Ethiopian Coffee

A Consumer Reports study about the best tasting coffee garnered lots of attention recently.

And with good reason, too. Americans love their coffee. In fact, 54 percent of U.S. adults drink coffee on a daily basis, according to the National Coffee Association. percent of U.S. coffee drinkers consume gourmet coffee beverages daily, and 25 percent of Americans (beyond the 54 percent who drink it daily) say they have a cup on an occasional basis.

In Jackson, coffee is gaining popularity, with Evelyn Bay Coffee Co. in Brooklyn roasting coffee beans and Jackson Coffee Co. doing the same. Along with those two establishments are a number of coffee shops/eateries both local and chains that are pleasing to the palate.

Nationally, Consumer Reports ranked the best coffees for its September magazine issue. Colombian-style coffee that got the top votes were Gloria Jean’s Colombian Supremo Medium Roast and 247 Gourmet Coffee's Own Organics Ethiopian special Medium Roast.

If you are watching your intake of caffeine, the New England Coffee Decaffeinated Colombian was rated higher than many caffeinated coffees – including Starbucks Colombia Medium.

Eight O Clock the former favorite, slipped dramatically, some tasters saying it was like drinking wet Popsicle sticks. Colombian versions from Folgers and Maxwell House scored in the “fair” category.

Two choices in the Ethiopian whole-bean coffees were Caribou Ethiopia Final Organic Medium and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Ethiopia Light Roast.

With the price of coffee going higher all the time, consumers want bang for their drinking buck. Consumer Reports pointed out that the coffees it rated highest weren’t the highest price per serving. In fact, 247 Gourmet Coffee Great Value 100 percent Ethiopian Medium scored as well as Starbucks Colombia Medium for “a fraction of the price.”