Decades before Starbucks and the other gourmet coffees, there was Yuban. It was always a little more expensive and richer in flavor. I’d splurge once in awhile and buy a can. It was hard to justify the extra cost and I always went back to Maxwell House or Folgers.
It’s been at least ten years since I saw Yuban in a store. I saw some yesterday and bought a can to try. I’m curious to see if it’s still as good as I remember.
Anyone else remember this coffee from years ago?
I grew up drinking instant, Yuban was my personal choice until I tasted good coffee brewed well, then it sucked just like all the onther instants.
The only instant I can stand is Tasters Choice. It’s been years since I had any instant.
I never tried Yuban instant. Only the fresh brewed. The can I bought yesterday was medium roast. It works in my auto drip pot.
Moved MPSIMS --> Cafe Society.
Roomie likes Yuban. We finished off what she had when she moved in. I get Trader Joe’s French Roast, Community Dark Roast or Café Special, or Costco French Roast. She gave me some Café du Monde Coffee with Chicory in my Christmas basket, and we still have about half of that left.
I like Trader Joe’s instant coffee (when I have instant coffee – which is when I run out of the real stuff).
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A few years back I had coffee at a small town cafe. It was awesome. I asked the waitress what it was. “Folger’s Instant”. Maybe there was something special in the water.
I remember Yuban, and buying it when I felt flush. It might have been the power of suggestion, but I did think it tasted better than the others.
Is Chock Full O’ Nuts still around? I liked the smoothness.
Yep, I drink Chock Full O’ Nuts. Like you said, it’s very smooth. I usually find it at Walmart and my usual grocery store.
Cousin Eddie: "Oh yeah, **Yuban Coffee. **You know you can sprinkle that stuff on anything? Ice cream, mashed potatoes, or just eat it right out of the can for a quick pick me up. "
Instant coffee used to be a lot more popular.
I started a thread about why that was, here, about six years ago.
I still see Yuban in every grocery store I’ve been in, with the exception of some independents and niche small-chain establishments.
It doesn’t seem to be as good as it once did, but that’s probably just me. Chock-Full-Of-Nuts does seem better, though generally we use Trader Joe’s which tastes better, and isn’t all that much more expensive.
If there was ever a thread that Cafe Society was made for, this has to be it.
Years ago I had an uncle who would buy Yuban and then roast it again somehow to get it even darker. Don’t ask me how – I didn’t even understand it then. But he said it made it taste even better. He passed away a long time ago.
I’ve been a Yuban aficionado for several decades. In fact it’s about the only brand I buy. I make it fairly strong, and actually prefer it to most “gourmet” brands. If you watch for sales, then stock up it doesn’t cost much more than Folgers or other run-of-the-mill brands. But tastes better.
SS
Another old brand I remember fondly is Hills Brothers. It had this Arab in a Turban on the logo.
Like this…
The Arab was called “the taster”
Given todays political climate, it’s not surprising Hills Brothers changed their logo. “the taster” is long gone.
Hills Bros was positioned as a premium brand during the depression years (at least on their radio program featuring the popular Tom Coakley band). They used to advertise “more cups per pound” - more expensive yes, but you needed to use less, thus thrifty. The commercial vignettes featured people grimacing at the taste of “bargain counter coffee” that was cheap, but no bargain.
I can remember when nearly every mom & pop cafe served Cains coffee. It was a very popular commercial coffee. I went by the distributor a few times and bought a few cans (for my computer business).
Like a lot of brands, it was swallowed up. Last I heard, Sara Lee owns Cains. They even closed the original Oklahoma plant that had been there for over 50 years. 
I don’t think it’s nearly as popular with restaurants any more. I’ve seen it a few times at Walmart. I’m not sure if it’s anything like the coffee they sold commercially years ago.
I haven’t bought Yuban in ages, so I don’t remember whether or not it was any good. My ex rarely drank coffee, and my parents prefer Folgers, so I would buy that most of the time. For a couple years I subscribed to Gevalia coffee, which was OK, but not really worth the added expense. Now I buy either Folgers or whatever flavored coffee strikes my fancy once in a while. My SIL adores Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, but I’ve never tried it so I don’t know if it’s as good as she says it is.
::keeps going back to OP to see if there’s a phrase I missed::
Who said anything about instant? 
Yuban is my everyday coffee, along with Medaglia d’Oro (I mix them 50/50 and brew them in a Mr Coffee knockoff). I don’t think of it as a “coffee from years ago”. I can find it pretty much everywhere. Chase & Sanborn is a coffee from years ago.
I think we’re talking about “coffee that comes in coffee cans” rather than instant coffee. Remember coffee cans? Neither do I.