It’s baffling that in a world where wine lists offer an extensive array of choices, most coffee shops limit their options to just one or two roasts. As a casual coffee drinker, I find this lack of choice particularly frustrating, given my partner and I have distinct preferences for dark, chocolatey blends over acidic, citrusy ones.
The divide in coffee flavor profiles is real, yet it’s rarely catered to beyond the most specialist independent coffee shops. My partner, who drinks her coffee black, finds that the tanginess of acidic coffees becomes increasingly unpalatable as they cool. On the other hand, I prefer mine with milk and find a tangy coffee undesirable. The fact that this basic division in tastes isn’t more commonly addressed is reminiscent of restaurants offering only one wine option, with no choice even between red or white.
Moreover, there seems to be a greater number of restaurants boasting water sommeliers than those providing a choice between two roasts for after-dinner coffee. And if a place uses an espresso machine, switching between different coffees is simply a matter of adjusting the grind settings – hardly a heavy lift to ensure customers can enjoy their preferred roast.
So why isn’t this more common practice? Is it a misunderstood consumer desire or perhaps a matter of convenience for businesses? As a casual coffee drinker, I find this situation strange and irritating. It’s high time for establishments to start advertising their chosen style of coffee, allowing patrons to make informed choices and avoid unsatisfying morning brews while traveling.
Is there perhaps a reason why businesses aren’t catering to what I assume is not an obscure consumer preference.
Do others share my frustration? Is there perhaps a reason why businesses aren’t catering to what I assume is not an obscure consumer preference? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Questions & Answers
Why is the variety of served coffee less compared to wine?
The diversity in coffee is limited due to factors like crop growth cycles, processing methods, and roasting techniques, which are less complex than those for winemaking.
How can we increase the variety of served coffee?
Encouraging specialty coffee culture, supporting small-scale farming, and investing in innovative roasting methods can help widen the range of served coffee.
Information sourced from industry reports and news outlets.
