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Monday, July 09, 2012

So Which Starbucks is Kosher?

As I gear myself up for my next trip to the states, I must check on the latest kosher coffee news.  It's not that I drink coffee all day long.  At home I brew/perc my coffee in the morning and sip it while on the computer, like right now.  Then as the day goes on, I almost never ever drink any more coffee or even black tea.  That morning caffeine input is all I need.  But when I travel, I need another dose of coffee to conquer jetlag.  It's like medicine.

Hat tip: Tzvee
Even the New York Times is writing about kosher coffee, Starbucks to be precise.  There's a site which specializes in what's kosher at Starbucks.  And that's what's featured in the article.

It's not that I actually like the classic Starbucks coffee; I don't.  Last summer I discovered a coffee there called Caffe Americano which tastes more like the classic coffee  I do like.  It even cost a bit less if I remember correctly.

Most kosher only eaters consider any coffee place serving just plain coffee from coffee machines into disposable cups to be acceptably kosher.  To be more careful, I try to only get coffee which has a hechser, kosher certification on the supermarket shelf. Frequently brands are kosher for the plain coffee but not for the special flavors.

I'd appreciate any info you may have about coffees, thanks.
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8 comments:

  1. Sarah Likes Green9/7/12 20:32

    there's a starbucks two mins from our house (which i only go to rarely as I have good coffee at home) but when i do go there i'm never sure what's ok.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9/7/12 23:43

    Hi. This is an topic which has come up on our Beth Din kashrut site in the UK. Answering, specifically on our Starbucks, the Beth Din says....that tea or coffee in a disposable cup, can only be kosher when the water is dispensed directly from an urn that dispenses only water.
    So all the drinks prepared in carafes, PUMPS and pots, not exclusively used for kosher items, are not kosher. I think that must mean the dispensers that places like Starbucks use to push the hot water through the coffee. I would think that these would be washed with non kosher items, in hot water. The only thing at would be ok, would be instant coffee, throw away plastic spoon and hot water from kettle or urn, in a plastic disposable cup! I stick to kosher cafes or bottles of water. I get my one fix a day at home!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sandra10/7/12 00:10

    Not anonymous! Just clicked too quickly! Lol, Sandra in London

    ReplyDelete
  4. Batya10/7/12 06:43

    Sarah, I remember a different article saying that the small Starbucks places with very limited menus, just coffee and cakes and cookies were best kashrut-wise. In Israel, there are always enough kosher places and options.

    Sandra, I, too, drink my coffee at home.

    But I'll be getting on that plane soon.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Leah, Maaleh Adumim10/7/12 17:11

    Batya, you posted a link to the website you mentioned about what is kosher at Starbucks (http://www.kosherstarbucks.com/). also in one of their FAQ's, they refer to an article by CRC http://www.crcweb.org/Starbucks%20cRc%20Full%20Article%20April%202011.pdf which takes a stricter view on some of the issues, but still permits a lot. the CRC article describes everything in detail.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Batya11/7/12 01:17

    Leah, just preparing myself, thanks

    ReplyDelete
  7. Teacher11/7/12 14:59

    http://www.kosherstarbucks.com/list/browse/category/19

    This site is interesting. Cannot vouch for the hasgacha...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Batya12/7/12 06:52

    Thanks, I see the cafe americana is ok, and that's what I like the most.

    ReplyDelete

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