by Nigel Ong
When we see the brand Folgers, we may immediately think of their instant coffee. Regardless of what you think, Folgers also offer coffee roasts, which are very popular.
Many may not like Folgers’ instant coffee, but what about ground coffee? Are these ground coffee as bad as their instant coffee? I decided to investigate this myself.
In this post, I picked up a can of Folgers House Blend and brewed it several ways. I also added flavorings to the coffee to see which works best with the coffee. Finally, I compare it against other popular medium roasts and regular coffee.
About Folgers House Blend Roast
Folgers are as common to coffee as Starbucks is to many. It is an American coffee brand that has powered Americans for decades.
The company was founded by James A. Folger in 1850 and has gone through many ownerships, too. Today, it is part of the JM Smucker Company, a food conglomerate.
Folgers offers diverse coffee products, including ground coffee, instant coffee, and K-Cup pods. Its ground coffee is popular, with light, medium, and dark roasts. Each of these roasts has its own distinct flavor profile.
What I have in hand today is a can of Folgers House Blend. This is a medium roast blend with flavor notes of nuts and roasts. Folgers do not mention the origins of the beans on the canister, leaving some space for imagination.
The can is made of plastic, and the lid, too. Perhaps this is better than regular coffee bags, but it’s not about the packaging. I am more interested in the coffee inside and how it tastes.
How Does Folgers House Blend Roast Taste?
First Impression
When I opened the coffee lid, I could see a thin, plasticky, aluminum-like sheet sealing the content inside. Folgers call it the Aromaseal.
I enjoyed the peeling process. It has a handle at the end for my fingers to hold on to, and when I pull the sheet, it comes out together. It makes the unsealing process easy and simple.
Aroma-wise, I am greeted with the fresh smell of coffee and a decent nutty smell. It also has a sour-sweet smell, oddly reminding me of Panda Express’ Sweet Sour Chicken.
So far, so good. Let’s get brewing.
French Press
My first brew is with a French press. This brewing method helps me to taste the coffee ‘dirty,’ with all its oils and fine particles. With the French press, I expect a murky, full-flavored coffee with particles floating about.
I use my trusty Bodum Caffettiera French press for this one, although you can always use your French press of choice. Check out IKEA’s Upphetta French press if you prefer a cheaper option.
I added 15 grams of coffee and 180ml of hot water at around 185°F (about 85°C). I let the concoction brew for 4 minutes before pouring a cup and starting the sampling process.
As I was brewing, the aroma of the coffee filled my kitchen, and the smell was very inviting. After having a difficult experience reviewing the Folgers instant coffee, I am very encouraged by how the coffee smells.
I took a sip and was very pleased. The coffee is not smoky for sure and does not smash my palate. Instead, it shows a combination of nutty flavors and some toasty notes. I would describe it as toasted bread or nuts.
There are also some sour notes but in a pleasant way. Its savory feel makes me want to bite into something savory as I sip this coffee. I am thinking of a meatloaf sandwich with generous mayo, mustard, and ketchup.
Pour Over With Filter Paper
I brewed the coffee again, using a pour-over method with filter paper. This best simulates the regular coffee brewer most of us have at home.
Plus, the filter paper helps to filter away coffee particles and some coffee oils, allowing me to enjoy a ‘cleaner’ version of the coffee. I use the following gear for this brewing method:
I use the pour-over brewing method from Starbucks. I added 20 grams of ground coffee and slowly poured 360ml of water. I first focused on wetting and blooming the coffee ground when I started.
This cup of coffee definitely looks slightly lighter in color, and the sedimentation on the bottom of the cup is also lesser. Filter paper in action, I suppose.
Taste-wise, the coffee does feel a little cleaner and lighter. The coffee glides in the mouth with more airiness and lightness, perhaps due to less oil and particles. The coffee is also software, with a little bit less bitterness.
As I sipped a few more, I picked up more of the nutty and toasty notes. The slight sour notes also become stronger, and I would say similar to tomatoes. Perhaps the less smoky taste helps release some of the finer flavors in the coffee.
Espresso
I wanted to explore how this coffee would taste as an espresso, so I grabbed my Wacaco Minipresso GR and pulled a shot. The coffee ground is coarse, so I first ground it to a finer consistency.
In return, I got a great-looking cup of espresso with decent, velvety crema. It’s not thick, but good enough. Suppose the coffee was not roasted dark enough for thick crema.
The aroma smells great and inviting. I took a sip and could appreciate its softer flavor. There are some sour, toasty notes that, again, trigger my desire for something savory to bite into. This may be an option if you occasionally seek a softer cup of espresso.
What Flavorings Work Best With Folgers House Blend?
Sweeteners
Here is a disclaimer. I’m not too fond of sweet coffee. I like them bitter and natural. However, I’ll try to be as neutral as possible here since some people like sugar with their cup of joe.
Here, I prepared some brown, granulated sugar and Equal artificial sweetener. I poured out two new fresh cups of Folgers House Blend Roast. I added two drops of Equal artificial sweetener into one cup and two brown sugar sticks into the other.
With the Folgers House Blend Roast, I would say that the coffee tastes great and sweetened. This could be because it is not a very smoky coffee, which means the sweetness from sugar and Equal do not need to fight the smoke too much.
If you like your coffee sweet, I think you will enjoy this very much. However, the sweeteners masked the coffee’s natural toasty, nutty notes.
Milk
With sugars out of the way, let’s experiment with some fat. Here, I prepared some whole fresh cow’s milk, UHT. I poured a single shot of the warm milk (about 1oz, or 30ml) into a fresh cup of coffee.
The milk mellows the coffee further, making it even nicer to drink. The milk helps to round up some of the sharp notes in the coffee, such as the sour-like taste. It also makes the nutty and toasty notes a little softer as well.
I also picked up a little more sweetness in the coffee, perhaps from the lactose in the milk.
I enjoy having my coffee with milk, so my opinion may be biased here. Try it yourself and see if you agree with me.
Creamer
Aside from milk, non-dairy creamers are also very popular these days. For this review, I pulled out my trusty Coffee Mate and poured two sticks into a fresh cup of Folgers House Blend.
The creamer amps up the creamy flavors of the coffee more than the milk, that’s for sure. It also made the coffee look paler in color compared to milk.
The creamy flavor also mellows out the sour notes and smoothens the toasty and nutty flavors in the coffee. Overall, it is a pleasant and comfortable cup to sip on.
The coffee also becomes slightly sweeter, making it much nicer to sip. However, I think the sweetness in milk is more natural and enjoyable than creamer.
Ice
Finally, I figure I’ll make a cup of iced coffee. I used the poured-over brew and poured it into a glass I stuffed to the brim with ice.
The iced version of the coffee is bittersweet, with a stronger nutty note. The taste actually reminds me slightly of Vietnamese coffee. The first few sips are quite satisfying, and it reminds me of sipping iced Americano under the hot sun.
As the ice melts, I pick up more acidic notes, too. I can easily see the Folgers House Blend Roast used to make iced Americano and sell like hotcakes on hot summer days.
Folgers House Blend Roast vs. Popular Medium Roasts
Since Folgers House Blend Roast is a medium roast, I thought I’d taste it alongside other big-name, medium roast blends I have in my collection. I French press brewed four cups of coffee using these roasts:
- Starbucks Pike Place Blend
- Starbucks House Blend
- McCafe Premium Roast
The Folgers House Blend actually tastes rather similar to the McCafe Premium Roast. It is a regular, mild blend created to be as inoffensive to many people as possible.
Like the Premium Roast, the Folgers House Blend also has these slightly sour, tomato-like notes that made me want to bite into something savory, like a ham and egg sandwich.
Compared with the Pike Place Blend, the Folgers House Blend is much less smoky. It is a more comfortable coffee to sip on than the Pike Place Blend. In espresso, however, I think I will enjoy Pike Place more.
Against the Starbucks House Blend, I think the Folgers House Blend tastes more inviting. It has a bit more flavor edge than Starbucks House Blend. This gives it a bit more flavor and enjoyment when drinking.
If you are a stickler for clear-cut ranking, I would rank the Folgers House Blend second here. First would be the McCafe Premium Roast, with the Pike Place Blend a very close third.
Folgers House Blend Roast vs. Regular Coffee
Folgers is a regular ground coffee blend. How will it compare against your regular brewed coffee? I mean those you get from gas stations, or convenience stores.
For this experiment, I ventured to a nearby 7-11 and got myself a cup of Americano. I then drank the coffee side by side.
Folgers win here. It has more flavor, possibly because it is a freshly opened can of coffee. The ones you get in convenience stores tend to lack depth in flavor, and can sometimes taste a little stale. There are no such issues with my cup of Folgers.
Who Should Enjoy Folgers House Blend Roast?
If I were to sum up the Folgers House Blend, it is your quintessential All-American coffee. It is mild, has a comfortable flavor profile, and has an aroma that may remind you of your childhood home kitchen.
It is also not too edgy in taste, which means it will satisfy many drinkers. To me, the coffee also pairs very well with savory food, especially savory, tangy sandwiches with a lot of mustard, ketchup, and mayo.
This is the cup of coffee you can enjoy all day, anytime. It is also flexible and can be served in many ways, including iced coffee or light espresso. You can also keep some at home and serve guests with it.