This year’s official Starbucks fall menu came out on August 30th. Since then, shoppers have flocked to nearby stores to sample the variety of fall flavors being offered this season. Even though there are more drinks on the Fall Menu, the following five are the options currently offered at the Starbucks near our school. We hope that these reviews give BASIS students a taste as to which drinks they might order on their next visit to Starbucks!
Joleen: If I had to choose one drink from the Starbucks Fall Menu to drink forever, it would be the PSL. It was one of the flavors born in the original Fall Menu, although Starbucks has made several improvements to the recipe since then. As a junior at BASIS Independent Fremont, I am constantly tired due to sleep deprivation and overuse of my brain cells. For this reason, I decided to try out the most popular drink on the Fall Menu one day during lunch. I ordered both the iced version and the hot version to see if the ice made a difference in the drink’s taste. In my opinion, the iced version clearly beats the hot version due to the blend of the creamy, rich pumpkin flavor with the sweet whipped cream. Additionally, they also sprinkled natural pumpkin spice on top of the whip, which really enhanced and highlighted the pumpkin taste. The best part of this drink was that it kept me wide awake in my last three periods of school, so I was able to breeze through my Spanish exam!
Joleen: Just like the PSL, this drink is made iced or heated. Again, I would strongly recommend getting the iced version because the ice allows for the apple drizzle and macchiato to combine harmoniously. While the drink was truly delectable, it lacked that signature fall taste that the PSL has. For students who are looking for a drink to help them stay awake and pass exams, this drink is perfect for you. (Although the Pumpkin Nitro Cold Brew has more caffeine…just read the bottom later). The Iced Apple Crisp Macchiato has more caffeine than the PSL — the grande size contains 170 mg of caffeine, more than enough to help students write beautiful essays and solve complicated math problems in school. However, I thought the drink was very bitter the first time I got it, so I asked for some extra apple drizzle the second time. Other than needing that tiny adjustment, my taste buds quite appreciated this macchiato.
Joleen: If you’ve had the PSL before, then you might recognize the taste of the Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino. However, it is very important to keep in mind the major differences between the two drinks. First off, if you are concerned about your sugar intake, I recommend the latte because the frappuccino version contains roughly twenty more grams of sugar. The PSL also has an extra 50mg of caffeine compared to the Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino. If you need to stay up late at night to finish writing that Shakespeare essay or to win a debate against your parents, the PSL will probably boost your energy more. Despite these minor shortcomings, the Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino is a drink that will have you smiling as soon as you take a sip. It tastes like a pumpkin ice cream milkshake topped with layers of whipped cream- a delicious combination of perfection and perfection.
Heeya: Coming from someone of Indian heritage, the name of the drink itself docks some points. However, the flavor of the drink was a redeeming quality. It was quite sweet but still had the small kick that I know so dearly from all the impromptu “Won’t you come in for tea?” hangouts. The tea itself was certainly caffeinated enough to keep me awake through the last three periods of the day, but not nearly as strong as the Cold Brew. The drink felt like a daisy gifted by a friend — a kind gesture, but not enough to change your life. I’d recommend it for those looking for a companion during a leisurely stroll around the park or simply enjoying their day.
Heeya: I was running on four hours of sleep. My eyes were closing, and I had a one and a half hour Student Panel meeting after school that I was leading. To add onto that, it was our first ever meeting with the new Student Panel members. I was exhausted after the NHS meeting at lunch, and I had exactly fifteen minutes to run to Starbucks and order the most caffeinated drink I could get. And then I remembered my article. I ordered the Pumpkin Cream Nitro Cold Brew on my phone and hurried to go pick it up. After taking the first sip, I almost spit it out. Even my fatigue wasn’t worth this terror. After I roughly mixed around the flavors, it tasted like the dead wet leaves on the ground after a heavy autumn storm. I struggled through the drink, thinking of the hefty six dollars that I wasn’t going to let go to waste. To my luck, although the taste was simply abominable, the results were quite rewarding; with an amount of energy I never knew I could have — I felt as though I could’ve conquered the world. Though this drink tasted horrible, it gave me enough caffeine to survive the day.