Food & Drink Does anyone else notice their coffee recently not tasting good?

[Gringo]

Until recently, we enjoyed a variety of choices for delicious coffee in the comfort of our home. Even instant coffees proved to be satisfying, and our French Press added an extra touch of quality. For an exceptional cup, we would visit a local coffee roaster and have our beans freshly ground.

However, in the past few weeks, all the coffee we've brewed has been consistently bitter and lacking in that rich coffee flavor we love. Even cracking open a fresh bag of ground coffee no longer releases that delightful burst of coffee aroma. Has anyone else experienced this recently?

 

[Che Vos]

Does it say Café Torrada on the side of the package? If so then toss it. Totally trash quality.

 

[Gringo]

Does it say Café Torrada on the side of the package? If so then toss it. Totally trash quality.

I've never heard that company or term. I did a Google search but don't know what you are trying to imply.

 

[IrishLad]

Does it say Café Torrada on the side of the package? If so then toss it. Totally trash quality.

I haven't heard of this but I did a search and it seems like this isn't allowed in many places - https://www.ghirardellicafe.com.ar/cafe-torrado/

I also saw this old article - https://batimes.com.ar/news/economy...ee-supplies-in-famed-cafes-of-argentina.phtml and it talks about a shortage of good coffee beans. I usually bring a few months supply of coffee means with me from Europe when I go back.

I noticed lately a lot of stuff that they used to have many places don't have. They used to have ketchup in many restaurants but lately no where has had it.

 

[Betsy Ross]

In Argentina, there is a practice where inexpensive beans deemed unsellable undergo roasting with sugar until they reach a burnt state. This process not only disguises the poor quality but also adds weight lost during roasting. The resulting grounds are then packaged and sold as coffee. It's worth noting that the bag of coffee you purchase might contain a significant amount of added sugar.

While this practice is largely prohibited in most parts of the world due to ethical concerns, it somehow remains legal in Argentina.

Examine the packaging. If it includes sugar as an ingredient and doesn't claim to be 100% coffee, you'll find your answer. I was surprised by the considerable amount of coffee with added sugar available for sale here.

 

[Che Vos]

There are a lot of good coffee stores. Buy from stores that know what they are doing with quality. My favorite places are Buga and Latent. They both sell beans too. I agree about the sugar as an ingredient. Coffee roasted with sugar is not only legal in Argentina but very popular. It tastes AWEFUL to me and not sure how people can drink that stuff.

They have Cuervo in Palermo/Chacarita/Belgrano and they claim to own their own coffee plantation in Colombia. You can see locations here - https://www.cuervocafe.com/locales/

 

[Larry]

I may be losing my mind because I now have four different coffee brands. I began with La Virginia (which turned out to be just short of garbage). Then I upgraded, or so I thought, to Cabrales La Planta de Cafe. The alluring bright gold packaging caught my eye. It's drinkable, barely. Following that, I upgraded again to Cabrales Super Tostado Molido. It's passable. Subsequently, I ventured into Nescafé Gold Tostado Y Molido. Again, it's just passable. I even considered the possibility that my coffee brewer might be malfunctioning, so I retrieved my coffee press from storage, and it's better. However, I won't splurge on Starbucks. The best coffee I had in the US was at 7-11, accompanied by a fresh Boston Crème donut. I'm sharing this coffee journey to vent a bit with my friends.

 

[David]

Café Cabrales Colombia is the best of the supermarket available brands I’ve tried but take that with a grain of salt. But stick to buying beans at a specialty roaster. Most things you buy at the grocery store is going to be garbage.

Here is a place I like - https://www.instagram.com/cafepuertoblest/

Here is a good article as well where to buy it - https://vinomanos.com/2021/04/coffee-labs-en-buenos-aires/

Sometimes in a pinch I will buy coffee at Starbucks or Cafe Martínez. Starbucks charges about 7,000 pesos per 250 g but it's Colombian. They grind it on the spot for me. Cafe Martínez is less expensive but it's Brazilian and pre-ground coffee.

 

[wrangler]

I've observed a notable deterioration in the quality of coffee beans, even within the U.S. At times, when I import organic coffee from the same producer, it's clear that the quality doesn't match what it used to be. It's not solely a matter of inflation driving up prices; there's also a discernible decline in product quality. This trend isn't exclusive to coffee but extends to various products.

La Peruana - Av. Independencia 927, C1071 CABA, Argentina (They recently moved from calle Chacabuco en San Telmo.)

I've been buying my coffee there for 20 years. It's still excellent.

I paid 3500/cuarto kilo three weeks ago. They import it and roast it. They sell to many restaurants in the city, as well.

They grind it for you if you need it ground.

 

[Tim Joe]

IMHO, Cafe Martínez has the best quality to price ratio for coffee beans.

 

[Larry]

IMHO, Cafe Martínez has the best quality to price ratio for coffee beans.

Certainly, however, it's of Brazilian origin. This implies a few things:

• It's robusta, not arabica.
• It carries a muddy taste due to cultivation at low altitudes.
• It's treated with notably harmful agricultural chemicals.

 

[Avocado]

Buenos Aires boasts at least 20 different small, independent coffee roasters, making them the go-to experts for any coffee-related inquiries. These roasters import green coffee beans from numerous coffee-producing countries, including Colombia and Brazil. Beyond the broad categories of arabica and robusta, they delve into various sub-types, considering factors like fermentation, drying techniques, and other variables crucial to coffee production.

For a quick "fast food" coffee fix, I often visit major chains like Starbucks or Martinez (almost daily), and occasionally, any random café. However, my day always begins with grinding beans at home, purchased from a small, independent roaster specializing in small batch production.

Contrary to the myth that Brazilian coffee is predominantly robusta, its production actually consists of 70% arabica and 30% robusta. The major robusta producers are situated in Asia, such as Indonesia and Vietnam, and it's doubtful that much of their production reaches our market. Nevertheless, vendors should explicitly state the type of coffee they are selling. (I'm unsure about what "cafe indica" would refer to.)

The growing regions in Brazil are slightly lower in altitude compared to Colombian ones (ranging from 800 to 1200 meters in Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo, versus 2000 to 2500 meters), but both are lower than the highland regions in Ethiopia.

Brazilian coffee has undergone significant improvements since its earlier days when it was sold as pre-ground robusta mixed with black beans.

 

[Rick]

I enjoy strolling to Belgrano or Núñez, exploring the cafes along the way. Whether or not I've done a prior Google search, I enter cafes and inquire about their roasting practices. It's not uncommon to spot a small roasting machine tucked away in the back room or a side garage. The growth of local coffee roasters mirrors the artisanal beer boom of the past decade or so. The LabCafe Toasters, which I linked above, is the first one I recall from the 2000s and likely has paved the way for the next generation. Unfortunately, there's a suspicion that some establishments might merely resell high-priced beans in colorful bags. I make a point not to purchase if the bags lack an air release valve.

If a cafe employs a cone drip system, reminiscent of the old Melitta (now fashionable and known as V60), or a French Press Aeropress, I assume they roast their own coffee. The Aeropress may be on display, but imported paper filters are likely overpriced. I am content with an industrially filtered drip system, such as Starbucks' cafe del día. However, if the menu features only a watered-down espresso labeled as "americano," I opt to leave. The current trend leans towards selling single-serve capsules, a concept I resist as I value my home coffee-making rituals.

Here are a few noteworthy cafes:

• Altolaguirre 2197: Boreal Café
• Virrey Olaguer y Feliú 4095: Cofi Lab CofiJaus
• Mendoza 5242: Porta Negra Café

I hope that all the commendable ones in the coffee community will embrace transparency about their processes, much like the independent one from Patagonia, as detailed here: https://cafedelirante.com.ar/nosotros/

 

[Canada Goose]

My Airbnb host recommended this company - https://www.cafedelivery.com/

They can grind the beans for you if you want. I'm personally happy with a French press. Or just a drip coffee if the beans are Colombian beans or decent beans.

 

[Crossfit Junkie]

I just saw another post about bad coffee. Can this really be true? I'm disappointed as a coffee lover. My hubby as well.

 

[Silvia]

I just saw another post about bad coffee. Can this really be true? I'm disappointed as a coffee lover. My hubby as well.

Yes the coffee isn't so good in Argentina. Nothing like Italy or Europe that has high quality coffee beans. Here many coffee beans are low quality and have much sugar in them. It tastes very bitter. Lately, there is a big shortage of coffee beans. When they have them it's a highway robbery on costs. Almost all of the supermarkets are out of the coffee beans. Even the bad quality. The stores that have them are very expensive about 10,000 to 15,000 pesos for 250g.

 

[Wally]

Yes the coffee isn't so good in Argentina. Nothing like Italy or Europe that has high quality coffee beans. Here many coffee beans are low quality and have much sugar in them. It tastes very bitter. Lately, there is a big shortage of coffee beans. When they have them it's a highway robbery on costs. Almost all of the supermarkets are out of the coffee beans. Even the bad quality. The stores that have them are very expensive about 10,000 to 15,000 pesos for 250g.

So true! Sometimes I just go to Starbucks to buy coffee beans now but they are often times out of the good stuff too.

I finally saw coffee beans in the store yesterday. I was at Coto and I saw coffee for the first time in a long time. It was 9,200 pesos for 500 g bag. Then I went on Mercado Libre and I saw the smaller 250 g bag for more. It was 9,2`10 pesos! What is going on???

Cafe Molido Brasil Cabrales 250g ! - $ 12.397,5

Tipo de envase: Bolsa | Tipo de café: Tostado | Formato del café: Molido | Peso de la unidad: 250 g | Unidades por pack: 1 | Café molido tostado de alta calidad Cabrales | Envase tipo bolsa para mantener frescura y sabor | Ideal para disfrutar en cualquier momento del día | Apto para celíacos...

www.mercadolibre.com.ar

 

[sophos]

So true! Sometimes I just go to Starbucks to buy coffee beans now but they are often times out of the good stuff too.

I finally saw coffee beans in the store yesterday. I was at Coto and I saw coffee for the first time in a long time. It was 9,200 pesos for 500 g bag. Then I went on Mercado Libre and I saw the smaller 250 g bag for more. It was 9,2`10 pesos! What is going on???

Cafe Molido Brasil Cabrales 250g ! - $ 12.397,5

Tipo de envase: Bolsa | Tipo de café: Tostado | Formato del café: Molido | Peso de la unidad: 250 g | Unidades por pack: 1 | Café molido tostado de alta calidad Cabrales | Envase tipo bolsa para mantener frescura y sabor | Ideal para disfrutar en cualquier momento del día | Apto para celíacos...

www.mercadolibre.com.ar

I don't drink that brand but that is too expensive for my simple tastes. I am out in the countryside but we still can get coffee here in the local supermarket. Mercado Libre always has a wide range of prices. It's just sellers that are selling for whatever they can get away with. I found my favorite brands on Mercado Libre for much cheaper.

Cafe Molido La Virginia Torrado Equilibrado X 1 Kg - $ 9.925

Tipo de envase: Bolsa | Tipo de café: Torrado | Formato del café: Molido | Peso de la unidad: 1 kg | Unidades por pack: 1 | Café molido La Virginia de sabor equilibrado | Presentación en bolsa de 1 kg para mayor duración | Apto para celíacos, libre de TACC | Ideal para preparar en cafetera o...

www.mercadolibre.com.ar

Café Torrado Balanceado Molido Clásico La Morenita 1 Kg - $ 12.992,4

Tipo de envase: Bolsa | Tipo de café: Torrado | Formato del café: Molido | Peso de la unidad: 1 kg | Unidades por pack: 1 | Café molido para preparación instantánea. | Libre de TACC, apto para celíacos. | Envase de 1 kg, ideal para consumo prolongado.

www.mercadolibre.com.ar

Cafe Torrado Molido La Planta De Cafe Cabrales 1kg - $ 15.159

Encontrá más productos en Mercado Libre

articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar

 

[Betsy Ross]

I don't drink that brand but that is too expensive for my simple tastes. I am out in the countryside but we still can get coffee here in the local supermarket. Mercado Libre always has a wide range of prices. It's just sellers that are selling for whatever they can get away with. I found my favorite brands on Mercado Libre for much cheaper.

Cafe Molido La Virginia Torrado Equilibrado X 1 Kg - $ 9.925

Tipo de envase: Bolsa | Tipo de café: Torrado | Formato del café: Molido | Peso de la unidad: 1 kg | Unidades por pack: 1 | Café molido La Virginia de sabor equilibrado | Presentación en bolsa de 1 kg para mayor duración | Apto para celíacos, libre de TACC | Ideal para preparar en cafetera o...

www.mercadolibre.com.ar

Café Torrado Balanceado Molido Clásico La Morenita 1 Kg - $ 12.992,4

Tipo de envase: Bolsa | Tipo de café: Torrado | Formato del café: Molido | Peso de la unidad: 1 kg | Unidades por pack: 1 | Café molido para preparación instantánea. | Libre de TACC, apto para celíacos. | Envase de 1 kg, ideal para consumo prolongado.

www.mercadolibre.com.ar

Cafe Torrado Molido La Planta De Cafe Cabrales 1kg - $ 15.159

Encontrá más productos en Mercado Libre

articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar

You have bad taste in coffee. It's cheaper because it's Torrado which is mostly junk.

 

[Che Vos]

You have bad taste in coffee. It's cheaper because it's Torrado which is mostly junk.

Yes, look even on the link it says "con Azucar". Those are junk coffee beans. Very low quality full of sugar. Good coffee is expensive now.