# Starbucks Christmas Blend



## gingerneil (Aug 21, 2014)

I'm going to get hammered for this.... but....

I called into a Starbucks at the weekend on a road trip into London. They were selling 'BOGOF' bags of beans, and with in-laws coming to stay for Christmas I thought it may be a reasonable idea to get some very cheap beans to rattle through - they wont really appreciate my Rave stash and at least I can show off my latte art rather than reaching for the usual Kenko! However, the lady behind the counter just couldn't understand why I didn't want to buy beans that had been roasted in August (assume that's what the 'production date' is on the pack). She insisted they had a sell-by on them of April, so they were fine. Needless to say I didn't buy any.

Fast forward a couple of days, and I spotted bags with a November (2014!!) roasting date in a Starbucks in London. I grabbed a couple. £4 for 500g of beans isn't too bad all things considered.

I couldn't resist cracking a bag this morning - grinding some to bring to work for my aeropress, but also running a double shot of espresso through the Classic. They needed grinding 3 notches coarser than my Rave Decaff, but came out with a great looking crema and giving me 18>36g in bang on 25s. I am actually very very surprised at how reasonable they taste. Not too many dimensions to the flavour -but as advertised they are dark (very darkly roasted beans by he looks of them!), spicy, but with a sweet edge. I couldn't drink more than one double at a time (unlike the Rave that I recon I could drink by the pint), and I'm looking forward to making a cap to see how it goes with milk. I've got reasonable expectations as the dark spicyness should come through strongly.

In summary - it was a struggle to find some beans roasted within the last month, but for cheap beans (ie when on BOGOF), they're not too shabby.


----------



## Olliehulla (Feb 26, 2013)




----------



## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

No reason their coffee shouldn't taste ok if it was relatively fresh and made by someone who knows what they are doing.

I find Starbucks too horrid to even contemplate going in, Costa just about tastes ok with a bit of sugar tho


----------



## jjprestidge (Oct 11, 2012)

Dylan said:


> No reason their coffee shouldn't taste ok if it was relatively fresh and made by someone who knows what they are doing.
> 
> I find Starbucks too horrid to even contemplate going in, Costa just about tastes ok with a bit of sugar tho


Starbucks beans are roasted until they're virtually cremated, so it will be difficult to get much more than a burnt flavour from them. Still, some people obviously like that sort of thing.

JP


----------



## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

jjprestidge said:


> Starbucks beans are roasted until they're virtually cremated, so it will be difficult to get much more than a burnt flavour from them. Still, some people obviously like that sort of thing.
> 
> JP


To each his own!

Do they sell the exact roast they use?

Can the OP post a pic of the beans out in the light?


----------



## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

gingerneil said:


> Not too many dimensions to the flavour... spicy, but with a sweet edge.


That'll be from the cinnamon processing method...


----------



## gingerneil (Aug 21, 2014)

I'm not sure if the bags they sell contain the same stuff that they serve in the shops. I'll take a photo tonight when I get in from work. They do look pretty dark!


----------



## jjprestidge (Oct 11, 2012)

Interestingly, one of Starbucks' green coffee quality specialists - Amanda Juris - has an amazing palate - she came second in the World Cup Tasting Championship this year. Seems like a waste of talent, although I guess they pay very well.

JP


----------



## gingerneil (Aug 21, 2014)

She picks excellent quality green coffee, and then roasting team destroy it!


----------



## simonp (Nov 18, 2014)

gingerneil said:


> She picks excellent quality green coffee, and then roasting team destroy it!


What a soul destroying job that must be...


----------



## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

gingerneil said:


> She picks excellent quality green coffee, and then roasting team destroy it!


I've found a clip of their roasting technique.


----------



## Roland Clarke (Dec 16, 2014)

New poster here. All I can tell you that on the few unfortunate occasions I have tasted Starbucks coffee, it truly is a terrible experience. Even McDonalds coffee tastes better than that and at around half the price. I would rank Starbucks firmly behind both Costa and Nero, Nero being the only high street brand I consider drinking. The reason I'm on this forum is that high street coffee in the UK is often a miserable experience, I can't understand why as when I go to Italy it is (IMHO) a significant level above what we are used to in this country.


----------



## icnoble (Nov 25, 2014)

Agree with you on Nero, its a long time since I had a coffee at Starbucks, dreadful.


----------



## stevogums (May 8, 2013)

I have on many occasions in the past been faced with having to endure an espresso in all the named establishments and can honestly say I have never had anything close to a palatable espresso.

Maybe it's just me?


----------



## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

stevogums said:
 

> I have on many occasions in the past been faced with having to endure an espresso in all the named establishments


DOn't understand why you'd do that to yourself. I'd just get a soft drink or something


----------



## gingerneil (Aug 21, 2014)

I avoid their coffee - although I might go for a mocha at a push, if I fancy something hot.

Most of the time I'll have a cold drink, or frap. Just ignore that it's meant to have coffee in it, and they're not too bad.


----------



## stevogums (May 8, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> DOn't understand why you'd do that to yourself. I'd just get a soft drink or something


I think its the optimist in me!


----------



## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

I'm picking up that Starbucks isn't the most popular on here


----------



## PeterF (Aug 25, 2014)

Neros is definitely the best of the high street chains, buy a significant margin.


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

GCGlasgow said:


> I'm picking up that Starbucks isn't the most popular on here


Wonderful understatement


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

PeterF said:


> Neros is definitely the best of the high street chains, buy a significant margin.


Based on what, exactly?


----------



## truegrace (Jan 29, 2014)

I tried their Xmas blend in the week (was bought for me without being asked from services, and I don't like waste so forced myself to drink it!) but as suspected it tasted like arse. I'm sure a mug of Nescafe would of been better!


----------



## Lighty (May 31, 2013)

Best High street stuff in my area is from M&S by a country mile

based on Latte and a very occasional mocha

it varies a bit but slaughters the other main 3

anyone find the same?


----------

