Fall is here! How do I know this? Because it’s 70 degrees in New York, I’m wearing a sweatshirt and this morning I purchased my first pumpkin-spiced drink of the season. Yes, it’s still August and autumn doesn’t officially start until September 23rd — but none of that matters because we all know Starbucks decides when seasons begin and end.
The coffee giant is notorious for dropping their pumpkin-spiced lattes in August, and today, August 27th, marks the earliest release of all its pumpkin-spiced food and drinks — along with the debut of a brand new player in the pumpkin-spiced game: the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew.
I assume this drink came about after Starbucks finally checked their weather app last year and decided, hmm, maybe people aren’t done sweating yet. And the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is just that: your summer-to-fall transition drink.
Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of cold brew and it wasn’t until a few months ago I learned that it’s different from regular iced coffee. Though I’m not well versed in the history of cold brew and maybe don’t appreciate its finer details (it’s kind of gross and acidic), I enjoyed the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew just fine.
As someone who is really just looking for a taste of cinnamon and other vaguely autumnal flavors to satisfy her excitement for sweaters and colorful leaves without becoming a puddle of sweat on the train platform, this did the job perfectly. And as I look into my future, I can see myself consuming this drink for Septembers to come.
The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew adds vanilla and pumpkin cream-flavored cold foam to the chilled coffee and tops it off with pumpkin spice powder, whatever that is. The only problem is that the drink can’t be made with dairy-free options because of ingredients used to make the cold foam. So you’ll have to settle for the OG pumpkin spiced-latte, which can be made with alternative milk, which you’ll learn once you can muster up enough courage to order one, you basic bitch.
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