I tried new Spicy Starbucks Refreshers. Here’s where to get them on the MS Coast
It’s not your average hot cup of caffeine. But trust me, it is spicy.
On April 16, Starbucks reported that they were “coming in hot” with the release of new Spicy Refreshers in three flavors as part of their “swicy” trend.
The Spicy Refreshers, which blend sweet and spicy tastes together in an iced drink perfect for summer sippin’, come in Spicy Pineapple, Spicy Dragon Fruit and Spicy Strawberry. Simply put, the drinks have “the zest of lemonade and the heat of Starbucks Spicy Chili Powder Blend to create a deliciously refreshing sip with absolutely no chill.”
There’s also a Spicy Cream Cold Foam coffee as part of the new release.
When I heard about these drinks, I knew I had a challenge ahead of me. I’m already a fan of the regular Starbucks Refreshers, but adding spice? I wasn’t too sure about that, as I’m not a huge spicy food eater. To be honest, I’m a baby when it comes to spice.
With the exception of the Spicy Cream Cold Brew (because I just can’t bring myself to even try that one), here’s my review of the new Starbucks spicy drinks:
Spicy Pineapple Refresher
Okay, here’s the deal: I don’t know what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it.
Starbucks describes this drink as “sweet flavors of pineapple and passionfruit shaken with ice, real pineapple pieces, zesty lemonade and Starbucks Spicy Chili Powder Blend.”
Let’s just say, I didn’t enjoy it. It was too heavy on the spice and didn’t have enough sweet flavor for my taste. I coughed after drinking a few sips. I almost sneezed, too. Not the effect I need or want from my caffeine.
Rating: 1/5 stars
Spicy Dragon Fruit Refresher
This drink is described as “sweet flavors of mango and exotic dragon fruit shaken with ice, real dragon fruit pieces, zesty lemonade and Starbucks Spicy Chili Powder Blend,” as stated on Starbucks website.
Again, I didn’t get as much sweet flavor as I hoped here, but it was a bit more than the pineapple drink. However, Some of the chili powder sank to the bottom and I was too chicken to mix it all up, so I think that’s why this one was slightly more palatable.
Rating: 2/5 stars
Spicy Strawberry Refresher
This one had “strawberry and açaí shaken with ice, real strawberry pieces, zesty lemonade,” along with the chili powder blend.
I think by the third Refresher, I wasn’t completely shocked by the spicy taste. I felt like this drink had evenly distributed sweet and spicy flavors and although I wouldn’t order it again, I was able to drink more of it than any other flavor. Bonus points for not coughing or feeling like I had to sneeze afterwards.
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Overall thoughts
If you are already a spicy fan and you want a good kick in the pants in the morning, this is your go-to. But I will tell you, these things are pricey. I ordered a tall in each of the three flavors and my total came out to over $17. One tall Spicy Refresher is $5.25 plus tax.
Here are some of the MS Coast Starbucks locations:
All in all, I think I’ll stick to my regular morning coffee, no chili powder added.
If you’ve tried these, what did you think? Let me know at cmaddden@mcclatchy.com
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