BusinessWeek writer gives a thumbs-up to his Clover-brewed coffee at Starbucks

"I was interested in the appeal of Clover-made coffee to we the less high falutin', coffee-swilling masses who make up the bulk of Starbucks customers," writes Aaron Pressman. "The Clover-brewed Kona was tasty and complex, starting with a sweet, mellow flavor and leaving a nutty slightly spicy after-taste. And I'm not even that big a fan of Starbucks -- I'm patronizing the local brewstand most mornings." (Read the BusinessWeek column)
> Seattle Times writer: Clover coffee "was fruity. Woody. Unusually delicious."

Comments

[STARBUCKS GOSSIP WEBMASTER]

I tried the Clover coffee last Friday at two different Intelligentisa stores in downtown Chicago. ($2.85/drink).

My first reaction -- This is very good (it was Rwanda), but didn't meet the incredibly high expectations set by the many who've gushed over Clover. (The coffee was French Press-like, but sweeter.)

I returned to Intelligentsia a few hours after having the Clovers, and ordered a regular drip coffee. My reaction: I have to return to the Clover-brewed coffee because standard drip is far sub-standard.

[Ken]

I would think, to any average coffee drinker use to gas station coffee, or home brewed Folgers, any cup of 100% Kona (assuming it was 100% would taste a hell of a lot better then anything they were use to. I think if would be a better test if he had a cup of Kona brewed the reguler, then a cup of the Clover Kona. I am still dying to try the Clover though. I have heard mix reviews, most of them at least favorable.

[ex-sbuxmanager]

Not to pick on Ken, but I love it when people think that the average coffee drinker drinks coffee from a gas station or brews Folgers at home. Saying something like that makes it seem like Starbucks is just finding a niche market in coffee. Starbucks is everywhere. It on the corner, in the grocery store, in the bookstore, airport, etc. The average coffee drinker is drinking a much better cup of coffee than Folgers or gas station. Not necessarily Starbucks, but DD, Inteligensia, Green Mountain. McDonalds sells a hell of a lot of coffee (and according to Consumer reports, its pretty good too).

Starbucks likes to make people think that its the crem de la crem of coffee when the reality is that at this point, Starbucks merely sets the bar for what good coffee is. Its no longer the best and there's nothing wrong with that, but please people, get out there and taste some other coffee because Starbucks is not the be all end all of coffee.

ex-sbuxmanager, I would agere with you somewhat. however, reseoctfully disagree with you on some as well. I think the average coffee drinker does still drink average, folgers, or gas station coffee. Most of the people I see in starbucks, aren't getting coffee, they are getting fancy milkshakes. I agreee, I don't think Starbucks coffee is the best, its not bad, but its not great.

[z]

kona, 100% or otherwise, is just not that great of a coffee. it's expensive because it's rare. people like it because it reminds them of their trip to hawaii.

most specialty coffee micro-roasters don't use the stuff because it's just not that great. there's no complexity, nuance to it. it's a strange choice for the clover, but starbucks probably uses it because it's 1.) expensive and 2.) tastes like volcanic ash if you roast it dark, so they HAVE to roast it lighter, and therefore doesn't completely suck in the clover.

[z]

also, it's amusing, ex-sbuxmgr, that you grouped intellegencia with mcd's and dudo- starbucks is much more their peer-

intelly just had 3 baristas place in the finals of the western regional barista competition, and one of them took 2nd place. if you're getting intelly coffee, you're drinking some pretty great beans, and some incredibly well crafted (from bean to cup) drinks

I disagree, I think Kona is very good, and I've never been to HI. Kopi Luak is crap, literally. I paid like $12 for a cup of it once, just to try it. I was not bad, it wasn't great, and for $130 a pund, I would want great. Kona is very good coffee, its not the best I have had, but its better then a lot of them I have tried.

sorry, that should be Kopi Luwak.

[StLouieDrip]

"I learned of the nearness of Clover from the New York Times, wherein a reporter accompanied by a friendly neighborhood coffee guru tried almost every single blend of coffee beans in the store as brewed up by the Clover. You may or may not be surprised to discover the resulting review comes across as ridiculously pompous. I was interested in the appeal of Clover-made coffee to we the less high falutin’, coffee-swilling masses who make up the bulk of Starbucks customers."
=================================

Well, that seems to say that the Starbucks Clover* will probably not appeal to the very sophisticated palates of the "coffee guru" types, but the Starbuck Clover* will probably have the ability to pull in more of the "coffee-swilling masses." And depending on your perspective, that could be a good thing, or a bad thing. The "coffee gurus" have walked away from sbux, and it seems the Starbucks Clover* won't be enticing them to come back.

* And yes, I do intend to make the distinction between the REGULAR "Clover" and the "Starbucks Clover." I think it's unfortunate that there will no longer be any non-Starbucks Clovers.

[ex-sbuxmanager]

I wasn't trying to put down intelliegnsia - when I lived in Chicago, I drank it all the time and I think its far superior to sbux. I was just trying to point out some coffee brands that many many people drink. And lots of people in the chicagoland area drink intellegensia - they have their own cafes, they sell to restaurants, other cafes, and they sell their beans in the supermarkets.

My point is that the average coffee drinker is drinking something far superior to folgers. And when starbucks people say something like "the average gas station coffee drinker," that statement is inaccurate

[z]

ah, my bad. thanks for clarifying.

[StLouieDrip]

I thought that Ken's statement was more likely a response to the fact that Aaron Pressman dismissed George Howell's assessments as "ridiculously pompous," as if Howell's take on the Starbucks Clover wasn't actually practical and useful to the "coffee-swilling masses." And then Pressman seemed to portray his own coffee palate as admittedly "less high falutin,'" AND as if he was a more suitable person to sample coffee and then report on it for the sake of the rest of us. In my view the whole tone of the article comes off like reverse snobbery, and also presumptuous.

I agree that Howell can't speak for the "coffee masses," but then neither can Pressman. For one thing Howell had a very wide sampling. But Pressman had just one, the Kona, and compared it to a drip, (which is different every week). I guess Pressman is writing for the person who just walks into sbux and drinks whatever is brewing that day. I know I don't have a palate as sophisticated Howell's, but I also don't just order whatever is brewing either. So, will the Starbucks Clover inspire the "coffee-swilling masses" to familiarize themselves with the varieties of coffees available? And will they want to compare all the different varieties so they can find their own favorites? Or will they be more like Pressman and settle for whatever's in the pot that day?

And lastly, if the coffee-swilling masses do get more informed and picky about their coffee choices, will the sbux partners also learn, understand, and be able to describe the different varieties? I really don't know much about coffee, but I do know much more than most of the sbux partners around here.

[Stefan]

I'm so excited to taste the difference!

I went to a local place by me that has one. I used to go their quite a bit and I used to get their aged sumatra or their brazil cup of excellence in a French Press. I tried both in a clover. Now, don't get me wrong, both coffees were great in a clover, but I'm going back to ordering the french press when I'm there. The clover seems to me to be a "how can we do it almost as good and a lot faster" solution.

[Harmy]

As a person who hasn't tried a great many varieties of coffee under expert guidance, what makes a cup of coffee particularly good? I'm eager to try a Clover-brewed cup, but fear that I won't taste a difference. (My usual coffee is a Kirkland standard roast.)

[Von Brucen]

From what I've read so far about the clover, it seems that it makes milder lighter roasts taste great, while not really doing much for the darker more robust coffees. The reverse seems to be true of a french press; french pressing really lighter roasted acidic coffees like Latin American (ie breakfast blend) results in a disaster for your mouth, whereas roasty bolds like sumatra or Italian roast are amazing in a french press. I wonder how clover sumatra compares against press sumatra, or how a dry processed coffee like sanani or harrar tastes in a clover...can't wait to try it. Anyone know how extensive the rollout of the clovers will be?

[Lynn]

Can't wait to try it... I think it will be a great addition to Starbucks! And finally - we're getting some good press again!

[TORONTOWYLD]

I had to try a Clover-brewed coffee for myself after all the buzz on here, so I got a cup of Kenya from the one indie shop with the machine here. I took my first sip, glanced at the condiment bar, and immediately dismissed any thought of going near the milk or sugar. It was like getting a French Press without the heaviness/escaping grinds; fun to enjoy the nuances of flavour (being Kenya it was bright and citrusy)

I tried their Colombian on the way out but it wasn't as exciting; just a more subtle blend I guess!

[Claudette Ramphul]

I don't know about all of you but I like just about any kind of exotic coffee that Starbucks sells. I stop in each morning to get my fill of the drip coffee of the day and a sandwich but recently I found out that although the sandwich says "made fresh daily", its a scam. They are made 2 or 3 days ago and was fresh when it was made.

The Clover produces a very light bodied clean coffee regardless of roast. If properly used it helps bring out the full flavor profile of the beans. Coffee often looses some of the subtle nuances of the land (terrioir) if over roasted....this is why light roasts are preferable from the clover, because you can taste such amazing flavors. Dark roasts are still great, and have diffrent flavor profiles of thier own, but with some starbucks beans from the clover you just get varying degrees of smoky.

Kona coffee is good (it was 100% kona), but not the best of the Pressed coffee linup. The main reason for the price of Kona by the way is its one of the only coffees farmed in a 1st world country...people getting paid 10 bucks an hour instead of 10 cents. There is no more Kona coming so if your local Pressed Coffee Starbucks (Boston Seattle) has any left you should try it now. Otherwise try the Kenya Mathira or Ethiopia Shakisso, much more flavorful anyway.

to claudette: the sandwiches and salads do not say "made fresh daily", they say "delivered every day". there's a difference.

To Claudette and 10:30:51 am

The stand-up sign we had for months that went just ourtside the door
( recently replaced with the chalk-board sign ) said " Made Fresh Daily "
I noticed it too...I'm sure that they ARE made fresh daily - I just don't know if we sell them on the same day that they are made. I also know that we throw them away each night so that the ones we get each morning are only sold on that day.
Scam? I don't know. Technically true?
I guess so. Good old American advertising? For sure.

[StLouieDrip]

These comments on the coffee brewed in the Clover are really helpful, thanks to all.

Also, while reading about the Clover here...
http://www.chow.com/stories/10853

I found mention of this very interesting coffee maker...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GXZ2GS

[StLouieDrip]

^ It's called an AeroPress, and it's within my price range [$30 yay!]...and here's a video...
http://www.thinkgeek.com/interests/giftsunder50/8e3a/

[StLouieDrip]

Well, I’m shocked to find there’s a Clover at an indie in my city, woot!

Check this map to see if there is one near you...
http://cloverequipment.com/find_a_clover.aspx