strongest drink at starbucks???!!?

coffaddict

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Hi coffaddict,

I don't recall ever reading anything on this Forum regarding someone having an issue with Starbucks advertising light and medium blends/roasts as a "Bold/Dark Roast" So, it appears that you're the only one we've seen so far.

Have you asked this question when you've been at Starbucks?

Many years ago, when I went to Starbucks, (on days when I had the time and they weren't busy), they'd make coffee for me in the French Press, and I could make a coffee selection from their available coffees. I haven't been to Starbucks in years, but maybe you could try that and see how it goes. Be polite and ask nicely, and they may do it for you.

I haven't explored the Starbucks website in a very long time, but they used to have a place where you could contact them and ask questions. It may be worth exploring when you have time.

Rose
Hello Pink Rose, Thank You for your response. I have asked about this issue before at Starbucks. Some responses have even been in agreement with me, and a couple of them have even said to me that a coffee that was featured as "bold," was really more of a medium blend. It's part of why I feel my complaint is a valid one. I appreciate your suggestion about the "french press," and will ask about it on my next visit.
 
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coffaddict

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Thank you CoffeeJunky for welcoming me aboard. It may be true that my palate craves a more bitter flavor, but not totally. Starbucks' coffee to me, does still have a more distinctive flavor that I crave that separates them from gas stations, 7-11s, etc (which by the way I think is horrid, their coffee that is...). And there are "bold" blends at Starbucks that I truly enjoy. I'm so pleased when I ask what the "bold" blend is for the day and find it's Italian, Sumatra, or Expresso blend. If I'm told their "bold" is anything other than those three, I absolutely MUST have a shot or two of espresso, depending on what size I'm getting. I have friends that say that their mildest blend is much too strong for them and who also regard Starbucks as being known for really "strong" coffee. Don't get me wrong, Starbucks is still my favorite place to get a really good cup of coffee, I just wish that they would try and find their "bigger audiences" as you say, by way of promoting through the proper category (mild, medium, bold), As I mentioned in my response to Pink Rose, I've had Baristas (whom I realize are not necessarily that knowledgeable about their products, some more than others) admit a particular "bold" blend on a given day, is really a more milder blend. In order of importance for me I'd say what I expect is flavor first, how strong it is second, and caffeine as my least concern (ergo, why I don't prefer milder, as you say, more caffeine). I appreciate your input, it has been useful information for me....Thank You!
 
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coffaddict

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Hey Coffaddict, Welcome aboard.
Many of us here do not always participate in every single thread. I normally try to read most of the new thread or new post, but I do miss many .

About bold coffee.... I don't call over roasted coffee, bold. They are burnt or overly roasted coffee.
When I think of bold, i would think of coffee with more caffeine. Did you know light to medium roasted coffee has much higher caffeine content?

So instead of bold, lets call the coffee you like "over roasted bitter coffee."

I think when you are adding cream and sugar to your coffee, you really are not drinking coffee for its flavor but flavor of sugar and cream.
ORBC(over roasted bitter Coffee) is served many different places like gas stations, grocery stores, 7-11, and you could find them in some offices.
But you won't find those at artisan roasters, reputable coffee houses and high end coffee shops.

SO in my opinion, Starbucks is not really promoting their signature blend but trying to find bigger audiences for their product.

If you do little research on coffee, different type, different roast, and true flavor of different region, you will be very surprised.
Remember coffee is Second Most Traded Commodity in the World after Oil. ;)
Thank you CoffeeJunky for welcoming me aboard. It may be true that my palate craves a more bitter flavor, but not totally. Starbucks' coffee to me, does still have a more distinctive flavor that I crave that separates them from gas stations, 7-11s, etc (which by the way I think is horrid, their coffee that is...). And there are "bold" blends at Starbucks that I truly enjoy. I'm so pleased when I ask what the "bold" blend is for the day and find it's Italian, Sumatra, or Expresso blend. If I'm told their "bold" is anything other than those three, I absolutely MUST have a shot or two of espresso, depending on what size I'm getting. I have friends that say that their mildest blend is much too strong for them and who also regard Starbucks as being known for really "strong" coffee. Don't get me wrong, Starbucks is still my favorite place to get a really good cup of coffee, I just wish that they would try and find their "bigger audiences" as you say, by way of promoting through the proper category (mild, medium, bold), As I mentioned in my response to Pink Rose, I've had Baristas (whom I realize are not necessarily that knowledgeable about their products, some more than others) admit a particular "bold" blend on a given day, is really a more milder blend. In order of importance for me I'd say what I expect is flavor first, how strong it is second, and caffeine as my least concern (ergo, why I don't prefer milder, as you say, more caffeine). I appreciate your input, it has been useful information for me....Thank You!
 

coffaddict

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Hello Pink Rose, Thank You for your response. I have asked about this issue before at Starbucks. Some responses have even been in agreement with me, and a couple of them have even said to me that a coffee that was featured as "bold," was really more of a medium blend. It's part of why I feel my complaint is a valid one. I appreciate your suggestion about the "french press," and will ask about it on my next visit.
 

CoffeeJunky

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Coffaddict,

There are many different types of coffee out there and to draw a big picture, it divides by the region. There are Asia, African and South America. In Asia, there are Indonesian, Vietnam, and China. Of course there are f more countries grow coffee in that region. In African, Ethiopia, Kenya, being popular and in South America, there are Columbia, Jamaica, and many more countries. Also we have Kona Coffee in Hawaii and more.
Generally speaking South American coffee are milder with light body and little more sophisticated flavor. Asians are more bolder, deeper and darker flavor. In Africa, many countries have very bold, deeper, darker flavor of coffee.
There really aren't any coffee from Europe. So when you say, Italian, I am assuming type of roast. Not type of beans. Sumatra is Asian region. From Indonesian. French coffee would be French roast, which is darker roast close to full city roast. Espresso, is also very dark roast.
I think you should try Sumatra or Yirgacheff dark roasted single origin coffee. Or try some of the better espresso blend sold by reputable coffee roaster locally.
To give you some back ground of Starbucks coffee. Of course they are the biggest coffee seller in the World. They have purchased over 500 million pounds of coffee last year from all over the world.
Which means, you would have no idea where these beans are from....unless it specify the origin.
 

Surfer

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Thank you CoffeeJunky for welcoming me aboard. It may be true that my palate craves a more bitter flavor, but not totally. Starbucks' coffee to me, does still have a more distinctive flavor that I crave that separates them from gas stations, 7-11s, etc (which by the way I think is horrid, their coffee that is...). And there are "bold" blends at Starbucks that I truly enjoy. I'm so pleased when I ask what the "bold" blend is for the day and find it's Italian, Sumatra, or Expresso blend. If I'm told their "bold" is anything other than those three, I absolutely MUST have a shot or two of espresso, depending on what size I'm getting. I have friends that say that their mildest blend is much too strong for them and who also regard Starbucks as being known for really "strong" coffee. Don't get me wrong, Starbucks is still my favorite place to get a really good cup of coffee, I just wish that they would try and find their "bigger audiences" as you say, by way of promoting through the proper category (mild, medium, bold), As I mentioned in my response to Pink Rose, I've had Baristas (whom I realize are not necessarily that knowledgeable about their products, some more than others) admit a particular "bold" blend on a given day, is really a more milder blend. In order of importance for me I'd say what I expect is flavor first, how strong it is second, and caffeine as my least concern (ergo, why I don't prefer milder, as you say, more caffeine). I appreciate your input, it has been useful information for me....Thank You!
I wouldn't put Starbucks and very good in same sentence ;), about the worst coffee around but they've convivced the masses this is what coffee is. I think when people say "strong" they somehow like that burnt ash cigarette flavor as they've grown up on Folgers, instants and whatever else that has that flavor and think that's what coffee is. I know b/c that's how I used to be and think coffee was as well.

Like Coffee Junky and others said, you should try some real local roasters or coffee shops that know what their doing. Starbucks doesn't even have baristas anymore, their just teenagers that push a button on a crappy superauto now. Back in the day Starbucks used to actually have Mazzer grinders and La Marzocco machines, and though the beans were still bad (though not as bad today) they people working there had to know what they were doing, then they put superautos in for "consistency" even if that meant horrible coffee, still get that same horrible "consistent" coffee at any store lol. They even over roast their light and medium offerings, their problem is their volume is so large they use some of the worst/highest defect beans and roast them so bad that you only get the cigarette roast flavor so it's consistent as well at any store.

I'm not sure where your located at, but if you try a roaster that knows what their doing, or a real local coffee shops that carries known roasters or roast their own, you'd see the night and day difference. That bold flavor you want will blow you away, as you can actually taste something other than cigs lol. And generally cheaper too.
 

Larooche

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I always felt like the frozen drinks were the strongest...but that also could be because they are the largest and probably contain the most sugar as well.
 

MntnMan62

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I can't stand Starbucks. It's called Charbucks for a reason. If you like overly burnt tasting coffee, then more power to ya. But if you like the taste of coffee itself, you're better off going eslewhere. And don't be fooled by those who tell you it's the size of the grind and temperature and pressure that determines caffeine levels. That is only partly true and not true at all. Roast factors heavily in caffeine content. When measuring by weight, dark roasts have less caffeine than light roasts because the process of roasting longer reduces caffeine levels in the cup. Type of brewing also factors in. Espresso uses pressurized infusion for it's brewing process. It results in highly concentrated coffee. But often the amount you drink is less than you would drink from other forms of brewing. There is immersion brewing where all of the grounds are immersed in the water and mantains contact with the water for a period of time to extract the coffee into the liquid. French press is one form of this. And the liquid is not filtered with paper but simply "strained" into the cup. Then there is filtration such as drip coffee. There are other forms of brewing but these are fairly common. Which one is stronger? Not sure it really matters. Drink what you like.
 

CafeLast

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I always found that the iced coffee was stronger than their normal stuff. It comes down to the bean though. If you really want to have a stronger drink, you can always ask them to add a shot or two of espresso. You'll feel it then, trust me! :decaf:
 
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