Starbucks Coffee

Holy cow....week #7!!!  Great write-up sbx_slon.  Having been born and raised in the city (Chicago), your words were sweet.  

As for the coffee:  I had a cup of brewed Gold Coast yesterday and it was wonderful.  I think I'd forgotten how good this coffee is.  I used to buy it more regularly, then abandoned it for awhile but now will have it again soon.  

My impressions were: sweet aroma, a little roasty.  full bodied, clean finish.  taste:  just good!  bold but smoothe.   I have to drink it again today and pay more attention, I was involved in some serious conversation when I enjoyed it yesterday.....all I know for sure is it was surprisingly good, even tho I used to drink it regularly.  

re: the videos, this one I think is not so good.  unlike the coffee....  I rank it as top for me, tied with Italina and Verona.  (Yukon would be my 2nd)

ps:  Good morning Cecile :)

This is one of my favorite blends and one I see often rotated on the bold picks (before this promotion)

I find its better with sweet things. I had it this morning with a breakfast burrito and it started to tasted a little bitter with it.

Otherwise it is bold but smooth with hardly any acidity that I could detect.  Wonderful with cream because it really stands out even up against the cream.

Italian is still my favorite so far...I can't believe next week is the last week!  It went by so fast, it's kind of sad!  Although, I have to admit I am excited to see what the 'special' coffee is that MSI has picked!

What a great cup of coffee, strong,  yet smooth and full of flavor.  this used to be my house coffee  about 10 years ago, its been too long since I had it.  had it solo and in a rush today, can't wait to have it with a cranberry muffin.  I liked it so much I didn't notice aromas and tastes/aftertastes this is just what a great cup of coffee tastes like to me.    

Thanks for the story, I was wondering why it was called Gold Coast. Those insights and comments help me appreciate the coffee.

This coffee has a rich and bold complexity, bright and earthy, with low acidity and sweet roast aroma.

You could really tell the complexity of the blend while slowly sipping it.  It just has the right mix of the different coffees.  I had it with some biscuits yesterday and it was just perfect!

Earthy and low acidity make this a good coffee for BOLD beginners.  Not too bitter and no aftertaste.  Also tastes good hot or cold.

Aroma: toasted marshmallow; dark, heavy, sweet yet earthy.

Taste: full, heavy; notes of prunes, cranberry pudding, molasses

...Somewhat sweet, like dried fruit; very round and dense.

...Not as dry or cocoa-like as some other coffees, but smoother.

Acidity: low to medium

Body: medium to full

Finish: clean, roasty; considerably more refined than Verona or Sumatra.

Remarks: tastes much better from a Bunn brewer than a pour-over cone

...Not as dark and "roasty" as my memory suggested

Grade: A

Review: Yukon remains my favorite of the 7 bold coffees so far, but Gold Coast is a close second. Overall, Gold Coast tastes very lush and full, like a song with the right combination of treble, mid-range, and bass notes. This coffee has a well-deserved swagger, befitting the City of Big Shoulders. The faint of heart need not apply. Once you've heard the story behind Gold Coast Blend, it's easy to think of skyscrapers, the Lake Michigan shoreline, and all the other great things Chicago can be proud of. (The video, on the other hand, seems a bit hokey.)

Gold Coast is one of my favorites. I noticed a distinct sweetness in the aroma, very complex flavor but yet clean and smooth. Very bold. This still doesn't beat Italian Roast imo, but it comes close. My new ranking is as follows:

1) Italian Roast

2) Gold Coast

3) Verona

4) Red

5) Yukon

6) Komodo Dragon

7) Estima

just an aside re: Chicago and St Pat's, as mentioned in the thread.  funny,  I sent a you-tube link to Melody that someone took of dying the river green this year.  :)

beautiful writing, daccord.

Gold coast blend is a smooth roast which seems to be heavy on the floral notes. This is what sticks out to me as I sip it while siting through another boring crim law class.

This is frustrating - the post I made a couple of hours ago seems to have gone poof into thin air even after getting the "your post may not show up for a few minutes" message.

Soooo... to rehash what I posted earlier in nowhere near as many good words (and hoping this doesn't disqualify me for this week): this one's toasty and smokey while smooth with fruity notes.

Favorites from best to least:

1. - Italian

2. - Red

3. - Gold Coast

4. - Komodo Dragon

5. - Verona

6. - Yukon

7. - Estima

My Notes:

Smell: spicy, chocolaty, earthy

Taste: spicy, earthy, pleasantly acidic, smooth, a weaker body (medium) than I was expecting

After taste: earthy, spicy, acidic

While reading all the notes I decided to try this with a chocolate peanut butter tandykake - that was a mistake, it made the tandykake bitter.

It was great without sugar or cream, but I expect the additions would only have complemented and not overpowered the coffee.

My new almost favorite of the bold tasting adventure, it is hard to believe it's nearly over.

My preferences, best to worst, so far:

1) Caffe Verona

2) Gold Coast Blend

3) Italian Roast

4) Yukon

5) (STARBUCKS)RED

6) Café Estima Blend

7) Komodo Dragon

Arrived early, empty Starbucks indicated prime time to taste this week's bold, jinkies that's a hot cuppa joe.  Strong coffee flavor, slightly burnt.  Time passes, it cools, I no longer need that asbestos mouth liner.  What does asbestos taste like anyway?  Chicken?  Not important.  Added half & half, cut down on burnt flavor.  Slight spice undercurrent, nutmeg perhaps.  Definitely a contender.

Gold Coast is another tasty blend. You reminded me that I need to try this as espresso again.

Aroma- spice

Acidity- medium

Body- also medium

Flavor- very rich, a little smoky sweetness

I haven't had the chance to try Gold Coast yet, not because I haven't tried, but the store near my house STILL doesn't have it...I can't believe it's Wednesday and they were supposed to be offering GC starting on Monday...I could've gone to another store, but I'm hoping they'll get it before the week is over.  

This along with the Yukon Blend are my favorites. Bold enough to stand up to heavy creme but finish clean and, after I've been sitting in Starbucks for a while, the cold coffee still tastes good (and not bitter) :)

Well this coffee has alot of energy, weak for my taste, I had 4 cups from 3 different locations, it seemed weak in taste with extra energy compared to the coffees in the previous 6 weeks , although today  i had it with an extra scoop of grounds, its pretty bold and very tasty . But my eyes want to pop out of head.  With that this coffee is good, but unbalanced.

Favorite to least - but like them all

#1 Komodo

#2 Yukon

#3 Estima

#4 Verona

#5 Red

#6 Italian roast

#7 Gold Coast

I want to add

that my list

is coffee had from Starbucks stores.

Not home ground and made at home.

i believe people who like Gold Coast coffee probably also like

or don't mind having coffee from

7-11, McDonalds,etc

I'm having Gold Coast Blend right now with my Perfect Oatmeal. It's a nice hearty coffee. I love the light spice and nutty aroma that I'm smelling right now. The body is medium to bold.  It's good. It's not sweet like Italian Roast but rather has sort of a deep nutty (like walnuts) flavor. It's pretty complex. I'm having a hard time narrowing it down, and it might be heavily influenced by the oatmeal I just ate. I feel like it nutty-wine like, if that makes any sense.

Gold Coast Blend was OK--better than Komodo or Red, but not as good as Estima or Verona. Didn't seem as smooth as the last two, but it didn't have an unpleasant bite. As with most bolds, it improved in combination with a pastry.

Ok, the story finally got their shipment so I was able to try Gold Coast this morning.  It's a robust bold, but a little acidic for me.  It's definitely not one of my favorites.  Komodo Dragon still tops the list for me.  GC was just okay in my opinion. ..not bad, but not great.

oops...sorry about the earlier typo....story= store.

I'm drinking  my Gold Coast right now. It's earthy with a lingering sweetness. It's got a bitter kick to it but not overwhelming. There's a hint of spiciness. I like the complexity of it. I wouldn't list it as a favorite but it's definitely in my top four.

:)

Order of how much I liked the coffees, favorite to least favorite:

1. Verona (but would be tied for Sumatra, but that is next week)

2. Italian Roast

3. Komodo Dragon

4. (Red) (But I especially like this coffee iced, just as an aside! I had an iced (Red) from the Clover today with 2 pumps classic and it was perfect!)

5. Gold Coast

6. Estima/Yukon (tie)

6.

I like Gold Coast blend.  I haven't paid much attention to it before and I think it's perfect for very cold weather.  Don't get that much where I live but it makes sense that it was developed for Chicago!  Taste was very bold and earthy and I agree with the others who said it's best with sweeter snacks.

Man did I enjoy this one! I was starting to think that there was something wrong with me for not enjoying the last few rounds of Bold choices. I was worried that I should have just stopped at Yukon because nothing could beat it, until GCB came around!

It had a rich robust undertone and was followed by a smooth finish. I was surprised with the comparisons and rankings of this coffee with the Italian Roast because that was my least favorite. But hey! Sometimes you just need to dive in and sample something different, which is why I'm so happy you are doing this! Thanks!

My order so far:

1) Gold Coast Blend

2) Yukon

3) (STARBUCKS)RED

4) Café Estima Blend

5) Komodo Dragon

6) Caffe Verona

7) Italian Roast

To do a good ranking, I think I would have to line them all up and taste them on the same day.  What I like seems to depend a lot on my mood!

I was surprised, when I tried the Gold Coast Blend, with its similarities to Verona (my favorite).  My memory had suggested a sharper, more acidic taste, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it smoother than expected.  It has a full flavor, and it "ages" well, so those of us who drink coffees slowly can still enjoy the same flavor as it cools.  All in all, a very good coffee.

I also enjoyed the write-up!  I think this was my favorite write-up of all the coffees so far. :)

Well, I didn't like this one so much.  I think what I didn't like was the aftertaste, most of all.  It was really weird to me.  I did detect the earthiness and the complexity; that may have been what led me to the final taste that I disliked.

WOW I am finally understanding what goes into good coffee!  :)

old Coast is my leasy favorite so far. 3 out of five

I sampled Gold Coast Blend for the first time this morning, and I truly enjoyed it.  I have quite a head cold, so I am not able to describe the coffee's aroma; however, the flavor was strong enough to pierce through the fog in my head.  Gold Coast Blend is what I had imagined bold coffee to be, before I sampled it.

I believe it is my second-favorite coffee in this promotion.  Italian Roast is still hanging on to the number one spot.

This particular blend is very aggressive and in-your-face when it comes to tasting. For me, it reminded me of tobacco. Actually, like a fine cigar. Now, I'm no smoker but its that scent that was brought to mind when I took a taste. Its like that sort of scent that evokes a sort of gentlemanly air, extremely worldly, sophisticated, & cultured. I was very excited to try this one out because I'd taken that test to see what blend would suit me based on answering a few questions. It recommended Verona & Gold Coast. I think I enjoy Gold Coast, I imagine it would pair well with waffles or french toast smothered in maple syrup.

I found the smell to be really mild and pleasant, it seems like every other Bold coffee was really strong and bitter smelling.

The taste was smooth but strong, a bit acidic. The after-taste was acidic. Gold Coast is probably 4th or 5th on my favorites list.

I really liked trying a new coffee every week, I did not really think of how many different coffees there were before.

This was my first taste of Gold Coast.  I found it to be mild rather than bold meaning I could drink it without half&half.  It was slightly sweet with a little spicy taste to it.  Good but doesn't beat my favorite Verona.

Mmm.  Me likey.  I can't decide what I taste.  But I likey.  Probably my number 2 of 3 behind Italian and Verona.  

Nice blend this week. Bold and fresh. I really enjoyed the Gold Coast tasting. Thank you AGAIN for having this program so we get out of our comfort zones .

Gold Coast is dark roast's dark roast, complete with notes of wood and a flat ashy finish.

I had always assumed the name had an Australian tie-in...

Regardless, great cup of coffee this morning.  Fresh, bold, and just a bit sweet.

This promotion has been a great experience.  I order espresso drinks 90% of the time at Starbucks, but the weekly bold has given me incentive to actually order and pay attention to the coffee.  Better caffeine kick, too :)

(please let the "special" be casi cielo)*cough

I am hoping the 'special' coffee would at least be one that it is apparent we like (from this)...or a more rare, not-so-attainable-to-everyone coffee.    casi-cielo is way low on my list, always has been....I know it's quite celebrated but.....not by me.  (plus it's in the stores, outside of Seattle, I mean)  

I thought this blend tasted pretty good -- not quite as good as the Estima of last week but it's still one I would drink black with no problem.

Gold Coast is definitely bold. Although I feel like it has a strange after taste.

I finally tried it late in the week.  It did have a bitter aftertaste and the aroma was strong but sweet?  It had a slight acidic taste, but I still cannot drink my coffee black to taste the "true" notes.  I truly need lots of milk and sugar.  :)

Since one of my favorites is Komodo, naturally I really enjoyed Gold Coast.  I didn’t get a chance to pair it with food, but I will next time – cheesecake, to be precise.  Gold Coast is perfectly bold, full-bodied, and versatile – can drink it black, or if adding bells and whistles (er, cream and sugar), it stands up well.  It has a nice earthy, ‘roasty’ aroma.

I didn’t get a chance to have Gold Coast as a Pour Over, but hopefully will in the future.

I’m sad we’re down to the final week, sniff sniff.

After an entire week of this coffee, I taste a very strong ingredient that makes my frontal lobe burn and excited - after just one cup.

( Unlike the rest of the bold coffees that i have had )

I like the taste of this coffee, but for me, i could not drink this all day.

www.buzzle.com/.../brain-lobes-diagram.jpg

My guess, the ingredient is cocoa