Life

When To Get Starbucks Spiced Sweet Cream Cold Brew

by Georgina Lawton

A huge part of the holidays includes delicious things to drink: Between all the mulled wine, eggnog, and spiced cocktails, what's not to like? And this season, our favorite coffee giant will be upping their game when Starbucks Spiced Sweet Cream Cold Brew coffee (full name: Spiced Sweet Cream Narino 70 Cold Brew) rolls into town. And although it won't officially be joining the roster of other holiday beverages on the Starbucks menu until later in the month, I have good news for those wondering when they'll be able to order it: Starbucks Rewards members will be able to get a taste of it starting today, Nov. 3, 2016, at participating locations in the United States and Canada. Happy early holidays, North American coffee enthusiasts!

Iced coffee fans are already well aware of the popularity of Starbucks' cold brew. First trialled in 2014, Starbucks later expanded Cold Brew in the spring of 2015; it became a permanent menu item later that summer, while other Cold Brew variations were rolled out in 2016: Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew and Nitro Cold Brew.

In the case of the Narino Cold Brew, which is used in this latest holiday offering, the beans are 70 percent Colombian Narino and 30 percent African. Steeped for 20 hours, the drink is then spiked with all our favorite seasonal spices — cinnamon, anise, and nutmeg — and a health dose of vanilla vanilla, before being topped off with a float of house-made sweet cream. You know, to really get us in the holiday mood.

Yoke Wong from the Starbucks beverage development team said of the unique flavor in a press release, “The spices complement the cold brew and bring out the cocoa notes in the coffee. It’s a flavor reminiscent of the holiday season," adding, "Although we’ve offered iced and blended versions of our holiday espresso beverages before, this is our first time creating a cold coffee holiday beverage.”

Right now, the Spiced Sweet Cream Narino 70 Cold Brew available for Starbucks Rewards members only as of Nov. 3; luckily, the delicious cold brew will be added to the seasonal beverage menu at participating stores in the United States and Canada sometime later this month. (The exact arrival date hasn't been noted, though, so you'll have to keep an eye out for it at your local 'Bux.) No official end date has been announced; typically, though, the holiday drinks stick around until after New Years', so you've likely got at least until January to give it a try.

No word yet on the return of the red cups, but you can boost your sense of togetherness with a green cup or two in the meantime. We've also got several other festive drinks available in-store to quench our holiday thirst; I'm most excited about the Caramel Brulée Latte and the Chesnut Praline Latte (can I get a hell yes?), but that's just me. Either way, we've got plenty of ways to stoke the holiday spirit this year!

Images: Starbucks; Giphy (2)