Stout-flavored coffee could be coming to a Starbucks near you. The coffee giant is testing a new beer-flavored coffee in Ohio and Florida.
If you like beer and you love coffee, this could be the greatest thing ever, or it could be more along the lines of a two-great-tastes-that-don’t-taste-great-together situation.
Starbucks developed its stout-flavored coffee, called the Dark Barrel Latte, in response to the rise in popularity of craft beer.
According to a Starbucks spokesperson, the latte is topped with whipped cream and dark caramel, and incorporates a “chocolaty stout-flavored sauce”.
#DarkBarrelLatte is cozy but not sweet- like a bonfire on a chilly autumn night. @Starbucks please keep it around! pic.twitter.com/01hJCVMIue
— Elle (@Elle_Noir12) September 15, 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOvmm6WoeIU
Beer flavored like coffee has been around for quite a while, but stout-flavored coffee is a new thing entirely.
To me, it sounds absolutely horrid, but to many it’s actually quite delightful.
One commentator on Reddit isn’t impressed with the new idea, but probably has it figured out.
“Part of the problem is they are not catering to people who actually like coffee, they are catering to people who like sugary drinks flavored with Coffee. I tend to stay away from them because I like other local roasters better than theirs, but when I’m traveling they have a pretty consistently decent cup of medium roast black coffee. This drink to me feels like the same type of things Lay’s is doing with their cappuccino flavored chips, of course no one will like it, but they sure will talk about it!”
"Dark Barrel Latte" i.e Starbucks' beer tasting coffee. Two rights make a WRONG. http://t.co/IFjNUP5cA2
— Peoples Coffee NZ (@peoplescoffeenz) September 22, 2014
The new stout-flavored coffee test has been aligned with Starbucks’ annual roll-out of their fall flavors like the ever-popular Pumpkin Spice latte.
Could this be THE new fall flavor? I guess most of us will have to wait until the flavor comes to our neck of the woods to know if it is worthy or not. If and when that will be is a very good question.
“We’re looking forward to learning more from the test, but do not have additional information to share on future availability of this product in our stores,” says a Starbucks spokesperson.
What do you think? Does the new stout-flavored coffee sound awesome or disastrous?