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These coffees instantly disappointed

By KATHY SAUNDERS
Published May 24, 2006

One of my neighbors drinks a cup of black, instant coffee every morning - and she admits it. I sometimes take pity on her and deliver a freshly brewed cup of java on my way home from morning carpooling. Apparently, my friend is not alone because Taster's Choice found plenty of instant coffee brands on the shelves of local grocery stores. But we are still asking ourselves, "Why?"

We put 11 brands against each other and all were disappointing. Instant coffee is now at the top of our newly named Wall of Shame.

Funky smells, weak flavor and grainy texture were among the complaints. In an attempt to make the test more palatable, we added milk. But it didn't make much difference.

The best score was a crummy 31 out of 100 possible points. That went to the coffee of our namesake, Taster's Choice by Nescafe $6.09 for 4 ounces.

The Nescafe coffee was dark, thicker than some of the others and smooth. However, only one panelist said she might buy the coffee. The others would not.

Right behind Taster's Choice, with 28 points, was Cafe Bustelo ($3.59 for 2 ounces). This one tasted a lot weaker than it looked. One judge said it looked more like Coca-Cola than coffee.

A couple panelists described the flavor as burnt.

Folgers Instant Coffee ($4.79 for 8 ounces), was ranked third with 27 points. A few judges had nicer things to say about the Folgers coffee.

"This has a bit of a nutty bite to it," said one.

Another said it had a dark, inviting appearance.

"It has a nice bounce off the tongue," he said.

But one of the panelists thought it looked more like "something brewed thick on the range."

Panelists were harshly critical of some of the brands. One said he wouldn't use the stuff to kill weeds. Another commented on a manufacturer's claim that the coffee was free of bitterness.

"They must have used motor oil to remove it," he said.

Also tasted were Nescafe Classic ($5.89 for 8 ounces); Cafe Pilon ($4.69 for 8 ounces); Buendia ($4.29 for 3.5 ounces); Publix ($3.49 for 8 ounces); Maxwell House ($4.89 for 8 ounces); Kava ($4.95 for 4 ounces); Albertsons ($4.49 for 8 ounces); Folgers ($4.79 for 8 ounces); and Hannaford ($3.29 for 8 ounces).

Panelists were Nan Jensen, registered dietitian with Pinellas County Cooperative Extension; Bob Devin Jones, artistic director of Studio@620 personal chef Julie Overton; Gary Kawalec, chef/owner of Tampa Bay Supper Club in Safety Harbor; and Jim Yockey, aesthetician at Indulgence Medical Day Spa in St. Petersburg. All beverages were tasted blind.

Rankings

1. Taster's Choice

2. Cafe Bustelo

3. Folgers

[Last modified May 23, 2006, 10:57:25]