Getting the Buzz on White Coffee

I obviously have the coffee beat. First there was the story about Espresso Gone Wild in Gorst, where the motto is “less is more.” Then there was the Kitsap resident who collected more than 900 pounds of coffee for the troops in Iraq.

So when I saw this sign in Port Orchard, I took it as an assignment. What, I asked myself and others in the newsroom, is white coffee?

I ended up getting my initiation cup at Woody’s Corner hot dog stand in Bremerton, which last month advertised white coffee and recently is advertising “pups.” Does the Humane Society know about this?

Tom Gall of Woody’s explained to me that white coffee is made with unroasted or green coffee beans. The process requires a special grinder. It produces a brew that is supposed to taste “like almond … almost like tea” and has four-times the caffeine – hence the message at Briarkirk that it “wakes you up.” Although it looks like the “w” on the sign could use some waking up.

I took my stash back to the newsroom and passed it around. We all agreed, whatever it tasted like, it didn’t remotely resemble coffee. I can only describe it as … disappointing, kind of like the reaction I had the time I tried non-alcoholic wine. As for the caffeine, since I believe in sharing, I didn’t get enough of the stuff to figure out if it packs an extra buzz.

If this is a trendy fad, leave me out. I’ll stick with my roasted beans and wimpy caffeine.

Speaking of roasting … Here’s Bay Street Coffee (Bremerton branch) with their response to the sexpresso story:

So what’s your take on white coffee? Will it ever replace the real thing?

And while we’re talking coffee: Does it make any difference to you what kind of a cup you drink it from?