I have noted in the past that I am a coffee fan, but not so much a fan of Starbucks (SBUX: sentiment, chart, options) . I like a good, hearty roast, without the flavorings, whipped cream, and extras. I found some interesting news from the Northwest caffeine gods this morning while enjoying our own Schaeffer's brew. It appears that some SBUX customers share my love for the bolder brews. According to this Wall Street Journal article from last Friday, SBUX on Tuesday notified customers on its feedback Web site that it will brew a bolder variety. I started to think that I was going to agree with something that Schultzie and company decided to do, until I noticed that customers have to ask for the brew ... seriously. The company noted, "This will sometimes mean a small wait, but it will also give you the absolute freshest cup of coffee possible." That sure beats drinking a cup of Pike Place roast at the 31-minute mark.

I am all for the company's decision to bring back the bolder roast, but making someone wait for it just doesn't fit into our fast-food society. My guess is that most people that want a plain old cup of coffee may not wait as long as the people getting their fru-fru coffee-and-syrup drinks. Of course, that may just be me the guy who gets impatient at the McDonald's drive thru if I have to wait for my large cup of black coffee because the person in front of me has to wait for their bagel sandwich. Patience is not a strong suit of mine.