Is Starbucks new "blond roast" coffee worth trying or is it repackaging

[no_hypocrisy]

and marketing defective beans under a slick marketing campaign?

[hobbit709]

1. Is ANY Starcrap coffee worth buying?

[Chan790]

2. It's a rebranding of "light" roast.

Blonde sounds better than light to consumers. It is however hilariously-inaccurate to people who work in coffee because "blonde" is an industry term and actually refers to an entirely different stage of roast color--one in which beans are not yet caramelized enough to brew coffee from.

[geardaddy]

4. This^

When I saw "blonde" I thought, "how the hell can they brew 'blonde' coffee?"

[TroglodyteScholar]

18. When are they going to rename their normal roast "burnt-to-shit"?

Or maybe introduce dark roast coffee that's not coffee at all, but just scalding hot water poured through some half-burned charcoal.

[Iggo]

3. Their cappucino milkshakes are okay, but their coffee is crap.

Try a can of Yuban. Ten times better than Starbucks coffee.

[mysuzuki2]

5. I hate Starbucks too. Unfortunately, where I live (NW side of Milwaukee)

there are no other coffee shops. I have to drive quite a ways to find good coffee.

[TroglodyteScholar]

19. You can't find Alterra up there? n/t

[mysuzuki2]

21. Not close. I'm actually almost in Menomonee Falls.

fortunately, I'm on the East side several times a week so I can get a good cup at Alterras on Oakland.

[marmar]

6. None of that overroasted $4 charfee is worth it.

Illy, Dallmayr and Lavazza - the good stuff.

[Brother Buzz]

7. Light roast beans (blond) tend to be more bitter then dark roast

Oils that cause bitterness are not driven off in the roasting process like in the dark roast beans.

[freshwest]

12. That's too bad. That's what I was hoping from the OP. I can't drink their other stuff.

[TrogL]

15. Their "other stuff" isn't coffee - it's charcoal.

If I wanted to drink ashes I'd dig out my firepit.

[freshwest]

17. I think it's the tobacco that didn't fit in a cigarette. I just can not drink it.

[TroglodyteScholar]

20. Wonder if people will confuse us on this thread...

...I posted a very similar sentiment upthread before seeing your post..

[no_hypocrisy]

8. Thank you all.

You validated my guess.

[grasswire]

9. I had a sample of it. No thanks. Bitter.

I suspect it's an attempt to be "trendy" -- because the latest specialty coffee industry trends are away from espresso and dark roasts, and toward single source cups made by what is called "pour-over" process. This means lighter roasts.

The magazine of the industry: www.freshcup.com

Another: coffeetalk.com

[IcyPeas]

10. they game me a sample pack of the blonde to try at home...

I found it bitter too. I use Dunkin Donuts whole bean coffee now, which I find pretty good.

[Avalux]

11. Sacrilege! The darker the better....

a nice dark french or italian roast are my favorites. I don't contaminate my coffee with sugar or creams either because I enjoy the flavor of the coffee. Blonde might be ok for those who do.

[Chan790]

16. I love Italian Roast.

It's what I use in my home espresso machine for beans. I like the smokier caramel notes of it more than the espresso roast.

[KT2000]

22. Absolutely!!

Espresso and French Roast taste burnt to me. Italian Roast is roasted slower and longer so it is strong but not bitter and over done. We used to have a wonderful Italian coffe line from Seattle but then Starbucks bought it and now it tastes like Starbucks - burned.

[grasswire]

23. my favorite beans are from Caffe D'Oro in Seattle

It was started by an Italian family who emigrated to the U.S. I don't find it often, though.

Next best for me is a local roaster called Longbottom -- they roast every day and the beans are available at my local Kroger.

[irisblue]

14. i've had it.

i would not order it again. i didn't care for the taste or mouthfeel of the brew.