When it comes to beating the summer heat, there is one thing I will always turn to: Iced coffee. Luckily for me, thanks to what's on the Starbucks Cold Bar menu, I have a plethora of options available now. Starbucks is offering six core choices (plus your standard customizations at Starbucks, which makes these six choices turn into about six million different drinks) on the new Cold Bar menu, which just premiered nationwide. What a way to kick off the summer, am I right?
First things first, though: What is the Cold Bar? Basically it's just a new way of organizing the cold coffee beverages on the Starbucks menu, from the tried-and-true classics to a few new offerings. Although we've long enjoyed iced options from Starbucks, the coffee giant is putting a ton of focus on cold coffee now, thanks to the drink's rise in popularity. As a press release on the Starbucks Newsroom notes, " U.S. iced coffee consumption has grown by 75 percent in the past decade and cold brew sales grew 338.9 percent between 2010 and 2015, according to industry experts." This means that Starbucks is listening to what the people want, and — unsurprisingly, given the heat we're already experiencing this summer — the people want cold, cold iced beverages.
To learn more about the six iced coffee drinks that currently make up the core of the Starbucks Cold Bar menu, check out the full details below — and be on the lookout for more innovations in the future!
1. Traditional Iced Coffee
This is the iced coffee you know and love; indeed, it's been around since 1986. You can add syrups to it, order it sweetened or unsweetened (and pick the sweetener of your choice), and add your choice of milk. Starbucks Iced Coffee is brewed double strength with filtered water heated just off the boil, bringing out refreshing acidity, cola, and caramel notes.
2. Cold Brew Coffee
Much to the excitement of Starbucks lovers everywhere, the company made Cold Brew iced coffee a permanent menu item last summer. Unlike the method for preparing traditional iced coffee, Cold Brew never comes into contact with hot water. Instead, time replaces heat to extract the coffee solubles: The grounds are slow-steeped in cool water for 20 hours, giving the drink notes of citrus and chocolate. I promise you, it is worth the wait!
3. Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
This delightful new treat just hit Starbucks stores on May 31, but I have a feeling it's going to become a fast fan favorite. Baristas pour a house-made vanilla sweet cream over Starbucks Cold Brew, meant to compliment the naturally sweet tones of the cold brew without being overwhelming.
4. Nitro Cold Brew
Nitro Cold Brew infuses Starbucks Cold Brew with nitrogen to deliver a smooth, creamy, full-bodied texture in a way that pretty much blows my mind. It's only available at the Seattle Roastery to start, but it will be rolled out to 500 Starbucks stores across the United States by the end of summer.
5. Doubleshot On Ice
The Starbucks Doubleshot On Ice is made with Starbucks' signature rich, full-bodied espresso, which has been chilled and lightly sweetened. Starbucks has offered this drink since 2008, but it hasn't always appeared on the printed menu, so it's possible you've missed it. You're likely to pick up on notes of caramel in this one — yum!
6. Iced Caramel Macchiato
Ah, the classic Iced Caramel Macchiato. It's been on the menu for a while, but it's now part of the Starbucks Cold Bar, too. Baristas whip this drink up by combining espresso with vanilla syrup, milk, ice, and a caramel drizzle. Simple and sweet!
Images: Starbucks (7)
