Starbucks Doubleshot + Energy coffees saving a troubled company.

January 29, 10:49 AMCaffeine ExaminerBig Red Boots  

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I recently heard from a co-worker that the new Starbucks Energy drinks were out at a Starbucks shop near me - so I had to run out and get all the new flavors.  Now more than ever, Starbucks is putting their energy into these canned drinks as stores are closing around the US.
I rushed past the two Starbucks on my block and a half walk to the corner my coworker mentioned, but did not know if he meant the store on the east corner of the road or the west corner. Alas, I chose the wrong one and it did not sell them, but the convenience store directly connected to it did, stocking all 3 flavors right next to the Monsters and Red Bulls. Since then I have seen them everywhere I looked, from the mom and pop gas stations to the soda aisle of the grocery store. Their partnership with Pepsi on this line ensures it will hit everywhere in the entire universe. Even the CEO of starbucks mentioned in his big speech for this quarter that RTD coffee drinks are the way to go.

Nutrition/Buzz:7
In terms of buzz, this drink has a  serious punch for energy drinks, but weak when compared to the coffee starbucks serves. According to energyfiend.com, this drink has around 225mg of caffeine in the whole can,although their website lists all drinks at 146. This is nowhere near what their grande coffee with a pack of their new +energy package would hold - and even under the Moster and Rockstar brands. Just in terms of buzz and nutrients, This drink does not even get close to the explosive Frappio or Shock Triple Latte, which easily bests these drinks in every category. The 450mg of L-Carnitine, 180mg of Inositol and 325mg of Ginseng rate this much higher than most of the widely distributed drinks easily found in your local 7-11 - but the disclosure on the lack of caffeine in the drink brings this down a couple notches.
There is no sugar free version of these drinks, and all very similar varieties have 210 calories per can ( about average for coffee drinks). One thing I really appreciated is the lack of HFCS, instead sweetening with sugar, malodextrin and sucralose. The added protein from the milk was also a nice touch, as the other coffee drinks don't contain very much if any protein.

Taste:7
SO the biggest and most important flavor to try is the coffee - under the idea that if Starbucks can't make a good coffee, the rest of the drinks are moot.  And fotunately, The coffee is rich and smooth - tasting like a real and delicious treat.  Unlike many coffee energy drinks, this one has no strong filmy aftertaste.  The drink is very smooth and velvety - which made this very very easy to drink down.  I could have gone for a triple grande size of this next time. Starbucks has the challenge of marketing a beverage to a public that previously might not have thought of their coffees, especially their sweet iced coffee as a refreshing beverage.  No - worries, as this drink is filled with nothing but creamy goodness.

Packaging:8
These were packed in the standard 15oz. can, listing everything but the caffeine content - which does not make any sense. You are buying this for the Starbucks name and the caffeine content, so why hide it? You do get info on all the other vitamins, a cool slogan, a very nice printing job of marbled brown and all sorts of info. Very nice design for a can, being very separate from their other metal and glass RTD varieties. The font and layout are very classy and impressive, if not memorable.  As for the mechanics, they did double print their cans so distributors wont need to spend so much time facing their products - but they messed up on the top.  Why caps are put on haphazardly, where the logo is pointing slightly inwards while you drink.  It is hard to get out your branding while their cool art and logo is pointing at your chest.

Website:6 http://www.starbuckscoffeeonthego.com
This very pretty site gives you all the info the drinks don't have on the label. It solves the mystery caffeine content, you get 3 new slogans not on the can, and some nice art. The whole thing is flash based for absolutely no reason whatsoever, and they chose an odd chalkboard motif for the whole thing, which fits neither the drink or the marketing. While the layout and UI are easy to get, there is nothing here but a couple new slogans and nutritional content - along with some silly chalk scratching sounds.
Thanks to the guru at EdJunkie for finding the site!

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