This week’s poll is “Are You A Starbucks Fan?” It seems like people either love or hate Starbucks?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

I’m somewhere in the middle. There’s somethings that I really love about Starbucks, like their Dark Cherry Mocha. However, I’m not always a fan of their coffees. I’m more of a medium to light roast drinkers and their coffees are definitely aimed at people who like a darker brew.

Plus, there is the whole over saturation of Starbucks and I’ve seen them push some smaller coffee shops out of business when they open up on the same block. However, they were one of the first “gourmet” coffee shops that I ever visited and were my gateway drug to my coffee obsession.

So what about you? What’s your opinion on Starbucks and why?

Last week’s question was “Do Labels Like Fair Trade Matter To You?“

There was some great discussion over on the post, lead by Coffee Nate so make sure you check it out.

The results were close with the “Yes” answer leading with 39% of the vote. “Sometimes” and “No” were tied with seven votes each.

Melody said:

You can open up a can of worms with your blog post on this topic, but I am of the belief that there is more than one way to skin a cat. A coffee can be ethically sourced absent a special ‘fair trade’ label which requires the farmer to pay a licensing fee to Fair Trade Association. Some coffee roasters are moving away from FT to “direct trade” (Intelligentsia, Stumptown), and Starbucks as CAFE Practices and Shared Planet.

Nate said:

Do they matter?
OF COURSE THEY DO!

Fair Trade Certified ensures a certain set of standards, I won’t go into all of the details, but I did cover them all in a recent post. While it is true that simply being certified FairTrade does not ensure quality, that is up to the buyer/roaster/consumer!

Karen @ Blazing Minds said:

As long as the coffee tastes nice, then I don’t really care to be honest, but I suppose I’m upsetting someone, somewhere, which that comment

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Photo by Nick Humphries.

Poll: Are You A Starbucks Fan? is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

This is not something that you see every day in the Daily Shot Of Coffee Kitchen. I’ve seen a lot of coffee grinders, most of them were of the electric variety. This is the first manual coffee grinder that I’ve seen in person. Cate from Cate.TV was kind enough to let me borrow it and share with you guys and blog about it.

I don’t know anything about the age or make of this coffee grinder, but after testing it out, I need to get one for myself. Ok, I don’t really know if I need to have one, but it would be a great piece to have in my kitchen all of the time.

I know that there’s some people that collect coffee equipment, but I don’t know anyone that collects antique coffee equipment. Do you have any old time/antique coffee making equipment? What do you have and do you want to share some pictures of it? I’d love to post some more pictures here.

Flashback Photos: Manual Coffee Grinder is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

The Drink: Dark Cherry Mocha From Starbucks
Type: Espresso Based Drink
Overall Rating: Four Out Of Five Coffee Mugs

I’ve been craving Dark Cherry Mocha for what seems like forever. I had a feeling that I was going to love it from the minute that I first read about it on the Starbucks Melody site in December. However, back then it was only available at Starbucks overseas. Recently, it became  available in the United States. Robb over at Coffee Obsessed picked one up in February at his local Starbucks in Georgia. It was getting closer, but it was a tease because none of my local Starbucks had it until this week. Tonight I was able to give it a shot and it was definitely worth the wait.

On the drive home from Starbucks tonight, my car filled with the aroma and my mouth started to water. The Dark Cherry Mocha has the distinctive chocolate aroma that I love in their Mochas. It’s mixed with a light cherry scent.

The first sip put a smile on my face. It was pure sugary deliciousness. It had the familiar rich, milk chocolate flavor, followed by a wave of sweet cherry. I couldn’t put the drink down.

I loved it, maybe even more than my treasured Peppermint Mocha. I keep going back and forth about which is better, I don’t think I could choose just one. It earns a well above average four out of five on the Daily Shot Of Coffee scale.

The Dark Cherry Mocha is like a dessert in a coffee cup. Coffee snobs aren’t going to love it, but if you like the Peppermint Mocha, you’re going to love the Dark Cherry Mocha. It makes for a great after dinner treat.

I have two questions for Starbucks. Why did you make me wait so long? And is it a permanent part of the menu?

Have you tried it? What did you think?

Starbucks Dark Cherry Mocha Review is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

The Drink: Doi Chaang Single Estate Signature
Type: Whole Bean
Overall Rating: 3.5 Out Of 5 Coffee Cups

After my first enjoyable experience with the Peaberry from Doi Chaang Coffee, I couldn’t wait to try the Single Estate Signature, another coffee from the remote northern Thailand village and see if it’s taste was just as good.

Their description had me ready to rip open the bag and brew the coffee right away:

A select combination of our finest beans are roasted in individual batches and then combined to create a full, lively cup. Roasting on different levels produces a complex, yet seamless blend that has a spicy aroma and a full-bodied undertone with distinct floral notes.

I opened up the bag and was greeted with a smokey aroma, it reminded me of an old bar, the next day when the smokey flavor starts to fade into the wood of the walls and counters.

A few minutes later, the coffee was done brewing and I was smelling a sweet and warm aroma. It smelled like a medium to dark roast that was loaded with lots of spices.

However, the medium is missing from the taste. The taste is dominated by a dark roast flavor. There’s a definite spicy flavor around the edges.

It went from dark to extra dark in the after taste. Overall, it was very smooth, except at the very end of the sip where there was a bitter blast, like a punchline.

The heavy weight of the coffee was very noticeable on my tongue, almost like it was weighing it down.

It’s darker than what I normally like, but I have some friends that I’m going to share it with and I have a feeling that they’re really going to enjoy it.

It’s not cheap, $14.99 for a pound, plus $12 shipping (flat rate so you can get as many bags as you want), but if you’re a dark roast fan, I suggest you give this one a shot.

Overall, a solid 3.5, which it puts it well above average.

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Doi Chaang Single Estate Signature Review is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

The Drink: Original Donut Shop By The Coffee People
Type: K-Cup
Overall Rating: Three Out Of Five Coffee Mugs

You may have heard of this proverb “don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” I’m sure one or two people have used it. Anyways, it reminded me of this K-cup called the Original Donut Shop by The Coffee People. Looking at the lid of this k-cup and I thought I was going to be getting a sweet, flavored coffee that might taste like my favorite donut. It wasn’t until after I took the first sip and read the description that I realized I had assumed completely wrong.

Remember the good ol’ days with this sweet Coffee People K-Cup Donut Shop coffee for Keurig Brewers, medium roast, extra bold, full-bodied all-American classic.

The lid may have thrown me off, but their description was spot on. This coffee reminded me of some of the cups of joes that I’ve had at diners in middle of nowhere New York, minus the sitting on the burner, burnt to the crisp flavor.

This coffee had a likable warm, nutty aroma. There was a sweet twist that almost reminded me of a coffee that already had the cream and sugar added.

The taste was simple, classic and very drinkable. It had a rich, nutty flavor that tasted like a medium roast.

The after taste was a little bit darker.

It can be pretty much summed up as simple, but very drinkable. I could definitely see this as an every day coffee, especially when I’m running late to work and don’t really have time to completely enjoy the coffee.

I liked this coffee, but it was definitely nothing to write home about. It earns an average three out of five rating on the Daily Shot Of Coffee scale.

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Original Donut Shop K-Cup Review is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

The Drink: Ethiopian Harrar From JarBee Coffee
Type: Ground
Overall Rating: 3.75 Out Of 5 Coffee Mugs

I had high expectations for the Ethiopian Harrar from JarBee Coffee. Some of the best coffees that I’ve tasted in the last year have been from Ethiopia. There was the Rocketfuel XXX which contained Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and earned a well above average four out of five on the Daily Shot Of Coffee scale. Then there was the Harrar from Barista On Duty that had a complex taste and explosion of fruit that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. So the bar was set high and I was ready to dive right in and give the JarBee Coffee a try.

This coffee stood out with a nutty aroma, mixed with a dark red wine flavor. Then there was a layer of a milk chocolate scent that reminded me of a gourmet candy bar. It got my attention and I couldn’t wait for the first sip.

The first sip was almost like a chocolate candy bar covered with dark cherry syrup. It was almost as good as the bacon dipped in chocolate that I had last weekend at the local strawberry festival.

That rush of flavor was followed up by a more serious nutty flavor that became slightly bitter in the after taste. There was a lingering cherry taste, that didn’t want to disappear.

The light roast brought out all of the flavors almost perfectly. If you like flavorful light roasts, this is the perfect coffee for you. If you’re more a fan of dark roasts, I’d stay far away from it.

For those that are curious, this one had a light weight to it.

Overall, it earned a 3.75 on the Daily Shot Of Coffee scale. The coffee was good, one of the best ground coffees that I’ve ever tried, but it wasn’t great like some of the other coffees that I’ve had from Ethiopia. Soon, I’ll have to go out and try the whole bean version.

Right now, JarBee Coffee has free shipping on a half pound bag. A bag of ground or whole beans will cost you only $6.95.

Have you tried JarBee’s Ethiopian Harrar?

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Ethiopian Harrar From JarBee Coffee Review is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

It looks like a blast from the past. This week’s coffee news round up includes the coffee wars (but with a new competitor joining in) and the bikini baristas. Of course the fun doesn’t stop there…

Coffee Blogs

The Shot The Return of the Coffee Middlemen
The Shot looks at the benefits and negatives of the rise of online coffee stores like ROASTe and Go Coffee Go. Personally, I like the ease of finding a number of different coffees in one place, but he has some really good points. Make sure to check out the discussion in the comments too.

Pure Coffee Mugged: Single Origin Medium [Doi Chaang]
I just tasted the Single Origin Medium from Do Chaang, and really enjoyed reading their review and comparing it to what I tasted. Expect my review of the coffee, later this week.

Starbucks Melody The Starbucks chalk art contest: Entries and winners
Even if your not a fan of Starbucks, you have to check out some of the chalk art that’s being created in the stores.

Coffee Vanilla Studded With Chocolate
You have to check out this delicious chocolate chip scone recipe. This is on my must try list very soon.

Coffee News

Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons plans menu expansion to compete with Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts
It looks like the Canadian coffee shop Tim Hortons is doing a lot more than just testing out the waters. They’re following up their handful of coffee shops with 900 new stores over the next three years. Have you tried Tim Hortons? What did you think?

Blue Bottle Coffee in Brooklyn Raises Brewing to a Science
I’ve seen some pretty unique methods of making coffee, but the way that Blue Bottle Coffee is brewing up my favorite drink, looks like something more of out of a science laboratory than a coffee shop. Of course, that isn’t going to stop me from trying to make my way over there the next time I’m back in New York City.

Big roasters hold key to future of certified coffees
Demand for certified coffees is growing, but according to this article, if it’s going to go mainstream, it’s only going to be with the help of the major household name roasters.

Some unhappy with bikini ad for Perky Cups coffee
It seems that some people are pretty unhappy with the way that one bikini barista coffee shop is advertising – with a bikini clad model drinking coffee. Really not sure how this is news, but these pesky bikini baristas keep popping up just about every week for one reason or another.

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Photo by buck82.

Fresh Brews: Return Of The Coffee Wars And The Bikini Baristas is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance Certified, Organic, Shade Grown. The list goes on and on. This week’s poll question is “Do Labels Like Fair Trade Matter To You?” Do they affect your coffee buying decisions? Or could you care less?

I’m a fan of buying coffee that’s produced with an earth friendly method and provides a working wage for the farmers, but it’s not the only factor that I look at when I’m buying coffee. However, if there’s too similar coffees and one has a Fair Trade label on it, there’s I’m going for the one with the Fair Trade label. My thinking doesn’t stop there. I have questions about how effective are these labels and the certifications behind, do they really help the farmers and the land where they are grown? However, that’s probably for another blog post some time.

Last week’s poll question was “How Do You Like Your Coffee?”

First place ended in a tie between dark roasts and medium roast votes. Each one had 34% of the vote.

All of the above came in next with 21% of the vote. Light roasts and flavored each had three votes.

Paul @ Cellular Reverse Lookup said:

I usually drink 2 cups a day. Had to cut back. Getting up there in age. But I sure do luv dark roast. I used to drink alot more coffee per day.

Nate February 28, 2010 at 6:43 pm said:

I opted for the “Medium” vote, I wanted to click the “All of the Above”, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it with the ‘Flavored’ option in there I like medium, dark and light though…really depends on what kind of coffee it is, and what I’m in the mood for.

howard said:

i usually have 2 min per day. 1 as i commute to work and the 2nd with lunch. my preference is for plain roasted coffees although my wife cons me into drinking the flavor of the day type drinks if we go out or she is in the mood to bust some new k-cup variety. i also do prefer the organic grown beans if you want a more detailed answer.

Poll: Do Labels Like Fair Trade Matter To You? is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

Last August, a brand new online coffee shop called ROASTe introduced me to some world class coffees that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. They had names like Romance by Paradise Roasters and an amazing coffee called Colombia – Guiterrez. In other words, I’m a fan of there’s and I thought I would pass on some information they sent me about the redesign of their site.

Unlike a lot of site redesigns, they didn’t just make it look pretty, they added a one-click search right from the homepage, that makes it easier, faster, and more “fun” for people to find the most popular gourmet coffees according to their tastes.

In one click, customers see gourmet coffee choices in top-ranked order, in the categories – organic, strong, award-winning, sweet, Asian, Fair, light, African, spicy, chocolaty, creamy and French. Peer reviews from fellow coffee aficionados provide an additional layer of feedback, helping customers find coffee they’re most likely to enjoy.

Another thing that I like about ROASTe is that on their homepage is a rotating list of more than thirty micro-roasters, many of them award-winners such as PT’s Coffee Roasting Company, Higher Ground and Kickapoo Coffee. Other highlighted sections include the overall most popular coffees on the site, top-rated coffee makers, a featured customer review, a “Special of the Week,” and a featured coffee blogger.

With a $15 gift card from them, I couldn’t resist giving their redesigned website and giving it a test drive. They have a lot of coffees, which is a good thing, but can make it a little overwhelming if you’re just browsing. However, with the aid of their new one-click search, I was guided to a couple of coffees to try. Expect the review coming soon.

ROASTe is offering free shipping for a limited time. Customers interested in the “Special of the Week” will enjoy a 10-20% discount on a highlighted specialty coffee.

Have you tried ROASTe? What was your experience like? What’s your favorite site to buy coffee online?

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ROASTe Website Redesign And Free Shipping is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee

The Drink: Love Buzz from Equal Exchange
Type: Ground Organic Blend
Overall Rating: 3.5 Out Of 5 Coffee Mugs

Every once in a while, there’s a description of a coffee that gets my attention. Love Buzz from Equal Exchange had one of those descriptions:

Created by a genius in Philadelphia, this secret recipe delivers a sweet, sultry and smooth coffee with an unexpected bite and lasting finish. A smorgasbord of roasts in a combination of Latin American beans so fine it will make your heart pound. Feel the love!

An interesting description, but when it comes to coffee, talks of a secret recipe and smorgasbord scares me. It reminds me of something more like what I’d find at a BBQ. However, it turned out to be one of the better blends that I’ve tasted recently.

Love Buzz was one of those coffees where even the aroma woke me up. The tip of the scent was a nutty flavor, followed by a powdered chocolate aroma, almost like a good hot chocolate mix. There were hints of cinnamon, brown sugar and a slight dark roast flavor.

It was a (perfect to me) medium-dark blend. I could taste both of the roasts and neither was dominating or overwhelming the other. The taste was a mixture of dark chocolate, hints of vanilla and a subtle dark red wine flavor. The dark roast came out a little bit more in the after taste, a delicious way to end the sip.

It had a heavy, thick, something that I would expect more from a french press, then coffee made in a drip coffee maker.

Love Buzz runs $9 for a 12 ounce bag and comes in either whole bean or drip grind form.

Overall, an above average coffee, earning a 3.5 rating on the Daily Shot Of Coffee scale. It would be perfect for someone that wants an every day coffee with a dark roast feel, but still loaded with flavors.

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Love Buzz From Equal Exchange Review is a post from: Daily Shot Of Coffee