Starbucks to experiment with beer?

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I wouldn't be so worried about Starbucks cocking this up. It is the imitators. Can you imagine what McDonalds would serve up?

I was in Paris about a decade ago and being a poor student stopped into McDonalds for lunch -- the combo meal included a beer at the same price as a Coke: I think it was a standard BMC type beer.
 
I was in Paris about a decade ago and being a poor student stopped into McDonalds for lunch -- the combo meal included a beer at the same price as a Coke: I think it was a standard BMC type beer.

I was going to say, I think they also sell beer in the movies.
 
Redhook used to use & promote Starbucks coffee in the Double Black Stout. Now when they sell it, it just says coffee.
 
ugh, I'm going to have to start leaving for work A LOT earlier, now I'll need to factor in time to sober up
 
If the beer they serve is as crappy as their coffee...

I agree, I get WAYYY better coffee at a local Coffee shop that roast their own beans. I actually used the local shops coffee when I brewed my Raspberry Mocha Stout and it was excellent. However, I used Starbucks with when I did an Irish Coffee Stout and the beer had a burnt flavor from their coffee, that's why you should support local!!:rockin:
 
The taste of their coffee aside, I think this is a great idea. This will turn Starbucks into a Euro-style café. I can dig that, but it remains to be seen if America as a whole can dig it. They would also have issues in some states/municipalities with getting liquor licenses (Pennsylvania, for example). This will go one of two ways... it will either save them or hurt them even worse.
 
At least they aren't trying to make the beer they sell. This way they can just price gouge with other companies' products
 
I was going to say, I think they also sell beer in the movies.

We have a movie theater that serves beer and full meals (for a fairly steep price). The food is good, but the beer is at best mediocre. But for the price you pay, you get over-sized leather seats in the balcony with LOTS of legroom and no one under 21. Not having the annoying teeny boppers anywhere near you is almost worth the extra money in itself.
 
I don't see this working. I can't really think of people that would choose to go to Starbuck to get a BMC (do you really think they would do good beer?) rather then a bar where it's 1/2 the price. Might work with wine though...

In the long run, I feel the laws for liquor lisences and such are going to stop this before it gets going.
 
I don't see this working. I can't really think of people that would choose to go to Starbuck to get a BMC (do you really think they would do good beer?) rather then a bar where it's 1/2 the price. Might work with wine though...

In the long run, I feel the laws for liquor lisences and such are going to stop this before it gets going.

Not to mention that a huge percentage of Starbucks' business is walk in/out customers. Most of them only have a dozen seats or so, and you can't serve beer in a to-go cup in the US.
 
I am not a fan of Starbucks, but this is the last straw-- they are attempting to pass themselves off as a "mom & pop" business by changing the name. I don't care if they sell beer... their coffee is so-so at best, and most of the time they over-roast the beans so that any subtlety is gone. Ugh!

I always figured that the Pacific Northwest beers are over-hopped because the same people start their day by drinking Starbucks charcoal-flavored coffee, and their taste buds are shot. Then need so many hops to overcome this.
 
I've always found it incredible that no one will admit that they like Starbucks, but yet they're the biggest chain coffee store in the country. I personally don't like their regular coffee, but every so often I want a cup of what the wife calls "candy coffee".

Starbucks might be looking for a more grassroots feel for these new stores, and if so, they may stock local craft beers. If they do, it could be a huge benefit to the brewers having a tough time with distribution.

I say go for it Starbucks. If you stock BMC, it's one more place I won't go for a beer and no skin off my back, but if you stock good craft beer... I might swing by and have a brew.
 
No one likes them, but they are EVERYWHERE. Take the free shuttle on the pedestrian mall in Denver- EVERY SINGLE stop except two have a Starbuck's at them. That's almost every city block.
 
I've always found it incredible that no one will admit that they like Starbucks, but yet they're the biggest chain coffee store in the country. I personally don't like their regular coffee, but every so often I want a cup of what the wife calls "candy coffee".

Starbucks might be looking for a more grassroots feel for these new stores, and if so, they may stock local craft beers. If they do, it could be a huge benefit to the brewers having a tough time with distribution.

I say go for it Starbucks. If you stock BMC, it's one more place I won't go for a beer and no skin off my back, but if you stock good craft beer... I might swing by and have a brew.

I like starbuck's coffee.
 
Starbucks might be looking for a more grassroots feel for these new stores, and if so, they may stock local craft beers. If they do, it could be a huge benefit to the brewers having a tough time with distribution.

I think the distribution laws and special requirements a large chain like Starbucks has would be one reason they won't specialize in local craft beer. Some of the bigger microbreweries that have a national presence might be the likely candidates: Sam Adams, Rogue, Stone, Dogfish.....since interviews I've seen of the CEO always make him seem as though he's concerned with having a consistant national franchise, I'm thinking it might be a big contract for a larger microbrewery.

As for the actual concept...seems like a no brainer for me. There's a local coffee shop near me that roasts their own beans, also offers a winebar, and has a selection of specialty beers. Serves everyone, and can have a better excuse for charging more for a drink.
 
That's how the story goes,

"So for now, the lone test store will serve a half-dozen kinds of beer and wine, ranging in price from $4 to $7."

I'll Take a Venti Beer, Please | NBC New York

Does anyone else foresee the most expensive mocha porter ever? :mug:


Curt

"I'll have a double-tall three pump porter frappe with an IPA float."

Oy vey. No thanks. Next thing you know, some beerista will be making smiley faces in the foam.
 
Oy vey. No thanks. Next thing you know, some beerista will be making smiley faces in the foam.

I wouldn't mind a smiley face on a nice creamy Guinness if the beerista wasn't rushed through a proper pour. Oh, this is the real world: aint going to happen:D
 
Are you going to have to be 21 to enter the establishment? Because if every Starbucks was no longer filled with high schoolers that'd be awesome!
 
How can anyone think this would be a bad thing? I doubt BMC will be the only choice (if they will even carry it). Starbucks might not focus on really premium beers, but I bet some of the stuff they choose to serve will get more people interested in beer culture and spread awareness.

Beer might become "hip" with the Starbucks whippersnappers, which might increase demand for non-BMC beer in younger age groups.
 
And perhaps... just maybe... it could be a small step in shuffling this country to a more accepting (perhaps enlightened) attitude toward the responsible consumption of alcohol.

Less puritanical fear and more focus on people evidencing the ability to consume a tasty beverage in a responsible manner. Where ever they are.

ok... off the soapbox, going to feed my daughter breakfast (drinking tea, not beer :))
 
How can anyone think this would be a bad thing? I doubt BMC will be the only choice (if they will even carry it). Starbucks might not focus on really premium beers, but I bet some of the stuff they choose to serve will get more people interested in beer culture and spread awareness.

Beer might become "hip" with the Starbucks whippersnappers, which might increase demand for non-BMC beer in younger age groups.

Agreed. If this really does go corporate-wide, it would be cool if each location would always have a few local craft brews on hand.
 
The taste of their coffee aside, I think this is a great idea. This will turn Starbucks into a Euro-style café. I can dig that, but it remains to be seen if America as a whole can dig it. They would also have issues in some states/municipalities with getting liquor licenses (Pennsylvania, for example). This will go one of two ways... it will either save them or hurt them even worse.

They would never have a Euro style cafe in my town. A local restaurant is not even allowed to serve wine with their outside meals. Some poor little bugger might see an adult drinking responsibly, become a crack head and start murdering old ladies for their medication.
 
I think as much crap as Starbucks gets, they really mean well (or meant well). I agree, their coffee sucks. They brought European coffee house style into the limelight in America. True, they don't serve overpriced super sweet "coffee" drinks in most European coffee shops, but I guess thats just the American taste.

I kind of see what they are doing. Ever been to Italy? A "bar" there is typically located in a Piazza (town square). It serves espresso, wine and sometimes food. I think this is the idea Starbucks is trying to bring to America.

Will it work? With most of America's attitude for drinking, I doubt it. Italians take longer lunches and typically have some sort of wine with a meal. Its much less acceptable in our lifestyle to pop into the bar (read cafe) for a quick sandwich and small glass of wine/beer.
 
There is a bar in Athens, GA that sells good coffee and also has a full bar. I personally think it's an incredible idea and has worked well for them. They took over the site of a former coffee house there. You can go in the morning for your daily coffee or go later in the day for a beer (and they have a decent selection). Or if you're the DD during a night on the town, you can get a decent NA drink while everyone else is drinking. It is still in business despite Starbucks being two doors down from them.

As far as disparaging Starbucks, I'm not the biggest fan of their coffee but when I'm traveling, I trust it more than the crap that's been sitting in a pot at the convenience store or fast food joint since 5AM that morning. If you think Starbucks tastes burnt, you have no idea.
 
Amusing, considering Gordon Bowker, one of the guys that started Starbucks, is also one of the people that started Red Hook Brewery.
 
I'm not quite sure what I think of this. As a non-coffee drinker, knowing there's beer at Starbucks still probably won't make me go there, especially when we have a local beer bar. If I was a stockholder, I would be a little concerned, as I think it's stretching for Starbucks to market Beer when they're so good at marketing (not necessarily making) coffee and coffee related products. If they stuck with coffee stouts, then maybe, but otherwise I think it'll detract from their main business, and the coffee hipsters will probably not take kindly to the change in customer base.

On the plus side, at least they're sticking in the main business ('drink') category, unlike Ebay with its 'shiny new object' expansion model.
 
Sure the coffee at Starbucks is not the best. However, what was your gold standard for coffee before Starbucks, Denny's? Cappuccinos and espressos are common now.

Maybe they'll serve up so-so porter's and IPA's to the masses and we'll see the demand and market for beer other than BMC expand.
 
I wish the smaller coffee shops would try this, not the tyrant starbucks. Either way I think its a great idea. About two blocks from my house is a new coffee shop (its a local mom and pop shop) and they have 5 beers on tap with out side seating across the street from campus. They get killer business, have good prices and keep good beers on tap (i.e. dead guy for $3 a pint, $2.50 at happy hour) And its just a coffee shop that wanted to sell beer, nothing more. I hope more small coffee shops do this before starbucks gets its greesy little hands into another market.
 
I could see Starbucks getting things mixed up and creating a hefe' latte or a Mocha pilsner.

Perhaps Keystone would be interested in a partnership with Starbucks...
 
So everybody has their jokes and punches for Starbucks and I think that is why they are not going to label this new venture "starbucks". I heard they were going to name it something else so that they don't associate themselves with what everyone already knows and want that small hometown European coffee shop/wine/beer too shop feel.
 
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