Why Starbucks Iced Coffee Suddenly 'Tastes Different'
Starbucks fans have spent months wondering why their regular iced coffee orders suddenly started to taste different, and no, it's not a conspiracy.
Earlier this year, one habitual customer with an inquisitive mind shared their experience on Reddit in hopes of getting answers explaining why the flavor of their regular iced coffee order at Starbucks was unrecognizable. The original post–which also noted that this person had ordered the same drink at several locations, all of which tasted different than what they had grown accustomed to–quickly gained traction as several others lamented that the coffee "tastes different" than it previously had.
Fast-forward to this week and a statement the brand shared with Today reporters may just put the search for answers to rest. In an Aug. 12 report, the coffeehouse chain once again confirmed it changed the blend it uses for its iced coffee earlier this summer. The blend it previously used was first introduced in 2006 before Starbucks began phasing it out after an 18-year-long run in May of this year.
Its new iced coffee is made with a blend of “sun-dried and washed” Latin American coffee beans, which the company described as “approachable and refreshing with notes of malted milk chocolate and a brown-sugar sweetness.”
Related: The Secret Iced Coffee Trick We Wish We'd Known About Sooner
Starbucks' standard iced coffee recipe has also been updated. The fan-favorite beverage is now served unsweetened, as Starbucks explained that most customers were opting for less or no classic syrup in their orders, a release from the company noted at the start of summer.
“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 told the outlet.
Starbucks loyalists, however, appear to prefer the original iced coffee blend, as seen by several critiques on Reddit and a video posted to TikTok, in which the subject joked, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
The new recipe is the latest in a series of updates and new releases the brand has either rolled out or teased this summer, with several new cups and its rumored fall menu items receiving an overwhelmingly positive response. Still, it's impossible to win them all, with this latest change and one limited-edition addition leaving some feeling less than thrilled.
Next: Starbucks Announces Change to Its Order-Ahead Mobile Process
