Starbucks Cold Craft Coffee Testing Facility
Shoreditch, London
May 2017
Commissioned by Starbucks, The Institute of Flavourology set out to produce an avant-garde adventurous tasting experience exploring the cold side of craft coffee. This experimental endeavour used coffee to take users on a sensory exploration of flavour, smell and texture, all invoked by some of Starbucks’ latest cold brews. Every taste element was explored in isolation through a series of experiments at the Cold Craft Coffee Testing Facility before seeing how they come together to create each coffee’s complex and full bodied flavour.
Experiment 1: Regression Therapy
Test subjects entered the coffee bean ball pit roasting drum via a slide and encouraged to regress back to that first moment they tasted coffee.
Lemon curd tartlet with cocoa nibs
Experiment 2: Social Activity
Subjects were asked to explore the ice cave to find various ingredients as a team to assemble their own dish.
Smoked beetroot salad with maple glazed leaves – forage for: 1. cauliflower puree 2. pickled baby vegetables 3. bitter chocolate rubble 4. coffee vinaigrette
Experiment 3: Sensory Stimulation
The final stage required the subjects to immerse themselves in all their senses; touch, sight, sound, smell and taste.
Parmesan & coffee risotto w/ chorizo crumble & basil
The Exit
The subjects were ejected from the experiment on a conveyor belt into the Test Facility’s briefing area where they were given an evaluation, results of which perfectly paired them to a Starbucks’ cold brew and chocolate truffle.
Purist: Dark chocolate with roast coffee // New Wave: Dark chocolate & salted caramel // Rebel: Dark chocolate, orange & chilli
