Why I Buy Grocery-Store Coffee Sometimes
Most of the coffee in my kitchen comes straight from the roasters we work with. But every so often I grab a bag off a grocery shelf, just to see if there are any surprises out there.
Sometimes there are. Every once in a while I bring home a bag that isn't flat, tasteless, and terrible. I've even been known to pick one up at a local Walmart when it looked like I might run out before the next roaster shipment showed up.
This time I stopped by Trader Joe's and picked up a bag of their Ethiopian Guji light roast.
I wish I hadn't.
First Look: The Beans Told the Story Early
You can learn a lot about a coffee before it ever touches the grinder, and this one raised a flag right away.
The beans were all over the place. Some were light brown, some noticeably darker, and the sizes varied just as much. A careful grower and roaster work to keep a lot consistent, because uneven beans roast unevenly and taste muddled in the cup. This didn't look like anyone's best effort.
To be fair, it went through the grinder just fine. That's about the only good thing I can say.
In the Cup: Flat and Almost Tasteless
If I really searched for it, there was a faint floral note and a little acidity. Those are the bones of what a Guji should be, but only the bones. There was no sweetness, no fruit, and nothing that made me want a second sip.
Overall, it was a bad experience from start to finish.
What Went Wrong?
I honestly don't know. Maybe this bag sat too long somewhere between the roaster and the shelf. Maybe it was just a poor lot of beans to begin with. Either one would explain a light roast that lost everything that makes it worth drinking.
One tip if you shop the grocery aisle: look for a roast date, not just a best-by date. Light roasts are at their best within a few weeks of roasting, and a best-by date can be many months out.
Whatever the cause, the experience was bad enough that I won't be trying any more beans from Trader Joe's.
The Verdict: Skip It (it's a 2/10)
Ethiopian coffees are some of the best in the world. A good Guji should be bright and floral, often with notes of berry, stone fruit, or citrus, and a sweetness that lingers after the sip.
Before this, I had never had a bad bag of Ethiopian coffee. Well, guess who got to change that.
Don't let one flat bag turn you off Ethiopian coffee. Just buy it fresh, from people who care about how it was grown and roasted. If you want to taste what this bag should have been, take a look at our Ethiopian coffees, shipped direct from the roaster.
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