While you might be more focused on the return of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte, there are more pressing coffee matters to discuss. The Seattle-based coffee giant has finally confirmed what fans have been speculating for months: the company changed its iced coffee recipe for the first time in 18 years.
According to Today, Starbucks rolled out a new blend on May 7. "Designed with versatility in mind, the new Iced Coffee Blend is delicious either on its own or customized to any customer’s preference," Starbucks coffee developer Leslie Wolford said in a statement, per the outlet. The iced coffee was originally launched back in 2006.
The new iced coffee is a blend of "sun-dried and washed" Latin American coffee beans that allegedly delivers an "approachable and refreshing" taste with "notes of malted milk chocolate and a brown-sugar sweetness."
Now I say "allegedly" because customers aren't exactly impressed with the new recipe. In fact, they've been calling out the change since the spring. In a Reddit thread titled "Did Sbux change their iced coffee?" fans have been speculating about the new blend for months. Starbucks actually first announced the change back in May.
"I've gone to three different stores now, and each time my drink (just an iced coffee with 2 toffeenut and oatmilk) has tasted...burnt?" the original poster wrote. "Like the roast is way darker than it use to be. Did Starbucks change their ice coffee roast or how the iced coffee is brewed?"
The user went on to point out that it wasn't just a "one time thing," but a consistent shift. "It doesn't taste right and most [of] the time I've been drinking only half of it before tossing it away."
Other users seem to agree: the new recipe is not it.
They called it "gross" and said the new blend "lacks the chocolately depth."
"Had it today and totally agree," another person wrote. "It felt watered down, bitter, and slightly sweet, like it had saccharine in it, although I was told it no longer comes with the classic syrup."
Starbucks has confirmed the latter fact: the drink is no longer served with the classic syrup but rather it comes unsweetened (unless ordered otherwise). The company told Today that more customers were opting for less or no syrup, which led to their decision to nix it altogether.
"When Starbucks changes their iced coffee recipe and you can’t trust anything anymore," one TikToker wrote.
Some customers, on the other hand, are loving the new iced coffee. "Not me being most excited about the iced coffee coming without sweetener 😂" reads one comment on a Starbucks Instagram post about the iced coffee.
Have you noticed a difference?
Megan Schaltegger is an NYC-based writer. She loves strong coffee, eating her way through the Manhattan food scene, and her dog, Murray. She promises not to talk about herself in third person IRL.
