REVISED-Starbucks, either you love it or hate it
Written: May 25 '00 (Updated Nov 30 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Everywhere, good cup of latte
Cons: Strong coffee, a bit expensive
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| maceyr's Full Review: Starbucks |
Starbucks. Practically, you can't go anywhere in any metropolitan city without seeing a Starbucks sign. Of course, Starbucks is popping up everywhere and I think that's probably why a lot of people hate it. As a shareholder of this company, I have to say that I like it.
Starbucks' regular cup of coffee is quite strong compared to those of other coffee shops. Those that do not like a strong cup of coffee should not buy coffee from Starbucks or suffer from a big buzz. Or, they could brew their own at home, but then, why pay more for beans when you don't have to? Consumers of Starbucks coffee obviously like their coffee and thus are willing to pay more for it, including me. The taste of Starbucks' coffee, as they are varied depending on the blend range from light (but not watered down like many other coffee shops) to deep, full bodied and strong. Drinking a cup of Starbucks' is quite an experience for someone who never tried it, especially if you drink it black. As I drink mine black, I fully appreciate the different varieties of its taste ranging from its aroma, acidity (low to high), body (light to full) and flavor (fruity, smoky, chocolaty, etc). Starbucks' coffee is definitely a must for the black coffee drinker as their beans and coffee fully bring out the true taste of a cup of coffee.
I like Starbucks because of the taste of the coffee first of all and that they sell a lot of different "coffee" stuff like cups, espresso machines, coffee accessories, teas and even some CDs. Their coffee is always fresh and distinctive. Starbucks' blends are quite varied. You can choose from beans from Indonesia, Africa, Brazil, etc. The blends range from mild (Light Note Blend), to semi mild (House Blend), to richer blend like Cafe Verona and Kenya to strong blends such as French Roast, Sulawesi. I personally love the African blends for the strong taste. And, if you're a coffee connoisseur, you can tell the different tastes of each. And Starbucks' coffee is richly roasted to bring out the distinctive flavors of its beans. You can easily tell which type of coffee you're drinking when you drink a Starbucks coffee. If you visit Starbucks and wait a while, you can catch a staff member filling up the beans. All coffee beans are stored in shrink wrapped foil bags that keep sunlight and air away from ruining the freshness and taste of the beans.
Starbucks provide a lot of information on coffee beans, brewing and coffee tasting for the new coffee drinker. Each Starbucks is equipped with numerous brochures and pamphlets on the varieties of coffee beans they offer, the story of the coffee bean, how to brew a great cup of coffee, etc. Each Starbucks' staff undergoes training to learn to brew the "perfect" cup of coffee, learn about coffee beans, etc. I have to say that I learned a lot about coffee beans and coffee tasting from Starbucks and thus I think it has enhanced my appreciation for the cup of Joe.
As Starbucks caters more to the "grab it and go" crowd, Starbucks coffee shops do not have much atmosphere. They are equipped with some tables and chairs for those that do want to sit down and enjoy their coffee. They also frequently have some pretty good jazz or world music songs playing in the background (thus sell a few more CDs in the process) which I enjoy when I'm there. They do provide a variety of freshly baked goods such as croissant, muffins and their yummy coffee cake. It is a rarity for me to pass by a Starbucks without getting a tall, no foam latte. But, compared to a lot of other coffee shops, I find that they don't put as much espresso in their lattes. I like double shot lattes myself. Cafe mochas are not as good because I don't like the chocolate that they put in them. But, for a strong cup of regular coffee, Starbucks makes a good cup. They always taste fresh, never burnt (as I may find in other coffee shops).
Starbucks may be the "Microsoft" of coffee shops but I do like their coffee because they're quite strong, fresh, vibrant, and distinct. That is why I like Starbucks, because I can drink and appreciate the various tastes of coffees and I have to credit Starbucks for my appreciation of coffee.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
maceyr
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Location: Canada
Reviews written: 127
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I hardly have time for Epinions anymore but do try to read and rate.
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