Tried And Tested: An Honest Review Of Starbucks' Colored Drinks | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Tried And Tested: An Honest Review Of Starbucks' Colored Drinks

Finding out what the craze is all about

38
Tried And Tested: An Honest Review Of Starbucks' Colored Drinks
Katie O'Leary

Starbucks has ignited its own rainbow with its social media-influenced colored drink collection. You may have seen the hashtags for the drinks accompany a picture of a vibrant colored Starbucks cup on Instagram, Snapchat, or Twitter.

According to US Weekly, comments by Instagram users regarding the drinks have all been of great praise, complete with numerous thumbs-up emojis. Because this trend seems to be growing viral, I decided to try it myself and share my experience for those like me who wonder what all the fuss is about. Spoiler -- not much.

As a disclaimer, I am not much of a tea drinker. I do not stray far from my Bigelow Red Raspberry tea and I can hold on to a single box of it for more than a year. After reading the ingredients for the #PinkDrink, #GreenDrink, #BlueDrink, #OrangeDrink, and #PurpleDrink, I was a little skeptical about whether I would like any of them when three out of the five drinks listed tea as the main ingredient.

Before I went through with my purchase I did some research to see how legitimate this phenomenon was. Most of the time, it seems when one orders from Starbucks' secret menu, he receives a look of confusion from the barista in reply. An article by The Seattle Times claims that the coffee mogul provided baristas with recipes for each of the festive drinks because of their growing popularity among fans and customers. The recipes were posted to Starbucks' Instagram account last week.

Being that the company itself came up with recipes to create its edible rainbow, I decided to go ahead, drag my mom into the car with me, and try one. My brother, who was wise enough to just go with a mocha frappucino, came along for the ride, but said they sounded gross. We're chocolate lovers in my family--not so much into tea.

With that aside however, my mom looked at the recipes and decided on the #OrangeDrink ("Orange mango juice with vanilla bean powder and a splash of coconut milk") while I dared to try the #BlueDrink ("Iced Passion Tango Tea with no water, sub soy milk and vanilla syrup").

Before ordering, I double checked with the barista if she knew what the colored drinks were and she retorted that she would need me to list the ingredients. This made me think that this colored drink craze isn't as big as I thought it was.

The #OrangeDrink looked as it should: the color of orange juice with vanilla beans floating around the ice cubes. The #BlueDrink though, was not #Blue at all. Pictures showed this...


And I got this...

It's more of just a pale, cloudy pink. Definitely not blue. The #OrangeDrink was actually pretty good. My mom's face contorted at her first sip, however, and she described the taste as being very sharp. I tried it just after taking a sip of my #BlueDrink and, in comparison, it tasted like the best thing in the world.

The #BlueDrink was very watery. I could definitely taste the tea, but it seemed like a background flavor--like an aftertaste. It was a cinnamon taste that I would probably enjoy as a regular hot tea, but mixed together to make the #BlueDrink it was nearly tasteless and even difficult to drink.

However, it is difficult to judge as these are drinks not officially on Starbucks' menu and not each location will make it the same. While I will never order the #BlueDrink again, the #OrangeDrink seems like the refreshing partner to your morning bagel. It's something I would consider buying again if I were really in the mood for it, and saved me from swearing off the colored drinks entirely. If I'm feeling really adventurous one day, I may even try a different color. But for now, I think I'll stick to my grande vanilla iced coffee with half and half and sugar.
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

4214
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

450512
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22244
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

45151
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments