Most of us depend on coffee to wake us up in the morning, and we don’t give much thought to the flavor or strength of the coffee. Not all blends are equally created. Some contain more caffeine than others. There is a common misconception that a dark roasted bean has more caffeine because of its dark color and more robust flavor, but that is not true. Let’s look at Pike and Blonde coffee for comparisons.
Blonde coffee has more caffeine than pike, generally speaking, the lighter the bean, the more caffeine is present. Starbuck’s blonde roast contains 360 milligrams per 16 ounces. While their medium roast, pike place, has 310 milligrams per 16 ounces.
Another difference between Pike and Blonde Roast is flavor. Many people describe the taste of Pike Place coffee as bitter and more intense than the Blonde Roast, which is smoother and lighter. This article will discuss the flavors of both Pike and Blonde coffee in more detail and the roasting processes involved.
What Is A Blonde Roast?
When we hear coffee described as ‘blonde,’ we don’t always know what that means; it’s not to be confused with white coffee, as white coffee comes from under-roasted beans. Blonde roast coffee is a relatively new introduction to Starbucks as they have used the same roast for over 40 years.
Is Blonde Espresso Stronger?
According to the popular coffeehouse, blonde espresso is a roast made from East African and Latin American coffee beans to create a flavor described as citrusy, sweet, and creamy.
Roasters looking to create new methods came up with the idea to extract the beans after the first crack during the roasting process. These beans showed little to no signs of roasting; this process produced oil-free, bright, light-roasted beans that were bigger and more acidic than traditional roasts.
Starbucks’ original espresso is created using dark roasted coffee beans from the Asia/ Pacific region and Latin America. The dark roast has a more full-bodied flavor with a hint of caramel, while the blonde is milder. Blonde beans are roasted at lower temperatures than dark roasts, which explains why the taste is brighter and doesn’t carry the bold, intense flavors of dark roasts.
What Is A Pike Place Roast?
Pike Place Roast is made from a blend of dark beans containing a rich taste and bold flavor. This roast is one of Starbucks’ specialty roasts, created in 2008 to celebrate the company’s first location in Pike Place Market, which first opened in 1971.
The company derived Pike Place roast by making changes to the flavor of their older coffees. This specialty blend comes from their original coffee providers with beans from countries bordering the Arabian Peninsula. The Pike Place roast a blend of high-altitude Arabica beans.
What Factors Affect The Flavor Of Coffee?
Three main factors influence the taste, intensity, and caffeine level in your brew. It’s helpful to understand these factors to gain better insight into the process that makes Blonde Roast coffee and Pike Place coffee.:
1. How Coffee Is Brewed
Coffee beans contain similar caffeine levels, regardless of the roast. The preparation method has more influence on the caffeine levels than the bean itself. If you require more energy in the morning, opt for brewed coffee over espresso. A Starbucks’ tall espresso contains 75 milligrams of caffeine than a tall brewed coffee with about 200 milligrams.
2. The Beans’ Origins
The flavor of coffee beans varies greatly depending on the beans’ location. The next time you purchase coffee beans, consider the flavor notes from various growing regions. It would be helpful to try beans from different areas to learn what taste you like. You may notice that some beans have deep chocolate notes, while others brighter, citrus-like flavors.
3. How Coffee Shots Are Pulled
There are numerous ways to brew coffee, from the snazzy Aeropress to the French press and classic percolator. Starbucks specializes in espresso-based drinks where you customize your beverages’ milk and flavor and the type of shot poured into your cup. Such as:
* Regular – The classic espresso shot
* Long – These shots contain the same coffee amount but with more water to weaken the traditional shot. It also makes the taste more bitter. Order two shots in your drink for a richer-tasting Americano.
* Ristretto – These shots are high-concentrated, quickly extracted, but sweet. Starbucks uses these shots in milk-based drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites.
Why Choose Blonde Coffee?
If you like the taste of fine coffee beverages, blonde coffee in all its variations is for you. If you enjoy intense aromas blended with a dash of sweetness, then you will like the taste of a blonde vanilla latte.
Blonde Roasts will always be more acidic than darker roasts, although most people will perceive the high acidity as a lemony or citrus taste.
Flat white blonde espresso is ideal for those that want an espresso that’s easier to swallow and milder than the traditional roast.
Blonde roast is also ideal for making espresso macchiatos with its natural caramel flavors. It’s an excellent choice for coffee lovers with a sweet tooth.
Why Choose Pike Place Coffee?
If you enjoy medium-strength coffee drinks with nutty and chocolate notes, you will love Pike Place coffee. The beans are dark and oily, with a bit of husk delivering a rich taste.
The beans have a natural crema to give you an intense amber-colored coffee. Pike Place roast is ideal for drip coffee drinks.
This beverage will undoubtedly jumpstart your morning, and pastries are an ideal breakfast accompaniment. However, this drink wouldn’t go well with breakfast food like bacon and eggs because the flavor might be too harsh.
How Do You Make Blonde Roast Coffee At Home?
Blonde roast is ideal for milk-based coffee beverages. So treat yourself to the Starbucks experience from the comfort of your own home with the following easy recipe – a vanilla blonde latte. This recipe has just three ingredients and can be served hot or iced.
Making this latte may seem intimidating initially, but the good news is that you don’t need any state-of-the-art equipment or an espresso maker. All you need is ordinary brewed coffee, milk, and a little vanilla syrup.
Hot Blonde Vanilla Latte
The ingredients required for this recipe include:
* 1 Cup of brewed coffee. You can use either regular or decaf, do not use espresso for this recipe.
* 1/2 cup of low-fat or skim milk; you can use whole milk too.
* 1 tbsp vanilla syrup; you can use sugar-free syrup if you prefer.
Begin by preparing your coffee. Leave the coffee to one side, then froth your milk. Lastly, add your vanilla syrup, coffee, and frothy milk to your mug. It’s that simple. If you don’t own a milk frother, you can use your microwave to froth your milk.
Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte
This recipe is as straightforward to make as the first one. This iced latte only requires one extra ingredient on top of the freshly brewed roast coffee, and that ingredient is ice!
* 1. Fill a glass with ice, add one tbsp of vanilla syrup and then decant the hot coffee into the glass until it’s 3/4 full.
* 2. Rather than steaming your milk, put it into a lidded jar and shake the jar until it’s frothy after sealing it tightly.
* 3. Pour the foamy milk into the glass with ice and coffee, and that’s it!
How Do You Make Pike Place Coffee At Home?
Pike Place coffee is a strong-tasting coffee, not as caffeinated as the Blonde roast, but the flavor alone will bring you to life in the morning. Drip coffee is the way to drink this beverage; it’s better to have this coffee on its own or with a light sweet pastry. Consider the following steps for perfect home-brewed coffee.
* Step 1 – Open up your bag of Pike Place whole beans and throw a handful of beans into your coffee grinder.
* Step 2 – Fill up your pour-over coffee maker, and heat the water to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit; let it cool slightly.
* Step 3 – Pour the water over your grounds and let it sit for thirty seconds. Pour over more hot water a second time. The water should develop a creme rising over the beans, let it sit for thirty seconds.
* Step 4 – Pour more hot water over the beans. The process of pouring water should take no more than three minutes.
* Step 5 – 500 mils of coffee, should give a balanced coffee to water ratio. The coffee should be ready to pour into a cup. You should be looking for a rich stream and a deep amber color; if you have a little foamy water at the top, all the better.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, after reading this article, your senses will become more sensitive to various coffee beans’ different flavors and aromas. Blonde Roast and Pike Place coffee are excellent examples of how to think of coffee.
Pike Place coffee may be more robust in flavor and darker in color than the Blonde Roast coffee. However, Blonde Roast coffee contains slightly more caffeine.
Try different types of coffee beans in many variations to better understand how you like your coffee, savor the taste of your morning brew.
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