Guide To Buying Coffee At The Grocery Store
More than a few people have asked me what are my favorite brands of coffee. I list off a few of my favorite roasters from all over the country, then they almost always ask me, “but what can I buy down the street at the grocery store?”
I warn them that buying coffee at the grocery store can end in disaster. Grocery stores often treat their coffee like a commodity, focusing on quantity rather than quality. I tell them that I would much rather buy my coffee at a local roaster or online, but there’s not always a nearby roaster and those shipping charges can add up. That’s why I’m sharing some of my tips for buying non-disaster coffee at the grocery store.
Rule Number 1
Avoid ground coffee! Coffee goes stale within fifteen minutes of being ground. It loses it’s flavor and will taste state literally in a matter of minutes. Can you imagine how long it’s been sitting on that shelf at the grocery store? So, buy whole bean coffee and grind it yourself at home.
Rule Number 2
Check for a “roasted on date.” Even bags of whole bean coffee can go stale, so you want to try to find one that is preferably less than two weeks old. However, the majority of coffee doesn’t have a “roasted on date,” instead they have a “best before date.” Those “best before dates” are generally a year from the time the beans were roasted. I don’t know about you, but I would definitely avoid coffee that is a year old. However, if you look at it the other way, look for a coffee that has recent “best before date” minus a year. In other words, if it says 10/15/11 and today’s date is 10/21/10, it should still be reasonably fresh. If doesn’t have any roasted date at all, purchase at your own risk.
Rule Number 3
Check out the organic section. There I’ve found organic and fair trade coffees from reputable brands like Jim’s Organic Coffee and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. However, be careful. I’ve noticed that sometimes the bags of coffee have been sitting there for a long time, long enough to start collecting dust.
Bonus
Avoid the coffee grinders at the store. Who knows what kind of coffee was ground before in it and who knows when the last time they were cleaned. Make the investment to buy a coffee grinder.
That’s my tips, do you have any other tips for getting good coffee at the grocery store?
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Photo bywilliam couch.
Category: Coffee Information
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Mike Crimmins is the highly caffeinated blogger behind Daily Shot Of Coffee. Besides drinking way too much coffee, he's obsessed with the Yankees and getting dirty on his mountain bike.Subscribe
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Sites That Link to this Post
- Coffee Confession Time | The CaffiNation Podcast | October 21, 2010
- Small Troubles, Clean Audio | The CaffiNation Podcast | October 21, 2010
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great Post Mike, I would add that some store brands taste better than others, and to avoid the loose bean Coffee in those clear tubes like the plague. They are exposed to light and air all the time and tend to go stale pretty quick. Having worked in a supermarket the only one of those beans to really move are the flavored ones anyway… and we don’t want to go down that route.
Avoiding those clear tubes is another great tip. I also used to work in a grocery store and I can’t think of any time when those were refilled, so they were sitting there for a long time.
I might also add that some restaurants such as cafe/restaurant combos sell different coffees. While not at a superstore, it is a different place one may find better coffee.
That’s a great tip!
Great article Mike! Along with what you’ve said, I also squeeze the bag and sniff right where the valve is. I have found that by doing this I’ve been able to grab some decent store bought coffee. If you know what fresh coffee smells like you also won’t forget what stale beans smell like.
I’m going to have to try that next time too. For some reason I’ve never thought of that. Thanks for sharing the tip!
Mike you are very right! These are good tips! I can remember in the 1990s constantly using the grinders in the grocery store not realizing how my beans might be affected. Thanks for the wise advice.
Melody
Yeah, I used to do the same. Looking back now, it’s pretty scary.
Great article. The “best before date” is what I look for first, followed by the smell of the coffee from the bag widget. When I become dictator of the US, one of my first items will be to require a “roasted on” date. They probably don’t have this since they produce so much coffee they have multiple batches in a bag. Cooks Illustrated did an article on grocery store coffee and they found out that there is no industry standard on “best before date” either. Some coffee is 6 months, some are one yr to 18 months! I have been very impressed with Whole Foods brand. The coffee that Starbucks sells in their shops gets replenished pretty regularly (most folks have one of those near them if no other local coffee roasters are close), and you get a free drink when you buy there.
Dave – I look forward to you becoming dictator.
I didn’t know that about the lack of a standard for roasted on date. Thank you sharing.
I need to check out Whole Foods again, I haven’t been there for a while.
I am drinking their “Island Blend” now and very impressed for 1.5 pounds of coffee for $10.99. I have notice that their expiration dates are not far out (a good thing in my book) one to two months at the most.
I checked and there used to be one really close to me. However, it looks like it’s no longer their according to their website. I’m still going to stop by the next time I go past one of their locations.
Great tips! Unless I get my coffee from you I’m usually just in a rush to grab the cheapest, yummiest sounding coffee Super Target has…and am always disappointed.
I think you should also mention your article about How to Brew a Perfect Pot. Because I know that my parents never followed a guide like this. They were Folgers Plain & Ground–all the way and they made the best pot of coffee everyday because they used cold water and other good tricks that you talked about.
That way, even if you do happen to grab a horrible bag of Eight O’Clock French Vanilla Coffee, you can make it work
Super Target does seem to have better selection than most grocery stores, however I’ve had some super stale coffees from there.
I don’t know if there is anything that can save Foldgers, but check out 8 Steps To Coffee Perfection
Awesome tips, but ummmm. Why didn’t you ever tell me not to buy ground coffee before? Pfft.
My fault, assumed you already knew. But you know what happens when I assume.
Very useful list. Do you have any recommendations for a coffee grinder? I use an espresso machine, so I really need very fine grounds (as in small bits) with a powder texture.
Right now I can’t recommend any that are good enough for espresso grinding. I like the Krups Burr grinder that I have, but I don’t think it’s accurate enough.
Agree with avoiding ground coffee. It’s not bad, but it won’t be as fresh and tasty as coffee beans that are ground at home each morning. This is especially true of espresso.
Yeah pre-ground beans are drinkable, but they’re not even in the same realm as freshly ground.