Veranda Blend in a Packet
Veranda was the first blonde roast Starbucks sold and it is the one they chose for instant, because a mild coffee loses least in the process. The packet delivers toasted malt and milk chocolate notes with no bitterness, and it is the VIA to hand someone who says instant coffee tastes burnt. One packet makes an 8 oz cup; two make a mug.
The whole-bean Veranda Blend is the same coffee for a brewer. The packet is a little flatter and a lot faster.
| Item | Caffeine | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Starbucks VIA Instant Veranda Blend | n/a | n/a |
How to Brew It
- Empty the packet into a cup, add 8 oz of hot water just off the boil, stir.
- For a stronger cup, use less water rather than two packets; two packets in 8 oz is harsh.
- It takes milk poorly, as blondes do; a splash is fine, a latte's worth buries it.
- Over ice: dissolve in 4 oz of hot water, then fill with ice for a blonde iced coffee.
- Keep the packets dry; they are foil sealed and last a year unopened.
Veranda vs Pike Place vs Italian Roast Packets
| Packet | Roast | Notes | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starbucks VIA Instant Veranda Blend | Blonde | Toasted malt, milk chocolate | Black, mild |
| Starbucks VIA Instant Pike Place Roast | Medium | Cocoa, toasted nuts | Everyday, with a little milk |
| Starbucks VIA Instant Italian Roast | Dark | Dark cocoa, toasted marshmallow | Milk drinks |
Veranda is the lightest of the three and the one that tastes most like a brewed cup. Pike Place is the safe middle; Italian is for people who want the packet to stand up to milk.
Who Instant Blonde Is For
- Travelers and campers who want a gentle morning cup with no equipment.
- Offices where the machine coffee is too strong.
- Anyone who drinks coffee black and finds most instant harsh.
- A desk drawer backup for the day the brewer breaks.
The packet contains coffee only, no allergens, and Starbucks publishes no nutrition or caffeine figure for it in the reference data. A black cup is near zero calories.