Starbucks Testing Unroasted Coffee 'Refreshers'

For everyone who says Starbucks coffee “tastes burnt,” the java giant has heeded your complaints — and perhaps gone too far. The ‘bucks announced yesterday that it has begun testing a beverage made from green, unroasted coffee beans.

The “Refreshers” drinks, which are a combination of fruit and a powdered extract made from the unroasted beans, are being tested at 113 company-operated Starbucks in the San Diego area. The price ranges from $2.50 to $2.95.

A rep for the company says the drinks are low in calories and have less caffeine. Starbucks also says the green coffee powder is flavor neutral, meaning, “It’s coffee that doesn’t taste like coffee.”

San Diego readers — Let us know if you’ve tried one of these drinks. And, if you’re photographically inclined, be sure to add some shots to the Consumerist Flickr pool.

Starbucks testing green coffee in summer drinks [Reuters]

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