Wal Mart Great Value Classic Roast Coffee Review

In the cold winter months nothing seems to warm the soul better than a cup of hot coffee. The thought of grasping a steaming mug of this beverage while snuggled under a warm blanket is sheer heaven for coffee aficionados.

Frugalistas are always on the lookout for new items to try in hopes that the less expensive product will meet their needs and it was for this reason that I purchased a can of Wal Mart's Great Value Classic Roast ground coffee. Several friends had recommended it over the years, claiming that it was a good coffee for the price.

When I opened this can the first thing I noticed was the pungent smell. Unlike other coffees I have used in the past, this one did not have a pleasant, rounded aroma. I could actually detect an edge of bitterness in the scent alone.

Undeterred I made a cup using the portions I am accustomed to in my one-cup coffee maker and took a sip. The bitterness was intense, so much so that I was unable to drink the mix even with heavy cream and sugar.

Since normally I make coffee very rich I tried again, cutting the amount of coffee grounds in half. This made a more palatable cup but the bitter notes were still noticeable.

I wonder if perhaps my method of brewing could be the culprit (my one-cup coffee maker uses a metal filter instead of a paper one) but I do not own a conventional drip coffee maker with which to test this theory.

While the coffee is somewhat drinkable in the diluted version, in my opinion it is too bitter for use in espresso-type stronger coffee mixtures. I have to use heavy milk or cream even in the diluted ratio to make it somewhat palatable.

While the addition of a paper filter may make this coffee a more pleasant beverage, I cannot recommend the use of this brand in French Presses, Vietnamese coffee filters or other simple coffee makers that do not use paper filters.

I am seriously thinking about returning this product to Wal Mart and requesting an exchange for one of the familiar brands that I prefer. I do not like to do this unless the product was totally useless or unusable however; since it is somewhat drinkable I may keep it and mix it with another, more palatable brand to be fair.

What has your experience with this coffee been? Could this have simply been a bad batch or is my method of preparation at fault? Please share your experiences in the comments below.