Breaking: The Starbucks gods are giving this drink a permanent spot on the menu
Starbucks has been all over the map lately when it comes to introducing new drinks. From SIX limited-edition frappuccino flavors to the ever-popular S’mores frappe to their amazing Flat White, it’s safe to say that each new offering Starbucks has for us is better than the last. Now, one of its limited-time menu items is being bumped up from recurring cast member to series regular — and we have the inside scoop!
Starting July 7, Starbucks’ Cold Brew is going to be offered nationwide in stores. Previously, it had only been available in the Northeast region since March 31.
As someone who pretty much drinks iced coffee all-year-round, this was music to my ears — but not everyone may be familiar with what cold brew is. You may have heard the term ‘cold brew coffee’ before, but you don’t know what it entails. How is it different from regular iced coffee? What makes it so special? Why is it the new best thing?
Luckily, HelloGiggles was on the scene for some first-hand comparative tasting to tell you exactly what differentiates Cold Brew from regular Starbucks iced coffee. (Shoutout to our epic barista Cesar, who made everything to perfection!)
The main thing that distinguishes Starbucks’ Cold Brew is right there in the name — it’s brewed cold, using cold water instead of being brewed hot like regular iced coffee. It’s also brewed over a longer period of time – your mileage may vary depending on this, but the team at Starbucks found their sweet spot to be about 20 hours of brewing time. The result is a smooth, full-bodied iced coffee that’s much more concentrated in flavor than your medium-bodied iced coffee. We were also struck by the subtle flavor notes of chocolate and citrus – a delish combination!
Additionally, because Cold Brew ONLY brews cold, it maintains a sweeter flavor than iced coffee – which tends to be more refreshingly acidic due to being brewed hot and then chilled down. The Cold Brew coffee blend, which consists of Latin American and African coffee beans, is made specifically for this process.
I’m a person who likes a bit of a caffeine boost in the morning, but I also don’t want to wait for my coffee to cool down. Cold Brew is perfect for me since it gives me a little bit of an extra boost first thing before my day officially starts. I’m also more of a black coffee drinker, so I appreciate there being an offering on the menu that you really don’t need to add anything else to.
Starbucks’ Cold Brew stands on its own, apart from anything else — so it’s not a surprise that due to growing demand, it’s been bumped up to a full-time menu offering.
More good news: In celebration of Cold Brew’s small-batch process, Starbucks is teaming up with LA-based pop artist Steven Harrington to reward 60 customers at their Beverly Hills Triangle store on Tuesday, July 7 at 8 a.m. PST. The first 60 people who order Cold Brew will receive one of 60 custom, hand-painted mason jars featuring designs inspired by gorgeous summer weather. (Fun fact: each of the 60 mason jars represents the 60 cups it takes to make one batch of Cold Brew!)
[All images c/o Starbucks.]
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