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Coffeeseur here. There is nothing novel about these methods, they all combine prior art. It is not that different from trying to patent a recipe. And on a sid

Coffeeseur here. There is nothing novel about these methods, they all combine prior art. It is not that different from trying to patent a recipe. And on a side note, Starbucks has gone downhill a lot since its inception. It depends which store you go to, as each one has differing levels of quality, but in general the quality control is very poor (I notice many employees pouring espresso, pre-made, from a pitcher -- espresso will go flat fairly quick this way). I have recently become a fan of Pete's although their locations also vary in quality. The taste difference between my local Pete's and Starbuck's is very apparent.

astrodust 14y ago
Although the automatic machines have more or less normalized the quality compared to the situation with the manual machines, there's no ability for a skilled operator to produce a superior coffee. It also eliminated options the machine can't do, like extra-long or caffè crema. This is probably why Starbucks has become the default main-stream brand and has opened up an enormous market for upscale/boutique shops that cater to those who want better coffee. Nobody will miss the "brown water" coffee shops that Starbucks displaced.
bitops 14y ago
As a confirmed Peetnik, I must point out: it's called Peet's , not Pete's.
mattgreenrocks 14y ago
It's utterly ridiculous that I can make a better latte myself with a home machine, Whole Foods espresso beans, and organic skim milk. Starbucks always manages to make lattes that taste burnt, even with flavor shots and 2% milk. I'm not sure why this is.
- joverholt 14y ago
  Because they use an Italian roast, which is about as far as you can roast a bean before it turns to ash. Dark roasts are usually preferred for espresso, but there is a limit to how dark you can go. For drip brewing, you lose a lot of the bean's flavor by roasting too much. Stick to the lighter roasts and you will taste more coffee flavor and less roast flavor.

astrodust 14y ago

Although the automatic machines have more or less normalized the quality compared to the situation with the manual machines, there's no ability for a skilled operator to produce a superior coffee. It also eliminated options the machine can't do, like extra-long or caffè crema. This is probably why Starbucks has become the default main-stream brand and has opened up an enormous market for upscale/boutique shops that cater to those who want better coffee. Nobody will miss the "brown water" coffee shops that Starbucks displaced.

bitops 14y ago

As a confirmed Peetnik, I must point out: it's called Peet's , not Pete's.

mattgreenrocks 14y ago

It's utterly ridiculous that I can make a better latte myself with a home machine, Whole Foods espresso beans, and organic skim milk. Starbucks always manages to make lattes that taste burnt, even with flavor shots and 2% milk. I'm not sure why this is.

joverholt 14y ago
Because they use an Italian roast, which is about as far as you can roast a bean before it turns to ash. Dark roasts are usually preferred for espresso, but there is a limit to how dark you can go. For drip brewing, you lose a lot of the bean's flavor by roasting too much. Stick to the lighter roasts and you will taste more coffee flavor and less roast flavor.