starbucks! to the max!

my dear friends,

today was a good day for my good friend, Starbucks.
today, Starbucks released their new Pike Place Roast coffee to all of their stores, returned to having the original logo on all of their cups, and, once again, began scooping and grinding beans in the store.
they are going back to their roots, focusing on their brewed coffee and making sure their coffee truly is the best available.

kathleen and i were able to go in today and take part in the experience. it is truly nostalgic to see how far they have come, from their first little store at the Market to where they are now, and it is good to see them getting back to the basics and really giving their customers (or me, at least) what they want, which is the best coffee.

i have been buying the Pike Place Special Reserve at the Pike Place Market location for a few years now, and assumed that this release was simply an expansion of that blend throughout all locations. after further analysis (and taste testing), the Pike Pike Roast is definitely not the same as the Special Reserve. It is a completely new blend that should please anyone with a love of the drink. the PPR is smoother, with a blend of more interesting flavors, while the Special Reserve is bolder. the Special Reserve is also a region-specific blend, using beans from the Latin American region, while the PPR is a multi-region blend. both are superb blends with excellent flavor, so i encourage anyone who is interested and has the accessibility to try both.

one of my favorite things about this new blend is that they are always going to have it brewing in the store and they are always going to have a fresh pot brewing every thirty minutes, meaning you never have to have a stale cup of coffee.

along with this release, starbucks is instituting new customer loyalty programs, new machines, and new conservation efforts. for more information on all the upcoming innovations, here are some resources you can check out:
Starbucks Website (of course)

Starbucks will 'fight to the death,' Schultz says: Seattle PI Article

Clover coffee machines catch Starbucks' fancy: Seattle PI Article

Starbucks plans to unveil new blend Tuesday: Seattle PI Article

also, if you are interested in the transformation of the Starbucks logo, take a look at this website, called Brand Autopsy
the site does a great overview of the life of the Starbucks logo from its beginning to the present day.

if you have the opportunity, go in and try the new blend, pick some up to take home, and check out the "new" cups. as they say (or as my cardboard sleeve says), "Roasting coffee since 1971. The best coffee then. The best coffee now." enjoy!