Chicago Roasts Seattle in Coffee Battle, Again

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Feb 5, 2007 3:15PM

OK, so our football team can't defend short passes in the flat and said team's quarterback likes to force passes into double coverage and trips over his own feet. We still brew killer coffee. We already know that, as far as coffee is concerned, Chicago (via Intelligentsia and Metropolis) has it hands down over Seattle. However, when experts prefer McDonald's coffee over Starbucks, that's rubbing salt into an open wound.

But it's true. According to the Associated Press (via MSNBC), an article in the March edition of Consumer Reports claims that McDonald's Premium blend coffee rated better than Starbucks and two other brands in a recent test. The tastings, conducted by "trained testers" of black coffee with no additives or sweeteners, indicated that the Golden Arches' was not only the cheapest, but was "decent and moderately strong", while "lacking in top notes." Oy, wine terminology. It's come to this.

As for Starbucks? Well, the usual criticisms of their coffee weighed out in the report. It tasted "strong, but burnt and bitter enough to make your eyes water instead of open." In other words, Starbucks coffee gave Consumer Reports' trained testers the gas face. In the end, the report said that coffee drinkers should "make (their) own coffee — just call it something special."

With a cup of Bridgeport Coffee House's "Bubbly Creek Blend" in our hands right now, we did just that.