The Setup
One day last week, as I was minding my own business (somewhat) and typing up my latest musings and meanderings, including a quick note about the Xbox 360 price drop (which definitely caught the attention of a lot of the Starbucks patrons around me!) and sampling one of the new breakfast items that had been rolled out that morning, a barista came over and plopped down on the stool next to me and lamented that she’s tired of all of the people who come in every so often and grouse about the Pike Place Roast and the lack of “stronger” coffee brews that they used to get at Starbucks.
The View From Above
As she was explaining to me how powerless she felt about this, I wondered, “Hmm… this can’t be something that’s endemic to only this Starbucks…”
About a month after the Pike Place Blend appeared, I had noticed a lot of people standing in line commenting about how they don’t like how “weak” the caffeine smells in the Pike Place Blend. Other people have mentioned that they didn’t like the smooth flavor of the Pike Place Blend, preferring the stronger flavor and acidic “bite” of the “bolder” brews that Starbucks [SBUX] switched to offering only in the mornings as the alternate coffee to the Pike Place Blend.
I wondered if there was any reporting being done on this issue of persons’ personal preferences in coffee taste. Apparently, yes! Various news services have had at least one post regarding the taste of the new blend, and whether it is a ploy to attract more people who have traditionally shied away from Starbucks coffees due to the “too-strong” taste of the drip coffee.
More likely, it is a way to convert customers who have traditionally been going to Starbucks anyway, but not for the drip coffee… instead, these customers have been getting the bar drinks but have been put-off by the drip coffee or, in many cases, the criticisms by drip coffee customers who would vocally declare how “nice and strong” the coffee has been.
The Action
It is not feasible for most Starbucks stores to offer a huge selection of drip coffee, unless they’re switching to significantly smaller brew receptacles or to individually brewed coffee (which is coming soon already)… To keep the coffee fresh, the receptacles have already been reduced in size, which has actually garnered positive responses from a lot of customers I’ve talked with, regardless of the debate over the Pike Place Blend. And I have re-encountered a lot of people in line at the various Starbucks stores I rotate through, whom I previously talked with about their bar drink choices who actually have added the Pike Place Blend coffee to their list of beverages since it was rolled out.
Go figure.
N.B.
About “smelling” caffeine: to humans, caffeine is odorless. Thus, people who allege they can “smell” how much caffeine is in a beverage, or anything else, are confusing that with something else… perhaps taste. However, while caffeine in its concentrated powder form has a bitter taste, dissolved caffeine’s taste may be easily “hidden” or buffered with various flavorings. As a result, that cup of “weak” coffee you’ve tasted may actually be a significantly more potent brew than the joe that has been gracelessly acidifying for an hour on a warming plate (even considering the mild amount of water evaporation that may occur).
Also: This is part of the New Starbucks? series.
Oops! The clock has rolled one minute past 12:00 noon. That means that Starbucks stores will not brew any more of the alternate coffee bean today… the only brew getting replenished is the Pike Place Roast.
