The controversy continues to rage over the supposed anti-Christmas overtone of Starbucks' new Christmas Red Cups, even meriting a call to boycott by US Presidential Candidate Donald Trump: "I have one of the most successful Starbucks in Trump Tower. Maybe we should boycott Starbucks? I don't know. Seriously, I don't care. That's the end of that lease, but who cares?" Trump continues, "If I become president, we're all going to be saying Merry Christmas again, that I can tell you. That I can tell you."
While this call may have been made harder to follow because of the early offering of Starbucks coffee in holiday flavours this November, many took a laid back stance with the hashtag #ItsJustACup on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The #ItsJustACup quip is an apt reminder that many other pressing issues such as the recent Paris attacks should take priority in the public's attention.
Still and all, the preoccupation with Starbucks coffee and all things coffee paint just how successful and far-reaching the coffee industry is. The integration of coffee as a necessary daily commodity is reflected in the National Coffee Drinking Trends 2015 report of daily coffee consumption by 59 percent of Americans, with those aged 60 and above as the biggest coffee-drinking demographic.
Here are a few notes on this almost-staple drink by the National Coffee Association USA, for beginners or even regular coffee-drinkers looking to expand the coffee-drinking experience. These are some tips on how to tell which among the coffee roast levels is best for which occasion or preference:
#Dark Roast Coffee
This coffee roast level may range from a regular dark to a burnt roast. It is often recommended for those with sensitive stomachs as the darker that coffee is roasted, the less acidity it has. Examples of the usual variety labels seen on dark roast coffee are: "High, Continental, New Orleans, European, Espresso, Viennese, Italian, French." Dark roast coffee beans are black, shiny, oily and quite bitter.
#Medium Dark Roast Coffee
This type of roast has slight less oily beans than the dark roast coffee beans and may have a bittersweet aftertaste to it as it still retains a balance of roasting with the original coffee bean flavour. A common variety label on medium dark roast coffee is Full City.
#Medium Roast Coffee
Medium roast coffee beans often labeled as the American roast, being the common preference in the US, are medium brown and are not oily. As with medium dark roast coffee, this variety creates a good balance between the roast and the original essence of the coffee beans. Examples of the usual variety label on medium roast coffee are "City, American and Breakfast".
#Light Roast Coffee
The light roast is the closest to the original taste of the coffee beans and is considered the mild variety. The earthy, fruity or even floral essence in a coffee bean variety is more easily tasted. The roasting in a way that the oil does not come out of the beans. The variety labels often seen on light roast coffee are "Light City, Half City and Cinnamon."