How To Enjoy Girl Scout Cookies With Starbucks Coffee
Its that time of the year: Girl Scout Cookies are here. If youre like me, you want to stock up on Thin Mints and eat them all year long. National Girl Scout Day is March 12, 2017! Im going to help you figure out how to best enjoy your Girl Scout Cookies with Starbucks coffee. Here is your tasting guide:
The coffee masters over at theModernBarista.com did the legwork for us, figuring out which cookies work best with which core Starbucks coffees. For those of you who have been long time readers of this site, you know Im good friends with Jocelyn, also known as The Modern Barista. The credit goes to her for figuring this amazing Girl-Scout-Cookie-and-Coffee-Grid out, and generously sharing it here.
I decided to try some of these pairings myself. I discovered that there are some regional differences in Girl Scout cookies. Here in Seattle, Girl Scouts dont offer Thanks A Lot and the SMores are a different recipe than whats shown above. In my neck of the woods, the SMores cookies dont come with a chocolate coating. Girl Scout cookies offerings can vary by region, so check with your local Girl Scout!
First up: Veranda Blend and Do-Si-Dos
This was delicious! You will like this! The Do-Si-Dos are a fairly mellow cookie and wont overpower the soft and gentle Blonde Roast profile Veranda Blend. The nuttiness of Veranda Blend works perfectly with peanut flavors found in Do-Si-Dos.
Somoas with Italian Roast:
Thin Mints and Starbucks Espresso Roast
What Is Whisky Barrel
Whisky barrel-aged coffee describes the process of ageing green beans in a whisky barrel before roasting.
The process gives the coffee a range of complex flavour characteristics that commonly include a sweet aroma of wood and alcohol. Of course, the result will largely depend on the coffee variety used.
While former whisky barrels are the most popular choice for this process, rum and bourbon barrels can also be used.
To age the coffee, green beans are left in an empty barrel for two to three weeks. The key to this process is finding the optimum time to leave the beans to age.
For example, if the beans are not aged long enough, the flavours of the barrel will not successfully transfer into the coffee. However, if left for too long, the coffee may develop an intense flavour that drowns out its more subtle notes.
The whisky barrel-ageing process allows roasters to use any type of barrel and green bean they wish.
As a result, it is up to them to identify beans that harmonise with the flavours absorbed through the barrel. Each whisky barrel has its own unique flavour notes, in much the same way as terroir affects green coffee.
Furthermore, the flavours absorbed by the coffee depend on the type of barrel used, and the liquor that was prepared within it.
Starbucks Is Now Selling Whiskey Barrel Aged Coffee
Remember the days when whiskey barrel aging was just for, well, whiskey? Those days are long gone. As of March 6, you can get a cup of Starbucks coffee made using whiskey barrel aged beans.
The coffee, called Starbucks Reserve Whiskey Barrel Aged Sulawesi, is a very limited batch sold exclusively at the Seattle Roastery. You can drink it in two specialty drinks, a cold brew and the Barrel Aged Con Crema, as well as buy a scoop of whole coffee beans you can French press at your own leisure.
As a chef and a food scientist, experimentation is central to my being, Duane Thompson, a member of Starbucks research and development team, says in a statement. My neighbors would tease me about all the barrels in my garage. Id play with infusing spices like cinnamon sticks and cardamom just to see what flavors would be imparted.
Violà, a coffee primed for customers who, in Thompsons words, are seeking an immersive, sensorial experience that the craftsmanship of barrel-aged coffee delivers.
And why not? Whiskey barrel aging is already a prevalent trend in wine, beer, and even gin. Coffee just seems like the natural next product prime for the influence of a whiskey barrel.
Finally, the beans are roasted. The alcohol is burned off but the whiskey flavor stays. The resulting coffee has earthy notes mingling with the oak to create a cup thats unlike any other.
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There Is One Starbucks Location That Serves Whiskey Barrel
A post shared by Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Mar 6, 2017 at 12:00pm PST
There’s a unique Starbucks location in Seattle, WA home state of the giant coffee chain that is offering a unique way to enjoy coffee.
Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room, located on Pike Street, is incorporating the centuries-old craft of barrel aging into some new beverages. The chain’s first whiskey barrel-aged coffee is made with small-lot Sulawesi coffee beans through the utilization of oak barrels. It boasts intense whisky aromas that also feature caramel and mellow oak notes.
For those looking to try new variations of coffee, this sounds like a great change of pace.
The Roastery location also serves a Barrel-Aged Con Crema and a Barrel-Aged Cold Brew.
You can find the Reserve Roastery about nine blocks from the original Starbucks location in Pike Place.
Starbucks Reserve Whiskey Barrel
The ancient craft of barrel aging takes meticulous care, time and patience. But when Starbucks introduced its first barrel-aged coffee with Starbucks Reserve® Whiskey Barrel-Aged Sulawesi at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in March, it was gone in a flash.
Now the coveted coffee is back, available starting Sept. 5 for the first time in select U.S. Starbucks Reserve coffee bars, and at the Roastery in Seattle beginning Sept. 12.
Starbucks Reserve® Whiskey Barrel-Aged Sulawesi is made with green Starbucks Reserve® Sulawesi beans hand-scooped into freshly emptied oak aged whiskey barrels. The beans are then hand-rotated frequently, allowing the coffee to evenly absorb the whiskey flavor. After several weeks, the coffee is small-batch roasted, a process that eliminates the alcohol but still retains the distinctive whiskey notes.
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For a limited time, and only at its Seattle Roastery, Starbucks is serving Whiskey Barrel Aged Sulawesi in drinks including the Barrel Aged Cold Brew and the hot Barrel Aged Con Crema. Both are served with vanilla syrup.
Duane Thompson, a member of Starbucks beverage research and development team, had started barrel aging coffee beans as a hobby in his garage four years ago, according to the company. More recently, Starbucks offered the use its small-lot Reserve Sulawesi beans for barrel aging.
The barrel-aged coffee is made by putting green Reserve Sulawesi beans into freshly emptied oak whiskey barrels from Woodinville Whiskey, Co., and letting them absorb the whiskey flavor for a few weeks. During that time, theyre hand-rotated frequently so all the coffee comes into contact with the oak barrel, the company said. The beans are then roasted, which burns off the alcohol although the aroma and flavor of whiskey still come through.
Prices for the Barrel-Aged Cold Brew and Con Crema are $10 each for an 8-ounce serving. The whole bean coffee is also available for purchase at $3.70 per ounce.
Introducing and experimenting with such higher-end coffee drinks at its Seattle Roastery is a path Starbucks is taking as it seeks to expand its business beyond its traditional core coffeeshops.
Starbucks Starts Selling Whiskey Barrel
Starbucks’ newest limited edition brew doesn’t taste like hugs or Christmas it tastes like whiskey.
The coffee chain debuted two new whiskey-barrel-aged flavored beverages this week: A “Barrel-Aged Cold Brew” and a “Barrel-Aged Con Crema.” The cold brew is served in a sidecar glass with an oversized cube of ice, just like a cocktail might. The crema comes in a little glass mug with a handle. Both are only sold at the Starbucks Roastery store in Seattle, Washington.
The coffees begin with beans “hand-scooped” into “freshly emptied” whiskey barrels and then “hand-rotated frequently to ensure all the coffee comes into contact with the oak barrel,” according to a Starbucks press release.
They’re then roasted by “master roasters,” burning off the actual alcohol but leaving the smell and taste of whiskey behind.
“The process takes time, care and patience, ensuring we deliver a distinct experience that stays true to the specialness of the coffee while imparting the complementary, distinguished flavor of the oak-aged barrel,” said Starbucks beverage R& D team member Duane Thompson. “You get those earthy notes mingling with the oak to create a cup thats unlike any other.”
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But it’s no cheap shot: An 8-ounce serving will set you back $10.
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Starbucks Now Has Whiskey Barrel Aged Coffee
Its not a very well kept secret that the best coffee from Starbucks comes from their roastery in Seattle. Their Seattle exclusive offerings are expanding into Willy Wonka territory because Starbucks now has whiskey barrel aged coffee. Each batch of the Starbucks Reserve Whiskey Barrel Aged Sulawesi beans are frequently hand-rotated over the course of a few weeks while theyre living in Woodinville Whiskey barrels that were freshly emptied. This process insures that all of the beans get infused with whiskey flavor because of their contact with the barrel, but its worth noting that the roasting process itself cooks off all the alcohol. The barrel aged beans will be available by themselves or in one of two specialty drinks: a vanilla sweetened cold brew and a con creme drink with cascara sugar. Unfortunately, all your Starbucks Reserve Whiskey Barrel Aged Sulawesi drinking dreams are crushed unless you live in Seattle or know someone there who can ship you some.
Starbucks Debuts Two New Beverages Inspired By The Roastery
The Starbucks Reserve® Roastery is a place for creativity, where the craft of coffee can shine in surprising ways. Customers come from all over the world, eager to try something new. The Roastery has been the inspiration behind a number of original beverages in Starbucks stores, including Nitro Cold Brew, Affogato, and Smoked Butterscotch Latte.
Theres no better stage than our Roastery to introduce customers to new coffee experiences, said Duane Thompson from Starbucks beverage R& D team. Its where we elevate our small-lot Reserve coffees in new ways and continue to push the boundaries of coffee.
Now customers at select Starbucks stores can try two new beverages inspired by the Roastery the smooth and velvety Nitro Freddo and the highly coveted Whiskey Barrel-Aged Cold Brew.
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Which Coffees Can I Brew With The Barrel Aged Coffee Beans
If you want to use barrel aged coffee, you will be able to make every coffee that you like. I have tried both the hot and the cold brew versions of barrel aged coffee beans, and I prefer a cold brew version when a barrel aged coffee bean is used.
While brewing a cold brew coffee with barrel aged coffee beans, you will smell the amazing flavors from the moment you open the bag. The smell that comes out of the coffee bean bag is amazing.
Once you start grinding your coffee beans, most flavors are circling in the house, and you will be happy that youve bought a bag of these delicious coffee beans.
To get back to the different kinds of coffees you can brew with a barrel aged coffee, I suggest starting with a batch of cold brew coffee. Brewing a batch of cold brew coffee will expand your coffee palate and will give you an idea of what the coffee will taste like when you make a hot version.
For me, the hot version of coffee made with barrel aged coffee is a waste of these beautiful coffee beans. The flavors you smell when brewing coffee are quickly lost and are nowhere to be found when taking the first sip of coffee. So, I would suggest sticking with a good cup of cold brew coffee instead.
The fun part about brewing coffee at home is that you can switch it up however you like. To make Your Dream Coffee at home, its all about experimenting with coffee and finding out what you like.
What Is A Barrel Aged Coffee
You might be familiar with other barrel aged drinks. Bourbon, wine, and beer both have barrel aged specialty options out there.
But what about coffee?
Yes, coffee can be barrel aged to give your morning cup unique flavors.
Despite what it might sound like, your coffee isnt poured into an old whiskey barrel for a few weeks before you drink it.
Instead, the green coffee beans are allowed to sit in old barrels of whiskey or other spirits for a few days to a few weeks. After that, the beans are sent to the roaster where they are roasted normally.
Only then are the beans packaged and available to you.
The result is a delicious and unique flavor profile. The process gives you the coffee flavor you are used to with the addition of hints of whatever barrel your beans were aged in.
Will your coffee suddenly taste like whiskey? No.
Think of it like adding cinnamon to a hot chocolate. The cinnamon doesnt take over the chocolate flavor but instead adds a little taste of cinnamon underneath the hot chocolate.
Thats all that barrel aged coffee does. But its phenomenal.
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What Makes Whisky Barrel
The signature flavour of whisky barrel-aged coffee considerably contributes to its popularity.
Its layers of bourbon, sweet wood, and alcohol make it perfectly suited for a richer version of the classic after-dinner coffee.
Its unique flavour, coupled with the intriguing story of its preparation, means the product is almost certain to attract customers.
With the intense growth of third-wave coffee and American whisky, the combination of both flavour profiles is an incredibly special experience, says Brian, who runs Oak & Bond Coffee Co. with his wife, Lauren. Now, consumers can experience the distinct flavours of specialty coffee and whisky combined in one cup.
Furthermore, Brain believes this process lets roasters share new and exciting flavours with consumers. When done correctly, whisky barrel-aged coffee highlights the roasters unique sense of flavour pairings and ingenuity.
Starbucks’ New Whiskey Barrel
Folks who love the breakfast beverage and booze combination of whiskey and coffee, rejoice! You can now drink barrel-aged coffee at Starbucks, made by taking green coffee beans from Sulawesi, Indonesia, and scooping them into “freshly emptied American Oak Aged Whiskey Barrels from Woodinville Whiskey, Co.” According to a press release sent to Extra Crispy, the green coffee beans are aged in the barrels for several weeks, during which time they, “absorbed the whiskey flavor, hand-rotated frequently to ensure all the coffee comes into contact with the oak barrel.” Starbucks master roasters then roast the beans to perfection.
The Starbucks press release very clearly notes, in italics, no less, that, “there is no alcohol in this drink.” But this isn’t the first time Starbucks has dabbled in the art of mixing coffee and booze. Back in October 2016, the Seattle-based coffee company launched a beer cocktail called the Espresso Cloud IPA, made by pouring a cold beer over a hot shot of espresso. This was part of the company’s Starbucks Evenings program, which offered wine and beer in select stores. The Evenings program was originally launched in 2014 but folded earlier this year due to lack of customer interest.
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Why I Paid $13 For A Coffee At Starbucks Reserve Roastery
Its a cliche. Spending an embarrassing amount of money to buy a drink at Starbucks. Well, I took that budget-busting experience a couple of steps further. I went to the mothership of Starbucks stores in Seattle and paid an exorbitant sum for a measly 6 ounces. Ive never before dropped so much cash on a single beverage, but Im not ashamed of my novelty-seeking behavior. Would I do it again? Yes. In a heartbeat. I did, in fact. Three more times in three days. Perhaps its my culinary version of retail therapy during a pandemic: spend a lot on something special and feel instantly better. And Im happy to share the extravagant details.
They call the reserve stores theatrical, experiential shrines to coffee passion. Maybe that helps explain the $13 price tag? I was buying a ticket to an experience AND a beverage. It definitely has a different vibe than a regular Starbucks location. The Seattle Reserve Roastery in Capitol Hill is grand, high-end, and bustling. It ticks all the boxes. It smells good, looks good, and sounds good. The real draw for me, though, was the specialized menu filled with coffee and tea beverages you cant find anywhere else.
Starbucks describes a roastery as a place to treat yourself to superb food, rare coffees, and everything in between. Dont mind if I do. I had recently seen a dietitian on Instagram raving about the barrel-aged coffee and for some reason that had stuck in my brain as something to seek out the next time I was in Seattle.
What To Consider Before Offering Whisky Barrel
It takes more than adding green beans to a barrel and leaving them for up to three weeks to successfully make whisky barrel-aged coffee.
While the process sounds deceptively simple, roasters must invest time into its production to ensure their coffee is a success.
For one, green coffee beans have a porous structure that makes them sensitive to their surroundings particularly aromas. While this trait is what makes whisky barrel-aged coffee possible, roasters must exercise care in their techniques.
Several factors can affect the outcome of the coffees flavour profile. Therefore, each factor must be addressed to find the optimum conditions to achieve the desired result.
Producing the highest quality barrel-aged coffee takes time to develop the craft, Brian says. Its a wonderful experience and a continuous learning process, as every barrel is different just as every coffee is different.
However, when the right procedures are followed, Brian says it can produce an unbelievable cup of coffee and open new revenue streams.
Before producing whisky barrel-aged coffee at full scale, roasters must decide on the best green beans, barrel type, and ageing time, as well as the roast profile and brewing method.
Determine roast profile
Typically, a medium roast profile is chosen for whisky barrel-aged coffee to help accentuate certain flavours.
Although, blonde roasts can also be used to give consumers a greater sense of the beans full complexity.
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