It's no secret that most coffee sold by big chains is terrible. It's generally over-priced, over-roasted, and under-flavored. I don't think I'm telling any tales out of school by saying that.
It's drinkable, yes, but terrible in comparison to coffee made with higher quality beans, plus more care and attention than the operating procedures of these chain stores generally allow for.
Now, I'm not naming any names, but we all know certain coffee chains out there are known for burning their coffee beans.
And not just a little—we're talking crispy beans, smoky beans—I mean, these babies are practically blackened.
So are these massive corporations that incompetent at making the one thing they sell? No, clearly not. It's purposeful.
But why would anyone purposely burn coffee beans?
We can only speculate—I mean it's not like these places ever admit they do it. It's one of those things that's just kinda "known" by people in the industry, and people who just love good coffee.
So since there are no definitive answers, let's look at some of the reasons they might choose to purposely burn their beans.
Efficiency
First of all, it's a matter of efficiency. Certain chains roast their beans at higher temperatures than most roasters would dream of doing, because it allows them to roast larger quantities of coffee beans quicker. This is fine if all you're looking for is a cup of coffee that's hot and caffeinated, but if you're after something like "flavor" then you're out of luck. Higher temperatures pull all the oils and complexities out of the beans, leaving behind a bitterness that can ruin your cup of joe. In contrast, a slow roasting process brings out the natural flavors of the beans, resulting in a richer and more enjoyable cup of coffee.
Cost
One of the reasons that some coffee chains "burn" their beans is because they buy lower quality beans, so they mask the flavor with a purposely bitter, burnt taste. This is due to the fact that higher quality beans—you guessed it—cost more. I’m not saying it’s all greed—coffee chains often have to purchase large quantities of coffee beans in order to keep up with customer demand. Therefore, they often opt for higher quantities lower quality beans as a matter of necessity. However, this decision results in a product that is often inferior in taste and quality.
The sad part is, they've actually gotten people used to this burnt flavor, so now burnt coffee has pretty much become the expected norm. It's a real shame, because there's nothing quite like a cup of freshly brewed coffee, made with care and attention from well roasted coffee beans. But instead of enjoying the delicate flavors and aromas of real coffee, we're becoming accustomed to the bitter, acrid taste of burnt beanage.
As a result, many people are settling for coffee that tastes like it was made with water that had been boiled in a fire.
But hey, if you're looking for a real cup of coffee, made with quality beans that have been roasted to perfection, you'll probably want to steer clear of the big chains anyway.
