Starbucks house blend vs. breakfast blend: how do they compare?

Starbucks is one of the coffee houses that produce a variety of roasts for its customers. I have tried out its breakfast blend and the house blend. I have often heard the notion that all medium roasts are the same, and I think this is misleading. While both the breakfast and house blends are medium roasts, you will be surprised by their differences. One of them is a light-medium roast, while the other is a full medium roast. In this post, we will look at how the two roasts compare. You will learn their differences in taste and other features, so keep reading.

What are the differences between the Starbucks house blend vs. the Breakfast blend?

Features	Breakfast Blend	House Blend
Ingredients	100% Arabica coffee	100% Arabica Coffee
Taste profile	Citrus orange and brown sugar notes	Nutty, toasty, toffee sweet notes
Caffeine/Nutritional Value	140mg for a short serving	11.8mg per ounce-90mg per short
Accessibility/ Availability	All year round	All year round
Roast level	Light-medium roast	Full medium roast

Starbucks House blend vs. Breakfast blend-How they compare

What it’s made of (ingredients)

Starbucks house blend is made with 100% Arabica coffee beans ethically sourced from Latin America. These beans are known to have a sweet taste due to the climatic conditions in these regions. These beans are roasted to a medium roast to bring out the flavor in this blend.

Starbucks breakfast blend is also made with Arabica coffee beans from Latin America. These beans are Starbucks’ only beans for all their blends due to their mild, sweet flavor.

In this category, we get a draw. Both blends are made with the same roasted coffee beans.

Taste profile

The Starbucks house blend has a nutty and cocoa taste. The medium roast has a sweet aroma that attracts your taste to a tantalizing sweet and balanced flavor. This was the first roast by Starbucks back in 1971, and it has maintained its high quality ever since. You will love the toffee notes in this blend coupled with the natural sweetness of this chestnut-colored blend. You will also love the dark caramel tones and cherry flavors.

The Starbucks breakfast blend is the best way to start a caffeinated morning. This blend has a sweet orange fruit taste with sweet brown sugar undertones. This blend is specially made for breakfast as the name suggests. These blends are light and are more citrus and floral. You will love the clean, crisp finish of this blend. Most people wake up to a cup of this blend as it is suitable for most palates.

In this category, the house blend takes the lead. This blend is sweeter and richer than the breakfast blend.

Caffeine content/nutritional value

Starbucks house blend has an average of 11.8mg of caffeine per fluid ounce. This level of caffeine is acceptable by the United States Department of Agriculture. Like all coffee blends, this blend has no calories, fat, carbs, and fat. The blend, however, has 4.7mg of sodium and 116mg of potassium, which is 3% of the daily value.

The Breakfast blend short serving has approximately 140mg of caffeine. The short cup at Starbucks is 8 fluid ounces. Similarly, this blend has no calories, fat, carbs, proteins, or sugar. Most coffee blends offer energy solely through their caffeine content.

In this category, the coffee blends are once again at a draw. Both of them have almost the same caffeine content and no nutrients.

Availability/ Accessibility

The house blend has been available since 1971. This is the oldest blend and it’s always available at grocery stores and Starbucks stores. You can also get it at online retail shops like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay. The Starbucks blends are readily available all year round for those who desire to have the Starbucks experience at home. Starbucks has put in place measures to maintain its coffee beans supply. They ethically source their coffee directly from farmers and maintain a healthy relationship with all its suppliers.

The breakfast blend is also available permanently on the Starbucks blends menu. You can also order it on Amazon and eBay for a taste of Starbucks’ quality breakfast at home. The breakfast blend is specially made for a light-flavored breakfast at Starbucks. Starbucks has its coffee farm in Costa Rica. This farm and all other Starbucks partner farms ensure there is an adequate supply of coffee Arabica for the breakfast blend and other blends.

This is a draw as both blends are readily available all year round and easily accessible to their users. It is rare to find both blends out of stock or unavailable.

Roast level

The Starbucks house blend is a medium roast. The color of this blend results in a chestnut dark hue. All medium roasts take moderate time in the roaster and do not get a burnt taste. The caffeine in this roast level is also moderated.

The breakfast blend is also a medium roast, but a little lighter than other medium roasts. It is the lightest medium roast at Starbucks. You will notice a different color from other medium roasts. The breakfast blend is lighter than the chestnut color in other medium blends. As a result, the taste is not as strong as the other medium roasts. This lighter level is achieved by reducing the time taken in the roaster.

In this category, the house blend takes the lead. A longer roast results in a stronger, sweeter, richer taste.

Starbucks House Blend vs. Breakfast Blend: A comparison review

Starbucks House Blend-Overview

This was the first blend at Starbucks, and the coffee giant does not fail to take pride in it. It is a great espresso blend without it being too strong or too weak in flavor and caffeine. I liked how it blended with other additives to make a sweet flavor. I also liked the natural sweetness in its espresso. I could taste the toffee in the coffee. It was like a natural mocha. I was also impressed by the low acidity and the balanced sweetness of this blend. A house blend is an all-day, straightforward drink that is either taken on its own or sweetened or added with milk for flavor. The Starbucks house blend is made with Latin American Arabic coffee, which is known for its mild flavor and natural sweetness. In the house blend, the taste falls in between a light roast and a dark roast.

What I liked

• The low acidity
• The sweet nutty, and caramel taste

What I didn’t like

• The coffee blend is a little light for those who love the strong flavor of dark roasts.

Who it’s best suited for

• This blend is suited for those who like coffee with a moderate flavor.

Starbucks Breakfast blend

The medium roast is intentionally made to a lighter medium roast. This is a breakfast special blend that infuses sweet citrus taste with brown sugar undertones. I loved how light this medium roast came off. It was in between a light roast and a medium roast. It was lively and crispy, and it was just perfect for any morning. Starbucks introduced this roast in 1998 for the lovers of mild coffee. Before that, you would be stuck with overly strong blends. If you are starting on coffee drinking, this is your go-to blend. I liked that it was more toasty than roasty, unlike other Starbucks medium roasts. Most people prefer this, especially those who cannot handle the overly strong Starbucks coffee blends. I like the citrus notes more than the coffee taste. Its natural sweetness that translated to brown sugar was superb.

What I liked

• The citrus, crispy notes
• The brown sugar undertones

What I didn’t like

• This blend was too light

Who it’s best suited for

• This blend works perfectly for those who like to start their day with a light-flavored cup of coffee.

Final Verdict: So, which is better? Starbucks House blend vs. Breakfast Blend

The house blend is better in this comparison. Taste-wise, this blend is sweeter and fuller compared to the breakfast blend. The nutty sweetness is more pronounced in this blend than the flavors in the breakfast blend. Most of the main drinks are made with the house blend, and therefore provide a variety of tastes in coffee drinks. The breakfast blend is suitable for a breakfast treat, but the house blend is an all-day drink.

FAQ SECTION

Which one tastes better between a house blend and a breakfast blend?

The house blend tastes better and has more pronounced sweet undertones compared to the breakfast blend.

What is the difference between a house blend and a breakfast blend?

A house blend is a complete medium roast, while the breakfast blend is a lighter medium roast.

Which one came first between a house blend and breakfast blend?

The house blend was the first blend at Starbucks, and came in 1971, while the breakfast roast was introduced in 1998.