Anyone know about the kashrus of Starbucks?

amother

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 6:51 pm

Does anyone know which drinks, if any, are kosher?

imaamy

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 6:56 pm

Try looking at their website, www.starbucks.com.

Actually I just looked at it and it says contact us for more information! Sorry.

Crayon210

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 7:00 pm

Star-K says you can drink all the coffees without anything added.

MommyLuv

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 7:12 pm

isnt that true for black coffee at any coffee shop, Crayon?

mimsy7420

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 7:34 pm

A lot of the syrups they use have an OU - like if you want a shot of vanilla added to your coffee. I personally drink the lattes there - they steam milk and add a shot of espresso. You can even watch them do it. they have a special steamer for milk - that only milk goes into - and then right into a paper cup. I like when they add a shot of vanilla to it - making it a vanilla latte.

mumsy23

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 7:36 pm

The flavours for the coffees have an OU - all of them. They are syrups, you can even ask to see!

chavamom

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 7:57 pm

SaraG wrote:

the water isn't filtered you know.

Actually, it is. The francises aren't allowed to make the coffee without using filtered water (we know a frum guy who manages a Starbucks).

imaamy

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 8:33 pm

Once I went for iced tea and they told me no ice. It was in a grocery so I said why can't you get ice from the store, bags or something. They said they are very strict about their expensive ice machine so they definitely use filtered water.

mumsy23

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 9:02 pm

All their cups have all this info about thes their coffee and one of the facts was that they only use filtered water!

chavamom

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 9:18 pm

We were told the K on the bottled frappaccinos is good as well (for those of us who drink non-chalav yisrael milk).

Crayon210

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 10:39 pm

I believe the Star-K gives the hechsher to all their coffees.

Regarding the milk steamer, what if that gets washed in hot water with things that aren't kosher?

chavamom

Thu, Jun 08 2006, 11:23 pm

The steamers are attatched to the machine and aren't removable.

shoy18

Fri, Jun 09 2006, 5:03 am

they are very strict about not mixing utensials and things because they cant mix milk with soy, incase someone is allergic to it and it may be in the cup they used to steam the soy, everything is labeled and they have sep containers for everything. Also in ny they now carry prepackaged cakes that are kosher

imaamy

Fri, Jun 09 2006, 6:26 am

Mumsy, the cups here are plain white with green logos. So I think not all the regional areas have cups with the info you mentioned. I think the machines probably do come apart. I see them steam water through them but then wipe the nozzles with a cloth, which seems a bit gross to me Kosher or not. But by health code standards, I'm sure the pieces must be washable outside the machine. Doesn't seem they would get clean otherwise.

mimsy7420

Fri, Jun 09 2006, 7:45 am

imaamy wrote:

Do you never use a cloth?

Ruchel

Fri, Jun 09 2006, 8:50 am

I have nothing precise, but I can say the frum people I know go to Starbucks without any problem...

chocolate moose

Fri, Jun 09 2006, 9:17 am

I never go but my coworker does and he said the water isn't filtered.

hm

elisecohen

Fri, Jun 09 2006, 10:13 am

Star-K article on coffee in general--scroll towards the second 1/2 for info on coffee shops:
http://www.star-k.org/kashrus/.....e.htm

Mommy3.5

Fri, Jun 09 2006, 10:34 am

SaraG wrote:

I never go but my coworker does and he said the water isn't filtered.

hm

In a place that uses that much water, the main line has the filter on it, I am sure if he asks he will find this out. do you honestly expect them to have 300 Brita pitchers? You can put a filter on in the main line of a house too, I know people who do this, would you say thier water is treif too?