Starbucks Reserve

Firstly, I know even mentioning this name to many is like suggesting fermented beverages inside a glass container with a jug handle is wine

But, seriously, anyone ever go to one of these? No judgement from me, real question.
In The Name Of Coffee | Starbucks Reserve

There is one on the first floor of my office building and I can't quite cross that mental bridge to try it out (versus all the other craft coffee within blocks of me)

The easy answer is just stick a crowbar in my wallet and check it out. FWIW, I find the regular starbucks coffees too weak and uninteresting. But this "reserve" concept seems to be a different deal.

Also,,,nespresso. we have two machines and two frothers in the office. I find it takes 3 pods of the highest number to get the flavor profile in range. convenience is great but I cn see it would be expensive to own. The $5,000 do-it-all Jura my last employer used was waaaaay better for cranking the beverages to suit

now, back to the Reserve question.....

I’ve been to the SBUX reserve roastery in Capital Hill in Seattle a few times...worth the visit just to experience the roasting process and to shoot the breeze with the roasters and baristas.

https://www.velocipedesalon.com/foru...k-47641-3.html

I like it.
Raise the bar.

Good for them.

I've tried the Keurig pods but not the Nespresso pods; I've tried several different supposedly stronger Keurig coffees and brewed them on the strong setting which makes 4 ounces and I didn't find any that I liked, they all tasted odd and weak, in my opinion of course, my friend loves it though which seems to be the reaction to the Keurig by most Americans, I'm not most Americans! Supposedly the Nespresso taste more like real espresso if you get the espresso pods, while I haven't tried one I just wonder if it's more like a glorified Keurig, and the people who say it taste more like real espresso are American reviewers who like weak espresso. Until I run into someone who has one and I can taste it I'm staying away from it because I think it's going to be weak in flavor because the pods are not all that large in fact they're smaller in dimensions than the K pods for the Keurig, so I can't see how something that holds less coffee will taste stronger unless it only makes 2 ounces instead of 4 for the Keurig on the strongest setting, but then the strength would be close to the same probably.

if you live in a place that does not already have proper small batch roasters with good coffee, then this will be a step way up. if you live in seattle, san fran, portland, or other coffee hot spots, you will find there is nothing at all special about them or the coffee, they just have all of the really expensive toys instead of some of them and better coffee than in their normal stores.

so they are good, but if you have small business options doing as well or most likely better, go there instead, they are innovating while Starbucks tries to imitate to cash in on the popularity.

and to clarify, the difference is in the reserves, they are taking care to source good beans instead of commodity beans. they take care to roast to the beans flavor profile instead of just burn the coffee and rely on americans growing up on folgers and equating bitter with strong. and the take care to brew the coffee in a clean machine, perhaps with a fresh filter, and some care as to the time and brew temperature. all of this leads to a better cup of coffee. some folks will never like this sort of coffee, some will enjoy the nuances that are provided by an ever changing agricultural crop.