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:
