RE: Coffee Conversation: Comment and share a photo to WIN HIVE
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Hi, coffee lovers!
There are not many new brands to see in my city. You can almost always find the brand you're looking for because it's probably the same one you've used for a significant part of your life. In my case, I have gone back to buying Anzoategui coffee, a brand that has been around since my late mother was a baby. Café Anzoategui has been in the market for almost 80 years.
When I was little, like forty years ago, coffee beans were only for coffee shops; we bought it ground. I bought a kilo of Anzoátegui coffee beans last month and just bought another kilo a couple of days ago because we liked it so much.
It's arabica espresso beans. It's an aromatic coffee, strong without being bitter. For a commercial coffee, this one is quite smooth on the palate with a slightly fruity aftertaste that surprised me.
I was very skeptical at first, as it had been maybe ten years since I last bought this brand. The reason? The quality of the coffee fell steadily and steadily to the point of almost absolute scarcity. We Venezuelans were forced to drink awful coffee for two years or so (2015 & 2016). You had to pay a little fortune for a decent bunch of beans--I had green tea most of the time by then. Long story short, after buying a package of coffee from this brand that tasted horrible, I never bought it again until a month ago.
So this is the "new" kind of coffee I've been buying at super lately.
It is quite interesting that coffee that is available in the supermarkets in Europe is a lot different than the coffee sold in South America for instance. Although there are global brands, they seem to be different across the continents. Here in Eastern Europe you will most likely find coffee like Tchibo or Lavazza at the supermarkets. Recently they started selling Starbucks and Costa beans too, although they are more famous in North America.
A good deal of our local coffee--and cocoa--here in Venezuela are of excellent quality. I'd have to tell you a long story to illustrate why we're not exporting anymore. Big industries in Europe used to buy coffee--and cocoa and tobacco...--from us. Anyway, nowadays, Brazil is the top producer, followed closely by Colombia, both in Latin America; you can find Brazilian and Colombian coffee in any store here, sometimes for a price, depending on the quality. We don't need to spend much as there are also good roasters in the peripheral towns; many of them produce and consume coffee everyday that you could take for a specialty coffee, only that these humble people don't know it. Now, Anzoategui vs Lavazza, for example, well._ I love Lavazza, and it's a lot better than commercial Anzoategui if you ask me--and most people, I'm sure--, but not better than Los Altos Café Gourmet--I'll bet--produced here in my state, but Lavazza is thrice more expensive than the latter. And yet I could not drink the 5-6 cups I have per day if I had to pay for neither Lavazza nor for Los Altos Café Gourmet, let alone specialty coffee. I should find I third job 🥺😪 to afford that. There are many hues in this coffee world, my friend.
That’s a lot of info, thanks for that! The coffee market is very colorful nowadays… and I have to tell you that if I have 5-6 cups a day, specialty coffee would hit me hard too! I usually spend about $1,5-$2,5 per day, when I have 2-3 coffees and my wife has one or two. Doubling that would mean that I will have to spend about $100-$150 every month on coffee!
You make me feel like a coffee junkie 😂
I guess it's a family thing. My late mother and my sisters a and I; we're coffee freaks. Well, my dear coffee friend, if I could have access to specialty coffee ona regular basis, I wouldn't mind reducing my daily intake to 3 cups ❤️
It seems Anzoategui coffee found a way to win your heart again. Sorry about the last experience you had with the taste and all.
I'm sure it has been painful for you all to spend extra dollar to buy a better coffee.
Either ways, Anzoategui is back and it's amazing to know the quality has been improved upon. Happy sipping.
Yes, it was a relief! And I'm certainly happy to have come a long way since 2016. An extra dollar is always appreciated, hehe. However, I must say I don't mind paying an extra dollar for good coffee. It's my weakness.
I understand. I believe we should always pay the extra for good things too. So you have all of my support
😁
LOL
Good that you no longer have to drink green tea and that you have been able to find a quality coffee. A kilo a week is enough coffee for me hehe, I can see how much you like it! ☕
Oh, green tea is good, but coffee has my heart 😁
I don't use that kilo for the two of us at home only. I take coffee to my classes to treat my students, and also we get visits often. But I won't lie; I do have a lot of coffee during the day 😂
Apparently it is a very good coffee, you describe it very well and it even makes you want to try it. Very nice packaging, I love that black and gold, it gives it a lot of elegance.
Let's continue enjoying a delicious coffee this Sunday morning.☕
I leave you a delicious cup of coffee for this day.
Our producers like to use golden hues for the packages of what they call premium coffee. Even the coffee is not so good, the luxurious package contributes to create the illusion 😂🤣
Hello @marlyncabrera. How nice your reference about Anzoategui coffee, because it was among my favorite brands and left behind by these experiences you relate. I am delighted to know that it is back on the market and with excellent quality. Greetings, happy beginning of the week. 😊
You know what's I'm talking about. It was a sad episode indeed for us coffeeholics. My late granny on my mother's side used La Laja; I think it was torrefacto coffee, which meant it was cheap--nowadays science has shown us that torrefacto coffee has more benefits to our health than traditional roasted coffee, but forty years ago it just meant coffee for the poor. I also remember the best coffee shop in town only used Fama de América beans. A lot of water under the bridge ever since, my coffee friend!
Fortunately, it seems our coffee brands are improving the quality of their products. Let's hope for a happy ending 😁☕
A brand with tradition. I will tell you that you encourage me to look for the brand from when my mother used to prepare breakfast for us and tell us how she used to drink her coffee as a child (typical of Venezuelans to drink coffee since they were little). I hope you enjoy the tradition, flavor and memories of your coffee.
Anzoátegui was one of my favorite coffees, but we know the story behind it. It was hard to get a coffee like that and we went through many horror stories: coffee combined with black beans, unpleasant flavors. It was a luxury to get a good coffee like the ones from before. Here in Colombia I am on holiday trying all the ones I can get and the experience has been good.
I am very glad that Anzoátegui coffee is back and that you are enjoying it, dear friend.