I Tried Starbucks' Spicy Lemonade Refreshers & Spicy Cream Cold Foam

Hot girl summer is so not the vibe anymore. It’s time to introduce... spicy spring. Starting April 16, Starbucks is continuing to turn things up this season with a lineup of brand new Lemonade Refreshers — this time, with a fiery twist.

As if the coffee giant’s unexpected foray into hot honey specialities at its Reserve locations wasn’t exciting enough, now you can put your taste buds to the test with three zesty bevs for a limited time:

• Spicy Dragonfruit: Along with the sweet flavors of mango and dragonfruit, this iced drink contains a mix of lemonade, Starbucks’ Spicy Chili Powder Blend, and real pieces of dragonfruit.
• Spicy Strawberry: Starbucks’ Spicy Chili Powder Blend meets the delicious taste of strawberry acai and lemonade for a unique sipping experience. The ice and strawberry pieces help cool things down, too.
• Spicy Pineapple: Even Starbucks’ Spicy Chili Powder Blend is no match for this drink’s refreshing combo of pineapple, passionfruit, lemonade, real pineapple pieces, and ice.

If you want to partake in the hot trend but don’t want to give up your go-to coffee order, you can also enjoy the new Spicy Cream Cold Foam, which is made with Starbucks’ classic cold foam and Spicy Chili Powder Blend.

Chili powder isn’t exactly your typical drink ingredient, and it’s certainly not a staple at Starbucks either. Lucky for you (and me), I got to taste test the new offerings ahead of their release so you know what’s worth trying. Here’s what you can expect from the spicy spring menu additions:

The Spicy Strawberry Refresher Packs The Best Punch

If you were to judge this drink solely on its scent, you would think it was a regular old Strawberry Refresher. But if you take a closer look, you’ll see tons of little red chili flakes floating around the cup.

Don’t underestimate the spicy aftertaste.

The fruity flavor is definitely at the forefront, but don’t underestimate the spicy aftertaste, because the heat quickly makes itself known by stinging the back of the throat. It sounds painful, but I’ll take that over burning lips any day.

Once my tongue adjusted to the spice levels, I was able to taste the lemonade. There are a lot of different flavor profiles going on at once, but they all work together surprisingly well. It’s still a pretty sweet drink overall, and if you’re worried that a spicy drink on a warm day won’t be satisfying, don’t be, because even with the added fiery ingredient this offering still manages to live up to its Refresher name.

Rating: 5 out of 5. Of the three options, this one is my fave. I just love a good sweet and spicy combo!

The Spicy Pineapple Refresher Adds A Little LOT Of Spice

Wafting with the scent of pineapple, this Refresher gives you a few seconds to savor the tropical flavor before the heat kicks in.

This one made my eyes water the most.

This option is wayyy spicier than the Strawberry. Of the three drinks, this one made my eyes water the most. For spice lovers, that’s the sign of a great sip, but I was hoping the drink would be a bit more fruit-forward.

Rating: 3 out of 5. The drink reminded of a spicy margarita which I liked, but if I’m gonna walk around with a drink on a warm day, I want it to cool me down, not heat me up.

The Spicy Dragonfruit Refresher Is Mid

Out of the three Refreshers, the Spicy Dragonfruit Lemonade was definitely the most subtle and least spicy of them all. But considering it doesn’t really give off much of a scent, I wasn’t really surprised.

The flavor is perfectly down the middle.

If you prefer a sip that’s not too sweet, or you’re not a certified heat lover, this option has exactly what you’re looking for. The flavor is perfectly down the middle, and the spicy aftertaste doesn’t linger too long either.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5. This Refresher was the least memorable of the three TBH, but spice skeptics might not view that as a bad thing.

The Spicy Cream Cold Foam Could Mark The Start Of Something New

Don’t let yourself be burned by this unique creation — it’s really not that spicy. The creaminess of the cold foam hides the flavor quite well, so if you want to wean yourself into the spicy coffee trend slowly, adding this on top of your go-to sip would be a good place to start.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5. It’s not too sweet, not too spicy, and definitely not too divisive.

The new Spicy Lemonade Refreshers and Spicy Cream Cold Foam are available starting April 16 for a limited time while supplies last.