Author: Heather

What is the Starbucks Star Drink?

It combines the new Starbucks Kiwi Starfruit Refresher (kiwi and starfruit juice) base with coconut milk and real kiwi pieces for a sweet, creamy beverage.

How is it?

Um, yum. This drink was GOOD. Initially, I was a little skeptical that Starbucks would release a summer-y beverage so close to the return of the beloved PSL. For me, it’s never too early for a PSL. But after trying the Star Drink, I’m over here hoping summer will hang on a little longer so I can stay in the mood for this one.

I think Starbucks does drinks mixed with coconut well, and this did not disappoint. It’s sweet, with a small hint of tartness from the starfruit. It’s much sweeter than the Violet Drink, Pink Drink, and even the Dragon Drink (also Starbucks Refresher flavors mixed with coconutmilk). But not in a “this should be a dessert drink” way. My initial thought was that it tastes like a Starburst candy… like a combined pink and yellow Starburst. Not sad about that at all!

The Star Drink goes down easy and smooth. I (coconut)milked it – see what I did there? – for a little over an hour and it didn’t get too watery from the ice or lose its flavor.

Anything else you need to know?

With just 45 milligrams of caffeine in a Grande, I’d order this drink as a small pick-me-up in the afternoon when I’ve already had my morning coffee. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and refreshing, and gives that small caffeine hit.

Conclusion:

If you’re a fan of the other Starbucks beverages with coconutmilk, give this one a try. The flavor is unique, tropical, and fun.

Purchased Price: $4.45
Size: Grande
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 130 calories, 2.5 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 grams of dietary fiber, 22 grams of total sugars, 1 grams of protein, and 45 milligrams of caffeine.

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.

What is Starbucks’ Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink?

It’s a sister drink to the Iced Pineapple Matcha and Iced Golden Ginger Drinks in that it features coconutmilk as its base. This one packs a flavor punch with guava, passionfruit, pineapple, and ginger. It uses the pineapple ginger syrup along with a guava juice blend to create a bubblegum pink color and creamy flavor.

How is it?

You know how when you’re little and you think you don’t like fish (or insert other food you hated here), but it’s really because you actually haven’t tried it and just think you don’t like it? That’s how I used to be with coconutmilk. But once I began trying it a few years back in Starbucks’ Pink and Violet drinks (Refreshers paired with coconutmilk), I was sold.

The new Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink does not disappoint when it comes to creamy coconutmilk goodness. Having really enjoyed the recently released Iced Golden Ginger Drink, I was excited to try this one too.

At first sip, it immediately transports me to somewhere tropical – I definitely wanted to be on the beach with this one in hand. Despite the 25 grams of sugar in a tall, it’s not overly sweet. The fruity guava flavor definitely comes through, but the pineapple ginger syrup wasn’t very noticeable. All in all, it’s a pleasant drink – fruity flavor, a nice thickness from the coconutmilk and certainly refreshing on a hot day.

Anything else you need to know?

Like the Iced Golden Ginger Drink, there’s no caffeine in this one. So if you’re willing to fork over the more than $4 for a Starbucks drink that’s not going to give you a caffeine boost, it’s worth a try.

Conclusion:

While I enjoyed and loved the taste, I wouldn’t add it in to my normal Starbucks drink rotation, but keep it as a special, once-in-a-while beverage for an afternoon treat.

Purchased Price: $4.45
Size: Tall
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 140 calories, 2 grams of total fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 25 grams of total sugars, 1 grams of protein and 0 milligrams of caffeine.

What is the Starbucks Iced Golden Ginger Drink?

Starbucks Iced Golden Ginger Drink pairs coconutmilk with a golden ginger blend, that includes turmeric, and a pineapple ginger syrup for a fruity iced beverage.

How is it?

Wow! This drink exceeded my expectations!

First of all, the beautiful golden yellow color is sure to be seen on Instagram accounts everywhere.

At first sip, I got a nice flavor of ginger that lingered after, but in a good way. The pineapple came through later, which I think was due to needing to stir the drink a bit after the syrup settled. My husband and I both agreed that this tasted like the perfect virgin happy hour drink — fruity, creamy, and packs just enough of a punch.

What I love about this is that it wasn’t too sugary or sweet – it didn’t leave me feeling like I just had a sugar bomb. The coconutmilk also makes the Iced Golden Ginger Drink more filling, in my opinion, than a regular Starbucks Refreshers beverage.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Unlike Starbucks Refreshers, the Iced Golden Ginger Drink does not have any caffeine in it. So don’t expect it to give you that type of energy boost! But I love having an option if I feel like I’ve already caffeinated enough but still want to partake in an afternoon Starbucks run with my co-workers.

Conclusion:

I love this drink and can’t wait to enjoy it even more as the weather warms up.

Purchased Price: $4.95
Size: Grande
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 140 calories, 5 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 19 grams of total sugars, 1 grams of protein and 0 milligrams of caffeine.