons
- Food 4 Less
- Foods Co
- Fred Meyer
- Fry’s
- Gerbes
- Jay C Food Store
- King Soopers
- Mariano’s
- Metro Market
- Pay-Less Super Markets
- Pick’n Save
- QFC
- Ralphs
- Ruler
- Smith’s Food and Drug I was at a small Mexican grocery store and found a bag of Juan Valdez Volcan Espresso coffee, I haven't tried it yet, but I will, but it seems to be well liked in reviews.
- Aug 14, 2003
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Here are some online shops that do a great job. I did not list my new site yet due to working on the backend.
www.independencecoffee.com
www.bonescoffee.com
tillzerocoffeeco.com
Local & Fresh Roasted 100% Arabica Coffees - Independence Coffee Co.
Independence Coffee Company is a Texas-based roaster maing coffees using only 100% Arabica beans. Our roastery is small, this allows us to achieve the highest quality when it comes to providing fresh coffee, it's what we do!
www.independencecoffee.com
Bones Coffee Company - Say Goodbye to Boring.
Discover our compendium of unique coffee varieties, each meticulously crafted to excite your taste buds and overthrow the monotony of everyday coffee.
www.bonescoffee.com
Till Zero Coffee Co. | Veteran-Owned Coffee with a Mission
Till Zero Coffee Co. is a veteran-owned coffee brand dedicated to curbing veteran and first responder suicides. Launching on February 8, 2025, we offer premium coffee with a mission—because every cup makes a difference. Shop now and support those who serve. #BrewForACause
tillzerocoffeeco.com
Buy Gourmet Coffee | Coffee Club | Home Delivery | Gifts - Boca Java
Get fresh, roasted-to-order gourmet coffee direct from the roaster. Join our BocaJava coffee club for easy home delivery. Cafe taste at your place.
www.bocajava.com
