by Nigel Ong
Starbucks first offered its popular roasts in Nespresso capsules in May 2019, and the coffee has been selling well ever since. One of its most popular Nespresso pods? The Starbucks House Blend.
Keen to explore more, I picked up a Starbucks House Blend Nespresso pack to review it. I will brew the coffee into popular espresso-based drinks and then sample them. I’ll also compare its taste against its competitors.
About Starbucks House Blend
Starbucks House Blend is as old as the brand itself – it was introduced in 1971, the same year as the company’s founding.
This blend has consistently maintained its popularity over the years as a testament to its balanced flavor profile and the use of high-quality Latin American beans.
Many describe the Starbucks House Blend as rich and full without being overpowering. Many drinkers also appreciate the blend having a delicate balance with tastes of nut and cocoa while adding a subtle sweetness.
This medium roast ground coffee blend is noted for its rich, lively, smooth, and balanced characteristics, making it a favored choice for those who prefer a coffee that is not too strong yet still full of flavor.
Today, Starbucks House Blend remains popular and celebrated for its rich history, consistent quality, and distinctive flavor that has stood the test of time.
You can purchase the Starbucks House Blend in whole bean, ground, and capsule form, such as Nespresso, K-Cup, or Dolce Gusto.
First Impression
My Starbucks House Blend Nespresso coffee pack comes in a long stick form, with 10 capsules inside each pack. On the tube, the color code is light brown, unlike Colombian (Orange), or Espresso Roast (gray).
On the tube, Starbucks recommends that you brew the capsule as a Lungo, which means to brew the coffee as a long shot to add more hot water to the coffee.
This makes sense since House Blend is a medium blend and probably not intended to be enjoyed as Espresso.
As for the capsules themselves, they look like your regular Nespresso capsule, which should work with Nespresso-compatible coffee brewers.
How To Brew Starbucks House Blend Nespresso?
The Starbucks House Blend Nespresso is in capsule form, so I will need a Nespresso-compatible coffee maker to brew it.
Or I can just grab a smaller, portable, and more affordable Wacaco Minipresso NS. It also does not require electricity or charging since it is manually operated.
This makes it my favorite since I can easily take them into the woods to make coffee when hiking, for example.
To brew Espresso using my Wacaco Minipresso NS:
- Add hot, off-boil water into the water tank.
- Put on the main body. Place it on top of the water tank and twist it slightly.
- Now drop in the coffee pod on the top end of the main body. T
- Screw in the outlet cap. You may need to push down slightly before twisting the top cap in.
- Push down at the piston, then twist anti-clockwise to release the piston.
- Turn the device upside down. This means the water tank faces up, and the outlet cap is at the bottom.
- Start pumping. It may take about 8-10 pumps to build enough pressure inside the Minipresso NS.
- Continue to pump until the pushback force gradually disappears and the Espresso has slowed to very slow drips.
- Done. Enjoy!
How Does Starbucks House Blend Nespresso Taste?
Sampling the Starbucks House Blend Nespresso as Espresso alone will not be enough since Espresso can be turned into many other types of drinks. Here they are:
Espresso
The Starbucks House Blend is probably not meant to be brewed as an espresso. Still, since my Minipresso NS only brews Espresso, I’ll start with one.
The Espresso looks great, with a rich, creamy crema. The color is lighter, which should be the case since it is a medium roast. Smell-wise, I can pick up some nutty aroma with a hint of sweetness.
The Espresso is light and easy on the palate. There’s not much smoke, nor the earthiness and bitterness too heavy that you cannot sip them down properly. The coffee has a bit of toffee or caramel-like sweetness, and it may be stronger at the finish.
The taste is quite similar to the original Starbucks House Brand grind coffee. If you enjoy lighter Espresso, this will be a good option.
Long Black
Next in line in intensity is the Long Black. This coffee style is popular in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Long Black is a stronger recipe than Americano, using a 1:1 espresso-to-coffee ratio. Americano usually uses a 1:2 espresso-to-water ratio.
I first pulled out a shot of Espresso from the Minipresso NS to make the Long Black. Then, I poured a single shot of hot water into the cup before pouring in my espresso shot. The result is a stronger coffee, with the crema dissipated and broken.
As I drink, the acidity in the coffee is not as strong as Espresso’s. Its milder taste also made it even more sippable and enjoyed slowly.
The finish is also milder, with softer lingering sweetness. This may be more enjoyable to some, especially if you like subtle instead of overt sweetness.
Americano
Americano as a coffee style comes from the Americans, the soldiers, to be exact.
As they fought through Italy during World War 2, these soldiers started ordering coffee from local baristas. The local Italians noticed how the soldiers liked to add hot water to their Espresso to make it taste more like coffee at home.
The formula eventually settled to a 1:2 espresso-to-water ratio, aptly named ‘Americano.’
To make my cup, I first pulled out a shot of Espresso using my Minipresso NS. Then, I added two shots of hot water to the Espresso.
Adding water to the Espresso preserves the crema. This is one way to tell Americano from Long Black, which usually has a more broken, dissolved crema.
As a result, my cup of Americano has a beautiful layer of crema on top. When I sip the coffee, the crema gives the coffee an additional dimension of flavor that I greatly appreciate.
The crema is mild, with notes of nuts and some smoke. Once the coffee is in my mouth, I can pick up the soft, sweet toffee notes. This is a great cup of coffee that many will enjoy.
Iced Americano
I poured the remaining Americano I had in my hand into a tall glass and added a lot of ice cubes to chill it down. I then gave the whole thing a stir before sipping the iced Americano.
I find that ice usually mutes some flavor with coffee while accentuating others. Here, I would say ice seems to bring out more earthiness and nutty flavors while cutting into the toffee sweetness in the coffee.
I find the iced Americano version quite enjoyable, although there are definitely better-tasting iced Americano out there.
Macchiato
Next up, let’s bring in some milk and make a Macchiato. Macchiato means ‘stained’ in Italian, likely to mean how a regular cup of Espresso is ‘stained’ with some milk.
The recipe was first invented in 19th-century Italy when many started wanting a softer espresso in the afternoons after a long day at work. Baristas learned that they can soften the Espresso with a splash of milk.
To make my Macchiato, I again pulled a shot of Espresso with my Minipresso NS. Then, I scooped in a spoonful of steamed milk on top. Here, I use whole, UHT, cow’s milk.
This nice twist made the Starbucks House Blend Espresso very nice. It is a nice soft espresso, but milk makes it even richer and creamier. The whole Espresso becomes even more sippable and enjoyable to me.
Latte
Probably the most popular milk coffee recipe together with Cappucino, I know I cannot review the Starbucks House Blend without making a Latte out of it. You make Latte using one part espresso and two parts of steamed milk. Top it up with a bit of milk foam.
The result is a beautiful cup of coffee. The aroma is rich, creamy, and nutty, with some sweetness.
My first palate impression is the coffee’s rich milk taste, nuttiness, and bitterness. There is also some sweetness, probably from the lactose from the milk.
The Latte version of the Starbucks House Blend Nespresso is very indulgent and will satisfy many milk coffee fans.
Starbucks House Blend Nespresso vs House Blend
I decided to pull out my bag of Starbucks House Blend ground coffee and make a cup of Americano. I then drank the coffee together with the Starbucks House Blend Nespresso.
There is one thing I am really happy to tell you – they both do not taste too different. Coffee derivatives can taste very different sometimes, which does not happen with the Starbucks House Blend Nespresso.
Starbucks House Blend Nespresso vs Other Starbucks Nespresso
I’ll make the comparison by looking at how the Starbucks House Blend Nespresso tastes vs other Starbucks Nespresso I have in my collection:
- Starbucks Colombia Nespresso
- Starbucks Sumatra Nespresso
- Starbucks Espresso Nespresso
As an Americano, I prefer the House Blend the most. It has a mild, balanced, and more comfortable taste than the other coffee.
I’ll have the Colombia Nespresso second, and the Sumatra third. I don’t think the Espresso should be compared here since Starbucks probably does not intend for the coffee to be enjoyed as Americano.
Starbucks House Blend Nespresso vs Medium House Blends
Next up, another relevant comparison would be to pitch the Starbucks House Blend against other house blends I have in my stash. I ensured that these house blends are also medium roasts.
Similar to the previous comparison, I made Americano coffee with all these blends and drank them side by side:
- Tim Hortons Original Blend
- Gevalia House Blend
- McCafe Premium Roast
- Dunkin Original Blend
One issue I have with these coffee blends with Starbucks House Blend is that it gets a bit smoky and earthy. Starbucks has a reputation for roasting coffee a little darker than needed, which shows here.
Compared to, say, the Dunkin Original Blend, the Starbucks House Blend does have less flavor. I’ll place Dunkin first, with Tim Hortons and McCafe second.
Starbucks House Blend Nespresso vs. Regular Coffee
The Starbucks House Blend Nespresso is made from roasted and brewed coffee. This should make the coffee taste better than your regular gas station or convenience store.
It has more depth and fullness in flavor and should do more than just satisfy your desire for coffee. Common regular coffee usually tastes flat. Some may taste strong and watery, meaning the coffee is under-brewed or diluted.
I am confident that you can tell the difference if I am to blind-test you with a cup of Starbucks House Blend Nespresso against a regular gas station coffee.
Should You Try Starbucks House Blend Nespresso?
There are two things I like about the Starbucks House Blend Nespresso. First, it tastes similar to the original Starbucks House Blend.
Secondly, you get the same taste without grinding your beans or dealing with coffee grind spills. The only downside I think can be troublesome? The cost.
It does cost more per cup of Starbucks House Blend Nespresso than the whole bean or ground. If this concerns you, maybe the Nespresso version is not a good idea.
But suppose you appreciate convenience, and you do not mind paying a bit extra. In this case, the Starbucks House Blend Nespresso is a very good idea for you to experiment.