The Caffeine-Free Starbucks Drink You Shouldn't Waste Your Money On
Despite Starbucks' reputation as a coffee chain, it boasts some pretty delicious non-caffeinated drinks. A few of our favorite caffeine-free drinks include the Caramel Apple Spice (which you can thankfully order year-round), Strawberry Cookie Frappuccino, and Vanilla Crème. But rich, creamy drinks aren't all Starbucks excels at -- if you browse the iced tea and lemonade category, you can find a wide array of fruity, refreshing beverages. But if you're just craving a simple, classic lemonade, you may want to look elsewhere.
We ranked Starbucks' lemonade as the worst of its caffeine-free beverages. It's not that the drink is terrible -- but when you're craving a refreshing cup with equal parts sweet and sour on a sweltering summer day, this one isn't likely to hit the spot. The lemonade leans more heavily on sourness than sweetness, especially compared to popular brands like Minute Maid. Starbucks' lemonade contains all the usual suspects -- water, sugar, and lemon juice -- along with lemon oil. Whether the latter contributes to the extra tang or not, we advise only ordering this lemonade if you like yours to be extra lip-puckering.
Read more: 31 Popular Coffee Brands, Ranked
Starbucks' Lemonade-Infused Drinks Are A Step Up From The Basic Beverage
While Starbucks' basic lemonade may not check all our boxes, there is still hope for finding a tasty, refreshing drink at the chain. Thankfully, Starbucks offers plenty of delicious beverages that incorporate their lemonade. We rated the chain's Blended Strawberry Lemonade as our fifth favorite of its caffeine-free drinks. We can credit the strawberry puree and slushy consistency for making this drink as tasty as it is, and for why we didn't notice the lack of sweetness from the classic lemonade.
Beyond this icy beverage, there are plenty of other lemony goodies to try at Starbucks. We loved the pretty, pink Lavender Lemonade -- which isn't exactly on the menu, but it's easy enough to ask for. Just request a grande lemonade with three scoops of lavender powder, which you can now order in person, or through the app or website. You can also get refreshing combos like the Iced Black Tea Lemonade (aka an Arnold Palmer), Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade, Iced Green Tea Lemonade, Iced Matcha Lemonade, and Iced Passion Tango Tea Lemonade. Or, if you love a spicy drink, Starbucks released three yummy flavors of its Spicy Refreshers earlier this year. So while you may not get the best classic lemonade at these stores, they offer plenty of other ways to satisfy your craving for a cold, sweet cup.
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