Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Anna Monette Roberts
Is making a pilgrimage to Seattle to visit Starbucks's version of a coffee Disneyland worth it? The short answer is YES. Opened in 2014, only nine blocks from the original location, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room is a "working roastery connected to a cafe" featuring rare, craft-roasted coffees in an artisanally designed floor space.
If you're a loyal Starbucks coffee drinker, you will completely lose yourself, your sanity, and your savings account if you decide to venture through The Roastery's doors. But even if you're all about local craft coffee like me or, heck, think coffee is coffee, it's really challenging not to be completely swept away by the magical experience. Ready for the long answer? Allow these photos to give you all the reasons you need.
The Building
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The Starbucks Roastery is located in Capitol Hill, currently the hippest, most bustling part of Seattle.
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The Introduction
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A friendly employee greeted a group of us to explain the floor plan as well as to hand out a printed map of the facility. The help with navigation made the visit smoother and speedier.
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The Reserve Swag
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I wanted to buy one of everything from the Starbucks Reserve swag, from unique, ceramic mugs to eye-catching, pour-over cones to printed t-shirts.
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The Cool Coffee Roasters
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My favorite part, aside from watching the roasters in action, is the fact that the men who operate the machines wear leather aprons. So artisanal it hurts!
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The Beans
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On one end of the Roastery, there are stacks and stacks of giant bags of coffee in a room called the Coffee Library, which according to the pamphlet contains "more than 200 titles of coffee." These few bags of Colombian beans lay on the main floor awaiting roasting.
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The Willy Wonka Factory of Coffee
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Watching all of the machinery and beans being mixed and transferred is like being in the middle of a Willy Wonka factory. It's incredible to watch the coffee throughout each step of the process. Don't miss the transfer tubes, which suck the freshly roasted coffee upward and into the giant copper cask in the center of the Roastery.
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The Coffee Plants
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Every aspect of the Roastery relates back to coffee, even the plants, which are of course baby arabica coffee trees. They even had little coffee cherries growing on them!
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The Mouthwatering Food
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I regret not ordering the chocolate pairing . . .
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The Pretzel Bagels
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Even the pastries are different at the Roastery and include trendy hybrids like the pretzel bagel, inspired by Serious Pie chef Tom Douglas.
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The Main Bar
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Between the comfortable wooden stools, amazing people watching, and bustling baristas, it's really easy to stick around the place for hours. It's a nice departure from the stressful settings of most coffee shops. People were here for pleasure, not for a quick caffeine fix. Despite being busy, Coffee Masters took the time to discuss their brewing methods and current favorite beans.
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The Ceramic Mugs
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These hefty ceramic mugs are an iconic feature of the Roastery. You will want to sit down and enjoy your coffee out of one.
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The Sparkling Water
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If you decide to sit for a tasting, you'll receive complimentary sparkling water to help clean the palate in-between tastings.
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The Menu
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The menu appeals to any taste. There are plenty of milky espresso drinks on the menu, some exclusive to The Roastery and some classics, as well as a bunch of unique coffee-brewing methods which include pour-overs, pressed, and siphoned.
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The Mod Bar Pour-Over
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Starbucks uses ceramic cones for its pour-over coffee. The ceramic helps retain heat for longer and doesn't impart any flavors in the coffee. Notice each station had its own hot water hose.
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Siphon Coffee
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We ordered coffee brewed in a siphon. The menu said it was "full immersion," meaning the water and coffee seep together (like a tea) before being filtered via a vacuum. It's a mesmerizing show.
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The Tasting
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The tray of coffees is presented like you are at a high tea. Each pot is labeled with white marker as well as colorful place cards so you know exactly what you are drinking. Our Coffee Master recommended the Colombia Santana El Bolsón ("savory herbal notes of tomato and thyme") and Rwanda Hingakawa ("vibrant flavors of sweet mandarin, citrus, and honey").
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The Coffee
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The Coffee Master likened a siphon brew to tea in terms of mouthfeel, and we definitely noticed that it did have a thin consistency and felt much less viscous than regular coffee. It also didn't have that bitter bite or tannic, cottony finish that most coffees have after each sip. It was just really clean, really smooth sipping. The Colombian coffee really did taste tomatoey and acidic, while the Rwandan coffee had a mouth-puckering tartness. Of the two, we preferred the Colombian.
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Roastery Creations
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I wanted to order every one of the Roastery Creations. "Green dot" stores, aka regular Starbucks stores, have released riffs on some of these creations, like the Butterscotch Latte based on the Roastery's Smoked Butterscotch Latte, and more recently, the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew, based on the Cold Brew With Fior Di Latte (Italian sweet cream).
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The Smoked Butterscotch Latte
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The to-go cups are made from a more durable plastic and showcase the Roastery's star-and-R logo. I ordered the Smoked Butterscotch Latte, made with the Gravitas Blend #2 ("flavors of dried fruit, bittersweet chocolate, and subtle spice"). Unlike the syrupy-sweet beverages in green dot Starbucks, Reserve creations are all about showcasing the espresso. The Reserve version DID taste exactly as I imagine butterbeer would. Slightly smoky, buttery, smooth, a hint of chocolaty spice, and only a tad bit sweet, the drink will transfer you to Hogsmeade. I dare say that anyone who doesn't like coffee would enjoy this beverage.
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Final Thoughts
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I left really impressed by the whole operation. There's no snobbery or stress inside The Roastery's walls — only really passionate people with a smile on their faces who want to inform the public about good coffee and great brewing methods. If this is Starbucks's next generation, count me in. PS — there's good news for East coasters: a Roastery will open in New York City in 2018.
