All Coffee Recipes

Review by Neil Gandhi for Starbucks VIATM Ready Brew Colombia Coffee by Starbucks Coffee
Rating:
Let me just start off by saying that I am a coffee afficionado. I love espresso drinks, my favorites being an Americano (Mornings) and a triple short breve latte (Evenings). I also absolutely love coffee that comes from a French press. I rarely drink drip coffee…I would recommend this instant coffee to everyone who (in no particular order):

- Drinks Drip coffee (This stuff is better than most drips)

- Is looking for an instant coffee that tastes like real coffee

- Wants some coffee when they are on the go and aren’t close to a cafe

- Wants to save a money, but also wants cafe-quality coffee

- Wants to save time, but also wants cafe-quality coffee

- Loves coffee from a French press

Starbucks VIA is not for someone who:

- Drinks instant to save time AND money (VIA is pretty expensive for instant at about $1 a cup)

- Hates coffee =)

Is it as good as a drink made from espresso? No, but I have got to say that it definitely is almost as good as coffee from a French press, and far surpasses drip.

I am addicted to Starbucks, NOT because I think they have the best coffee in the world (If you’re in the San Francisco area, I love Crossroads Cafe in SOMA, and Philz coffee, various locations), but because its always close, it’s *always* consistent wherever you are in the country, and…it *is* wherever you are, in the country =).

That being said, the girls at my local Starbucks offered me a sneak preview of this stuff a few days before it came out. At first, I was just curious and wanted to try Starbucks’ effort on instant coffee. I’ve gotta say that they’ve done pretty well.

What makes French press and espresso coffee so good (in my opinion) and so different from drip coffee is that it doesn’t rob the coffee of oils and other elements of the coffee that are in the beans. In drip coffee, even if you are using freshly ground beans, oils and other elements which add to coffee’s flavor, get stuck to the filter.

Somehow, this instant brew has captured these essential oils that are regularly found in espresso and coffee that comes from a French press. I was very pleasantly surprised by the taste of this instant coffee because I’ve tried many other instant coffees (my mom is a big instant coffee person) and none of them even compare to drip coffee let alone espresso.

I think Starbucks has definitely has something here. I would definitely recommend you to at least try this coffee whether you drink instant or not, whether you drink drip or not. For me, its definitely another option if I am away from a cafe!

Review by reluctant techie for Starbucks VIATM Ready Brew Colombia Coffee by Starbucks Coffee
Rating:
Yes, it is true! My girlfriend is a coffee snob and I served her coffee in bed after fake-making fresh ground coffee and she didn’t say a word. I asked her if the coffee was good and she said it was fine. After telling her it was instant she exclaimed – “no way!” Yahoo!

Backpackers rejoice – lightweight AND yummy!

It isn’t going to win in a side-by-side cupping but this is good enough to pass muster and 100x better than any other instant coffee out there. Superior to freshly made “grandma” coffee, too.

Review by Mary for Starbucks VIATM Ready Brew Colombia Coffee by Starbucks Coffee
Rating:
Wow I really wanted to hate the Starbucks Via instant coffee. I thought it sounded way too expensive and how could instant coffee taste good?

But you know what? I like it. I will say that Via is not for everyone. But Via is a good product for me. Here are my reasons for liking it:

1) It’s so convenient and it is very difficult to argue with that. I work long days and I can’t be running to the coffee shop all the time. Yes I can brew a pot of coffee and sometimes I do but then other people drink it and I paid for the coffee for the whole pot. Thieves…

2) Via dissolves so easily. Other instant coffee products tend to require boiling water but Via brews up easily with the on demand hot water from our office water filter. It also dissolves in cold liquids, not quite as easily, but it does work. So if you want cold coffee to make an iced drink you can have that.

3) It tastes good. Really good. The Italian roast is probably better for people who take milk or 1/2 and 1/2 in their coffee. Being a darker roast it bonds to the molecules in milk which cuts the bitter edge. The Colombian roast is more smooth and I don’t think it stands up to milk as well. Choose Colombian if you like your coffee black.

4) I don’t use instant at home very often but I can see this being quite useful for cooking / baking. Coffee flavored pastry cream, add some to frosting or chocolate cake batter, smoothies, tirimisu, do you make your own ice cream or gelato? Via would be perfect for that.

The downsides? $.83 per cup can be a tough sell but it’s cheaper than buying a cup in the store and it is a lot faster. It also makes more like a 16 oz cup than a 12 oz cup. If you make Via in a regular sized mug it will be VERY strong. That’s the other downside. I would rather have this in a small container where I could control the serving size instead of buying the little foil tubes.

Overall I am quite pleased and expect I will buy more.

Review by Anjana Nigam for Starbucks VIATM Ready Brew Colombia Coffee by Starbucks Coffee
Rating:
I’ve had the opportunity to try the Via – Italian Roast and Colombian several times over the period of 2 months, and I think it tastes better than some instant coffees and even some brewed coffees but it is eventually an instant coffee. It’s nice for an on-the-go cup, a better experience than the burnt office coffee but there is no way it tastes like the freshly brewed Starbucks. I like the Colombian a little more than the Italian Roast but that may be just personal preference.

I do like my instant coffees, I’ve tried Nescafe Classico and Nescafe Taster’s Choice. Taster’s Choice has better aroma due to their special big grain technology and a sweeter flavor than Via. In my opinion, Nescafe is the best coffee to use to make an ice coffee or a coffee shake, or drink with lots of milk for a nightcap. Bru – another coffee available over the world – tastes more like brewed coffee and is closer in texture to Via, but I simply don’t like the flavor and the aroma is not as strong. Via is better than Bru, as it has a nice aroma and blends easier than Taster’s choice due to the fine powdery texture. But it is still an instant coffee, it is nothing like freshly brewed Starbucks’ Pike’s Roast, House Blend or Breakfast Blend.

I tried hard to get to like Via as it had the potential to be a convenient option, but it could not win over my taste buds. At its current price it costs almost a $1 a cup, so I’d rather stick with Nescafe which tastes great and drink fresh brewed Starbucks when I can. My office cafe offers freshly brewed Starbucks for less than a $1 anyway, or I have the choice of the single serve brew machines with some ok coffee (Java Delight). So I don’t need to use instant coffee at work. At home I’d rather brew my favorite blend or just add some Nescafe to my milk drink. Given that, I don’t have reason to buy Via. I do like the convenient Crystal Light type packaging and think it would be great for camping.

Great idea, but it’s not the same Starbucks that you’re used to every morning, and is a bit pricey for an instant.

Review by Jon S. Foley for Starbucks VIATM Ready Brew Colombia Coffee by Starbucks Coffee
Rating:
To start, I have been drinking coffee since I was a kid. I don’t mask my coffee with tons of sugar and cream. Also, I have been been working in some form of coffee industry for the past six years. Currently I am employed by Starbucks. Sadly, this VIA instant coffee falls short. When this product was “introduced” in the spring of 2009, we had several tastings. Even in a blind test a difference could easily be noticed.

Something I actually find funny, is the fact that Starbucks tries to pretend like this is some new achievement. They have had this exact form of instant coffee used in Frappuccinos for years. The only thing new is the packaging.

One important thing to keep in mind is price. People act like this is such a cost effective solution. A twelve pack of VIA is just a little less than $10. That comes out to $.83 per pack. However, here is the kicker: One pack equals ONE 8oz serving. In order to make yourself a “grande” (16oz) size of coffee it will cost you $1.66. Where I live, a “grande” cup of coffee of FRESH brewed coffee costs $1.85. In actuality you really are saving yourself around $.20 a day. All in all around $50 a year. Personally, I would rather pay the extra $50 a year to have a good cup of coffee. Not to mention, all you penny-pinchers, Starbucks offers free cream and sugar.

Now, to offer a real solution. Quit being lazy. Invest in a coffee brewer and burr grinder. Go buy yourself a couple of pounds of beans. I don’t care if you buy Starbucks or not. Please, just make sure it is fresh. If you buy a pound of beans at Starbucks, it will run you anywhere from $10-14. Depending on how strong you make your coffee, a pound of coffee will make 20-50 Servings. I make my coffee fairly strong, making 1/2 pot at a time on a daily basis. A pound of coffee will easily last over a week. Two pounds every three weeks. $8 a week for several delicious cups of coffee everyday.

In conclusion, if I am in a rush, out of town, or need a pick-me-up, would I use VIA? Sure. Would I substitute VIA for fresh home brew? No. Would I recommend VIA over McDonald’s coffee? YES. So if you are always in a hurry. Go for it. Otherwise, save money and your palate and make really good coffee, not just okay coffee.

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