What are Starbucks Cold Brew with Dark Cocoa and Cinnamon Almondmilk Foam?
Starbucks continues to add drinks with non-dairy alternatives to its menu, but it now has a new cold foam made with almondmilk. You’ll find it on two new cold brew concoctions: The Cold Brew with Dark Cocoa Almondmilk Foam (almondmilk cold foam, mocha sauce, and cocoa powder) and the Cold Brew with Cinnamon Almondmilk Foam (almondmilk cold foam, cinnamon, and vanilla syrup).
How are they?
I really wanted to love these drinks, but I have to say I just like them. They’re good, but nothing special. I have two main reasons for the ratings I gave:
1. The texture and look of the almondmilk foam is NOT anything close to the regular cold foam we know and love. I think it has to do with almondmilk being the base, but the foam was more of a liquid – it quickly sank into the drink and didn’t look bubbly and light like the foam we’re used to seeing. It seemed more like the Vanilla Sweet Cream, which gets poured on top of the cold brew and gradually mixes it in. It was a much different experience than with the dairy version of cold foam.
2. The flavors fell flat. I was expecting the cocoa and cinnamon to shine through and really jazz up the cold brew, but neither did. The taste of the almondmilk was far more overpowering. If I do try these again, I might add more pumps of the corresponding flavors.
Anything else you need to know?
At only 40 calories each for a grande and with minimal sugars, this is a good choice if you’re looking for a lower-calorie alternative.
Also, I maintain that the cold foam beverages are a better experience with the straw-less lids…I got these on two different days from two different Starbucks. When I got the Cinnamon, that Starbucks was out of those lids. With the straw-less lid, there’s a better foam to cold brew ratio with each sip.
Conclusion:
I’ll stick to the regular cold foam beverages when I want to add pizzazz to a cold brew. If you steer clear of dairy and always go for almondmilk in your coffee, I’d be interested to know how others feel about the foam and flavor.
Purchased Price: $4.75 each
Size: Grande
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 4 out of 10 (Dark Cocoa), 5 out of 10 (Cinnamon)
Nutrition Facts (16 oz) Dark Cocoa – 40 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of sugars, 1 gram of protein and 210 milligrams of caffeine. Cinnamon – 40 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 35 milligrams of sodium, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of sugars, 1 gram of protein and 205 milligrams of caffeine.)
Click here to read our previous Starbucks reviews.
I tried the cinnamon one, it was great! The foam was thick and sat on top nicely, the flavors good and not too sweet. As a vegan it is a real treat to be able to order a drink by name without ‘veganizing’ it. I like that it is low calorie and dairy free of course. A win for cows everywhere! Looking forward to trying the mocha one.