What is Blonde Roast Starbucks Coffee? (Is Blonde Roast the strongest coffee at Starbucks? + All you need to know
If you are a coffee lover, you probably order different coffee drinks from Starbucks. One of the options you may come across is blonde roast Starbucks coffee.
Blonde Roast Starbucks coffee refers to light roast coffee that does not contain generic roast flavors. The type of coffee is made up of toasted grain and has an acidic flavor. Many new Starbucks customers find the different coffee roast terms quite confusing. I once ordered a Cinnamon roast at Starbucks, thinking it had a cinnamon flavor.
Now that I have some experience ordering coffee, I came up with this post to help you learn everything regarding the blonde roast Starbucks coffee. You will also learn how strong this coffee is by the end of the post. Read on!
Table of Contents
What kind of coffee is Starbucks Blonde Roast?
This is light roast coffee that comes in a brown color. While some people refer to it as New England, others call it half city roast. Starbucks started using the term Blonde Roast in 2012 to refer to the lighter coffee beans. Before that, it used to be called the beans cinnamon roast. The coffee is made by mixing coffee beans from different regions and then roasting it at the Cinnamon roasting level.
Making blonde roast involves toasting coffee beans to the lowest temperature and for the least duration until they get to the first crack. This type of coffee is made using a roasting machine. It is roasted at around 356-401 degrees Fahrenheit when the first crack occurs. At these temperatures, the moisture inside the coffee beans converts to steam leading to an audible crack.
Light roast beans get released from the roasting machine a few minutes after the first crack. Since the blonde roast is highly acidic, it may not be the best for customers who experience heartburn or irritable bowel syndrome.
One of the reasons why this type of coffee is acidic is because the beans release acids and juices during the roasting process. Since the coffee is not roasted for long, the acids remain in the coffee beans rather than escaping. This type of coffee is more acidic than Starbucks dark roast.
Despite this, the blonde roast has a bright, citrusy taste. Blonde roast is not as bitter as the dark roast coffee at Starbucks. Many Starbucks customers like it since it has a little roasty and fruity flavor. If you enjoy consuming coffee with different flavor components, you should order blonde roast coffee from Starbucks.
Note that poorly made blonde roast may be hollow and lack sweetness. It can also be overly acidic. Since Starbucks makes high-quality blonde roast, choosing this coffee from Starbucks can prevent you from having such an experience. As you order blonde roast Starbucks coffee, you have even ask the barista to mix it with cream, milk, or a flavored syrup for a more pleasant taste.
You may sometimes hear Starbucks customers referring to a blonde roast as a blonde espresso roast. Though these types of coffee may be packaged differently, they are the same type of coffee. Some of the Starbucks drinks that utilize Blonde roast include:
- Blonde roast espresso
- Blonde caffe latte
- Blonde cappuccino
- Blonde flat white
- Blonde iced americano
You can experiment with such drinks until you find the one you like the most. Some Starbucks even teach themselves how to make blonde roast coffee from home.
Is Blonde Roast the strongest coffee at Starbucks?
Strong is a subjective word since one may feel that a drink is weak while another can perceive the same drink as strong. Despite such differences in opinion, many Starbucks customers find the Blonde roast among the strongest drinks at the shop.
Though this is a light roast coffee, it is strong since it has high caffeine content. For instance, if you order a venti blonde roast coffee, you will be consuming around 475 mg of caffeine. This is a strong coffee drink that can keep you alert throughout the day. Avoid taking such drinks in the evening since they can interfere with your sleep quality.
Each unroasted green bean used to make blonde roast has 2 mg caffeine. The green bean loses water when it is roasted but retains its caffeine content. Blonde roast also tastes great since it preserves the flavor of the coffee better than other types of roast coffee drinks.
Though dark roasts have more vivid coffee flavors, Starbucks blonde roast is stronger compared to medium and dark roasts. Research shows that the only coffee drink at Starbucks stronger than Blonde roast is clover coffee.
What’s the difference between Starbucks medium and blonde roast?
Starbucks offers both medium and blonde roast that you can buy at any time. Before placing your order, you should try to find out which is right for you since these types of roast appeal to customers with different tastes. Understanding how blonde roast differs from medium roast is a great place to start. They differ in the following.
- Flavors
If you want coffee with a light roasty flavor, you should consider blonde roast coffee. This type of coffee tastes brighter than Starbucks medium roast coffee. It features more floral and citrus notes in its flavor. On the other hand, medium roast coffee has rich and more balanced flavors. According to most customers, medium roast coffee is bitter and darker than blonde roast.
- Roasting
Medium coffee beans have a longer roasting time than blonde roast beans. The longer you roast coffee beans, the more the organic compounds and oils change. These compounds tend to decompose and evaporate more during extended roasting. We mentioned that the coffee beans of the blonde roast are roasted until the first crack and removed after two minutes.
The coffee beans are roasted to preserve the distinct characteristics of the bean. They are also roasted at a lower temperature compared to medium roast coffee beans. These coffee beans often reach an internal temperature of 356-401 degrees F. On the other hand, Starbucks medium coffee beans are roasted past the first crack but not up to the second crack. Medium roast coffee beans reach an internal temperature of 400-430 degrees F.
- Acidity
Since blonde roast goes through less roasting time, they retain more acid than medium roast coffee that is roasted for longer. If you often develop heartburn easily, you should choose medium roast coffee over blonde roast coffee since it is less acidic. The longer the roasting, the more acids escape from the coffee beans.
- Caffeine content
Apart from acidity levels, there is also a difference in caffeine amounts in blonde roast and medium roast coffee. Medium roast losses more volume in each bean during roasting, leading to less caffeine content in this type of coffee. On the other hand, light roast coffee beans are denser and have more caffeine in each. Besides that, Starbucks blonde roast is made from unique blends of coffee beans that make it stronger than medium roast coffee.
Does Starbucks Blonde Roast have less caffeine?
No. Starbucks blonde roast has more caffeine content than other coffee drinks at the store. Many people even consider it among the strongest coffee drinks at Starbucks due to its high caffeine content. The short cup of blonde roast has 180 mg of caffeine, while the tall cup has 270 mg. If you order a grande blonde roast at Starbucks, you will consume 360 mg of caffeine.
Before choosing any coffee, you should pay attention to the amount of caffeine in it, especially if you have any health conditions or sleeping difficulties. Starbucks blonde roast has more caffeine than other types of roasts since it is roasted for a short time.
Blonde roast is healthy since the caffeine in it has many benefits. Studies show that coffee has antioxidant properties and chlorogenic acid. Blonde roast beans are also believed to be healthier than dark roast coffee beans.
The chlorogenic acid in the blonde roast can lower inflammation and glucose concentration in the body. If you are a fan of Starbucks blonde roast, you should avoid overconsuming it. Also, avoid loading the coffee with lots of fatty or processed additives.
Conclusion
A coffee drink can keep you more focused and energetic. If you want to experience this, consider ordering blonde roast coffee from Starbucks. This is among the most famous coffee blends that many Starbucks customers order. The light roast coffee has high caffeine content and high acidity levels. Many people like it since it is less bitter and has a unique flavor.
FAQ section
Is Blonde Roast stronger than espresso?
Yes. Blonde roast coffee is stronger than regular espresso since it has higher caffeine content. For instance, Starbucks blonde roast espresso has 85 mg of caffeine while regular espresso has 75 mg of caffeine.
Is Starbucks Blonde Roast stronger than a dark roast?
Yes. Starbuck blonde roast may be lighter in flavor, but it is stronger than dark roast since it has higher caffeine content, takes less roasting time, and has higher acidity levels.
Is Starbucks Blonde Roast the same as white coffee?
No. These two are not the same. Starbucks blonde roast comes from roasting coffee beans, while white coffee is made from unroasted coffee beans.
What is the difference between Starbucks blonde roast and regular roast?
Regular roast refers to medium roast, while the blonde roast is a light roast. They differ because the blonde roast has more caffeine, more acid, and a lighter taste than the regular roast. Starbucks blonde roast is removed during roasting after the first crack, while the regular roast passes the first crack and therefore takes longer.