Mimi Huckins gives her take on campus caffeination options

BY MIMI HUCKINS ’21

I don’t know much about coffee other than I like to drink it. Being a college student, I need it. But when I’m tired and find myself forcing down a watery or overly bitter cup, I’m unhappy. Although coffee is a necessity for many, it should also be enjoyed. On campus, there are three places you can get this wonderfully caffeinated beverage: the Dining Commons, the Cochary Pub and Grill or the Frances Perk. I’ve heard many criticisms from peers about campus coffee, so I decided to do a true taste test to determine which blend, from which location, tastes best. 

I began my journey at the Dining Commons, then went on to the Pub and finally to the Frances Perk. Although there are more blends available at the Pub and the Frances Perk, I selected a few campus favorites to review.

Dining Commons — Pierce Bros House Blend [1/5 stars]

No thanks. It tastes like if you dipped the end of a coffee bean in a cup of hot water. The best thing about this coffee is that it’s included in students’ meal plan.

The Frances Perk — Indigo Coffee Blue Moon Blend [4/5 stars]

When I take a sip of the Blue Moon Blend from The Frances Perk, I finally feel like I’m drinking actual coffee and not bean-flavored water. This coffee is much stronger and a bit more bitter. It leaves a pleasant sharp aftertaste, which is worth the coffee breath. It is fairly aromatic and smells like chocolate. It has an earthy, woodsy, nutmeg-like taste to it. I enjoy trying to understand what I’m tasting when I drink this, because it has many levels, but it all seems to fit together perfectly. 

The Frances Perk — Indigo Coffee Guatemalan Manos Campesinas bean [2/5 stars]

I wanted to like this one, but I didn’t. It tastes like every reason people don’t like coffee. This one tastes more fruity than the others and is fairly sour, an immediate strong taste at the beginning that lingers for a long time after you take a sip. 

Cochary Pub — Pierce Bros Fogbuster [2/5 stars]

There are definitely a bit more beans here. This blend has a more intricate flavor than the house blend in the Dining Commons, yet it’s hard to pin down exactly what the flavor is. It tastes like a bit of a darker roast, but is not at all bitter. It leaves almost no aftertaste and the scent is extremely inoffensive, to the point where I’m a bit disturbed. This coffee is stronger and significantly fresher than the coffee in the Dining Commons. Still, it tastes like gas station coffee without the low price tag.

My conclusion is that the best cup of joe on campus is a hot Blue Moon blend from Indigo Coffee at the Frances Perk. The Dining Commons may be the best “deal,” but I strongly feel that the $2 is worth spending for a better coffee at the Frances Perk.