Comments on: The Starbucks 3 Coffee Conundrum: Pike Place Special Reserve/ Pike Place Blend/ Pike Place Roast

By: gunjan

gunjan — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:23:27 +0000

I am glad to have found this page. I always thought that the Pike Place Roast which they currently sell in every store was not the same coffee I had purchased from the original store in Seattle back in 2005. I loved that blend and brought a good amount of it back to Los Angeles with me. I even had friends/family who visited Seattle pick some up for me which lasted till about 2007. Afterwards, I was completely out and it wasn’t until 2008 that I even saw that name again. Thanks for clarifying this and I think I’m going to have to order some of the Pike Place Special Reserve and have a taste test with the Pike Place Roast.

By: feline

feline — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:46:00 +0000

Hi Melody,

Great blog – thanks! Just wanted to mention that the Pike Place Blend was sold for a short while in the UK in the early 00′s, I seem to remember enjoying it a lot.

I’m enjoying reading this with a cup of Casi Cielo – very well matched.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:30:36 +0000

Hi Melody,

I was excited enough to recieve a bag of the special reserve in the post. But having read this now made me realise how long it’s been since i was sipping on freshly ground Pike Place Blend.

I’ve not had the pleasure of the Special reserve as yet, can’t wait to make the first cup!!!

Keep up the awesome work!

Stephen

By: Gourmet Coffee Zone

Gourmet Coffee Zone — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:33:08 +0000

Interesting background and details behind Pike Place Blend, Special Reserve and Roast. Didn’t know about these variations.

PPR may not be a big, bold coffee, but certainly a bold move for Starbucks to take this direction for the every-day brew, now going on almost 2 years.

While I appreciate a heavy duty roast as much as anybody, I wouldn’t want to limit my coffee enjoyment to just a dark French roast. Day after day, only French roast … that would actually be boring.

BTW, I enjoy eating different kinds of food from one day to the next as well!

I find it more satisfying to experience the coffee variety from the many different origins and blends. Coffee taste characteristics that are often obliterated and over-powered by an over-done, dark roast profile.

I’m not a regular Starbucks customer, but my compliments to Starbucks for featuring a respectable, well-crafted blend like PPR, with an appropriate medium-roast that compliments the beans.

I’m another that would be interested to know more about the makeup of the PPR blend (Latin America, Pacific, …)

Thanks for the good coffee information!

Mark

By: gservo

gservo — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:25:10 +0000

i never really liked the pikes place coffee, when it cam out, i started getting americanos if i had to go to starbucks. I had the pikes all over New Jersey it was not the baristas making the coffee, it was the coffee

By: Brad Bauder

Brad Bauder — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:29:59 +0000

Thank you for settling our curriosity and the debate surrounding this coffee. You know Pike Place (not Pike’s) Roast was a God send for us. While I know their is much negativity out there in cyberspace about it, honestly, a careful coffee tasting to let’s say our House blend really reveals what a remarkable cup it truly is.

I appologise to all the House Blend enthusiasts but brewing house itself was enough to turn my stomach. Wet news paper anyone? Brewing Pike is a joy although we are not givin detailed in formation as to it’s make up, it’s a remarkable multi-region blend. A high acidity, which we want in coffee no doubt from the Latin American side of this blend, gives it a wonderful palate cleansing-ness. It’s bright jucy citricy taste, nodoubt. from any African coffee reminds me of Kenya and even Guatemala Antigua it let’s drinkers know “it’s ok to b awake!” (although I will admit it has been slightly much on occasion) and lastly it’s slight spicyness we presume to b from any Asia pacific coffee used gives it a great depth.

In short it smells great, tastes wondeful black or with your favourite cream and sugar. It has to be, in this coffee drinkers opinion, one of the great daily North American coffees!

Thanks for reading!

Love What You Do!

By: Melody

Melody — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:21:04 +0000

@darkkatpouncing – You say that Pike Place Blend is your favorite?? But the coffee that is sold at ALL Starbucks is Pike Place ROAST – it is NOT the same coffee … Or do you mean that you like the coffee that is reserved only to the 2 Pike Place market stores … Pike Place Special Reserve — See blog.

By: Steve H.

Steve H. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:18:07 +0000

I was very thankful for this post today when I was in a Starbucks staring at the basket of Pike Place Roast. I had to remind myself that it’s not the same as the special blend. I plan on a trip soon to try out the real blend. Thanks for the insights!

By: StarbucksTweets

StarbucksTweets — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:15:30 +0000

Hi Melody, I can’t believe you were “brave” enough to try Pike Place Roast as a shot …… LOL ! Thanks again for the great information. I would love to try Pike Place Special Reserve, but because of the name I would have to keep an open mind. Good Coffee Day to You!

By: darkkatpouncing

darkkatpouncing — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:14:23 +0000

I have to agree – pike place blend IS one of my favorites