Behold, iced drink enthusiasts! A creative Starbucks fan has bestowed upon us yet another magical "secret menu" elixir, and it is taking social media by storm: the "Pink Drink." And since you probably can't wait to try one of these beautiful concoctions, you may be wondering, what's in the Starbuck's Pink Drink? Well, my friends, the short answer is a whole lotta goodness. As far as specifics go, let's explore.
UPDATE: As of April 10, 2017, Pink Drink has officially joined the Starbucks menu. It brings together the flavors of Strawberry Acai Refreshers, passion fruit, acai, and coconutmilk, topped with a scoop of strawberries.
EARLIER: Here's a little backstory on the Pink Drink before we begin. When this glorious pastel libation began popping up all over Twitter and Instagram (it's so Insta-worthy), it was evident from the get-go that it wasn't an official Starbucks drink; it's a so-called "secret menu" drink. Also worth noting is that Pink Drink isn't on the Starbucks Secret Menu website — an increasingly popular site not associated with the coffee monolith, but definitely devoted to it — which means you could say the Pink Drink is the most unofficial of the unofficial Starbucks treats. But hey, at least we can send our thanks out to the anonymous yet incredibly clever customer or barista who stumbled across this oh-so-ambrosial combo of ingredients at some point and decided to share their winning recipe with the world.
Fans (of which the Pink Drink has many) are likening the fruity iced beverage to a lighter strawberry milk, a milk tea, or the Asian drink Calpico... all delicious comparisons, of course. But the Pink Drink is different than any of these similar concoctions in composition. In fact, the base of the drink is actually something that's on the Starbucks menu: the Strawberry Acai Refresher.
So what's in the Starbucks Pink Drink? Let's start with some of the main ingredients that go into the Strawberry Acai Refresher, shall we?
1. Ice and Water
I mean, obviously, right? If you want an icy cold Pink Drink, you're going to need ice, ice baby. Water is essentially the main liquid mixer, although Pink Drink subs it out in favor of something creamier (which we'll get into in just a little bit)
2. White Grape Juice Concentrate
Mmm, fruity and refreshing. Also kind of surprising, if you ask me; I wouldn't have guessed one of the main ingredients in a strawberry drink would be white grape. There are a few other juices in this beverage, too, though, so there's a good mix in there.
3. Natural Green Coffee Flavor
Hey-oh! This means the Pink Drink has a little pep in its step, thanks to the 45 to 55 mg of caffeine kicked in by the green coffee.
4. Freeze Dried Strawberries
Ah, here's where the strawberries of the Strawberry Acai Refresher come into play. Used in freeze dried form, they likely contribute to the drink's pretty pink hue.
5. Coconut Milk
Now, for the first new ingredient — as in, you've basically up to this point just asked for a standard Strawberry Acai Refresher. The key difference is the Pink Drink is mixed with coconut milk instead of just water. In order to actually get a Pink Drink, ask the barista for a Strawberry Acai Refresher made with coconut milk instead of water.
6. Fresh Strawberries Or Blackberries
I'm personally a blackberries kind of gal, but if you love strawberries and want to stay in theme, you do you.
