Dave Zatz is well known for his gadget posts over at his own site, ZatzNotFunny.com. Writing and coffee shops go hand-in-hand, so he’s guest clacking for us today about something new (and possibly better?) coming to a Starbucks near you.
As a child raised on the Slurpee, it’s probably no surprise I grew up to become a Starbucks Frappuccino connoisseur. My love for addiction to the frozen, blended coffee beverage began in San Diego the summer of 1997. I’ve been a regular ever since. I’ve mostly kept it simple, going with a plain coffee frappe and always double-blended. Although there was that one spring of the decadent Dulce de Leche blend…. And these days, I get them with a shot of espresso and a dollop of whipped cream.
Basically, I take my frappes seriously. And was absolutely astonished yesterday when my wife, also a SBUX regular, informed me that all the baristas in our suburban DC region were undergoing training to prepare NEW frappes. I assumed she meant there was a new flavor on the horizon. But this is big. Bigger than free WiFi, even. We’re talking a whole new Frappuccino formulation and a whole new method of Frappucino preparation. Unfortunately, my first thought was “New Coke” .… So, this morning, I set out on a mission to discover the truth.
Currently, Starbucks’ secret frappe mixture is prepared in batches, with the liquid generally dispensed on demand via pitcher and blended with ice, along with whatever syrups you need to doctor it up. The new method will have the barista custom blending some sort of coffee or base powder, Frappuccino syrup (coffee flavor, and there’s also a cream version), ice, and your choice of milk – like any other non-blended beverage. Whole, 2%, skim, or soy.
I convinced my local SBUX outpost to prepare me a (2%) sample this AM. After a single grande, I’m not quite ready to declare a verdict. But I was pleasantly surprised … if not necessarily relieved. The taste is most definitely different, but in the same family, and good. Although it is not as good as the frappe it’s replacing. It seems a bit more like some of the competition and may even be a bit sweeter in a caramel sort of way. As in I’ll definitely need a shot of espresso to bolden that coffee flavor. I’d also really like to try it blended with the soy milk, which may be creamier than my 2% sample and the vanilla flavor could add something interesting to the mix.
In our region, Starbucks will be soft launching the new Frappuccinos starting this upcoming Monday. My wife was told the official launch and associated marketing would follow 6/1, while the local manager I spoke with implied it’d happen in just a few weeks. Not sure if this is a regional versus national thing, or if someone doesn’t yet have all the answers. Regardless, I’m both somewhat excited and somewhat nervous with Starbucks’ imminent, dramatic change up. Wish me luck.
Clacked by Guest Clacker
on Apr 14, 2010 @ 14:13 EST5EDT
hmm, that’s interesting. I’ve never tried SB Frappes, although the idea of frappes always intrigued me. At the same time, I prefer those made on the spot i.e. (mixing freshly brewed cold coffee with ice, cream, and syrup), similar to local coffee shops, as opposed to using some sort of powdered base, which I believe Dunkin and more mass marketed chains such as quick check might use. If SB slowly shifts to the latter, I don’t know if they’d tempt me to ever try them. However, thanks for the article and the birds-eye view into the process –