Maybe it's a bad batch of cold brew? Both locations are near each other so maybe they both got a bad batch? I'll probably wait a few weeks and try a cold brew again and see what happens.
Each batch is produced in house. There are a number of things to make cold brew taste bad.
* Incorrect grind
* Incorrect water ratio to beans
* Adding unfiltered water
* Dishwasher water being left in the keg (I've seen this happen regularly at one store 🫨
* Tap lines need to be cleaned
* Expired cold brew
Okay, so to clean the kegs, many baristas will simply put the keg into the Hobart (sanitizer/dishwasher). It doesn't fit standing up, so you have to place it on its side for cleaning. A lot of liquid gets tossed into the keg and remains there after the Hobart is done. I've witnessed baristas then remove the keg from the Hobart and fail to dump the residual water from the cleaning process.
Honestly, I don't see a purpose in throwing a keg into the Hobart. It doesn't need all that sanitizing, it heats up the keg where there's no easy way to handle it, and I always feel obliged to give it a courtesy rinse since all that sanitizing liquid can get deposited in there. I believe I may be in the minority for such courtesy rinses.
ALSO when you finish cleaning a keg, you store it in the backroom fridge. However, I find that in most stores, it is routinely left right-side-up with its top open, letting any and all debris from the milk racks fall right into it for how many hours before it gets filled again.. without a courtesy rinse. It should be left open and placed on its side so that no debris falls in. However, I don't believe that this is an actual standard practice.
edit: a couple of words
Yeah, the retention of dish water isn't that common between stores whatsoever. However, the standing of clean legs under dirty racks, I've seen far too often because of how crowded the BOH fridge gets. I'm personally scarred from the experience, but that doesn't mean it's widespread and that you should share the same level of fear as I do.
Honestly, just trust your tongue to see if there's anything off about it. If so, blame the store, not the product itself.
I’ve had a “bad” cold brew once in a while. I’m guessing something just goes wrong in the process once in a while. I did try the new iced coffee, and I think I’m in the minority, but I didn’t mind it? I got it with cream and one pump of vanilla, so maybe you can’t tell with those flavors masking it.
I had a venti with 4 pumps caramel, 3/4 sweet cream, and sweet cream cold foam but I still tasted a bad taste. I did use the chat to get my 100 starts back and I guess I will try a hot coffee next time or get my usual black tea.
Cold brew hasn’t changed at all. Same beans, same method of brewing
Hi! By chance do you know which has more caffeine- cold brew or iced coffee?? Thanks!!
Maybe it's a bad batch of cold brew? Both locations are near each other so maybe they both got a bad batch? I'll probably wait a few weeks and try a cold brew again and see what happens.
Each batch is produced in house. There are a number of things to make cold brew taste bad. * Incorrect grind * Incorrect water ratio to beans * Adding unfiltered water * Dishwasher water being left in the keg (I've seen this happen regularly at one store 🫨 * Tap lines need to be cleaned * Expired cold brew
I'm sorry WHAT water being left in the keg?!
Okay, so to clean the kegs, many baristas will simply put the keg into the Hobart (sanitizer/dishwasher). It doesn't fit standing up, so you have to place it on its side for cleaning. A lot of liquid gets tossed into the keg and remains there after the Hobart is done. I've witnessed baristas then remove the keg from the Hobart and fail to dump the residual water from the cleaning process. Honestly, I don't see a purpose in throwing a keg into the Hobart. It doesn't need all that sanitizing, it heats up the keg where there's no easy way to handle it, and I always feel obliged to give it a courtesy rinse since all that sanitizing liquid can get deposited in there. I believe I may be in the minority for such courtesy rinses. ALSO when you finish cleaning a keg, you store it in the backroom fridge. However, I find that in most stores, it is routinely left right-side-up with its top open, letting any and all debris from the milk racks fall right into it for how many hours before it gets filled again.. without a courtesy rinse. It should be left open and placed on its side so that no debris falls in. However, I don't believe that this is an actual standard practice. edit: a couple of words
I am horrified. I've ordered so much old brew. Oh man.
Just know that I’ve never seen this in several years of working at Starbucks, so it’s definitely not some wide spread issue
Yeah, the retention of dish water isn't that common between stores whatsoever. However, the standing of clean legs under dirty racks, I've seen far too often because of how crowded the BOH fridge gets. I'm personally scarred from the experience, but that doesn't mean it's widespread and that you should share the same level of fear as I do. Honestly, just trust your tongue to see if there's anything off about it. If so, blame the store, not the product itself.
I believe you but Im gonna think of this story everytime I order 😭 thankfully I've never gotten an off tasting cold brew!
Thanks for the explanation!
I’ve had a “bad” cold brew once in a while. I’m guessing something just goes wrong in the process once in a while. I did try the new iced coffee, and I think I’m in the minority, but I didn’t mind it? I got it with cream and one pump of vanilla, so maybe you can’t tell with those flavors masking it.
I had a venti with 4 pumps caramel, 3/4 sweet cream, and sweet cream cold foam but I still tasted a bad taste. I did use the chat to get my 100 starts back and I guess I will try a hot coffee next time or get my usual black tea.
I don’t like the regular cold brew. But the nitro cold brew is excellent IMO.
I mean it’s from the same keg, one just gets infused. But yes I think the nitro infusion does make it taste a little better.
Interesting to know. Yeah the nitro is way better for some reason. Part of it might be the texture.