I tried... Illy(!)

[zix]

So what? You think. Hasn't everyone? Nope, not me. Not until now.
The reasons why? Well, I buy mostly green beans, and the roasted ones I have bought have so far been other brands. From time to time it is fun and interesting to compare homeroasted with commercial coffee. If for no other reason, at least it is good for one's personal taste reference... and I suppose Illy really ought to be a part of it.
This particular Illy can says "100% Arabica". It also says "caffè in grani" (whole beans), best before january 2007 (!) and "avoid any improper use of the can". Hope I don't use it improperly by having it beside the computer, then...
Anyways, here is the verdict of the Partille jury. Don't expect any standard coffee language, I am not that well educated yet.

Actually, I am positively surprised. This is better than several other commercial blends I have tried. Good crema (for a 100% arabica blend that is), good pour, easy to do both ristrettos and espressos. A good balanced taste with a strong but not sharp start. It does have what I would recognise as a "Robusta finish" though. Muffled and somewhat murky or moldy. I suppose that some percentage of those 100% arabicas was rather cheap?
Illy compared to home roasted? That is a bit like asking "how much is a brown horse?", I guess, but to tell you the truth I can't wait until I get out on the balcony with the heat gun again.
What would I miss from the homeroasts if someone forced me to use only Illy? All that taste, brother! The adventure, sister! Spices, flowers, softness, strength, good body, acidity... Still, for espresso I like this Illy more than all the other cheap/mid priced espresso blends I have tried, save one (molinero? molinari? In any case it was a yellow/gold colored bag). Illy works fine with milk too.

[jumper]

illy is very good for supermarket-coffee but it really doesn't compare to fresh roasted beans and most of the specialty roasters in the netherlands do better but still illy has to make it to last until 2007 that's impressive too

[Gouezeri]

Yes, but last in what condition?
I'm sure they could make cheese (and other "fresh" produce) last until 2007, but just think of the compromises they are making. Why should we accept this as a common practice with coffee and not with other fresh produce (Steve, I can hear you cheering from here, shhhhhh!)?
Sorry, I respect Illy for all the research, just not the commercial product available in the UK.
D

[wang]

I think baked goods is an appropriate analogy for roasted coffee. No matter how good a croissant or even a pan of bread can be just fresh from the oven, it won't taste as nice later than it does fresh and even average but fresh coffee will taste better than staling high quality beans. You can wrap all the protective packaging you want around it, but its only delaying the inevitable.

It's somewhat less obvious with coffee but since people are accustomed to it and don't have the opportunity to have what we call fresh coffee, they'll stick with it.

[Gouezeri]

Good analogy Wang!
Just look at how many supermarkets are going back to actually baking fresh bread on site during the day, having previously done their best to kill off local bakeries with more convenient "plastic bread."
Brits are slowly learning what a croissant should be like (though it is still far from perfect), now if I could just get a decent jam doughnut - that wasn't baked a couple of weeks ago and has been cut in half to put the jam in - when I'm in France, then I would be a happy chappy!
In the meantime, least my coffee is fresh!
D

[quink]

Its OK as a commercial blend goes, certainly better than Lavassa or store own brands. Definetly not the best available. I remember that my brother in law used to use it in his cafetiere, and wondered why it didn't taste very good.

[MKSwing]

I never tried it because I never found it in raw beans and the grind is too coarse, as for all the so called espresso blend you find in supermarket.

[michel]

Illy is very nice... the first day after opening the can. Second day is reasonable. Third day I don't like it anymore.
Fresh roasted coffee I can drink for over a period of 10 day's...

[moccafaux]

Not worth the money. The high price comes from the coffee being supplied in 250gr cans with protective gas.
In my hometown, there are three shops which supply coffee-related equipment, mostly for gastronomical use. Their homebrand-coffees, pure arabica, sell for ca €15,- per 1000gr and are at least as good as the illy (€28,- per 1000gr)

[zix]

michel, it is interesting what you say about Illy after the third day! This is just after the third day for me (as usual I let the beans stay in the can they came from, no sissy freezer methods for me;)) and suddenly most of the crema is gone... coffee is staaaaaale. One-way-valve bags is probably a better idea than cans with protective gas.
moccafaux, if 15€ for a kilo of coffee is a very good price, if it is to the consumer. Even green beans are usually more expensive than that over here.

[Steve]

Is this whole thread going along the lines of...

"My name is stephen and I'm an Illy holic"

Steve

[zix]

My name is Mats and I am a blend no 2-holic.
Thanks Joey