I took the challenge and failed - the Starbucks VIA Ready Brew taste challenge, that is. It was quite a blow to my ego, since I consider myself somewhat of a coffee connoisseur. The only thing that made me feel better was that a five-year employee at Starbucks told me she failed as well.

In case you don't have a clue about what I'm talking about, Starbucks just came out with a new instant coffee called VIA Ready Brew. It comes in thin little packets that you just add to hot water. From Oct. 2 through 5, they offered a challenge with two unmarked pots of coffee for customers to try. One was one of their regular Starbucks coffees, and the other was the new instant. I was so sure I knew which one was the instant, but it wasn't. The instant in this case really did taste like regular brewed coffee. I'm not sure what that says about their regular coffee, but VIA was good and rich tasting like a brewed coffee should be. Their press release states that it's made with the highest quality, ethically sourced 100 percent arabica beans. "The magic" is in a proprietary process they spent years perfecting. They micro grind the beans in a way that preserves all of their essential oils and flavors. No other coffee company takes this step, they claim.

The bottom line: There is still something about the aroma from freshly ground beans that will never be duplicated in an instant. And adding milk doesn't really duplicate a latte. But if you have access to hot water, the instant packets make a fast and easy way to have good tasting Starbucks coffee at work or on the go, at about $1 a cup. Starbucks VIA Ready Brew is pre-portioned into single-serve packets and is packaged in books of three or boxes of 12. It is available in both Starbucks Italian Roast and Starbucks Colombia. The suggested retail price is $2.95 for a three-pack and $9.95 for a 12-pack.

Lifestyles reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com