Classy coffee (Maxwell House)

Member Name: Kukana

Product:	Maxwell House
Date:	12/11/03 (709 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: rich, smooth taste, jars can easily be re-used, not too expensive

Disadvantages: not fairly traded

Some years ago I considered Maxwell House coffee granules to be a reasonable brand - not unacceptable, but not the best, either. Being a coffee drinker (I never touch tea) I'm a bit fussy about brands, and find that in general you get what you pay for with instant coffee. Supermarket own brands are generally not worth having; the branded ones cost more and taste better. But best of all used to be the 'gold' type of coffee, which cost the most. Such is life.

Then we moved and I could no longer find the brand I liked best. Wondering what to try, my hand hovered over various types of coffee in the supermarket, and I happened to notice that Maxwell House was on special offer. Moreoever, it claimed to have a 'new' taste, which it called 'Filter quality'. I didn't quite believe this, but thought I might give it a trial.

* Initial impressions *

I was impressed. As I opened the jar, the aroma was almost that of freshly made ground coffee. I made my first cup: a slightly heaped teaspoonful of coffee in a mug, then hot (but not boiling) water, and a good dash of milk. It tasted excellent. There was no hint of the bitterness associated with the cheaper coffees, and the taste was somehow richer than I had expected.

I'm the kind of person who has to start the day with coffee, and I quickly found that Maxwell House certainly had sufficient strength to wake me up in the morning when I had my first cup of the day! My husband still prefers ground coffee, but I now drink instant, made with these granules, by preference. It takes about 6 weeks for us to get through a 200g jar, but there does not seem to be any loss of flavour, even by the last teaspoonful.

* Availability *

Maxwell House granules are available in two main sizes: a 200g jar which generally costs between £2.50 and £3.00, and a 100g jar which costs between £1.50 and £1.80, depending where they're bought.


* Using the jars afterwards *

An added bonus is that the jars have recently been redesigned: rather than the round jar with a blue lid, there's a squarish jar with a gold lid, (reflecting, I suppose, that Maxwell House is now competing with the 'gold' brands of coffee - as it well deserves). These make excellent storage containers! The labels can be removed easily after soaking in water, not leaving a trace of stickiness. I find that the jars look quite attractive filled with nuts or dried beans sitting in a row on the kitchen counter.

* Frappé making *

As well as normal instant coffee, Maxwell House is great for making frappés - Greek iced coffee, perfect for an after-lunch drink on a hot day. To make a frappé, simply put one teaspoonful of coffee granules and about half a teaspoonful of sugar (or more if you normally take coffee sweetened) in an empty, clean large jar - such as a 200g Maxwell House one! Add cold water from the fridge to a height of about 4-5cm, a few ice cubes, and then about 2-3cm of cold milk. You can also add a dash of cardamum if you like the flavour.

Put on the lid, and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. This causes a froth to form on the top, and it can be poured gently into a tall glass, and sipped with a straw. Of course it can also be taken without any milk, or with non-dairy milk, for those who prefer. It can also be made double strength for those who like strong coffee and need an extra jolt of caffeine to keep them awake!

* Conclusion *

Since I won't buy Nescafé or any other product made by Nestlé, and we can't currently get Fairtrade coffee where we're living, Maxwell House 'filter quality' granules is my instant coffee of preference every time.

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