Want a free cup of coffee tomorrow?
Just roll into your local Starbucks at 12est / 9pst for a free serving of Starbuck's new Pike Place Roast - a smooth drip coffee that is being 'launched' tomorrow. That said, several of the San Francisco Starbucks have been serving Pike Place for the last few days (you might also notice the new cups which have a brown Pike Place logo rather than the traditional green Starbucks emblem).
I've had a couple cups so far and it is quite good - decently strong, but not bitter. And supposedly this blend is a response to the critique that Starbuck's coffees tend to taste overly bitter. I still prefer Sumatra, but Pike Place beats many of the regularly offered drips. From the official press release:
Smooth, Welcoming Taste
This blend was created using input from Starbucks customers and represents our 37 years of coffee roasting experience, knowledge and passion. Taking the wide range of customer preferences as a guide, this everyday brew is a unique blend featuring Starbucks signature bold flavor with a smoother finish balanced by soft acidity and subtle, rich flavors of cocoa and toasted nuts. Fresh, Hand-Scooped
The Pike Place Roast™ coffee beans will be hand-scooped, freshly ground, and freshly brewed and served, giving the coffee a consistent, pure taste. To further ensure customers enjoy the freshest, high-quality cup of brewed coffee, stores also will brew smaller batches with a hold time of no more than 30 minutes. Licensed stores in the U.S., as well as Starbucks locations outside the U.S., will also transition to a 30-minute hold time over the coming months.
“Our partners (employees) are excited about bringing back the coffeehouse atmosphere,” said Schultz. “They really like the physical act of scooping and grinding the beans — they like staying close to the coffee. They’ve told us that it makes them feel more in touch with our Company’s core values. And they like that they can offer their loyal customers such an amazingly fresh cup of coffee.”