United's Onboard Coffee (Fresh Brew Kova) - Reviews, Questions, Etc.
Feb 3, 2012, 3:44 pm
#46
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Feb 3, 2012, 6:12 pm
#48
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Feb 3, 2012, 8:06 pm
#49
formerly known as felinaar
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Good news. Even Starbucks was better than the they serve now.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Feb 4, 2012 at 10:17 am Reason: language
Feb 3, 2012, 9:21 pm
#50
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lol, only on FT does a thread about coffee have 4 pages posted within only a few hours. That said, I have been boycotting UA's new coffee (maybe this was UA's plan all along to save $ as less coffee is consumed as I would frequently have refills on PMUA's delicious Starbucks). Agreed that Freshpoo is abysmal. Here's hoping that the new blend is better, but I'm not holding my breath.
BTW, FWIW, I thought the article the OP mentioned was very well-written, insightful, and informative.
BTW, FWIW, I thought the article the OP mentioned was very well-written, insightful, and informative.
Feb 4, 2012, 7:55 am
#52
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lol, only on FT does a thread about coffee have 4 pages posted within only a few hours. That said, I have been boycotting UA's new coffee (maybe this was UA's plan all along to save $ as less coffee is consumed as I would frequently have refills on PMUA's delicious Starbucks). Agreed that Freshpoo is abysmal. Here's hoping that the new blend is better, but I'm not holding my breath.
BTW, FWIW, I thought the article the OP mentioned was very well-written, insightful, and informative.
BTW, FWIW, I thought the article the OP mentioned was very well-written, insightful, and informative.
I have been boycotting UAs new coffee as well, especially the foul instant decaf. I have decided instead of merely caffeine avoidance, I will cost them money by counter-caffeine alcohol in the Bailys.
Feb 4, 2012, 8:11 am
#53
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I don't understand why anyone thinks that StarBucks coffee is so great. It is way over priced and taste worst than Cajan coffee.
I bet that all of those who think it is so good would throw a wild fix if their Wine taste like that stuff does.
Real coffee should be like a very fine wine smooth, lite and mellow. The reason for the burnt bitter taste of airline coffee is the amount used to make a pot. the coffee sellers want you to use lots of coffee to make a cup or pot so they can sell more of the coffee grounds.
I bet that all of those who think it is so good would throw a wild fix if their Wine taste like that stuff does.
Real coffee should be like a very fine wine smooth, lite and mellow. The reason for the burnt bitter taste of airline coffee is the amount used to make a pot. the coffee sellers want you to use lots of coffee to make a cup or pot so they can sell more of the coffee grounds.
lol, only on FT does a thread about coffee have 4 pages posted within only a few hours. That said, I have been boycotting UA's new coffee (maybe this was UA's plan all along to save $ as less coffee is consumed as I would frequently have refills on PMUA's delicious Starbucks). Agreed that Freshpoo is abysmal. Here's hoping that the new blend is better, but I'm not holding my breath.
BTW, FWIW, I thought the article the OP mentioned was very well-written, insightful, and informative.
BTW, FWIW, I thought the article the OP mentioned was very well-written, insightful, and informative.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Feb 4, 2012 at 10:18 am Reason: merge
Feb 4, 2012, 10:56 pm
#54
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Boy, you guys are passionate about your coffee.
I'm not a coffee person, but I overheard one of the FAs during a recent flight offer up one of her personal stash of VIA instant coffee to the captain.
I'm not a coffee person, but I overheard one of the FAs during a recent flight offer up one of her personal stash of VIA instant coffee to the captain.
Feb 5, 2012, 2:00 pm
#55
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Feb 5, 2012, 2:49 pm
#56
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Meh... just bring your own
This is why I bring my own tea and SBUX Via instant coffee. Either is going to be far better than what the airline has to offer. It's easier on the FAs too.
Feb 5, 2012, 5:11 pm
#57
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I think it's somewhat a good sign that they went through the effort of some analysis and are changing the coffee based on customer input.
Now as for whether this will make people happy? Not so sure.
I'm sure that us coffee snobs will be unhappy, but is that where the bar should be set for UA? I think there's an argument that the standard *should* be the supposedly crappy coffee from Dunkin' Donuts. BTW, I find DD very drinkable as standard American coffee goes and would be satisfied if UA could do as well at 30,000 feet.
I noticed that Starbucks has created lighter roasts. I wonder how these compare to the Fresh Brew Kova?
Regarding the flight attendant testing, I'd like to anger 90% of them and say that I bet that 90% of them don't know good coffee from bad. And here's why they shouldn't be angry: 90% of Americans don't know good coffee from bad. I think even 80% of the people at Startbucks don't know good coffee from bad.
BTW, along the same lines, I like milk with my coffee. However, I find that when I ask for milk, the flight attendant seems to always bring me coffee that is 20% milk. This is crazy! Apparently, I must be unusual in only wanting a little milk with my coffee. And yes, I've tried asking for "just a little milk".
BTW, I also think the fact that I take milk points to a potential solution: it's easy to make darker roasts acceptable to those who like lighter roasts - just add more milk/cream/fat. It's impossible to make light roasts acceptable to those who like dark roasts. Therefore, I assert that UA should err to the side of darker roasts.
Now as for whether this will make people happy? Not so sure.
I'm sure that us coffee snobs will be unhappy, but is that where the bar should be set for UA? I think there's an argument that the standard *should* be the supposedly crappy coffee from Dunkin' Donuts. BTW, I find DD very drinkable as standard American coffee goes and would be satisfied if UA could do as well at 30,000 feet.
I noticed that Starbucks has created lighter roasts. I wonder how these compare to the Fresh Brew Kova?
Regarding the flight attendant testing, I'd like to anger 90% of them and say that I bet that 90% of them don't know good coffee from bad. And here's why they shouldn't be angry: 90% of Americans don't know good coffee from bad. I think even 80% of the people at Startbucks don't know good coffee from bad.
BTW, along the same lines, I like milk with my coffee. However, I find that when I ask for milk, the flight attendant seems to always bring me coffee that is 20% milk. This is crazy! Apparently, I must be unusual in only wanting a little milk with my coffee. And yes, I've tried asking for "just a little milk".
BTW, I also think the fact that I take milk points to a potential solution: it's easy to make darker roasts acceptable to those who like lighter roasts - just add more milk/cream/fat. It's impossible to make light roasts acceptable to those who like dark roasts. Therefore, I assert that UA should err to the side of darker roasts.
Feb 5, 2012, 9:13 pm
#58
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Feb 6, 2012, 8:34 pm
#59
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On SFO-BOS today one fella in F brought coffee for the FAs to brew and share with the rest of the cabin. Pretty bad when folks bring their own coffee to brew.
Feb 6, 2012, 8:58 pm
#60
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Regarding the flight attendant testing, I'd like to anger 90% of them and say that I bet that 90% of them don't know good coffee from bad. And here's why they shouldn't be angry: 90% of Americans don't know good coffee from bad. I think even 80% of the people at Startbucks don't know good coffee from bad.
Nah, seriously though, even I'll drink at Starbucks if I'm in an unfamiliar place and don't know where to find good coffee. I'm a low-grade coffee snob, which means that I'd rather drink Starbucks than have a caffeine withdrawl headache. I have friends who are the other way around, though, and will take the headache over the Starbucks.
Anyway, like you say it's unrealistic to expect airline coffee to be truly satisfactory to coffee snobs (or airline wine to be satisfactory to wine snobs, or airline cheese to be satisfactory to cheese snobs). The airline isn't gonna spend five bucks a cup for delicious Ethiopian single-origin monkey-picked coffee which will only be appreciated by 1% of the flying public. So I don't expect a *good* (by my pointlessly high standards) cup of coffee on a plane, but I'd appreciate one which at least tastes vaguely coffee-like. I find it hard to believe the new one won't at least be an improvement over the old one.
In the meantime, my workaround is tea!