MSI Coffee Tasting Club Week #8 - Sumatra

I grew up in a divided household, my dad is a morning person and my mom is not. My dad, a writer, would wake up around 4 a.m. My mom, an avid reader, would stay up late in the evening to turn just a few more pages. Strong coffee kept my childhood harmonious. After his first few cups of coffee and first few hours at his desk, my dad would brew a fresh pot around seven and gently set a mug on my mom’s nightstand, keeping communication to a minimum.

In my own home, we've developed our own ritual, we take turns brewing the coffee.  I am the morning person every other morning.  I introduced my parents to Starbucks® Sumatra coffee a few years back and they started drinking it exclusively. Sumatra pairs amazingly well with all things breakfast: maple bacon, buttery toast and dad’s favorite, cinnamon dusted oatmeal. It also has low acidity, which makes it an approachable morning coffee - no matter what time you get up.

It is no wonder this coffee is our most popular single-origin coffee, it appeals to many different palates and is even offered in decaf. It is our family favorite for its versatility; full-bodied Sumatra can coax you out from under the covers or fill the quiet in a house of sleeping people.



Betterbefore
4/27/2010 6:11 AM

just lost my first attempt (poof) so will be shorter.

Eight weeks already!!!! amazing.....

Loved doing this, reminded me of the old days of Starbuck's...

Yesterday I had a tall pour-over Sumatra and a refill with brewed.  I do like brewed better.  Definitely an earthy aroma and flavor, very full and intense.  Did not have a clean finish, which is a negative for me.  Also, a little too much bite.   This has always been one of my once-in-awhile-coffees, so...just ok.

My faves:

1) Yirgacheffe.   (just kidding, I know it wasn't included but I LOVE it)

1) Verona & Italian Roast tie for one.....couldn't pick, if I had to, maybe Verona

2) Yukon and Gold Coast tie for 2nd.

3) Estima

4) Sumatra

5) RED

6) Komodo

and, I think this is one of favorite videos.  

as an aside, I had a Greek honey yogurt parfait yesterday. Wow!  soooo good.  that will be a favorite for sure.  sorry I didn't try it sooner.

Thanx so much for doing this.....very good experience, and fun.

Betterbefore
4/27/2010 6:17 AM

ps: I grew up in a house (not divided) but where coffee was a central point.  Both my parents were early risers, 5:30A would be unheard of (late), even after my dad retired.  And whoever was up first plugged in the coffee pot (usually my dad) and brought a cup to the other.   really sweet.    so, my sisters and I and now all grandchildren, have coffee as the same  central gathering point.  we all grew up that way.....  coffee = love where I come from.

Thale
4/27/2010 10:06 AM

I enjoyed the Sumatra.  A full flavor, but as mentioned not acidic.  It also "ages" nicely, maintaining a consistent flavor as it cools.  I was pleasantly surprised by Sumatra as well.  I've tried all of the Starbucks bold coffees before this Tasting Club, but it's funny how I've been surprised by a couple of the coffees tasting different than my memory served, I think because there's been no rhyme nor reason to what was served when in the past and so I just took whatever was available without paying too much attention.  

My favorite is still Verona, and second place is pretty close between (Red) and Sumatra.  As mentioned by someone in last week's Tasting Club comments, I'm not sure I can do an accurate ranking without tasting all of them at the same time, but here's my attempt:

1. Verona (definitely)

2. (Red) (I think...)

3. Sumatra

4. Cafe Estima

5. Yukon

6. Gold Coast

7. Italian Roast

8. Komodo

Starbucks, thanks for running the Tasting Club!!  This was great. :)  If I may suggest, it would be nice to do a Tasting Club of the milder coffees in place of (or including) Pikes Place - I miss the variety there also!

danib62
4/27/2010 10:23 AM

Sumatra is one of my favorites. It's just a straight up bold coffee that pairs well with almost anything.

curtis206
4/27/2010 10:55 AM

It's just a across the board good coffee.  A great even taste for occasional sippers to the advanced palate connoisseurs.  Like it has been mentioned, this blend is flexible and can be paired with everything tasty or by itself.

Kylana
4/27/2010 11:42 AM

This one's definitely a rough coffee with a distinctly earthy aroma. It paired well with the cupcake I picked up. It had a smoky, earthy taste and wasn't smooth at all even with milk and sugar.

sbx_bean
4/27/2010 12:24 PM

Thanks for leading this week's tasting sbx_esch!  I tasted Sumatra twice today - 1st stop was at my neighborhood Starbucks brewed in the Clover.  Whew - that is a BOLD coffee.  Definately woke me up and a great start to the day.  The second tasting was with the team at the office.  We tasted it paired with a rosemary cracker and cheese to help bring out it's herbal notes - delicious.

IMO this is the best coffee showcased in the brewed method.  

smooveb
4/27/2010 1:37 PM

The other bold coffees have started to overshadow Sumatra for me, but it still is a winner for rich, meaty foods.

Aroma- earthy

Acidity- very mild

Body- thick and rich

Flavor- those last bites of a grilled steak

pechipy1
4/27/2010 3:57 PM

This, to me, was one of the better of the promotion, but not my absolute favorite. It has a very earthy aroma, full, heavy, syrupy body, and not the cleanest finish in the world but smoother than many.

This may sound very weird, but does anyone else find Sumatra to have almost like mushroom-y notes? That's something I always pick up on when drinking Sumatra.

Now, for the final ranking. Still, nothing tops Italian in my books.

1) Italian

2) Gold Coast

3) Verona

4) Sumatra

5)RED

6) Komodo/Yukon TIE

7) Estima

Now that the eight weeks are done, I'm starting to wonder what the special coffee will be...

daccord
4/27/2010 4:25 PM

The dominant flavor I noticed is a smokiness toward the mid-back of the tongue. I also sensed some herbal-spicy notes in the background. The body is very heavy. There is a slight tartness, but I did not sense an accompanying acidity. Unfortunately, Sumatra sometimes (roughly 3 times out of 5) has an aftertaste of rubber or petroleum when I drink it---so pervasive that I can't drink more than a few ounces. (I checked my travel mug, but the seals are silicone, not rubber.) I think Sumatra tastes better as a Clover brew or French press; these brewing methods squelch the rubbery taste and highlight the rich, smoky, herbal flavors. Among the "extra bold" coffees, I'd rather have French Roast or Gold Coast; among Indonesian coffees, I'd rather have Komodo Dragon.

COFFEEISLIFE
4/27/2010 7:07 PM

Wow i made it to the last week. . . .. .. . Free pound of coffee . .. .. and a free tall coffee to boot.

I see you saved 1 of the best for the last week.

I say that this coffee is well balanced, through and through.

This will take my second place very easily.

According to the shelves my list is accurite best to least best.

#1 Komodo

#2 Sumatra

#3 Yukon

#4 Estima

#5 Verona

#6 Red

#7 Italian roast

#8 Gold Coast -

kerr_berr
4/28/2010 7:15 AM

Wow!  I can't believe the 8 weeks are up.  I'm going to miss it as it kept me interested and ordering something other than my normal everyday same ole same ole from Starbucks.  I think this one was a very bold, but drinkable coffee.  It didn't have that bite at the finish that I don't really care for in other strong coffees.  I had it with a piece of coffee cake.  At first, I did not like the 1st couple of bites of my coffee cake after sipping the Sumatra.  However, after a couple of more bites and alternating sips, it turned out to be a nice pair of earthiness (coffee) and sweet (coffee cake).  

COFFEEISLIFE
4/28/2010 7:27 AM

#1 Komodo

#2 Sumatra

#3 Yukon

#4 Estima

#5 Verona

#6 Red

#7 Italian roast

#8 pike place

#9 Gold Coast -

Hayley
4/28/2010 7:37 AM

this is a good coffee - enjoyed it more than Estima, Red and Komodo even maybe more than Verona.  It has a heavy mouth feel, almost like I'm drinking a latte when I added a splash of cream to it.

When I had it black I could definitely taste the earthy notes, the mushroom comment wasn't far off.  In my opinion, I think this would pair much better with a sturdy breakfast like eggs and sausage than with pancakes or a pastry.  

Very bold, very assertive and one of the better picks. Syrupy is right on with the description above.

Favorite was Itailian and probably will be the bag I choose.  Starbucks - you're still not going to hint at what the coffee is for the MSI tasting club?  :-)

jeteaimee
4/28/2010 8:44 AM

Wow, what a coffee.  This was my first time to try Sumatra, and it kind of make me think of a crazy-strong Komodo.  Big and bold for sure, but I will have to try it again to see if it's really for me.

Suneel Kapur
4/28/2010 9:40 AM

Sumatra is an old friend of mine, and a great way to conclude this eight-week promotion.  I find the flavor even from start to finish, with reminders of dry wood.  Overall, it has a dry feeling, which is interesting for a liquid.

I have truly enjoyed this promotion, and I believe I have learned some more about coffee along the way.  Thank you very much, Starbucks, for the experience, and for my free pound of Italian Roast.

flukes
4/28/2010 10:14 AM

Ok, I'm late on my post because again my nearby store didn't start offering Sumatra until today, instead of Monday.  Anyway, I liked this one, because it was bold yet not acidic or bitter.  I've really enjoyed this tasting program.  I agree with Thale...there should be another tasting program of milder coffees, so we can explore others besides Pike's.  So here's my final ranking:

1. Komodo Dragon

2. Africa: red

3. Sumatra

4. Yukon

5. Cafe Estima

6. Gold Coast

7. Verona

8. Italian roast

Stew_the_Moose
4/28/2010 11:09 AM

Post lunch, needed caffination.  Discovered it was warmer outside than in my office, ok not really, but it certainly felt that way.  Nice folks at the store, chick before me on line waits until told her bill before digging in her huge purse for her wallet.  Idiot.  Coffee has now cooled enough to taste and enjoy.  As usual, a bit burnt and strong without being bitter.  Half & half has been added to calm the flavor of superfluous fire.  The muted scorch is nice, and cream reveals simple flavor of coffee:  No hints of this or that, nevermind the other, is coffee, dark and strong.

Sumatra and Komodo are my favorites of the test months.  :)

vinzbee
4/28/2010 11:47 AM

Wow, I didn't realize it has been 8 weeks already since the promotion began!  It's been an awesome ride!  I love how I was able to try out 8 different blends and for the last one, I like its earthy boldness and its aroma.  I paired it with a small muffin and they're a perfect match.

phoneboy
4/28/2010 3:18 PM

I can taste the smoke and spice that some of the other people noted. Doesn't quite finish as clean as some of the others, but it's ok.

sarcla
4/28/2010 7:32 PM

Interesting and very STRONG, I did like it better than a couple of the others.  I did not like it with anything sweet - I even tried it with a very slightly sweet kugel bite and it still tasted way off.  I liked it better on a clean palate.  It was very earthy, very dark to me.  I've enjoyed coming to know the bold coffees!

mgnicosia
4/29/2010 5:02 AM

A thin, abrasive coffee, with a too-strong finish. Not caring for the aftertaste. Komodo is still the  best of the options.

icefan
4/29/2010 6:58 AM

Wow, 8 weeks gone already, that went fast, you need to have a 10 week tasting club in the summer to help us moms get through school vacation- - maybe iced tea tasting club??

 As for Sumatra I always thought it was my favorite bold, but this past week I've found it to be a bit too "strong" for me.  I like it for once in a while, probably with eggs, bacon and hash browns or a bagel and cream cheese.  I found it to be hearty and heavy in a generally good way.  As for the overall rankings I think I was most pleasantly surprised by the Komodo, and it shares first place with Gold Coast Blend.  

What are people on here referring to about a surprise coffee chosen by Starbucks????

sbx_bean
4/29/2010 10:12 AM

Thanks everyone for sharing your notes on Sumatra and throughout the eight weeks.  For those of you who participated each week, I'll be sending you a special coffee.  

JoelsGarage
4/29/2010 10:14 AM

Sumatra.  Hmmm.  This coffee is undistinguished to me.  It's just...normal I guess.  My final lineup:

1. Italian Roast

2. Verona

3. Komoda

4. Gold Coast

5. Yukon

6. Sumatra

7. Estima

8. Red (blechh)

Thanks Starbucks for this experience!

mariaangelica
4/29/2010 10:37 AM

I had the Sumatra brewed in a Clover a couple of weeks ago and I was totally amazed. I had heard a lot about the Clover, but I didn't expect I would be able to feel such a difference. The earthy aroma, mild acidity and full body were even more accentuated.

I would like to finalize this series of comments thanking everybody involved in this project. I confess I had never stopped before to realize that Starbucks offered such a variety of different coffees and now I can really appreciate it!

COFFEEISLIFE
4/29/2010 11:05 AM

Very Nice Thank You

icefan
4/29/2010 11:25 AM

Cecile,

How will you know our address to send the surprise coffee to if  we participated each week??

Hayley
4/29/2010 8:28 PM

Cecile,

I don't know if the anonymous comment was actually you.  But how will you know where to send the surprise coffees to?  I don't know if our MSI names link up to the account info with our registered cards.

James Devlin
4/30/2010 8:15 AM

Well week 8 definitely went out with a BANG! The tasting started off great with Yukon, than I thought I started out too strong (pun intended) - some of my least favorites during the tasting followed, with the exception of (Red), the Italian Roast, Komodo, Verona and Estima were my personal least favorites.

Coming to week 7 I took my obligatory first sip in front of the Barista as we chatted about the week's sampling and my eyes lit up! I finally found something that equaled if not bettered week 1. Than today, I repeated  my process and enjoyed Sumatra. I've always looked at it afraid to change from my normal Pike Place, but not anymore! This weeks Bold choice has won my favorite of the sampling! Thanks!

For my final scoring, I'll go with this:

1) Sumatra

2) TIE - Gold Coast / Yukon

3) (RED)

4) Estima

5) Komodo

6) Verona

7) Italian Roast

This has been a blast. Thanks for doing this, I'd even say that I would and I'm sure others on here would do this even without the free coffee perk (another pun intended - again)!

sbx_bean
4/30/2010 8:23 AM

@icefan - I need your mailing address.  Please send it to me at info@mystarbucksidea.com.

sbx_bean
4/30/2010 8:24 AM

@Hayley - Your coffee is on its way.  I had your address from when I sent you the coffee journey card.

sbx_bean
4/30/2010 8:26 AM

Great notes James Devlin!  Glad you found a new favorite.

amazonv
4/30/2010 10:58 AM

My Notes:

Smell: spice, roast

Taste: spice, earth, slight acidity

After taste: spice

Not really a memorable cup, bot great and not bad.

Those 8 weeks flew by too fast!

My preferences, best to worst, so far:

1) Caffe Verona

2) Gold Coast Blend

3) Italian Roast

4) Sumatra

5) Yukon

6) (STARBUCKS)RED

7) Café Estima Blend

8) Komodo Dragon

islandsnoopy
4/30/2010 11:21 AM

Sumatra is most certainly BOLD and needed more than a splash of half 'n' half.  Good flavor but not my favorite.

What a wonderful eight weeks!  I wouldn't have sampled most of these coffees, but the past eight weeks has given me a renewed appreciation for my favorite bold coffee, Verona!

Thanks Starbucks!  Looking forward to more coffee journeys!

PeterFox
4/30/2010 3:17 PM

It's hard to believe all eight weeks are done!!  I very much enjoyed Sumatra - it was wonderful to be able to drink all these coffees in succession to compare them to each other.

I found the Sumatra to be STRONG!  But as the description says, not acidic.  And I thought it had a good coffee taste.  Unfortunately I do not have a sophisticated enough palate to be able to describe it further!

I will definitely have to include some Sumatra in my coffee rotations.

Overall I thought the nicest coffee was Cafe Estima.

Hayley
4/30/2010 7:55 PM

1) Italian Roast

2) Gold Coast

3)Sumatra

4)Yukon

5)Caffe Verona

6)Starbucks (Red)

7)Komodo

8)Cafe Estima

vanillachai
5/1/2010 9:14 AM

Having Sumatra before, I knew what to expect. It was full bodied, very syrupy and spicy for my taste. This isnt something I'd want to have first thing in the morning. Maybe after 10am. But that's just me. I'd rank this one below Yukon. Both of them tend to be a little stronger than I'd like, personally.

jeteaimee
5/1/2010 12:42 PM

I went in this morning and traded in my full bold sampling card for a nice big package of organic Yukon.  Thanks for the reward!  Also, my special coffee came in the mail... (spoiler alert, haha) Ethiopia Sun-dried Yirgacheffe!  I have neither tried nor heard of this one before, but it sounds really special.  I am looking forward to grinding it up and giving it a try in the morning.  You're so good to us :)

Hayley
5/1/2010 5:23 PM

It is amazing...it tastes like blueberries!  I have tried it before I was fortunate enough to have a bag sent to me a few months ago.  I had just run out of it too!  I received mine in the mail too!  Thanks Cecile!

Hayley
5/1/2010 5:25 PM

Cecile I need to ask you a question directly.  Can I get in touch with you by emailing info@mystarbucksidea.com?  It's about the coffee.

parkerboy
5/1/2010 7:21 PM

I enjoyed my cup of Sumatra this week so much that I got a refill before leaving the store. I don't know how to describe it but the flavor was very dense, right on the edge of being almost too much but not. I tasted some fruitiness and a lot of earthiness. It wasn't very acidic at all.

LoreneRomero
5/1/2010 10:42 PM

What a great way to end the tasting program. I really enjoyed this full bodied coffee. Sumatra is now my second favorite bold and just barely under the wire after RED. I had not tried Sumatra before and it really kicked the other coffees to the curb.

Love the tasting club, I hope Starbucks does more. If so I will sign up immediately. I love a challenge.

Betterbefore
5/2/2010 6:12 AM

yes, SWEET reward!   Thank you!!!  (Hayley, I knew you'd be so happy, too)  

Melody, where are you on this week? I don't see you here???

Melody
5/2/2010 10:38 AM

I drank Sumatra on numerous occasions this week. It's a favorite of mine in so many ways. I love the hints of mushrooms. I did collect all the stickers, and nearly all during lunch hours at my favorite downtown Seattle stores.

Thank you so much for eight weeks of bold. Truly the best eight weeks of my Starbucks experience in a long long long time.

Please do this again soon!!!

Melody

"StarbucksMelody" (hahaha)

Hayley
5/2/2010 12:57 PM

There's Melody!  Haha I was - Betterbefore!

I should point out that the Yirgacheffe I was fortunate enough to receive a few months ago, was from none other than Melody.  You guys are lucky to have such a great ambassador in her!

TheKwan
5/2/2010 10:23 PM

Sumatra is, for me, a workhorse coffee.  It’s very satisfying, full-bodied, with lots of pop.  It is extra bold, spicy, and earthy.  It’s the coffee whose aroma would help get me up and out of a sleepy daze.  

It’s good on its own or paired with foods, and is one that I can drink every day.  I’m glad it’s available in decaf, so I can savor it after dinner with my favorite desserts, and not be wired all night.

So happy that Starbucks had this great promotion.  I can’t say which is my favorite, but my top 3 are probably Yukon, Komodo, and Sumatra.

It’s been a wonderful journey.  Thanks, Starbucks (and mystarbucksidea)!  

Anonymous
5/3/2010 6:21 AM

Sumatra is awesome!  Very strong, kind of fruity and not acidic at all.  A great one to kick your butt awake!

agentjason
5/3/2010 8:09 AM

Oops.  Wasn't logged in before.

Sumatra is awesome!  Very strong, kind of fruity and not acidic at all.  A great one to kick your butt awake!

czech_elle
5/3/2010 11:11 AM

I was pleasantly surprised by Sumatra, it had a nice earthy scent, was a bit sweet, and was not too strong.

This was a great promotion, I hope Starbucks does something like this again, I was tried a variety of coffees and discovered a new favorite in Cafe Estima.

I just realized that I posted a day late, but I have been participating every week....

sbx_bean
5/3/2010 3:38 PM

Thanks for participating czech_elle.  Please send me your mailing address at info@mystarbucksidea.com and I'll send you a special coffee.

Anonymous
5/3/2010 5:16 PM

Sumatra was not my favorite. I thought it had too much bite and found it left a bitter aftertaste. (Not as much as the Komodo, though!)

Cafe Estima and Cafe Verona were by far my favorites.

(Thanks, Cecile, for sending me the link to this page.)

marjimarks
5/3/2010 5:20 PM

Oops, too. (Didn't realize the system had logged me out until after I left the comment.)

Also wanted to say thanks, Starbucks, for this truly enjoyable event.

COFFEEISLIFE
5/5/2010 6:05 PM

Thank-You Thank-You Thank-You Thank-You

COFFEEISLIFE
5/5/2010 6:06 PM

How many beans do i grind up to make a 16 oz cup of coffee?

COFFEEISLIFE
5/5/2010 6:09 PM

Is it possible to get a pour over contraption  ?  Even if it is used , i would be grateful.

What kind of  small grinder would work to make one cup of coffee at a time? Any recommendations ?

James Devlin
5/10/2010 7:43 AM

That Ethiopia Sun-dried Yirgacheffe is so yummy! Will we be able to buy it in store?

sbx_bean
5/10/2010 1:54 PM

@ James Devlin.  Ethiopia Yirgacheffe is a limited supply that was only available at Starbucks Clover stores.  It's a rare treat.  I'm glad you like it.

COFFEEISLIFE
5/16/2010 12:56 PM

Thank You

i gots a grinder machine and adapter for my kuerig machine

grinded up some Ethiopia Yirgacheffe - which takes trialing

a very earthy balanced cup of coffee - a pleasant surprise

#1 Komodo

#2 Ethiopia Yirgacheffe - mood affected- For me this coffee could be also my #1 or #3 choice

#3 Sumatra

#4 Yukon

#5 Estima

#6 Verona

#7 Red

#8 Italian roast

#9 pike place

#10 Gold Coast -

James Devlin
5/18/2010 12:23 PM

Too bad on that. I'd like to get some more...


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