We Tried Starbucks' 2024 Summer Refreshers & Treats So You Don't Have To
Starbucks has long been a leader in beverage innovations and trendsetting, but when it comes to some trends, it has had to play a bit of catch up. Boba tea has been quite the rage for the last couple of decades, and Starbucks is finally ready to get things bubbling in the United States this summer. Since at least 2016,Starbucks' Asia-Pacific stores have seen drinks swimming with "pearls," adding a new kind of flavor splash. To kick off the launch of pearls in its U.S. drinks, Starbucks is rolling out a trio of Refreshers — Summer-Berry, Summer-Berry Lemonade, and Summer Skies — complete with a wide straw to suck it all in. If that wasn't enough, two sunny baked goods are also rolling into stores: an Orange Cake Pop and Pineapple Cloud Cake.
The fine folks at Starbucks invited us for a sneak sip and nosh of these five new items. So, will customers bubble up to these new offerings, or will they be singing the summertime blues? This chew and review is based on flavor, uniqueness, and all around lovability.
Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.
What does Starbucks' Summer-Berry Refresher taste like?
The first drink I tried was the Summer-Berry Refresher, which set the tone for the rest of the tastes to come. Its icy, gray-blue color made it hard to tell where the drink was going, and a quick whiff smelled like some mysterious, super sweet berry flavor of Kool-Aid. When I started tasting it, it also seemed to have the artificial taste of some mysterious, super sweet berry flavor of Kool-Aid. That would be fine if I made this at home from a packet filled with sugar crystals, but perhaps I expect something a little more when I pop into a Starbucks.
Luckily, the pearl raspberries at the bottom of the cup are the distraction this drink desperately needs. The pearls are boba-esque, but aren't nearly as chunky an orb. They felt like they'd burst the moment they touched my teeth, but proved to be rather sturdy and robust, until the moment I was ready to jump in and bust them open. When I did, the splash of light and pleasing raspberry flavoring made me wish the rest of this drink had the same taste to match. The Summer-Berry Refresher is definitely refreshing, but just not exactly my cup of tea.
What does Starbucks' Summer-Berry Lemonade Refresher taste like?
The drinks I taste tested were not labeled on the cup. As they were handed to me one at a time, their names were announced. With the cups sitting in front of me, it started to get confusing to the eye as to which was which. They both have that stormy, grayish-blue coloring to them, with the dark pink raspberry pearls lighting up the bottom of the cup.
Somehow, the Summer-Berry Lemonade Refresher's surface has no real smell to it, though. That doesn't make a lick of difference, as the first sip of this lemonade version blows the standard version out of the cup. The lemonade aspect of this drink is very subtle, with a light touch of lemon that adds a receptive pucker to the mix. Its smooth sourness adds a much-needed balance to the sweetness of the berries. Throw the amusing raspberry pearls into the equation, and this makes for quite an inventive Arnold Palmer that's a sure hole in one.
What does Starbucks' Summer Skies Refresher taste like?
I had reservations about a blue drink that was further muddled with milk, even if it did help the Summer Skies drink live up to its name in appearance. The feeling was mutual when I took on TruMoo's Star Wars-inspired Blue Milk, but that turned out well, so I went for it. In the Summer Skies Refresher, the standard option is coconut milk, and I certainly recommend sticking with it. The coconut milk is very visible, but the drink itself is thankfully not overly rich with dairy. It adds a perfectly level dash of flavor that somehow looks like a deluge.
The mixture of coconut milk and berries creates a tropical smell that is very inviting, and its taste is even more intriguing. It feels like a drink that started as a non-frozen piña colada that spilled into a berry batch, and a farmer hurried to put it all back together into a cup. That might not sound like the most appetizing story of conception for the Summer Skies Refresher, but this flavor profile is so unique and so wickedly cool to drink, that it just feels right. If you wanted to round out that beachy feel and make your summer beverage even zanier, you could add a splash of rum to the Refresher.
What does Starbucks' Pineapple Cloud Cake taste like?
Starbucks' new Pineapple Cloud Cake looks like a cross between a round Danish and a homemade Chinese egg tart. It is delicately designed with a perfectly rounded cake exterior and a top center that looks like a yolky button. It's then all laced up with intricately thin lines of a white glaze. It was almost too pretty to touch, but taste I must. A whiff confirmed that it smelled like it should — a pineapple.
My teeth breached the cake's exterior, which is like a thick, foamy take on pound cake. The center's eye is a pineapple jelly puree that could pass for baby food. When it finally touched my tongue, it didn't really speak to me as something I wanted more of. With the treat's interior now visible to the eye, the cake portion showed itself to be a majority stakeholder in terms of its capacity. Below the jelly was what appeared to be a yellow cream. Sadly, it was less like a frosting and more like a custard, which I was about as nonplussed about as I was the pineapple jelly. While I didn't fully embrace the interior pineapple aspects of this treat, I did grow to enjoy thicker, sponge cake outer rim.
What does Starbucks' Orange Cream Pop taste like?
Starbucks' Cake Pops have always packed a mighty delicious wallop in such a small, but pretty package. While orange isn't a common color seen on cakes, let alone cake pops, Starbucks has been there, done that, as seen with its fun Fox Cake Pop. Now it's taking things to a whole other level with its new Orange Cream Pop. Using the creamsicle as inspiration, this bright pop has the most sunny of dispositions. The shell's hue is reminiscent of Dairy Queen's oft discontinued butterscotch dipped cone. It is decorated with a white wheel that is intended to mimic the interior of an orange slice, but for some reason, reminded me instead of the flag of India.
After setting aside way too many minutes to admire its beauty, it was time to dig into the Orange Cream Pop. The cake shell is white chocolate, with no hint of orange. That fruity taste is left to the pop's interior, which is dense, yet soft, and not overly citrusy. Orange flavoring can be a tough sell to the taste buds as a dessert, but this cake pop nails the appropriate level. It tastes unique yet familiar, and is one of the better ones I've had at Starbucks. If it's gone by fall, it would truly evoke some summertime sadness.
How to buy Starbucks' new summer 2024 menu items
All three Refreshers — Summer-Berry, Summer-Berry Lemonade, and Summer Skies, — and the two bakery items — Orange Cake Pop and Pineapple Cloud Cake — are now available at participating nationwide Starbucks for a limited time only. The drinks can be found on the menu under Starbucks Refreshers, and the treats under the Bakery section. They are available to purchase any time Starbucks is open, while supplies last.
The Refreshers and baked goods can be ordered in store at the register or drive-thru where available. Advanced orders can be placed through the Starbucks app and website. The food comes in a single serving size, while the beverages are available in the usual Starbucks cup sizes of 12-ounce Tall, 16-ounce Grande, 24-ounce Venti, and 30-ounce Trenta. The drinks are completely customizable with endless options, such as adding various sweeteners, flavors, powders, syrups, and foam toppings, or adjusting the level of ice. The raspberry pearls are not limited to these Refreshers, and can be ordered and added to most Starbucks drinks.
Our final thoughts on Starbucks' 2024 Summer Refreshers and Treats
The two new Starbucks bakery items don't necessarily feel very summery beyond their sunny looks. That doesn't mean they won't add a bright spot to your day, and the Orange Cream Pop certainly shined much brighter than the curious Pineapple Cloud Cake.
The Summer Refreshers represent a different shade of the season. The Summer-Berry is for those who occasionally like to reach for sugary treats from a classic ice cream truck. The Summer-Berry Lemonade is a great everyday option, like a lovely, non-alcoholic Arnold Palmer to slowly sip in the shade. The Summer Skies is a creamy cumulonimbus clouded drink that would feel right at home at the beach, and probably best enjoyed only once in a blue moon/sky. The drinks are good as is and the pearls don't seem entirely necessary. They certainly do add to the drinks' sense of summer fun, though, and give a bonus blast of flavor.
Blue drinks can be off-putting in appearance, unless you're on vacation in Curaçao or celebrating beverages Luke Skywalker sips in "Star Wars." Starbucks was wise to tone down the vibrancy of the blue hue in this new trio of drinks to make them appear a little bit less out of this galaxy. The force is definitely strong with these cool blue liquids though, and I'll be sipping them all summer long.