So when I got my new job I decided that I had to become for financially responsible and cut down on the Starbucks consumption. Which gave birth to a tradition I hold true to this day. Except on Mondays when I am headed back from my mom's house because I need the caffeine to get through the 1.5 hour commute into work.
Where was I?
Oh yeah, the new Starbucks Via Instant Coffee.
When I saw that there was a way for me to have dark, angry Starbucks coffee anywhere I started to get the same itch that I assume a crackhead sees when they see rock candy at the five-and-dime. I wanted to grab packets from the display and blow an entire weeks salary on them. I wanted to toss them up in the air and watch as they rained down on me.
But then, the little logic that is left in my addled brain told me that buying expensive instant coffee without trying it first would not only be illogical but pretty damn stupid. So the next time I went into get my drink on a Friday I thought perhaps they will be giving out samples. That would be the smart thing to do, from a marketing angle, right?
Sadly, they were never giving out free packets of Via.
So what did I do? I voiced my angst at work. I let it be known that I was not happy with Starbucks not giving a loyal customer a free packet of Via.
And what happened?
One of my awesome co-workers got a free sample from... well I don't know where she got it from but she gave it to me. And I was happy. It sat, waiting in my day planner until a day when I really needed it. And that day came this week.
My thoughts on it?
It tastes like instant coffee. Yeah, like regular instant coffee if you added an extra teaspoon of grounds to the cup when you make it. It didn't hold the thrill that I thought it would. No magical caffeine fairies appeared.
So take my advice and save yourself a couple bucks and just stick to drinking the stuff at work. Because you can bitch all you want but you know and I know that it isn't that bad.
~The Office Scribe
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8 comments:
Yeah, instant coffee sucks hard, no matter how much you try to doctor it up. I'm a Dunkin' Donuts girl myself, but it's only $1.87, so I don't feel as guilty.
Yes it is that bad. Starbucks is too bitter for me in general. Try alterra! www.alterra.com Of course you would have to be in Milwaukee to find it sadly.
I bought a good coffee maker,and a
neat-o travel mug...and whatever fancy coffee catches my eye. Then I don't feel guilty about it. Costs less, less garbage, great coffee. It's not the chain or the instant junk. It's just good coffee.
There is a difference between coffee and espresso drink. Big difference. I look at my vice as a way to drink milk in the morning (my grande 1/2 soy 1/2 nonfat 1 pump mocha, no whip). However, there is no Starbucks in Iraq and I've had to make due with either strong coffee mixed with chocolate soymilk (at work) or Triple 2 pump mocha from Greenbeans (here in our housing area) which only comes with whole milk but I only get it on Sundays...and never after 4p or I'd never get to sleep.
Ah, I'm hooked on the caramel macchiato. Other than that, I'm not much of a coffee drinker, though. And the word "instant" is usually synonymous with "crappy". Instant oatmeal. Instant coffee. The only real exception to that are instant mashed potatoes, which are actually pretty good.
Take care!
Chris
cdmauger.blogspot.com
I love your blog! I found it through and article on MSN last week, and you make me want to find an office job, nice to read you... the coffee is what I miss the most when not working.
One pound of Starbucks beans is about $10 but you can get them on sale for $7 from time to time.
I have a percolator in my office. Since I drink my coffee black with no sugar it costs only $10 per week (max) to keep myself wired.
Via is worse than Nestle 3-in-1. I smell the artificial flavor without drinking.
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