Did You Know Starbucks Has 3 Different Kinds of Espresso?
As a mother of two, I'm powered by coffee—specifically Starbucks. My reward for making it through Saturday-morning soccer practice or swim lessons? A grande skinny vanilla latte that I get to drink hot while my husband drives (a treat for this mom). It's creamy, just a little sweet and has two much-needed espresso shots.
What kind of espresso? It wasn't something I ever thought much about. Espresso is espresso, right?
Wrong! Apparently, Starbucks offers three different types of espresso: dark roast, blonde and decaf.
Wait...what? Seriously? Have you been missing anything by not knowing this news? How does changing an espresso shot impact your favorite Starbucks beverage?
Allow me to spill the beans.
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What Espresso Shots Are Available at Starbucks?
You can choose from dark roast, blonde and decaf. Dark roast is the default, so if you don't specify, your drink will be made with that. If you already adore your go-to Starbucks orders, you may not want to stir things up, but adventurous types might want to consider branching out.
Starbucks introduced blonde espresso in 2012. The blonde's beans are roasted at a lower temperature for a shorter time than the dark roast, which makes for a smoother and lighter flavor. You might get nutty, citrus notes in a blonde roast versus the chocolate and caramel flavors in a dark roast.
I tend to drink lighter roasts when I sip regular coffee in the morning because they're less bitter and acidic. What I didn't know? They may be lighter in flavor and color but not in caffeine. Blonde roasts have more caffeine. Why? The shorter roast time lets the beans hang onto more oil, which increases the caffeine content.
And the decaf? It has full coffee flavor, but the decaffeination process also gives it the sweet, toasty flavor you may love about the blonde.
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But Wait, There's More!
When you go on the Starbucks site and look up espresso, you'll see SIX options in the pull-down menu: Signature Espresso Roast, Blonde Espresso Roast, Decaf Espresso Roast, 1/3 Decaf Espresso Roast, 1/2 Decaf Espresso Roast and 1/3 Decaf Espresso Roast. Those last three options are the ratio of decaf to signature roast, which means you can really dial in your level of caffeination.
The Verdict
I ran in my first road race since getting pregnant four years ago on Saturday. Tired from getting up at 6:15 a.m. after my son woke me up at 3 a.m., there was no way I would opt for trying out the decaf espresso shot at Starbucks. Instead, I sprung for the blonde.
Indeed, it was a tad lighter but still creamy and delicious. And I did come in fifth in my age group with a time comparable to my pre-baby races. Was it the extra shot of caffeine, my playlist or eight weeks of training? I'm not sure (though caffeine may help fuel a workout), but I think I have a new pre-race beverage.
That said, it might not be the best choice for everyone. For folks who love sweeter Starbucks beverages—Caramel Macchiato or the Double Chocolate Cream Frappuccino with whipped cream and chocolate syrup, for example—it might be best to stick with the less-sweet dark roast. And decaf is always a good option if it's later in the day or if caffeine isn't you friend.
My opinion? Mixing it up is worth a shot if you need a jolt (or want less of one) or are simply want to try something new.
