Coffee Review: Starbucks' Brezza

The folks at Starbucks love their seasonal offerings. In the past I have reviewed them as better than their usual roasts. With Summer comes their latest offering - Brezza. Starbucks describes Brezza as a "new light-bodied coffee is as easygoing as its Italian translation would suggest. A medium-roast coffee with notes of fresh herbs and sweet lemon. Brezza is a juicy, elegant, cheerful blend-wonderful hot or iced." So clearly this is a coffee which is roasted for hot or iced use. Today I made it in the French Press.

When I opened the bag I got the aromas of herbs, and a strong fruitiness. I thought for a medium roast the beans looked a bit dark. Starbucks is known for over roasting their coffee, so I thought this might have a burnt quality to it. According to Starbucks, Brezza is a blend of Colmbian, Papua New Guinea and East African coffees.

As I took the first sips I noticed no burnt taste. At the same time I didn't notice much flavor. Mark thought he got some earthy chocolate flavor. I didn't get that. I let the coffee sit a moment, then I came back to it. This time I tasted something - I got a caramel like flavor, with a dash of lemon and a strong sense of herbs.

To be honest, I don't know what I think of Brezza. It's initial taste was tasteless to me, but then it came together. I like to taste something right off the bat. I have a strong sense that this coffee works much better iced, as it needs time to sit and let the flavors "stew" a bit. I may give it a try that way. Rumor in the coffee world is it's the bombdiggity as an iced coffee.

It's not the strongest coffee in the world. I would give it a 5 on our Cher scale. This would be a playful punch Cher might have given Sonny on the variety show.

Brezza ia in Starbucks for a limited time. I'd be curious what others think.

Charlie