KEY POINTS:
Kiwis like to think they're no mugs when it comes to great coffee. Whether its espresso, cappuccino, straight black or caffe latte, we like to think we rule the roast - but as a shock new survey shows, espresso beans sold in supermarkets aren't meeting the taste test.
The Consumer survey, the first of its kind in New Zealand, spilled the beans on 12 supermarket pre-packaged brands with expert judges finding fewer than half hit the spot.
With several brands, there were issues over freshness while with others, the judges found some were burned and bitter or had a disappointing aftertaste.
Of the 12 brands surveyed, only three made the grade - Scarborough's organic arabica beans, Signature's whole bean espresso and the Coffee Supreme Supreme Blend.
Surprisingly, beans from popular coffee house Robert Harris were considered below average. The judges said the brew was too light and undeveloped for espresso. The beans were also harsh "with no finesse" and left a bitter aftertaste.
Robert Harris performed worst in the test, scoring a below-average rating.
Robert Harris' Stuart MacIntosh told the Herald on Sunday he wasn't surprised his brand had performed poorly as the blend chosen was not suitable for an espresso machine. It also didn't help that a packet near the end of its shelf-life had been chosen for the taste test. He said the brand may switch to a "packed on" date in the future.
During the taste test, judges compared aroma, flavour, acidity, body, aftertaste and balance of the various brews. Their most common complaint was that the espressos they blind taste-tested were made with stale beans.
Consumer said this highlighted an issue with the way the beans were date-marked, with "best before" rather than "packed on" or "roasted on".
Beans, says the NZ Coffee Roasters Association, should be used no more than 10 days after roasting to ensure the best cup of coffee.
Coffee connoisseurs the Herald on Sunday spoke to said the results were not surprising. Many said there were always distribution issues with getting the freshest coffee beans into supermarkets.
Coffee Roasters Association president Chris Dillon said the study drew attention to the fact roasted coffee was a "perishable item, just like fruit and vegetables".
People who were passionate about coffee knew beans lasted only "as long as a loaf of bread", he said. However, he was pleased to see locally roasted beans were judged "significantly better" than the two brands roasted overseas.
"Imported coffee can be months and months old. By the time it's roasted overseas and sea-freighted, the tyranny of distance ensures it's stale before it gets here," Dillon said.
John Burton, a former president of NZ Coffee Roasters Association, also maintained that the 10-day rule was impractical for many roasters. It was impossible, for example, to get beans from Italy onto shelves in 10 days.
The Consumer study, he pointed out, also failed to mention the type of packaging used. That often had a lot to do with how fresh the beans remained.
Consumer said to ensure the best beans possible coffee buyers should buy locally and ask when the coffee was packed or roasted.