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.