Opinions of Starbucks coffee

[missbexx]

I was wondering how everyone felt about starbucks coffee?

[Beezer]

I can't speak for everyone, but I personally don't much care for Starbucks. I'm not sure if you're asking about the beans themselves, or the drinks that Starbucks makes. Either way, I'm not crazy about them. The beans tend to be very dark and oily, which is not what I like for espresso, though it can make passable drip coffee. They also tend to be stale, which again is not good for espresso or drip. As for the drinks made in the stores, the less said the better.

[HB]

I've tried Starbucks in their cafes and at home. When properly extracted, their espresso is a good base for "big gulp" lattes since the heavy roast notes cuts through lots of milk. Personally I don't care for the edge on their blends, even when it's softened by milk and sugar. One of my neighbors is a big Starbucks fan, so I made her some lattes using their coffee. She commented it was the best she's ever tasted; the "secret" isn't in the blend, but the difference in the quality of microfoam. As a straight espresso, I found it harsh.

Even though Starbucks' coffee isn't to my liking, I do credit them with popularizing espresso-based drinks in the US. That's the good news. The bad news is they've become the defacto standard. The thread Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz sees a threat to its brand elaborates on this point.

The reporter noted that Starbucks' stock price did not drop as a reaction to the leak "because most of what Schultz wrote was already obvious." Starbucks has followed the McDonald's growth model, with all the same attention to process, image, marketing, and predictability. *shrug*

PS: CG's Starbucks' Chairman admits to brand's failings on "the experience" discusses the memo at length.

[WilsonHines]

All things being fair, $B was my first experience in the specialty coffee world. And I bet that 99% of the readers/posters here would have to admit to the same thing. HB is right, they brought it to the masses and the bad part of that is they are now "the default" when people think of coffee or a coffee shop. In my endevours to write a business plan for a shop I polled several local people about how they would react to a locally owned coffee shop in the small town and most automatically came back with "You mean like Starbucks style?"

Anyway, I think the coffee is burnt and stale. It just has a burnt taste to me. However, out of all of their coffees I do like their Ethiopian Sidamo and Kenyans when comparing them to other $B coffees..

[alsterlingcafe]

I was wondering how everyone felt about starbucks coffee?

To be fair and to repeat what was already mentioned, I believe you have to qualify whether you're pondering their beverages or their company marketing history. For entrepenuers, their company story is fascinating and deserves respect. As for their products....that's another story.

I always ask non-coffee people........"If you had a friend from Europe come visit, and they asked you to take them to get a real American Hamburger.....?", would you head off to a McDonald's or a Hamburger Hamlet; maybe even an In-n-Out, (popular here in the Southern California market and spreading)?

Dan was being very generous in finding a use for their dark-oily roast. Although, if I want to cut through milk to produce at least the scent of coffee......I'd probably be better off just mixing in some Folger's Crystals!? )

Best, Al

[mdoberenz]

Starbucks is a great training tool. It introduces one to the concept of specialty coffee. And slowly one grows, learns, makes there own good coffee, and discovers the few great shops around - maybe the next state over, and then you quit going to starbucks except for emergencies in airports - although I choose brewed dunkin doghnuts in the desparate situation.

Mark

[jameseric]

Another slant here. Agreed, their stuff is less than fresh and their marketing strategy impressive. But pondering at some length my personal reaction to the phenomenon of the place, I realize that for me Starbucks is useful as a focus for personal snobbery. The corner Starbucks is where the hoi polloi of coffee-drinkers congregate. The product is robot-produced, has predictable flavor that begs to be anesthetized with special and costly additives. Set one o' those Venti puppies down on a formica-clad table, park your hinie in semi-comfort, in one of the array of trendy chairs. And proceed to enjoy the next sensory level of successful marketeers: you have heard such on the radio, seen it in publications, been dazzled by it on television... now you know how it tastes. Heh. I'm probably the only one on this forum who thinks this, but I kinda enjoy looking down on those quiet masses huddled over their stylish concoctions, engaged in earnest conversation with other patrons. Communication with fellow-humans, in any context, is commendable, it's true. Even if the libation is somewhat fraudulent. So am I being hostile? Proud? Condescending? Narrow? Um, yeah, yes, uh-huh, and yep.

And am I thoroughly ashamed of myself?

C'mon, admit it.

Well?

We're waiting.

[oofnik]

Hah.. Seems to be a lot of similar opinions here; no surprise.
I think Starbucks has simply become part of the morning routine for millions of Americans. You know you've heard it: "So I went to get my Starbucks this morning...". It makes me cringe a little bit every time. It's obvious that they became the de facto coffee shop, despite the fact that there are many independent coffee houses of much higher quality all over the map. American culture in my opinion has become overly concerned with brand names and brand loyalty over the decades. Look at the automotive industry for example. It took the Japanese and German and Korean cars a very long time to penetrate the American market. But that's a discussion for another thread entirely...

Anyway, the fact that the flavor is perhaps not optimal in comparison to other local options is not priority number one. It's a nationally recognized name, it's everywhere, it's convenient, and people just need their caffeine. While a lot of us here on HB drink our coffee for the flavor, I'd guess that the majority of Americans drink it mainly for the buzz. Combine that with national recognition, and there you have it. It's definitely a cultural thing. I'm almost sure that there are no European countries with similar national chains of everyday commodities, but I'd like someone to prove me wrong.

If you view Starbucks as a specialty coffee shop, well, they're not. I view them more as an extension of the ever-expanding American fast food industry. There are two reasons why I'd go to a Starbucks. If I'm with some friends, or if I want to meet and chat for a bit or whatever, the mermaid is a pretty great place to do so simply because of its convenient locations. Everybody and their grandmother knows where the local mermaid is. Secondly, if I'm in a tight spot, simply put, bad coffee is better than no coffee. And I hate to say it, but unless I've heard otherwise, the typical mom 'n pop coffee shop is a crapshoot, and could very well be sub-Starbucks. More often than not, I'm not in the mood to take the chance. Like them or not, the green mermaid has definitely raised the bar.

[ntwkgestapo]

My FIRST experience with Starbucks was in '75, back when there was only one! I purchased whole bean coffee and had them grind it so I could take it back to my hotel room in Bremerton, WA and get SOME KIND of "decent' coffee. Back then it wasn't too bad (was MUCH better than I could find in most restaurants in the area at the time! Nowadays, too dark, too old, etc (just as many have mentioned above). Before they went the superauto way, you COULD get something that wasn't TOOOO bad (sometimes!). Since they went to the superautos, well.... took them 4 years to get the temp OK (most of the time). Even when out of town and in a hurry I pretty much avoided them for espresso as the shots were almost ALWAYS sour (not as bad as I've gotten from some Caribou Coffee shops tho. SOME of them you could use to tan leather!). Recently they've at least gotten the sour pretty much cleared up, but still a harsh drink (mellowed by milk, but still harsh).

[RegulatorJohnson]

I'm almost sure that there are no European countries with similar national chains of everyday commodities, but I'd like someone to prove me wrong.

... ILLY ?

jon

[jameseric]

On ILLY... From limited experience in northern Italy, Illy seems more a supplier of roasted coffee beans, ready to grind and extract from. Where in the U.S. a restaurant might serve Boyds or somesuch, the dominant supplier there seems to be Illy. I don't think the draw there is the precise blend --it's more the convenience of the place for a quick jolt, sometimes the ambiance and presence of friends, often the skill of the barrista. There may be an Illy sign in the window, but I haven't seen any evidence of a chain with that name.

Italian forum members comment on this? Other traveler observations?

[starry]

I will admit that I did enjoy $B's "French Roast" a few years back. As a drip coffee it had qualities I liked, but recently, every time I get the drip coffee I am dissatisfied. I taste mostly 'bitter' and too much of it. I end up pouring it out about a quarter of the way through. I'm not sure if my taste has changed or the coffee (or both). It's hard to be the kind of person that is only satisfied with what I can brew myself..... Maybe if I could frequent some other establishments it wouldn't be an issue, but where (that's not too far out-of-way)?

[Jasonian]

I will admit that I did enjoy $B's "French Roast" a few years back. As a drip coffee it had qualities I liked, but recently, every time I get the drip coffee I am dissatisfied. I taste mostly 'bitter' and too much of it. I end up pouring it out about a quarter of the way through. I'm not sure if my taste has changed or the coffee (or both). It's hard to be the kind of person that is only satisfied with what I can brew myself..... Maybe if I could frequent some other establishments it wouldn't be an issue, but where (that's not too far out-of-way)?

Did you prefer the blue pill?

That's how it is for a lot of us, though. And yes, tastes do tend to change. Palate calibration is quite different for dark and light roasting.

[Mike Panic]

Charbucks?

Americano blows...

I do still like Iced Venti Quad Carmel Soy macchiato's in the summer though.

[ira]

My favorite memory of Starbucks was working in Seattle back in the late 80's early 90's for a few days in a hotel with a Starbucks downstairs on the corner. Standing outside waiting for them to open being first in line ordering a large coffee and watching them purge the beer tap with hot water till the coffee appeared. First and only time I've ever been served coffee from a beer tap. Don't remember anything about the coffee except that I drank it. My worst experience was a couple of years ago being told they'd just run out and would make me a new pot and then being handed the first 12 oz that came out of the gallon brewer so I wouldn't have to wait. I think I finally gave up trying to dilute it with milk and just tossed it.

Ira

[Spironski]

... ILLY ?

Okay, I am from Holland, but I've been to Italy a couple of times, and I think there is no chain like Starbucks over there. As far as I have seen, mostly private owned cafés over there. In Italy, when your espresso isn't top notch, you better close your business.

About Starbucks. I have been to the US two times, and I am sorry to say, but as far as I know your regular coffee sucks! At one time, when I was having breakfast with my friend, we couldn't make out which cup had coffee, and which had tea in it Both were horrible!
So with that in mind, Starbucks was really okay. I must say that I was disappointed with the quality of their espressos, I had expected more of it: "So this is the best espresso in the US?!" But at the time, little did I know about the specialty shops around.

Perhaps I was biased about "American Coffee". Just one year before, when I was in Venice (where the European coffee culture began!), there was this American woman shouting across the Rialto-bridge (of all places) to her husband: "Hey, you know what? They've got espresso over here!"

Yeah, what a surprise!

But now, of course I know better! Next time when I come to your beautiful country I will seek out the good places!

[cannonfodder]

Yuck, and that is all I will say.

[drminpa]

I have always thought Starbucks was overpriced and their coffee tasted burnt. I don't care for their espresso either. If I'm on the road tavelling and want some coffee I look for a Dunkin Donuts.

[absolutlahmi]

ON ILLY -

A testament to the importance of the skills of a barista, some of the best espresso I've had came from Illy beans, in a cafe in Istanbul, called "myott".
The owner/barista was using a 3 group UNIC Z series (or a Rumba, can't remember). and I just remember being blown away by what he was pulling out of his machine...

[Marshall]

... ILLY ?

Perhaps I was biased about "American Coffee". Just one year before, when I was in Venice (where the European coffee culture began!), there was this American woman shouting across the Rialto-bridge (of all places) to her husband: "Hey, you know what? They've got espresso over here!"

Yeah, what a surprise!

What Europeans do not realize is that these "tourists" are actually paid actors, trained by our State Department to amuse Europeans and distract them from our foreign policy misadventures. If you are lucky, you'll meet some "New Yorkers" who have been hired to say "Pizza was invented in New York City."

But, back to U.S. coffee matters, the U.S. is just too huge to conclude there is no good coffee just from visiting a couple of shops at random. You are, however, free to conclude that finding good coffee takes planning and effort.

As for Starbucks, it is also too huge to draw definitive conclusions about ALL their coffee from visiting a couple of shops. There are quality variations between shops, and, in my experience, good drip coffee can be found, and they will gladly serve it in a ceramic cup, if asked. Dark roasted coffee is certainly not everyone's preference, but neither is it the poison that some would make it out to be.