Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Starbucks Via. An in-depth review


During the last few days, I have been hearing so much hype about this "awesome" new instant coffee Starbucks had come up with titled "Via." I decided to give it a try and write a thorough review.

...But before I do that, let me give you some background into my coffee drinking habit.

I drink A LOT of coffee.

I got this from my parents, mostly my mother, who had a full percolator of coffee hot in the kitchen all day, even during July and August. I had my first cup around the age of 8 and I have been a daily drinker ever since. So I know my coffee.

As for my opinion on Starbucks, I love it. It tastes great and their regular coffee is my coffee of choice. I would drink it every day if I could gather up enough pocket change.

So my love for Starbucks is strong, but I have to admit, I was skeptical of "Via." And rightly so, instant coffee is disgusting, but I was curious.

So this morning came and my boss was kind enough to have a nice black, unsweetened cup of iced Starbucks coffee waiting for me (thanks). She also gave me a free sample of Via she received. So without any further boring talk, here is my review:

Packaging/Marketing



The marketing push for this product has been intense to say the least, and I like what they have done. The orange color fits along nicely with the start of fall, and the clever instructions on the packet give you that feeling that you are really awesome and lucky to be drinking this instant coffee. Starbucks also has a strong Social Networking/Internet campaign going as well, which is really smart. So I give the marketing/packaging a solid 5 out of 5 stars.

Step 1: Opening package and pouring into cup

The package of Via has an easy to use “rip” top located roughly ¼ inch from the top of the package. All you do is simply rip across at this “rip point” to open up the packet.

The illustrated instructions tell you to pour in the Via mixture before you add the water.

This was actually my lowest point during the entire process, because this stuff honestly does not look very good by itself in the mug. It basically looked like I had just poured a tablespoon of dirt into a cup, BUT, I was not going to lose hope just yet.

Step 2: Adding hot water

In our office, I am lucky enough to have a coffee machine that pours out instant hot water. I truly believe that is vital to the success of Via. You HAVE to have truly hot water. Zapping a cup of water for 60 seconds isn’t going to work. It need to be piping hot.

As I added the 8 ounces of hot water to the Via mixture, it instantly transformed into a great looked cup of black coffee. It even gave off a trademark Starbucks smell.
After a few seconds of stirring the water and Via mixture together, I took my first sip.

I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted like a good cup of Starbucks coffee! There is a difference but it is VERY small. But I do not normally drink my coffee black. Will this cup of Starbucks Via accept various condiments or reject them?

Step 3: The condiment test

My perfect cup of coffee consist of a strong brew, with “LIGHT” creamer and one package of Sweet-in-Low (yes I know its bad for me).

I was skeptical that I would be able to add these condiments to this cup of Via. But to my surprise, they blended perfectly. The coffee kept it’s strong flavor, even with the liquid creamer added in. I took the cup back to my desk and happily drank it dry.

Final thoughts

Starbucks Via is good. I’ll actually say it’s really good. I was a skeptic but I am now a fan. I am even seriously considering buying a pack so I can take some with me when I travel to the Lexington KY office. (I don’t like their coffee at all).

I now understand why Starbucks is promoting Via so heavily. I think they understand that they have a good product on their hands and they want to get it out into the public.

Consider me a fan. You should try it and don’t be scared off by it’s dirt like appearance at first.

I give Starbucks Via 4 ½ stars out of 5.

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