Opinion

My campus coffee conundrum

Coffee is the most important meal of the day.

With the new Market Twenty 4 Seven open, there are new coffee and hot beverage options.

Instead of having to drink the dirt in a cup that was Kosch’s coffee, the new options include the dark roast Detroit City Blend, the medium roast Eastern Market Blend and the medium/dark roast Donut Blend.

All three coffees are from Built and Brewed in Detroit.

Each coffee comes as whole bean, which is nice compared to already ground powder.

This creates a more fresh tasting brew and overall a more pleasant experience.

Adding to the coffee option is the ability to choose a mild, medium or strong setting for coffee flavor.

Also, the machine has the ability to add milk to the coffee blend as it is dispensed.

At first I tried the Donut Blend at the mild setting with no milk.

Having donut blend coffees before, I figured it was a light roast and I would enjoy it with little work.

I had mixed it with two cream cups and two sugar packets. Usually this mixture is enough to tame the acidic bitterness and provide a sweeter flavor.

However, that was not the case.

After letting the drink cool, I took a swig expecting the taste to match the lovely aroma and was sadly mistaken.

My taste buds met a distinct bitter flavor, almost as if no sugar or cream was added.

The sadness in my heart was too much.

The following day I returned to the machine hoping to try a different coffee and have a new result.

I looked at the options and saw Donut Blend was medium/dark roast — not the medium or light roast I was used to and expected.

This time around I was refusing to be duped and chose the Eastern Market Blend, a pure medium roast.

Again I chose mild and added my double-double mixture of sugar and cream.

This time I was sure my experience would be more favorable.

Wrong.

Bitterness met my lips at first sip.

Instead of sadness I felt confused and slightly angry.

I have been a coffee connoisseur for over half a decade and tried dozens of blends and mixtures.

After the experiences, I took a break and began making coffee at home for a week or so.

However, I felt spited by my inability to figure out the secret mixture to the coffees.

I went to the drawing board to figure out where I went wrong.

Comparing to a coffee mixture that was tried-and-true, I discovered what was wrong.

I returned and looked at the machine and the machine stared back.

Under the bright light, a slight breeze blew through the market as the ventilation system kicked in.

A napkin tumbled past.

I walked to the machine, had the combination of what I wanted to choose already in my head.

Grabbing a cup, I placed it where the coffee dispensed and input my order.

Eastern Market Blend, mild setting with the milk option turned on.

The drink dispensed into the cup.

When the machine was done, I took the cup to the counter where the cream and sugar was located.

This time the market had two large pump-containers of Coffee-mate creamer.

One container was hazelnut flavor and the other was French vanilla.

I put one pump of each flavor into the cup and followed it up with three packs of sugar.

This time the drink would not disappoint.

I let it cool slightly before taking a cautious sip.

Success.

What I discovered is Built and Brewed in Detroit focuses on small-batch coffee blends and specialty-roasted brews.

This way of roasting and handling coffee leads to fresher, stronger and bolder flavor instead of the cheap coffee I have been accustomed to.

All I needed was to increase my ratio of cream and sugar to quell the overwhelming flavor.

At least until I am used to it.