Starbucks Pike Place Coffee Beans Review: Keep an Open Mind!

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It is almost expected that you would automatically dismiss or bash Starbucks Coffee if you call yourself a coffee amateur in today’s culture. I would almost call it a rite of passage. In reality, Starbucks Coffee played a significant role at the beginning of my coffee journey. Over the last few years, I have enjoyed and tasted many fabulous coffee options; therefore, my references have evolved. I thought it would be interesting to revisit a coffee offer (and to review Starbucks Pike Place Coffee Beans) that I used to appreciate when I started with espresso and evaluate it fairly. Spoiler alert: do not assume anything!

Love to hate Starbucks Coffee

Go to any coffee amateur discussion group or in any coffee shop and ask people what they think about Starbucks coffee, and the chances are that you won’t hear too many good things. The word “charbucks” will probably be mentioned as a reference to Starbucks’ reputation to over-roast their coffee beans, presumably to mask their lack of quality. Like many large corporations, Starbucks is one of these brands people feel the need to hate for good or bad reasons. I will not spend too much time whether or not they deserve the criticism; this is not the point of my article. 

A simile with Starbucks Coffee

I recently got interested in audiophile speakers and amps, and the first thing I noticed when I started researching the subject was that you must hate Bose if you call yourself an audiophile. It is almost proof that you are a “part of the club.” I tend to chuckle when I see these generalizations and pay little attention to them. You love what you love and not what others tell you you should love or not. Yes, I admit, I had Bose speakers for a long time, and they were good to me for a while. This realization made me think about Starbucks and prompted my desire to write this article. I found a close resemblance between Bose and Starbucks and the assumed requirement that you hate these brands if you want to call yourself an aficionado.

The beginning of my coffee journey

Years ago, before starting my espresso journey, I used to LOVE Starbucks. I used to live in Belgium, and every time I traveled to the US or to a country where Starbucks was present, like in Southeast Asia, you can bet that Starbucks was one of the first places I was visiting. I started my espresso journey in Europe drinking Illy coffee, but when I moved to the USA in 2008, I found that Illy beans cost double their price in Europe, and I looked for alternatives for my daily drink. Starbucks coffee became my go-to choice, especially their Pike Place blend, along with Major Dickason from Peets Coffee.

Since then, I have had the chance to discover the joys of freshly roasted coffee when working close to a local coffee shop in Colorado. My curiosity led me to try many different beans, and when I moved to Tennessee, I found a whole new word by purchasing beans online. I went even further one year ago when I started roasting myself – stay tuned for more details on that. I started searching for good local shops when traveling instead of going to a local Starbucks. None of that means that I denied my prior fondness for Starbucks; I just discovered better options and evolved naturally.

To make it short: I hadn’t had Starbucks coffee beans in a long time, and I was curious to return to them with an open mind!

Let us try Pike Place Roast Starbucks in different ways

Starbucks Pike Place Coffee beans with the Pour-over method

It has been a long time! When I opened the bag, I was not pleased with the appearance of the beans: they looked very dark and oily, much darker than what I wanted for a medium roast. The smell is not pleasant; nothing that says “fresh coffee.” I tried to keep an open mind, but the experiment was not starting well.

At the first sip, I got bitterness—lots of it. There is no sweetness, no fruity accents, just a bitter taste with very light acidity. I let it cool down, hoping it would reveal more, but nothing else came up. At some point, I sensed a very faint sweetness, like brown sugar, but I had to look for it as the ashy bitterness covered it. The finish is also bitter, not the kind of aftertaste you want to keep lingering. I had a glass of seltzer water to wash it off. I did not enjoy it. However, it is still better than most Keurig pods or dinner coffee. I had to put things in perspective. It is just that even at that price point, there are much better options.

You might like to read this fantastic article; How to Get the Best Out of High-Quality Coffee Beans? Use the Pour-Over Method.

Starbucks Pike Place Coffee beans with espresso

At that point, I thought that the experiment was over. That coffee I liked in the past was terrible, and I only liked it because I did not know better, or so I thought. I was not expecting improvements from other brew methods, but I wanted to give it a shot. I am glad I did.

The first surprise when I pulled my first espresso shot with it was the texture: thick, velvety, with a nice crema—a beautiful-looking espresso shot. Usually, coffee from the grocery store tends to sputter rather than flow smoothly, but not this one. I sensed bitterness at the first sip, but it was much more controlled than the pour-over. A pleasant sweetness immediately followed the bitterness. It smelled good, with a strong whiff of roast but not as overpowering as a dark roast espresso. Starbucks claims it is a medium roast, but I would classify it as a Medium-Dark. The mouthfeel was creamy and very pleasant. It left a delicious sweet, and nutty aftertaste that remained for a while. Unlike the pour-over, I did not want to rinse it with water. I used most of the bag for espresso, and I must say that I enjoyed every cup. It is a decent option for an everyday espresso at a reasonable price. 

Of course, fresh coffee from a good roaster will likely have more complexity and character and impress me more. But it will also be more expensive and more difficult to find. I will get Pikes Place without a problem when I run out of fresh beans or on a budget.

I compared it with a freshly roasted Brazilian coffee I often use for espresso. The fresh coffee was sweeter, more complex, and overall better, but the Pikes Peak gave me 80% of the joy, and I can always find it at the store.

I am glad that I did not stop with the pour-over.

You might like to read this fantastic article; How to Make Your First Espresso Shots?

Starbucks Pike Place with French press method

The Starbucks Pike Place Coffee was much better brewed with the French press than the pour-over method. The first impression I got was bitterness but not as acrid. It was moderate, and a pleasant sweetness immediately came with it, unlike the pour-over. There was very little to no acidity. The finish was predominantly bitter, but the nutty sweetness remained. 

It was pretty smooth and easy to drink. Nothing special but a decent daily cup of coffee. As it cooled down, the sweetness increased slightly, improving it a little. I am stunned that it was so different than with the pour-over method. It is almost like the filter removed the sweet part of the profile. Fortunately, it is well present with espresso and French press.

You might like to read this fantastic article; How to Make Your Coffee Look Sophisticated? Get a French Press!

The bottom line

Coffee is a journey. Your preferences change, and your references expand. At the beginning of my coffee journey, I particularly enjoyed Starbucks coffee and Pike Place. I wanted to give it a fair shot without dismissing it outright because that is expected among coffee enthusiasts. If you don’t believe me, ask what people think about Starbucks in a coffee group discussion and brace yourself. I was happy to rediscover a decent inexpensive, easy-to-find coffee you drink daily. Just don’t brew it with a paper filter.