Starbucks Cold Brew

Just don't do it!  I've tried Starbucks cold brew twice now, once when it first came out and again this afternoon. It's just not good! Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Starbucks and never want to be so much of a coffee snob that I forget Starbucks' granddaddy role in this wonderfully vast indie coffee shop ecosystem. Tribute where tribute is due.

Anyway, on to the coffee. It's bland, flat and bitter. Bitter!! Cold brew should NOT be bitter. Cold brewing your beans is supposed to do the opposite of bitter. I had to add a bunch of cream and (gasp) sugar to it to make it drinkable. If you know me I NEVER put sugar in coffee. I don't like the way it makes coffee taste.  I asked about which blend they use to make it because some of them are pretty decent. In fact I think their seasonal Kati Kati blend makes a great cold brew. The baristas didn't know. The cold brew is shipped to the locations and just says "cold brew" on the container. Sigh... Cold brew is the easiest, most foolproof way to make coffee, and it's the best way to make your beans taste good. (I direct you to my recent post about how easy it is).  Heck, it's so easy I make a pitcher of it at work!  This total lack of flavor makes me wonder if it's true cold brew or if they hot brew then cool it down. And they certainly aren't using good beans.  After all, I can buy a bottle of Stumptown cold brew, which is brewed in Portland, and know it will be fantastic.

That's it. A quick post this time. Starbucks is following the trend of the local, independent shops who make great cold brews. But they just aren't getting it right.  Maybe they're too big, too corporate. They should have their stores make it themselves the night before. It would be a much better product.  All this having been said, there's worse coffee out there, but don't bother.  You can get better even at Starbucks. Don't waste your money.  2 out of 7.

Maybe soon I'll venture out to see how Peets does with theirs.