Starbuck's VIA Ready Brew: A Coffee Lover's Review

Recently, in a bid to make their coffee easily accessible at home or on the go, coffee giant Starbucks has released Via - instant coffee packets that produce one cup of Starbucks coffee with 8 ounces of water. This instant brew is available in many different roasts, such as Pike, Italian and Colombian, and costs $2.95 for three packets (not cheap!). Like many Starbucks lovers and analysts, this particular product left me baffled. There are many reasons I choose Starbucks over cheaper competitors - fresh coffee, quality brews, a great atmosphere and the warm feeling of having a barista actually know my name. But the very idea of instant coffee seemed to go against all of these strengths. Instant coffee is widely considered the very last resort by coffee lovers - tasting artificial, grainy and only very remotely like coffee. What could the Starbucks execs be thinking?

Out of curiosity, I decided to test out Via packets, pitting them against regular Starbucks brews. I decided to take part in Starbuck's "taste challenge" first. I sampled the Pike Place Via and the Pike Place regular brew in unmarked cups at a local Starbucks. Though it did take two sips, I could tell the regular brew from the Via - but it was surprisingly close.

The next morning, I gave the Italian Via packet a try. I boiled 8 ounces of water in the microwave, emptied the tiny Via packet into a mug, and then poured the hot water over it. The coffee initially appears slightly cloudy, but this doesn't affect the taste. I added cream and sugar (my favorite vices) and took a sip. The taste was surprisingly similar to Starbucks store brews and very strong; in fact, without the store brew to compare it to directly, I couldn't tell the difference. The morning after, I tried the Colombian, with one change - instead of 8 ounces of water, I added 10 to see if it would provide a less potent cup with equal quality. The modified cup of Colombian was delicious - and I have since used a $1.00 off coupon to purchase another three pack of Via for the reduced price of $1.95.

Although tastes vary widely when it comes to coffee, I recommend that all Starbucks lovers give at least one cup of Via a taste. While the taste is slightly different and you miss the atmosphere of visiting a local Starbucks, it's a great alternative to home or office brews of other brand's coffee. And for those times when you don't have the equipment or energy to brew a cup of coffee - on the go or up with the baby at 5:00 a.m. - it's a perfect solution. Although the price of Via packets is a little prohibitive for use on a regular basis, I will probably buy them again when I'm "in a pinch". Since the Via packets are only slightly cheaper than a regular Starbucks brew, it remains to be seen if the public will purchase enough Via to make it worthwhile for the coffee chain.