San Francisco: The Coffee Wars

[madbaker]

Killing My Lobster does a Ken Burns-style documentary on the historic coffee wars of 2005 (complete with narrating an e-mail to a loved one). It's only a few minutes but brilliant.

In the interests of full disclosure, I'm a Blue Bottle man myself. Although I've dallied with Philz and Peet's from time to time.

Comments

[j-i-m-r.livejournal.com]

Back in the old coffee days, when Hills Bros and MJB ruled the roost and the roast, the beans, according to the old longshoremen, sat on the docks in the salt air for a time to cure and improve their flavor. Those coffee docks were where the WORLD CHAMPION Giants now play ball.
Just connecting the dots for you, oh Giants and coffee fan :-)

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

Back in those days of yore long before the advent of the Coffee Wars, the name "Starbuck" was known only to 19th century literature scholars. Most people thought a cappuccino was a kind of monkey, "macchiato" was that child actor from The Karate Kid, and "espresso" the fast lane at the grocery store. The names Hills and MJB inspired no passion when their product was pre-ground, and a fine restaurant served no better than a roadside diner.

Our city's - nay, our nation's - character was forged in the chaos and casualties that ensued when coffee moved from generic blend to varietal, and Ritual squared off against Blue Bottle. Despite all the upheaval, I cannot mourn the advances that sprang from this conflict.