Starbucks Unveils Two Nitrogen-Infused Cold Brew Drinks For Summer

Starbucks, intent on wooing the masses with a never ending cascade of fleeting and vibrantly colored drinks, is seizing on the new nitrogen-infused trend that's been sweeping the coffee world for sometime. The caffeine aficionados who love gulping a cold brew that hews similarly to a Guinness when it's flowing down the hatch should enjoy the company's two new Nitro Cold Brew beverages, the Nitro Cascara Cloud and Nitro Dirty Chai. 

Starting Tuesday, July 11, the two drinks will roll out at participating Starbucks Reserve bars in the United States and Canada, giving you yet another option to sate your craving for an icy pick-me-up during the summer months. 

Since not everyone is hip to the nitrogen-coffee-revolution, it's worth noting how the drinks are made: the Nitro Cascara Cloud is inspired by cascara, which is made from the dried fruit of the coffee cherry itself. The "beverage is made with nitrogen-infused Starbucks Reserve Cold Brew, slow-steeped to bring out its dark chocolate body, berry notes, and rich, port-like flavor," according to a press release. Using a hearty pour of Nitro Cold Brew combined with a squirt of vanilla bean syrup, the drink is topped off with a dollop of cold foam made with milk and a spritz of cascara syrup. "We love the idea of using cascara – part of the coffee plant – to add flavor to coffee. Cascara elevates the flavor of every coffee it meets," said Sara Bennett from the Starbucks beverage R&D team.

Starbucks

The Starbucks Nitro Dirty Chai doesn't stray too far from your traditional dirty chai, which is made from a combination of chai tea and espresso. The new drink uses a blend of the company's traditional chai, mixed with a glass of Starbucks Reserve Nitro Cold Brew, resulting in a creamy texture and a light layering of frothy foam on top.

Starbucks

Starbucks introduced its first line of cascara drinks last year during its biennial investors conference as a way to move ahead with "coffee-forward" drinks that have been consuming craft coffee purveyors for years. A far cry from the Unicorn Frappuccino -- which was really just an outrageously successful publicity stunt -- the company's two new drinks seem to be more in line with Starbucks' vision for the future. It seems bright. 

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Sam Blum is a News Staff Writer for Thrillist. He's also a martial arts and music nerd who appreciates a fine sandwich and cute dogs. Find his clips in The Guardian, Rolling Stone, The A.V. Club and Esquire. He's on Twitter @Blumnessmonster.