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Food & Drink

BNN legitimizes McDonald’s–Tim Hortons coffee war in excruciatingly long taste test

By Karon Liu
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James, Taylor sniff out the goodness (Image: BNN)
James, Taylor sniff out the goodness (Image: BNN)

We knew the country’s post-Olympic patriotism would settle down, but not like this. The Business News Network spent nearly 20 minutes analyzing every last drop of the McDonald’s–Tim Hortons coffee war, and, long story short, they believe McDonald’s coffee tastes better than Timmies’.

After two business school professors offered their take on McDonald’s move to give out free coffee, Toronto baristas Sam James and Matthew Taylor from Mercury were invited to offer their expertise, waxing poetic about coffee much like a wine connoisseur would.

On Tim Hortons:

JAMES: It’s fairly neutral. I can tell it’s been brewed fresh at least. It’s got liveliness to it. TAYLOR:  It has a nutty note to it. It’s probably a blend of beans so that you can cover up certain flaws.

On McDonald’s:

JAMES: I prefer this. It’s got more of a fruitier profile. To me, it tastes like it’s roasted fresher. TAYLOR: It has a sweeter profile and a bitterness that balances it out. It’s not as flat as the other one.

Viewers also agreed with the baristas in a vote, but when it comes to deciding between cheap coffees, one viewer put it best: “It depends on the lineup.”

Coffee War: Blind Taste Test [BNN]

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