Starbucks VIA: An instant review
Or, not-so-instant, in my case.
I received the Starbucks VIA gift pack to review a couple of weeks ago, and I hadn’t yet gotten around to reviewing it until today.
Let me first say… I love instant coffee. When many others would make faces brewing Nescafe instant while camping etc, I was in my glory. I have always liked the taste of instant, especially since I can make it super strong without being really muddy like drip coffee that has too many grinds in it. So, I was really happy to hear that Starbucks was entering that market.
And, the new VIA cup that Starbucks sent to try it with? Ingenious…
It has a metal inner layer, and space for enough VIA hits for the week! What a great idea for a cup design.
Making my first batch, I was a little skeptical that it would taste like Starbucks drip coffee (which, honestly, I don’t often order because I have a six shot skim milk mocha addiction to feed most days), but it did taste exactly like the drip, actually.
There’s two flavours available: (or at least, I received two flavours in the gift pack) Medium/Columbia and Extra Bold/Italian Roast. Both taste true to their drip versions.
I guess the only thing I need to find now, is the long packages of coffee whitener that would fit in my cup with the VIA packages, so that I’m ready for coffee anywhere my cup is!
Thanks for the gift pack, Starbucks! I really enjoyed trying your VIA Ready Brew!
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I admit I’m fascinated with how much bandwidth this intro has consumed. Kudos to Starbucks for a genius job packaging a product that most folks have been griping about for the better part of a generation.
I still haven’t tried it. But if I keep seeing it on my social media radar, I think it’s inevitable that I make the walk to my neighborhood outlet and get me some.
.-= Carmi´s last blog: Let’s kill all the drunk drivers =-.
you know, i was skeptical to try it out myself as i don’t like drip coffee – i’m all about the $5 flavoured latte’s with soy milk, no foam and all that jazz. Anyways i was talked into it by the girl behind the counter – i make my Via with a cup of hot milk and i add flavoured syrup to it – making my own version of a latte in the morning – and its perfect! she even mentioned to use chocolate milk if you want a mocha! if you like the latte’s – i recommend giving it a try – makes my mornings go by so easy now, and i hardly have time to stop on the way to work to get one.
I’m drinking one right now (Columbian) and I have to say I’m not a huge fan of it myself. However, I am a bit of a geek when it comes to my coffee so it is just not up to my standards I guess. In a pinch I’d drink the Italian one, but the Columbian one is just not enough for me. I’d rather drink tea than the Columbian via.
A good effort, it’s decent for an instant coffee, but you just cannot freeze dry the taste of a freshly ground bean. Those amazing little oils, mmmmm.
I haven’t tried it yet, but the one thing that bothers me is with all of the trouble they went to creating a ‘high-end’ instant coffee that one can have at any time, Why no Decaf? After all, if I want one at say, 7 or 8PM, sure I’ve got hot water, but do I really feel like staying up until 2 or 3 before the caffeine is enough out of my system that I can sleep?
.-= David´s last blog: My BarCamp Wrap-Up =-.
Hi David,
I contacted a friend st Starbucks with the same complaint (re: decaf) and she said decaf Italian Roast (oh good) comes out Nov 11 in the States; so it should be then or just a bit later for Canada.
I have been drinking TOO MANY of the Italian Roast Vias with hazelnut creamer and I really need decaf! LOL
Yep – decaf is on the way.
Having worked on the other side of the counter, I chuckle to think that I was told instant coffee was the root of all evil, and now Starbucks actually offers it. Anywho, I actually don’t mind a cup and can see it’s usefulness in a pinch, but can’t see myself spending the coin on instant if regular drip is available.
And how’d you score the pack to review?
.-= Chris´s last blog: The Mat’s out for Mats =-.
I didn’t get a chance to try it last time I was home as the ‘Bucks we went in to had run out of samples.
I usually have Americano at Starbucks. The casher there recommened me VIA coffee. He told me it’s tasty as same as my Americano. So,I tried VIA Italian Roast-Extra Bold, for me It was bad. I mean very bad.I spent almost $4 for that. A $3 bottle of Maxwell Instant coffee was much better then VIA. I’m sorry, but I’ll never buy VIA again. I totally disapponted. I still have 2packets. Is there anyone wants to try mine?