by Nigel Ong
Since 2008, Starbucks Pike Place Roast has been a staple coffee for many people. However, brewing coffee takes at least several minutes, and not all have the luxury.
As a result, Starbucks introduced the Pike Place Roast as an instant coffee through its Starbucks Via range. However, is the instant coffee version of the Starbucks Pike Place Roast good enough to replace the original whole-bean version?
In this post, I set about to test this question. I brew a regular cup of Pike Place Roast from the whole bean bag and also a cup from a Starbucks Via instant coffee stick. I taste them side by side and see if they are different.
About Starbucks Pike Place Roast
Starbucks Pike Place Roast is among its most popular. It was first introduced in 2008, paying tribute to the iconic Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington. There, Starbucks opened its first store in 1971.
Starbucks aims to use this blend to pay tribute to the company’s roots and its old, humble days. The Pike Place Blend is a medium-roast blending of Latin American and East African coffee beans.
Whole Bean
The Pike Place Roast is 100% Arabica, ensuring a great aroma and decent caffeine hit. There are also decaf versions available.
Within Starbucks’s intensity metric from 1-12, the Pike Place roast comes in at 7. The result is a hearty cup of coffee that can be enjoyed throughout the day.
My bag of Pike Place Blend is for the Asia Pacific market. As a result, you may notice that the packaging design is slightly different. A chat with the master Barista confirms that these beans are roasted to similar standards as the ones in the US.
Starbucks Via Instant Coffee
Starbucks understands that not all its customers have the time to brew the beans at home or go to its stores to purchase coffee. As a result, it sees the need to enter the instant coffee market.
In 2009, Starbucks first introduced the Starbucks Via. It is a line of premium instant coffee made to taste, similar to some of its most popular roasts and blends.
Starbucks Via consists of soluble coffee granules and small micro-ground coffee beans. The soluble coffee granules are made using a proprietary method, which Starbucks fiercely protects.
The Starbucks Via version of the Pike Place Roast is one of the earliest to be introduced within the range. It remains one of the most popular instant coffee as well.
My Starbucks Via Pike Place Blend pack is from the older packaging, which is still used in the Asia Pacific region. However, chats with the master barista confirm that the taste should remain unchanged.
Brewing Process
I was careful with the brewing process to ensure I compared both coffees fairly. I based my brewing process completely on what was recommended on the packaging.
Whole Bean
I first ground the coffee beans with the whole bean roast to medium-coarse size. The idea here is to brew it using a French press.
I decided to use the French press, and not other methods, to ensure I produced coffee with some sediments. The Starbucks Via version will also have some sediments since it contains coffee bean microgreens.
I put 10 grams of ground coffee into my Bodum Caffettiera French press. I added 6 fl oz (180ml) of off-boiling, hot water. I then allow the concoction to brew for 5 minutes before plunging and pouring the coffee.
Starbucks Via Instant Coffee
The Starbucks Via instant coffee version makes the process much more straightforward. Again, I simply followed the instructions on the packaging.
I emptied a stick of the instant coffee into a cup and then poured in about 6 fl oz (180ml) of off-boiling, hot water. I stir the coffee, and then the cup is ready to taste.
Do Whole Bean and Starbucks Via Pike Place Roast Taste The Same?
Before starting, I ensured the coffee was of a similar temperature before tasting it. Once I had both coffees ready, I placed them side-by-side and began tasting.
Appearance
On the appearance, both cups look the same. The color remains on the dark brown side, with a small level of transparency.
I also looked at the coffee from the bottom of the cup and flashed some light. I can see sediments on both cups, with the ones on the whole bean cup slightly more. I do not think this will be an issue, but let’s see.
Aroma
I then spent some time to smell both cups of coffee to see if there were differences in the aroma.
When making the instant coffee version, I detected the dried seafood smell, which is very common in most instant coffees I have reviewed. This is more noticeable when the coffee is hotter or if you smell it in its dry form.
However, as the instant coffee cup cooled slightly, the smell disappeared. It smelled just like the whole bean version, too.
Ultimately, both coffee smells about the same, with a similar aroma. Both coffee has that smoky and woody smell, which is the signature of the Pike Place Roast.
Taste
As I sip the coffee, I ensure that I sip in some air and bits of the coffee. The idea is to ensure I get good flavors from the coffee, too. I also ensure to wash my palate with water in between cups.
In the first few sips, I do not notice anything different. Both cups taste smoky and have the same bitterness and flavor to my palate. In fact, at this point, if you are to blind-test me, I may fail to tell which is the brewed or the instant coffee cup.
I was expecting the Starbucks Via version to taste inferior to the brewed cup, but I was proven wrong. I am happy with this outcome, though.
As I continued sipping, I noticed some minor differences. I think the Starbucks Via cup is slightly thinner in flavor compared to the brewed cup. Thinner here means it delivers slightly less smoke and bitterness to my palate.
The Starbucks Via cup is slightly more acidic than the brewed version. I picked up a bit more sour taste in the coffee, but the difference is not major.
I am extremely pleased with the findings and happy to see Starbucks Via instant Pike Place Blend doing so well.
The result here at least changes my perspective about Starbucks’ processed coffee ranges, particularly after the horrible taste comparison between the hand-made Mocha Frappuccino and the Ready-To-Drink bottle.
The result here also made me very interested to see if other versions of Starbucks Via would taste this close to the whole bean version.
Should You Switch To Starbucks Via Pike Place Roast?
Here’s the verdict: the whole bean and the Starbucks Via instant coffee version of the Pike Place Roast are quite similar in taste. Unless you have a very picky tongue, you might not notice the difference.
This may make you wonder if you should just switch to the Starbucks Via instant coffee version instead? It will be easier, faster, and, in some ways, cheaper to get your Pike Place roast coffee this way.
If efficiency and cost matter to you, then feel free to make the switch. You can brew your coffee at record speed while sacrificing only marginally on taste and flavor.
However, enjoying coffee is more than just the drinking itself. Many coffee heads, including yours truly, enjoy the process of making coffee.
There is something magical and therapeutic in opening up a fresh bag of coffee, grinding the beans down, and slowly brewing a cup.
If you appreciate the whole coffee ritual, you probably best stay with the whole bean version. You also get to ensure you have the best coffee taste, even if only slightly better than the Starbucks Via instant version.