EmailBest Reviewed
Coffee
- Top supermarket whole-bean coffee Eight O'Clock Coffee 100% Colombian *Est. $5
- Best ground coffee Dunkin' Donuts Original Blend *Est. $8
- Best dark roast coffee Millstone Colombian Supremo *Est. $7
- Supermarket decaf coffee Great Value 100% Columbian Decaf (Wal-Mart) *Est. $2
- Fair Trade coffee Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe *Est. $9
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Best dark roast coffee
- Complex taste
- Described as "smokey" and "chocolatey"
- Some find it harsh or bitter
"Supremo" isn't a brand name for marketing purposes; it's a grade of Colombian coffee, the highest grade (based mainly on the size of the beans). Millstone Colombian Supremo is a dark roast that fares well in reviews from both sources geared to everyman to those from coffee specialists. Those sources differ about harshness, though, as may be expected. Some say it's a bit harsh, at least without milk, but it's supposed to be. Others don't find it bitter -- but rather complex and smokey. If you want something less strong, reviews say Eight O'Clock Coffee 100% Colombian (*est. $5 for a 12-ounce bag) is the best value among whole-bean supermarket brands with Dunkin' Donuts Original Blend (*est. $8 per pound) having the best ground coffee.
We found the best reviews at Cook's Illustrated, which did an extensive blind taste test as well as shipping the coffees off to a laboratory before anointing Millstone Colombian Supremo as the best dark roast. You need to be a subscriber to read it, though, and that's also the case with Consumer Reports' ratings of 25 caffeinated and 17 decaf coffees. We also found a credible, extensive review at CoffeeReview.com.
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Our Sources
1. Cook's Illustrated MagazineDetails/Subscribe
Cook's Illustrated had 25 staffers taste eight whole-bean supermarket coffees brewed at regular strength and also sent the coffees to a lab for testing (including a measurement of immature beans, "quakers" that get past the sorter and spoil a brew). Coffees were sampled with and without milk to determine whether taste preferences changed.
Review: Supermarket Whole Bean Coffee, Editors of Cook's Illustrated, Nov. 2005
2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
You'll need a subscription to see Consumer Reports' rankings of 25 caffeinated and 17 decaf coffees, which includes Millstone Colombian Supremo. There are no comments on Millstone Colombian Supremo beyond the ratings chart.
Review: Coffee: In Search of Great Grounds, Editors of Consumer Reports, Dec. 2004
Kenneth Davids is a prolific coffee reviewer who can be quite caustic in his comments about coffees that other reviewers like. Of Millstone Colombian Supremo he says "this is a fine American breakfast cup, sweet enough to be drunk black but dry enough to complement the pancakes."
Review: Millstone Colombian Supremo, Kenneth Davids, Jan. 2003
4. Real SimpleDetails/Subscribe
Real Simple does not disclose its testing methods or identify the losers (if any) in each category. Millstone Colombian Supremo isn't mentioned, but another Millstone variety, Colombian Medium Roast Whole Bean, wins the decaf category because of "cherry aroma" and flavor that's stronger than most decafs.
Review: The Best-Tasting Supermarket Coffees, Editors of Real Simple, Dec. 2003/Jan. 2004
Coffee Runners Up:
2 picks by top review sites.
Starbucks House Blend Coffee, Ground, 12-Ounce Bags (Pack of 3)
 from Amazon.com New: $35.99 In Stock.
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