Digressions: My Life in 500 Words or Less

My coffee has been demoted.

Folgers Gourmet Supreme is no longer classified as Dark. Now it is classified as Med-Dark. You can see it on the roast meter on the canister.

The change is significant to me. When I first discovered Folgers Gourmet Supreme some years ago it was only after trying a whole slew of other dark roast coffees, searching for a rich, full-bodied cuppa joe. It was the darkest roast offered by the brand. Folgers later added Black Silk and classified it as Dark as well.

I tried Black Silk. I was not a fan.

But I had my Gourmet Supreme. I was happy.

Then an email newsletter from Folgers announced their plans to reclassify Gourmet Supreme. It felt like a demotion.

Still, the change wasn’t immediate, so I tried not to think about it. Canisters of my Folgers Gourmet Supreme, which I keep in stock, still displayed the roast meter showing the classification as Dark.

It stayed that way until recently, when the latest coffee canisters that entered my home showed the new classification of Med-Dark. I did not notice this until about a week ago. A canister with the new classification appeared like the villain in a horror movie: it popped up in front of me and wielded its label like a knife as I replaced the one I had just emptied.

I was forced to think about it. Would my allegiance to this blend falter? Would I like it less now that I knew it wasn’t the darkest roast Folgers offered? Would the flavor be the same?

When I did an internet search, I found reviews of the new classification by fans of Folgers Gourmet Supreme. Some swore the flavor was worse, despite responses from a Folgers representative who said only the classification had changed to better reflect Gourmet Supreme’s roast level relative to their other offerings. Some declared they stopped drinking Gourmet Supreme because it was no longer the same.

So do I think the flavor changed? Has the re-classification affected my judgment?

In answer to both questions, I don’t think so. But I’m not sure. I’ve been enjoying my Gourmet Supreme with its new classification for just more than a week. I can’t say I’ve noticed any major difference, but every now and then I think there is a slight disparity from the flavor I remember. Is that a result of simply knowing the classification changed? Has my perception of the taste been influenced by that word change?

Truly, that is the question. Words can be powerful.

And maybe that’s the takeaway from all this: it’s a reminder about the power of the written word. Despite being told the coffee itself hadn’t changed, many fans of Folgers Gourmet Supreme believe it has. And that belief stems from wording.

I enjoyed three cups of Folgers Gourmet Supreme today. And I’ll continue to enjoy my words knowing they can have power.