Starbucks is simply bad coffe. You can't get around it. When a bean is over roasted it isn't even a subjective, personal opinion issue anymore. It's over roasted. It's burnt. It's bitter. It's bad. Anyone who says differently doesn't know coffee. Period. They are the Bose of the coffee world. Lame product, great marketing.

Not like I've put too much thought into it......

So then what is good coffee??

So far Starbuck's Sumatra is the best I have had. Good to know you are an expert on my tastebuds.

Anthony,
Are you an Aussie? I only ask because most Americans have never had the oportunity to taste truly good coffee and Starbucks is probably considered to be the pick of what is available there. If you guys in the states want a really great coffee, take a trip to Melbourne.

Or, take a trip to Jamaica and taste some Blue Mountain coffee. They brew it stronger than Starbucks believe it or not. Up here in New England there is a two to five cents difference in Dunkin's vs. Starbuck's coffee's. Dunkin' coffee is some of the most plain coffee I have had, can't even use milk or cream, too watery. You might find your guys like the "high end" element that goes with Starbuck's coffee. Starbuck's Kenyan blend all the way!!

Back to the original question. QQQ I would "trim" by removing equipment instead of infrastructure. Wire for an audio zone, just don't put in the speakers or keypad. Do 5 plasmas instead of 10. Things like that.

We are not working on the same level, but when I get H/Os that ask me to sharpen my $10K bids, I tell them this isn't like buying a car there is no negotation. I have expenses and we install high quality equipment. We can go down in equipment (i.e. speakers, receivers, etc.), but wire and connectors stay the same.

For good coffee here in the midwest I can go to Dunn Bros. The roast the beans inhouse so they are fresh. I even have the owner call me when he is roasting a batch of good Kona Beans. Other than that I find much better luck at small independent 'real' coffee shops.

Would people please stop answering me as if I am serious :-)? This was a takeoff on Ed's thread where he was trying to save a couple of thousand on a 200K system by moving from 14/4 to 16/4.

I still liike Dunkin Doughnuts better, but just to be sure, I asked some of my police friends and they concurred.

Second the Dunn brothers and the Jamaican Blue mountain coffee.

Another way to save cash is to go to movie theaters and syphon gas. Bring some mouthwash, because even the ethanol enhanced gas has a bad aftertaste.

(note: the second statement was a joke. do not try this at home.)

No Dunn brothers here on the west coast.

Would love to go to Jamica, just not in the budget this year. Was in Maui last summer and had plenty of Kona, great coffee. Still love my Bose, I mean Starbucks.

Maybe Thon can come over here and explain how stupid we are because there is no difference between coffee and plain water on the molecular level. I am sure he will have many valid claims like that because you cannot disprove him, he must be telling the truth.

Then if he gets proven wrong, he will scoff at the replies and claim that his superior understanding is what we all lack, because he studied this (or whatever) topic many years ago (in a magazine at the Dentist's office).

In the spirit of hijacking this thread, for years I orderd my coffee from San Francisco; a place called Grafayo. I have never warmed to Kona or Blue Mountain but Yagacheffee or Sumatran beans are my preferred beans to brew when I am looking to partake in legally additctive drugs.

The real question is when does the tripple Q ever post a serious thread?

Alan

Amen. The exact, perfect answer. Couldn't have said it better if I had thought of it myself, which I wouldn't have.

As for this being a fake, Q has a habit of doing this kind of thing but he must be getting old, he usually uses an alias.