Starbucks Soluble Coffee – What’s Next?
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read that Starbucks is going to release a new line of coffee. You know how I love Starbucks coffee and more often than not, I would walk over to a Starbucks even if there is another coffee shop nearby. But soluble coffee? It is just a pretty name for instant coffee.
Yes, you read that right. Starbucks is coming out with a line of instant coffee. What in the world are they thinking? Fast Company reports:
But that didn’t stop America’s largest coffee chain from launching VIA Ready Brew, a new line of instant – excuse me, “soluable” – coffee that hits U.S. stores March 3.
The brew comes in two flavors, Colombia and Italian Roast. It’s also packaged with typical Starbucks panache: On the back of each three-serving pouch ($2.95), a quote reads, “Never be without great coffee.”
I am really quite pessimistic about the whole thing. But Fast Company did a blind taste test, which gave very suprising results. This is what they had to say about Starbucks VIA – Columbia (instant coffee):
It came from coffee powder and hot water. And yet, somehow, this brew garnered all-positive reviews. Tasters raved about its flavor (“balanced, not bitter”), texture (“by far the smoothest”), and aroma (“smells like fancy coffee”). And one called it – irony alert! – “better than the coffee you buy in Starbucks.” ’Nuff said.
All I can say is WOW. Either this instant coffee is really that good OR coffee shop brewed coffee is bad. I’ll wait to try it for myself.
Is Grinding Your Own Beans Worth It?
I think that this question has been asked so many times that it has gotten quite old. However, the fact that people keep asking it over and over again means that it is not that clear to many how grinding your own coffee beans can make a difference in the quality of your coffee.
To be honest with you, I was one of those people who kept asking this question. I normally use my good old drip coffee machine. It is just really more convenient (prep time and clean up time) than using my espresso machine (which, by the way, is in storage – yeah I know, sacrilege!). When I did get a grinder (Krups) and tried grinding my own beans, however, I discovered what I had been missing out on.
It is hard to explain, really. All that I can say is that when you buy freshly roasted whole beans and then you grind a small amount to brew, the flavor is just so wonderful! Naturally, the quality of the drink would depend on the kind of beans that you get but given the same kind, freshly ground beans are the best.
Another thing about grinding your own beans and preserving the flavor of the coffee is that you can store the whole beans for a longer period of time than you could store coffee grounds. I have noticed that even if you store coffee grounds in a sealed container, the freshness deteriorates much more quickly than if you stored the whole beans.
So to answer that question – yes, grinding your own coffee beans is definitely worth the extra effort that you have to put into measuring out the beans, grinding them, and then cleaning out the grinder. It’s a small price to pay, really.
How Much Coffee Do You Really Need?
As I write this, I am sitting at the local Starbucks trying to get some work done. You see, I was able to leave my day job early today and I had planned on a very productive evening, writing-wise. I told myself that I would go to Starbucks or The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and spend the whole night there writing. After all, they have WiFi – even though I have to pay – and what better combination than coffee, music, cigarettes, and writing?
But here I am, being bummed because it seems that the WiFi connection at BOTH Starbucks and Coffee Bean is down. It has been like this for the past 2 hours. Still, it has not stopped me from writing using Word, with the intent of publishing my posts when – and if – the WiFi goes back up.
Anyhow, back to the topic of this post – how much coffee do you need? I suppose that that question is quite vague. How much coffee do you need for what? In my mind, it is how much coffee do you need to wake up? I have been up for 16 hours and my mind is starting to become sluggish. Even my typing is becoming bad. I am on my 3rd cup of coffee – not for the day, but for the past 2 hours.
I used to think that a cup of good strong coffee could give me the jolt that I need to function normally. Now, I am seriously doubting that. Maybe a fourth cup from Starbucks would help?
Locust Bean Coffee: A Healthier Alternative?
Coffee this, coffee that…one moment we read that coffee is bad for your health. The next moment we read the exact opposite – that it is actually good. There really is no definitive information on this topic. But what I do know is that people have not stopped trying to look for alternatives to coffee. Why exactly I would want to find an alternative to coffee, I really do not know but for those of you who are looking for another – similar – drink, then check this out: locust bean coffee.
I don’t really feel like drinking anything that comes from an insect but what the heck, it won’t hurt to take a look right? Yeah, my ignorance just shone through right there – locust bean is NOT an insect! I just overlooked the word BEAN right after locust. Sorry guys, when I see locust, I remember the story in the Bible wherein God sent locusts to eat all the stuff in Egypt.
Anyway, locust bean is supposed to be good for you. It keeps your cholesterol levels down. It also promotes bone growth. Oh yeah, and it is supposed to be an aphrodisiac…now you got me interested! 
So what’s the relation between the locust bean and coffee? It is now being used as instant coffee! Now I have turned you off, haven’t I? I know that some of you ONLY drink brewed coffee and I totally understand that – I am the same. There are times when you just can’t have brewed, though. And if you are thinking of stocking up on some of that instant stuff, maybe the insect locust bean coffee would do?
