Nerd Fuel: Folgers 1850 – Pioneer Blend

Maybe I’ve never come right out and said it. But, generally speaking, I don’t usually enjoy your run-of-the-mill everyday coffee. I’m talking about your standard mass-market grocery store coffee; Folgers, Maxwell House, Hills Bros, etc. To me, most of them taste pretty much the same. They’re not bad, but they’re not particularly good either. They are just not for me. I suppose that seems hypocritical, considering one of my favorite K-Cup coffees is “Donut Shop”, a brew designed to be just that: mediocre. But, even though Donut Shop is a very “safe” coffee, it is still made with quality ingredients.

So yeah, every grocery store coffee just doesn’t appeal to me. With that in mind, I never thought I’d be reviewing a coffee by Folgers. But recently, at the insistence of my wife, I picked up a box of Folgers’ 1850 – Pioneer Blend. In case you are not aware, the 1850 sub-brand is Folgers’ answer to “craft coffee”. They claim that the 1850 label represents their best brews yet. Needless to say, I was skeptical. So, is it really that much better? Or just a clever marketing ploy? Let’s find out.

First of all, I will admit that this Pioneer Blend is indeed much more interesting than plain old Folgers Coffee. It’s a medium roast coffee with a bold and balanced flavor. The flavor is surprisingly complex with a rich, nutty aftertaste. I have to admit, I was shocked that at how enjoyable this coffee was. I didn’t expect anything more than the same old Folgers, but in a fancy new package. This is certainly not the case. There is indeed something happening here.

This coffee is essentially the equivalent to your common “house” or “signature” blend. In fact, I found it to be pretty much on par with many other high-quality house blend coffees. It’s certainly something that I could enjoy on a regular basis. I daresay it ranks right up there with Laughing Man’s 184 Duane Street Blend – one of my favorite house blend coffees. In fact, it’s made me curious enough that I think I’ll try some of the other 1850 offerings by Folgers in the near future.

Score: 4 out of 4

Would buy again?: YES! I can’t believe I’m saying this about a box of Folgers… But this is actually an amazing cup of coffee. This has become a new favorite in our household.