Starbucks VIA on shabbat

Question

Someone recently mentioned in a conversation about making/ not making tea on shabbat with a tea bag, that the Starbucks VIA coffee is micro-ground vs how ever regular instant coffee is made and that making micro-ground coffee is actually like making tea on shabbat.

Anybody know anything about this? Would this mean that people who don't make tea with a tea bag (obviously after a kli sheni) because of kali bishul concerns shouldn't use micro ground coffee on shabbat? And getting deeper into it, would this mean that one would have to make this kind of coffee in a kli shlishi if they do make tea that way?

Thoughts, Information...?

Answer 1

As per note from MDjava on 11/21/2018 Rabbi Reiss has now decided that it may only be used in a Kli Shlishi.

Some have ruled that it is permitted to use this product on Shabbos, but after carefully considering the issues, Rav Reiss has ruled that it should only be used using a kli shlishi.

Original Answer:

Per the cRc Chicago:

Starbucks Via Instant coffee may be used on Shabbos (when prepared in the proper way of preparing instant beverages on Shabbos).

Also:

We were in touch with the Rav HaMachshir who reports that it is pre-cooked sufficiently to permit its use on Shabbos.

Answer 2

Green coffee beans are roasted. VIA -unlike instant- is not cooked. Thus it should be done in a Kli Shelishi. There in no concern that the roasting is insufficient- See Chasam Sofer OC 74. According to Reb Moshe Feinstein it could be in a KLI SHEINI since coffee is a Tavlin. Nevertheless he recommends a Kli Shlishi.

שו"ת אגרות משה אורח חיים חלק ד סימן עד ועל קאפע /קפה/ אינו מבושל וכן קאקאו שאין נאכלין והוא רק לתבלין לכאורה הם ודאי בכלל סתם תבלין וא"כ מפורש במתני' שבכלי שני אינם מתבשלין ומותר ליתן לכתחלה