Soapbox Rant: Starbucks is way better than Timmies

I'm no longer the coffeeholic that I used to be, but a few times a week I'll still get one when I feel the need for a boost. I prefer to brew my own at home, but when I'm on the road, I am very selective about where I get coffee. When you travel across Ontario, often times the only real coffee joint around is the ubiquitous Tim Horton's - it's more of a donut-and-coffee thing; definitely not in the stylish/chic coffeehouse mould. Timmies is alright for a fast lunch if I'm traveling (sandwich or chili), but man - their coffee just sucks in my opinion. It always has. I find it thin and sour and lacking coffee aroma ... and sometimes it's just plain nasty and smells like a dirty countertop - blech. Yet the popularity of this chain is phenomenal nevertheless.

I recently started frequenting a local Starbucks and, having heard about the burnt coffee thing, chose the brew carefully. They have a "Breakfast" blend of some kind available mornings, and I have to say that it's way and above in terms of aroma, flavour and persistence compared to the nasty low-quality coffee that Timmies makes. Starbucks is, well, it's alright in my eyes. Can't say I don't prefer some of the alternative "fair trade" places for their individuality, but as a corporate entity, I think that Starbucks is among our better chains. And even though I don't have much of a sweet tooth, I do like their Nature Bars ...

Having had Tim Horton's "coffee" on numerous visits, I can agree with you that Starbucks is better than that.

However, I am not really a Starbucks fan. I am one of the folks who believe that they burn their beans.

I generally make my own coffee at home (and have a small 4-cup maker in my office so I can bring my own beans instead of drinking the icky food service coffee my workplace has), but there are a couple/three local (non-chain) places that I frequent if meeting someone for a cup of java. Santa Fe is a pretty darn good food city, so I'm lucky in that respect.

When traveling I usually opt out of coffee altogether, rather than take my chances!

Paul, I am in accordance with you on Starbucks and Timmies. I don't care too much for the Horton's coffees I've had. I think that may be in part, though, that I've had coffee that has sat too long on the warmer and has gotten stale.

I do like Starbuck's though. Always have. It's not "burnt" to me; just robustly cooked. But that's how I like my coffee usually, when what I want is a cuppa.

Cynthia and Paul:

Don't know if they are available where you guys are, but if you don't like the Starbucks roast, you might try a cup from Seattle's Best Coffee (SBC). Starbucks owns them as well, but they have an entirely different roast style. Much milder, less bitter, less oily. If you don't like Starbucks, you might well like SBC.

Oddly enough, I'll have to say that McDonald's coffee has gotten seriously better of late. Jenise noted that on another thread, and I agree with her: you can get a decent and substantial cup of fresh coffee from McDonalds now. Don't know about Canada though.

Glad to see we at least agree on COFFEE . . .

I also would concur with the Timmies coffee often being stale or "cooked out", if you will ... though I've even been to some of the places where the lineup was almost to the door, so they had to brew fresh coffee non-stop - yet it still tasted bad. Starbucks, though, is a revelation by comparison.

Paul, now I am upset...even you are on the road to hell! I would never ever have thunk it. Next thing I know you will be stopping in every morning for your latte! Lets see $3 per, and 7 days per week is $21 per X 52 is That is over a thousand dollars per year. Yep, the road to hell!

No worries, Bob! I've been down the road of coffeeholism, and was wise enough to yank myself out of it. Of course, I do thank divine grace for it, as I was planning to give coffee up just for Lent last year ... yet upon making the decision to do so, my daily coffee habit immediately ceased. That was a surprise even to me.

BTW - how's the kamado doing? The weather has greatly improved here lately; I assume down in KY it's getting better as well.