For many years, Starbucks has been known for its high quality coffee. Opening up coffee houses across the world and invading grocery stores with dozens of fresh varieties, the Seattle-based company has become a household name. Last February, many were surprised to hear news of the company’s launch of a new instant coffee line. Dubbed VIA Ready Brew, it promises to provide the quality of traditionally brewed Starbucks coffee in a more convenient form. How does it stack up against the real thing? Starbucks was kind enough to send us some samples for PC Fastlane to find out.

VIA Ready Brew comes in two varieties: Italian Roast, an extra-bold flavor, and Columbia, which has a less intense medium taste. Both varieties are made from the top 3% of all arabica coffee beans available. The goal of Starbucks is to bring premium coffee to the mass market. Sure, everyone likes great coffee, but not everyone has the time to make it. With VIA, all one has to do is pour the packet contents into a mug, add hot water, and stir. This could be very handy for campers, frequent flyers, coffee breaks at the office, students, and the occasional coffee drinker. I could imagine such a product being very popular with those living in dorms or small apartments with no room for a coffee maker.

The coffee is packaged very conveniently. Many instant coffees come in metal or plastic containers, making them hard to carry around. VIA servings come in packs of three, and each serving weighs only three grams, perfect for your pocket, purse, or book bag. One change Starbucks might want to think about making is including a small plastic stir stick in each pouch. For someone constantly on the go, it might be a hassle to always be looking for a stirring implement.

Convenience is secondary to taste, however. The first variety to make the rite of passage into the official PC Fastlane mug and down my throat was the Italian Roast. “Brewing” the coffee was as easy as claimed. After stirring, however, some grounds were still left at the bottom of the mug. While I would have preferred for them not to be present, there were few enough of them that it wasn’t a major issue.

The taste was a pleasant surprise. Traditional instant coffee is very flat in flavor, but the Starbucks VIA introduced my taste buds to a whole new dimension. It did not taste quite the same as real Starbucks, but it came very close. The drink gave off a strong aroma of roasted coffee beans, strong enough that others in the room asked about the smell.

The Columbia roast, being a medium variety, was less intense in taste. However, it was still very good. It mixed better than the Italian- no grounds were left at the bottom of my mug. I would assume that because VIA relies on water solubility, results will vary slightly based on water content and temperature. For best results, Starbucks recommends using filtered water. Again, this variety was almost as good as real Starbucks, but regular coffee house patrons will notice a slight difference.

Compared to real Starbucks coffee, VIA is faster to prepare. It is the best instant coffee I have ever tried, better than many ground coffees. I would pick a cup of VIA over Folgers or Maxwell House any day. Knit-picky coffee connaisseurs might still prefer traditional gourmet brew, but those are people accustomed to going the extra mile for good coffee. For the rest of us with a soft spot for premium coffee but lacking in time, Starbucks VIA is a viable solution for that morning caffeine tipple.

Right now, VIA is only available at Starbucks locations in Chicago, Seattle, and London. It can be bought online, however, and will eventually be available at Target. Packs of twelve servings can be had for $9.95. A six-pack and tumbler is also available for $21.95. Both the Italian Roast and Columbia varieties are available.