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Has Maxwell House coffee gone bad?

by donald fitch
(naugatuck,wv,usa)


QUESTION:

I have used regular Maxwell House for many years, but lately it just is not any good. I used rich original, but now the bag or can says Arabica beans. I have called the company but the lady couldn't tell me anything, so I'm hunting for a good tasting coffee again.

Thanks, Don Fitch

ANSWER:

Don, hi

I assume you have been buying the ground coffee, and not Maxwell House's instant coffee.

I checked out their site and see that they have changed their packaging recently. Whether or not they made any changes to the coffees they put in the cans, who knows.

Almost all coffee sold by North American companies is 100% Arabica. That said, if Maxwell House formerly used a blend of both Arabica and Robusta beans in their blends, that would explain the change in taste. (Large companies sometimes like to use a percentage of Robusta beans, simply because they are significantly cheaper to buy.)

Anyway, if you no longer like the Maxwell House coffee, there are hundreds of other coffees available in stores and online.

If you want to check out some Robusta blends, to see if that is the taste you are missing, look out for Italian coffees in your local stores and read the packaging.

Comments for
Has Maxwell House coffee gone bad?

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Jun 29, 2009
 Bad Coffee
by: Juan Valdez

Maxwell Coffee use to be the best coffee money could buy. (Oh, that was Chock Full of Nuts.) But not some marketing moron probably with an MBA has convinced the company to switch big time to Arabic beans.

I drink coffee for two reasons: (1) I like the taste, and (2) I like a little kick. As a result of their change in beans, I now dislike the taste of MH and the kick is gone. So, now, guess what? So is Maxwell House from my shopping list.
Jun 29, 2009
 Where's the kick?
by: Anonymous

I like the taste of Arabica coffee, but there doesn't seem to be a kick. Have the health freaks taken the kick out of coffee?

Lite Coffee
but "some" kick
Jun 12, 2009
 Cutting through Coffee Hype
by: Have a Nice Cup

If you want a classic coffee profile the pickins are pretty slim these days. Many coffee manufacturers are foolish and can't seem to respect their original flavor profiles.
I recommend, for a classic American coffee flavor, try Hills Bros. (must be "original" style, I forget the word on the can. Or maybe Chock full of Nuts because New Yorkers would be mad if it changed much.
Don't be impressed by any coffee that brags "Arabica". Arabica can be pure crapola of the lowest order. Noone uses pure Robusto beans anyway, they are blended in for kick and earthiness.
Better yet, go to Burman Coffee and roast your own.
Jun 01, 2009
 Differance?
by: Anonymous

What is the difference between the sliver top and the gold canisters? They basically say the same thing about the coffee.
Jun 01, 2009
 How long does coffee last after the expery date
by: Anonymous

I bought a canister of the gold top coffee and notice that it has expired? How long does coffee after that date
May 22, 2009
 The instant coffee is bad too
by: Anonymous

I've recently tried the Maxwell House instant coffee after not having used it for several years. It tasted just awful. I dumped it down the sink.
May 11, 2009
 Good to the last drop - Not anymore.
by: Dogdays8

Aside from the change in the taste of the Maxwell House Original blend coffee, has anyone noticed the strange bubbles that cling to the side of your cup? At first I thought I had some soap residue in the cup, but after thoroughly cleaning the cup and coffee pot, the bubbles remain. There is also a strange chemical smell to the coffee when you open the can. If the aribca beans are milder than the robusta, as you say, then why do they smell so pundgent?
Apr 24, 2009
 bad coffee
by: Anonymous

yes there has been a big change in maxwell house coffee it's so flat there is hardly any taste too it.It no longer good to the last drop. Going to a different brand.
Mar 03, 2009
 Musta been the robusta
by: Anonymous

That made the old Mxwell house taste like it did. I'm no coffee connoisseur but the new Maxwell House Columbian is much improved. I tried the old Master Blend several times and it was truly terrible coffee. Haven't tried it lately to see if the taste has changed. Most people I know, myself included like Maxwell Original best but, now I have switched to the 100% arabica Columbian.

Feb 19, 2009
 what the heck is wrong with you people?
by: jim k.

you old-school people slay me! you like that bitter crap maxwell house used to be? i suppose some of you think mcdonald's is good food, or that dick cheney was a great vice-president.

yikes.

here's a coffee lesson for you.

the robusto beans that you apparently miss so much in your maxwell house make coffee bitter, astringent, and rough-tasting. robusto beans are considered inferior to arabica beans- ask any coffee roaster. robusto is commonly used as a "filler", a way to cheapen arabica bean coffee; much the same way corn grits or rice are used as a filler in beer (real beer is typically made from only barley malt).

it's like the difference between a miller high life and an all-malt american lager like michelob, or a german lager like hofbrau.

but some of you no doubt would spit those beers out, crying they had too much flavor or were too smooth!

for God's sake, try and learn to appreciate other things, like real coffee!

and p.s.- i'm not a snearing yuppie. i'm in my 50's, blue collar, and proud of it!!
Feb 18, 2009
 Maxwell House coffee sux long time ago
by: haiyaa

I could not help not to laugh.

Maxwell Coffee was bad for at least more than ten years.

And also at least for that long it was manufactured in China too!!!

Where were your taste bud all these time???
Feb 04, 2009
 taste different, not good but terrible
by: Anonymous

Husband and I have drank MH colombian Blend, (we like it strong)for years..the last container I bought however has tasted horrible....why would you change a good thing!!
Jan 22, 2009
 Horrible
by: Anonymous

I guess I'm not the only one. The MH coffe is horrible now. It has no smell or taste. I noticed the change in the taste of Maxwell House coffee in the second have of 2008 - just now I decided to look it up and came across this post.
Jan 04, 2009
 Has Maxwell House coffee gone bad?
by: Anonymous

Maxwell House "RICH"! I bought a can of it about 6 months ago. Best I ever had. Now I cannot find it. I have investigated and I got as far as I can at this time. Dial toll free (Maxwell House) 866/5700498. Air your complaint. Hopefully it is not made in China now. Good luck!!
Dec 26, 2008
 Maxwell House Master Blend
by: Anonymous

My father is 88 years old and has drank Maxwell House Master Blend for many years. He started talking about how horrible it was so we bought a new coffee pot and new container of the Master Blend and still.....he said it tastes horrible. I don't drink coffee but I do know it doesn't even smell like coffee anymore. They are going
to loose a lot of business!!!
Dec 09, 2008
 Maxwell House now sucks from the first drop
by: Chris Rowen

My whole family and I have been dyed-in-the-wool Maxwell House columbian drinkers for as long as I can remember. It tasted better than any Starbucks cup or any other whole bean or ground brew anywhere, but not anymore. I thought it was my coffee pot so I bought a new one, but no....the recipe has changed and it now is a terrible coffee and tastes cheap and no longer is a rich brew. They say its now Arabica. Well, whoop-de-doo....Arabica is not a good bean. I even tried all the other Maxwell House coffes such as French Roast, dark roast, etc to see if I could find a replacement....nope....they are all bad now. Now I have to buy Starbucks Breakfast Blend. Its really sad that in these dire economic times that such a staple as Maxwell House is no longer good tasting enough to wake to.
Dec 06, 2008
 Bad BAd Maxwell House
by: Anonymous

I have used Maxwelll House coffee for over 40 years. In the last few months I have noticed that the taste is terrible! First I thought it was my coffee maker, then I finally realized it was the coffee. I have always bought the Columbian brand, as I like it strong. No matter how much I increase the amount of coffee in the filter, it still tastes bad. What has happened? The coffee definitely has a different taste. I am now purchasing other brands to compare.
I always thought that MH was the best, but not any more. Very disappointing!
Dec 02, 2008
 Post if you find any
by: Anonymous

Hi
In response to the entire family that is as upset as my husband and my self..please post if you finanything that isn't nasty and bitter- We will do the same
BTW Dunkin Donuts and Green Mountain have also changed..we have tried chuck full o nutz -nope same thing
I know am tring Stop & shop brend (regular & Lite as all the others are now giving us bot stomache problems
We also picked up a can of Walmart brand Colombiam Decaf
i hate decaf but will try almost anything at this point
Dec 02, 2008
 Goodbye Maxwell House
by: Anonymous

My husband and I, my sister and her family, and my parents have drank only Maxwell House for as long as I can remember. However, we have all noticed a change in the flavor of the coffee and no longer like it. We, too, have been looking for a good tasting coffee to replace the Maxwell House that we have loved for so long. It is a shame that they have changed their coffee (to make more money?) when it has been so good for so long. If its not broke, don't fix it.
Dec 01, 2008
 Taste is terrible now
by: Anonymous

Maxwell house has certainly changed the blen of their coffee's( we have always used the largest containers of Master Blend)now we have 4 canisters that for us is undrinkable!!! soo bitter no matter how we make it we can not get a good cup/pot of coffee
we are still looking for a decent brand of coffee to buy but to no avail so far
We are soooo angry because we have spent a ton of money in our quest just to get a decent tasting coffee
Nov 28, 2008
 Tastes different.
by: jkram

Yes, my wife and I both dislike the recent change in Maxwell House coffee. I don't believe it is due to the new packaging.
Nov 12, 2008
 Bad Maxwell
by: Anonymous

Thank you for the info on Robusta Beans. I have purchased so many brands looking to replacement the Oringal Maxwell House. The new Maxwell and most other brands cause me stomach problems perhaps due to higher acid content?
Nov 01, 2008
 Inconsistant coffee
by: Charlie T

Hey guys, I have noticed the same thing. It seems to vary from can to can. We had a can a while back that was bitter. My wife and I thought it was a bad batch or a mislabled package. When we bought another can it was fine. Now we have yet another bitter can. Just wanted to let you know, your not the one.

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