Starbucks Brezza Blend is here. This is an all new summer coffee offering. Brezza Blend is available now on StarbucksStore.com and will be available at your neighborhood Starbucks stores starting Tuesday, April 29, 2014. Brezza Blend contains Colombia, Papua New Guinea and East African coffees. From all that I’ve heard, it’s amazing as an iced coffee. It’s a medium coffee with a juicy profile.
This year, Starbucks’ previous summer coffee, Three Region Blend, is not returning. I think Brezza Blend is designed to replaced Three Region Blend. You may recall, but for years, Gazebo Blend was the standard summer coffee offering but that was last offered in 2010.
If you’ve tried Brezza Blend, let me know what you think. I’m looking forward to writing about all the new summer offerings that are available starting April 29th.
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Can’t wait to try Brezza Blend! Any word on whether it will be available in K-Cups?
I’ve tried Brezza a few times now (pour over and press) and the jury is still out as to whether or not I like it (I’ll have to try it iced next time, I get the feeling that’s going to be the way I’ll enjoy it). It very juicy with a finish that feels reminiscent of Columbia Narino. It actually smells and, at first, tastes a lot like Kenya to me (which is definitely not a favourite of mine). I’ll also have to experiment to find the perfect food pairing. IMHO, most coffees can be at least appreciated when perfectly paired with something to enhance and/or balance flavors.
Also, do we know why Three Region is no longer? I actually really loved that coffee, so I’m super disappointed in the change :S
@Craig – Good question. Starbucks has been trying to do their seasonal offerings in KCup and Verismo format: both Tribute and Casi Cielo were offered as both. I’ll look into this.
@Courtney B – Love that perspective that most coffees will be appreciated when paired well. Though I think French Roast is hard to figure out what to do with at times. French is such a polarizing coffee.
Just checking in
It is awesome iced. I think since Brezza contains coffee from the three growing regions, it is appropriate that it takes the place of Three Region Blend. It’s sort of a soft transition away from TRB. I’m a SB Bariista and I’ve made a pitcher of this iced every morning I’ve opened since we got it in. I can wait to share it with our customers. Sorry, no info on the forms it will be available in. Cheers.
I tried it last week, and I enjoyed it very much. It has such a nice juiciness and fruity flavor, without the acidity overpowering it; and the herbal notes from the Papua New Guinea beans balance everything out perfectly! So excited to try it iced! 🙂
3 Region Blend is not included in our new Coffee Passports, so I assume that this will indeed be replacing it. However, Kati Kati Blend *is* included, and that coffee was introduced in stores during the first part of summer last year. I wonder if that will be returning during Summer phase 2.
My mistake, Kati Kati Blend was released during the second part of summer last year. So many wonderful coffees to look forward to this season!
Brezza was really nice hot->warm. It held up very nicely as it cooled. Very juicy and bright, with assorted other notes you could attend to. I also tried it cold brew versus iced. The iced (Clover) was very drinkable, a bit brighter than cold brew, but a bit dusty. The cold brew (recipe follows) was fruitier and cleaner. And also very chuggable. The word they sought with the original iced coffee. Both were more chuggable than the regular iced coffee.
Cold Brew recipe, for backroom experiments.
72 g (.16 lbs) coffee – French Press grind.
12 oz (tall cup) cold water.
Stir above into a venti cup. Cover with plastic and let sit on counter 12-18 hours. Pour liquid and some sludge through a paper cone filter into grande iced cup. (4-5 minutes) You should get 7 ounces of concentrate. Dilute with 7 ounces of water (or water to matching line on second cup). Pour over ice. Let rest about 4 minutes over ice before tasting and judging. It gets much better as it cools. Best versions so far have been with Anniversary, Brezza, and Kati-Kati, though Kati-Kati shined more hot over iced style (Clover).
Just curious cannot remember but is April 29th early to begin summer offerings? Does this just apply to drinks?
@Purple1 – Most of the promos at Starbucks have two phases. There’s usually a Fall1 and a Fall2. For example, fall drinks like Pumpkin Spice Latte will come out sooner than Thanksgiving Blend. Probably in June (?) there will be a summer 2 launch. So this will be just one part of the summer launch probably.
@kurt – i am going to be trying out your cold brew recipe today!!! this will be a perfect treat for me to drink on easter (and i am going to need it!!!!!!)
Good cup of coffee amazing cup of coffee iced with a touch of cream!
Melody, I love this blend!!! Enjoyed it both hot and iced. It is smooth and low acidic makes for a refreshing beverage. Love your blog and looking forward to the book. Does the offer still stand with a $10 donation we get a signed copy of the book? I’m very interested.
Hi @Melody! Greetings from Malaysia! Brezza just got launched a couple of days back here. Have to agree with @Courtney B on the Brezza having some Kenyan-like qualities in there. I felt that it’s not quite as winy though, and the initial acidic brightness is short-lived before giving way to a very subtle (muted even?) raw sugar-cane like sweetness panning out towards the end for a good few minutes (are these the herbal notes described?). The juiciness is something very hard to miss, especially when you sip it warm instead of hot. Folks here in Malaysia tend to favor the bolder brews/launches from our local Starbucks (then add milk to them, gosh…), so the Brezza is a surprising, albeit welcomed departure for Starbucks Malaysia. Personally I enjoyed it, just wishing that it had a bit more layered complexity to it (but that’s just me).
Loved it hot – no burnt/bitter edge usually found in the dark blends – instead a complex yummy mix of tastes
Brezza is a little tooo juicy for me, not BOLD enough. I get a cup every day because that’s what’s being offered as their “dark” but I wouldn’t buy it for home. Very mediocre to me.
Brezza is way too light for my tastes, and I don’t care for it hot. It’s a lot better iced. My favorite brewing method so far is via a Toddy and steeped with berries.
I truly love Brezza iced! It reminded me of the first year of Indivisible Blend we offered. Experiment with Brezza by adding fresh squeezed lemon juice to it or some of the lemonade we make our drinks with. It’s a great replacement for cream and it so crisp and clean tasting. It resembles a black tea lemonade hot or iced and pairs awesome with a sweet mango pineapple salsa. Definitely a summertime and/or poolside drink. I started introducing customers to adding lemon to their Brezza iced and have had positive feedback.
Considering this is a ‘light, fruity, herbal summer blend’ that is sold as a ‘Bold,’ I’m wondering if there is anything at all to the Mild/Medium/Bold appellations given to the brews. I mean the True North is definitely mild, some of the ones designated bold are definitely dark and bold, but are these categories fairly meaningless in reality?
Really enjoy the freshness of Brezza Blend! We must be nearing the end of the promotion, as none of our local Starbucks are brewing it anymore. The Spring 2 (or is it Summer 2) promotion probably is just around the corner. I heard that Kati Kati Blend may be returning – that would be excellent! Enjoyed that coffee when it came out last summer. Any word on its return? Hopefully it will be available in K-Cups this year!
I am very disappointed to hear Starbucks is dropping the 3 Region Blend. The Brezza blend doesn’t even compare to the 3 Region blend. The Brezza blend falls very short of the rich aroma and rich flavor the 3 Region blend had. Again, very disappointed customer.
I was looking forward to the return of 3 Region this year with the intention of stocking up. I was very disappointed it was not the featured blend this summer. I tried Brezza and it was okay, but no where near as good as 3 Region. It seems like 3 Region wasn’t really around that many years – too bad as it was one of your best. What does it take to get Starbucks to bring something back?
Disappointed. 🙁