Colombian Coffee

I'm interested in anyone's opinions on Colombian coffee beans. My experience of them has never been good. That in large part is driven by the fact that at the two companies I have slaved at, I mean worked at, over the last 7 years, both have Colombian coffee as the "office coffee", and it is just so bad. It's just not coffee-snobby me; almost all my co-workers agree. At the last company I was at, we were lucky enough that they also provided different blends from coffees from all around the world, and that's what my group always brewed. But at the company I work at now, there is only Colombian coffee available, and it's even worse tasting than what was on offer at my previous company. In fact, it is SO BAD, that I consider it undrinkable, and have given up drinking it at all. I've taken a French press ("plunger") and my own beans to the office and make my own coffee. Perhaps that is just what the company wants; that no one will drink the coffee and the company saves money.

I have bought and used premium Colombian Popayan beans before, but while it was drinkable, I never did fall in love with them, and never found that they were that good from making espresso at home.

Did you know that what you see labelled as "100% Colombian" is a brand that falls under the control of the Colombian Coffee Federation founded in 1927 to promote the growing and marketing of coffee from Colombia under the "Juan Valdez" brand. You'd think by now they would be growing beans that tasted good.

So what is your opinion and experience of Colombian coffee? Has it been as bad as mine? I'd be interested in what you think, so please post a comment.

Bikini Baristas Bare It All

It was way back in January 2007 that I wrote about the Bikini Baristas in Washington State in my post Sex Sells Coffee Too. That report was about the Cowgirls Espresso chain, and perhaps those girls are behaving themselves by and large, but this report about the Grab 'N' Go Espresso bikini hut from Herald.net suggests that the girls there are serving up a good old fashioned peep show with their shots. As of now, complaints have gone nowhere because the business is considered private property.

I liked the following comments posted in response to the report:

Posted on: Sep 21, 2009 2:23 pm Author: eric smith Joined: Sep 21, 2009 2:18 pm
if you think you kids aren't seeing worse on the internet and the cell phones... you are SORELY mistaken. They arent naked. has anyone of you whiny do-gooders watched any MTV lately? there is more sexually suggestive shows on there than ANY pastie or thong shakin barista. You want to make a change? start at home. If your kids were taught to value themselves, then this wouldnt be an issue.

So what do you think? Personally I choose my coffee shop on the basis of the taste, not the entertainment, but I'm, of course, a coffee snob.