Starbucks Cafe Via: Great but Expensive

Not many moons ago, Starbucks started marketing their own line of Instant Coffee, called Via. It is not sold in cannister, plastic jars, or small tubs, like most others are, but in small sealed packets, much like the sugar-free drink packets you drop into bottle of water.

Now, I found a way to get a free sample via the mail (pun intended), so I ordered it, and waited. I was at the grocery store not longer after, and checked it out: my eyes nearly popped out of my head: it came to about a dollar a packet. One dollar for a cup of coffee. Out-freaking-rageous.

Now, I'll go to a coffeeshop, and spend $2 for a brew, $3.50 for a espresso-based drink, or up to five dollars for a frappe of one kind or another, but I will not spend $1 for a drink I have to make myself under any circumstances. If I am going to have coffee that's a little pricier, I want it to be the highest quality, and no instant can ever do that.

That being said, I will say that it is the best instant coffee I have ever had. No question about it. When the sample came in the mail, I boiled some water, dumped it in, stirred, and tried it. I also let my wife sample it. We agreed that it is definitely the best instant coffee we've ever had. You can even taste the Starbucks roast coming through.

Now, it is still not worth the cost in my eyes. First, I am not a Starbucks aficionado. Starbucks is very bitter and more expensive than necessary. Second, it's not as good as several of the local roasters and coffeeshops. If I can support a Crema, a Billy Goat Coffee, or a Bongo Java, I would prefer to whenever I can. Third, there are so many things you can do at home to make an easy and tasty simple cup of joe.

If you're a Starbucks fan, and you're willing to put up the premium for the best instant coffee around, then Via is a good choice. I just won't be buying it myself.

Crema Keeps Getting Better

CREMA
15 Hermitage Ave.
Nashville, Tennessee 37210
(615) 255-8311
www.crema-coffee.com

The first time I visited Crema, I found the place to be extremely pretentious, a little expensive, and the coffee too different to impress me. The place came off as a retooled machine shop or auto mechanic.

The truth remained, however, that Nashville loves Crema. So, as time went by, I could not avoid it, especially considering it's location convenient to downtown. As I kept coming, the more and more I liked it.

To begin with, their different process of making coffee really is impressive. They borrow the name "crema" from the natural foam on top of an espresso drink. Usually, this is an extremely thin layer, and is easily ignored. However, the good folks at the Crema store use an entirely different espresso press which allows more air to pass through, this allows for a larger "head" (AKA a larger crema). This is not milk froth in a cappuccino, this is a froth made of the coffee itself. And it is a neat feature.

More recently, Crema has moved their iced coffee from regular brewed over iced to the milder and more refreshing cold brew method.

Now, I stand by my remarks that Crema is extremely pretentious. I realize now that this is not the fault of the staff, who are usually helpful, and sometimes extremely friendly: it's caused by the young hip crowd. Walking in and seeing ten Apple laptops scattered throughout the building is common. But the snobs are easily ignored, and the wifi is excellent.

Next time you're tooling around downtown, and you need that quick perk, Crema is an excellent choice.