What kind of coffee does Starbucks use? (Starbucks Espresso, Cold Brew, Decaf + More information)

What kind of coffee does Starbucks use? Read this if you are a coffee fan looking to douse your taste buds in Starbucks coffee but curious to know more about it.

To be honest, I was not always a coffee fan but my social circle introduced me to it and from then on it has grown on me. When I first started my baby steps into the coffee world, one thing I realized is that Starbucks coffee tends to be richer in taste, compared to the watered-down taste of other brands. Even though it is more expensive, I understood why it is the leading giant coffee brand. Since then I have been curious to know more and so far, this is what I have gathered.

Starbucks coffee is sourced from Arabica coffee beans. As of 2022, these coffee beans come from Africa, Asia, and South America. This is what gives it the rich taste and flavor complexity. Arabic coffee beans are high in quality and apart from being acidic, they are greatly refined, ensuring that only the best gets to your coffee mug. Masters in the field get to change its complex features bringing about, shots of caffeine, different blends, and preparation methods that extract unique flavors that can be enjoyed by Starbucks customers. Curious to know more about these blends? Please read on.

What Coffee Does Starbucks Use for their drinks?

Starbucks makes its coffee from Arabica coffee beans. These beans are elegant in as much as they are acidic and complex. The acidity and complexity matter in this case since it means that barristers can play around with it. Creatively, they can use their imagination coupled with the knowledge that has been passed down for generations to create unique tastes that make customers come back for more.

Arabica trees thrive the most in higher altitudes between 3000 and 6000 feet. The temperatures found here where there are hot days and cold nights slow down the coffee’s growth process. This is advantageous because it offers more room for the beans to mature and develop. This gives it a refined flavor.

For Espresso, What Coffee Does Starbucks Use?

Starbucks espresso still uses Arabica coffee. In this case, the taste is intense, usually perfect when coupled with steamed, milk and it has a caramel sweet flavor. It is made from ground espresso roast coffee. Even though this blend is made in-house, you can also buy it online from the main website or Amazon.

Might you be wondering what an espresso roast coffee is? Simply put, it is a way of roasting green coffee to make it taste just as good as any espresso. Espresso green coffee is not stronger or even considered different from green coffee. An easy way to put it is that it is roasted differently, to ensure that it is more suited for the espresso-making process.

The process of making espresso coffee follows the following effortless steps. The whole process should take about five minutes

1. Place ice, into a reusable cup with a lid and fill it to the top. You can also add it into a martini shaker.
2. Over the ice, pour in syrup and espresso.
3. Shut the lid tight, and shake it vigorously. The more you shake the contents, the more foam, you will get.
4. Put the contents into a glass and add in milk.

What Coffee Does Starbucks Use For Cold Brew?

While the real ingredients remain a secret to the public, what is known is that it uses coffee beans sourced from Narino which is in Colombia. If you wish to make this drink at home, you can. You will however have to use Starbucks Cold Brew Pitcher packs that contain Narino coffee.

In detail, cold brewing is a type of brewing iced coffee whereby Barristers add cool water, with rough ground coffee and steep it for 20 hours. When this is done, the coffee is extracted from the coarsely ground powder with the result being a cold coffee concentrate. After this process, the concentrate is combined with ice and water to create cold-brewed coffee.

Have you guessed it already? There are ways to extract coffee from its beans and heat the procedure does not always involve heat. Soaking the beans in cold water will also give you the concentration needed.

What Coffee Does Starbucks Use For Decaf?

For Decaf, Starbucks still uses Arabica coffee. Even though this is the case, to decaffeinate their coffee, they use a solvent called Methylene Chloride to produce most of their decaffeinated coffee. In fact, only two brands of Starbucks coffee are methylene-chloride free. The Swiss water process or the carbon (iv) oxide extraction is known as the safest health-wise and is also the most friendly to the environment. There are doubts concerning Methylene Chloride being safe. Some argue that it is harmful to human health. Additionally, it is important to mention that decaf coffee is not completely caffeine-free. There are traces of caffeine that remain present.

FAQ Section

Is coffee in Starbucks Cold Brew and Iced Coffee the same?

They are not the same. They are brewed differently. Iced coffee is brewed hot and then cooled down, while cold brew coffee is brewed in cold water for 20 hours.

Is Starbucks Coffee Organic?

No, it is not. It uses non-organic milk and coffee beans sometimes. Even though all these non-organic ingredients are certified, they are still not organic. Also to note is that Starbucks sells some coffee beans that are inorganic. In short, some Starbucks coffee blends are organic while some are not.

Is Starbucks Coffee Gluten-Free?

Not all coffee is gluten-free. Celiacs can still go to Starbucks. To be on the safest side though, go with the plain coffee orders. This means that you should stick to plain cappuccino, plain coffee, and plain latte.