On Fri, 21 Sep 2007 10:38:52 -0400, jeff wrote:

Joe wrote:

Mr Ukers says in the sailing ship delivery days cargo holds would
induce a natural sweating affect on the coffee. As a result, the
coffee will turn a rare shade of brown that brings a premium. It is
believed that this browning greatly improves the flavor and body of
coffee. In the old days Captains that brought in "extra brown" were
given a bonus. Coffee brought by sail was termed "ex-sailing ships."
After the turn of the century, there were attempts to duplicate the
browning process by steam heating coffee brought in by steamships but
it was never the same.

It is not clear this made better coffee for today's pallet. It was the
perception that this was better that raised the price. In addition, it
was actually only used then for the low quality Robusta beans, not the
high quality Arabica that make up the vast majority of today's specialty
market.

You must have missed Joe's original post, where his advertising lingo
addressed the perception issue. Something about "Sail transported
fine coffee." IMO, that kind of marketing will sell more coffee than
all the quaint "coffee expert" opinions on proper roasting, grinding,
storage, and brewing, which are pretty much ignored by all but coffee
fanatics.
After all, Starbucks, which you have dismissed, does quite well,
doesn't it? And I believe Gevalia is also a striving business.
Joe's market won't be coffee fanatics, but those whose fancy is caught
by the "sail transported" hype.
And that will make the coffee taste better to them.
That's how "perception" works. The best cups of coffee I've had
weren't because of the coffee, but because of my perceptions.
I think Joe's got a terrific idea, and as long as the coffee meets
some minimal standards and the marketing is well done, he's got a
winner product. The business cost and operating end is yet to be
determined, but I'm wishing him luck.
Man, I'm already thinking about sipping some sail transported coffee,
and feeling the "greenness and goodness" of it!

--Vic