Starbucks- is there a bigger waste of money? (1 Viewer)

[Ministry of Pain]

After my older sons basketball game he asked to go to Starbucks. I NEVER go but agreed because heck... the kid has had to go through a lot (his Mom) and he played well in a hard physical basketball game.

He wanted a strawberry refresher. I knew I had to get the younger son something too. So I got a medium and the other one a small. $12 for this. $12. Not a typical. $12.

BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY. Is there anything a bigger waste of money? I'll wait.

I pay a lot for my coffee, some are as much as $28-$30 per lb
I also can find some great coffee at Sprouts for like $10-$15 per lb

-I bought a Moccamaster for the house a year or two ago and that was around $300 for the bright orange one I purchased
But I don't frequent Starbucks for the very reasons you point out, Even if I pay a lot for my coffee at home it's still cheaper and IMHO tastes a lot better than Starbucks

I go thru a Starbucks Drive-Thru about 3-4x a year and I cannot explain why i even go that often but usually my wife is in the car and wants something with whipped cream on it
I don't know how many 6 to 8-cup pots of coffee I receive from a 12 oz-16 oz coffee bag but it definitely yields a lot more than buying by the cup

This country has a good size section of the population that feels it's a right of passage to walk in and plunk down $5-$10+ daily at Starbucks
I've made decent money on the stock over the years, when I landed in California back in 2000, they were more popular than McDonald's

I agree Chad, waste of money for the most part but isn't all fast food a waste on some level?
I've been addicted to doublechesseburgers lately, not good

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Really don’t get it. Americans are struggling with high rates of inflation, cost of living, stagnating wages, etc. But people spend $5-7 minimum at Starbucks, some of them 2-3x per day.

Why is anyone still going there? Why hasn’t some other, cheaper, better coffee place popped up to take over?

 

[urbanhack]

After my older sons basketball game he asked to go to Starbucks. I NEVER go but agreed because heck... the kid has had to go through a lot (his Mom) and he played well in a hard physical basketball game.

He wanted a strawberry refresher. I knew I had to get the younger son something too. So I got a medium and the other one a small. $12 for this. $12. Not a typical. $12.

BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY. Is there anything a bigger waste of money? I'll wait.

I pay a lot for my coffee, some are as much as $28-$30 per lb
I also can find some great coffee at Sprouts for like $10-$15 per lb

-I bought a Moccamaster for the house a year or two ago now and that was around $300 for the bright orange one I purchased
But I don't frequent Starbucks for the very reasons you point out, Even if I pay a lot for my coffee at home it's still cheaper and IMHO tastes a lot better than Starbucks

I go thru a Starbucks Drive-Thru about 3-4x a year and I cannot explain why i even go that often but usually my wife is in the car and wants something with whipped cream on it
I don't know how many 6 to 8-cup pots of coffee I receive from a 12 oz-16 oz coffee bag but it definitely yields a lot more than buying by the cup

This country has a good size section of the population that feels it's a right of passage to walk in and plunk down $5-$10+ daily at Starbucks
I've made decent money on the stock over the years, when I landed in California back in 2000, they were more popular than McDonald's

I agree Chad, waste of money for the most part but isn't all fast food a waste on some level?
I've been addicted to doublechesseburgers lately, not good

Starbucks is a last resort for me if I’m back in my hometown or traveling or something and I definitely pay a lot for coffee at my regular places and beans.

My absolute favorite coffee shop up here in North Portland charges $4.50 for a large black coffee and $6 for a large cold brew. Not ideal…but I like what I like. I also pay $17 to $20 per pound of beans that I grind and brew from home.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

There’s a running joke in my family that we are destitute and headed to the poor house because I got a black coffee in the airport. Cost? $3.75. I hate buying coffee from a coffee house because I’m too aware of the margins. McDs is surprisingly good.

 

[Mitchie]

After my older sons basketball game he asked to go to Starbucks. I NEVER go but agreed because heck... the kid has had to go through a lot (his Mom) and he played well in a hard physical basketball game.

He wanted a strawberry refresher. I knew I had to get the younger son something too. So I got a medium and the other one a small. $12 for this. $12. Not a typical. $12.

BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY. Is there anything a bigger waste of money? I'll wait.

I pay a lot for my coffee, some are as much as $28-$30 per lb
I also can find some great coffee at Sprouts for like $10-$15 per lb

-I bought a Moccamaster for the house a year or two ago now and that was around $300 for the bright orange one I purchased
But I don't frequent Starbucks for the very reasons you point out, Even if I pay a lot for my coffee at home it's still cheaper and IMHO tastes a lot better than Starbucks

I go thru a Starbucks Drive-Thru about 3-4x a year and I cannot explain why i even go that often but usually my wife is in the car and wants something with whipped cream on it
I don't know how many 6 to 8-cup pots of coffee I receive from a 12 oz-16 oz coffee bag but it definitely yields a lot more than buying by the cup

This country has a good size section of the population that feels it's a right of passage to walk in and plunk down $5-$10+ daily at Starbucks
I've made decent money on the stock over the years, when I landed in California back in 2000, they were more popular than McDonald's

I agree Chad, waste of money for the most part but isn't all fast food a waste on some level?
I've been addicted to doublechesseburgers lately, not good

Starbucks is a last resort for me if I’m back in my hometown or traveling or something and I definitely pay a lot for coffee at my regular places and beans.

My absolute favorite coffee shop up here in North Portland charges $4.50 for a large black coffee and $6 for a large cold brew. Not ideal…but I like what I like. I also pay $17 to $20 per pound of beans that I grind and brew from home.

17-20 bucks for a pound of coffee beans is not that much, think like a 10 oz bag of starbucks coffee in the grocery store is like 11 or 12 bucks so pretty much the same.

ETA: i've done back of the envelope math before, a cup of coffee at home (using good coffee beans) costs like 75 cents.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

If I was travelling and needed to stop someplace for coffee, I'd strongly prefer McDonalds to Starbucks. Second choice would be a random gas station.

Hard to find when travelling unless a local tips you off ... but do you (and @WDIK2 ) have some gas station coffee discoveries in your area? Like secret portals the Coffee Gods have hidden in non-descript gas stations and convenience stores that just have ridiculously good, basic coffee. Doing a simple thing well, not letting it get old, lots of loyal customers partaking and preventing it from sitting all morning, etc. Always nice to stumble upon one of those.

Or just acquire a tolerance for trucker coffee. Then you never have to worry about it.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Someone in one of the coffee houses that roast their own beans and I buy from, staff/barista in there said to me that the price of coffee has doubled in the last couple years which I find almost unbelievable, maybe a steep jump but double?

 

[Mitchie]

Someone in one of the coffee houses that roast their own beans and I buy from, staff/barista in there said to me that the price of coffee has doubled in the last couple years which I find almost unbelievable, maybe a steep jump but double?

find that hard to believe since cost of coffee beans at the grocery store hasn't seemed go up all that much, at least relative to other groceries, maybe a couple bucks consistent w/ average inflation

ETA: will also add very rarely do i go to the store and not find either Starbucks, Peets or another local brand I like on sale.

 

[Chaos34]

Someone in one of the coffee houses that roast their own beans and I buy from, staff/barista in there said to me that the price of coffee has doubled in the last couple years which I find almost unbelievable, maybe a steep jump but double?

Hmm, over the top coffee nerd here and this really depends. Cheap commercial beans have gone up in price for the same reasons everything else has, but the supply is huge and coffee prices are steady comparatively. Premium beans have decreased slightly and the ultra-premium geishas (best coffees in the world) have plummeted in price. You couldn't get geishas for under 100 bucks a pound 20 years ago, even 15 years ago. I've had a dozen different geishas in my pantry this year and haven't paid $50 a pound. Sipping this atm.

 

[Ilov80s]

Over the years, I've definitely found how to make better versions of the Starbucks style drinks: Pumpkin Spice Latte, Peppermint Mocha Cold Brew, Egg Nog Latte, Oatmilk Cappuccino, etc.

 

[Gatorade]

Someone in one of the coffee houses that roast their own beans and I buy from, staff/barista in there said to me that the price of coffee has doubled in the last couple years which I find almost unbelievable, maybe a steep jump but double?

find that hard to believe since cost of coffee beans at the grocery store hasn't seemed go up all that much, at least relative to other groceries, maybe a couple bucks consistent w/ average inflation

ETA: will also add very rarely do i go to the store and not find either Starbucks, Peets or another local brand I like on sale.

I mostly buy Peets and it is usually BOGO one week every month.
As for Starbucks, I don't really like the taste of their regular coffees but have bought them a couple of times at the airport. If I were to buy anything there it would be a Latte.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Just got a $100 gift card for Starbucks. Is it a waste if I use it?

 

[ghostguy123]

Just got a $100 gift card for Starbucks. Is it a waste if I use it?

Yes, sell it

 

[Doug B]

I've had a dozen different geishas in my pantry this year and haven't paid $50 a pound. Sipping this atm.

How long until Bonnie gets home?

 

[jvdesigns2002]

Really don’t get it. Americans are struggling with high rates of inflation, cost of living, stagnating wages, etc. But people spend $5-7 minimum at Starbucks, some of them 2-3x per day.

Why is anyone still going there? Why hasn’t some other, cheaper, better coffee place popped up to take over?

The reason why people go there is because of the status and flex of carrying the cup. There are cheaper coffee places where you get quicker service, and the coffee is a fraction of the price—and the coffee is arguably equal or better—-they are called 7-11. Even when people are struggling—they still like to feel indulgent and feel like they can do something luxurious for themselves. Somebody that is struggling to make ends meet might not be able to flex with the car they drive, the clothes they wear, but they generally can find a way to carry around that Starbucks cup. Keep in mind—-I’m totally agreeing with you—I’m just explaining the power of flex appeal when we live in a time where attention and appearance are basically new forms of currency.

Here is an old but true story for you. About 10 years ago—I was on a Vegas trip with my family. My mother, sister, and I wanted to try out some of the locals casinos in the “non-touristy” areas of Vegas. We ended up going to a hotel/casino called Texas Station that was located in North Vegas (a sketchy part of town to say the least). It was in a very low income area—but the casino/hotel was huge so we figured we’d try it out. When we got inside—the inside of the hotel was actually decently nice—and it was in the middle of the week. They had a huge breakfast buffet—that came with all you can eat food, dessert, coffee, juice—all for $8.99 a person (without a free players card) and something like 6.99 or 7.99 if you had a players card. The line for the buffet was empty and there was maybe a total of 8 people eating there. However, the line at the Starbucks that was inside of the hotel located right next to the buffet was at least 8-9 people long. This was a hotel Starbucks—so the cheapest drink was like 3 bucks—and most of what the people were ordering was closer to 5-6 bucks. In a lower income (borderline ghetto) part of town—there was a line for a $4-5 cup of coffee—but there was no line for a $6-7 breakfast that came with coffee and enough food to feed you for the entire day.

 

[Major]

Really don’t get it. Americans are struggling with high rates of inflation, cost of living, stagnating wages, etc. But people spend $5-7 minimum at Starbucks, some of them 2-3x per day.

Why is anyone still going there? Why hasn’t some other, cheaper, better coffee place popped up to take over?

You guys are confusing things a little. Not all of us drink milkshakes or need our lattes frothy. I occasionally hit up Starbucks and get a 20 oz dark roast coffee for $2.50. Decent value and not that much more than you'd pay for some watered down convenience store swill.

 

[ChiefD]

I've had a dozen different geishas in my pantry this year and haven't paid $50 a pound.

Hi. Are they skinny?

And what’s your address?

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Really don’t get it. Americans are struggling with high rates of inflation, cost of living, stagnating wages, etc. But people spend $5-7 minimum at Starbucks, some of them 2-3x per day.

Why is anyone still going there? Why hasn’t some other, cheaper, better coffee place popped up to take over?

You guys are confusing things a little. Not all of us drink milkshakes or need our lattes frothy. I occasionally hit up Starbucks and get a 20 oz dark roast coffee for $2.50. Decent value and not that much more than you'd pay for some watered down convenience store swill.

Fair enough, I’m sure there are some people consuming it as you suggest.

But I’d be willing to wager most people are spending way north of $2.50 on each Starbucks trip.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Really don’t get it. Americans are struggling with high rates of inflation, cost of living, stagnating wages, etc. But people spend $5-7 minimum at Starbucks, some of them 2-3x per day.

Why is anyone still going there? Why hasn’t some other, cheaper, better coffee place popped up to take over?

The reason why people go there is because of the status and flex of carrying the cup. There are cheaper coffee places where you get quicker service, and the coffee is a fraction of the price—and the coffee is arguably equal or better—-they are called 7-11. Even when people are struggling—they still like to feel indulgent and feel like they can do something luxurious for themselves. Somebody that is struggling to make ends meet might not be able to flex with the car they drive, the clothes they wear, but they generally can find a way to carry around that Starbucks cup. Keep in mind—-I’m totally agreeing with you—I’m just explaining the power of flex appeal when we live in a time where attention and appearance are basically new forms of currency.

Here is an old but true story for you. About 10 years ago—I was on a Vegas trip with my family. My mother, sister, and I wanted to try out some of the locals casinos in the “non-touristy” areas of Vegas. We ended up going to a hotel/casino called Texas Station that was located in North Vegas (a sketchy part of town to say the least). It was in a very low income area—but the casino/hotel was huge so we figured we’d try it out. When we got inside—the inside of the hotel was actually decently nice—and it was in the middle of the week. They had a huge breakfast buffet—that came with all you can eat food, dessert, coffee, juice—all for $8.99 a person (without a free players card) and something like 6.99 or 7.99 if you had a players card. The line for the buffet was empty and there was maybe a total of 8 people eating there. However, the line at the Starbucks that was inside of the hotel located right next to the buffet was at least 8-9 people long. This was a hotel Starbucks—so the cheapest drink was like 3 bucks—and most of what the people were ordering was closer to 5-6 bucks. In a lower income (borderline ghetto) part of town—there was a line for a $4-5 cup of coffee—but there was no line for a $6-7 breakfast that came with coffee and enough food to feed you for the entire day.

Thx - interesting perspective and makes sense.

Btw - I stayed across the street from Texas Station once upon a time years ago. Long story. Involved a canceled flight and hotels sold out in much of Vegas. I only slept about 3 hours that night out of total fear. Lol.

 

[Major]

Really don’t get it. Americans are struggling with high rates of inflation, cost of living, stagnating wages, etc. But people spend $5-7 minimum at Starbucks, some of them 2-3x per day.

Why is anyone still going there? Why hasn’t some other, cheaper, better coffee place popped up to take over?

You guys are confusing things a little. Not all of us drink milkshakes or need our lattes frothy. I occasionally hit up Starbucks and get a 20 oz dark roast coffee for $2.50. Decent value and not that much more than you'd pay for some watered down convenience store swill.

Fair enough, I’m sure there are some people consuming it as you suggest.

But I’d be willing to wager most people are spending way north of $2.50 on each Starbucks trip.

No doubt. I'm saying if you just want "coffee" Starbucks is a good option and not that expensive especially if you're particular about your coffee (Dark Roast or GTFO). Most of my local coffee shops charge $3-4 and it's not 20 oz.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Really don’t get it. Americans are struggling with high rates of inflation, cost of living, stagnating wages, etc. But people spend $5-7 minimum at Starbucks, some of them 2-3x per day.

Why is anyone still going there? Why hasn’t some other, cheaper, better coffee place popped up to take over?

You guys are confusing things a little. Not all of us drink milkshakes or need our lattes frothy. I occasionally hit up Starbucks and get a 20 oz dark roast coffee for $2.50. Decent value and not that much more than you'd pay for some watered down convenience store swill.

Grande $3.75

Starbucks Menu With Prices ( March 2025 )

Explore the Starbucks menu with prices, featuring a wide variety of beverages, breakfast items, and snacks. Find your favorites and plan your next visit!

starbucks-menu-with-prices.com

 

[Major]

Really don’t get it. Americans are struggling with high rates of inflation, cost of living, stagnating wages, etc. But people spend $5-7 minimum at Starbucks, some of them 2-3x per day.

Why is anyone still going there? Why hasn’t some other, cheaper, better coffee place popped up to take over?

You guys are confusing things a little. Not all of us drink milkshakes or need our lattes frothy. I occasionally hit up Starbucks and get a 20 oz dark roast coffee for $2.50. Decent value and not that much more than you'd pay for some watered down convenience store swill.

Grande $3.75

Starbucks Menu With Prices ( March 2025 )

Explore the Starbucks menu with prices, featuring a wide variety of beverages, breakfast items, and snacks. Find your favorites and plan your next visit!

starbucks-menu-with-prices.com

The prices aren't universal. Depends on location/city and we haven't even started factoring in the free coffees you get with their rewards.

 

[belljr]

Really don’t get it. Americans are struggling with high rates of inflation, cost of living, stagnating wages, etc. But people spend $5-7 minimum at Starbucks, some of them 2-3x per day.

Why is anyone still going there? Why hasn’t some other, cheaper, better coffee place popped up to take over?

You guys are confusing things a little. Not all of us drink milkshakes or need our lattes frothy. I occasionally hit up Starbucks and get a 20 oz dark roast coffee for $2.50. Decent value and not that much more than you'd pay for some watered down convenience store swill.

This 2.85 for grande coffee here

That being said I'll gladly pay the 5-6 bucks to save the hassle of buying mocha, making espresso shots at home and blending it all together to perfection

 

[Chaos34]

I've had a dozen different geishas in my pantry this year and haven't paid $50 a pound. Sipping this atm.

How long until Bonnie gets home?

I don't get it.

But for you home brewers who want to step up to the really good stuff, the two geishas atop this page are what I'm talkin' 'bout. Winning top prize out of the thousands of entries is no small thing and JBC better win roaster of the year in Roast Magazine or there will be protests.

 

[Doug B]

don't get it.

This will catch you up (NSFW, explicit lyrics)

 

[Chaos34]

don't get it.

This will catch you up (NSFW, explicit lyrics)

Oh duh. Don't get old. I've watched PF ten times.

 

[General Malaise]

I use my own mug and enjoy the tiny discount. ~$3ish and leave a tip. Maybe a few times a month? We brew at home but I like their dark roasts and their service.

 

[Phil Elliott]

After my older sons basketball game he asked to go to Starbucks. I NEVER go but agreed because heck... the kid has had to go through a lot (his Mom) and he played well in a hard physical basketball game.

He wanted a strawberry refresher. I knew I had to get the younger son something too. So I got a medium and the other one a small. $12 for this. $12. Not a typical. $12.

BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY. Is there anything a bigger waste of money? I'll wait.

I pay a lot for my coffee, some are as much as $28-$30 per lb
I also can find some great coffee at Sprouts for like $10-$15 per lb

-I bought a Moccamaster for the house a year or two ago and that was around $300 for the bright orange one I purchased
But I don't frequent Starbucks for the very reasons you point out, Even if I pay a lot for my coffee at home it's still cheaper and IMHO tastes a lot better than Starbucks

I go thru a Starbucks Drive-Thru about 3-4x a year and I cannot explain why i even go that often but usually my wife is in the car and wants something with whipped cream on it
I don't know how many 6 to 8-cup pots of coffee I receive from a 12 oz-16 oz coffee bag but it definitely yields a lot more than buying by the cup

This country has a good size section of the population that feels it's a right of passage to walk in and plunk down $5-$10+ daily at Starbucks
I've made decent money on the stock over the years, when I landed in California back in 2000, they were more popular than McDonald's

I agree Chad, waste of money for the most part but isn't all fast food a waste on some level?
I've been addicted to doublechesseburgers lately, not good

Moccamaster + Kauai Coffee (5# Acaia about every 2 months). The Holiday Blend right now is always enjoyable.

 

[Jayrod]

If you are looking for an inexpensive and decent quality option, joining the Panera Bread sip club was killing it back when I went in to the office every day. It is like 15.99/month and you can get coffee, soft drinks or lemonade every 3 hours.

Panera's dark roast is quite good and they are busy enough that the containers stay fresh all morning long.

I usually got 5-7 drinks a week, 25 a month, so I was paying well under $1 per drink.

 

[The Z Machine]

I've had a dozen different geishas in my pantry this year

Go on

 

[Chaos34]

I've had a dozen different geishas in my pantry this year

Go on

Sure. In the 1930s the British colonialists, with nothing better to do I suppose, isolated the various heirloom coffee plants growing in the highlands above Gesha village in Ethiopia. They shipped four varieties to Costa Rica to see how they'd do there hoping for disease resistance. Geshas did poorly but one strain named A4 made its way to Panama where it was dubbed Geisha by the Japanese growers in the Boquete region. Over nearly 30 years the Japanese growers learned their Geisha did best at the highest altitudes, but it was always just part of the plantation's blend. They sold the estate to an American geologist named Price Peterson whose son Daniel runs the place to this day.

In an effort to diversify his product line, Daniel isolated the various strains he had growing. Testing the Geisha plot as a stand alone cup was eye opening as it bursted with tea like notes of jasmine and bergamot, so he entered it in a major competition. It won. It scored higher than any coffee in history. It kept winning and became famous and ridiculously expensive. I've bought an 8 ounce bag for $150.

Growers took note and started planting Geishas everywhere. Thankfully this drove the price down and now they can be had for $25 a pound and up. There's a caveat. Two of the varieties, A4 and #1, have those strong floral and tea notes that stunned the first judges. The other two, #2 and Gori (?), I might have that wrong, are just nice high quality Ethiopians. So it's common to buy a modern day Geisha and not be overly impressed.

I'm a sucker for a few tasting notes: Jasmine, bergamot, blueberry, milk chocolate. A great geisha will have 3 of 4 if not all 4, but a few other coffees have similar profiles. Where geishas really steal the show is their natural sweetness. No need for sugar, not that I put it in any coffee I make.

 

[kupcho1]

I don't know how it happened, but somehow this thread has morphed into a coffee flex.
Getting back to the original question: is there a bigger waste of money?, the answer is yes.

NFTs

 

[General Malaise]

I've had a dozen different geishas in my pantry this year

Go on

Sure. In the 1930s the British colonialists, with nothing better to do I suppose, isolated the various heirloom coffee plants growing in the highlands above Gesha village in Ethiopia. They shipped four varieties to Costa Rica to see how they'd do there hoping for disease resistance. Geshas did poorly but one strain named A4 made its way to Panama where it was dubbed Geisha by the Japanese growers in the Boquete region. Over nearly 30 years the Japanese growers learned their Geisha did best at the highest altitudes, but it was always just part of the plantation's blend. They sold the estate to an American geologist named Price Peterson whose son Daniel runs the place to this day.

In an effort to diversify his product line, Daniel isolated the various strains he had growing. Testing the Geisha plot as a stand alone cup was eye opening as it bursted with tea like notes of jasmine and bergamot, so he entered it in a major competition. It won. It scored higher than any coffee in history. It kept winning and became famous and ridiculously expensive. I've bought an 8 ounce bag for $150.

Growers took note and started planting Geishas everywhere. Thankfully this drove the price down and now they can be had for $25 a pound and up. There's a caveat. Two of the varieties, A4 and #1, have those strong floral and tea notes that stunned the first judges. The other two, #2 and Gori (?), I might have that wrong, are just nice high quality Ethiopians. So it's common to buy a modern day Geisha and not be overly impressed.

I'm a sucker for a few tasting notes: Jasmine, bergamot, blueberry, milk chocolate. A great geisha will have 3 of 4 if not all 4, but a few other coffees have similar profiles. Where geishas really steal the show is their natural sweetness. No need for sugar, not that I put it in any coffee I make.

Now this is why we here.

Best post in the thread.

 

[SWC]

I've had a dozen different geishas in my pantry this year

Go on

Sure. In the 1930s the British colonialists, with nothing better to do I suppose, isolated the various heirloom coffee plants growing in the highlands above Gesha village in Ethiopia. They shipped four varieties to Costa Rica to see how they'd do there hoping for disease resistance. Geshas did poorly but one strain named A4 made its way to Panama where it was dubbed Geisha by the Japanese growers in the Boquete region. Over nearly 30 years the Japanese growers learned their Geisha did best at the highest altitudes, but it was always just part of the plantation's blend. They sold the estate to an American geologist named Price Peterson whose son Daniel runs the place to this day.

In an effort to diversify his product line, Daniel isolated the various strains he had growing. Testing the Geisha plot as a stand alone cup was eye opening as it bursted with tea like notes of jasmine and bergamot, so he entered it in a major competition. It won. It scored higher than any coffee in history. It kept winning and became famous and ridiculously expensive. I've bought an 8 ounce bag for $150.

Growers took note and started planting Geishas everywhere. Thankfully this drove the price down and now they can be had for $25 a pound and up. There's a caveat. Two of the varieties, A4 and #1, have those strong floral and tea notes that stunned the first judges. The other two, #2 and Gori (?), I might have that wrong, are just nice high quality Ethiopians. So it's common to buy a modern day Geisha and not be overly impressed.

I'm a sucker for a few tasting notes: Jasmine, bergamot, blueberry, milk chocolate. A great geisha will have 3 of 4 if not all 4, but a few other coffees have similar profiles. Where geishas really steal the show is their natural sweetness. No need for sugar, not that I put it in any coffee I make.

this brohan coffees hard take that to the bank