OT: Starbucks, Thought I'd stir things up a bit.... Options

[seanery]

I love it!
When I actually drove to work every morning I would stop on the way in daily.

[Meredith]

Am I the only person who thinks that Starbucks coffee actually tastes good?

Nope. It's an almost-daily stop for me. Not for coffee, but to partake in chai beverages and the occasional mocha. The workers know my name and can usually tell what I'm going to order. All the local coffee shops are farther away that the 'Bucks and the parking is much more dificult to navigate. So, Starbucks it is!

[Howard]

Am I the only person who thinks that Starbucks coffee actually tastes good?

Nope. It's an almost-daily stop for me. Not for coffee, but to partake in chai beverages and the occasional mocha. The workers know my name and can usually tell what I'm going to order. All the local coffee shops are farther away that the 'Bucks and the parking is much more dificult to navigate. So, Starbucks it is!

Yep, I think it tastes burned, too. But I get it almost every day, 'cause it's the best fix in town. $1.70 for a venti gets you more caffeine than 8 cups of just about anywhere else.

[bernbomb914]

If it is so bad they are fulling a lot of people. there are 4 in town and you always have to wait in line. my wife is hooked on the americana Vente.

Bernie

[carreraguy]

Hi! My name is Tom and I'm a coffee addict.

So much so that I have an auto re-load on my Starbucks card and own shares of Starbucks stock. Why not? They are making a lot of $$ selling a legally addictive product!

Honestly though, if I have the time, I go to the "mom & pop" coffee shop across the street; it usually tastes fresher. I think its because they make espresso the old fashioned way by tamping etc., not just pushing some buttons. Plus they have an on-site roaster. Folks in the Willow Glen neighborhood in San Jose know where I mean. However, if I really have the time, I go down the street to Peets - thats where they sell the high octane stuff!

[ThinAir]

Or... buy a little espresso/latte machine for 30 bucks, and make your own coffee.

Yup - that's the way to go. The left side of my Krups dual machine makes Starbucks House Blend for my morning coffee. The other side makes lattes from Dutch Brothers coffee after supper. I grind the beans myself with a little $15 coffee grinder so I get them just the way I want them. Good Stuff!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/coffee.gif)

[Meredith]

Honestly though, if I have the time, I go to the "mom & pop" coffee shop across the street; it usually tastes fresher. I think its because they make espresso the old fashioned way by tamping etc., not just pushing some buttons. Plus they have an on-site roaster. Folks in the Willow Glen neighborhood in San Jose know where I mean. However, if I really have the time, I go down the street to Peets - thats where they sell the high octane stuff!

The Willow Glen Coffee Roasting place? I've only been there a time or two, but it's been pretty good.

I hit up Starbucks this evening. Grande nonfat chai latte, extra hot. Nothing better on a chilly night!

[krk]

Honestly though, if I have the time, I go to the "mom & pop" coffee shop across the street; it usually tastes fresher.  I think its because they make espresso the old fashioned way by tamping etc., not just pushing some buttons.  Plus they have an on-site roaster.  Folks in the Willow Glen neighborhood in San Jose know where I mean.  However, if I really have the time, I go down the street to Peets - thats where they sell the high octane stuff!

The Willow Glen Coffee Roasting place? I've only been there a time or two, but it's been pretty good.

I hit up Starbucks this evening. Grande nonfat chai latte, extra hot. Nothing better on a chilly night!

Been to Willow Glen Roasting many times -- good stuff! (yum)

And there's nothing wrong with being a $$ activist (i.e. "vote with your dollars") if your heart is in it.

We used to get our coffee from Sbucks. And from Willow Glen as well. (WG was better, iirc) Lately, we've been getting various mixes from Trader Joe's. (oh oh -- they'll take away my yuppie card for this) They have one mix that is half caff/half decaff that is perfectly serviceable in the morning and a billionth of the price. (I may have a divide error there (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif))

I work in SJ near the airport -- there is a Sbucks on the lot. I usually will get at least one tall capp-whatever per day. The folks are friendly and they appear to support some local charity work/etc. It's also a captive audience.

So, ateotd, no conclusion. Well, other than to comment on the urban legend thing -- it's like spam in general -- they pick on the popular. Being popular doesn't mean you are good or bad. Just that you are popular.

yee haw.

kim.

[scotty914]

so now for something that is true....

Levi-Strauss withdrew their support of the Boy Scouts of America because BSA prohibited gays from becoming Scout leaders....

so i wear Wranglers......

heres some thing else on levis,

they claimed making their jeans in the US was driving them bankrupt so now they are having them made over seas ( they pulled a chapter 11 reorg )

before this became public the were the largest contributer to HCI ( anti gun group ) now if i was a stock holder and found out they were going broke i would sell out. i would sell out even faster when i found they were giving money away to anyone esp. the HCI

[Rhodes71/914]

Any info on milligrams of caffeine would be appreciated, thanks! Espresso machine shots, stovetop maker, french press, drip coffee.. there's a lot of "word-of-mouth" info out there, and it gets all muddled after a while. I think the stovetop ones are interesting.. do they work about as fast as a french press?

And I second that location request. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif)

- Roger

Here is a little info on caffeine content, keep in mind that there are a lot of factors that can change these numbers

Brewed Coffee* 8 ounces 65-120 milligrams
Instant Coffee 8 ounces 80-85 milligrams
Espresso 1 ounce* 30-50 milligrams

*1 onuce= one shot.

* so many variables in brewed coffee this can be drip, french press, stove top.

The stove top is about as fast as the french press, basically as long as it takes to boil the water. Actually in the stove top it is much like espresso, it builds pressure while heating the water in the lower part then forces it up through the grounds that are in the middle and pushes it up into the top chamber. IF you grind right there is virtually no ground residue.

If you want the absolute best tasting coffee you have ever had try one of these. It is a vacuum pot coffee maker. Grounds start in the top, bottom is full of water. Normaly heated with a flame type burner. Water is forced up tube when heated, mixes with grounds on top, when heat is removed the coffe flows to the bottom. Awsome stuff.

[Root_Werks]

Coffe, can't drink it, stunts my growth.

Interviewed at the Buck once. I came in wearing a tie and everyone around me was wearing shorts, long hair, un-shaved etc. I felt really out of place. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)