Starbucks Instant Coffee: Experience The Joy Of Instant Coffee
Both Starbucks VIA Instant and Premium Instant are great instant coffee options for making a quick cup. The VIA Instant lineup comes in single-serving packets, making it super easy to brew a cup while on the go.
Starbucks Premium Instant offers a slightly elevated cup profile with micro-ground powder. But you will need to measure out your own servings to taste. The upside is that it’s the same blend as used in the non-instant versions. We’ve tried all Starbucks instant coffees, and here’s what you can expect from them.
What Is Starbucks Instant Coffee?
Instant coffee is a coffee type that just needs some hot water and boom—you’re ready to drink. It’s made a couple of different ways, but typically instant coffee is dehydrated, powdered coffee that dissolves easily in hot water (1).
Instant coffee is a major player in the coffee world, and Starbucks has created some delicious instant coffee options.
Interestingly, the instant coffee market was worth over $33 billion in 2021, which is expected to rise (2). It should come as no surprise that making instant coffee is a desirable, less time-consuming option.
So, does Starbucks have instant coffee? Yes, Starbucks has an entire lineup of instant coffees and even some premium instant coffees, not to mention that Starbucks is among the top-rated instant coffees.
However, Starbucks uses a slightly different approach. The Starbucks VIA instant coffees are freshly roasted and finely ground high-quality coffee beans, and the beans are the same in regular blends like Pike Place or the Italian roast. Even though Starbucks is secretive about its final process, it’s clear that Starbucks uses some sort of dehydration process. Yet, Starbucks Instant coffee is easy to make. For one packet, boil 8 ounces of water (1 cup), add one instant coffee packet, and simply stir.
Best Starbucks Instant Coffee
Starbucks has two distinct lines of instant coffee: the VIA Ready Brew and Premium Instant. The biggest difference is that VIA Ready Brew is packaged in individual single-serving packets, while the premium lineup comes in tins, and you need to use a scoop to measure your servings.
Furthermore, VIA Instant is more similar to Starbucks tea menu. Another significant difference is that the Premium lineup is micro-ground coffee, that’s the same as the non-instant blends. And both are on the list of highly-recommended drinks at Starbucks.
The classic taste you love…can be made at home for a fraction of the cost.
The most popular of the VIA Instant coffees is the Pike Place Roast. It makes sense that Pike Place Roast is also popular since it’s one of Starbucks’ oldest and most popular roasts.
Other options include the VIA Veranda Blend, which is a Blonde Roast, and both caffeinated and decaffeinated dark roast VIA Italian Roast. Lastly, there’s VIA Sweetened Iced Coffee. You should make it with cold water and serve it with ice.
Both VIA Instant and Premium Instant are part of Starbucks’ keto drink menu as well. Starbucks has all the classics for instant coffees; you’re sure to find a VIA Instant that fits your taste.
Starbucks Premium Instant Coffee Options
Starbucks’ Premium Instant Coffees all use the same 100% Arabica coffees that the non-instant blends use. The instant versions are simply micro-ground into a powder fine enough to dissolve in a mug of hot water and give you delicious coffee. It’s almost like making a Starbucks instant espresso.
Each tin can make up to 40 cups of coffee, depending on how strong you like your instant coffee.
There are three options when it comes to Premium Instant at Starbucks:
- Premium Instant Dark Roast
- Premium Instant Medium Roast
- Premium Instant Blonde Roast
The Blonde roast is crisp, complex, and bright. The medium roast is mellow, balanced, and smooth. And the dark roast is bold, rich, and full.
Final Thoughts
Starbucks has forayed into the world of instant coffee in recent years with two great different lineups of instant coffee options: VIA Instant and Premium Instant. We’ve seen that Instant coffee is convenient, fast, and the simplest way to make a cup of coffee.
Just add hot water to the coffee powder, and you’ll have your first sip in seconds. Enjoy!
FAQs
The caffeine content in Starbucks Instant Coffee ranges from 130-140 mg depending on which roast and packet you use. In general, that’s lower than each roast’s non-instant counterpart. For example, Pike Place brewed coffee contains about 155 mg of caffeine in an 8 oz serving.
To make Starbucks instant coffee, add 8 ounces of boiling water to a mug and add one packet of Starbucks Via Instant Coffee. Next, stir until the coffee has dissolved. And if you’re using Starbucks Premium Instant Coffee, add two teaspoons of instant coffee per 8 ounces of boiling water.
For Starbucks Instant Coffee Packets, use 8 ounces of boiling water. Depending on how strong you want your coffee, you can use more or less water, but start with a base of 8 ounces and change from there. For iced instant coffee, use two packets per 8 ounces.
References
- What is instant coffee?: Nescafe. What is Instant Coffee | How to Make Instant Coffee | NESCAFÉ India. (n.d.). https://www.nescafe.com/in/coffee-types/what-is-instant-coffee
- Research and Markets. (2022, June 29). Global Instant Coffee Market Report 2022-2027: Growth of high end cafe chains and coffee capsule driving demand. GlobeNewswire News Room. https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2022/06/29/2471098/28124/en/Global-Instant-Coffee-Market-Report-2022-2027-Growth-of-High-End-Cafe-Chains-and-Coffee-Capsule-Driving-Demand.html
