Starbucks Just Added a New Pumpkin Drink You Can Actually Take Seriously

With the smell of cinnamon and cloves wafting out of coffee shops into the humid summer air across the country, it must be time to accept that Pumpkin Spice Latte season is upon us again. But there's something else to have somewhat mixed feelings about other than the syrupy-sweet PSL: Starbucks just launched an entirely new pumpkin-infused beverage that, frankly, is worth getting excited about tasting. Its name? The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew.

If you love cold brew coffee and occasionally indulge in a bit of pumpkin spice, then this drink is for you. The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew layers the chilled coffee with vanilla and a pumpkin cream-flavored cold foam before it's finished off with a dusting of pumpkin spice powder on top. It's not too sweet, it's not orange, and it's not "basic." It's a pumpkin spice drink you can take seriously. 

However, a minor setback of the new drink is that it can't be made with dairy-free milk options -- like almond milk or coconut milk -- due to its construction and the ingredients Starbucks uses to make its signature cold foam. Don't worry, though: If you're craving that jubilant pumpkin flavor, standard PSLs can be made with alternative milks (but just a forewarning: the pumpkin flavor itself contains milk so if you're trying to maintain a vegan diet it's best to stray away from all of Starbucks' pumpkin options). 

Starbucks said that cold drinks (like cold brew) account for more than half of its sales, so the arrival of a pumpkin-infused cold brew makes perfect sense. Pumpkin Cream Cold Brews are available at Starbucks locations nationwide, starting on August 27, but -- like the changing of leaves -- are only around for a little while. Try it before it gets too cold out to enjoy iced drinks. 

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