My local shop's cold brew went from amazing to just okay in about six months.

I used to go to The Daily Grind in Springfield every Friday for their cold brew. It was smooth, strong, and never bitter. I'd get the same thing for over a year. Then, maybe last April, I noticed a change. The taste got sharper, almost sour, and it lost that deep chocolatey note. I finally asked the new barista about it last week, and she said they switched to a cheaper, pre-ground bean for their cold brew batches to cut costs. It's a real shame because that drink was the highlight of my week. Now I'm back to making my own at home, but I miss the convenience. Has anyone else had a favorite coffee spot change a recipe and ruin a good thing?

3 comments

3 Comments

christopher_singh9224d ago

You're right about the sour note meaning bad beans. I see this everywhere now, where a place builds up a loyal crowd and then quietly swaps a key ingredient for a cheaper version. It happened with the pizza place on my block, they changed their cheese supplier and the whole thing just tastes like salty grease now.

the_sam24d ago

Actually, it's probably not the pre-ground part that's the main problem, lots of places do that. The switch to a cheaper bean itself is what kills the flavor, that sour note is a dead giveaway for bad beans. It's a classic cost-cutting move that just makes the product worse.

ryan_stone18h ago

Hold up, sour doesn't always mean bad beans. A light roast done right has a bright, fruity acidity that's totally intentional. That "dead giveaway" might just be someone who prefers dark roast trying a different style.