12 February, 2011

Starbucks vs. Beaumont - Ready To Drink Coffee Review

Lynnafred's been a fan of those little Starbucks "Frappuccinos" for awhile now - she'll often pick up a single from the refrigerated "impulse cases" at the supermarket checkouts for a quick pick-me-up, and sometimes she takes home a four-pack (especially if we've got a coupon.)

When the local ALDI opened up in town, she started buying their Beaumont Coffee house brand "Iced Coffee."  Same bottle size, but a lot lower in price. This week, we happened to have bottles of both in the house, and it was the perfect time for a head-to-head taste test.  Would the Starbucks frappuccino reign supreme in a blind tasting?

It should be noted, for those of you who've never had the bottled-for-supermarkets Starbucks product, that it bears very little resemblance to the strong and overroasted brew they sell at their coffee shops.  The bottled frappuccinos are sweet and milky and mild and very different than something you'd expect to get at a Starbucks shop.
Anyway, we poured out unmarked samples and set them out for tasting.

Lynnafred, who has been drinking the Starbucks product for years...preferred the taste of the Beaumont, as did two other adults present.  Maryanne, who drinks her hot coffee without sweetener and never purchases chilled ready-to-drink bottled coffee drinks, liked Starbucks better.  Everyone who tasted them noted that there was a definite difference in the taste - the Beaumont is a version of bottled iced coffee, not a clone of the frappuccino.

If you're a fan of the Starbucks bottled frappuccinos and you're looking for a less-costly alternative, you may want to stop into an ALDI and try Beaumont Iced Coffee.

8 comments:

Andrew said...

Man, I need to start shopping more at ALDI....

Alan said...

I too will occasionally pick up a cold Starbucks. I will confess to being a Starbucks addict. First time I had one was at an airport, long before they were available in the CT area. I was instantly hooked. They may overroast their beans, but whatever they do to get that rich coffee taste, I'm in favor. Price is a sacrifice when there's no close competitor. However, I'm always willing to try another product, just in case.

Anonymous said...

I too was a Huge fan of the Starbucks Frappies!! Tried Beaumont months ago, and have been buying them regularly since. Truth is the Stabucks Vanilla is my FAVE, but Beaumonts "coffee" Iced coffees are an awesome alternative at less than 1/2 the cost! Try them all @ ALDI's: Mocha, Vanilla, and Coffee...yes, they're not the same taste as Starbucks, but they are Tasty, just the same.
-Karen in PA

SkydivingBob said...

I have been addicted to Starbucks Frappies for the past 4 years now. At work someone left a Beaumont Coffee Latte and Mocha in the fridge for 2 weeks. So I drank the Mocha with the intent on replacing it. I thought it was better than the Starbucks and assumed they would be expensive and looked everywhere for them to replace the one I drank. Also I asked everyone at work (only 9 people) and no one knew who's it was. I work at a dropzone where people come to jump out of planes and figured maybe a fun jumper stopped by one day with a few and forgot them. Anyway, I just drank the other one and it was gone too fast. I decided to look up this wonderful iced coffee drink and to my surprise it is an cheap ALDI's drink. I am going to be saving a few hundred bucks a year for sure!

Xav said...

I may be just imagining it, but I found Beaumont's to be a little sweeter, and Starbucks' is sweet enough! How sweet? Well, I tried making my own version at home and could not believe how much sugar I ad to use to get a similar taste!

Anonymous said...

I just got one of these today and wondered if anyone had done a taste test. Glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks these Aldi drinks are delicious! I will definitely be going back for more.

Barbra said...

Can you tell me the price of the Aldi coffee

Anonymous said...

Hey Barbra I'm sure you know this by now but they are 1.09 or 1.19. I buy them in 2 states and it depends if I'm in Florida or Georgia.