Biggest disappointment: The 77 rating for the Eight O’Clock 100% Colombian, purchased at Walmart at a per-pound equivalent of $7.24. Eight O’Clock is a traditional American coffee brand that has offered whole-bean all-Arabica coffees at low supermarket prices ever since its founding by the A&P supermarket chain in 1919. In 2005 Eight O’Clock was purchased by Tata Coffee, a vertically integrated Indian coffee growing, exporting, roasting and retailing company owned in turn by Tata Group, a vast Indian conglomerate. In 2008, after Tata assumed ownership of Eight O’Clock, we cupped a very fine sample of the brand’s 100% Colombian and awarded it a rating of 90. I recall that, around the same time, an Eight O’Clock 100% Colombia sample also did very well in a Consumer Reports panel cupping.
The Eight O’Clock 100% Colombia sample we tested this month, however, four years later, displayed decent structure but was muted, sourish and slightly fermented in aroma and flavor. Its mild but unmistakable taints could be blamed on the Colombia coffee industry’s recent years of weather-related struggle, although today it certainly appears possible to find considerably better Colombian green coffees than those in this blend at workable prices. Nor can the problem necessarily be blamed on Eight O’Clock’s purchase by Tata Coffee. Rather, this month’s poor ratings could suggest a return to form for Eight O’Clock, given that our ratings of the basic Eight O’Clock Original blend have bounced around from a low of 60 to a high of 86 over the past fifteen years, with stops between at 65 and 73. This month the Original came in at 76. Perhaps a practice of spotty quality control has simply reasserted itself at Eight O’Clock, regardless of ownership..